Read Novel Full Chapter 366: This is her trial
Chapter 366: This is her trial
What truly caught Lucas by surprise as he watched the clash unfold was not merely the scale of power being exchanged but the restraint the ice belle was showing throughout the fight. She had not once attempted to transform to her full and magnificent form, the towering embodiment of absolute frost that Lira had once described to him in careful detail, the same form that had shaken the abyss during their previous encounter. This time she remained in her compact body, small and radiant, relying not on overwhelming presence but on control, precision, and instinct, and that alone told Lucas how much she had matured.
He could feel it through their bond, the way her thoughts flowed with sharper clarity and less recklessness, the way her power circulated more efficiently instead of bursting outward without direction. She was learning to fight like a true existence of her level, not a creature relying on raw superiority but one refining herself through hardship. That realization filled him with a quiet pride he did not voice, because moments like these were not meant to be interrupted by words.
Henrietta noticed it too, her eyes narrowing as she followed the ice belle’s movements through the storm of shadows and flames. "She is holding back," she said softly, disbelief and concern mingling in her tone. "Why would she not use everything she has."
Lucas answered calmly, his voice steady despite the chaos unfolding before them. "Because she understands now that power without mastery is fragile," he said. "If she cannot win in this form, then relying on her full transformation would only delay her growth."
The shadow dragon, however, was not bound by such restraint, and as the battle dragged on its advantage began to reassert itself with terrifying inevitability. Its movements grew more deliberate, less explosive but far more calculated, as though it had finished measuring its opponent and now sought to crush her through attrition. The abyss itself seemed to bend around it, shadows thickening and coiling at its command, amplifying its presence and feeding its inferno with unnatural ease.
The ice belle’s breathing grew heavier, each exhale frosting the air before her lips as her attacks began to lose a fraction of their sharpness. Her ice no longer bit as deeply into the dragon’s defenses, and each near miss cost her more energy than before. The dragon noticed this immediately, its massive head lowering as a cruel, satisfied rumble echoed from its chest.
She spat icy mist in response, forcing herself upright as her eyes burned with stubborn defiance. "Do not flatter yourself," she snapped back, though the strain beneath her words was impossible to hide. "You are still standing because I allow it."
The dragon laughed, a deep and terrible sound, as it surged forward once more, its shadow swallowing the light around them as the tide of battle began to tilt unmistakably back in its favor.
Even then the ice belle did not retreat, not even a single step, and Lucas could feel the stubborn fire in her spirit through the bond they shared, a refusal so absolute that it bordered on defiance against fate itself. Her small body hovered shakily in the air, frost trailing from her limbs like fading starlight, yet her eyes remained sharp and unyielding as she faced the shadow dragon once more. There was fear there, yes, but it was buried beneath pride and an unspoken vow that she would not be broken again in the same place.
Henrietta stood beside Lucas, her injuries still burning, yet she forced herself upright and watched with clenched fists. "She is hurt," she said quietly, her voice tight with concern. "Any rational being would withdraw at this point."
Lucas shook his head slowly, his gaze never leaving the battlefield. "She is not fighting with reason alone," he replied. "This is something she must face head on, or it will follow her forever."
The ice belle raised her tiny arm, ice gathering once more despite the tremor running through her form, and pointed it at the dragon with a sharp glare. "I am still here," she declared, her voice ringing clearly across the abyss despite her condition. "And as long as I am standing, it will not be over."
The dragon’s eyes narrowed, its massive wings stirring the abyss winds as it lowered its head closer to her level. "Then you will fall standing," it answered coldly, shadow flames licking along its scales as it prepared to strike again.
What followed was not a sudden clash but a grinding exchange of will, the dragon pressing forward inch by inch while the ice belle met each advance with everything she had left. Her attacks were no longer wide or extravagant, but sharp and deliberate, aimed at slowing, diverting, and enduring rather than overwhelming. Each block and counter sent a jolt of pain through her body, yet she endured, refusing to let out a single cry that would betray her weakness.
Lucas felt his chest tighten as he watched, every instinct urging him to step in, yet he restrained himself with immense effort. "Just a little more," he murmured under his breath, not sure whether he was speaking to her or to himself.
Henrietta glanced at him, then back at the battle, her expression conflicted but resolute. "If she survives this," she said softly, "she will never be the same again."
Lucas nodded. "That is precisely why she cannot turn away now."
The ice belle was driven back several steps as the dragon’s shadow crashed against her defenses, her feet skidding across the darkened ground, yet she caught herself before falling and forced herself upright once more. She wiped frost from the corner of her lips and laughed weakly, her eyes still blazing with challenge. "Is that all you have," she taunted, even as her strength waned. "I expected more from the terror of the abyss."
The dragon snarled, fury flashing across its massive features as it gathered its power again.
The clash got more brutal than before, every exchange shaking the abyss itself as frost and shadow collided with deafening force, and even Lucas could feel the violent pressure ripple through his bones as he stood beside Henrietta. The shadow dragon no longer held back, its attacks coming faster and heavier, each strike aimed not merely to wound but to crush the will of its opponent completely. Jagged waves of dark flame tore through the air while massive claws slammed down like falling mountains, forcing the ice belle to weave and counter with movements that pushed her battered body to its absolute limit.
Yet even as blood tinged with frost stained the ground beneath her, her resolve only grew stronger, burning brighter than the pain that threatened to consume her. She gritted her teeth and steadied her breathing, her small frame trembling but refusing to yield, and through the bond Lucas felt her thoughts clearly, a fierce determination that bordered on obsession. This was not simply a fight for survival anymore, but a battle for pride, for identity, and for the right to stand tall as a true spirit rather than prey.
Lucas took a step forward despite himself, his aura rising instinctively as he prepared to intervene, unable to bear the sight of her being driven back again and again. "That is enough," he said firmly, his voice carrying through the chaos. "You have proven yourself already, and there is no shame in stopping here."
The ice belle did not even turn to look at him, her eyes locked onto the dragon as she raised her arm once more. "Do not step in," she said sharply, her voice strained but unyielding. "If you interfere now, then everything I have endured here will mean nothing."
Lucas froze, his hands clenching at his sides as he felt the intensity of her refusal echo through their bond. "You could die," he replied, struggling to keep his composure. "Your life is worth more than pride."
She finally glanced back at him then, her gaze fierce and unwavering despite the pain written all over her face. "And if I retreat now," she answered, "I will carry this defeat forever, and that will be a wound far deeper than anything this beast can inflict."
Henrietta watched the exchange in silence, her heart pounding as she understood the weight of the moment, and after a brief pause she spoke with quiet conviction. "She is right," she said. "This is her trial, not ours to take from her."