64. Confrontation
They decided to finish exploring the troll dungeon to the west.
“Now we should start looking in different directions. We need to continue our exploration.”
Han turned his gaze southward.
Unlike the west, it was a vast plain.
Endless snow-covered fields stretched as far as the eye could see.
How far did it extend, exactly?
“Hmm?”
At a time when exploration and observation were at their peak.
The gaze of Han was fixed on a certain spot in the snowy field.
“…What’s that?”
A vast plain.
Kugugugu-
Several dark spots were gathered, moving and murmuring.
However, due to the great distance, it was not easy to distinguish clearly.
At the moment, Han was in a state of overlooking everything from above in the sky.
He repeatedly zoomed in, as if magnifying glasses upon magnifying glasses, swiftly approaching the ground.
“That.”
Soon, Han, recognizing the identity, opened his mouth.
“…A herd of cattle?”
It was a massive herd of cattle.
[Red Alert: Herd of White Frost Cattle.]
Monster White Frost Cattle.
And not just one or two.
Easily dozens.
Like a massive wave, they were surging and moving in one direction.
Behind the running herd of cattle, something was seen rushing with snowflakes fluttering.
There was no commander.
[Wooohh-!!]
As the front horned male roared, the following female cattle increased their speed in a line.
It was a rough gallop.
“…This.”
A sight that documentary filmmakers would probably pay to see.
However, for Han, it was not a pleasant sight.
Because they were advancing north.
Naturally, when the cattle herd in the south moved up, they would only face one thing.
“The direction where the elves are.”
Luckily, preparations had been made to some extent in advance.
Han had set up obstacles between the ruins before reaching the city.
Those were the wooden barricades.
“It might help reduce their momentum, but… it seems unlikely that it alone can stop the advance of that cattle herd.”
In simple terms, there were too many of them.
Their momentum and physique were impressive.
Even from a very high altitude, the sight of them running in waves was clearly visible.
If it were just one or two, it might be manageable, but with so many, it was certain that even the wooden barricades would not hold up.
So, the priority was to spread this news.
It was an urgent situation.
Han immediately shifted his focus towards the square where the elves were supposed to be.
When Han returned to the square.
The elves were busy with their farming work.
On one side, there was Muahmuah eating potato stems.
Pop.
Their gazes suddenly turned towards Han, who appeared out of nowhere.
“Lord?”
Irina, covered in dirt.
She quickly wiped her nose and approached Han with a puzzled look.
Thud!
Han, usually calm, rushed towards Irina and grabbed her shoulders with a sense of urgency.
Then, he raised his index finger and pointed in a direction.
“…?”
Irina cocked her head in confusion.
Other elves, noticing something unusual, approached and looked at Han.
Han then grabbed Zion’s steel sword lying next to him.
Instantly, Irina’s expression changed as if she understood something.
“I see, Lord.”
Swoosh.
Irina took the steel sword offered by Han, looked at its cold blade, and spoke with a stern expression.
“It seems like… a monster appeared nearby.”
“A monster?”
“Yes, Lord. How far are the monsters, by any chance?”
Swoosh.
In response, Han raised his index finger to point at the sky.
It was their signal.
The vertical gesture indicated that the monsters were still quite far away.
There was enough time before facing them.
“I see.”
Irina spoke, adjusting her thick fur coat.
“I might need to go a bit far for a while. Please prepare yourselves during my absence.”
“Um….”
Muahmuah, who had been silently watching Irina for a while, finally broke the silence.
“Where are you planning to go that requires such preparation?”
“It might take quite some time. Perhaps crossing several hours on foot, or even more.”
“If that’s the case.”
Muahmuah, seeming lost in thought for a moment, then turned his gaze towards Han for some reason.
“Well then, I will accompany you to see it firsthand! I can fly, so it will be faster that way.”
“Are you okay?”
“I can handle it, no problem!”
Muahmuah nodded vigorously.
“Of course, with my stature, it’s always a bit of a challenge, but now that my body has recovered, I should be able to manage just fine!”
However, Irina’s next words took even Muahmuah by surprise.
“Um, can I come along too?”
“Hmm…”
Muahmuah seemed to ponder for a moment.
The girl, with her large pupils rolling around as if contemplating something, asked, “The wind up there will be extremely cold. It will be much harsher than on the ground; I’m not sure if it will be okay for you.”
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“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
“Alright then!”
Muahmuah nodded as if to say he understood.
Soon, his form began to rapidly swell.
*Rumble!*
With a sound resembling a beast growling, his teeth and horns started elongating, and soon, with a radiant glow, his eyes flashed.
It was the release of the polymorph humanization spell.
*Boom!*
Muahmuah, now transformed into a complete dragon, crouched down and shouted, “Come, hop on!”
As Irina climbed on top, Muahmuah, now towering magnificently, began to flap his wings.
A colossal dragon ascending into the sky as if effortlessly.
“Hmm?”
A young bird, on its way to collect honey, spotted the sight and looked up.
Its large, thick pupils stared intently at the spectacle.
Soon, the young bird realized that the care it had been receiving was now gone.
“Help! Help!”
Frantically, the bird kept turning its head around.
***
Transformed into a massive dragon, Muahmuah flapped his wings against the fierce winds, pushing forward following the lead of the vengeful spirit.
“Eugh!”
Irina clung onto Muahmuah’s back for dear life.
The harsh winds and cold air left her complexion pale.
Her fingertips, clinging to the dragon’s scales in the chilly air, turned white.
As if understanding her pain well, Muahmuah advised, “[Keep your head low on my back to breathe! Just exhaling normally will freeze your lungs in this cold air!]”
Riding on the dragon’s back was no joyride.
The high altitude, fierce winds, and difficulty in breathing due to the intense speed made it challenging.
With Muahmuah’s speed, the already cold temperature felt even lower in the freezing air.
Irina must have been struggling with a pressure that made it hard for her to even breathe properly.
The concern for limits was no different.
But had everyone underestimated Irina too much?
Her expression remained firm.
“I’m… fine! There’s no problem, so please hurry up!”
[Just hold on a little longer!]
Facing the fierce wind, they flew through the sky.
Finally, they reached the southern plains.
Endlessly vast, the rugged snow-covered land spread out, clearing their view.
“There they are!”
At that moment, Hani pointed in a direction.
In the distance, a series of herds running towards them, kicking up white snow, came into view.
Though still far away and looking like small dots, Muamuah recognized them right away and shouted.
“That’s it! Monsters!”
Their vision was exceptionally keen.
With innate qualities superior to humans, they possessed a sight comparable to formidable beasts.
Irina looked down at the cattle herd running across the plain.
“…A herd of white ice bison.”
She spoke with a serious expression.
“They are so massive, they look like they could easily be in their twenties.”
[Not good at all. Those creatures are very fierce and terrifying.]
A sound of fear came from Muamuah’s mouth.
Honestly, it was a surprising sound.
For a creature as huge as him to make such a sound was unexpected.
In terms of size, Muamuah was easily over 20 meters tall.
He was much larger than the herd of ice bison, which was only about four or five meters.
However, that seemed to be a thought unknown to Hani.
If Muamuah had said such a thing, then it must be true.
“For the record, those are not something I can handle alone! While I might be able to crush a couple with my size, if all of them charge at me with their horns, I’ll undoubtedly be pierced through!”
Indeed. Hearing and seeing that, it was true.
Those ice bison creatures.
Their horns were extremely sharp at the front.
If they charged with that size, their destructive power would be extraordinary.
Even if a dragon stood in their way, it would be daunting to stop them.
“Clearly, they are heading towards the square. Well, I did the same. If the magic power of the World Tree is like a refreshing incense, attracting those who can sense mana instinctively, it’s natural for everyone to gather!”
So, that was why the monsters were flocking to the World Tree.
“Since it seems impossible to stop them here, let’s go back!”
[Let’s do that!]
Muamuah turned around and began heading back towards the square.
Fluttering its wings, the creature picked up speed.
***
Thud.
Accompanied by a deep vibration, they returned to the square.
Zion and Yumina, who had been waiting for their return, approached.
“Muamuamu, sir, come here, sister! How was it?”
“It was a group of white ice bears. They seemed to be at least in their twenties.”
“Wow!”
At that moment, a strange groan was heard, causing the group to reflexively turn around.
There was Yumina, trembling in fear.
“Ice… ice bears!”
Yumina trembled in terror.
Her hand gripping the staff showed visible strain.
Although usually timid, her reaction today was particularly unusual.
When asked why, Zion awkwardly smiled and explained, “Yumina was once chased by white ice bears to the brink of death when she was young… That’s why she’s reacting like this. She’s especially scared of the sky creatures.”
Phew—
As if in response to his words, a pungent smoke emitted from the goblin shaman’s staff Yumina was holding.
It was a precursor to a fireball spell.
Cough! Cough!
Muamuamu, who had inhaled the thick smoke, coughed.
…He did seem a bit uneasy.
Could it be a mistaken attack?
As if understanding such concerns, the system added, “[You don’t need to worry].”
I have no faith in that at all.