Absolute Beast Dominion - Chapter 330: Frozen Waterfall
Chapter 330: Frozen Waterfall
Chapter 330: Frozen Waterfall
5:24 PM, 21 January 500 AA
They still had more than an hour before the secret realm opened.
As they descended a bit away due to the terrain, the cold wind cut across their faces. Upon closer look, they realised the waterfall wasn’t exactly a waterfall but rather water falling from a steep mound, the entire cascade completely frozen mid-fall. They stepped closer.
At first glance, everything looked normal—frozen waterfall, frozen water at the base, and a frozen small-scale stream stretching away. But then they spotted a faint light flickering behind the opaque, crystal-like water that hung frozen in place.
“Is there someone inside?” Kaelion asked, narrowing his eyes.
But Leo was already moving. Charging forward, he gathered speed and punched the ice.
BOOM!
Andrew had clearly said to break the ice and go inside.
“Who?!” a panicked voice echoed from within as Leo and his group heard papers scattering and hurried footsteps approaching them.
When the figure appeared, they saw a pale man with messy white hair and sharp blue eyes, wearing a green scholar’s robe. He held a body-sized wooden staff, already raised as if ready to cast spells.
“W-who are you?!” he demanded, icy mana already swirling around the staff as he began initiating a spell.
“We have come here to challenge the Frozen Waterfall Wood-Elf secret realm,” Leo said calmly.
The man realised who they were and immediately cancelled the spell, recalling the morning message he had received.
“Oh! Thank god,” he exhaled. “I thought you came to steal my research papers…”
“Research papers?” Leo asked.
“Nothing, nothing. Come this way. The secret realm will open at 7 PM,” the man said quickly, gesturing for them to follow as he escorted them inside the cave.
Making their way deeper into the cave, they came across scattered sheets of paper, extinguished fire lanterns, empty ink bottles, pens, and many other miscellaneous items. But the most important object there seemed to be an orb crystal placed carefully on a pedestal.
“Forgive the messy place,” the man said. “I am a researcher studying the functioning of secret realms. And the reason I was assigned this place is that my talent is ice-related.”
The group nodded, and Leo finally asked,
“What’s that strange orb for? Doesn’t look like something that would help in research.”
“That?” The man glanced back at it. “It’s as important as my research. It keeps my papers secure. As you can guess, the most important day of research is when the secret realm opens, and it’s not like the secret realm is one-way—beings from inside can come out as well. At that time, this orb becomes necessary. It’s linked to me, and when I activate it, it will teleport all the materials out of this place and inform Aurelius Hall about the inhabitants coming out of the realm.”
“Soon after, a professor will be teleported here, and he will wind things up.”
Leo nodded slowly.
“You are alone? Like for 6 months, no one has come here, right?”
Hearing that, the man’s expression didn’t change at all, but a spark of excitement appeared in his eyes.
“Isn’t it heaven?” he said eagerly. “It’s so peaceful when stupid mongrels don’t ask unnecessary questions. I could spend my whole life like this, doing my research.”
“…right,” Leo muttered.
Wasn’t I asking some questions too?
After they walked a bit deeper, the man suddenly seemed to realise something.
“Oh! Forgot to say—my name is Hadir. A 3rd term student and a researcher.”
Then Leo and the group introduced themselves.
“1st year?” Hadir frowned. “Like the new people admitted just last month? And you are here challenging a Pseudo Purple-tier realm?”
He looked genuinely baffled.
“Don’t you know what a Pseudo Purple Realm entails? It means there’s some fricking Pseudo 4-star beings inside it!”
He looked at the group once again—2 girls and 2 boys.
“You!” He pointed at Leo.
“You are behind getting more girls in your harem, right? Trust me, you are in for some tight lessons. And you!” He pointed at Kaelion.
“No girl would even want you with those stupid scars all over your body! No wonder you want slaves—”
Lily sneered and was ready to throw hands when suddenly—
Smack!
“What’s so wrong with those dashing scars over K’s body?” Katherine’s sweet voice echoed through the cave.
But Hadir was already plastered against the wall, his head spinning.
“Who?!” he croaked, only to see the menacing figure of Katherine staring straight into his soul with folded hands.
“P-P-Professor Katherine!” Hadir immediately knelt on the ground.
“Good evening!!!” he shouted.
“What were you saying about them?” Katherine asked calmly.
“P-Professor! Look! They are just first years and have come to challenge this Pseudo Purple-Tier realm! I was just warning them. It’s apparent these two boys are lusting after the elves!”
“Teacher… let me teach this guy a lesson,” Lily growled, rolling up her sleeves as she stepped forward.
Hadir seemed to be around the High 3-star realm, and Lily would completely flatten him with a single punch.
Katherine gently placed a hand on Lily’s shoulder to calm her down.
“Forgive him, Lily. Researchers are always paranoid. And as a guard of an Elven secret realm, I am sure he has come across various types of men and mistook K and Leo for them.”
Then she turned toward Hadir.
“The two boys in question are the 1st and 2nd-ranked individuals of the 1st term. Get out of your hole and at least stay updated on the latest widespread news,” Katherine said before turning back toward Kaelion.
“F-first and second ranked?”
Hadir quickly took out his phone and opened the ranking list of 1st term students. There he saw Leo’s face in first place and Kaelion’s in second.
“Fuck…” he muttered.
He had been so busy with his research that he didn’t even get time to watch the livestreams.
He scrolled further and saw Lily ranked 3rd, followed by a special note stating both men could display 5-star ranked strength.
His pale face turned ashen.
“How is that even possible…?” he muttered, aghast.
At his time, the first-ranked person could only display the strength of Pseudo 3-star, and here were Leo and Kaelion.
After chatting for a while, they went deeper and reached the cave’s end. It was a normal, dark rocky wall with nothing special about it. The surroundings were dimly lit by a single magic lamp.
6:55 PM
Only 5 minutes were left when the group sensed something.
Hadir suddenly rushed back and returned with a notebook and pen.
Before the group could ask anything, he explained on his own.
“There’s always some change in the energy wavelength emitted when the realm opens. Almost as if the secret realm drifts through time and space. That’s what I am researching, and I need to note down everything during opening and closing.”
Katherine raised a brow.
“Now that’s important research you are working on. I will inform Aurelius Hall to increase your funding,” she said.
Hadir’s eyes lit up at the comment, just as the moment finally arrived.
