Chapter 126: Through the Snow

Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Through the Snow

The heavy snow cracked open like a sheet of brittle glass as two colossal Frost Yetis crashed into the ten-meter vision zone. Towering nearly twelve feet tall with matted white fur, jagged ice-crystal tusks, and glowing amber eyes, the apex predators let out deafening roars. Their hyper-sensitive sense of smell had picked up the fresh heat signatures of the newcomers instantly, driving them into a predatory frenzy.

Before the beasts could build momentum on the slick obsidian floor, Squad 07’s front line moved as a single, lethal unit.

"INCOMING!" Barney bellowed. He planted his boots into the black ice and slammed his massive tower shield forward. The left Yeti threw a massive, log-like fist coated in blue ice straight down—the impact sending a shockwave of snow across the trench.

Barney’s shield flared with defensive mana, absorbing the raw force with a heavy metallic boom as he anchored his shoulder, locking the beast’s arm in a bone-crushing stalemate.

Simultaneously, Caelen exploded into a blur of motion toward the second Yeti. Bypassing its wild, reaching claws, he swung Edge of the First Warden in a sweeping kinetic arc. The blade carved deeply into the monster’s knee tendon, forcing the massive creature to crash down onto one leg. Caelen immediately stepped into its guard, pinning its torso against the icy cavern wall with relentless, heavy pressure.

With both Yetis locked in place, the support line unleashed hell.

Mirei drew her bowstring to her ear, releasing a trio of wind-infused arrows that streaked through the blizzard like green lightning, piercing the eyes and throat of Barney’s target to completely disrupt its counter-attacks. Princess Lyra darted alongside Caelen, her radiant longsword blazing with holy light as she delivered a blinding overhead strike that cleaved through the second Yeti’s frozen hide. From the back, Seraphina shattered a warm vigor flask at the tanks’ feet, bathing Barney and Caelen in a surging aura of warmth that cleansed the creeping frost and boosted their physical output.

At the center of the perimeter, Rowan carefully slid the final glowing Cryo-Gourd into his system inventory with a soft pop. He dusted off his palms, adjusted the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, and casually rested his trusty hoe back over his shoulder.

Looking back at the two struggling monsters completely pinned under his squad’s flawless rhythm, Rowan gave a cool, approving nod. "Hold them right there. Let’s see how well high-tier yetis handle a little spring tilling."

Rowan stepped past Barney’s shield, tapping the iron butt of his trusty hoe lightly against the slick obsidian floor. "[Vines of the Thorns]", he murmured.

A low, resonant hum vibrated beneath the black ice. Thick, thorn-studded vines—infused with Rowan’s primordial domain mana—erupted straight through the frozen earth like striking vipers. They lashed around the two thrashing Yetis, binding their thick limbs, pinning their massive arms to their torsos, and biting deep into their icy hide with bristling barbs. The frost-beasts let out choked, furious roars, completely immobilized against the swirling blizzard.

"Seraphina, light ’em up!" Rowan called out, tilting the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat.

Seraphina was already in motion. Snapping two crystal flasks from her alchemical belt, she hurled her potent Incendiary Elixirs directly at the bound monsters. The glass shattered on impact, unleashing a roaring torrent of pressurized, high-grade alchemical fire. The stubborn, magical flames devoured the dense white fur in seconds, instantly melting the surrounding frost fog into a blinding wall of sizzling steam as the yetis thrashed helplessly in their fiery cage.

"Finish it!" Caelen commanded.

Capitalizing on the opening, Caelen and Princess Lyra swept into the inferno with lethal, synchronized grace. Caelen blurred forward, Edge of the First Warden gathering a dense sheath of kinetic mana before executing a blinding horizontal strike. At the exact same second, Lyra pirouetted past Barney’s flank, her longsword blazing with radiant, holy light as she delivered a sweeping upward arc.

Two pristine trails of silver and gold flashed through the snowy mist.

The dual decapitation was instantaneous and clean. Both massive heads severed simultaneously, tumbling across the slick ice before the towering yetis collapsed hard into the drifts, their burning forms breaking down into glowing experience motes and high-tier monster materials.

Silence settled over their ten-meter vision pocket once more, save for the crackle of lingering embers and the soft whistle of the alpine wind.

Caelen flicked the frost residue off his blade before sheathing it with a crisp click. "Clean execution. The vines held them perfectly."

Rowan casually scooped up the fallen Yeti Cores with the flat edge of his hoe, sliding them into his system inventory alongside his newly harvested Cryo-Gourds. A satisfied smirk touched his lips. "Not bad for our warm-up on Floor Seven. Let’s keep moving while our thermal gear is running hot."

Squad 07 pressed deeper into the howling whiteout, their boots crunching against the slick obsidian paths buried under heavy drifts. The Glacial Trench showed no mercy—monstrous roars echoed through the subterranean frost at every turn as localized packs of Frost Yetis ambushed them from high ice ledges.

However, Squad 07’s combat rhythm was practically second nature. Barney’s impenetrable guard held the frontline, Caelen’s kinetic strikes cleaved through frozen hides, Lyra’s holy light seared away the beasts’ thick coats, Mirei’s wind arrows pinned evasive targets, and Seraphina kept their stamina topped off. Between fights, Rowan expertly put his trusty hoe to work, cleanly harvesting pristine, frost-resistant Yeti pelts, razor-sharp ice claws, and dense ivory teeth. Each high-tier monster component was safely stored into his system inventory, stacking up a small fortune for trade when they returned to the upper city.

Yet, as the hours wore on, the floor’s passive, bone-deep frost slowly began to take its toll. Even with their thermal undersuits trapping body heat, the howling arctic winds and dense fog exerted a constant, exhausting drain on their physical endurance.

Spotting a wide recess beneath a massive overhang of solid blue ice, Rowan called a halt. "Alright, let’s take a break before the cold starts affecting our reaction times."

Stepping into the snowdrift, Rowan adjusted the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat and raised his hoe, plunging the iron tip deep into the packed permafrost.

Channeling his domain mana through the earth, the snow and ice heaved and reshaped themselves at his command. A thick, perfectly smooth dome rose from the blizzard, its dense snow walls instantly compacted into airtight blocks and infused with a subtle, radiant warmth that completely repelled the sub-zero chill.

Barney ducked through the low entryway first, followed by Caelen and Mirei. The moment the insulated barrier was sealed shut behind them, the biting howling wind vanished, replaced by a cozy, dry room bathed in a soft, golden glow.

"Finally, some warmth," Lyra said with a long, relieved sigh, stripping off her heavy vambraces and unrolling a plush sleeping bag onto the earth-warmed floor to rest.

Seraphina immediately set down a small heating kettle, while Caelen sank back against the reinforced ice wall, flexing his thawed fingers. Rowan leaned comfortably by the entrance, resting his chin over his trusty hoe with a quiet smirk as his squad settled in for a well-deserved rest.