**TITLE: She Bloomed Like Spring After Surviving a Winter No One Saw by Lillian Rosewood**
**Chapter 76: The Beginnings of Prowell Guild**
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The aura of Alden’s power was palpable, yet no one foresaw the astonishing resilience of his companion, the sidekick warrior.
“Fall back!”
The urgency in her voice was clear, but her teammates hesitated.
“Queenie, we’re so close to achieving a five-hundred-hit combo! We can’t give up now!” one of them argued, desperation lacing his tone.
“I said fall back!”
Her command sliced through the air, sharp and uncompromising.
With a swift motion, she brandished her staff, summoning flames that erupted beneath Alden’s feet.
The fiery explosion momentarily hindered his advance, granting her team the precious seconds they needed to retreat.
Yet, they had gravely underestimated his might.
As Alden landed with a thud, he swiftly drew his bow, nocking an arrow with practiced ease, and released it in one fluid motion.
Just one shot was all it took.
The arrow found its target, igniting the deadly spell known as Lightning Jump.
A chain reaction of electric blasts surged forth, and the ensuing splash damage obliterated her team in an instant.
Finley stood rooted to the spot, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Alden, who were they?”
Alden shook his head, his expression serious. “I can’t say for sure. But I’d wager they were after the bounty that Demon King Grayford put on my head.”
He crouched to gather the equipment they had carelessly discarded in their haste.
“This bounty is such a nuisance. Maybe next time, they’ll actually manage to kill me.”
He said “maybe” with a hint of uncertainty, unsure of how much damage Finley could truly inflict at this point.
“By the way, these Skill Books are just what you need.”
He handed over Ultimate Body, Rage Mode, and Bloodthirst Dragon Armor, all fresh drops from the formidable Blood-Eyed Dragon Turtle.
“Alden, you’re way too overpowered,” Finley remarked, a mix of admiration and frustration in his voice.
Alden merely smiled, a faint curve of his lips, as he began to strip off his gear.
He knew he had to; if he kept it on, Finley wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
“Let’s do this.”
—
18:02 Tue, Dec 16
**Chapter 76: The Beginnings of Prowell Guild**
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Without a moment’s hesitation, Finley stepped forward. He had just transitioned to a new class, opting for the berserker path instead of the shield warrior.
Bound to Alden, he already possessed an impressive health pool.
Choosing the berserker route compensated for his earlier lack of damage output, and with his three passive skills, he felt nearly unstoppable.
With a fierce determination, he swung his sword down in a heavy arc.
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Not bad at all. He had just completed Roland’s quest, which had rewarded him with some formidable weapons.
In fact, he had previously managed to take Alden down once before, claiming the Astralon bounty prize in the process.
With that victory, combined with his current gear, his Attack Power was nothing to scoff at.
But the moment his strike connected, green healing numbers floated above Alden’s head, a stark reminder of his resilience.
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The Bloodthirst Dragon Armor and his revival skill were working in tandem to keep him alive.
There was no way around it.
Alden could remove his armor, but he couldn’t disable his skills.
“Hold up. This is taking way too long,” Alden remarked, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice.
He turned away, launching into a relentless assault on the regular Bloodback Mystic Turtles until five elite Blood-Eyed Mystic Turtles emerged. Only then did he pause.
The moment the elite turtles swarmed him, the tide of battle shifted.
As level 45 Black Iron Level bosses, they quickly chewed through a third of his health while he stood there, seemingly unfazed.
When his health dipped below 10,000, Alden broke away, seeking to regain his footing.
The instant he disengaged from combat, Finley seized the opportunity. He unleashed a flurry of strikes, his determination fueling each swing.
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Then, with a fierce shout, Finley activated Stoneshatter.
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18:02 Tue, Dec 16
**Chapter 76: The Beginnings of Prowell Guild**
Everyone knew that the authority of the city guards was nearly absolute within these walls.
They could intervene in nearly any situation they deemed necessary.
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Yet here was a squad that had just knelt to someone else—and allowed her to walk away with Alden without so much as a word of protest.
“What’s happening with Frost King? Why did they take him?”
“Probably because his PK Points are off the charts. Maybe they’re planning to execute him.”
“Doesn’t seem likely. My bet? He triggered some kind of hidden reward.”
Speculations buzzed through the crowd like a swarm of bees.
Clarice led Alden directly into the royal palace, her stride confident and purposeful.
“Frost King, you’re quite the clever man,” she remarked as they walked. “When you meet His Majesty, I trust you’ll know exactly what to say?”
“Yes.”
He nodded, a single, resolute movement.
They paused outside a grand hall, where the sounds of clinking glasses and low, animated voices floated out into the corridor.
Laughter and flattery spilled into the air, all directed toward Princess Leona.
“Princess Leona, you have truly amazed us all,” one voice exclaimed warmly. “So young, yet already favored by someone of great influence.”
Another voice chimed in, curiosity piqued. “Princess Leona, may we inquire who your benefactor is?”
In the world of Twilight of the Gods, NPCs were quick to connect the dots. The moment the server-wide announcement had gone out, they understood that the one who had slain Grayson was not one of their own.
Only an adventurer or a party of adventurers could trigger a first-kill server broadcast.
Leona responded with a polite smile, though her eyes held a glimmer of mischief.
“Senator, I must keep my benefactor’s name to myself. I sincerely apologize, but I do hope for your understanding.”
Senator Jackson leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face.
“I’ve heard whispers of a new adventurer named Frost King in Astralon. His name has been echoing through every announcement lately.”
He shook his head, feigning disappointment. “It’s a shame he’s burdened with a million PK Points. Otherwise, I would gladly take him under my wing and train him myself.”
He paused, then added almost casually, “Princess Leona, are you absolutely certain that the outlaw isn’t the one who assisted you in eliminating Grayson?”
Leona’s smile faded, replaced by a steely gaze.
“Senator, you’ve been in politics long enough to know better. Casting baseless accusations does not suit you.”

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