Chapter 86: Im free... (2/2)

The group proceeded when he urged them once again.

He was very suspicious of what was inside this next room. Recently, when he was fighting with the wild burst of mana, his senses were muddled up. And he felt a strong affection towards Almina.

It feels like something or someone played on his senses and emotions.

So he had to figure out if what's inside this room.

When they entered the room, ”Woah!” No words can express what they felt at that moment.

They have felt that they come into another place out of a sudden. They wondered if they were still inside the underground channel as of the moment.

The room's estimated-width was 100 Square meters.

On the ground, crystallized ice of different sizes was protruding, and some were on the wall.

And on the curvaceous ceiling, numerous stalactite jutting out; the whole room was illuminated by white and blue.

In the middle of the room stood a what seemed like an altar.

”Who are you?” A soothing melodious voice resonates in their ears.

Simultaneously, they glanced at where the voice originated.

She has smart looking-eyes but with a tinge of dreary, a small nose, and pale lips. Her sky-colored pupils had no gleamed, it was shady and no reflection on it. And her long messy silver hair was paired with a tattered white headdress embroidered by black. She looks beautiful, but something was odd.

She was standing on top of the altar, encasing her body up to her neck by crystal ice, while her arms stretched open to the opposite directions.

And at her back stood a 5 meter tall and 3 meters wide mirror.

Although the mirror trailed with cracks, it gave off a feeling that it wasn't an ordinary ice mirror.

But something was off; her hands were tied by the chain that was seemingly made of ice as well.

This chain of ice adjoined her hands to the two opposing ice pillars at the corners of the altar.

”Lady...”

Yman heard a whisper from the man on his left side.

”Do you know her?” He asked.

”Mhm,” Ultima nodded.

”It's Miss Ice.”

”The Ace.”

Almina and Maena exclaimed, however they did not expect to see this person here.

”Right, it's Lady Ice. The one and only Ace in our academy.” Mercenary Ultima also exclaimed.

Yman was surprised that that woman was the so-called Ace. And he was surprised too that Almina and Maena knew about her.

Wait.

Miss Ice? This name sounds familiar, though.

Yman scanned his memory, and he remembered that this was the person who borrowed the book for channeling ability from the academy's library.

But why is she here? And why she was covered in ice and tied to the pillars of ice. Such thoughts were present at Yman's mind.

”Miss Ice, we are the new batch of trainees from the academy!” Almina introduced them.

Though she looked awry, her countenance was no doubt — that it was her.

”I see... can you help me?” She said in a pleading voice.

”Of course, Lady Ice, in any case, what happened, why are you entangled?” Mercenary Ultima agreed without a second thought — then asked her.

”Don't mind my situation. It was sealing magic that I had been practicing for a long time. But something happened, and this is the result. Notheless, will you guys climb here?” She said.

Mercenary Ultima immediately ambertowards the altar.And Yman, Almina, and Maena followed after him.

When they arrived on the altar, everyone frowned at her state.

How could such a thing happen to this person? Right now, she seemed so weak. But really, this person was the academy's Ace.

”Lady Ice, what do you want us to do?” Mercenary Ultima asked worriedly.

”Can you pick that book on the floor for me?”

They glanced to where she pointed.

”That's...” Yman muttered in surprise upon seeing the book on top of something like a seal, a seal that was written by blood.

But suddenly, something happened...

”Wait, don't... Urgh! Don't take the g-grimoire. The d-demon will -- escape.”

Yman, Almina, and Maena were surprised to hear her pained voice. It was far from the soothing voice of her recently.

And why she was stopping them to the book that she called grimoire?

They immediately glanced back at the book, but it was already in the hand of Mercenary Ultima.

”Eh?” Ultima stared at them, puzzled.

Suddenly, the whole room vibrated. Thenthe ice pillars and the ice around the body of Miss Ice had crumbled.

Seeng that she about to fall, Yman immediately caught her body.

”Y-Yman, something happened to Mr. Ultima, ” he heard Almina's trembled voice.

Ehehehe-ehehe-hehehehe!

For some reason, Ultima broke into anunpleasant chuckle.

Almina and Maena backstep subconsciously.

Ultima was standing in front of them, holding the opened book on his left hand. He was guffawing while staring at the ceiling, and his body exudes crimson energy.

His figure turned into that of a —demon?

Yman and the others could not believe what was in front of them.

One little horn stood at the right corner of his forehead. His eyes turned black, and sharp fangs were visible in his mouth.

”Cough, cough, cough, you guys, run! He was possessed...” Miss Ice warned.

But Yman and the others could not move because of the different levels of pressure bore onto them.

”I'm freeeeeeeee....”

Ultima said in a chilly and loathing voice.