[Deadly Cold. 95%]

Just five percent more, and I would be fully adapted to the cold. My body had been adapting to the cold behind subconsciousness. But for now it was on hold, since I was being warmed up in the cave.

Night had come, the cave drawn down in darkness. The distant howl and snarling of weird creatures — the night was very feral, with the sounds of the mountain. And I had listened to it throughout, our seated at the end of the cave, as my eyes were fixed far beyond, awaiting any danger that might crawl to us.

While Quinette rested, her wings were wrapped around her, arms rested on her knees, which she used to rest her head. A very uncomfortable position to sleep in, to ask me. But no choice but to endure. The fact she allowed me to take guard while she slept was a different story.

I stood up from where I was seated, stretched my hand to the entrance. I calmly concentrated, using my own mana to recreate ice. The process was exhausting, but I had adapted to it. Ice erupted from my palm, hit the wall as I carved a barricade.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was functional.

It was also safe to say the cave was warmer. The noise had already been muted a bit.

I returned back, still keeping watch. Seated, I activated [Adaptive Learning], adapting to ice magic to refine my control and precision.

[Adaptive Learning

Mastering structure. 30%

Mastering properties. 31%

Mastering control. 25%]

By staying concentrated and adapting to the ice mana absorbed, I learnt how to reconstruct it using my own mana, rather than absorb and release.

I couldn’t tell how long I had been. My mind was lost between subconsciousness. I could visualize — in fact witness — the very structure of mana, to its depths.

The sunlight already began to slip into the cave, indicating morning. I was still seated in my position with my eyes closed when I felt the sun hit my face. I peered my eye open.

"Hmm, the sun is a bit brighter today," I noted.

Breaking my concentration.

[Adaptive Learning.

Frost mana.

Logged affinity core.

Mastering structure. 70%

Mastering properties. 82%

Mastering control. 77%]

I smiled at the result. Just overnight I had managed to master ice to that height. Now I had an affinity.

I don’t always have to wait to be hit before being able to fight.

Frost hissed on my palm as I conjured the affinity. "That’s much better," I muttered. "Perfect knowledge imbued in Dragon Potent has to be my best asset."

Then I shifted my gaze to Quinette’s sword — she had removed it from her belt, placing it beside her. She looked peaceful. Besides it being morning already, she was yet to wake.

One thing I knew was how cold could affect metal, making them easier to snap. But if I did so, she wouldn’t trust me, and that would also be reckless. I don’t have insurance she’d be able to fight back the darkness harboring in the forbidden.

I stroked my chin. [Adapt] can be granted to my partner, which means I have to breed her. Or I give her my blood — it would work, but I’ll need her possessed before doing so, else it wouldn’t.

Risking possession without a certain plan to give her the was risky. Especially if the risk involves me adapting with something unknown as her ’intended cut’ — it can kill me before I adapt to it. If she’s possessed and I try to give her the blood, it’s game over for me.

I’ll just have to play the long game.

---

Quinette then adjusted in her sleep. She raised her head slowly, squinting as she surveyed the cave. Her eyes were still half-lidded, wings stretched with a yawn. Like she realized where she was, her eyes snapped sharp. She got to her feet, picking up her sword in silence.

"At some point I thought dragons hibernate."

She didn’t react. No single sign of warmth from her. Just the composed dragon I had first met. "At Walter— I appreciate you keeping watch while I was asleep. It should have been rotated. But I wasn’t being considerate... as compensation, I would keep watch tonight."

I stared blankly at Quinette. The way she stood like a composed knight — the difference from her vulnerable side and normal was stark. I felt abnormal. No — forced. That’s the way I would call it.

"...Are you alright?"

"Yes I am, why do you ask."

*Yesterday you cried in my arms, now you’re a different person. That’s what I planned to say initially.* At the end I didn’t. Just shrugged. "Nothing, just asking."

"Now that you are awake, we don’t have time to waste. Let’s begin hunting."

"Definitely. The faster we start, the better our chance of getting out of here."

"Then I guess you’re ready."

Quinette nodded.

With no time wasted further, I punched the ice barricade. Cracks spread out from my hit, then it crumbled down into pieces.

The howling wind rushed inside the cave as the barricade came down. Outside, the snow was still drifting through the air, but the violent wind had reduced to a calm and steady wind. The clouds cleared as the mountain was illuminated brighter.

"After you."

I turned around to catch Quinette staring at me, but on eye contact she looked away, pretending she was looking elsewhere. I had caught everything — the slight embarrassment on her face, the way her lips twitched like she was about to speak. None of it felt forced, but more of that vulnerable Quinette was still present. It gave me mild relief.

We stepped outside into the cold. Even with the wind, the temperature was still freezing. Lucky — a step outside the warmth of the cave and it was clear.

We stood between two decisions. Our left was where we had come from, down the mountain into the dense forest, while right we continue our journey up the mountain while searching for magical beasts.

"I think we should keep going up the mountain. We aren’t ready to cross the wolves’ path. What do you think?"

"I’ll follow your advice."

With Quinette agreeing, we took our course out the mountain, climbing the sloped land with snow crusting the edge, making it easy to take a trip rolling down the mountain.

I had my hands slipped in my robe, walking up the mountain with Quinette falling behind.

I kept vigilant, scanning for anything, but landed my eyes on none. After a few moments and no result, we had to change our strategy. "You go that way, I’ll go left." I gestured for Quinette to scan out. "Fly around — if you see something, but don’t go far." She nodded then took off, while I continued my search. I walked around looking, still didn’t find any. Throughout this huge mountain, I can’t believe the only beast was the frost paw we slaughtered in the cave. Despite how disturbing last night was.

While walking, I then came upon a body of a frost bear, mutilated. A closer look — I landed on teeth marks around its body which dug through bone.

Something had chewed on the frost jaw but spat it out. A creature that big. I scanned the environment, cautious. Squatting beside the body, I couldn’t risk a surprise attack. Whatever preyed on this bear had to be on the same level as the wolves.

Since animals were strict with their territory, now I understood why no animals were around — something far more dangerous had marked this place as its territory. I picked up the trails of blood and bone which had dropped off. They trailed higher.

*That’s our target.*

I returned to our agreed meeting point, waiting for Quinette’s return.

Quinette returned. She descended from the air.

"Anything?"

She shook her head.

"I found something." I looked up — the moment Quinette traced my gaze. "What did you find?" "Something up there chewed a frost paw."

"You think it’s a scun wolf?"

"No, something else. Let’s go check it out."

"You know how we had to run from the packs — are you sure you want to risk it?"

"I have a hunch. It’s not the wolf. But weaker. And this one might just be alone." I continued climbing the mountain once more.

The peak became more clear. The sun was brighter the higher we went.

Soon, we made it to the peak, closest to the clouds. From the top, I could see the extent of the barrier of the Bugeom — the endless wilderness which stretched past the eye.

Snow, trees, mountains, and hills.

I enjoyed the view while searching, hoping to find any beast. Then it found us.

A huge figure eclipsed over where we stood. I looked up. A huge talon, with blue scales around its body, long eel-like body, vanes which allowed it to curve through the air. It broke past the clouds, danced through the air, then lowered back to the mountain.

Its two fish-eyes landed on us. It tilted its head, then coiled multiple times around us as it surveyed us. I couldn’t feel its mana pressure — that huge, a dull sapphire glow around its body. Next thing, its mana flared, making the air oppressive, hard. Its dull sapphire mana grew to a violent brightness.

I grinned through the pressure. I never knew magical beasts could suppress.

Quinette’s blade singed out. She lowered her stance, wings spread out to take off.

[Glacier Talon (S+ Rank)]

*Just perfect. Enough to train with.* I clenched my fist, and mana bled out to life like liquid. I molded it into dual daggers — their shape was more refined, nailing the exact design I’d imagined.

"Quinette, you attack in the air, drawing it down — off I’ll—"

My hair stood on end as I felt a huge attack coming. I cut my words short. Just seconds after I dropped my guard to address Quinette, it had already attacked.

A huge ice construct tore from its mouth. Its width filled the entire mountain peak. I could already feel its force before it hit. As it drew close with a destructive force—