4-10 Extinguished Flames

The temperature... is dropping sharply?

There's ice forming on the ground...

It's so cold...

Unbelievable... even the burning effigy was frozen over....!

The flames were put out... Dark clouds have covered the sky...

Aaahh...!

Don't panic!

Jessica, Blacksteel operator!

...

Yes!

Stay in position!

Roger!

What are you doing, Frostleaf?!

She's... draining all the heat from her surroundings!

I never knew she was able to affect such a wide area!

Heh... Master of the Yetis...

I've never met... anyone with a lower body temperature than mine.

Frostleaf!

Meteorite... To be honest, I wanted to...

Distract her... and buy some time for you...

You...

But... my body... is completely frozen.

I can't... move my feet anymore.

Frostleaf! !

Amiya, take them with you, and fight your way out of here.

In less than a minute, the enemy commander... will have frozen this entire square.

Don't make me die for nothing.

Amiya... We can't... I won't leave her!

I understand.

I won't leave Frostleaf behind.

I will not... leave anyone behind!

I'll hold off the enemy squads' movements.

Meteorite... I'm counting on you to bring Frostleaf back!!

Roger!

Doctor! Please lead our squads!

...

Now that I think about it...

I've only used these Arts once before.

'Wherever there is blood...'

Hah.

So you want to use your ice... to counter mine?

Nnh...!

How will you do that if you can't even use your tongue anymore?

You...

...

Yeti Squadron, spread out.

Roger.

My brethren...

Flush them out, and freeze their blood.

Understood.

'...Your mind can hide nothing from me.'

An incantation?

The rabbit of Rhodes Island...

Black... lines? ...What the hell is that?

Wh-what kind of Arts is that--

W-wait, why is that thing... worming past our barriers? !

Don't--

...Aaaaaghh!!!!

M-my body! It's on fire...! It's burning!

Meteorite!

I know!

Please, keep distracting them!

N-n-no... so cold...!

Nnngh... it hurts so much!

...Gaah... No, no more...

...!

Hurry! Don't let them hurt our comrades any further!

Understood!

Your Originium Arts... are very formidable.

...

Nnh... aagh...

Damn you... Get away... from me...

Nnnh...

...

I won't give you a chance to use your Arts, girl.

Now, close your eyes and sleep.

I'll put you out of your misery soon.

Th-this witch...!

...

I take it that you're Amiya.

...!

...

I like the look in your eyes.

That is how a warrior should look.

...

I'm sorry...

Why are you...

......♬

——♪——♬——

...!

What's going on here?

——♬——♬——

...It's snowing?

......♪

'Sleep, my children. Sleep.

Hedgehog dolls and teddy bears...'......

This strange melody...

...She's casting her Arts!

'Sink quietly into black...♪

...My broken puppets and dolls♬'

...

Even more shards of black ice are appearing out of thin air?!

The ice shards are slowly falling onto the ground!

Shoot, the ground is freezing wherever the shards fall...?

The black ice...

It's spreading...?!

The ice crystals are eroding everything around us!

Don't let her finish her song! !

*cough* *cough*...

Meteorite! We've managed to push the Yeti Squadron back!

But...

I seem to have underestimated you, Rhodes Island.

Perhaps I held back a bit too much.

(I can't feel my fingers anymore... Damn it...)

...What's going on...?

The cold current... is still gathering around her?

This time...

You won't be so lucky.

...? !

Oh no...!

Is she trying to absorb all the ice surrounding us and release it at once? !

——♩——♬——

...She's going to drain all the heat from our bodies!

These Arts are on a complete different scale from what we saw before...!

Let it all come to an end.

May your anger be buried by purest frost.

...Nnngh...!

...♩...

...?!

Something... is stopping the cold from gathering...

...Gah...

Is this your doing?

Didn't I already tell you...

I won't let you... come any closer...!

...Did you disrupt my cold current using your own Arts?

...What a good kid.

Frostleaf used her blade to sever the cold current...!

But, but... she can't hold out long in that condition!

Her blade... it's about to break!

...That's more than enough.

This is our last chance!

Amiya... now is the time!

Cover me!

Be careful!

Roger!

Starting firing - suppress Reunion's movements!

Meteorite, go!

On my way...!

What?! The enemy is... rushing towards us?

No, she's... she's going straight towards FrostNova?!

As if we'd let you!

Fire!

Agh...!

Meteorite!!

Don't worry, it wasn't a direct hit!

She, she's still able to run?!

Damn it!

I told you! You'll never reach the Yetis!

Keep firing! Don't give her an opening!

...Oh no!

Gaah...!

Nooo!! She... she was hit... It can't be...

...It's just a scratch! You'll have to do better than that if you want to stop me!!

More... I need to do more...

*cough* *cough*...

...!

(The flow of the cold air... fluctuated for a moment?)

Wait... Where is that flow coming from...

--!

I know this feeling...!

Could it be...?!

I'll just have to give this a try!

I have to hit it...!

Everyone, believe in me!

...?

Rhodes Island's leader...

She shattered the Originium we planted with her Arts?

It's getting hazy...

I knew it! FrostNova created that cold current by planting Originium!

Meteorite!! Now's your chance!

Frostleaf...

I... I promise to save you!!

So, wait for me...

Please wait for me!

Wake up!

Nnh...?

I've got you!

Who...

Up here! Quick! Hold on to me!

Meteo...rite?

Who said you could play the hero?!

Do you think I could just sit there and watch you die?

Put me down... I'm not... some pet...

I won't let go of you!

Amiya! Jessica!!

...All right!

Everyone, let's get out of here!

Meteorite, go ahead with Frostleaf. I'll cover your retreat!

Understood!

...Gah...

Haah... Haah...

Frostleaf... hang in there...!

Don't die... don't you dare die on me!!

Don't worry... you can't get rid of me that easily...

Jeez, both you and Amiya too! Why do both of you have to be like this?!

No matter how strong you might be... you're both just kids after all!

You're still treating me like a kid...?

...If I could save all of you by giving up my life, I think that's a pretty good deal.

You... Mark my words! If you ever try to do something like this again...

If you ever... I'd...

*sigh*... Sorry.

Start running, Meteorite.

Don't... look back...!

Hurry! Just go!!

Evacuate this area immediately! Protect the medics and the injured!

Snipers...! Aim at those effigies. Keep firing!!

Disrupt their formation! Demolish the entire building to cover our escape!

*cough* *cough*...

The explosions are making the haze thicker...!

Here's our opening! Get moving!!

Everyone, we're retreating from this square!!

So... they got away.

*cough*...

*cough*...

...

How long have you been watching?

Just a few minutes.

These warriors are worthy of praise.

Tch.

Be careful.

Your body isn't in very good condition.

...I don't need you to remind me.

Just do what you need to do, old timer.

I'm going to go after Rhodes Island.

We have to get rid of them first. Only then, will we be able...

...to go to Lungmen.

......

Phew...

Haah......

We're almost at the escape point.

Doctor, we...

...Amiya!! We've finally gotten through to the L.G.D.!!

It's an emergency communication!!

Madam Ch'en!!

Listen... up...

Madam Ch'en? Can you hear me clearly?

...Lungmen...

...What's going on?!

...I'm safe now.

But...

...

...Reunion took over one of our important facilities and is now forcefully opening a passage between the slums and the outer city.

Amiya...

Lungmen... is in danger.

W managed to lure Lungmen and Rhodes Island right into our trap.

That's right. They won't be able to escape. Faust and Crownslayer have already broken their defenses at one location.

As you said, this will be our opening to flood into Lungmen.

We will set up ambushes around every corner. The road to Lungmen will run red with fresh blood.

Right, that old flag-waver should be coming back to Chernobog soon.

Our victory is assured.

Do you have any other orders for me, Talulah?

...

The time is upon us...

...to turn this rotten city into ashes.