"How exactly does this Demon King's Castle work?"
"Huh, Icicle, you've never been inside before?"
"I've only used teleportation magic to get here, so I've never moved between floors like this."
"Ah, I see. Quattro's dark transfer, huh…"
Icicle hadn't met all the Demon King's Ten Fingers.
After all, the Demon King never held meetings to discuss strategies against humans, nor did the Ten Fingers gather to discuss future plans.
So, in fact, this was the first time she'd ever met Kagerou face-to-face, though she'd heard his name before.
'There's something unsettling about this man…'
Looking at the slender winged man before her, Icicle felt a chill of unease.
Kagerou wasn't unfriendly.
Compared to Mash and Marin, whom she'd encountered earlier, his personality seemed relatively normal.
But Icicle didn't miss the sharp glint of hostility that lurked in his narrow eyes.
"Well then, now that everyone's gone… shall we get started?"
Kagerou's already narrow eyes narrowed further into thin slits.
A wave of cold dread washed over Icicle, causing her to tense.
The aura of the monster before her swelled in an instant.
Cold sweat trickled down her back.
She instinctively wanted to jump backward but forced herself to stay put.
There was a reason Icicle was so wary.
Monsters are inherently sensitive to the absolute hierarchy of strength.
That's why, from the moment she became one of the Demon King's Ten Fingers, she never even considered rebelling against her superiors.
It was a completely different situation from when she'd fought alongside Rey and the other Saviors.
Now, Icicle was standing alone before Kagerou, a senior member of the Ten Fingers, who ranked higher than her.
'I must not falter! Because I…'
Icicle had always been alone. But not anymore.
She was no longer alone.
Humans are said to fear loneliness, but monsters are no different.
Once she had experienced the warmth of others, she knew she could never go back to that solitude.
And she wouldn't allow herself to.
Even if her instincts screamed in protest, she'd crush that fear with sheer willpower.
That's why she'd trained so hard.
She'd gained the strength to fight for what she believed in.
All she needed now was the courage to step forward.
"I won't lose!"
"Is that so?"
"Even if you're my senior in the Ten Fingers—I will defeat you. Absolutely."
"Then as your senior, I'll lend you my chest to strike—come at me."
"Here I go!"
As Icicle flew forward, magic circles formed to her left and right.
The initial two circles became three, then four, then five… continuing to multiply.
Kagerou's eyes widened slightly as he watched the ever-increasing number of circles.
Seeing his reaction, Icicle's anxiety eased.
Calmed and focused once more, she shouted to unleash the new power she'd gained.
"Summon Elemental!"
Icicle's training had centered on using her pheromones to command monsters.
Originally, she could only control insect-type monsters, but she'd worked to enhance her magic and strengthen her pheromones to control a wider variety, including humanoid, beast-type, and even undead monsters.
Initially, she'd made swift progress and soon managed to command a decent number of other types of monsters.
The quality of pheromones needed varied by monster type.
She started with weak sixth-grade monsters, then moved on to fifth grade, then fourth, and so on.
Eventually, she'd grown capable of controlling third-grade monsters across multiple species.
But that was when a question struck her:
"I'm not doubting Ivy's methods, but… can I really defeat the other Ten Fingers like this?"
Icicle could now control dozens of monsters at once, each obeying her commands without resistance.
Yet she hadn't grown stronger herself.
She knew brute force alone wouldn't overcome the Ten Fingers.
But if the training was misguided, Ivy would've corrected her.
Icicle trusted her mentor completely.
So she thought:
—Is there a way to increase my own power by commanding monsters?
After much contemplation, she reached a conclusion:
"Of course… That must be it!"
From that day on, she dedicated herself to mastering the control of a particular kind of creature.
Hee-hee.
Ha-ha.
Come dance with us?
The sound of a child's carefree voice echoed through the air, muffled as though heard through glass.
Light began to gather around Icicle.
Not drawn like insects to a flame; instead, the light itself sought her out.
The colorful motes of light swirled around her, emitting high-pitched giggles like playful children.
"I see… Elemental spirits, huh?"
Kagerou's gaze sharpened.
The orbs dancing around Icicle were indeed spirits—beings born from the fusion of natural phenomena and magic energy.
When wildfires occur in areas rich with magical energy, fire spirits are born. In torrents that sweep everything away, water spirits emerge.
While the Adventurers' Guild classifies spirits as monsters, their true nature is closer to pure magical energy itself.
Spirits can be allies to humans or manifestations of natural disasters. They are fickle, whimsical beings who love the natural phenomena that gave birth to them above all else.
For instance, fire spirits may enhance the power of fire magic when in a good mood, yet just as easily fan the flames of a wildfire that humans desperately try to contain.
Because fire spirits love the very existence of fire and ignition, controlling their actions is no simple task. However, there are rare individuals who can achieve this.
These individuals wield spirits freely, mastering a craft known as spirit magic.
People call them—Spirit Magic Users.
"—Here I go!"
Icicle's wings fluttered. The magical force that kept her aloft converted into thrust, sending her darting sideways.
With her fists clenched, she defied physics through sheer magical maneuvering.
The carapace armor she wore bore several openings. Six circular holes on her armguards glowed like eerie compound eyes, the light growing in intensity. As she thrust her fist forward, the glowing spirits entered the open slots.
Kagerou, seeing the incoming straight punch, chose to counter rather than evade.
Their fists collided head-on.
A deafening crash echoed. The explosive impact sent nearby monsters plummeting from the sky.
The clash ended in Icicle's favor.
Kagerou was blasted backward. Twisting midair, he regained his balance and inspected his arm. Smoke rose from his fist, and his bones throbbed with the heat and force of the blow.
"A close-combat spirit mage... That's a first."
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