Limitless The Strongest Revenant-Chapter 1104: Heart of metal [1/2] (Unedited)

Like an angry hive of bees, Ice VI icicles raged on. Bringing a storm with her, Bianca, Elian's most precious person, arrived. Within moments, those around Elian all died. Whether by getting pierced by ice, shot with the Fralhame lance, or just getting frozen by the cold, they all died.

Elian knew well that Bianca's emotions manifested through her mana, and probably because of Frigid, cold energy, the temperature was her literal emotional thermostat.

Shark cracking sounds echoed all around them. It sounded similar to glass fracturing. Even without Elian checking, he knew what it was. Almost everything that lived had water in it, thus when the temperature dropped, those froze as well.

Just by losing control of her emotions, Bianca was literally making a frozen ice age. Nothing would be left alive, but the cold, inhumane howls of blizzards and the silence that comes after.

Bianca had her back to him, so he couldn't see her face. But just knowing that she was here was enough.

Despite being dismembered, Elian smiled. Due to his innate constitution, even losing his head did not mean much. Apart from the inability to command his metals, this was still normal for him.

And although he felt cold and a bit confused, seeing Bianca rush to his rescue made his heart feel full. Surrounded, injured, and bleeding, Elian Reed should have been terrified. Yet the only emotion that filled his body was gratitude, that and love.

"Bianca," Elian called. "Bianca, I am all right."

"No, you are not," the woman answered.

Uncharacteristically, her voice was cold. It lacked any warmth or affection Elian had grown used to. It sounded similar to her demeanor when they first met. With anxiety gnawing on him, Elian limped towards Bianca.

Probably from hearing his metal body creak, she quickly turned around to check on him.

"Stop. Sit down and rest. I will take care of everything. You are not well; you are—"

Like a noisy parent, Bianca began lecturing Elian about his recklessness. Yet the Tyrant could only focus on her eyes. He couldn't help but gulp in nervousness.

"Bianca, my love, what is going on?"

Although his lover fussed about his safety, her eyes, face, and entire demeanor were cold. There was no warmth. There was no affection. There was only an unsettling feeling; this woman was not Bianca. At least not the one he loved.

Probably sensing his internal turmoil, Bianca lowered her rifle and came closer.

Normally she would already be jumping into his arms for an embrace, or maybe kissing his lips all while whispering how much she loved him. But now she only stared at him. With eyes that seemed to see directly to his soul.

"…"

"…"

Elian couldn't say anything.

"This is my talent, Frigid. It lasts two hours. I-I lose the ability to love or like anything," she confessed. "It is similar to your Heartless mode, but I still feel emotions; only my ability to love is taken away…"

With her voice growing weaker by the word, Elian nodded.

Adamant and Driven, his talents were things his personality and life created. He had to be adamant in order to be able to not despair from his situation. He had to be driven to keep his hope for a better future alive. Without both, he probably would have given up long ago.

Just how much did it hurt for you to want something like this? Elian asked inwardly.

He already knew everything about Bianca's life. Her true nature, her history, her sorrows, even her sins. And yet, seeing the Talent that made her what she was broke his heart. And surprisingly, she lost the ability to hear his thoughts.

You no longer love me, yet still get angry for my sake.

Bianca Valestra didn't kill her emotions. She could still feel joy, anger, sadness, and fear. The only thing she gave up was the need and desire to be loved, and the capability to do so. It was as if she had convinced herself that someone like her couldn't love, period.

Sigh, how pitiful.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Elian quickly approached her.

"Rest for now. The red ore these bastards use is dangerous. I will handle them. I will make sure to keep my distance and snipe them all dead. Don't worry; I can do it…"

He threw his remaining arm around her. Unlike before, Bianca didn't return the hug but simply froze in place. After a few seconds, she awkwardly embraced him.

"Elian, please do not think that I no longer love you. I still do. I just… Frigid makes it impossible to care about anything…"

"It's okay, I understand." The Tyrant then raised Bianca's face and kissed her lips. It was awkward, clunky, and weird, like trying to kiss a mannequin. "Will your love for me return after two hours?"

"I-I don't know… I never cared about anything before. And I didn't use Frigid the entire time we were together. I am scared, but I know that I should love you, Elian. So I-I think it will be okay."

Her voice is shaking. She is terrified.

Elian couldn't help but feel his stomach drop. People often said they fell out of love. It was quite common to be madly in love with someone for a few years but lose that love when issues arose. In those instances, despite remembering the good times, it was hardly enough.

Taking a deep breath, Elian gazed into his lover's eyes and smiled.

"It's okay. Even if you fall out of love with me. I just need to win you back."

"Huh?"

"Even if you no longer love me, I still love you. So we will be fine. I will just need to make you fall for me again. Since I already succeeded once, I am sure the second time will be easier," Elian said with a grin.

It was only then that Bianca finally broke into a radiant smile, "How ridiculous! Do you believe I am some innocent, naive young woman who longs for white knights to come and save her? I am far from normal, my weapon. I am…"

Elian pulled her close and stole her lips. Around this period, he felt his connection to his metals return. With swift movements, swarms of Living Metal and Dominators rushed toward him and reformed his missing arm.

"Just shut up and let me love you, Bianca," he rebuked.

Bianca's eyes went wide, and her mouth was left agape. She glared at Elian's goofy smile for a few moments before breaking into a chuckle.

"Fufu, I look forward to how you will woo me then, my Tyrant."

Funnily enough, the tension in Bianca's body melted, and she surrendered her body to him. Although she hadn't regained her soft expression, there was some familiarity with it. Elian gave her a kiss on the forehead in response.

"Yeah, you can't resist me anyway. Trigger Frigid as often as you like. It will help keep the fire in our relationship."

"Sigh, Elian, have I told you how absurd you are? Frigid basically resets my heart. And you act like it's nothing. I am honestly scared, you know?"

Elian took Bianca's hand with his newly formed one and interlocked their fingers. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I know. I am too. But I know we're going to be okay. When I activated Driven-Hopeless, do you remember what you said to me?"

"Yes. As your Anchor, it is my duty. I will be the one to remember what you forget. So you can rest easy."

Bianca blushed in embarrassment.

Elian smiled in satisfaction as he held her close.

"I now say the same things to you. Even if you mind or your heart forgets me, I will remember. And we will make new memories together," Elian declared. "You lost the chance to get away from me when you accepted my proposal."

He gave a soft peck on her lips.

"How brutish. You know, I hate everyone and everything right now, right? Your attempts to touch me make my skin crawl. I feel uncomfortable," she teased.

"I see. Well, that feeling will go away in two hours. Just hold on till then," Elian commanded.

"Hmph. I will try. Can you let me go now? Although my mind loves you, I cannot stand you getting all touchy with me. It is revolting."

Elian frowned and glared at Bianca.

"That hurt. Be prepared; when the two hours are over, I am going to pin you down to the bed and ravish you. I won't stop even if you cry."

"Big words. I think we have more important things to worry about, no?"

"Tsk. I am starting to dislike Frigid."

The pair looked around and saw the remaining werebeasts surrounding them. Although hundreds already lay dead, the Gnarethians only had two people to fight. Thus, even without meaning to, Elian and Bianca knew what they were thinking.

"Stupid bastards," Elian muttered in a bad mood.

"Come now, don't be like that. Isn't it admirable that they have yet to succumb to despair?"

Elian didn't reply and simply raised his hand, "Enslave."

With a single word, black bodies made of metal rose from the ground. It was as if hell opened its shadow, and zombies rose up from the darkness.

But then a galaxy of stars fell from the sky; it stopped above Bianca and spun. Like a cosmic whirlpool of gold and silver, the souls revolved around the Psychomancer.

"Soul Bind."

Stars fell down to the shadows and gave birth to Weapons. When the process was completed, Elian and Bianca only said three words that sealed the fate of everyone present.

"Kill them all."

"Kill them all."