Frostfire Legacy

The Shadow Weasel was pulverized in moments, leaving nothing behind but ashes. It was an anticlimactic end for such a powerful enemy.

*Flash!*

And as if to confirm it was all over, Liz and Tina's bodies glowed, showing their levels had increased.

"I'm level 30 all of a sudden!" Liz exclaimed, surprised she had jumped two levels at once.

Tina, lying down a short distance away, also spoke up. "I'm level 32."

"...What?"

Her words shocked Liz. They were all supposed to be at the same level, with only a small percentage gap between their experience points as the margin of difference. But now, Tina was saying she was already two levels ahead of Liz!

"Oh, right!" Liz suddenly remembered her original purpose for coming there with Argus. "Tina, why did you leave without saying anything?! Everyone's been worried about you and Cassy, you know!"

"Huh?"

But instead of looking guilty, Tina stared at Liz as if she were an idiot.

"Leaving without saying a thing? I left a note, mind you."

"...Note?" Liz echoed in disbelief.

"Yeah. I said I was going to level up a bit by myself. I even told Argus about it," Tina explained.

Liz began sweating bullets, turning to the little dog beside her, who showed no sign of guilt. After all, a dog couldn't relay information through words. But more than that, she felt embarrassed for missing the note Tina had supposedly left behind.

"T-Then! Cassy! Why did she leave camp too?"

"Why should I know? I haven't even forgiven her yet for stealing darling's lips!"

"T-That..." Liz fell silent.

Tina had a point. Since she still "hated" Cassy, she had no reason to keep track of her movements. They had gone in different directions anyway, so it would have been impossible for either of them to know what the other was doing.
Your journey continues with empire

Realizing Tina had left a note and she'd missed it, Liz understood she'd made a mountain out of a molehill.

"Ugh..."

Liz buried her face in her hands, her cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes. She was too embarrassed to even look Tina in the eyes!

An awkward silence settled over them as the two girls and one dog rested.

"Huh? Argus? Liz? Tina?" Aster's voice suddenly echoed through the clearing.

He approached, still carrying Cassy on his back, with Kali a short distance behind. Confused, he looked around and took in the three battered figures, easily identifiable even in the darkness.

"Did you three duke it out...?" he asked, sounding serious.

"No, haha..." Liz began to explain, smiling wryly, but she was cut off.

"DAAAARLINNNNG!!!"

Like a missile, Tina launched herself from her sitting position straight into Aster. "Woah!" He staggered, nearly losing his balance from the impact.

"I missed you, darling! Where were you earlier? I couldn't find you when I left!" she babbled in a barrage, leaving him even more confused.

"Ugh, what's going on...?" he muttered, trying to support the sudden weight clinging to him.

What confused him most was Tina's behavior. She didn't seem depressed or looking for a way to die like Cassy. In fact, she was the complete opposite, acting exactly like her usual self!

"Ah! Thieving rabbit, you're trying to steal darling from me again?! Let go!"

When Tina realized Cassy was on Aster's back, her temper flared, and she quickly moved to chase her away. Not wanting to make things more complicated, Cassy obeyed, sliding down from Aster's back and moving over to Kali's side, wearing a sad smile.

She still felt guilty about causing the "fight" between her and Aster from before, after all.

"Hmph! Know your place!" Tina added with a sulky expression, her cheeks puffed out as she glared at Cassy.

"Tina..." Aster, however, didn't appreciate her actions. "I already told you, I can't be yours. Did you forget that already?"

It was a direct rejection. Although it may have sounded harsh and lacking in sensitivity, it was the best course of action given the situation.

"Yes, you did." Tina nodded. "But what's being rejected once? It's not like I'll die or anything. In fact, I'm going to make sure that, sooner or later, you'll turn my way! I'll surpass your level, and...!"

Aster sighed, feeling exasperated. 'So this is what a tough mentality looks like, huh?' Even after being rejected, Tina refused to give up!

"Rather... Sheesh, wipe the drool off your face, lady," he added, noticing that Tina was getting lost in her own world, daydreaming.

After some effort, Aster managed to peel her off him and address the group. Liz began explaining what had transpired, including the details she'd missed, and apologized for causing any confusion.

"It's not your fault for missing the note," Aster reassured her. "It's the person's responsibility to properly communicate their intentions to others, not yours."

"...Thanks."

With that cleared up, the team was whole again. Cassy, though not fully recovered from her earlier depression, had bounced back enough to continue, and Tina, despite being rejected, was still determined. They could move forward without issue.

However, Aster couldn't shake off a foreboding feeling. A cold chill ran up his spine, as though danger lurked just around the corner.

"...Everyone, listen."

Wanting to address the uneasy feeling gnawing at him, he shared his plan with the girls.

"I'm afraid our pursuers are closing in. Even if they're weaker, they have someone capable of controlling others. It would be easy for them to defeat bosses and follow us using the teleportation portals set up along the way."

"That's true..." Liz nodded, agreeing with his assessment.

"Right. So I have two suggestions," he continued. "The first is to rush at my top speed and clear the floors as quickly as possible."

The expressions on everyone's faces soured. They had experienced Aster's "top speed" when he'd pulled the cart earlier, and calling it uncomfortable was an understatement. However, moving slowly would definitely increase their risks.

"And the second... I want to destroy the teleportation portals nearest to each end, starting here on the 16th floor."

"...What?"

Everyone shared the same confused expression. Aster had just suggested that they act like terrorists, destroying private facilities!