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The warmth around me was rising, gradually melting the ice, yet the snow-covered snowy mountain retained its chill.

The wind was as cold as ice, sharp enough to slice through skin.

“Ha…”

As my breath escaped in white puffs, I spotted numerous adventurers gathered at the foot of the mountain, clearly having come from another direction, not from the capital city.

In a situation where everyone was wary of each other, the makeshift camps on the frozen ground had small bonfires flickering to life.

It was now familiar to be the center of attention. It was a situation I had to endure whenever I was out with my Nightmare. I pulled the bridle and approached a merchant selling goods nearby.

“O-oh…”

The merchant, who had been showing off his wares to attract customers, gaped with his mouth open at the massive shadow of my Nightmare looming over him. The way he swallowed hard, seemingly in a panic, was rather amusing.

“W-well, is there something you need…?”

I looked over his stall, a makeshift shop built from a cart with a small canopy.

There were plenty of items stacked up, such as easy-to-preserve food, oil, ropes, and small pickaxes—all essentials for climbing the mountain. Remembering that I had run out of oil, I spoke to the merchant.

“Give me a bottle of oil.”

At my response, the merchant’s gaze finally shifted back to me. It seemed he hadn’t seen me well behind the Nightmare.

“Uh, h-here…”

Once at the Nightmare and again at me, the merchant let out a subtle cry of surprise and fetched a small oil bottle from inside to hand to me.

“Three silver, please.”

I paid the merchant the requested amount and asked, “Why aren’t the adventurers ahead climbing the mountain?”

“Well, aren’t they just being cautious?”

“Cautious?”

“They’re probably waiting for a strong adventurer to clear the way for them. There’s also the issue of dividing the loot, of course. If not, they might be eyeing those bringing out treasures.”

“Hmm…”

“Need anything else?”

“No, I’m good now.”

As time passed, more adventurers arrived at the spot. However, few dared to ascend the mountain. Occasionally, the sounds of monsters echoed down the slope, carried by the chilly wind.

It sounded like the screams of adventurers who had already left.

The footprints of those who had departed were quickly erased. The wind swirling within the mountain seemed to swallow up all traces of them, along with the white snow.

I hurried my steps. The adventurers loitering at the entrance glanced my way, but none spoke to me.

Whoosh—

The moment I stepped onto the snowy mountain, the bitter wind swept in, clouding my vision. Even at the mountain’s base, I sensed strange movements around me—signs of beings other than humans.

However, the presence that had followed quickly vanished. The Nightmare unleashed a rough breath, showcasing its might.

It had already transcended the category of horse. Its presence wasn’t much different from the giant monsters I had encountered on Monster Island, causing the smaller monsters to flee with their tails between their legs.

This was a place where I couldn’t use the Guiding Star. It was my first time here, and with no one I knew, even if I called upon the small star, there would be no one to command.

It was necessary to climb aimlessly through this misty snowy mountain.

Those who had gone ahead must have already started their ascent. Though there hadn’t been much interest before, now that I had come this far, I couldn’t afford to leave empty-handed.

“Let’s go!”

I dashed up the snow-covered snowy mountain alongside my Nightmare.

Beyond the snow-capped peaks, signs of monsters appeared sporadically, moving to assess whether I was a suitable target for hunting.

The senses that transcended humanity easily detected the stirring around me. Naturally, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

At that moment, through the thick snow mist, I noticed a small light. A tiny shadow flickered over the flickering light, swaying in the wind.

The small light was a bonfire inside a cave. However, I couldn’t feel the presence of any humans who should be near.

The faint scent of blood lingering in the air hinted at the fate of those who had ignited the bonfire here.

As I climbed the mountain, I began to gradually move the mana of this mountain towards my heart through small breaths. Feeling frustrated at the slow pace, I realized I couldn’t recklessly absorb a massive amount of mana.

Mana had the arrogance to reject change and tried to alter the surrounding environment to suit itself. If I tried to form a mana circle all at once, it would surely crush and freeze my heart.

As I slowly progressed while absorbing the new mana, numerous presences, both large and small, were detected by my heightened senses.

A large group of humans. The atmosphere was thick with hostility. Even if they weren’t intending to, the scent of blood wafted through the air.

Gradually, footsteps approached from beyond the swirling snowstorm. One by one, dark shadows began to reveal themselves, reaching about seven in number.

“One? A kid alone?”

“Is that truly a horse?”

“Looks like what he carries is worth something.”

While they appraised my appearance, their natural movements encircled me lazily. They blocked my escape route and subtly aimed their weapons, attempting to intimidate me naturally. This wasn’t their first time.

With my hand resting on my sword, I asked them a question.

“Just to be sure, has anyone among you found Kashpa’s lair?”

“Kashpa’s lair?”

“Well… We don’t know.”

The movements of the seven encircling me halted. The blades pointed towards me came dangerously close as if they were about to strike.

I let out a long sigh. They said adventurers and thieves were a hair’s breadth apart, yet I never imagined I’d encounter adventurers robbing in the midst of this place.

It seemed their primary interest was not the elusive dragon’s lair but rather the pockets of fellow adventurers looking for a quick fortune.

How convenient. I was just in need of a target to test out a magic I had been imagining lately. They were individuals who soaked themselves in the stench of blood while killing, so there was no need to adjust the power level.

Kiiing-!

The sound of the mana circle turning echoed only in my ears. Immediately afterward, the amplified mana began rushing through my body rapidly, directed toward the sword in my hand.

Ever since I changed on Monster Island, I always thought to myself.

Could I use the Pier that monsters use? I possessed a body that transcended humanity. Since I was closer to a monster than a human, I thought it wouldn’t be impossible.

I would practice summoning monster Pier by going to a silent spot, focusing my energy and making screeching sounds.

However, it had all been in vain. The monster Pier was a technique that sends mana through a unique low frequency, which the human vocal cords couldn’t replicate.

Krrrwwr!

The sword slipped out, accompanied by a sound reminiscent of scraping. The mana flowing from the drawn sword amplified its resonance even further.

Wooooo-!

At first, it sounded like a swarm of bees buzzing, but that sound began to deepen. Just when the buzzing intertwined with sharpness, a roar erupted from the sword.

[Krrrwwrrrr!]

“Looks like they’re clueless about the situation. Usually, it’s a cry for help…?”

“G-grrk…!”

The man with a smirk suddenly fell silent. Not only him but the rest of the group surrounding me displayed similar reactions. In severe cases, some even fell to the ground foaming at the mouth.

They wouldn’t be able to move. They wouldn’t even be able to breathe. They were now facing intense fear.

If the human vocal cords couldn’t produce the unique low frequency of monsters, I would just need to find another way. The method I found was to use the vibrations of the sword.

Through the vibrating sword, mana continuously released. As the escaping mana scraped against the blade, the sound grew louder over time.

[Krrrwwwwrrrrr!]

Their eyes rolled back in their heads as they collapsed in the white snow. Seeing them clutching their chests and wheezing, it looked like they would stop breathing soon.

Time passed until the small sounds of breathing around me completely ceased. I lightly flicked the sword in my hand, silencing the resonance.

Twang-!

A good magic for facing a crowd alone. As long as they were within the range of the sound, it would suppress all regardless of numbers.

Of course, it wouldn’t have much effect if the opponent was strong enough to use mana.

The seven corpses, deprived of life, began to cool down. I rummaged through their belongings and stuffed their money pouches into my bag.

Suddenly, I realized how eerily quiet the surroundings had become. The monsters that had occasionally shown themselves had all vanished.

It seemed that they had sensed the artificial Pier I created and fled.

 

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