A massive magic circle suddenly lit up, flashing with a dazzling light.
With the radiance came a towering figure—an enormous troll, its body coursing with molten lava. It appeared before Rimuru, radiating a terrifying presence like a demon risen from the depths of hell. It was the summoned Flame Giant.
The house, once used to host guests, was instantly engulfed in raging flames. A scorching heatwave surged outward, choking the air and overwhelming everyone nearby.
The powerful magical aura burst forth like a storm, throwing the entire village into high alert.
"This is bad—our attacks aren't working at all!"
"What do we do now?!"
Kaval shouted in panic.
Just then, a gigantic fireball began rapidly growing before their eyes.
Faced with such a devastating attack, all they could do was shut their eyes in despair. Their resistance felt laughable—the power gap between the two sides was simply too vast.
Boom!
But the expected searing pain never came.
They slowly opened their eyes, confused—and what they saw left them stunned.
A small figure stood before them, holding back the destructive fireball with one hand.
"It's the elf! He..."
Elyun stared in disbelief at the seemingly fragile elf standing firm against the inferno.
Ignoring their astonishment, Granstar quickly turned his gaze to Rimuru.
"Rimuru, the magic inside Miss Shizu is out of control. You must suppress her—quickly! Otherwise, the entire village will be destroyed!"
"Understood. Granstar, I'll take her away. You handle the Flame Giant."
Rimuru responded with a serious expression.
This battle couldn't be allowed to continue in the village. Everything they had worked for would be lost.
"Steel Thread Entanglement — Activate."
Rimuru spat out rings of white threads from his mouth, binding Miss Shizu, who floated in the air with glowing red eyes.
Despite the intense heat radiating from her body—hot enough to melt iron—the threads held firm.
"I'm sorry, Miss Shizu. I can't let you destroy this place."
Like flying a kite, Rimuru pulled the rampaging Shizu away from the battlefield.
Granstar exhaled in relief once she was safely out of range.
"You three—go with Ranga! He'll protect you!"
Granstar ordered the still-dazed trio on the ground.
Right on cue, Ranga's massive form appeared. He swiftly placed the three on his back, then turned and dashed off with a final shout:
"Lord Granstar, good luck!"
Now alone, Granstar turned his eyes toward the rampaging Flame Giant.
"It's been a while since I've fought a monster above A-rank… and now one comes knocking on my door."
He began gathering magic power, and an icy-blue aura surged from his body like a rising tide.
In a blink, his form transformed.
An elf now stood where he had been—his blue hair fluttered in the wind, his handsome face calm and composed. He wore a flowing, ancient-style robe of deep azure and held a long sword glowing with strange blue light. Frost emanated from his body with every breath.
This was the reborn Granstar—ready for battle.
Without hesitation, Granstar raised a hand. Without even needing to chant, a glowing blue magic circle lit up beneath the Flame Giant's feet.
"[Ice Prison]!"
With a soft command, the magic circle instantly activated.
"ROOOAAAR!"
Sensing danger, Flame Giant bellowed. The sound echoed like it came from the depths of hell, deafening and full of rage.
"Stay right there and behave," Granstar sneered.
A moment later, ice spears several meters thick rapidly condensed in the air. They rained down toward Flame Giant like a barrage of icy lances. Each one radiated a bone-chilling cold—any that landed would surely deal devastating damage.
Steam burst forth in thick clouds, as if a giant cauldron had overturned. The spears pinned Flame Giant's limbs to the glowing magic circle. No matter how it thrashed, it couldn't break free of the freezing restraints.
"ROAR!"
Flame Giant howled again, completely enraged. It opened its maw wide, unleashing a blazing pillar of lava like a fire dragon, aimed straight at Granstar.
But Granstar only smirked in disdain. He didn't dodge. He didn't flinch.
"[Frost Breath]."
Another soft utterance, and a magic circle pulsing with cold light flashed into existence before him. A torrent of sub-zero frost exploded forth, clashing head-on with the incoming lava.
A deafening BOOM—SSSSHHH shook the battlefield. The two opposing forces met in a violent clash, creating a dazzling and chaotic spectacle.
The searing air turned frigid in an instant. Mist curled across the landscape, and the temperature plunged, favoring the frost.
"Hmph. Foolish brute," Granstar scoffed.
The frost wave surged like a raging tide, overwhelming the lava in seconds. Everything it touched froze solid. Flame Giant could only watch in horror as thick ice engulfed its body.
Its once-ferocious mouth was sealed shut by solid frost. Even the lava flowing over its body hardened, turning into black, obsidian-like stone.
"So… my ice really does counter all opposing elements," Granstar murmured, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes.
Flame Giant had originally possessed the strength of an A-rank. As a summon, it boasted a considerable reservoir of magicules—even by monster standards.
But against Granstar? It never stood a chance.
Not only was it completely overwhelmed by the dominant ice attribute, but the gap in raw magicule capacity was equally insurmountable.
Granstar looked down at the immobilized, gravely wounded Flame Giant and calmly shifted his gaze.
It was time to end it.
Slowly, he drew the Ice Demon Longsword from his back. The moment the eerie, azure blade appeared, the surrounding moisture instantly crystallized into shimmering ice flakes that gently drifted to the ground.
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