Chapter 47: A Cold Heart and a Fast Mouth

The neon-lit streets of New Geneva were painted in shades of structural ash and residual static.

Though the terrifying silhouette of the fifteen-meter-tall Aberrant King had been completely vaporised by the world’s greatest hero, the city was still far from quiet.

The "glorious evolution" potions distributed by Dr. Lannister had already found their way into the hands of desperate, power-hungry civilians.

All over the southern civilian district, unstable mutations Level 1 and Level 2 aberrants were breaking out of the rubble, clawing at everything in sight.

Bzzt! Crackle!

A blinding arc of blue electricity flashed across a cracked asphalt road, instantly vaporising a pack of snarling, multi-eyed aberrants into smoking piles of carbon.

Tempest, the Storm Chaser, skidded to a halt, his chest heaving.

His iconic blue suit, emblazoned with the golden lightning bolt, was covered in soot, and fine cracks of physical exhaustion lined his face.

Known as the fastest man alive, he had been running across the massive metropolis for hours, smashing vials and putting down newly awakened monsters until his legs felt like lead.

"Haha! Man, my legs are practically screaming at me," Tempest laughed, cracking his knuckles as sparks danced across his blue cowl.

He took a deep breath, scanning the immediate street blocks.

"But hey, the fastest man on alive can’t afford to be slow when the city’s on fire."

Not far from him, the temperature of the humid summer night suddenly plummeted.

A gentle, chilling breeze swept through the burning ruins, carrying with it a fine, glittering frost.

Where the heat of the burning buildings should have reigned, ice began to rapidly crawl across the concrete.

A tall, beautiful woman stepped out from the shadows of an alleyway. Her short blond hair caught the moonlight, and her pristine white gown flowed elegantly despite the surrounding chaos.

With every step she took, intricate trails of ice bloomed and dissolved beneath her feet. As she breathed, a faint, cold blue mist drifted from her pale lips.

Emilia Heart, the Frost Queen.

Hours as had passed had passed they still continued to clean up, only this time Lilith wasn’t with them, she had gone to see Imperion after confirming they were no high ranking monsters remaining

With a slight gesture, Emilia flicked her wrist toward a horde of charging Level 2 aberrants.

Within seconds, a colossal wall of solid, crystalline ice erupted from the earth, freezing the monsters mid-stride into flawless, frozen statues.

"Whoa, now that is what I call a cold shoulder!" Tempest zoomed next to her in a flash of lightning, wearing his signature, cheeky grin. He leaned against a intact lamp post, flashing a bright smile.

"Hey there, cold missy. You sure you don’t won’t to comeback to Star City with me for a bit once this is over? I’ll be sure to give you a personal, high-speed tour."

Emilia didn’t even turn her head to look at him. She merely puffed out another cold gust of blue mist, her expression completely indifferent.

"Firstly, Tempest, I’ve told you already don’t call me cold missy. This one’s name is Emilia Ra~" she sneered, her voice carrying a passive chill that made the air around Tempest’s collar freeze. "

And secondly, I am only here to protect my Lord’s city. So do your job, clear the rabble, and stop talking so much Ra~"

Tempest blinked, the lightning crackling around his shoulders sputtering out in sheer bewilderment.

"Ra~? What is that?" Tempest muttered to himself, his eyebrows twitching in absolute confusion, looking exactly like Ethan had when he first met her.

"Is that a verbal tic? And why does she look at me like I’m a piece of garbage?"

Before Tempest could throw out another fast-mouthed retort, a terrifying, suffocating pressure descended from the clouds above.

The moonlight was suddenly blocked by a pair of massive, blood-red wings.

Lilith having told Ethan goodbye had returned

Descending like a vengeful deity of the night, her long silver hair whipping wildly in the wind.

Her striking crimson eyes were cold, devoid of their usual warmth, glowing with a deep, toxic shade of crimson that screamed absolute fury.

She didn’t offer a single greeting. She didn’t even look at Tempest or Emilia.

With a brutal wave of her hand, countless, highly-condensed blood spears materialized in the air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The crimson projectiles rained down upon the remaining aberrants with terrifying, indiscriminate violence.

Each blood spear carried enough physical force to obliterate not just the monsters, but the concrete roads and structural pillars they stood on, reducing everything to a fine, bloody paste.

The sheer, explosive power of her attacks made it clear that her mind was in absolute turmoil.

"Whoa! Watch the friendly fire, vampire lady!" Tempest yelled, desperately zipping backward to avoid a stray crimson spear that shattered the ground mere inches from his feet.

"I know you’re mad, but I’m on your side!"

For the second time today he was almost killed by Lilith.

"Miss Lilith Ra~," Emilia spoke softly.

"The orphanage forces have successfully secured the southern civilian district. Lord Imperion’s city will remain intact. No filth shall touch his territory Ra~"

Lilith took a deep, steadying breath, her blood wings slowly dissolving into a fine mist behind her back. She tapped her ear, activating her communicator.

"The cleanup is nearly complete," Lilith said, her voice turning calm but carrying a heavy, weight that Tempest had never heard from her before.

"Tempest. Help the remaining hero association forces secure the borders. Do not let a single civilian escape with a potion."

"On it, boss lady," Tempest sighed, realizing the playful atmosphere was completely dead.

In a flash of blue lightning, the fastest man alive vanished into the city blocks to finish the job.

Lilith turned her gaze to Emilia.

"Emilia, return to the orphanage. Double the security around the training facility, and make sure the Ari, keeps a constant lock on the Federation’s movements. The "D-Day" ... is approaching much faster than we anticipated."

"Understood, Miss Lilith Ra~," Emilia bowed elegantly, her golden-blue eyes shining with fanatic devotion to their cause.

With a sharp leap, Lilith launched herself into the air, flying with no direction in mind.