SSS Frost Sovereign: Rewinding The Apocalypse!-Chapter 64: A different faction?

Dawn had finally arrived. It was still early, but Icard was already awake.

His eyes felt heavy with sleep, yet he stepped outside anyway. After a brief stretch on the front porch, he let his gaze drift lazily toward the rising sun.

The light spilled over the broken skyline, creeping across toppled walls and fractured stone, along with the shadows stretched long across the ruins.

It felt a bit too peaceful.

As he watched, the view stirred old memories. Memories from a distant past.

Memories from his last turn.

He thought about everything that had already changed. How he had ended Wester before the man could become a real threat.

By this point in his previous turn, reports of missing people was just beginning to spread, upsetting the whole vicinity.

And Eric. By now, Eric had not reached the peak of his first tier, the Crimson Blood Flare. Last time, it had taken until after the second gate for that to happen.

Truly, this turn had been rewritten.

Icard huffed softly.

’It is funny how we have not even really begun. I just hope this time we reach the heights much faster, much earlier.’

Yet even as he thought that, a faint unease tugged at him. Actually, it had been there for a while now, a persistent itch at the back of his mind.

The feeling that he was forgetting something. Someone.

[Icard!]

The panel flickered into existence before him.

He glanced at it, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

[How Often Do You Plan To Ignore Me? How Do You Even Do It?]

’You are a bother,’ he thought. ’You keep these panels flashing in my eyes every moment.’

[Then Let Me Access Your Thoughts Properly. By That, You Can Siiiimply Hear My Voice. -Chuckles-]

Icard let out a short breath through his nose.

’So you can do that too, huh?’ he replied. ’Well, for someone who can access my memories, it is not surprising.’

[-Chuckles-]

’Speaking of that,’ he continued, ’since you can see my memories from my past turn, I need to ask you something.’

[Hmmm. What Is It?]

’I feel like something has been missing since I restarted the apocalypse. Like I am forgetting someone really important.’

[Like Who? From Where?]

Icard frowned, searching his own mind.

[Is It Enya? Or Perhaps Aleth From Greyhaven?]

The name of that vicinity surfaced in his thoughts.

That was the first vicinity they ever had contact with since the apocalypse began.

But that memory was from a time still far from them. He did not think much about it.

However, so far, as much as he had thought, he was more convinced that whatever he was missing was tied to that time, to that place.

He scratched the back of his head, his thoughts spiraling.

Then Alyxara cut in.

[Someone So Important? -Laughs Out Loud- There Is Nothing As Important As Your Personal Growth, Icard. Focus On That Instead Of These Useless People Whose Deaths Are Inevitable.]

Icard stiffened.

The words left a sour taste in his mouth. For a moment, he just stared at the floating panel, jaw tightening and a quiet tension settling in his chest.

Then he scoffed under his breath, turning his eyes back to the ruined horizon.

"I will save them all this time, Alyxara," he muttered, fists tightening with resolve. "I will guide them through it."

And then, a bolt of lightning slammed down onto the front porch.

Not the thin, crackling kind, but a heavy, deafening strike that shook the entire structure and rattled the broken walls and windows.

"Kyaaaa!" Alia screamed from inside.

Even Icard staggered back a step, eyes widening, taken aback.

"Katar? What is he doing?!"

Dust and fragments of stone billowed into the air, rolling across the porch in a thick cloud.

As the haze began to settle, a silhouette emerged from within it. White fur dusted with soot and paws planted firmly into the cracked stone, eyes glowing faintly through the thinning veil.

"You bunch of craps!" Katar’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "Wake up, come out, and face me right now!"

---

High above the ruins, in one of the few luxury skyscraper resorts left mostly unharmed, a lounge apartment basked in pale morning light.

Floor to ceiling glass walls curved around the room, offering a sweeping view of the city below.

Most of the skyline lay in ruin, collapsed towers and fractured roads stretching into the distance like a graveyard of steel.

Yet in one corner of the view, the mayor’s settlement stood out clearly.

It was small compared to what the city used to be, but signs of steady growth were visible.

New structures, organized lighting, and an active pocket of life pushing back against the dead city.

Standing near the glass, draped in a loose white robe, was Liam.

In one hand, he held a glass cup, the liquid inside catching the light as he slowly swirled it, eyes fixed on the horizon.

Behind him, three girls lay sprawled across the wide white bed, still asleep beneath pristine sheets, their breathing slow and even.

A knock sounded at the door. It opened moments later, revealing Mr Dane.

The older man carried himself with quiet authority.

He was well built, his posture straight, dressed in mature, tailored clothing that contrasted with the relaxed luxury of the room.

"Enjoying the view?" Dane asked mildly.

Liam gave a short harrumph in response, sparing Dane only a brief glance before turning back to the city.

"You must be thinking about our progress," Dane continued. "We have managed to gather quite a number of raid groups and incarnations under our wings."

Liam’s lips curled faintly. "Things are going smoothly, I guess. Except for that bastard, Zayne."

Dane’s eyes narrowed slightly. "And what about Icard? We have never really approached his group. If we succeed there, it would be a huge gain for us."

At the mention of Icard’s name, Liam’s mood visibly darkened. He stared into his cup, eyes narrow, as though the wine had something to do with Icard.