Perfect Avatar-Chapter 233: The Demon Wolf

(A few minutes ago)

Freya expressed her wish to speak privately with Rhea, a decision that left everyone speechless.

"Lady Freya, have you gone crazy? Why haven’t you learned from everything you saw with them?!"

"Eryl, I understand what you mean, and I’m not crazy either, but no matter how you look at it, this is our only chance!"

"Freya, you were unconscious that day, I heard how little she cared..."

"Listen to me, for fucking sake!"

She grabbed the maid by the collar, their foreheads meeting.

"I will not give the same speech twice, I am determined to put everything into this expedition, even my life! I will not tolerate us leaving with nothing because we were too afraid to speak with 3 Avatars. I’lI take risks here, so be grateful and wait for me to die before running away!"

She let go of the maid, facing everyone, her eyes piercing them.

"I am strong, stronger than everyone here, and because of that, I will take responsibility and face the strongest among them. All of you, those who like to talk behind my back or criticize me, you can stay here like good puppets, if I succeed it’s our victory, if I fail I will create an explosion to let you know so you have time to escape."

Everyone looked at her with wide eyes, for some it was a wake-up call, for others it was a good reality check.

Marie lowered her gaze, gripping tightly the phone Dora had given her.

Freya took a deep breath, glancing in the direction Rhea was heading.

"Alright, I’m going now, remember to run if you hear an explosion."

"Wait, Frey," Nefertari grabbed the young woman’s wrist.

"What? What is it again? I have to go befo-"

"Yeah, I know, I’m not stopping you, I think I’m even starting to like you, but since she’s the strongest and you’re going to face her, you need to hear this."

Freya looked at her with great irritation, but once she had her gaze on, she calmed down.

"...Is this something important?"

"Yes, I have some orders to follow, but I admit that what you said may be a little more... logical than the Queen. So listen, the Queen has the ability to obtain information through what I or my sisters see, basically. Our eyes are literally hers... and she said something about the strongest of our enemies, and I believe it’s about her abilities."

Her gaze more intense than ever, Nefertari uttered words that sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

"This girl is a giant wolf."

****

Rhea’s smile slowly faded and her eyes turned into a frown. She looked at the Duke’s daughter whose hands were shining.

"Surprised? Yes, I know the secret of the Wolf of the North. Only one skill, but the most powerful of the Avatars. It sounds ridiculous, but what if this skill was actually a transformation?"

She forced herself to smile, her voice higher than usual.

"Before coming here, I learned something from one of my comrades: the Wolf of the North is not just a nickname, but like the bear in the nursery rhyme of the same name, it’s just another way not to call the wolf a wolf."

As Freya’s aura gradually manifested, her hands emitted a radiant glow, devoid of any intention to harm Rhea, but rather the environment surrounding them. It was at that moment when a sinister laughter echoed through the air.

"My...and I thought I couldn’t be more surprised...so you knew?"

Freya maintained her facade for a little while, but the realization of the hidden meaning tested her last dose of resolve.

"...So... you really are..."

"Indeed, it seems impossible to imagine someone being the strongest with just one type of attack, but given that the correct term is ’skill’, doesn’t that change everything?"

She looked at the moon with a smirk.

"What if this skill was just a transformation into a higher being? Imagine a body with infinite power benefiting from an enhancement, an evolution into a primitive form beyond anything imaginable. We are gods among humans because gods are supposed to be like humans, but what about a wolf god? A wolf is stronger than a human, so doesn’t that mean it will be stronger?"

Freya was beading liters of sweat, she was ready to fire at any moment to announce the retreat to her comrades.

Rhea looked at her, with a bright smile and hair flowing in the wind. She put down her hat and crossed her arms.

"I’m even more surprised that you know this and are still waiting for me to transform, is this another plan? Do you have a special attack against wolves? Or are you just planning to die fighting?"

"I told you I’m done playing! Now transform!"

The General observed her in silence, as a predator observes its prey.

"Try saying that without that fear in your voice."

She took a step forward, then another, closing the distance between them. In response, Freya backed away.

"I have no feeling for the one who plots silently, nor compassion for the weak who bared their fangs but did not expect retaliation."

Freya’s back met a wall of ice and Rhea stopped a few meters in front of her.

"I admit that you have the merit of serving as a decoy for your comrades. You showed more courage than many and made more effort than everyone else... but you committed... at the very last moment... a fatal error."

They looked into each other’s eyes for a few seconds, Freya was at her limit, but then her eyes widened.

"..."

She shifted her gaze to the left, prompting another smile from Rhea. Freya’s eyes were fixed on a particular spot: the crevice where they emerged, and beyond the crevice, past the icy expanse, past the icy barriers, the emissaries and elves recoiled in horror, their faces contorted with disbelief.

Lined up near the crevasse, the black knights stared back at them, and there, in the distance, just in front of the cliff wall, the girl with long brown hair removed her military hat, revealing almond-shaped eyes that glimmered.