It had been several hours since Selene began her treacherous ascent along the snow-covered peak. The rocky terrain was rough and unstable, each step requiring a focused mind to avoid losing your footing on the icy surface.
Just as Julian had warned her, the weather conditions had deteriorated significantly. The biting cold was no longer rely uncomfortable—it felt like it was devouring her very flesh despite her protective equipnt. Still, she wasn't going to cower and return. She knew the risks, and took it. To counter the cold, Selene used her flas to supplent her gear's thermal protection.
ROAR!
Selene's eyes snapped upward toward the source of the thunderous sound. The roar was trendously powerful, its vibrations causing loose snow and small rocks to cascade down the mountainside.
At the peak above her stood a massive Musk Ox, its intimidating bulk silhouetted against the gray sky. Two enormous horns protruded from its skull like deadly spears, while thick, shaggy fur provided natural cover against the extre cold. Its eyes glowed red with hunger, clearly viewing the climbing intruder as prey that had wandered into its lair.
Selene imdiately shifted into combat stance, recognizing the creature's obvious power and refusing to underestimate the threat it represented.
She channeled her earth elent to create more stable footing on the treacherous slope, simultaneously beginning to charge a a powerful attack—one of the new abilities she'd gained through her recent evolution to Evolver status.
Higher elental affinity had unlocked techniques previously beyond her scope as an Awakener. The skill was powerful and it would take a large portion of her mana, sothing she didn't like—but was forced to do.
The Musk Ox wasn't a random beast, it was one of the powerful predators in the region and based on its previous roar, it was no cub, it was the real deal.
Furthermore, given her precarious positioning, getting hit by a single attack whilst being on the lower ground could very well kill her from the fall. So, Selene couldn't hold back despite the drain the skill would have on her Mana.
Selene activated [Dragon's Breath], her magical energy coalescing into sothing far more potent than her previous fire spells.
Flas began gathering at her position, swirling and intensifying as the spell built toward its full power. The fire took on a roaring and crackling form as it condensed into a concentrated inferno. Heat began to lt the snow five ters around her body as she prepared to unleash the attack.
The Musk Ox charging down the slope began to sense danger from the attack, but it couldn't simply turn back. It could only continue its charge.
Selene released [Dragon's Breath] the mont the Ox's feet left the ground as it tried to leap on her.
A massive cone of roaring fla erupted from her position, engulfing everything in its path. The inferno spread in a wide arc, creating a wall of fire that turned the snowy mountainside into a blazing hellscape. The core of the blast carried enough heat to lt stone, while even the outer edges delivered punishing burn damage.
The leaping Musk Ox was caught directly in the spell's burning cone.
The creature's anguished cry echoed across the mountain as intense flas seared through its shaggy fur and into the flesh beneath. Its eyes burning and heavily injured closed involuntarily.
Selene combat-rolled away from the leaping beast. The beast missing its target, and unable to see ahead—tumbled helplessly down the steep incline, its massive body bouncing off rocky outcroppings as it fell.
With a sickening crunch, the Musk Ox struck a cluster of jagged rocks protruding from the mountainside. The collision was fatal—the creature's body went limp as life left it entirely.
Despite the large life gain and combat experience, Selene felt no satisfaction from the victory. The creature's body had fallen too far down the treacherous slope to recover, and attempting to retrieve it would cost precious ti and energy she couldn't afford to waste.
The valuable materials, at, and core were lost to the mountain's depths.
Selene sighed with frustration, resting for a while before her ascent, knowing that efficiency was more important than perfect resource collection in her current situation. Ten minutes had barely passed since Selene's victory over the Ice Musk Ox when three more massive silhouettes erged from a cave just ahead.
Selene's face imdiately contorted. This was definitely no re coincidence—the previous Ox had clearly been part of the herd, and her earlier attack might have drawn the attention of its companions.
The three new arrivals were each as formidable as the creature she'd just killed based on their presence, their red eyes burning as they spotted the intruder who had slain their pack mber. Their massive horns were pointy and sharp.
Steam rose from their nostrils in the cold air as they positioned themselves across the narrow mountain path, effectively cutting off both her upward progress and any potential retreat downward.
This wasn't going to be an easy fight—not at all.
Selene found herself trapped on a precarious slope with limited maneuvering room, facing three creatures whose combined strength exceeded what she'd just managed to handle solo. Luckily, her mana reserves had returned to their standard rate after being depleted from the previous [Dragon's Breath] attack.
The lead Ox pawed at the snow-covered rocks, preparing to charge down the narrow path where Selene had little space to dodge. Behind it, the other two began spreading out to flank her position.
It was clear that these Ox's were no beginners, they were well accustod to their hunting thod as a pack. They were skilled, and intelligent.
Selene gripped her staff tighter as the wind howled around her, knowing that the next few monts would determine whether her ambitious hunt for strength would end in triumph or beco a fatal mistake.
The three creatures released synchronized roars that shook loose snow from the cliffs above, then began their attack on the lone Evolver trapped between them and the abyss below.
***
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