Extra's Path: The Eternal Frost Monarch

"So, what should we do?" Noah asked.

Akari remained silent for several seconds, staring at the crimson portal in the distance.

"We can try entering it," she finally said. "It’s the only option I can see right now."

"And what happens after we enter?" Noah asked.

"I don’t know."

Noah frowned.

Akari continued, "But there might be some kind of dimensional passage connected to it. If that portal is linking this realm to another space, then there should be a boundary between the two."

She looked toward the swirling crimson vortex.

"If the connection between the two spaces is unstable, that boundary might have been damaged. There could be a temporary passage between them, a space that exists between this realm and wherever that portal leads."

"And if we reach that passage?"

"I might be able to tear through the dimensional boundary and create another exit."

Akari’s expression became serious.

"It wouldn’t necessarily take us to the same place as the portal. We could end up somewhere completely unknown. Another realm... or even another dimension."

"So we’d be escaping through an unknown dimensional space?"

"Possibly."

Noah stared at her.

Akari took a slow breath before continuing.

"But there’s a serious problem."

"What?"

"Entering a dimensional passage isn’t like walking through a normal tunnel."

Her gaze returned to the crimson portal.

"Inside, space itself may not behave normally. The distance between two points could constantly shift. The boundary could collapse or distort without warning. If that happens while we’re inside, the spatial force could tear our bodies apart."

Noah’s expression hardened.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning we could be partially disintegrated... or worse."

Akari paused.

"Different parts of our bodies could be displaced into different spatial coordinates. If that happens, there’s no guarantee we’ll even come out in one piece."

She looked down at her trembling hands.

"And after what happened to me, I don’t think my body is strong enough to withstand that kind of spatial distortion for long even if I am a dragon now."

Her eyes shifted toward Noah.

"And protecting you at the same time would make it even harder."

Noah glanced toward the distant battlefield.

The crimson corruption continued spreading through the forest.

Tentacles covered the ground like a massive, living network, tearing through everything in their path.

"We really don’t have any better options, do we?" Noah asked quietly.

Akari shook her head.

"No."

A moment of silence followed.

"Then let’s do it. The longer we wait, the worse this will become." Noah spoke.

"Agreed."

Blue lightning immediately enveloped Akari’s body. She reached out and pulled Noah into her arms, securing him against her chest.

"Hold on tightly."

"Got it."

KRAK!

Akari vanished.

She became nothing more than a streak of blue light cutting through the storm. Within seconds, the landscape blurred beneath them.

Trees became indistinct shadows. The distance disappeared rapidly. But the abomination noticed.

Its enormous eye turned toward them. A low, distorted growl rolled across the battlefield.

BOOOOOOM!

The earth exploded. Hundreds of enormous tentacles erupted from the ground.

They rose like black-red serpents, twisting toward the sky and converging on Akari’s path.

Akari’s eyes narrowed.

"Tch."

She immediately changed direction. A tentacle passed within meters of her.Another came from the side.

She tilted her body. It missed. Another descended from above. Akari twisted sideways while keeping one arm firmly wrapped around Noah.

WHOOSH!

The tentacle tore past them.

Noah felt the violent wind against his face. She was moving so fast that he couldn’t see anything well. But he could still understand what was happening.

"There’s too many!"

"I know."

Akari accelerated.

Her speed was tremendous.

She weaved between the tentacles with impossible precision, constantly changing direction.

Left, right, up and down.

Every movement was calculated around one priority.

Don’t let anything touch Noah. Then Akari noticed something.

Her expression changed. The air itself was beginning to distort. A faint crimson haze surrounded the battlefield.

It wasn’t merely smoke. The corruption had spread into the atmosphere.

Akari flew through it. Immediately, her skin began to sting.

It’s even in the air now. The corrupted energy wasn’t strong enough to destroy her instantly, but it was slowly eating away at her defenses.

Her breathing became slightly heavier. Her lightning flickered. She clenched her teeth.

’I can’t slow down.’

"Noah... the air... it’s dangerous." She whispered to him.

Noah hearing it, held his breath.

Another tentacle shot toward them.

Akari accelerated.

WHOOSH!

It missed Noah by inches. She twisted around another.

The speed at that creature was moving had increased by a lot.

CRACK!

A tentacle came from beneath them. Ot was too fast.

Even Akari who was flying, moving like flash couldn’t dodge without exposing Noah.

She turned her body instead.

BOOM!

The tentacle struck her back. Akari’s body jerked violently.

"Akari!"

She gritted her teeth and refused to release him. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"I’m fine."

She accelerated again. Another tentacle approached.

Akari swung her free hand.

KRAK!

Lightning exploded outward, slicing the tentacle apart. But the severed flesh immediately began regenerating.

More appeared behind it. Akari’s expression became grim.

It won’t stop. Her wings spread. A massive burst of wind erupted around her, pushing dozens of tentacles away.

For a moment, a path opened.

"Now!"

She shot forward. The portal was getting closer. But the tentacles suddenly changed direction.

Instead of attacking them directly, they began forming a wall around the portal’s entrance.

Akari’s eyes widened.

"They’re blocking the entrance..."

The entire area ahead had become a fortress of writhing corrupted flesh.

Tentacles intertwined with one another, creating layer after layer.

No clear path remained. Akari tightened her hold around Noah.

"I’ll make one."

Her lightning intensified. She accelerated directly toward the mass.

Noah looked up at her.

"Akari, your body—"

"I know."

Her skin was already showing fresh darkened patches.

Several wounds had reopened. Blood stained her torn kimono. But she didn’t stop.

She raised her free hand. A massive sphere of lightning formed around them.

KRAAAAAAAAAK!

The lightning sphere exploded forward. Tentacles were blasted apart.

For several seconds, they had a path. Akari flew through it. But the corrupted flesh regenerated almost immediately.

A tentacle emerged from the side and struck her shoulder.

SPLAT!

Blood scattered through the air. Akari’s body trembled. Yet her arms remained locked around Noah.

She protected his head against her chest and twisted her body so the impact hit her instead.

"Akari!"

"Don’t worry about me."

Her voice was strained.

"Just hold on. I won’t let anything happen to you."

More tentacles like it’s arms descended.

Akari dodged one. But there were simply too many. He body was already weakened. One wrapped around her ankle.

She immediately severed it with lightning. Another struck her side. Another grazed her back.

Her skin continued to burn and decompose wherever the corruption touched her.

Still, she kept moving. Still, Noah remained completely protected within her arms.

Finally, the portal was directly ahead.

Only a few hundred meters remained. Akari stared at the swirling crimson vortex.

Her breathing became ragged. Her body was reaching its limit. But her grip around Noah tightened.

"We’re almost there."

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