Chapter 170: Azure Fire Burning the Moon, bl**d Stained Royal City (Part 4)
I stumbled wildly toward the direction of the bl**d pool.
Before my eyes were raging Infernal Fires, twisting like venomous serpents, their tongues dancing wildly in the small room.
The air felt like it was boiling.
Charles was totally silent, frozen in place.
Flames engulfed him, releasing Black Smoke, gradually spreading beneath him and igniting a corner of Aili’s clothing. I rushed over, grabbed Aili and a Little Boy by their feet, pulling them out from under Charles. My right hand sprayed ice mist, putting out the flames licking at Aili, and with one hand clutching a child under each arm, I quickly backed away.
The fire crackled, consuming Charles entirely, raging deeper into the room.
Black Smoke filled my vision, eating away at the dwindling oxygen in the space.
“I’m sorry…”
I gazed at the flickering firelight nearby, the charred silhouettes present, and my voice choked with emotion.
No one answered me.
I looked down at Aili’s dirty little face.
She was tucked under my arm, her small head drooping, staring at me with wide eyes. Those once bright, sparkling eyes had lost their luster and trembled with a hint of fear.
I blinked hard, forcing a comforting smile at her.
“Don’t be afraid, Aili… I’m here.”
I had to get the two kids out.
But…
Looking around.
The entire room’s bluish stone walls had begun to glow faintly red from the intense heat… The flames were far too fierce, even the spine from the bl**d pool was lit, turning increasingly black, a crack forming with a loud “crack.”
I had retreated to the edge of the wall where I’d initially been thrown in. The flames hadn’t reached here yet, but it was only a matter of time.
…Time to bolt.
Thinking this, I gently set the kids down, picked up Captain Gray, covered in bl**d, and with trembling fingers, I pulled the trigger with a shake.
Click, click, click.
Captain Gray split apart once more, transforming into a scythe shape. I wrapped the chains around my shoulders twice, securing Captain Gray tightly against me, the sharp blade resting on my chest. Then, I squatted down again, lifting the two frail bodies and holding them tightly at my sides.
They were both so light, probably due to their young age and lack of nutrition. Together, they barely weighed as much as Captain Gray.
Even so, the over three hundred pounds resting on me still felt somewhat taxing.
I took a deep breath, fixing my gaze on the flames growing ever more fierce ahead.
My mind was racing.
If it was just me, getting out would be a piece of cake.
As long as I protected myself with low-temperature ice mist, I could simply use Moon Step to dash through; those flames wouldn’t pose a threat. But with two weak children in tow, they couldn’t withstand the ice mist’s chill and certainly couldn’t handle the force of Moon Step.
What to do…
I could only take a gamble.
I focused hard, slowly conjuring a thin mist around me.
“Aili, don’t be afraid…”
I tried to make the mist thin enough so it wouldn’t freeze Aili. Achieving this was no easy feat; it was hard to gauge the temperature since I couldn’t feel “cold”—only coolness.
I released the ice mist while nervously watching Aili’s face, listening to her breathing for any irregularities.
She looked okay… Just a bit cooler… Good, this is fine for now.
This level of chill should be enough to protect the two kids from the flames.
…Let’s go!
I flexed my ankles, crouched down, and started running toward the exit, stepping into the flames after a few jumps.
A wave of unbearable heat hit me… The fire on the ground barely reached my waist, but the temperature was far worse than I had imagined. Fortunately, the room wasn’t large, and with my speed, I dashed out of the fiery enclosure in less than two seconds, reaching the exit.
Outside, it was a sea of flames too.
The brick walls were glowing red, gradually showing signs of melting, and the ground was beginning to tremble… it wouldn’t be long before it all collapsed.
“Cough, cough.”
The scorching air grew increasingly suffocating. I looked at Aili’s gradually paling face, and my heart raced with anxiety.
No time left…
I kept moving forward, stepping back into the raging fire. My petite body, wrapped in ice mist, zipped through the burning cellar.
Fortunately, there weren’t many flammable items here.
Although the Sin Fire’s temperature was enough to melt rock, the flames weren’t too fierce, and the smoke wasn’t particularly thick… That was sufficient for me.
I struggled to maintain a proper output of the ice mist as I dashed through the long corridor, past the pile of charred corpses, zipped by the unrecognizable Tanis, and ran past collapsed statues into a narrow passage.
The fire here had lessened considerably, only rising about twenty centimeters off the ground… about that much. Yet the air was still scorching, oxygen dwindling, and breathing became increasingly difficult.
I had to keep running, running…
Suddenly, I felt Aili, tucked beside me, twitch slightly, and my heart sank. I quickly turned to look, finding her face frighteningly pale, her hair and eyebrows coated in glistening frost, puffs of white mist escaping her lips… She was freezing.
The Little Boy next to her was the same. But…
But this ice mist was already at the lowest degree I could manage.
“Aili!”
I called out to her frantically, feeling helpless.
“We’re almost there! Aili, just hang on a bit longer. Please, just a little more…”
…No, at her state, even if we made it to safety… she would likely suffer lasting effects.
Why…
Why, with my immense power, can’t I even do something so simple as saving someone… Why…
“Aili…”
No, I can do this.
I’m strong, I… can do anything.
Just like Carlos.
“I’ll definitely cough, cough, get you out…”
Taking a deep breath.
Maintaining speed, I suddenly engaged my core, raised my trembling arms, lifting both children high above my head.
I’m really strong.
These tiny flames… I don’t fear them at all.
In the next moment, the ice mist surrounding my body dissipated.
Flame tongues lunged up, instantly consuming my feet and calves.
Crackle… sizzle…
It doesn’t hurt.
It’s nothing.
“Ugh… Augh ahhh—!”
What am I shouting… Honestly.
I… I’m afraid of the Abyss, but I’m a monster of immense power… this petty Infernal Fire… I’ll heal by tomorrow.
In the narrow corridor, the tattered-skirted young woman held two frail children aloft with outstretched arms, her mouth opening wide in a hoarse scream, charging into the blazing red flames, running without pause.
Her boots had burned through, the hem of her skirt catching sparks. The fire had reddened her leg guards like stockings, clinging to her skin, releasing wisps of smoke.
Even so, she didn’t stop for a moment.
The exit should be soon.
Nothing to fear… Silvya… keep it up…
“Cough, cough! Ugh… woo…”
Run faster.
Faster.
Even faster… or else…
“Whoosh—, whoosh—, ugh ugh…”
…I can’t take it.
I can’t, can’t, can’t…
It hurts, it hurts so much!!!
Drop.
A droplet of water splashed onto my face.
…Aili?
Are you crying… You’re still awake… Thank goodness.
“Aili, don’t cry… woo… I’m here… you’ll be fine…”
Just ahead was the exit.
