Astral Point: Summoners Dimensional War

Cinderella stood in the middle of the garden, gazing at the moon shining brightly in the night sky. Her new gown sparkled under the moonlight, every thread reflecting the light like thousands of tiny stars. She smiled softly and walked slowly toward the fountain at the center of the garden. The still water mirrored her reflection, causing her to pause and look.

She stared at the image of her face. Her blue eyes sparkled, her flawless skin glowed, and her flowing golden hair resembled streams of silk. Cinderella leaned closer to the water's surface, almost as if trying to touch her reflection. With a quiet voice, she asked herself, Am I beautiful?

Suddenly, a soft but clear voice echoed in her mind. It was her navigator, Tofu. "You are very beautiful, Cinderella."

Cinderella blushed, a faint redness coloring her cheeks. She straightened up, turning away from the fountain, though a small smile lingered on her lips. "Strange, you're not watching Blanchette for once," she teased in her mind.

Tofu replied in a relaxed yet serious tone, "At night, I focus solely on you, Cinderella. You are my top priority."

Cinderella chuckled lightly, her eyes drifting to the sky as if searching for something. "Am I prettier than Blanchette or Alice?" she asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

Tofu answered without hesitation. "You are the most beautiful among anyone. But Catherine, the one who was with you earlier, might become your rival if allowed to live."

Cinderella let out a soft laugh, light and delicate but carrying a subtle hint of danger. Turning slowly, she stepped away from the fountain. "A rival, hmm? In that case, I'll have to kill anyone you consider more beautiful than me," she said sweetly, though her words dripped with menace.

Tofu responded calmly yet firmly, "Eliminate Catherine and her companions. Don't let them threaten your position."

"Understood," Cinderella replied, walking gracefully. Each step of her glass shoes echoed clearly in the quiet garden. The first and second steps filled the stillness with their distinct sound, but on the third step, everything changed.

Time stopped.

The falling leaves froze mid-air, suspended as if painted in place. The flowing fountain water halted, its droplets hanging immobile. The wind that swept through the garden fell silent, as though the world had lost its breath. Yet Cinderella continued to move, as if the laws of time did not apply to her.

She halted, standing in the middle of the now frozen garden. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, observing the world that no longer moved. With a faint smile, she whispered to herself,

"If only time could always be on my side."

Her voice echoed softly in the silent garden. She raised her hand, touching the air that now felt like glass—solid yet invisible. Her expression held an elegant but terrifying quality—a mixture of admiration for her own power and delight in the control she possessed. Cinderella relished this control, this power, and the fact that she could move while others remained trapped in stillness.

"Tonight is mine," she declared with quiet confidence. Her next steps felt lighter, freer, as she walked away from the fountain. In her mind, she had already decided what she would do. The night was her time to shine, and anyone daring to stand in her way would find that time was not only her ally but also her weapon.

Walking slowly in this frozen world, each silent step carried a weight of elegance and menace. Time manipulation, though draining her mana even with her passive skills amplifying her strength at night, gave her an edge that few could rival. Yet, each step added to her exhaustion. With a long sigh, she pushed through the limits of her ability, heading toward where Catherine, Thomas, and Pierre had fled.

As she approached, Cinderella stopped near Catherine. Her gaze fell on Catherine's frozen face, tense but radiating the calm of a skilled manipulator. Cinderella stepped closer, her eyes studying every detail of Catherine's features. She murmured softly,

"What makes Tofu think you could be my rival?"

Cinderella extended a hand, her cold fingers brushing Catherine's cheek. The sensation made her pause, pondering for a moment. "Humans are so fragile," she remarked, almost as if speaking to herself. There was a desire to understand more deeply, yet a sense of disdain for the frailty she observed. Withdrawing her hand, she regarded Catherine with a mix of curiosity and arrogance.

Feeling her energy dwindling further, Cinderella decided to release her ability. With a deep breath, the world resumed its motion. The wind blew again, leaves fell, and the sounds of life filled the air once more.

Catherine gasped. Realizing Cinderella was suddenly so close, her instincts kicked in. Swiftly, Catherine unleashed a spell of dark green poison from her hand, its tendrils surging toward Cinderella. But before the spell could land, Pierre's sword was already in motion. Acting on a knight's reflex, he swung his blade with full force, aiming to strike Cinderella, who stood perilously near.

Yet Cinderella stepped back gracefully, retreating three paces, and time stopped again. Pierre froze mid-swing, his blade suspended mere inches from where Cinderella had been. Catherine, preparing her next spell, stood frozen with an expression of shock etched on her face.

Cinderella gazed at Pierre's sword, frozen mid-air, her eyes drawn to the intricate details of the blade's scratches and engravings. "What a beautiful sword," she murmured. Her focus then shifted to Pierre himself. She stepped closer, studying his face, which radiated determination. "You'll never win against time," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

After a moment, Cinderella deactivated her ability, and time resumed its flow. The situation shifted quickly—Pierre stumbled forward from the momentum of his swing, and Catherine, already casting her second spell, stopped abruptly when she realized Cinderella had repositioned herself. Nearby, Thomas shouted, "What just happened?!"

Cinderella stood calmly, her smile cold and challenging. "Are you tired of playing already?" she asked, her tone laced with a cheerful yet false sweetness. "I still have plenty of time tonight."

Though startled, Catherine quickly regained her composure. "Do you think this is just a game?" she asked, her voice low but sharp, her eyes burning with restrained anger.

"Everything is a game, Catherine," Cinderella replied lightly. "And I'm the best player here."

Without waiting for a response, Cinderella began to walk again, seemingly unconcerned by the threats surrounding her. But her mind remained vigilant, aware of the limits her body was starting to impose.

The battle intensified. Pierre launched relentless attacks at Cinderella, his sword slicing sharply toward her, but he never succeeded. Cinderella vanished and reappeared in the blink of an eye, like a shadow impossible to catch. Meanwhile, Catherine and Thomas coordinated their magic to trap her. Thomas unleashed waves of water from his hands, forming a whirlpool to confine Cinderella's movements, while Catherine spread poison into the air, narrowing her range of escape.

"Why isn't she fighting back?" Catherine muttered, her face a mixture of frustration and curiosity. "She's only dodging, like she's toying with us."

Thomas nodded. "She must have a plan. There's no way she'd just stall for time without a reason."

In Catherine and Thomas's minds, the voice of their Navigator echoed. "Pay attention to how she moves. She's not jumping or running as usual. It's likely she's manipulating time to reposition herself."

Catherine narrowed her eyes, watching Cinderella's every move. When the next attack missed and Cinderella disappeared again, Catherine noticed a pattern—time seemed to halt briefly whenever Cinderella shifted positions.

"We need to stop her before she exhausts herself," Catherine said sharply, her hand condensing the poison around her palm into a sharp spear. "She's manipulating time, but it must be draining her mana. We just have to force her to keep using it until she weakens."

Elsewhere, Pierre was engaged in a fierce duel with Sir Gareth. Sir Gareth swung his sword with immense force, but Pierre deflected it with his sturdy shield.

"A knight?" Sir Gareth asked, his deep voice commanding. "Are you also from the Round Table?"

Pierre lifted his chin proudly, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'm not part of the Round Table. I am a knight of France, sworn to serve Jeanne d'Arc."

Sir Gareth flinched at the mention of Jeanne d'Arc but soon smirked. "A loyal knight? Good. You're worthy of being my opponent."

Their battle grew more intense, Pierre attacking with a combination of sword strikes and shield bashes, while Sir Gareth countered each move with precision. The clanging of metal filled the air, creating a rhythm both brutal and mesmerizing.

Meanwhile, Catherine and Thomas began to discern Cinderella's movements. Each time they attacked, she disappeared, only to reappear a few steps away. Thomas glanced at Catherine and said, "She's starting to slow down. Her movements are becoming less precise."

Catherine nodded. "Then let's increase the pressure."

But Cinderella merely smiled faintly, her face calm despite her labored breathing. In her mind, she mocked them. "Mere mortals. None of you can surpass the power granted by time."

Catherine hurled her poison spear at Cinderella, while Thomas directed a powerful whirlpool toward her. Yet, as before, Cinderella vanished. When she reappeared, her body swayed slightly, a sign that her ability was taking a toll.

"You look tired," Catherine taunted, her eyes brimming with confidence. "How much longer can you last, Cinderella?"

Cinderella smirked disdainfully. "Long enough to make sure none of you leave this place alive," she said, stepping back a few paces.

As the battle raged, Sir Gareth unleashed a mighty strike at Pierre, forcing the French knight to retreat momentarily. Sir Gareth glanced at Cinderella and asked in a flat tone, "Is the preparation complete?"

Cinderella nodded, a thin smile playing on her lips. "I've had my fun. Now, let's end this game."

Her words heightened Catherine, Thomas, and Pierre's alertness. The three of them stood side by side, forming a defensive formation, bracing themselves for whatever came next.

***

Cinderella "The Little Glass Slipper" (SSR)

Passive Skill – Grace & ████

Description: The blessing of the Fairy Godmother aids Cinderella in difficult times but also becomes █ ████ that can █████ if the blessing is ████████

Effect:

At sunset: Cinderella gains The Fairy Godmother's Grace, which increases Magic ATK by 50% and Defense by 50%.

At midnight and beyond: The Fairy Godmother's Grace transforms into The Fairy Godmother's ███ ███████, ███████████████

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