Frostclaw Fenrir.

A monster that could only be found on the fourth floor of the Tower, far beyond Ironwood's current reach.

Though not a secret boss like Gravelurker or Horrogoth, the Soul Fragment it dropped was exceptionally powerful.

For an archer like Elena, it was a perfect match.

It gave her a massive boost to Agility, a decent amount of Strength and Wisdom, and, most importantly, additional Vitality and Resistance.

Archers were naturally fragile. One wrong move, and they could be wiped out in an instant.

But thanks to Frostclaw Fenrir's power, Elena had survived far longer than she should have.

Still…

She knew she wouldn't survive another direct hit.

Especially not from that monstrous golden fist.

She had no way to dodge. No strength to counter.

That left her with only one option.

***

Albedo grinned viciously, raising his fist for the final blow.

But just as he was about to strike, something slammed into him, but with no powerful impact.

Elena's Phantom clone, her last remaining lifeline, rushed forward. It crashed into Albedo's body.

Before he could react, thick, sticky webs exploded from the Phantom's body, binding him instantly.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Albedo roared, thrashing wildly.

The more he struggled, the tighter the webbing became, locking his limbs in place.

Elena didn't hesitate. With her remaining strength, she reached for an arrow and drove it straight into Albedo's leg.

The arrow didn't pierce deep. His skin was too thick.

But it didn't have to. A chilling frost spread from the wound, creeping up his leg like a curse.

Albedo's rage boiled over.

"YOU LITTLE—!!"

He swung blindly.

CRACK! His fist smashed into Elena's head.

Her vision flashed white as she was sent sprawling, her skull throbbing with pain.

But she didn't let go.

Through the ringing in her ears.

Through the burning agony in her body.

She forced her fingers to move.

And with a final, desperate effort, she shoved the arrow in deeper.

Both fighters were at their limits.

Both pushed beyond exhaustion.

But in the end…

Elena had the advantage.

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[Frostbite has reached maximum stack. Target has been afflicted with Frozen]

Her newly acquired passive skill, Permafrost Infusion, brought a chilling aura to her every strike, layering cold effects upon her target. From the initial Chilled status, it evolved into Frostbite, and finally, after an agonizing buildup, it reached the ultimate effect she'd been waiting for: Frozen.

Without warning, Albedo's body collapsed to the ground, completely immobilized by the Frozen effect. The intense cold from previous statuses intensified, and now, he could no longer move. His right leg, struck repeatedly by Elena's merciless blows, was now entirely turned into ice.

Elena, now freed from the Shackled effect, clenched her right fist tightly and, with a grim smile, drove it down onto Albedo's frozen leg again and again. Each hit sent shockwaves of crackling ice through his body. A series of fine cracks appeared, spreading like spiderwebs across his leg, until the entire limb was consumed by deep fractures.

CRASH!

The moment her fist made contact once more, his leg shattered into a thousand tiny shards. Albedo, now completely helpless, let out a scream of agony, the pain coursing through him like wildfire.

The frozen body part will shatter if it sustains continuous attacks, Elena recalled with cold clarity.

But she wasn't finished yet. Elena swiftly chugged another potion and, without hesitation, advanced on Albedo. This time, she aimed for his abdomen.

Albedo, gasping between sobs of pain, weakly lifted his hands in a futile attempt to shield himself. "Please... spare me," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "I swear, I won't go against you anymore. I'll do whatever you want..."

Elena's gaze was unwavering, as chilling as the ice that now surrounded him. "Then go to hell," she replied flatly, her words cutting through the air like a blade.

Moments later, the ice spread, creeping up his torso and freezing his abdomen solid.

"Stop! Please!" Albedo whimpered, his voice barely above a whisper. Tears streamed down his face, dripping onto the cold ground beneath him. "I'm sorry... please... forgive me..."

Elena stood over him, her expression unchanging as she watched the man writhe in desperation. "Albedo Dorgas," she said quietly, her voice detached. "I will always remember your name. Not as the feared warrior, but as the pathetic man who begged and cried in fear. And rest assured, this tale of yours will spread across the entire Kingdom."

Elena gathered the last of her strength and drove her fist into Albedo's frozen torso.

The impact shattered him.

CRACK!

The frost-covered flesh broke apart into countless tiny shards, scattering like brittle glass.

A horrific scream tore from Albedo's throat, echoing through the air.

Everything shifted.

The hexagonal ring of golden light surrounding Elena flickered out of existence.

The arena was gone.

She was back in the dark alleyway where it all began.

For a moment, silence. Then, the nausea hit.

Elena stumbled to the side, barely holding herself up as she vomited onto the cold ground.

She wasn't sick from the stench of rot and sewage.

She wasn't sick from her wounds.

She was sick because she had just killed a man.

And not just killed him. She had annihilated him.

Her hands shook violently.

Her breath came in ragged gasps.

This was real.

This was her first kill.

And it had been brutal.

***

A thought crept into her mind. From Albedo's perspective, she was the villain.

She had stalked him. She had stolen from him. And in the end, she had murdered him.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the thought away.

"No," she whispered, clutching her trembling hands into fists.

She had to think clearly.

Albedo had been working with Dorian.

They were both part of the same shady organization, under the command of someone powerful.

And most importantly, he attacked her first.

She was only defending herself.

But it didn't help. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking and her stomach twisted in knots. And when the realization finally hit, she vomited again.

It wasn't over. She still had one last thing to do.

She lifted her head, staring at the remains of Albedo's body. She couldn't leave evidence behind. Which meant…

She had to erase him completely.

The thought alone made her sick.

She wasn't a monster.

She didn't want to become a cold-blooded killer.

But she had no choice.

It took her a long time to gather the strength to finish the job.

But when she finally did…

Albedo Dorgas, the bald brute who had terrorized her.

He was gone.

Erased from existence.

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