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Despite some unexpected setbacks and casualties, Kenyaza City was ultimately conquered by the Ember Kingdom, marking the end of the Norton Duchy, which had stood for over 400 years.

All members of the Norton family were captured in the rigorous house-to-house searches conducted by the "Nocturne" unit. None escaped, and nearly all were sent to the dungeons of Northwind Fortress.

After all, these people, with their diluted frost giant bloodlines, were far too conspicuous—their very blood carried a distinct scent.

The draconic

hobgoblin commander, Dolo, dejected after his narrow escape, voluntarily requested temporary leave from the military and vowed to become a Dragon Oath Paladin. He is now training intensively in the Hall of Dragon Oaths, though it remains uncertain if he will succeed.

In the council hall, Cassius lounged on the throne, playfully toying with the horn in his hand.

Acquiring such an artifact with almost no effort was an unexpected delight for him.

[The ancient ice has been plundered by you.]

[You have obtained the legendary equipment—【Eternal Frost Horn】.]

【Eternal Frost Horn】

Rarity: Legendary

Creator: Kobal Eternal Frost

Description: In an ancient era long forgotten, during a war that spanned generations, Kobal demonstrated terrifying magical prowess, summoning glaciers hundreds of meters high and freezing an ancient red dragon solid. This feat made him a shining star of the Giant Empire, establishing his own frost giant clan and earning the surname "Eternal Frost," personally bestowed by Solrim, the frost giant god.

In the war's aftermath, both sides were left crippled. Aged but still alive, Kobal foresaw that his death would expose his clan to danger from former enemies. He severed his right leg, inscribed runes on the bone, and forged it into a horn imbued with the power of Eternal Frost, entrusting it to his son before his passing.

When the horn is blown, a raging blizzard ensues, dooming all who oppose the Eternal Frost clan to eternal rest.

"I will freeze everything—not just my enemies but everything I hold dear! —Kobal Eternal Frost"

Effects:

(Requires resonance with the Eternal Frost frost giant bloodline. Otherwise, its effects are reduced to one-third.)

【Power of the Eternal Frost Runes】: When the horn is blown, the runes emit icy blue light, granting control over frost and snow. A howling blizzard surrounds you within a radius of several hundred meters, with magically infused hail and snow falling from the sky to freeze your enemies.

【Kobal’s Glacier Prison】

9th-Level Evocation Spell

Massive glaciers, nearly a hundred meters high, rise from the ground, trapping your selected target. The imprisoned creature suffers continuous frost damage until it dies.

【Glacial Torrent】

8th-Level Evocation Spell

By opening your palm, an extremely cold stream pours forth like a waterfall. Creatures caught in the torrent are slowed and take frost damage.

【Advanced Ice Spike】

7th-Level Evocation Spell

You create sharp ice spikes that inflict frost and piercing damage on your enemies.

"As expected of the frost giant clan’s sacred relic."

"An immensely powerful legendary artifact, though its limitations are too numerous and incompatible with my red dragon form."

Cassius evaluated it.

This artifact was essentially designed to counter red dragons, and as an authentic red dragon capable of bathing in lava, Cassius could not withstand extreme cold, making him ill-suited to the Eternal Frost’s power.

Moreover, activating the artifact required frost giant bloodline resonance. While he had captured the Norton family descendants, their heavily diluted bloodlines could not unleash the relic’s full potential.

"Fortunately, it fell into Oliver’s hands."

"If it had been wielded by a frost giant elder, I would have faced real trouble."

Cassius shuddered slightly at the thought.

That power-drunk Duke Oliver had likely wielded less than half the artifact’s potential yet still managed to pose a minor threat, underscoring its incredible strength.

A seductive female voice interrupted Cassius’s contemplation.

"Master, I’ve found its records!"

"The Lackman Duchy’s archives mention it in this book, 《The Secrets of the Norton Family》."

Darenna appeared in the hall, holding a tattered leather-bound book, her expression brimming with delight.

Cassius toyed with the bone horn in his hand, intrigued.

"Summarize the key points. Read them to me."

"Yes, Master."

"This horn is called the Eternal Frost Horn, a sacred relic of the 'Eternal Frost' frost giant clan from the Wahala Glacier region. It was stolen centuries ago by the Norton family’s ancestor—a traitorous frost giant."

Flipping to the final pages, Darenna’s expression grew grave, her brow furrowing slightly.

"When the horn is blown again, the frost giants from the far north will stop at nothing to reclaim it, restoring their ancestor’s... glory."

"What is it?"

Seeing Darenna’s tense demeanor, Cassius grew curious.

She spoke solemnly:

"The Frost Disaster."

Cautiously raising her head and seeing the red dragon’s silence, Darenna continued.

"The Eternal Frost clan is a tribe of over three hundred frost giants, residing in Wahala Glacier, the 'Frozen Forbidden Land' at Anzeta’s northernmost edge."

"Periodically, these frost giant tribes invade the south, accompanied by snowstorms. The timing is unpredictable, but northerners have come to call this phenomenon the 'Frost Disaster.'"

"The last Frost Disaster occurred over sixty years ago, causing catastrophic losses across the northern kingdoms. Tens of thousands perished, and an entire duchy was nearly destroyed. My grandfather witnessed that disaster firsthand—villages and farms were razed, roads littered with human and animal corpses, and entire cities reduced to snow-covered ruins."

Hearing this, Cassius’s golden eyes gleamed—with excitement.

"Three hundred frost giants..."

"That’s a treasure trove of materials for the Eternal Frost Horn."

Cassius looked at Darenna meaningfully and said:

"Darenna, remember your place."

"The Ember Kingdom will always be a calamity for its enemies, never a victim of any disaster."

"Alert our vassals and prepare for battle. I intend to collect a large quantity of frost giant blood."

Darenna snapped back to reality, realizing she was no longer the serpentfolk trembling under enemy boots but a member of the Ember Kingdom under the red dragon’s reign.

Indeed, he was the calamity, and the entire north trembled beneath his wings.

"Yes, Master."

Darenna knelt, her voice tinged with inexplicable excitement.

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