The thick fog covering half of Snowfall Mountain had been blown away, revealing distant lands I had never seen before.
Far beyond the forests... beyond the ridges of white mountains...
There was sothing black on the horizon.
I raised my hand and pointed.
"What’s... that thing?" I asked.
"Where?" she said.
I pointed harder, keeping my finger locked on the distant shape.
"...Oh. That’s a CHAIN."
"Chain?"
"h. I don’t really have the power to explain it," she muttered. "And I’m kinda lazy. Just watch!"
So I nodded quietly...
and turned my eyes back to the sky— where the Frosthowl and the green sprout continued their battle above the clouds.
High above the clouds, the Frosthowl suddenly dove.
Its massive body cut through the gray sky like a falling teor fla, plunging straight toward the countless green sprouts rising beneath it.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
For a second, everything felt... delayed.
Like the world itself was holding its breath.
Then— Impact.
The Frosthowl crashed directly into the mass of living vines.
A violent explosion of fire, and shattered green Sprouts burst outward across the sky, the shockwave rolling over the mountain like distant thunder.
But sothing was wrong.
The destroyed sprouts... regenerated. Not slow or weakly.
They grew back faster, thicker, more furious than before— wrapping around the Frosthowl’s limbs, torso, wings, and throat in an instant, binding the monster completely.
The vines tightened.
Twisted.
Then—
They swung.
Once.
Twice.
Again and again, faster each rotation, the Frosthowl’s enormous body turning into nothing more than a weapon caught in a storm of green SPROUTS!
Circle after circle carved through the clouds.
Until—
THROW.
The Frosthowl’s body was hurled far beyond the white mountain range, vanishing into the distant horizon like a discarded cot.
Silence followed.
"...I see," the woman murmured softly beside .
"So she decided to throw the Frosthowl away."
Her voice carried a strange annoyedness , eyes still fixed unto the far distant sky.
"That Frosthowl gets stronger the longer the fight continues. It adapts... evolves... even grows smarter."
Her gaze narrowed slightly.
"She knew she would lose if this dragged on. So she ended the battlefield instead."
Then—
her fingers slowly slid toward my temple... brushed through my hair... and suddenly— gripped hard.
"Owwh!?" I yelped. "What was that for?! Agh fuck! Get your fucking hand off my hair!"
"SHIT, it’s getting good!!!" she shouted, completely ignoring while still clutching my hair.
"She really just threw the Frosthowl away because she knew she’d lose if the fight kept going!"
"F-fuckahhsjdj!?!!?!" I yelled, panicking as I tried to pull away from her grip.
I jerked backward.
Sat up and then— there was nothing beneath .
"!?"
My body tipped into empty air.
"AAGHHHHH!!!" I scread as the ground rushed up to et .
Shit...
Don’t tell this is how I die.
Above, the woman’s eyes widened in shock.
She jumped.
The wind split around her as she dropped fast, faster than gravity itself, closing the distance in a single breath.
Then—
Catch.
She caught .
Her arms wrapped around my waist, one hand steady behind my head as she landed lightly on the ground like nothing had happened.
The dirt of the ground barely stirred beneath her feet.
"...Shit," she muttered quietly. "My bad."
"ಠ_ಠ ...Ahah," I muttered. "Just... just get your hands off ..."
I stared at her scarred face.
Even with the thin scar beneath her left eye, another along her cheek, one more tracing her chin, she was still... unbelievably beautiful.
And her long, silky black hair fell softly around us, swaying in the cold air.
I opened my mouth to speak—
Then I felt sothing strange brush against my lips.
I blinked, confused, slowly raising a hand to my face.
My fingers caught the soft strands... and I realized I was holding her hair.
I spit her hair out imdiately.
...Yeah. Never mind.
I’m just stunned. She’s not beautiful.
"When are you going to take your hands off by the way?" I asked flatly.
"Oh— oh. My bad. Sorry."
She let go imdiately.
My head dropped and thudded against the black soil.
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue, pushed myself up, and walked toward the campfire.
Behind , she sprinted toward the tower wall, probably going to retrieve her katana.
As I stepped closer to the campfire,
a familiar window appeared beside .
────────────────────────
Quest 3: Survive and Reach the Safest Zone
Threat Level: EXTRE
Objective:
Reach the Safest Zone—no matter the cost.
During this ti, you were actively hunted by the following hostile entities:
1st — MOLE-RATS
Estimated Number: 0
Threat: None
2nd — MUNCHES
Estimated Number: 0
Threat: None
3rd — Whitefang Calamity
Designation: 1
Threat: It is still looking for you
Distance to Target: 602 KM
[Quest Status: COMPLETED — @#D#E#N##3 has been satisfied with the scenario.
Si Hon — F@T# Ch#####]
────────────────────────
"...Oh. Damn," I sighed, staring at the window with my arms folded around my waist.
"Six hundred two kiloters... that’s six hundred two thousand ters..."
A slow breath left my lungs.
"...I see. We’re so safe then."
My eyes narrowed at the distorted text.
"And... what? Why is it censored again? #!_... is that... my na?"
I squinted harder.
"Si Hon... Fate... Ch—? Channel...?"
Another notification appeared.
「Reward: 8,400 EXP」
「Reward: Any two Common Spells of your choice」
「Additional Reward: Information」
「Additional Reward: An Unexpected Event」
That imdiately caught my attention.
"h. Screw the weird new stuff... I’m indulging in my rewards first!!!!!"
I shouted— only inside my head, since everyone else was asleep. Beside the mysterious woman high on the tower.
Another window popped up.
「8,400 EXP Acquired」
Lv 8 → 9 = 450 (Remaining: 7,950)
Lv 9 → 10 = 500 (Remaining: 7,450)
Lv 10 → 11 = 550 (Remaining: 6,900)
Lv 11 → 12 = 600 (Remaining: 6,300)
Lv 12 → 13 = 650 (Remaining: 5,650)
Lv 13 → 14 = 700 (Remaining: 4,950)
Lv 14 → 15 = 750 (Remaining: 4,200)
Lv 15 → 16 = 800 (Remaining: 3,400)
Lv 16 → 17 = 850 (Remaining: 2,550)
Lv 17 → 18 = 900 (Remaining: 1,650)
Lv 18 → 19 = 950 (Remaining: 700)
Lv 19 → 20 = 1,000 (Not enough)
「Level: 19」
「EXP: 700 / 1,000」
"W-woah... what the hell... that’s a lot..."
A huge grin slowly spread across my lips.
Then— another window burst open dramatically.
「Total Free Stat Points: 58」
"WOAH?! Fifty-eight?!"
I dropped unto the black ground, excitent rushing through .
I cleared my throat, then.
"Status."
A blue window ford in front of my eyes.
────────────────────────
Na: Si Hon
Level: 19
Tendency: Careful Strategist
Job: Unemployed
Title: Thief — tap for more...
Free Stat Points: 58
Strength: 15
Agility: 15
Stamina: 15
Endurance: 15
Luck: 21
Intelligence: 19
Mana: 6
────────────────────────
"Hehehehehheheheh..."
A stupid, uncontrollable giggle leaked out of my mouth as I stared at the glowing number in front of .
58 free stat points.
Fifty Eight.
That’s AMAZING...
I should not spend too much...
But it’s too much... so.
The mont the realization sank in— My arms moved on their own.
Fast, Careless and Greedy.
My fingers tapped, spamd, hovered everywhere across the floating blue window like I was afraid the points might disappear if I didn’t spend them imdiately.
「Stamina 18 → 15 → 33
Endurance 18 → 15 → 33」
「Points used: 36」
I didn’t even read it.
I just ignored it.
「Strength 12 → 15 → 27」
「Total used: 48」
Still didn’t care.
The numbers kept rising, and that was all that mattered.
「Mana 6 → 6 → 12」
「Total used: 54」
My finger hovered in the air... and suddenly stopped.
I froze.
Oh... oh fuck... I think... oh no... Shit?
My eyes slowly dropped toward the corner of the window.
Toward the number I should have been watching from the start.
「Total Free Stat Points: 58 → 4」
"...Shit," I whispered.
A long, painful silence followed.
Then I exhaled, shoulders sinking in.
"Yeah... fuck this."
「Agility 4 → 15 → 19」
「Total used: 58」
「Congratulations for spending all your free stat points.」
"Agh... ಠ︵ಠ man..." I groaned, dragging a hand down my face.
"I was so excited I just tapped... wherever I could..."
Regret hit late.
Hard.
And completely useless.
────────────────────────
Na: Si Hon
Level: 19
Tendency: Careful Strategist
Job: Unemployed
Title: Thief — tap for more...
Free Stat Points: 0
Strength: 27
Agility: 19
Stamina: 33
Endurance: 33
Luck: 21
Intelligence: 19
Mana: 12
────────────────────────
I rubbed my face slowly, staring at the finished status window like it might magically undo my stupidity if I looked hard enough.
I didn’t even ask the mysterious woman.
Didn’t plan, didn’t even think.
I just... spent everything.
Like an idiot who suddenly found money in a ga arcade
"...I really should’ve asked first," I muttered quietly.
The mountain wind answered with silence.
Then—
Another transparent blue window slid into existence beside the first.
「SYSTEM NOTICE」
「Congratulations.
You have exceeded the threshold of a standard human.
Your physical capacity is now classified as:
— Enhanced Human —
From this point forward, your performance will no longer be compared to civilians.」
Slowly, carefully, I opened my fingers that were covering part of my face... and peeked at the ssage.
"Oh, wow. At least I’m stronger now."
Another tiny line appeared beneath it.
「Congratulations Si Hon (~￣³￣)~」
"Yeah... sup." I pushed myself fully upright, brushing the dirt from my clothes. "So... I’m strong now, right?"
「Not yet, it’ll co sooner. (~￣³￣)~」
"Figured..." I muttered. "So that’s why I didn’t feel anything..."
For a brief mont, silence settled around .
Then—
Another window appeared.
「Reward: Any two Common Spells of your choice」
"Heheheheh..."
All the guilt I had been feeling... all the frustration... all the quiet disappointnt at wasting my stat points— imdiately vanished.
Completely.
Replaced by sothing warm.
Bright.
Dangerously exciting.
"...Shit," I muttered. "Yeah... I forgot..."
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