"It's so cold," Shivered Fuo, wrapping her hoodie around herself tighter.

  "You'd think someone who's so good with Ice Magic would be able to handle the cold a bit better than this, huh," I remarked, from inside my Hotbox barrier.

  "Shut up, it's not like I have some cold-resistant barrier I can use!"

  Right, so the Hotbox barrier is only big enough for one person to stay inside it at a time, though I suppose it could fit two if they really huddled together. Most barriers don't move after they're formed, but this barrier would move along with me so long I had the scroll on me.

  Elina had made herself a Hotbox spell too……that explains why she hadn't worn anything heavy. All the others looked pretty cold, except Ekai, who was using his Fire Magic to warm the air around him.

  Right, so I should probably explain the specifics of this Quest. The Silvland representatives and Adventurers had already departed from there about four or five days ago, which meant that they were about a day away from reaching the Rustlands. So, we would keep moving forward until we run into them, and then escort them to the Rustlands from that point on. So this Quest should be wrapped up within a day, more or less.

  On another note, there was one small problem with using the Hotbox spell……the snow below me melted almost as soon as I stepped on it, since the barrier around me moved with me. So I was basically walking through cold puddles of water. Oh, well……my Healing Factor can probably take care of hypothermia or pneumonia or whatever.

  Instructor Tabbs had taken the lead, and would also be the one who'd do most of the talking when we meet up with the Silvland group.Looking at this group, that was definitely the right choice.

  I was by no means a diplomatic person, Ekai was too serious for his own good, Fuo was too bad-tempered for her own good, and Elina was too proud for her own good. As for the two former Goldway S-Ranks, letting them speak for us wouldn't work since neither were originally from the Rustlands.

  With this group, monsters were by no means a problem……their behavior was still pretty erratic and unpredictable, but with the amount of firepower we had between the seven of us, dispatching them was child's play.

  It felt pretty good to not be the one that everyone turns to when things get tough……that got annoying real fast during the Shuffle Quest.

  Ekai used his impressive output of flames to melt any Icemen we ran into before they could fire their projectiles……and if they did manage to fire, he melted those too.

  Devilpenguins and Snow Imps were easily dealt with too, whichever of us spotted them just blasted them with Elemental Magic.

  Things were going pretty smoothly, until we ran into a pack of Devilpenguins, and……

  "It has been a while, human," Came a sinister voice out of nowhere.

  A Devilpenguin was talking to me, the others were staring at it in surprise and caution. I had reported it the last time, so they probably knew what a talking monster meant……

  I took a deep breath to maintain my composure and stepped forward.

  "……are you the same Vampire I spoke to last time? Lazarus, was it?"

  "Indeed……all of us Vampires are able to possess and control weaker monsters using our Dark Magic, but only I, the Vampire King, can vocally communicate through them as well."

  That bone-chilling feeling I got the last time I spoke to him was resurfacing, as I felt fear creeping in……

  "So, what's the deal……is there any particular reason why you're talking to me again?"

  "You are quite amusing for a human," He chuckled menacingly, "Oh, no particular reason……I assume you are headed for the group of humans further ahead?"

  He dodged the question, I had a bad feeling about that……

  Also, no one else was chiming in, everyone was looking at me, curious to see how I would respond. No, it was more like they were too afraid to respond, and were leaving it all to me.

  "……maybe. Why?"

  "Oh, you will see soon enough……I have planted a certain surprise with them, just for you, human Kuro. Well, I had initially planted it for another reason, but with you here, that changes things……"

  "A, uh……surprise, huh? You really shouldn't have……," I laughed nervously.

  "You may run away if you are afraid, but even if you do, there are plenty of other ways I can use this……surprise I planted. That foolish group of humans you are heading for is completely unaware of it, your species is truly one of remarkable stupidity! I believe I had said enough, I do not wish to spoil the surprise……I must thank you, human Kuro, your rather……unique physiology is what inspired this idea," He laughed ominously, before his control over the Devilpenguin faded.

  As I killed the hapless monster, the entire group was silent for a while.

  "Mr Black, perhaps it would be wise for you to return to the Rustlands," Suggested Instructor Tabbs uneasily.

  "Maybe……but you heard what he said, if I run away, he can use……whatever it is, in a different way. I have absolutely no clue what his 'surprise' could be though……"

  "Something that he planted amongst the Silvland group, but they are unaware of it……I cannot even begin to guess what that could mean," Mused Ekai, scratching his head while trying to figure it out.

  Something about my physiology, huh……nope, I didn't have a clue. I simply didn't have enough information to draw a conclusion.

  "There's a good chance that he deliberately gave us insufficient information to figure it out……which means that we're getting nowhere by baseless speculation. Let's keep going, and deal with whatever it is when we get to it," I suggested.

  The others didn't look totally convinced, but reluctantly agreed, as we continued moving forward. I couldn't shake this bad feeling, my instincts were screaming that I was in danger, with every step that I took forward.

  I ignored it and kept moving. It was probably just paranoia……right?……

  After a couple more hours of nothing happening……something happened.

  Namely, we were surrounded by a group of Abominable Snowmen. Nine of them in total. If this had happened the last time I was out here, I'm not sure how I would have dealt with them.

  "Each of you, take on one of them! Miss Elina, stand back," Delegated Instructor Tabbs, signaling to each of us which one to go after.

  There were six of us who could fight, which meant that three of the monsters would be unmarked……still, shouldn't be a problem with this group.

  Ekai shot towards the one he was marking, ducking under the horizontal swing of its fist with impressive flexibility, before rolling forward. He was now directly under the monster. It began to lift its foot to stomp on him, as flames began sprouting around his feet while two rings of fire formed diagonally across him.

  The rings expanded and began spinning faster and faster, as the flames around his feet began to grow and rise, spinning rapidly as they combined with the diagonal flaming rings around his torso.

  As the monster plunged its foot down towards him, the flames erupted and expanded at an incredible rate. It formed a massive, violently spinning tornado of pure flames, burning the monster into ash before it could stomp on him.

  The snow around the tornado was melting in no time at all, making it look like the flaming tornado was in the middle of a small pond or lake. It was a pretty surreal sight.

  Instructor Tabbs rolled up her sleeves, as her arms morphed into bat wings, and then she rapidly flew forward, combining the wings with Flight, and……in the blink of an eye she had shot past the head of the Abominable Snowman she had targeted……it disappeared as its head fell off, sliced off using a pressurized blade of wind.

  I had just about been able to follow it……it looked like she had wrapped wind around her wing to turn it into a large blade-like slash……had she used Stream on her own body? She glided down to the ground with her wings, before retracting them back into regular arms.

  Einn appeared to be having some trouble, his pressurized wind shots from his nunchucks were doing a little damage, but it was far from enough to kill the large monster. It looked like he was trying to defeat it without going all out. Eventually though, as his attacks proved ineffective, he used Flight to take to the sky and get out of the monster's reach, before rapidly spinning his nunchucks around him, getting ready to use that move he'd used against me during our exhibition battle.

  "Death……Cyclone!" He yelled out, blasting down a devastating cascade of pressurized, shredding wind.

  The monster got ripped apart into pieces, disappearing as a huge cloud of snow got blasted all over. Good thing none of us had been too near him when he unleashed that……

  Fuo fired a barrage of rapid-fire arrows at her monster's eyes, blinding it. As it stumbled back, she fired an arrow at its chest. The tip of the arrow pierced the monster's skin, but didn't go any deeper. Without batting an eye, she focused her concentration harder as she took aim, and unleashed a barrage of arrows it the same spot. And these arrows had flat, blunt tips.

  In other words, she was using these arrows to aim at the back of the arrow that had pierced the monster's hide and hammer it in deeper. The precision of her aim had always been insanely accurate, but this was just incredible……the monster had been stumbling around since it couldn't see, and yet she had absolutely threaded the needle on a moving target……

  Zira stood still as one of the monsters charged at her. She used Stream to coat her spear in flames, holding it with her lizard tail and preparing to launch it forward as she intensified the flames around it. As the monster got within ten meters of her, she flung the spear towards its heart like an arrow, the whip of her tail as she launched it had enough force to blow away all the snow within a couple of meters of her.

  The spear didn't burst through the Abominable Snowman's body, but definitely pierced through to its heart, the monster stumbling back before disappearing into dust.

  Now then, my turn……

  I shot towards my target with x2.5 Lightning Boost and twenty percent Karma. I wasn't using the full extent of my Lightning Boost because x3 combined with twenty percent Karma is a speed boost of x6……my eyes can't keep up with that speed, not yet anyway.

  I reached the limit of how much I can boost my eyesight a long time ago, which was around a x3 perception boost……any more than that, and my eyeballs explode. So for any further increases in speed, I need to keep practicing till my eyes get used to it, I can't just use Lightning Boost on my eyes to bridge the gap anymore.

  Still, with x2.5 Lightning Boost combined with twenty percent Karma……the total speed boost was still a more than handy x5. I could have used x3 Lightning Boost combined with fifteen percent Karma instead, but……I was after the strength boost and Elemental boost that comes with Karma in addition to the speed boost. Don't forgot, Karma is a strength, speed, agility and Elemental Magic boost, while Lightning Boost is limited to multiplying speed, reaction time and senses.

  I began charging up lightning around my right fist as I neared it, the monster throwing a punch down at me. It looked like it was coming at me in slow motion, so I stopped and casually took a few steps back to avoid it, and then ran up along its forearm. As I neared its elbow, I sprang across towards its chest, slamming my fist right through the middle.

  Shocker Punch Noir!

  In an instant, the moment my fist came into contact with its hide, it blasted a hole right through the monster's chest before I could even complete the punch.

  Huh, that……might have kinda been a bit overkill.

  The last time I had faced an Abominable Snowman, my Incineration Cannon was more than enough with just ten percent Karma……I had used twenty percent this time around, and my Shocker Punch is actually more powerful than my Incineration Cannon because it used more or less the same amount of Mana, but was a lot more concentrated and compact than my Incineration Cannon.

  I can also charge up the Shocker Punch much, much faster than my Incineration Cannon, since I don't need to focus on discharging it as it's a short range attack.

  If I put the exact same amount of Mana into both of my signature attacks, I can almost guarantee that the Shocker Punch will do more damage.

  I mean……I had only charged up this last punch for about five seconds, maybe even less. Meanwhile, the last time, when I defeated the Abominable Snowman using the Incineration Cannon, I had first charged it up for nearly thirty seconds.

  Anyway……there's still three of them left. And since I used twenty percent Karma, which I currently have a time limit of seven seconds for, I can't use Karma again for a half hour or so.

  And I put about thirty percent of my total Mana into that punch, so I couldn't afford to use another powerful attack like that.

  Eh, I'll let the others take care of the stragglers- never mind……

  One of the monsters leapt up in the air towards me, I activated Counter Barrier and sprang back. As its fist slammed into the barrier, it exploded before shattering. Usually, after exploding, the barrier fades after a couple of seconds……however, even if someone hits it with enough force to break it, that won't stop it from exploding.

  That being said……the Counter Barrier explosion was far too weak to even faze an Abominable Snowman. Damn it, why'd it have to come after me, there's six other people here! Whatever, no point complaining.

  I couldn't pierce it with my blades using my normal strength, except for one spot……

  As it stomped its foot down at me, I sprang onto its knee, before rapidly scaling up its body, detonating a smoke bomb near its face and activating Lightning Sensory Field. Man, this technique feels so freaky……it felt like I was touching whatever the extended lightning field around me was touching.

  But because of that, I could clearly tell……its eyes were open, desperately trying to see through the smoke.

  This move is courtesy of my apprentice……I flung poison needles at its eyes, they pierced their targets without the monster even able to see them coming. Literally.

  It disappeared as I landed……man, I love how effective this poison is! I still didn't know if I was immune to it, but it always worked so quickly that I was kinda doubting that my Healing Factor would be able to deal with it in time. On another note, it looks like the other two remaining Snowmen had also been taken out.

  In terms of overall power, this was definitely the strongest team I've been a part of so far. The team for the Quest to Goldway had been pretty strong too, but there had been a few weak links that brought down the overall effectiveness of that particular group.

  "Well done, everyone. Let us take a ten minute break to rest a bit, and then we will continue forward," Stated Instructor Tabbs.

  I walked over to Elina, who had covered herself in a defensive barrier. She took it down as I approached.

  "I have to say……seeing you fight for the first time, that was……quite impressive. I can see how you were able to knock Lapunder down onto his knees."

  "Uh, thanks. Also, not that I care or anything, but aren't you in a fair amount of danger like this? As in, what if one of the monsters had come after you while the rest of us all had our hands full?"

  "Hmph, your concern is unnecessary. I may not be well-versed in combat or Elemental Magic, but I can most certainly defend myself at the very least," She responded, gesturing to the scrolls all over her outfit.

  "Uh……huh. Sure, I'll take your word for it."

  I mean, she had been able to create a spell that literally reversed time on me both physically and mentally……who knows what else she had up her sleeve. Plus, she was probably carrying some of the spells I had customized too, she was already using Hotbox, so there was a good chance she was also carrying copies of Counter Barrier & Store and Extract.

  I had brought along all the spells she had made me except for Switch & Record and Play. I had also left behind the invisibility and soundproof barrier spells. I didn't know any of the people here well enough to trust them with Switch, and as for why I left out Record and Play……I just wanted less to carry, that's all. Besides, it was unlikely that I'd have used it on a Quest like this anyway.

  Anyway, after resting up, the seven of us continued forward.

  "Hey, Ekai……you've got a high amount of Mana, right?" I inquired, walking over to the front of the group.

  "Hm? Well, I do believe my capacity is above average……why do you ask?"

  "Well, I just figured……if Abominable Snowmen were all the way out here, then we'll probably run into Snow Serpents as well. I encountered one the last time I was out here, and they're kinda hard to spot in the snow. So……if you shoot some flames forward, you could melt and clear the snow, making it easier to spot them. I know we brought along plenty of antidote, but……"

  "It does not hurt to be cautious……yes, that is a useful precaution we can take, Mr Black. Mr Zabel, if you would," Instructor Tabbs approved, signaling Ekai to do it.

  He nodded and shot out a massive fireball in front of use, blazing through the snow and clearing out a path ahead of us.

  The scale of his Elemental Magic was seriously impressive, second only to Az from everyone I've seen.

  From then on, the walk got much easier, since our footsteps were no longer sinking into the deep snow with every step forward.

  We ran into a few Snow Serpents here and there, but since we could see them coming, we dispatched them easily before they could even get close……

  About an hour and a half later, we ran into some Lesser Cyclops, a group of about fifteen. They were slightly taller than humans, and pretty fast and agile, with one eye, strong builds, and long, sharp fingernails. Their biggest weakness were their eyes, destroying their eyes were as fatal as destroying their hearts.

  Since there were so many, Zira stayed back to protect Elina in case some of the monsters went after her. The rest of us would have to try take out three each.

  I activated Lightning Boost at x3 and extracted ten percent Karma.

  I shot forward and stabbed one through the eye with my dagger, twisting the blade. As it disappeared, another one sprang up to my right, swiping it's claws at me.

  I flicked my right wrist, using my short-sword to slice off its hand before it could reach me. I then flicked my wrist again in the opposite direction, deeply slashing across its neck.

  Alright, I need to take out at least one more……

  One jumped into the air towards me, it's arms raised.

  Perfect.

  I fired a bolt of black lightning at its eye, killing it as the blast blew off a chunk of its head.

  I funneled the Karma back into the Mana Orb. Good, I had used less than half the time limit.

  As for the others……

  Ekai wasted no time, firing three massive fireballs at his targets, burning them into ash within seconds.

  Fuo was quick to finish off her three targets too, firing an arrow at each of their eyes, nailing each of them right in the pupil, killing them instantly.

  Einn ran forward towards two of them, while rapidly spinning his left nunchuck. He swung his right nunchuck across one of their eyes, the dense wooden stick smashing into the large eye, killing it. The other one then sprang at his left, he swung his left nunchuck up and across, the intense gathered wind blasting away the monsters entire upper left torso.

  He then shot straight towards another one swinging both his nunchucks at its head, smashing the top half off and crushing its eye.

  Instructor Tabbs used Stream on her wings to extend their shape with wind blades and flew across two of them, slicing their heads off as she passed them.

  She then let out a screech at a third one, it's eardrums exploding, before she swung her right wing across, firing a wind blade to slice its head off.

  Was that a sonic blast? Oh, I get it……her Anima was a bat, so that must have been echolocation enhanced with Mana and used at an offensive weapon.

  And……with that, all the monsters were taken care of……

  The next batch of monsters we ran into were a bit more challenging.

  Three Ice Wyverns.

  They were about the size of elephants, and had powerful ice breath. They had tough scales on their backs and heads, but their chest and stomach areas, as well as the underside of their necks, were unarmored and vulnerable.

  We paired up in twos to take them on. Elina quickly got some distance away and put up multiple barriers around her.

  Ekai and Fuo took one on.

  It fired a blast of ice from its mouth, Ekai countered with a massive fireball to cancel it out. As soon as the Wyverns began descending towards him, Fuo fired a barrage of arrows at it, piercing each of its eyes with two arrows and five arrows in its neck.

  It screeched and halted its descent, as Ekai blasted out a spiral of flames from his hands, burning it's wings and making it fall down, the snow extinguishing some of the flames. Fuo then formed an arrow with an especially long arrowhead and fired it at the monster's heart before it could recover, killing it.

  Instructor Tabbs and Zira took on one of the remaining two.

  Zira held her flame engulfed spear by her tail, intensifying the flames around it as the instructor took to the sky, dodging a blast of ice breath and countering by letting out a sonic screech at the right side of its head. The blast dazed the Wyvern, Zira using the opportunity to whip her tail up and across towards the monster, sending the spear rapidly zipping up through the air in its direction, stabbing deeply into its stomach.

  Instructor Tabbs dipped down and zipped up towards the underside of its neck, her wing slashing it and killing the Wyvern.

  Einn and I took on the last one.

  "Hey, could you fly me up there and then launch me towards the Wyvern? I might be able to blast through it with my lightning," I inquired.

  "Sure, you got it!" He grinned affirmatively.

  He grabbed onto the back of my shoulders and shot up using Flight.

  "Hey, fly above it!"

  "Way ahead of ya!"

  He effortlessly dodged the blasts of ice breath the Wyvern fired at us, as he rapidly ascended, going several meters above it.

  I extracted twenty percent Karma and began charging up lightning in my right fist. After five seconds……

  "Drop me right above it!"

  "You got it!"

  He let go of my shoulders right over the Wvyern. The monster saw me, and flew off to the left. Huh, so it's afraid of my attack.

  In that case……

  I drew out my Counter Barrier Scroll and activated it below me. I then used it as a stepping stone, bent my knees and activated Lightning Boost at x3, before springing forward towards the Wyvern with as much strength as I could muster.

  I reached it in the blink of an eye, and slammed my fist into its face. I had exceeded the time limit, but as a result, my punch was even more powerful.

  Shocker Punch Noir!

  As my internal organs began to deteriorate, the force of my punch blasted the monster into oblivion, all that was left was its tail and back legs.

  I quickly funneled the Karma back in, but most of my internal organs were busted and my limbs were barely functional. As I coughed out blood, Einn caught me and descended slowly, as my Healing Factor got to work on my injuries.

  Seven seconds really isn't enough time, I should train and increase my time limit as soon as possible. Anyway, with that, another wave of monsters had been dealt with……

  Over the next few hours, we only ran into weaker monsters, dispatching them with ease. And then, before long……

  We ran into a party of two carriages and three carts, surrounded by eight Adventurers.

  "Look sharp everyone, we're about to meet our guests," Ordered Instructor Tabbs, as we neared them.

  The words of the Vampire repeated in my head, my bad feeling resurfacing as we approached them. I could only hope that nothing goes wrong……

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  Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote, and feel free to leave a comment, I appreciate any and all feedback and criticism! Also, check out my Instagram account @aimdaqs for posts relating to this book.