CH 4

[ You are out of condition, suffering from ‘frostbite’ ]

It was a powerful spell, enough to make people’s faces twitch in horror.

And it had even engulfed the Flame Realm Hunter, Jung Seo-heon.

“Boom!”

[ Activates Passive Skill, ‘Flame Power’ ]

For a moment, the feeling of being alive took over his body.

[A frenzied frost giant shaman makes a sacrifice! ]

[ A powerful chill pierces through the ‘chloride force field’ ]

[ You suffer a condition, ‘Frostbite’ ]

[ ‘Frostbite’ can cause death if it lasts long enough ]

In an instant, his body is frozen.

Moving closer, Jung Seo-heon hid behind the cover and pulled out the frozen anti-potion with a trembling hand.

“Whoa, whoa….”

Blizzard was still churning. He glanced at the situation for a moment, then gritted his teeth and lowered his head again.

‘I can’t believe it can even penetrate chloride force field.’

It was a good thing he had the Frost Resistance Potion. He tossed the empty vial and clutched it to his head.

The duration of the Class B Freeze Resistance Potion you were given was one minute.

With ten bottles per person, they could last for the next ten minutes.

It was enough to get through the chloride force field and reach the snowfield.

‘From there, we just need to run and not look back.’

He’d kept an eye out for them as he’d fled the frenzied frost giants.

His increased size seemed to improve his strength, but it also slowed him down.

It was enough to keep them at bay, he concluded, and dropped his arms.

“Mr. Jung Seo-heon.”

“?!”

“Take this.”

Hiding behind a nearby tree, Han Cha-soo rolled something.

“What is this?”

“It’s a reagent I brought with me. I got it from a Flame Golem…. Anyway, it should help you hold out.”

Han Cha-soo shook his head, as if he was having trouble speaking at length. His cheeks were white from the harsh wind.

Jung Seo-heon’s eyes flashed as he picked up the red reagent vial. The essence of the Flame Golem. It was exactly what he needed as a Flame Realm Hunter.

Without hesitation, he took the reagent.

“Thank you.”

Han Cha-soo blinked as if he didn’t understand what he was saying. Then he turned away, embarrassed, and handed the other man something else.

“What is it?”

“Eat it, it’s good for you. Oh, and don’t forget your frost resistance potion.”

The voice sounded like Baek-sun.

Come to think of it, they seemed to be quite friendly. Jung Seo-heon thought it was a curious thing and drank the reagent.

Whirring.

Gradually, the blizzard subsided.

Jung Seo-heon glared at the frost giants that had begun to close in on him and quickly waved his left hand.

BANG-!

A powerful explosion erupted, accompanied by soaring flames.

The necks of dozens of frost giants snapped. Heavy feet ran towards the same place in unison.

Thump, thump, thump-!

“Run!”

With a low, strained cry, the men jumped simultaneously. It was in the opposite direction from where the explosion had occurred.

And then.

“Good run.”

The top of a tall coniferous forest.

Han Cha-soo turned around to see the people running away from him.

The giants that had been scouring the area of the explosion were glaring at him.

“The stupid furries finally realised they’d been tricked.”

You may begin, then.

[ Skill, Poisoncraft (A) ]

The dozen or so reagent vials in his hand glistened in the cold sun.

Hiding under a shroud of shadows, Han Cha-soo clutched the reagent vials, fighting off a slight dizziness.

Red, blue, and yellow reagent bottles.

It wasn’t just an excuse to join the support team.

Nor was it just an excuse to deliver the essence of the Flame Golem to Jung Seo-heon.

“This is life and death.”

You always had to have a plan B in case plan A didn’t work out.

After taking the essence of the Flame Golem, Jung Seo-heon will probably reach the gate entrance safely.

But what if some of the Frostgiants catch up to them?

And what if Jung Seo-heon is willing to die to help a teammate in distress?

‘No way.’

Distraught over his brother’s death, Jung Yi-heon examines the events in the dungeon.

As he does so, he realises that the potion he’s brewing is a shoddy one.

Even if I had helped Jung Seo-heon in the dungeon, it would all come across as hypocrisy to the blinded protagonist.

So, I had to remove all possible risk variables.

‘I can’t wait to get out of here. Once I’m free, I’ll have to learn how to use this body.’

Given the nature of ‘Han Cha-soo’, it would be smoother to kill the Frost Giants by assassination than by poison.

But he’d only been in this body for half a day.

‘I can’t act hastily and get out of here.’

Therefore, he had no choice but to keep the B-class dagger provided by the capture team at his waist.

As he clicked his tongue in frustration, he could see the furious Frostgiant Shaman in his eyes.

“Kii-ii-!”

He shouted, pointing the head of his staff at the snowfield, but he didn’t look angry.

At his gesture, several of the Frostgiants fell to their knees and prostrated themselves.

“What are they trying to do?”

Han Cha-soo’s eyes narrowed.

The shaman stabbed the sharp end of his staff into the frozen ground.

A chop.

Simultaneously, the throats of the kneeling frost giants were sliced open. Droplets of blue blood spread rapidly, forming a magic circle.

[The berserk frostgiant shaman makes a second sacrifice. ]

[The Berserk Frostgiant Shaman has…. ]

The shaman flailed his arms in excitement and shouted Moorish.

It was then.

Puck!

“Eek!”

The shaman’s head, which was waving his staff towards the sky, cracked with a thud.

Whoosh.

The shaman groped for my head with a face of disbelief.

Blood and bubbling green liquid scorched his palms.

Han Cha-soo, who had just lifted the shadow cloak, pointed a finger at him.

“Hey, come here.”

kkiaeee—!

The shaman’s roar echoed through the snowy fields.

Thump, thump…!

The sight of the poisoned frost giants turning blue and falling like dominoes was a sight to behold.

“Hah, the slower ones are the ones that bleed the most.”

Han Cha-soo’s face was pale as he looked down at the frost giants lying in a row.

Red blood froze on their thick armour. It was all Han Cha-soo’s blood.

Boom!

After stomping on the head of the writhing frost giant on the ground, Han Cha-soo cast his gaze towards the snowfield.

After killing the shaman, he took the remaining frost giants and bided his time.

In the distance, he could faintly see the defensive Hunter’s barrier at the gate entrance.

Jung Seo-heon and the rest of the team had apparently made it to safety.

“It’s about time to find…. Kuluk!”

Han Cha-soo wiped the corner of his mouth in annoyance at the sudden outpouring of blood.

“Bitter, bothersome.”

Han Cha-soo’s cold eyes swept over me. The dried blood was unsightly.

It was a skill I’d used in front of a group of dying men.

[Warning!]

[Actions inconsistent with your undercover identity will result in a penalty].

Yes, penalties.

It was the penalty of ‘camouflage’ that made him bleed like a sickly aristocrat.

“So much for sticking to the setting, this world.”

He sighed and trudged towards the snowy grounds.

Apparently, ‘disguised identity’ imposed restrictions on action unbecoming of potion makers.

Because his body, which had been fine until he used brew potion, suddenly started coughing up blood when he used soundless steps.

‘It’s a good thing it’s as stealthy as it sounds, and it gives me speed.’

I couldn’t use it properly until I got rid of my disguise.

Han Cha-soo’s eyes narrowed as he made his way through the coniferous forest.

Sabak, Sabak.

It was snowy.

A pure white sigh escaped Han Cha-soo’s mouth as he walked across the frozen snow.

In the distance, he could see a whitish barrier. It was as if there were several layers surrounding the person inside.

“…”

Han Cha-soo stared at the barrier as it drew closer and closer, then drew his dagger.

A potion maker chased by a frost giant could not be unscathed.

The silver blade stood upside down. Han Cha-soo’s impassive eyes caught the sight of his sleeved wrist.

It was then.

Wooo-

“?!”

In the distance, behind a coniferous forest filled with monster corpses.

The dark wraith rose to its feet.

[The frenzied frostgiant shaman’s mind rises to its feet]

[The frenzied frostgiant shaman’s mind seeks its revenge!]

Abandoning its flesh, it crossed the snowfield with unbelievable speed.

The soundless stretching of its flesh sent chills down my spine.

Kwagak!

The ground crunched beneath its feet. A long trail was left in the frozen snow. omo

Woooooo-!

Han Cha-soo could see it clearly.

A wraith’s hand rushing at uncrontrollable speed pointed to one place.

“Where did that thing sell its eyes…!”

It was an apt comment, as the wraith’s eyes were indeed gouged out, but Han Cha-soo broke into a cold sweat.

The shaman’s spirit had been galloping towards the barrier in a ridiculous manner.

It wasn’t him that killed Jung Seo-heon, but Jung Seo-heon himself!

This made every muscle in his body tense.