Level Up Legacy

Chapter 1362 Breaking Free

The ash fell like snow, and Diana stood alone in the aftermath, staring across the battlefield. Shattered buildings lay in fragments around her, their walls cracked and covered in frost. In the center of it all was Arthur, encased in stone, frozen in an eternal, silent barrier.

Diana clenched her fists. Every time she looked at him, the anger inside her surged hotter, fiercer. This wasn't right. None of this was supposed to happen. She took a deep breath and called out to the one responsible.

"Deluge!"

As expected, Deluge was far from dead. His body reformed using the countless lives he stole as the Sin of Lust. A laugh rang out from the shadows, echoing through the stillness. Deluge emerged from the mist, resting his sword on his shoulder, his face lit up with smug satisfaction.

"Princess," he sneered, tilting his head toward Arthur's stone form. "Do you like my handiwork? I thought the great hero of Kera should be commemorated."

Diana felt the fire and ice build-up inside her, two powers that twisted and mixed until her entire body pulsed with energy. Her wings of blue flame flared out, casting a ghostly light across the battlefield.

"Let him go, Deluge," she demanded. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the promise of violence laced each word.

"Let him go?" Deluge chuckled, amused. "And spoil the art? No, Diana. He's locked in a prison of patience, frozen until time itself crumbles. Not even Ragnar could break it." He paused, his eyes gleaming with mockery. "Or you."

Without warning, Diana launched a blast of blue fire and shards of ice toward him. Deluge sidestepped it, but the ground erupted where he'd stood, the ice spreading out in jagged, deadly spikes. He watched her with a slight smirk, barely hiding his amusement.

"Is that it? Surely the Princess of Flame and Frost has more than that in her." He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Or maybe you're just too distracted by your precious Arthur, hm?"

Diana's fists trembled as she summoned her domain, a field of frozen energy that spread out in a wide arc, creating walls of pure ice around them. The temperature dropped instantly, frost creeping over the broken earth. "This ends here, Deluge," she said, voice cold and final.

Deluge's smirk faltered for a brief second. He glanced at the walls of ice surrounding him, the shimmer of mana in the air heavy with power. For the first time, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face.

"Oh, very well then," he muttered, bracing himself. He raised his sword, but the confidence in his stance was gone.

Diana didn't waste any more time. She focused, channeling all her power into one final strike. Above her, a massive sword of ice began to form, sharp and solid, hovering like a judgment over Deluge. It loomed over him, casting a long shadow across the icy ground as it descended, slow but unstoppable.

Deluge's eyes went wide, and he threw up his arms, a futile attempt to block the massive blade. "No!" he shouted, but the sword slammed down with a deafening crash, shattering on impact and burying him under a mountain of ice and snow.

For a moment, silence filled the space, and Diana let out a breath, feeling the weight of her own exhaustion. She turned to Arthur, her heart heavy as she looked at him, still trapped, still unreachable.

But then, movement in the rubble caught her eye. A glimmer of red.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Deluge's hand punched through the ice, his body reforming as if pulled together by an invisible force. His face, twisted and furious, stared up at her as his wounds stitched themselves closed, the blood returning to his veins as quickly as it had spilled.

"Did you really think that would work?" he sneered, climbing out of the rubble. His smirk was gone, replaced by a grim smile. "I told you, Princess. You can't kill me. I always come back."

Diana clenched her jaw, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach. He wasn't lying. His blood-the cursed blood of his kind-kept him alive, kept bringing him back no matter what she threw at him.

But she wasn't done. Not yet.

She turned back to Arthur, eyes burning with determination. Her soul ached to reach him, to somehow connect through the barrier that kept him locked away. She closed her eyes, calling on every bit of her remaining mana, drawing it from deep within her core. Her own soul felt like it was tearing, but she didn't stop. She focused all her energy on Arthur, imagining her soul as a thread, weaving itself around his prison, stretching toward him.

"Arthur..." she whispered, her voice wavering. She could feel the connection growing stronger, the faint pulse of his own soul on the other side of the barrier. "Please, just... hear me."

A faint light began to shimmer around Arthur's stone form, like a heartbeat, slow and steady. It was weak, barely there, but she felt it-a small thread of life, hidden beneath the layers of stone and magic. She poured herself into it, feeling her own soul press against the prison that held him.

For a moment, she thought she saw him stir, just a flicker of movement, a spark that faded as quickly as it had come. But it was enough to give her hope.

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Behind her, Deluge approached, his steps echoing against the icy floor, his sword dragging in the dirt, leaving a thin, red line in his wake. "Sweet," he mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. "But it's not going to save him. Or you."

Diana didn't turn. She kept her focus on the soul connection, feeling the warmth of Arthur's presence, however faint. It was her only anchor now, her only shield. She wouldn't let Deluge distract her; she wouldn't let him break this fragile bond she'd forged.

"Arthur...," she whispered again, and this time, she felt a slight, almost imperceptible pressure against her soul, like a hand reaching out from behind the prison walls.

Deluge's footsteps grew closer, but Diana ignored them, her focus locked on that faint touch. It wasn't strong enough to break the spell-she knew that much. But it was enough to let her know Arthur was still there, still fighting, somewhere deep inside. Deluge sneered, his voice cold and sharp. "You really think he's going to break free just because you wish it so?"

Diana finally turned to face him, her expression fierce. "No. But as long as I'm here, I'll keep fighting for him. I don't care how many times you come back. I'll keep destroying you until you're nothing but dust."

Deluge paused, sizing her up, and for the first time, a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. But then his smirk returned, and he lifted his sword, aiming it directly at her. "Suit yourself, Princess. Let's see how long your spirit lasts."

Diana stood her ground, feeling the faint warmth of Arthur's soul against hers, a small, steady pulse that filled her with determination. She would keep him with her, even in this prison. And as long as he was there, she wouldn't give up.

As Deluge charged forward, Diana raised her hand, ready to meet him. This fight was far from over. But she'd face it, for Arthur's sake, until her last breath.

At the same time, the stone statue stood motionless. However, a very small golden crack appeared on Arthur's face. It began growing bigger, albeit slowly, while the two clashed against each other. Arthur was breaking free from the inside.

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