NOVEL NEXT Chapter 77
As we plowed through the fierce snowstorm, we stumbled upon a small cave. It seemed to be an abandoned spot with no other monsters residing in it, so naturally, this place was chosen as our base camp.
“It’s snowing more and more,” Celyon remarked as we unpacked our gear and set up the tent. Her gaze was focused outside the cave.
As Celyon said, the snowstorm intensified with each passing moment. The wind was cold and sharp like a blade, and visibility was reduced to nothing with the white flurry swirling around.
“Everyone, try to catch some sleep until the snow stops.”
There were no signs of the harsh snowfall letting up. Everyone had realized we would be stuck here for several hours.
The adventurers began to remove their gear and get comfortable. Some layered on thick clothes to withstand the cold, while others started to boil warm water and tea.
“Seris?”
“Oh, yes.”
While I stared blankly outside, Celyon approached me, holding a steaming cup in her hands.
“Aren’t you cold?”
I glanced around. Everyone except me was bundled up in thick clothing to brave the cold. Even Celyon, who had come to me, was dressed warmly.
“I’m fine. I’m pretty resistant to the cold.”
“You’ll end up catching a cold like that.”
Celyon sat down next to me and handed me the cup, which contained bubbling hot soup.
“Thank you.”
*
The endlessly falling snow finally started to ease as the late evening approached.
As darkness descended upon the pure white snowfield, Celyon began to put on her gear. I watched her and asked, “Are we moving now? It’s so late?”
“Well, we never know when it will snow again, right? I plan to gather as much information as I can while we can still move.”
“Hmm…”
The members who had been silently observing Celyon’s response started to clumsily put on their gear. Celyon then shook her head and said,
“It’s not compulsory, so you don’t have to follow me. We’re not planning to go far anyway.”
However, upon hearing Celyon’s words, no one chose to take a break. How could any team member remain idle when the team leader, even in a temporary position, was stepping out to investigate?
I too began to gather my things.
“Ha…”
As everyone prepared, Celyon sighed and called out to a few members, including me, with a content smile on her face.
“Alright, everyone except those I just called out, rest. We’re not going far, so this is enough.”
Since she mentioned we weren’t going far, it didn’t seem necessary to ride the Nightmare. I gently patted the head of the Nightmare lying on the ground as I stood up.
“Stay calm.”
With a sudden crunch, the five of us that would head out into the snow did so. Celyon checked each member she called out and then confidently stepped out of the cave.
Crack—
The moment we emerged outside, a pure white world unfolded before us. The soft wind carried tiny snowflakes, and distant monster cries scattered in the white.
“Wow, it snowed so much…!”
Just as I was marveling at the scene, my forward-stretched leg suddenly dropped down, burying half my body into the snow.
Frowning and looking around, I noticed the other members, including Celyon, staring at me blankly.
Crack—
As I tried to move my leg, which was buried in the snow, I felt solid ground beneath me. I dug through the piled snow, moving toward Celyon.
But just as I approached, my leg sank again, and my body was once more submerged into the snow.
Being half-buried in the snow didn’t pose any real problem for me. Yet, the gazes of those around me weighed heavily on my mind.
Why were they all wearing expressions that looked like they were trying to suppress laughter? Even Celyon seemed to be suppressing a grin.
“Uh, um… Seris?”
“Yes.”
“Can you move?”
“…”
Instead of answering, I demonstrated that I could indeed move by stepping forward. However, this time, my leg sank deep again, and I was further buried than before.
“I can move.”
“Oh, I see.”
It must have looked utterly ridiculous to claim I could move while my head was the only part visible above the snow. In reality, several members were now avoiding my gaze and shaking their shoulders with quiet laughter.
I frowned. At this rate, my image would be buried underground, just like I was in the snow.
Thus, I had no choice but to summon the Nightmare.
“NIGHTMARE!”
The moment I called, the Nightmare responded immediately. Almost as soon as I finished speaking, it squeezed its way through the narrow passage of the cave and came bounding toward me like an excited puppy.
Whoosh—
As it drew near, it gazed at me with its big eyes, and then it gently bit the back of my collar to pull me out of the snow.
Riding the Nightmare ensured that I wouldn’t have to deal with the absurdity of getting stuck in the snow again. After brushing off the snow from my body, I climbed onto the Nightmare’s back.
“Let’s get moving.”
Though we had delayed our departure briefly, Celyon composed herself quickly and began leading the others forward. Due to the thick covering of snow, we had to proceed cautiously, unable to see our feet.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew from above. The wind settling on the snowy expanse began to stir up the white flakes, making them dance like a white wave.
There was something strange about the direction of the wind. As far as I knew, naturally occurring winds didn’t flow downwards from above.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed the odd direction of the wind. The team members glancing around began to look up at the sky one by one.
“What’s that…?”
Someone’s murmur slowly drifted away.
Frowning, I regarded something fluttering above in the sky. The way it spread out sideways suggested it had wings, but it was too far away to discern its form accurately.
As time passed, the intensity of the wind increased. And the object flying in the distance started to grow larger.
“A bird…?”
[PIEKK!]
A high-pitched sound pierced my ears from the sky. At that moment, I realized that the figure emerging was anything but a normal bird.
It was a blue bird, flying as if swimming through the black sky. The long decorative feathers trailing from behind its head sparkled like ice at their ends, and a pair of wings growing on either side alternated as they stirred up cold winds.
“Everyone, take cover…!”
As Celyon’s warning rang out, the members scattered in all directions. I too pulled on the reins of the Nightmare.
At that instant, a massive bird descended from the sky, crashing down.
Boom—!
The overwhelming weight shook the surroundings as if an earthquake had struck. The snow that settled everywhere was sent billowing upwards, clouding our vision.
In that moment, amidst the dense snowstorm, the monster’s roar was mingled with human screams.
[PIEKK!]
“Ugh!”
That was the signal that it had succeeded in its hunt. With a sense of completing its business, the enormous bird began to flap its mighty wings. The powerful wind generated from its huge wings threatened to blow everything away.
Boom—!
The rough wind made it feel like I would be swept away, but because of that, the billowing snow began to clear, and the surrounding scenery became clearer.
[PIEKK!]
Just at the moment when the bird’s form was fully revealed, it took off into the sky. Below its massive legs, an unknown team member dangled limply, swaying this way and that.
My thoughts were brief, and hesitation was absent. Without a second to spare, I yanked on the reins of the Nightmare and charged toward the massive bird.
The scenery around me elongated. The wind that brushed against my cheeks felt like a blade. The Nightmare’s speed exceeded the wind by far.
As I got closer, I drew my sword and swung it swiftly. However, my attack missed. The Nightmare turned sharply and leaped into the sky.
At that moment, a white crystal stone platform appeared before the Nightmare. The Nightmare could strike the air a total of five times. That meant I needed to chase down the colossal bird within those five jumps.
Stomp—! Stomp—!
With each leap into the air, the gap between me and the colossal bird quickly closed.
Stomp—!
After the third step, the Nightmare caught up with the gigantic bird. But it didn’t stop there—it jumped onto the back of the enormous bird.
Thud-!
[PIEKK!]
Surprised by the Nightmare’s sudden arrival, the giant bird began to twist its body. The immense four pairs of wings flailed around, stirring up a fierce storm.
Rumble—!
However, the Nightmare didn’t fall. It swung its crystal stone legs down heavily, embedding them into the gigantic bird’s body to secure itself.
At that instant, I hastily tied myself to the Nightmare with a rope and jumped down. It was an action to rescue the team member caught by the bird’s leg.
The gargantuan bird twisted its body endlessly, seemingly trying to shake off the Nightmare clinging to its back. Consequently, I was also forced to sway about uncontrollably.
“Ugh!”
Frowning, I swung my sword towards the sky.
While in the disarray, I managed to miss the air several times but ultimately was able to pierce the bird’s leg halfway.
Thud—!
[PIEKK!]
As red blood splattered into the air, the previously limp man fell downwards. I hastily reached out my hand, but my short arms couldn’t reach him.
Frowning, I pulled the rope towards the Nightmare. Having achieved my objective, it was now our turn to escape.
After getting back onto the Nightmare’s back, I glanced at the ground that was now far below. The giant bird twisted its body as it continued to climb higher. At this rate, it seemed we were about to break through the clouds and reach the atmosphere.
Without hesitation, I swung my sword at the giant bird’s massive wings.
Swoosh—!
The right wing of the enormous bird was completely severed from the two sets of great wings. Losing that wing, the bird lost its ability to fly and began to plummet downward immediately.
[PIEKK!]
The bird’s cry dissipated emptily into the sky as I fell together with it. At the appropriate moment, I pulled the reins of the Nightmare.
Rumble—!
The crystal stone connecting the Nightmare and the colossal bird shattered. As the white crystal powder dispersed, obscuring my vision, the Nightmare stepped into the air and dove downward.
Stomp—!
Stomp—!
Just then, while preparing to use magic to slow down, a sudden, acute danger alerted my senses. The moment I turned my gaze, I noticed a massive gathering of mana focused on the giant bird’s mouth directed at me and the Nightmare.
“Not good…!”
The blue bird, having lost its wings, was glaring directly at me with a fierce intensity.
In that moment, I unleashed all of my mana and conjured a thin barrier. Just as that sudden surge of mana manifested, the bird’s mouth opened, unleashing a blue beam of light.
Boom—!