Night Frost and the Zone Fifteen Guardian lived like a rapidly spinning grindstone. Three days vanished in a blur of intense training and preparation. They both knew that their current strength was still far from enough to face the Guardian of the Seventh District and Azure, two beings of the Ultimate Realm.

After all, if you’re weak, you just have to train harder.

At that moment, sandstorms rolled across the outer border of the Fourth District. Like a raging beast, they roared and swept across the entire frontier. Night Frost and the Zone Fifteen Guardian stood atop a high point, gazing into the distant, chaotic clouds of dust. They felt the fierce wind and stinging grains of sand strike their faces.

Night Frost slowly raised her palm and aimed it at the frenzied sky. Crimson Gold Flame burst from her hand like a fire dragon soaring into the heavens. In an instant, it swept away the surrounding sandstorm.

The flames exploded across the gray, hazy sky like a blooming flower, spilling forth dazzling light.

The spectacular sight drew the attention of everyone in the Fourth District. Night Frost wanted Azure and the Guardian of the Seventh District to know that they had arrived—and were ready for battle.

Two streaks of light flew from the tower of the Order Keepers. Azure and the Guardian of the Seventh District tore across the sky like meteors, swiftly descending into the air above the Fourth District’s outer border.

They looked down at the ground like lofty gods, casting cold gazes upon the seemingly insignificant Night Frost and the Zone Fifteen Guardian.

“Where’s Crimson? Without her, you have no chance of winning.”

Azure swept her eyes across the barren frontier but didn’t see even a trace of Crimson. Over the past few days, she had prepared plenty of surprises specifically for Crimson.

If Crimson didn’t come, wouldn’t all those preparations benefit Night Frost and the Zone Fifteen Guardian instead?

The Guardian of the Seventh District’s gaze lingered on Night Frost for a moment. She barely spared the Zone Fifteen Guardian a glance.

In her eyes, the Zone Fifteen Guardian’s strength wasn’t weak. But compared with her and Azure, there was still a considerable gap. Even if the Zone Fifteen Guardian unleashed her full power, she could at most pose a momentary threat.

In her current condition, if she used that strike from several days ago again, she would certainly die.

At best, she would be reduced to a madwoman.

“Enough talk. Today, I’ll avenge every citizen of Zone Fifteen!”

The Zone Fifteen Guardian let out a low shout and quickly recited a Magic Spell. Invisible wind immediately surrounded her body. The wind elements rapidly condensed into solid armor and covered her from head to toe.

She circulated her Mana and released the Wind King Barrier. An invisible barrier instantly spread outward, slicing through the surrounding air with a sharp, hissing sound.

She deliberately dispelled the Wind King Barrier from her Blade. A sturdy, slender silver-steel sword appeared, its edge gleaming with cold light.

Without hesitation, she thrust it toward Azure’s chest.

The strike was as swift as lightning, filled with determination and fury. It seemed to carry all her hatred in a single blow.

The Guardian of the Seventh District extended a hand and blocked Azure’s path. With a casual flick of her palm, she unleashed a tremendous surge of Mana and easily stopped the Zone Fifteen Guardian’s seemingly fatal attack.

The Zone Fifteen Guardian was sent flying by the impact like a kite with its string cut. She crashed heavily onto the ground.

The Guardian of the Seventh District didn’t pursue her. Instead, she slowly drew back her hand.

A massive pair of scissors appeared in her palm, formed entirely from pure Mana and gleaming with a chilling light. She stared coldly at the Zone Fifteen Guardian. Disdain and mockery filled her eyes, as if she were telling her that such an attack wasn’t worth mentioning.

“They’re both here for you. Pick one. I’ll play with the other.”

“Hmm… I’ll also keep an eye out for Crimson.”

“Then I’ll deal with her.”

Azure drew the Wand from her waist. A Magic Stone was already installed at its tip, saving her the trouble of loading one.

She aimed the Wand at Night Frost.

She had chosen Night Frost.

Compared with the ordinary Zone Fifteen Guardian, Night Frost was far more interesting. The power of Order and the flames of the Black Dragon both proved that Night Frost was special.

Azure held the Wand in one hand. The Magic Stone at its tip emitted a dim, eerie glow. As she crushed the stone, a powerful surge of Mana rapidly gathered at the Wand’s tip.

The force was as violent as a raging storm, as if it meant to destroy every obstacle in its path.

Night Frost performed a nimble backflip and narrowly dodged the Magic Cannon Azure fired.

Crimson Gold Flame swirled around her body. The flames solidified beneath her soles, allowing her to stand firmly in the air, as if she were walking on solid ground.

She drew the Crimson Gold Lance from the flames. Its tip glimmered with dazzling light, as if it could pierce through every obstacle.

Night Frost closed the distance to Azure in an instant. Her movement was blindingly fast. Every step came with a leap of flame, scorching the surrounding air until it twisted and warped.

“I’m not some piece of produce at a market…”

Night Frost’s voice echoed across the frontier, carrying fury and sorrow.

“Are human lives really worth so little in your eyes?”

The Crimson Gold Lance moved with her voice. Every swing carried the force of thunder. Wherever the tip pointed, it drove straight toward Azure, sharp enough to pierce through every lie and every trace of indifference.

“Just because you’re powerful, you think you can do whatever you want?”

Azure’s desire for power was precisely why she could kill others without a second thought, seize the benefits, and make herself even stronger.

“I still can’t forget that day…”

“That Magic Cannon…”

Night Frost gritted her teeth. The flames around the lance burned even more fiercely. It carved blazing trails through the air, sweeping past Azure’s hair.

Azure easily leaned back and dodged. She glanced expressionlessly at the singed strands.

A look of recollection appeared on her face. She was trying to remember the person Night Frost’s words referred to.

Night Frost’s face did seem strangely familiar.

Her eyes resembled a dragon’s at first glance, but something within them felt like someone Azure had known.

Who was it?

She had killed too many people for the sake of her own goals. She couldn’t remember all their faces.

Night Frost realized that her speed couldn’t keep up with Azure’s movements. Crimson Gold patterns climbed across the surface of her body.

After the enhancement, Night Frost became several times faster. The Crimson Gold Lance in her hand also grew more powerful.

“The Calamity Dragon…”

“Array Patterns…”

The Crimson Gold Lance tore through Azure’s clothes. Lost in thought, Azure had no intention of counterattacking. She merely flicked out two or three Magic Bullets from time to time to disrupt Night Frost’s movements.

“Photographs…”

Azure froze.

She recalled a photograph from her memories. The figure in that picture slowly overlapped with Night Frost’s silhouette.

She remembered!

She had seen those eyes before!

“I know now. You’re the child of those two ‘traitors’ from back then!”

“No. That’s not right.”

Azure crushed a Magic Stone between her fingers. Then she kicked away Night Frost’s thrusting lance with pinpoint accuracy.

The lance flew through the air. Before it could hit the ground, it scattered into a mass of Crimson Gold Flame.

“That child couldn’t possibly have survived…”

“Unless…”

“Order Mana. A Magic Stone. A miracle…”

“It all connects! Every piece fits together!”

“Perhaps I’m not completely accurate, but I’m at least eighty or ninety percent right!”

A trace of greed surfaced on Azure’s face. The hint of madness hidden in her eyes was fully revealed.

She connected every clue and finally saw the truth.

“You were blasted half to death by my Magic Cannon.”

“Order had already realized that she would soon be unable to survive a betrayal.”

“So, to leave something behind, she sought out your father—the one who knew about the Key and the Gate.”

“They completed a transaction.”

“She used the power of Order to revive you, then gave half of the Magic Stone to your father.”

“Your father used the methods of the Fallen Ones to bury that half of the Magic Stone inside your chest…”

“Then it all makes sense. You possess the power of Order, yet you can also wield the power of the Calamity Dragon.”

“That’s because Order put everything inside your body into perfect order. Even the Calamity Dragon could be suppressed.”

“Do you understand? That was half of a Magic Stone!”

Most of the process was wrong, but Azure had reached the correct conclusion.

The current Night Frost was an artificial human. The Calamity Dragon’s fusion most likely had nothing to do with Order. Yet the Magic Stone was indeed suppressing the dragon’s soul.

Based on Night Frost’s own deductions, Order had truly made a deal with her father.

In Night Frost’s memories, Order had never shown much emotion. She had given no sign that she had reached the end of her path.

Perhaps she had done it to atone for her sins. Perhaps there had been another reason.

Either way, she had given half of the Magic Stone to Night Frost’s father.

The trace of apology in her eyes couldn’t have been fake.

“This was probably Order’s final safeguard.”

“Your father actually buried the Magic Stone inside your body…”

“What a waste of a priceless treasure!”

“Give it to me instead. Let me stand at the true summit of this world!”

In Azure’s eyes, a complete Order Gemstone could revive the dead. It could suppress the power of the Calamity Dragon and make that power usable by ordinary humans.

Such wonderful power had fallen into the hands of some inexperienced boy.

Calling it a waste was far too mild.

“That’s enough…”

“Someone like you—I admit, we’re somewhat alike.”

“But I’m nowhere near as extreme.”

“Power is important, yes. But I won’t exchange the lives of my family and friends for it.”

Before Night Frost could finish speaking, the aura around her suddenly changed.

Black Flame surged upward like a rising tide. It instantly wrapped around the Crimson Gold Lance in her hand.

The Array Patterns flashed. Pitch-black dragon scales covered both her arms, then spread along her neck and climbed onto her cheeks.

“That’s why you’re weak!”

Azure mocked her coldly.

She swung her Wand, and Magic Bullets came shrieking from every direction.

Night Frost cleaved apart the Magic Bullets before her, allowing the rest to slam into her body.

Her black lance dragged Black Flame behind it. Azure summoned a barrier, but the surging flames easily burned through the Mana shield.

The black lance grazed Azure’s thigh.

Azure snorted. The patterns on her face began to glow with a pale blue light.

A Mana device on her thigh crushed a Magic Stone. Wisps of Mana flowed along the deep-blue patterns and gathered in her chest.

Azure condensed that Mana into a scepter. Two pairs of massive Mana hands appeared behind her.

The Mana hands gripped the scepter and clashed with Night Frost’s lance, while Azure’s own hands rapidly loaded high-purity Magic Stones.

Black Flame swiftly corroded Azure’s Mana.

But Azure was faster.

With a crisp crack, four Magic Cannons fired at once. Like venomous snakes locking onto their prey, they lunged toward Night Frost’s four limbs…