”Y-you, you’re alive?! How?! That’s impossible! You—” He kept babbling, eyes bulging with astonishment.
But then it was replaced with horror. He remembered how many members of the clans had been disposed of after suffering from the Eternal Slumber.
He slumped to the ground, holding his head between his hands in a mental breakdown, uttering “Eternal Slumber” and “All Dead” occasionally.
[Congratulations! Traumatized a Nord!]
[Demon King Title Fear++!]
”….”
What kind of BS was this?! He was innocent! He had just been a bit late!
This misunderstanding was actually very easy to clear. Thus, Jack approached the man built like a fridge, patted his back gently, and…
”Don’t be hard on yourself. You guys did the right thing, it’s just that I’m too awesome. Such a puny problem is nothing to me.” Jack bullshitted.
[Nord Affinity ++++ (Temp)]
[Shamelessly Tricked a Crying Man!]
[Acquired Title: Preying on Weakness!]
The Nord glanced at him with boundless admiration. No, he glanced at him as if he was the messiah. He suddenly came alive, showing incredible fervor.
”Please come back with me to our village!!” He grabbed Jack’s hands.
”Sure, but it’s in the snow, right? How will I survive until…”
”I’ll teach you everything I know! Even the forbidden knowledge! I’ll escort you there personally! I’ll—”
”Deal!” Jack grinned.
That’s when their training officially began.
”Woo! Woo! Woo Woo!” (♪♪It’s the eye of the ** Dragon!♪♪)
The little wolf howled by the side, tasked with an important duty. Yes, it was in charge of the “training montage music”! Apparently, this would make the process go faster!
The Nord also helped. Because of Jack’s promise, he actively used his mana to support the learning process.
First came the Igloo building.
There were two progress bars associated with this skill:
1. One for this specific instance. It went up very fast in order to let even pure warriors have a chance at clearing this content if they spent the effort.
2. One that actually translated to real experience outside. Yes, it was possible to craft Igloos in the outside world and not just in an ice biome.
Their party kept building Igloo after Igloo, so many that it soon appeared that there was a great wall of China in the trial!
Many times the Nord tried interrupting since Jack had obviously mastered the craft, but the latter simply refused to budge.
”No, I’m not done yet!!” He kept shouting as he built more and more Igloos, the howling still echoing. This was the first time the Nord wanted to berate someone for being too diligent.
After what felt like an eternity, Jack was finally done. At this moment, the Iceland trial looked very weird.
Why was there a gigantic snow castle in the middle of nowhere?!
Also, what was up with its look? It had high walls with guard towers that were wolf-shaped. Then there was the interior decoration…
”Woo!” (Perfect!)
The little wolf nodded in approbation at the meat-shaped ice statues. Besides the color, they looked as succulent as the real thing!
[Acquired Skill: Igloo Building A!]
[…Is this still an Igloo?!]
Even the system was baffled by the crazy construction that had taken place.
But just as Jack and wolf were rejoicing about their handiwork, a wave of monsters came out of nowhere to destroy it all. That was the first time they saw most of the species.
The villains had seen the buildings from afar and wanted them down!
There were:
- Snow Balls
- Ice Goblins
- Snow Raptors
- Large Snowmen
- A Gigantic Ice tortoise
It barely took a few hours for their paradise to be entirely annihilated. After all, there were just too many Igloos.
Jack felt like he was playing a strategy game but had only built houses….not very efficient for defense.
The Nord had to evacuate, running away with a human and a wolf under his arms. Even then, the two seemed unrepentant as they cursed the creatures on the way.
With this, Jack confirmed that the NPC wouldn’t help them in a fight. Quite sad, considering he was probably the highest level mob around.
Afterward could begin the next step on the list: Frost resistance!
The initial training only involved standard endurance training, but the NPC actually brought out a treasure to help him. It was a berry seemingly made of ice.
”This is the only one in its existence, at least as far as I know. This thing is extremely precious and must be eaten very carefully by—”
Jack didn’t wait for the complete explanation. He simply snatched the Everfrost Berry away, swallowing it whole.
”What the hell?! Are you crazy?! Do you know what you’ve ?!—”
”Yep, don’t worry. Moon Moon, I need help here.”
Jack whispered a few directives while the NPC was losing his mind. He went outside in the biting cold, naked.
This treasure was actually alive and possessed a spirit. It would try to take over Jack’s soul or turn his body to ice if it failed.
He could already feel the thing trying to destroy his will.
[Resisted Everfrost Spirit!]
[Resisted Everfrost Spirit!]
[Resisted Everfrost Spirit!]
…..
Jack waved the unending notifications away, enduring.
It didn’t take long for the ice spirit to realize that it wouldn’t win this fight. Instead of giving its power to the annoying human, it preferred if they both died.
Jack could feel the cold spread inside him. But that’s when Moon Moon shone as it summoned its newest “Barbecue Time” ability.
The crazy big fire appeared and so did the living fire sprites.
”Hehe, do you know what this is?” Jack chuckled as he approached the fire. That’s when the living sprites felt their arch-nemesis, the Everfrost Spirit!
They entered Jack’s body, and a duel started. The ice spirit quickly dispatched them, but there was still a sea of them waiting behind.
At this rate, the outcome was evident. It would die to fire sprites.
”Now, now. Do you prefer submitting to me or perishing to your worst enemy? It doesn’t matter to me since I’m immortal anyway.” Jack taunted.
A few seconds later, Jack had successfully absorbed the thing.
[Resistance to Frost +++!]
[This is totally cheating….]
In the back, the Nord watched with his jaw hanging wide open. His own method would have taken a few days at best.
Jack came back after a 5 minutes absorption process.
”Now, it’s hunting time, right?”
”Gulp. Y-yes….”