The Whispering Forest was quiet, except for the wind moving through the trees. Sunlight broke through the canopy, lighting up the clearing where Barbara stood. Her Hydro Vision shimmered at her hip, but the real attention was on the circle of frozen hilichurls around her—eight of them, all encased in solid ice, their weapons and snarling masks locked in place.
Barbara's chest rose and fell as she took steady breaths. Her hands were still cold from using her Freeze Fruit power. Nyaromon, her recently evolved Digimon, trotted beside her, tail swishing with energy. It mewed as if it had won a battle on its own.
She looked around at the results of the fight and finally relaxed. "It's over," she said. She'd come too deep into the forest looking for flowers for Nyaromon's evolution, not expecting trouble. But when the hilichurls appeared and closed in, Barbara hadn't run. She fought back.
The first two attackers had rushed her with clubs. She stopped them with a burst of frost, locking them in place instantly. It had been the first time she used her ice power seriously since Harlan's comic shop gave it to her. At the time, it was chaotic and hard to control. But now, it felt like hers.
The others had been smarter. They threw rocks from a distance. She barely had time to react but used her power to form an icy shield. The rocks either bounced off or froze midair before falling harmlessly to the ground.
Three more enemies came at her with torches. She dropped to one knee, placed her hands on the ground, and froze the area ahead of her in one sweep. The ground cracked loudly, and the hilichurls were caught mid-charge, turned into icy statues.
The entire forest clearing had changed. Where there was once green and moss, now everything was cold and white. Even the air seemed sharper. Barbara stood up, brushed off her skirt, and picked up Nyaromon. "We did it," she told it. "You were great."
Footsteps crashed through the woods. Jean appeared first, sword drawn, with Lumine, Diluc, Wendy, and Paimon right behind her. They all stopped as they entered the clearing and saw what had happened. Barbara stood in the middle, surrounded by the frozen remains of her fight.
Jean's grip on her sword loosened. "She's safe…" she muttered, almost not believing it.
Paimon flew up and clapped. "Barbara, that was amazing! You froze the whole place!"
Lumine looked around, impressed. "That's real power," she said. "Feels like something out of one of Harlan's comics."
Wendy smirked and strummed his lyre once. "Told you. That shop changes people."
Jean walked forward, her expression confused but proud. She knew Barbara's Hydro Vision could heal—but not this. "Where did this power come from?"
Barbara held up Nyaromon. "Freeze Fruit. From Harlan's shop. It's from One Piece. I couldn't do much before, but now…" She didn't finish the sentence, but the look in her eyes said enough.
Diluc crossed his arms, looking around the icy battlefield. "That's not Cryo Vision work," he said. "This is different. Sharper. Stronger." He didn't trust the comic shop rumors before, but seeing Jean's Haki, Lumine's wind powers, and now this? He was starting to wonder what he was missing.
Wendy leaned back against a tree. "That shop's not normal. We all felt it. Now Barbara's the latest proof."
Barbara turned to Jean and smiled. "I'm okay. Really. I just wanted to help for once, not wait in the background."
Jean put a hand on her sister's arm. "I've kept you back too long," she admitted.
Barbara nodded. "Maybe. But I'm here now."
Lumine gave her a friendly pat on the back. "You handled those hilichurls better than some adventurers I know."
Paimon floated around with a camera in hand. "I got the whole thing recorded! Harlan's going to love this—'Barbara the Ice Queen!'"
Diluc stood still for a moment longer, then turned away. "I'll be visiting that shop."
Jean looked at the frozen clearing one last time before turning back toward Mondstadt. "Let's go home."
Wendy strummed a light tune and grinned. "Next stop—Galehaven Comics. Who's next?"
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Reflection:Barbara gained real combat experience and proved her Freeze Fruit power works in a serious fight. Jean realizes she underestimated her sister. Diluc starts to believe in the comic shop's potential. The group's view of Barbara shifts—she's no longer just a healer. The ice in the forest is a sign that Harlan's influence is spreading, and Barbara might be the strongest case yet.