A tall figure slowly materialized in the swirling snow. It was Cormac Volkov, one of Jasmine's most lethal hunter consorts.
Cormac twirled a poisoned dagger in his hand, looking at Kain with contempt. "I thought you'd be a popsicle by now, Cold-Blood."
Angel peeked out from behind Kain. She recognized him instantly. Jasmine had sent her lapdog to finish the job.
Cormac didn't waste time on words. He vanished, leaving behind a phantom image of a giant red fox. He lunged straight for Angel's throat, intending to end this quickly.
In his mind, killing the "defect" would be easy; the cold-blooded freak wasn't even worth worrying about.
But just as his claws were inches from Angel's face, a cold, hard hand clamped down on his wrist like a steel vice.
Cormac looked up in shock and met Kain's icy blue eyes. There was no warmth there, only the cold indifference one might have toward a dead object.
Kain squeezed. A sickening crack echoed through the air.
Cormac's wrist shattered, and his dagger dropped into the snow.
Cormac screamed in agony. He tried to channel his fire abilities to fight back, but he found his energy completely suppressed by a terrifying, freezing aura.
[System Prompt: Jörmungandr Geneline exhibits high-tier suppression over ordinary beast genelines. Target's energy output reduced by 80%. ]
Angel watched in awe. So this is the power of a legendary bloodline, she thought. His mere presence is enough to freeze the energy flow of a lower-tier warrior.
Kain snorted. He swung his leg, kicking Cormac in the chest with the force of a sledgehammer. Cormac flew backward, slamming into the cliff wall. He coughed up blood, his eyes wide with disbelief. How could a "defect" possess Tier 2 power?
He scrambled to his feet, terrified, trying to flee. But Kain was already there, his massive half-beast snake tail shooting out and wrapping around Cormac's body.
The constriction began. Cormac's ribs snapped one by one, the sound making the blood run cold.
Just as Kain was about to crush him completely, his body swayed violently. The silver scales on his face flickered erratically.
Angel noticed immediately. The system screamed: [Warning! Consort forcibly interrupted his post-awakening consolidation period! Severe energy backlash occurring! ]
Kain bit his lip, using the pain to stay conscious. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. His tail tightened with a final, brutal jerk.
Cormac's neck snapped with a loud crack. His body went limp.
Kain spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed.
Angel rushed forward, catching him in her arms. She pressed her hands to his chest, frantically pumping Fox-Fire into him to stabilize his chaotic energy.
But the backlash was too severe. The freezing energy inside him raged out of control, instantly freezing Angel's hands solid.
Kain weakly raised a hand, his fingers stiff and trembling, and brushed the tears from her face.
"Too cold..." he rasped, his voice barely a whisper against the howling wind. "Can't hold it back... I need... to sleep..."
He didn't explain the intricacies of a self-sealed hibernation; he didn't have the clarity for it. It was pure, desperate instinct. His body was shutting down to protect itself. Frost rapidly spread across his skin, sealing him in a thick layer of ice as he surrendered to the absolute cold, leaving her with no idea when-or if-he would ever wake up.
Angel held him tight, her tears falling onto his cold face. She nodded frantically, promising to wait for him.
Kain gave her one last, deep look, as if memorizing her face for eternity. Then, his eyes slowly closed. His heartbeat and breathing stopped completely.
[System Scan Confirmed: Target has entered Absolute Zero Hibernation. Vital signs undetectable. ]
Angel sat in the snow, holding Kain's ice-cold body. A storm of grief and rage churned in her chest.
She turned her head to look at Cormac's corpse. Her eyes grew cold and crazed, like a vengeful demon crawling out of hell.
She stood up. Using the system's Bio-Regenesis, she forcefully healed the frostbite on her hands. She dragged Kain's body into the deepest part of the cave and carefully arranged him.
She used rocks and ice to perfectly camouflage the entrance, ensuring no beast would find him.
Then, she walked over to Cormac's body. She grabbed him by the hair and began to drag the heavy corpse through the snow.
Facing the blizzard, Angel walked step by step toward the Embermane Clan, a long trail of blood marking her path. She was going to get justice.
