The white furred beast with a disproportionate body used its long limbs to defend from the killer attacks, each roiling strike of lightning destroying chucks of its flesh. I spammed another [Arctic Zone], further slowing down its movements and then casted another [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] to finally overwhelm its tight defense
The repeated casts of the rank A+ and S skill finally brought down the beast. I went towards its nearly destroyed body and placed my hand on it, feeling the movement of essence as an item and some cores appeared in one of my storage rings
The item was an extremely long blue sword called [Blue Terror], disappointing me a bit as I wanted more defensive or support skills right now. But the day was only beginning. There were many more beasts to take down.
The Virulent Abomination was putting in work, now clashing against another rank S Leader as its body continuously released noxious blasts of air. The white furred beast it was fighting against became increasingly overwhelmed as the fight continued, with the abomination fighting and taking damage but not reacting one bit
I neared the area and gave a command, the Abomination exploding in a storm of poisoned flesh and bones that cemented themselves into the body of the beast, bringing it to its knees as it wheezed for dear life
A large malachite runic circle appeared near me as the Virulent Abomination came out as good as new, rejoining the fight and finishing it with another release of a noxious blast.
This beast dropped a skill book this time around, it was [All Element Resistance] that I quickly learnt. It was an active skill that increased your defenses against elemental attacks once activated, but as always I would have it active all the time
The fight was gradually drawing to a close as we took down most of the beasts in this area. I could see my cold breath coming out as I collected the cores from the other beasts on the ground and looked towards the thickets of large trees in front of us
The trees taller than me by multiple times stood as strong as ever, their cover giving a menacing feeling for those that dared to enter its depth. I recalled how far in we came last time with the lead of Captain Ryner and carefully made my way in
Curious beasts that had heard the vibrations of the fight that just occurred were already nearing the area, with us meeting more just a few minutes after the Abomination and I walked into the mass of trees
The combination of [Arctic Zone] to slow down powerful Leaders and also deal killer blows to normal beasts as their bodies were frozen and shattered, as well as the use of [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] right after became my new favorite spammed skills with their efficiency.
I also brought myself to repeatedly use the offensive rank A skills that weren't as efficient against the higher ranked beast, but I wanted to increase their proficiency for [Skill Combination]. I was now leaning towards more support and defensive skills that I could keep active all the time without worry as they would quickly rise in proficiency and be perfect for combination
If we met a collection of larger groups of beasts, [Volcanic Eruption] was perfect for it, but it caused such intense damage to the surroundings that the thick white trees caught fire for a few minutes and called in even more droves of beasts towards us. The naturally cold elements that congregated in the air reduced the fire and distinguished it in the next few minutes and no beast higher than rank S had come out so far, so it wasn't too much of a problem
We were able to take down a few rank A Leaders and two more rank S. The rank S loot worthy of mentioning was the rank S item [Storage Pouch], that held a much larger space than the lower ranked storage rings I had been using, and attached itself to my waist when equipped. The other one was a skill called [Protection of the Wounded: Injuries cause you no fear as your defense is increased by 200% while the skill is active]
A smile bloomed on my face as I finally got a high ranked support skill, and a defensive one at that.
Chapter 78 - Caution
The new rank S skill was quickly learned, along with a few rank A skills that were not worthy of mentioning currently that would be used for [Skill Combination] once their proficiency rises
I looked in the messy attribute panel at the skills that continued to show their effectiveness that I regularly used
Skill(s): (B-Eagle Eyes-100)(B+ Dark Assassin-100)(A-Flight-100)(A-Instant Transfer-98)(A-Infernal Purge-100)(A-Ultra Regeneration-94)(A-Spear of Destiny-95)(A-Pain Resistance-100) (A-Recorder-43)(A-Combusting Spears-69)(A-Language Comprehension-42)(A-Earth Armor-77) (Obscure-78)(A+ Arctic Zone-53) (S-Volcanic Eruption-79)(S-Summon Virulent Abomination-89)(S-Rage of the Thunder Monarch-77) (S-All Element Resistance-5) (S-Protection of the Wounded-2)
The rank S skills were rising slowly, with some more than half way through to max proficiency. On the messy side of the many lower ranked skills on the panel, some B+ defense and support skills were nearing 100. I should be able to gain some new rank A skills from [Skill Combination] by the end of the day
I moved my eyes expectantly from the panel to the cold and snowy surroundings around me as the Virulent Abomination finished off any beasts that neared. We were only on the outer ring of this large floating landmass, but we neared the distance when the one leading the previous extermination task force had us stop.
I didn't want to go too far in to come in contact with an EPIC ranked beast so fast, so I would proceed with caution and see if I can get another rank S skill before calling it a day and preparing for that possibly impactful randevu in the magnificently floating Snowy Peak of the Frozen Kingdom
We slowly moved further in, making sure to proceed carefully. I spread my attention through the barely visible trees around us while using [Eagle Eyes] to check for the incoming beasts. My attention was fully on reconnaissance as the Virulent Abomination took the brunts of the fight, our progress becoming slower as we moved in
Powerful beasts were present the deeper we went, and we soon came across three rank S leaders commanding a large group of beasts towards us. I looked excitedly towards these ugly looking monsters as they already seemed like the perfect loot in my eyes
We waited for the large groups of beasts to come to us and moved back as we fought, putting a safe distance for the fight not to take place any closer inland. The Virulent Abomination clashed with the groups led by the two rank S BOSSes, its body quickly becoming shredded when two of the Leaders attacked it in conjunction
The other leader was making its way towards me, its large body moving at fast speeds and evading the cold blasts of [Arctic Zone] as it neared. The beasts that were ravaging the summon thought they had won as they tore through its wings and tough muscles, but were dismayed soon after when the abomination exploded in front of them
BOOM!
The impact took out many of the normal surrounding beasts and heavily wounded the two leaders that were ganging up on it. Not a moment after, a large malachite rune bore out a completely brand new Abomination that jumped back into the fight.
The leader targeting me was finally caught by one of the [Arctic Zone]s as its attention was pulled away, its figure slowing down and allowing me to cast even more of the skill where it stood.
Its body let out uncomfortable sounds as the destructive cold elements that appeared tried to break down its defenses unsuccessfully. [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] and [Volcanic Eruption] would be its only respite as its large figure took multiple strikes of the roiling purple lightning and molten flames, letting out screeching howls before it fell to the continued casts of the skills
I continued to keep looking out to our surroundings as I neared the body of the dead rank S BOSS and received a golden skill book and cores. The third rank S skill addition of the day would be [Saint's Phantom- A mirage of a saint from long ago appears for 10 seconds, using its powerful magic to heal all wounds and dispel any major negative effects]
I learned the skill right away and looked ahead to the summon that had ripped apart one of the beasts it was facing and was now clashing with the final one. At this point in t
ime though, I saw a drastic change to the area ahead of us that I had been continuously watching with [Eagle Eyes]
A powerful figure was rushing towards us like a speeding bullet train, its body ignoring the extremely sturdy trees shooting up to the skies as it knocked onto them and blasted through in a straight line
Damn.
I quickly used [Instant Transfer] to the body of one of the dead Leaders and obtained another skill book and cores, before I turned my head at full speed and used [Eagle Eyes] with [Instant Transfer] again to appear more than a mile away from the location
BOOM!
I heard the impact the moment I disappeared as the large beast that was coming towards us smashed onto the Virulent Abomination and wrecked the summon through the trees around it
I only briefly watched as glistening white claws shredded into the chest of my summon before it exploded into the blast of flesh and bones that slightly pushed the figure back. The beast showed slight injuries as some its fur became tinted green, but they soon turned spotlessly white as its piercing eyes found my figure more than a mile away
Another Virulent Abomination appeared in my location as I used [Instant Transfer] to appear at a distance another mile away, sending the summon to hold back the beast. Yea. F.u.c.k that.
I used [Instant Transfer] multiple times until I neared the periphery of the Nest again, not looking behind as I continued flashing away. When I was more than a few miles away and could see the floating landmass in the distance, a resounding roar of anger that could be heard from here broke out
I steadied my breathing as I continued to fly away from the Nest, remembering the information I read that powerful beasts did not rush out of the Nest they were in unless a truly powerful one had united many of the beasts congregated together to attack the lands surrounding them
This hadn't occurred for the past years in this area as the number of beasts was regularly reduced, with powerful adventures and mercenaries forming parties to take down Leaders that rose past rank S every few years
The roars of the angered beasts continued, and became distant as I continued to fly away. My heart was beating at a fast pace as I thought about the EPIC ranked beast that I almost clashed with. Not yet. Not yet.
I had to play it safe until the skills I collected rose in proficiency and I stood no chance of losing my life while fighting against such a beast. My life was too important for me to play around without having full confidence. Once the proficiency of the rank S skills rose, I would be back to take down this powerful beast. It was highly dangerous, but would also be extremely profitable
Other people could not gain power exceeding rank S just by defeating an EPIC ranked BOSS. But I could, and I was looking forward to it!
Chapter 79 - Meeting
I moved away from the floating Skypeak Nest and flew back towards the large fortress walls in the distance.
I took out the skill book that I managed to grab before the appearance of the powerful EPIC ranked beast, it was [Profane Eruption- Affect the bodies of slain enemies to violently burst, releasing poisonous blight in an area of five meters]. I recalled the multitude of dead bodies that piled up whenever I fought and looked forward to using this the next time
The cold winds in the skies as well as the voluminous snow that always fell in the Frozen Kingdom became comforting and cooled the tension I felt in my body. I flew down once I neared the fortress wall, with the crowds that came in and out thinning as night neared
With the increasing fear and tension of demons plaquing the lands, most of the merchants that made their business travelling between kingdoms and selling their goods had to put their lives on the line. The roles of adventures and mercenaries further increased to protect merchants and key figures that travel around. They had to have someone powerful in case they came across a squadron of demons moving across the lands
I passed the heavily protected gates with no issue and found myself back in the beautiful entrance town that seemed to be coming to life with the advent of the night sky. I recalled the invitation I had received as well as the golden plaque I held in my storage ring. This person that had taken an interest in me and called for a meeting out of the blue might be an extremely important step during my time in the Frozen Kingdom, and I couldn't take it lightly
I had added four more rank S skills in my arsenal, and felt all the more safer, but I still had to move with caution. I would take this risk with the meeting now and see what results come from it. I found myself moving past the rows of businesses that began their work as well as the barely dressed women that seemed to literally be materializing from the dark corners of inns
My destination this time was the long bridge that sn.a.k.e.d all the way up to the floating Snowy Peak high up in the distance. Two guards still stood side by side and carefully inspected everyone going up, only letting known people with a high status pass through without checking
I took out the golden plaque I received from the woman that called herself Night as I made my way to the bridge. The guards on either sides looked at me briefly before their gazes went away. The first step I took on the bridge felt like a starting point for something entirely new
The bridge was built with complex artistry and looked like the most expensive stairs ever created with the blue glowing gems that lined the opposite sides and its extreme width. It stood in the sky with very little movement as I climbed up. I had counted more than 300 steps before I came across two extravagantly dressed women making their way down that gave me curious looks
Another few minutes passed as I stopped enjoying the scenes high in the air while looking down at the twinkling lights below, and I ascended the entire bridge into a brand new region that seemed entirely different than what I've been seeing.
There were normal sized trees with white leaves lined up from the bridge and heading into the Snowy Peak, the smooth road paved beautifully as this place seemed twice as exquisite as the land below us. The path forked as I went further in, and the end of the path held a figure of someone that seemed larger than 3 meters.
The figure had a wild aura that definitely exceeded rank S as they stood guard on the path right off the bridge entering Snowy peak. The being had their body encased in a similar white armor that I had seen many of the guards wear, with only their head remaining uncovered.
It was the head that surprised me, as it glowed with a fiery light and had a full mane all around it. The figure had the striking head that closely matched that of the fiercest lion, this was a powerful beastfolk that was not to be trifled with. I calmed my beating heart after meeting this guard that was most likely of EPIC rank as I considered what path to choose
They had given me the message to come to a place called the White Courtyard, but I had no idea where that was. I was planning on speaking to the guard when a dark clothed figure flashed into being on the right path. It looked to be the same one that I had met yesterday as they bowed towards me and indicated for me to follow them
Grand buildings came to light as we walked further in, and I started seeing throngs of people carrying themselves with a level of arrogance walk in and out of luxurious looking stores and restaurants.
The dark clothed woman I was following took us behind a certain building and knocked on it rapidly, causing a release mechanism as a hidden door appeared on the ground leading to a dimly lit pathway. I jumped in with her as she spoke for the first time today
"The Lady wanted to take even more extreme measures to stop any outside intervention or peering eyes. We will arrive at the White Courtyard shortly."
I nodded at her words as we followed the hidden path snaking its way underground, eventually following it up to a small courtyard. We unearthed ourselves into an all white room that gave out a calming feeling as the hidden door closed behind us. Night led the way through a few more doors and I soon found myself face to face with a veiled figure similar to someone I had seen not too long ago
I tried not to show the shock on my face as it dawn
ed on me that the figure I took the interest of wore the same clothed veil of a high profile person that even the powerful rank S captain just wanted to be in the presence of
Night quickly bowed and receded from the room, closing the door with a click as multiple magical barriers began enclosing the room we were in. The veiled figure stood up and took a small curtsy while lifting up her dress and pushing her head down a little
The dark veil that covered her in entirety disappeared right after as the most stunning face I had ever seen revealed itself to my eyes. The face had a detached and cold expression with dark eyes that piercingly shone in the night. A bountiful head full of dazzling blue hair came into light as the figure fully revealed itself to me. A clearly expectant voice that seemed to betray the icy expression rang out
"Esteemed Sir, thank you for taking the time to meet me."
Every word that came out of the white lips of this person seemed to be dripping with elegance as I shook myself out of my reverie and calmly spoke
"It's no problem. If I can be forward, who do I have the pleasure of meeting today?"
The figure rose their cold face up high as the clear voice that I can definitely confirm showed more excitement compared to the frozen face rang out
"I am the second child of King Roark Belmont of the Frozen Kingdom. The Ice Princess that holds control of the Snowy Peak we stand on. My name is Adelaide Belmont, and it is my deepest pleasure to welcome you here."
Chapter 80 - Building Trust
I was trying to control my emotions to the best of my abilities as I met with the person I had longed to meet. My unique skill continued to show his body shining with a golden light to such an extent that the murky grey light that surrounded me started to recede. This was the person that would prevent my death and the incoming calamity. I had to find a way to gain his favor, no matter what.
My mind that was always scheming was drawing a blank when it came to this person, as I really knew very little about him and had no information to work with. He had appeared randomly not too long ago, showing an average power of rank S with an ability that granted him slightly more mana than average.
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