CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER-38 A PLAYER WHO WON EVERY GAME BUT LOST HIS FAVORITE ONE”

Freya stared at Aldrich. Her ice blue eyes were cold.

General Bjorn’s voice echoed through the cave. "Begin!"

And Freya blurred forward she was fast so fast for her size.Her hands stretched out. The water suspended in the air moved with her like living ribbons. It obeyed her will completely.

Aldrich’s eyes widened in shock. Within the blink of an eye, the northern young warlord had closed the distance between them. She was fast. Incredibly fast. This was the speed that warlords of the Frostholt Kingdom were known for.

She swung her right hand forward sharply.

The water moved with her motion. It formed into a liquid scythe, spinning and deadly. Then, in an instant, it solidified. The liquid became ice. Hard. Sharp. Lethal.

The ice scythe smashed straight toward Aldrich.But his body turned into pure light. He disappeared completely. And He reappeared a few meters away from her, safe.

In his previous position, an ice platform materialized where he had stood. Freya’s attack smashed into it instead. The platform exploded into frozen shards that scattered across the cave floor.

Freya didn’t stop. She leaped upward, her movements fluid and powerful. Both hands raised from below, pushing upward like she was lifting an invisible weight.

But it wasn’t air she was moving.

Two giant vortexes of water rose with her hands. They spiraled violently, growing larger and larger.

She spoke, her voice cold and commanding.

"Water Manipulation: Dragon Twin Vortex."

The water reformed. It twisted and shaped itself into two massive water dragons. Their bodies were translucent but powerful. Their eyes glowed faint blue. They roared silently and shot toward Aldrich without hesitation.

Aldrich’s Danger Detection ability activated immediately.He dodged swiftly. His body moved on instinct.

The twin water dragons smashed into the ground where he had just stood. They exploded on impact, scattering into hundreds of tiny water balls that floated in the air like suspended raindrops.

Aldrich reappeared at another safe spot across the cave.

Inside his mind, he saw Solomon sitting casually. Relaxed. Unbothered. Like he was watching a performance instead of a life or death fight.

"Hey! Aren’t you gonna help me out here?!" Aldrich said internally, frustrated.

Solomon licked his fingers slowly, one by one, like he’d just finished enjoying a delicious snack. A smirk crossed his face.

"I don’t hit women, my boy," he said smoothly.

Aldrich’s jaw dropped. "WHAT?! You’re the one who killed your wife, aren’t you?!"

Solomon’s smirk widened. "That was a different case entirely. And you’d better watch out. That lady is about to go for a killing blow."

Back in reality, the floating water balls began to move.

They detached from their suspended positions. Then they started multiplying. Rapidly. In seconds, the entire cave was filled with hundreds of water balls hovering in the air.

And then they all turned hazy.

One moment they were visible. The next moment they weren’t. They flickered in and out of sight like ghosts.

General Bjorn turned to Queen Elara and spoke quietly. "The boy from the Royal Kingdom has been defensive since the fight started."

Queen Elara smiled faintly. "He’s a respectful man. He doesn’t strike women, whether they’re maids or warriors. I suppose that’s admirable."

Bjorn shook his head. "Well, that’s going to change now. It’s either he attacks her, or he loses. Because she’s activating her Library power."

While they spoke, Freya muttered under her breath. Cold vapor escaped her lips like frozen mist. Her voice was low but clear.

"Library of Phantom Ice Dragon: Water Convergence Needles."

The water balls that were invisible to the naked eye all reshaped instantly. They became ice needles. Hundreds of them. Sharp. Deadly. Pointing toward Aldrich from every direction.

And then they shot forward.

All at once.

Aldrich’s system activated immediately.

SYSTEM ALERT: INVISIBLE ATTACK DETECTED

DANGER LEVEL: CRITICAL

MULTIPLE PROJECTILES INCOMING FROM ALL ANGLES

RECOMMENDATION: ACTIVATE COUNTERMEASURE

LIBRARY OF MALEVOLENT SPIRIT: ARCHIVE 300 - EYES OF CREATION

DESCRIPTION: GRANTS SPIRITUAL VISION. ALLOWS USER TO SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF SPIRITS. REVEALS HIDDEN ATTACKS, INVISIBLE ENTITIES, AND ESSENCE FLOWS.

ACTIVATE?

[YES] / [NO]

Aldrich didn’t hesitate. He selected [YES].

Instantly, his vision changed.

Everything became black and white. The world lost its color. But he could see things he couldn’t before.

The hundreds of ice needles were now visible. Each one glowed faintly in his spiritual vision. They were racing toward him from every direction. Above. Below. Left. Right. There was nowhere to run.

But Aldrich wasn’t planning to run.

His eyes locked onto Freya. Specifically, onto her clothing. A belt hooked around her dress caught his attention.

He focused on it. Using the Library of Light Magic, he coated the belt with light essence.

He muttered quietly, "Exchange."

In an instant, he and Freya swapped places.

Reality bent. Space folded. Aldrich appeared where Freya had been standing. And Freya appeared where Aldrich had been.

Right in the path of her own attack.

Freya’s eyes went wide with shock. Her reaction was fast, but not fast enough. She didn’t expect this ability. She didn’t know the exiled prince could swap positions like that.

Her own ice needles were coming straight for her.

But before they could reach her, Aldrich moved.His light sword materialized in his hand. With his black and white spiritual vision, he could see every single needle clearly. He swung his blade.

Once. Twice. Three times. Four.

His sword moved faster than thought. Each swing cut down dozens of needles. Ice shattered and scattered. The sound of breaking glass filled the cave.

He cut them all down.

Every single one.

At the end of his flurry of strikes, Freya slipped on the ice beneath her feet. She lost her balance and began to fall backward.

Aldrich moved instantly. He grabbed her by the waist and caught her before she hit the ground.

"You’re safe now," he said calmly.

Freya stared up at him. Her ice blue eyes searched his face. She was realizing something. The difference in their power. He had countered some of her strongest attack. Saved her from her own technique. And done it without breaking a sweat.

But before she could finish processing that realization, a bell sounded.

It rang out loud and clear. The sound echoed through the cave and beyond. It came from the walls of the kingdom.

The alarm bell.

The one that signaled invasion.

Freya’s expression changed immediately. From shocked to deadly serious.

She jumped out of Aldrich’s arms and stood on her own. She looked at him with newfound respect.

"You’re strong, my prince," she said. Her voice was firm now. No mockery. No hostility. Just acknowledgment. "I see that now. But the real fight is about to begin. The reason you were sent here you will see it now."

She paused. Then she did something unexpected.She knelt down on one knee. Her head bowed slightly.

"Outside the walls, a war is about to begin. Please. Aid us."

Inside Aldrich’s mind, Solomon smiled wide. His eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Now this is what I love," Solomon said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

"Moments like this."

He took control instantly over Aldrich.Aldrich’s eyes shifted from brown to gold. His posture straightened. His expression changed. He looked down at Freya with a dangerous smile.

When he spoke, his voice was smooth. Charismatic and Condescending.

"Of course I’ll aid you," Solomon said through Aldrich’s mouth.

"You asked so beautifully, after all. How could I refuse?"

He paused. His smile widened.

"Though I must confess, I was rather tempted to leave after this little sparring session. You see, I don’t particularly enjoy being underestimated. Sending a lady to test me? As if I were some helpless child who needed to prove himself?"

He leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes shining.

"But since you’ve asked so nicely and since I do so enjoy a good war,I suppose I can forgive the insult."

He straightened and gestured toward the cave entrance.

"Lead the way, darling. Let’s see what monsters dare threaten this frozen little kingdom of yours."

Freya stood up. She didn’t respond to his tone. She simply nodded once and turned toward the exit.

Aldrich controlled by Solomon followed her.

Together, they left the cave and headed toward the northern wall.

Outside, the sound of roaring grew louder.The war had begun.