Frostfire Legacy

Playing the bad guy every now and then wasn't that bad, Aster mused. The exhilaration was addictive, bringing out a side of himself he hadn't fully acknowledged before.

After finishing his "job," he strolled back toward the girls, wearing a broad grin. "Phew, that was fun!" he exclaimed, beaming with joy. "I'll definitely have to do that again later!"

"Welcome back, Demon Lord Aster," Liz teased, offering a light bow.

"That was so cool, Darling! You totally have the traits of a sadist! I knew our compatibility was high~!" Tina added, as usual, more interested in her dynamic with Aster than anything else.

"Star... you didn't kill them, right?" Cassy asked, her voice tinged with concern as she peeked from behind the cart.

From their distance, it was difficult to tell if anyone had died. Seeing one adventurer fall from Argus' attack and another frozen solid by Aster's magic had stirred her anxiety.

"Of course not. No casualties." Aster waved off her concerns confidently. "I made sure of that."

His answer was reassuring, and Cassy let out a small sigh of relief. While the adventurers were certainly hurt, that was a necessary "sacrifice" to pay to instill fear and speed up their retreat.

Sitting cross-legged on the grassy ground, Kali let out a light scoff. "Stupid Rabbit. Your worries are misplaced again," she muttered.

"Oh... Sorry..."

Cassy apologized immediately, her usual energy dimmed, a clear sign that her depressive state was still affecting her. She seemed lost, unsure of how to respond further. Aster, noticing this, shrugged before clapping his hands, signaling a change in mood.

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"Alright, pack it up! We're done here on the 17th floor. Let's keep moving!"

Time wasn't on their side. Even though Aster had destroyed the teleportation array, there was still a chance their pursuers could catch up. He wasn't about to underestimate Lorelai's tenacity.

"Right, let's go," Liz said with a wry smile, noting how Aster subtly tried to look out for Cassy in his own way.

With that, they breezed through the boss fight. As usual, the monster fell in a single blow from Argus, clearing their path to the next floor. Without stopping, Aster rushed ahead.

Like the 17th, the 18th floor was a vast plains biome. There were only weak monsters along the way, so they were able to charge through without much trouble. Despite the floor being larger than the one before, Aster managed to reach the exit in just 3 hours and 58 minutes—yet another record-breaking time.

"Ugh, my hair..." Kali groaned.

"My wings... my face...!" Liz grumbled, wincing.

Of course, rushing through at such speed had its downsides—especially for the girls. Kali's and Cassy's hair was an absolute disaster from the wind pressure, making them look like they'd been hit by a tornado. Liz, who had sat facing forward, bore the brunt of the wind, her face and wings taking most of the damage. Though it was less painful than sitting sideways, it was still far from comfortable.

"I'm going to stretch my legs!" Tina declared, hopping off the cart the moment it came to a halt.

Unlike before, she wasn't content to stay idle. Whenever they stopped, she'd dash out to fight nearby monsters, eager to gain a head start on the other girls.

It was obvious she was trying her best to catch up to Aster's level. Depending on Argus alone wouldn't get her there, no matter how long she fought. She needed to push herself harder!

Aster didn't mind Tina's independent actions. Being a Monk Class tank with two powerful gauntlets that could easily wipe out weaker monsters, she was more than capable of handling herself.

He continued ahead of the girls, heading toward the nearby camp. Resuming his Demon Lord roleplay, Aster crushed any attempt to fight back, swiftly dismantling the camp's hopes of a fair battle. In less than half an hour, every inhabitant of the camp had fled toward the other camp through the teleportation array.

After smashing the said array once more, Aster regrouped with the girls, called Tina back, and they continued forward. Nothing could stop them!

---

It was deep into the night, and darkness crept over the surroundings, but Aster still wore a wide grin. "Phew! As expected, Demon Lord roleplay is great for stress relief!"

He had chased everyone away and destroyed the teleportation array at the final camp on the 19th floor. With this, they had bought themselves a good buffer—about three floors' worth of time.

"I doubt anyone will catch up for at least a few days," Aster muttered confidently.

Since the clans had "abandoned" the camps, Aster had no qualms about gathering the supplies left behind. He picked up a few essentials but focused primarily on luxury goods—especially ingredients for cooking.

"I can make much better meals with this!" he said, feeling a small surge of excitement at the thought.

Thanks to Kali's relentless efforts at "borrowing" supplies from the three clans, they now had enough provisions to last a full month. Moreover, in case they were separated for any reason, they had divided the supplies evenly, ensuring everyone could survive a week or two on their own without issue.

While Aster busied himself with the camp, Argus and the girls had already defeated the floor's boss. With the path cleared, they reached the 20th floor.

The terrain from the 20th to the 30th floor resembled that of the first ten floors, but this time it was far more dangerous. These floors were not simple like the tutorial zones. They were packed with hazards—not just monsters and treacherous terrain but also "Area Bosses."

Unlike Floor Bosses, which appeared at the end of each floor, Field Bosses that roamed freely, or Rogue Bosses that were irregular to the floors themselves, Area Bosses governed specific zones.

Though not as powerful as Field Bosses, they were almost always accompanied by other monsters, typically their pre-elite versions, making them particularly tricky to face.

Seeing that it was nearing midnight, Aster decided it would be best to camp by the entrance instead of pressing onward.

They wisely set up camp a safe distance from the portal, just in case Lorelai arrived unexpectedly on this floor. An awkward encounter right off the bat was the last thing they needed.

After searching for a bit, they found a wide clearing before the forest area, hidden from sight yet spacious enough to accommodate them. Without wasting time, they raised three tents and lit a campfire.

Having achieved their goals for the day, Aster decided to splurge on their supplies and prepare a feast. He cooked a lavish meal, and of course, they didn't forget to include some alcohol. It was a night to celebrate, allowing everyone to momentarily relax and return to their more playful selves.

---

"... Huh?"

Aster blinked, feeling disoriented. He had been drinking earlier, and now his memory was hazy. When he regained full consciousness, he found himself inside one of the three tents, kneeling beside someone.

"Hmmm...~"

His hands were pressed against the gap between two large, blue wings—wings that trembled slightly in what sounded suspiciously like pleasure. His fingers touched fair skin, slightly damp with sweat.

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*Gulp!*

Aster's mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened. He glanced down and realized he was kneeling next to Lizandrea, who was lying face-down on her bedding... half-naked.

'W-What's going on?! What is this situation?!'

Aster's inner voice screamed in confusion as the scene before him sank in.