The main reason Ivy trained Icicle to control monsters beyond insect types was to help her master spirit manipulation.

Using her pheromones, Icicle had learned to control not just beast- and humanoid-type monsters, but even undead entities like wraiths and specters. Her pheromones, once physical chemical compounds released through her pores, had evolved into magical signals capable of influencing magically-animated creatures.

This new approach enabled her to command spirits—creatures formed entirely from magical energy.

Icicle's path to greater strength had led her to a single conclusion:

To control spirits themselves using her evolved pheromones.

Spirits, regardless of their rank from minor to supreme, possess immense power. Even the lowest-tier minor spirits can produce force equivalent to mid-level spells.

The spirits gathered around Icicle were all minor spirits.

This was still only the opening act—a mere warm-up.

Yet Kagerou showed no sign of panic. He rubbed his chin, watching Icicle's approach.

"Well, if she's close-combat focused, I just need to adapt."

Deciding to avoid a direct clash, Kagerou tried to dodge her kick. But in that instant—

Her leg accelerated with explosive speed.

"Guh—!?"

"O-hohoho! Don’t underestimate me, or you'll get hurt!"

The sound of compressed air popped as her foot slammed into Kagerou's abdomen.

He tumbled backward, chuckling despite the pain as he fought down the bile rising in his throat. Righting himself midair, he steadied his stance.

"Looks like I can’t keep playing around."

Hovering midair, Kagerou's easy smile faded. His presence shifted as his eyes locked on Icicle.

"Then I'll go all out."

Spreading his arms, he clapped his hands together with a sharp snap.

A glowing magic circle formed around his right arm. Unlike a simple ring, the complex glyphs layered over his arm like intricate armor.

Even Icicle, no stranger to magic, couldn't decipher the spell's nature at a glance.

She dove toward him, spirits swirling around her, ready to strike.

"Armament Summon—Giganoto Gigant, the Shattering Colossus."

Kagerou's right arm flared with light. In the instant their fists met, his arm transformed into a colossal, metallic limb resembling a siege hammer.

A mechanical clank echoed as metal cylinders extended from the arm and discharged with explosive force.

"Wha—!?"

The punch smashed through Icicle's strike and slammed into her torso, hurling her backward.

'What brute force...'

Icicle spiraled through the air. Pain radiated from her abdomen, and her wings refused to respond properly.

The shockwave had jarred her entire body. Even maintaining balance sapped her strength, a tingling numbness spreading from the base of her wings.

Snapping her fingers with a sharp click, she summoned a pale, glowing spirit from her carapace.

The spirit circled her head, sprinkling shimmering particles that mended her wounds.

Borrowing the power of a light spirit capable of healing, she prepared herself for the next clash.

"Such dexterity... Normally, forming contracts with multiple elements should be impossible due to their natural opposition. You must have considerable talent."

As Kagerou spoke, they swung their arm, and the massive metal limb vanished as though the previous attack had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

In its place, the original slender, darkened arm reappeared.

"My power is quite simple. I can choose and summon any weapon that exists in this world. Like this—Swiftwind Boots, Gale Shore."

Icicle, having healed her wounds and regained her battle stance, lost sight of Kagerou.

She immediately took to the air at high speed, prepared to react from any direction. Yet Kagerou outsped her, who was borrowing the power of wind spirits, and appeared behind her in an instant.

With a swift flying kick, Kagerou struck. Icicle’s eyes couldn’t follow the speed. She managed to defend herself on instinct alone, but she couldn't fully deflect the impact and was once again sent flying.

In her blurred vision, she caught a glimpse of the boots—sharp and predatory, resembling the beak of a raptor.

'Such absurd abilities! After seeing Ivy, I thought I'd grown accustomed to ridiculous powers, but this is beyond unreasonable!'

Icicle quickly cast healing magic and shifted into a more observational combat stance.

She switched from using minor spirits to lesser spirits, changing her primary elements from offensive fire and wind to defensive earth and water, along with light for healing.

"Weapon Summon—Flesh-Eater's Reaping Scythe"

A crimson-red scythe, the color of fresh blood, appeared in Kagerou’s grasp.

The moment Icicle saw the weapon pulse like a beating heart, she instinctively leaped aside.

"Summon—Blackbird"

To test the scythe's properties, she summoned a bird-shaped familiar and sent it toward Kagerou.

The scythe pierced the blackbird’s abdomen. The familiar shriveled in an instant, reduced to a mummified husk.

That scythe drains the life of whatever it strikes. A single hit in close quarters would be fatal.

Icicle maintained her distance and summoned a horde of creatures to buy time.

After roughly five minutes, the scythe disintegrated.

The previous metal arm had vanished in under thirty seconds.

Perhaps each summoned weapon had a different duration.

'They called it 'Weapon Summon,' which suggests it's a form of summoning magic. But this level of versatility is unlike anything I know.'

Icicle had studied summoning magic alongside spirit magic. Spirits rarely linger in one place; they wander freely. She had to form simple contracts with individual spirits to reliably call them during battle.

Summoning magic, in essence, calls contracted beings to the summoner’s location.

Icicle had a natural aptitude for the magic and learned it without much difficulty. Yet even she could only summon spirits and creatures she'd personally contracted with—not inanimate objects like Kagerou.

Kagerou’s ability allowed the summoning of any weapon that existed in the world. Simple yet terrifying.