Chapter 53: The Hour That Escaped Fate
On The Northern Continent
The grand meeting hall of the Heavenly Frost Clan glowed beneath a cold, immaculate radiance.
Pillars of frost‑veined marble rose toward a domed ceiling etched with ancient runes, while pale blue flames burned inside crystal braziers, their light stretching long shadows across the polished floor.
This was a clan of Angels—Ice Angels, known for their innate connection to light and all things winter.
Four Elder Angels sat on one side of a long obsidian table; their expressions calm yet taut with restrained tension.
Across from them stood a single human envoy from the Northwind Sect, the most powerful faction on the Northern Continent after the Academy of Lore itself.
He was a tall, sharp-featured man dressed in deep blue and silver robes, his posture relaxed in a way that bordered on insulting.
"I’ll be direct," the envoy said, voice smooth but edged.
"Surrender your outer territories and swear fealty to the Northwind Sect. In return, we’ll allow your clan to exist under our protection. Refuse, and we will consider it a declaration of war."
In that moment, silence instantly settled over the hall.
The Elders exchanged glances, their thoughts flowing through a private mental link.
’What’s gotten into them? They’ve been acting strange for two days now.’
’Agreed. This isn’t normal. The Northwind Sect is proud, but never openly aggressive without reason.’
The Heavenly Frost Clan and the Northwind Sect were rivals in strength, influence, and independence—neither under the Academy of Lore’s control, though both were courted by it.
But the timing of this sudden hostility... was far too convenient.
’We can’t decide anything without the Queen. The leaders’ summit could last years.’
Although their silent exchange passed in the blink of an eye, barely a heartbeat apart, the envoy couldn’t hide a faint, derisive scoff at their hesitation.
Without sparing them another glance, he turned away, his tone cutting and resolute as he spoke over his shoulder.
"You all took one second too long... The choice has been made for you."
HUMMMMMMM!!!!!
The moment he spoke, a terrifying surge of Divinity erupted from outside the hall. The ground trembled violently as an overwhelming pressure descended from above.
The Elders’ expressions changed instantly.
One of them stood up sharply. "What have you done?!"
Before the envoy could take another step, another Angel burst into the room, his face pale with urgency.
"The Northwind Sect is launching an all-out attack!" he shouted. "They’ve deployed a massive formation above our lands — over one hundred thousand strong! They’re trying to freeze the entire clan!"
Hearing those words, there was no need for anything more to be said.
It was one thing for them to be unable to make a decision without their Queen, but it was something else entirely when it came to defending their homelands.
In that instant, without hesitation, the four Elders moved as one.
One of them shot toward the back of the hall, moving to activate the clan’s defensive formation.
The other three transformed into blurs of light, frost, and mist, their figures splitting apart as they surged forward with terrifying speed.
The envoy’s eyes widened in shock.
He tried to flee, but it was already too late.
HUMMMMMM!!!!!
[Light Affinity]
[Frost Affinity]
[Mist Affinity]
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Three streaks of affinities — one of pure light, one of biting frost, and one of swirling mist — sliced through the air.
The envoy’s body was cleanly dissected into three perfect pieces before he could even scream.
His remains collapsed to the floor in a spray of blood as the three Elders reappeared on the other side of the room, their expressions cold and merciless.
HUMMMMMM!!!!!
Outside, the sky had already begun to darken as an enormous formation took shape above the Heavenly Frost Clan’s territory, radiating a terrifying chill that threatened to freeze everything beneath it.
At that moment, the Elder reached the defensive formation orb.
Without hesitation, he pressed his palm firmly against the large, glowing sphere set into the wall.
But the instant his skin made contact—
CRACK!
The orb shattered without the slightest warning, as if fate itself had chosen that exact moment to see it destroyed.
Glittering shards of crystal skittered across the floor, catching the dim light in sharp, fleeting flashes.
The Elder’s eyes went wide with panic.
"The orb’s broken! Something’s wrong—we can’t bring the main defense online! We have to move... now!"
The other three Elders traded grim, knowing glances.
There was no room for debate; whatever was unfolding beyond their walls was far more than a minor border dispute.
-----
Meanwhile, high in the skies above the Heavenly Frost Clan, Jovian stood with his two companions, looking down at the unfolding chaos with a calm, almost amused expression
After leaving the Frozen Sect, the group obviously continued on their journey. However, Jovian had promised a certain Selia that he would be back once everything was over.
The massive Northwind Sect formation — powered by over one hundred thousand strong — had just been unleashed.
SHUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!
A terrifying wave of freezing energy descended from the sky, threatening to turn the entire clan into an icy tomb.
The air howled, clouds split apart, and frost spiraled downward like a divine guillotine.
Melissa, one of Jovian’s companions, smiled beside him.
"That was a nice touch, wasn’t it? Breaking their orb right when they needed it most."
Jovian chuckled softly. "Indeed, seems like you’re learning after all. Timing is everything."
The other companion shook his head, watching the scene below with a mix of awe and unease.
"I could never understand. Even though you’re supposed to be a Fate Swordsman... manipulating fate this precisely is terrifying. Are your eyes truly that dangerous?"
Jovian only laughed lightly, his long white hair swaying as he began to descend toward the mayhem.
"It’s time for the climax."
----
Like mentioned before.... Jovian was not merely going around causing random chaos.
No, the Academy of Eternal Knowledge of the Central Continent had many groups of disciples out with a list of select factions, not simply to conquer them, but to effectively weaken the other Academies.
And with these two — the Heavenly Frost Clan and the Northwind Sect — being the two strongest factions outside of the Academy of Lore....
Jovian’s group had been assigned to weaken them so thoroughly that they’d be powerless to help in ninety years—or, even better, to wipe them out entirely.
By the time Jovian got closer, the formation had already hit the clan.
HUMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!
Instead of succumbing to the cold, the Heavenly Frost Clan seemed to draw strength from it.
In a breathtaking surge, millions of Tier 7 to Tier 13 Ice Angels emerged from the clan’s walls, their overwhelming presence instantly shifting the battle’s momentum.
"FOR THE CLAN!"
"FOR THE HEAVENS!"
"KILL THEM!"
Their voices thundered across the sky as wings burst open like blizzards, halos ignited with icy fury, and their collective Divinity shook the heavens.
From the Northwind Sect’s side, panic erupted.
"What—why are there so many?!"
"The formation—it’s destabilizing!"
"AHHHH—THE BACKLASH!"
It might seem like common sense for the Heavenly Frost Clan to have so many members, given it was their homeland.
And maybe even a little strange that there were only a hundred thousand invaders, especially after witnessing the envoy’s earlier arrogance.
But this was all part of the brilliance behind Jovian and his companions’ manipulation of Fate.
Jovian’s smile grew as a few eyes finally turned toward him in the sky, though he didn’t care.
Without pause, he drew his Golden Black Sword and, in one smooth motion, unleashed one of his innate abilities.
[Severing Edge (Above Origin)]
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