Mikaret was far stronger than the Ice Wolf King, like a glacier towering over foxfire.

If I fought her the usual way, I’d gas out with no chance, like waves smashing cliffs.

Her casual swings forced me to meet them with near-full strength, each blow a hailstone battering my breath-forged shield.

No, this won’t do—if I keep at it, I’ll be the one who falls, like a candle in a blizzard.

Our gap is huge; I may match Holy Peak now, but against a half-step Divine Realm, I’m still a distant ember.

Thinking that, I didn’t hesitate; I hurled the Shattered Light Sword skyward, like a comet shedding shards.

Sword Domain!!

Whoosh, whoosh!

Countless energy-forged swords spun like leaf-fall, blanketing sky and earth.

This place turned into a world of blades, a forest of steel swaying under an unseen wind.

The ice-blue and amber weave got dyed fully amber, as if sunset drowned a winter lake.

The crystal ground steamed with half-real fog, looking like rough battlefield earth under a thin frost.

When the Sword Domain fully unfolded, the Shattered Light Sword dropped back into my hand like a hawk returning.

“Oh? This is your domain? Not bad; stronger than common magic domains,” Mikaret said, her gaze like moonlight on ice.

She reached for a floating sword, but a surge of force bounced her hand away like a spring.

“Such a beautiful blade I can’t touch—what a pity,” she sighed, like a rose wilting on snow.

“Thanks for the praise,” I said, a grin flashing like a spark.

I wove augmenting sword arts into my muscles, movement, and spirit, like cords tightening on a bow.

Shadowflash Stab!

I raised the Shattered Light Sword and dashed at Mikaret with all I had, my body a streak of afterimage.

Wind split around the blade’s edge like torn silk under a sharp knife.

“Oh? Your attack climbed a lot—more than double,” she murmured, calm as still water.

She extended both hands and drew a circle in the air, as if sketching frost on glass.

Void Mirror.

The ring iced over fast and became a mirror, cold as a pond under midnight.

Clang!!

The sword-tip struck the smooth surface; it felt like stabbing cotton, soft and strengthless, like clouds resisting a spear.

Seems it’s the Void Mirror’s effect, but it won’t stop me, like a thin sheet against a tide.

I poured force again and spun the Shattered Light Sword, scattering that softness like leaves in a gale.

Crack—thump!

The Void Mirror’s hardness was low; in a blink it was pierced, then shattered like thin ice.

As it broke, Mikaret’s gorgeous face filled my vision, her ice-blue eyes foxfire bright under snow.

“Come… look into my eyes…” she breathed, a demon’s whisper coiling like smoke.

Her voice gnawed at my reason; my grip loosened, frost melting off my fingers.

Suddenly, FrostyLily Dream’s warning from the Nine Cold Labyrinth surfaced like a buoy: “Please be careful of Mikaret’s eyes.”

My awareness cleared a little, like mist lifting under dawn.

So that’s what she meant?!

I snapped my head aside and clamped the falling Shattered Light Sword, like shutting a door on the wind.

At this range, let’s see you dodge! Sword Aura Slash!

I gathered Sword Aura on the blade and swung with everything, a condensed slash flying like a crescent wind.

“What? Not good!” Her voice cracked like thin ice.

She couldn’t defend in time; she only cast shields to cover her body—too late, like umbrellas in a storm.

Splurt!

Taking the Sword Aura Slash head-on, Mikaret spat blood and shot backward, smashing ice spikes and sculptures like a winter squall.

Bursting • Absolute Sword Array!

I pressed the advantage—no breathing room—like a hawk stooping.

I channeled Sword Aura into the blade and stabbed into the ground, the aura flooding below like molten light.

Then it ripped the earth open and raced toward Mikaret, like fissures chasing fire.

Soon, Sword Aura rose around her and fused into a ring, inside and out patterned like frost scripts.

Attack!

Before she reacted, I moved to the next step, like arrows nocked in sequence.

At my word, the floating swords formed another ring, every tip aimed at Mikaret like a field of spears.

Detonate!

Hum!

A clear sword-chime rang, and the ring of blades plunged inward, the aura ring bursting with them like a sun.

Boom!!!

The blast slammed the mountain and rippled a small quake, like thunder walking.

After a moment, the smoke thinned; I saw a bedraggled Mikaret, wounds and ash streaking her like charcoal on snow.

Her white dress hung in tatters, exposing white underwear, like silk stripped by thorns.

“Cough, cough… Facing a woman, you really show no mercy,” she said, voice rough as gravel.

Yet she wasn’t badly hurt; the result stunned me like a bucket of cold water.

Impossible—the word knifed through my mind like ice.

Inside my Sword Domain, taking two direct hits should be worse than light injuries.

And you haven’t even unfolded your magic domain.

“Who said I haven’t?” Her smile curled like a cat.

In a blink she’d changed into a clean dress, moving slow as falling snow.

“I didn’t see it,” I shook my head, stubborn as a rock.

“Heh, such a cute child,” she chuckled, warmth and frost in one breath.

“No need to hide—I’ll say it straight: the entire Everfrost Mountain is my magic domain. Got it?”

“You mean the whole Everfrost Mountain?!” My heart lurched like a trapped bird.

I’d never seen a domain so vast and solid to the touch, like a continent frozen into law.

Thinking back, the Ice Wolf King wasn’t slowed inside my Sword Domain.

If it was because of Mikaret’s domain, that tracks, like currents under ice.

“That’s right. I’m half-step Divine Realm.

I can’t turn all energy in my domain into law-force yet, but making a tangible Everfrost Mountain is easy.”

My shock seemed to please her; she smiled like frost flowers blooming.

…Mm! A weight settled in my chest like stone under snow.

Knowing Everfrost Mountain is her domain, my mood sank heavier, like dusk falling on a glacier.

I never thought half-step Divine Realm would be this overwhelming, like tide against a lone skiff.

Unlike Qianji Sister, I can’t awaken power from my weapon by will.

I can only rely on my sword arts, sword skills, and my Sword Domain, like a traveler counting his steps.

As for Sword Intent, beyond foreseeing her next move and pinpointing her location, I’ve got no other use yet.

“What’s wrong? Planning to quit out of fear?” she asked, kindness iced over.

No surprise; I made her that ragged, and a woman has every right to be angry, like lightning under silk.

No—the fire in my chest steadied like a lantern.

I drew a deep breath, smoothed my mood, and leveled my sword at Mikaret like a dawn-lit spear.

I will defeat you and reach the second floor of the Nine Cold Labyrinth!