Chapter 58: Return to Oblivion

Shingin's gaze was locked on Riyugi, helpless beneath the bloodstained maw of the giant serpent. Time seemed to freeze. His breath caught, a chilling wave engulfing his entire being.

From between clenched teeth, he uttered a single phrase, low and commanding, filled with an unrelenting intensity:

"Frost to ice."

The world transformed in an instant.

It was as though an ancient, unstoppable force had been unleashed. An invisible tide of frost erupted from Shingin, radiating outward like a colossal wave consuming everything in its path. Moisture in the air crystallized, forming a thin, icy veil that blanketed the world, its oppressive cold gripping even the faintest breath. The wind stilled as though silenced by fear, and the once-lively grasses froze into translucent sculptures, their delicate forms now cold and lifeless. The forest transformed into a domain of glistening frost, beautiful yet deadly, each shard of ice reflecting the relentless, cutting light.

The ground beneath his feet, once pliant with soil and greenery, stiffened into a frozen crust. Trees groaned as their branches bent under the weight of accumulating ice, their bark encased in a brittle, glassy shell. What had been alive moments before now stood petrified, every leaf and blade of grass reduced to a static, crystalline testament to Shingin's power. Above, the air was filled with swirling frost, falling like powdered snow, giving the scene an eerie serenity that belied the lethal chill within.

The laughter of Watchers 23 and 25 halted abruptly. Their smug expressions twisted into disbelief and terror as they stared at their trembling, frostbitten hands. Fingers turned stiff and numb, their limbs frozen and unresponsive, the agony of the cold exceeded only by their mounting dread.

"This can't be happening... This isn't possible," muttered Watcher 23, his voice shaking as frost began to creep across his armor.

Nearby, Yahageshii and Ryuosho watched in stunned silence. Despite standing close to Shingin, the oppressive cold clawed at them, chilling them to their cores.

Watcher 25's voice trembled as he called out in desperation, "Master 17! Help us! Please!"

But Shingin continued forward, each step resonating with an unrelenting finality. The frozen earth beneath his boots cracked and splintered, the sound echoing like a judge's gavel in the unnatural stillness. His eyes burned with a cold fire, carrying the weight of an inescapable verdict.

Yet, something shifted. Shingin stopped mid-step, his sharp gaze narrowing as though sensing an anomaly.

"…?"

A colossal force descended from above, invisible but crushing. It was as though an immense mountain had been dropped onto the battlefield, smothering everything in its shadow. Yahageshii and Ryuosho buckled under the pressure, their knees hitting the frozen ground. Faces reddened, veins strained—they were completely overwhelmed.

Shingin turned his eyes skyward, but his vision was obstructed by a radiant, blinding glow that consumed the heavens. A foot descended, massive and surreal, each step obliterating all resistance in its path.

The pressure intensified, blurring Shingin's sight. His body felt like it was being sealed, every breath harder to draw as though an unseen weight pinned him down.

Then, an eruption of light.

"BOOM!"

A deafening explosion ripped through the frozen forest. The sound tore at the air, splitting it like a tidal wave of thunder. The earth quaked violently, cracks splintering the frost-covered ground into a jagged wasteland. The sky itself seemed to fracture as a radiant beam of pure energy descended, blazing with cataclysmic fury.

The light devoured the battlefield, its intensity reducing every color to searing white. Each beam carried annihilating power, tearing through the air and igniting violent gusts that ripped through the land. The sheer brilliance was blinding, impossible to face directly. It was as if day had erupted from the void, eclipsing everything with an unyielding ferocity.

Yahageshii and Ryuosho struggled to even lift their heads. The crushing weight pinned them like insects beneath an iron boot, suffocating any hope of escape. Despair seeped into their hearts as they realized they were utterly powerless.

Shingin fought to stand, his will straining against the overwhelming force. Every movement was agony, but he refused to submit. Though his vision blurred and his body trembled, his resolve remained unbroken.

In the distance, Riyugi lay bound, her struggling futile. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she gazed helplessly at the devastating light about to engulf Shingin and his comrades.

Her voice tore through the chaos, raw and desperate:

"No————!!!!!"

The sound pierced the storm, carrying directly into Shingin's heart.