Frostfire Legacy

Chapter 316 Overarching Danger

some time ago, in a private room within gravene tower, a clandestine meeting was underway.

"this is highly inappropriate, mr. wang," said a man with swept-back, semi-long brown hair. his red eyes narrowed, filled with a mix of curiosity, wariness, and barely concealed fear. "coming to our land unannounced is a blatant violation of the global non-interference law."

across from him sat a towering figure—broad, imposing, and exuding an air of unshakable confidence. his clean-shaven head and fierce brown eyes complemented his muscular frame, which strained against the fabric of his suit.

"what law violation?" wang xu chen smirked, his tone dripping with overconfidence. "mayor magnus, you're overreacting. i'm simply here to assist with your little problem."

though his words were casual, a faint impatience seeped into his voice. the delay caused by an infamous individual had already pushed his schedule back by weeks.

magnus leaned back against the plush sofa, letting out a weary sigh. "if you mean the aracelli race threat, we're already at a standstill with them. there's been no movement on their part just yet, and as such, we don't need your so-called help, mr. wang."

despite the mayor's rejection, wang's grin only widened, as if everything was going exactly as he planned. he leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"what's wrong, mayor magnus? you seem unusually defensive today," he teased. "normally, you'd fake a polite agreement and delay matters like a seasoned politician. could it be because of... that?"

magnus's expression darkened, but he remained silent, unwilling to rise to the bait.

wang xu chen's grin turned sharper as he delivered his next line. "i'm talking about that 100% human brat you're so desperately protecting."

"you...!"

magnus moved in a flash, leaping from his seat and grabbing wang by the scruff of his strained suit. his intense killing intent flooded the room, so potent that several guards nearby collapsed, their consciousness snuffed out like candles in a gale.

"oh, how scary!" wang quipped playfully, though his confident smile remained unfazed. "if the bloodless count gets serious, even i might break a sweat."

"cut the crap, wang xu chen," magnus growled, his crimson eyes blazing with fury. "i know i can't match you, the great wall, but i can guarantee one thing—i'll wipe out your lackeys and hold you off long enough for reinforcements to arrive."

---

"the danger got stronger?" aster muttered, his voice tinged with confusion.

they had just defeated the boss. there shouldn't be any more threats looming nearby, at least not inside the dungeon.

"could it be a rogue boss?" via suggested, tilting her head as she pondered. "but that little boulder shouldn't spawn for another week..."

unlike regular monsters with fast respawn rates, field bosses and rogue bosses took significantly longer—anywhere from 10 to 50 times as much, depending on their strength. the rogue boss of the 101st floor, a variant of the magma golem, had been subjugated just a week ago. by that logic, it wouldn't reappear for another week at least.

"mmm..." cassy shook her head firmly. "i don't think it's that."

"then it might be coming from outside the dungeon," kali reasoned with a shrug. "that's where we're heading anyway." stay updated through empire

"outside, huh..."

aster's gaze sharpened. kali's reasoning struck a chord. it made sense—after all, weeks had passed without any activity from the aracelli race. they were unlikely to have given up on cassy, and given enough time to prepare, it wasn't unreasonable to suspect they would make their move now.

"the danger cassy feels might be coming from lorelai and her group," aster voiced his thoughts, his eyes scanning the group. "if that's the case, we won't be able to handle it with our current strength."

the grim reality hit everyone like a weight. lorelai's power dwarfed theirs, the gap too vast to bridge without reinforcements from someone above level 1000.

"at this rate, they'll take cassy from us again," liz murmured, voicing the fear weighing on everyone's hearts. her words cast a heavy silence over the group.

but staying inside the dungeon wasn't an option either. if another swarm like the one earlier came at them while they camped near the entrance, their depleted resources would leave them vulnerable. without potions, their chances of survival were slim. they couldn't afford to delay resupplying, yet neither could they ignore the danger aboveground.

aster remained silent, his mind racing as he weighed their options. after a moment, he raised his head, his gaze steady and determined.

"i've got a plan," he announced, his voice firm and clear. "everyone, listen up..."nôv(el)b\\jnn