I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

"Screaming won't pave your way to victory, you mutt."

Sophie's legs pounded on the floor as she took decisive steps forward.

Anticipation drawing near for the drawn-out battle about to commence.

Her two champions followed her. Carefully keeping a distance behind her while standing on guard at constant intervals.

It wasn't noticeable, but any veteran in the arts of War would realize the tension that eluded them.

The inert preparation for the safety of their Master.

And they were right to do so.

The air split as a trail of fire was left in Mila's wake.

A remarkable speed that occurred half step to a blink of an eye. An overwhelming presence that shook the air with her surging emotions.

Her body was an onyx blur. A shadow of her former self.

A shell cracked by the constant wear and tear that assaulted her. Breaking her to a degree that felt…..dangerous.

Right in the presence of Sophie, she flew.

Not well, just a bit above the ground. Vertically forward with her katana glowing with the after shade of ambient and crimson. A glow of blazing torrent growing with the sharpness of her sword.

Red trailed the air, surrounding her body in a bask of sunlight.

Like the sun reaching its peak in the early hours of the day, its brilliance laid in wait for admirers to worship.

The world seemed to have flowed to a slow blur.

Reaching a motion that felt too surreal to be action.

Carried within time that ticked with fervent slowness. Still, her targets knew it was anything but.

Her body blurred with that motion, taking its sweet time to align her sword through the air. Reaching the nick of Sophie's neck.

It had seemed like Mila had struck gold.

Inches away from a perfect victory – maybe not perfect – a struggled one.

Then again, a victory is still a victory.

Sophie, though, wasn't about to let that happen.

As their movements immersed in the moment, her pupils flicked then shifted downwards to the blade. A lilac afterglow left in its wake.

Then her head tilted to the side, and her body bent downwards, dwarfing the sword path completely.

It was a perfect dodge. Only, Sophie wasn't satisfied with it

Then she moved. Her motion was fast and precise, quicker than time, which had reached a standstill.

She struck like a coiled viper to its prey, pulling her chains with her as she lunged into the air.

Time resumed. Playing as it was.

The chain grabbed on Mila's throat – yet again.

A sudden yank that sent her body jolting forward without actually covering enough distance.

Mila's head tilted up in surprise. More so for her quick reflexes than the attack she was about to pull.

Her head had already pulled in every scenario. Leaving her with a conclusion of where her fate resided.

She was pulled into the air like a rag doll.

The chains rattled in a vibratory hum. Locking against each cell as it wrapped tightly around her neck.

Instantly. Her body became a blur, traveling through the air before she was pulled down with the same conquering force.

BOOM!

She was slammed into the basalt floor like a football, a recoil of pain and force sending her body reeling into the air.

Causing her scream to die at the back of her throat.

She choked on her blood, before she crashed yet again into the ground.

Embraced by a crater of basalt and lava.

Sophie landed light, a few distances away. Whipping her head behind with a scowl.

"don't just stand there."

Maxillan growled as he turned back towards them.

A step of his, covered meters in mere seconds. His arms twirling with his spear as he hummed a silent decree. Ominous as it was mysterious.

Mila rose to her feet at that point.

Shaking her head and the pain that assaulted her as she screeched in robust fury.

She charged forwards. Jumped into the air, flapped her broken wings and increased her distance. Reaching inhumane distance away from the ground, yet unable to completely take off.

Limited to the ground and a few distances away from it.

She spun her katana in the air.

A shrill crease echoing as her blade struck Maxillan spear.

BOOM!

An explosion of sound and energy occurred on impact. A blast of wind spreading in concentric waves.

Mila growled. Her eyes widening in shock as the recoil sent her sword into the air.

Her gaze fixed to the Undead Champion, who was by far in a more comfortable position despite their monumental clash.

It sent her head reeling. Her thoughts clawing at the sense of the situation.

Who were these people?!

With a grunt, she bit down on her lip. Hard. And pulled her katana through the air.

A willow whisper ensued in their ears as it clashed against Maxillan's spear once again.

The result was the same. A powerful sonic boom, erupting in concentric waves.

The blast spread far and wide. And the force drew them closer to the basalt floor.

A crater forging underneath the weight of their transcendent battle.

'How can an undead rival me in strength?'

Mila thought as she struck again. And again. And again.

Her hands turned to a blur of motion that lacked sense to the shortest of minds, yet carried weight to those who watched.

Each strike was an embodiment of her power. A cocoon of the experience she built up through life, and everything. Every single drop of blood and sweat was being thwarted by an undead summon.

'How can that be??!'

She began to break it down. Pulling every information she could gather within her brain while seeking a shift of hesitation where she could strike.

Anything. Anywhere.

Who could tell? Perhaps knowing them would give her an inkling of an idea of how to deal with them.

Perhaps their Dark Mana, or method of fighting, bore a hole she could make use of.

As how, the Jun's were well known for their strength, thus causing many to investigate how to deal with it.

Of course, it hardly mattered in the face of absolute strength but in desperate times. Miracles happen.

She had settled her thoughts now and began to pull what she observed with what she knew. New information mixing with old, trying to puzzle a piece with no clear image.

Her katana continued to move nonetheless. Her strength reached its climax as she somehow began to pave a way within the struggle with Maxillan.

It was a subtle shift. One that would be impossible to notice without the experience in battle. But Mila had those experiences.

And thus, she observed it.

She bit down harder, firmly tightening her muscles and tendons onto her bones as she increased the range of power that exuded from her body.

Miasma busted out in uneven amounts. A whisper of what she had once before, still remarkable enough to achieve what she wanted.

She struck her blade down, hoping to pave a way.

A wave of Miasma, slicing through the air in the process.

Maxillan stepped to the left, dodging it, and gave way for her katana to strike the ground.

An eruption of sound occurred as the basalt floor shattered under the weight of her blade.

A crack cutting through the ground and spreading forward, splitting the earth in the process.

Mila paid no attention to that.

Instead, she whipped her head to the side. Her confusion, evident.

It was a trap.

The realization struck like a wire. Fresh and stretchy.

A blur of motion took root at her peripheral. Lightning fast.

Then Sophie appeared in its place. Right in front of Mila, a devilish grin plastered on her face as her mace ascended from the ground upwards, towards her face.

BANG!

Hard, pointed metal struck her head upwards. Too fast to elicit a reaction from Mila, yet slow enough for her to feel the weight of the strike.

Her head reeled back. A metallic ring echoing in her skull as blood gushed out from her lips.

It was followed by a quick and precise strike.

Sophie jumped into the air and slammed her mace down with equal strength.

Causing the same replay of pain and anguish as more blood pooled out from her lips.

Plastering onto the basalt floor in a rush.

Mila gasped for air.

Her eyes widening from the shock. The overwhelming events that took root in her head wrinkled. Stretching the bit of sanity she held on to.

She saw stars.

Then–

BANG!!!

A final slam from Sophie.

She swung her mace like a baseball bat and struck Mila's face once again.

Twice as powerful as before.

Stars mutated into comets.

The force sent not just her head, but her entire body reeling.

She was flung into the sky like a paper bag in the wind. Hanging loosely in the air as her limbs flared apart. Stretched beyond control for just a flicker of a second.

Then a beam of Dark Mana shot her down to the earth.

BOOM!

The explosion was short and imminent. Carrying the heaviness that hung in the air.

All in fluid motion.

Silence took root in the world.

Pierced only by the sound of rain and footsteps.

Encroaching footsteps to the rising body of Mila Jack. The Demonic Queen who refused to yield.

She staggered. She panted.

Chest rising and falling with momentum, while her scales cracked. Spreading through her body slowly. Terribly slow.

Sophie sighed, yet her grin was kept alive.

She was glad.

Maxillan and Minillan simply watched in silence.

Obeying when they were called on and protecting their Liege when needed.

Their gazes all met at a point.

Mila, especially, who was still bound to the three chains.

Trapped in an eternal leech without even realizing.

Yet, something new sparked in her eyes as she glanced at Mila.

With a rasp breath in between words, she said.

"You…. I know you…." She muttered.

There was one clan who were known for their affinity for the occult.

But a Hundred years ago, the King at the time had ordered their annihilation.

Just as he was with the Jun household.

They were a weak clan at the time. Different in the sense that they were born to build power rather than be gifted with it.

It was so ancient. So unreachable, that it seemed impossible to be true.

Then again, what really was true?

Mila sighed. A deep one that lingered still with the saliva and blood that hung in her mouth.

"..... The Arcanus."