[The Host is being exposed to extreme cold.]

[Cold Resistance has increased slightly.]

[Cold Resistance: 6.77%]

As Leon continued to walk forward, the notifications kept spamming.

After walking for almost two hours, the cold was so unbearable that Leon could no longer move. His fingers were stiff, joints rigid.

He stopped. "Let’s wait here until I am used to this cold."

He sat down in a lotus position but didn’t close his eyes. Rather, he only calmed his mind, enduring the cold. Time ticked by.

[Cold Resistance has increased slightly.]

[Cold Resistance: 7.99%]

After thirty minutes, Leon no longer found the cold unbearable.

He got up and started walking again. "It’s strange. I didn’t face a single beast after I started walking in this direction. Are the monsters afraid of this cold, too?" He mumbled. "Good thing I have this bloodline of mine. This cold will just end up making me stronger." He chuckled.

After two more hours, he again found it hard to move forward. So he again sat down to adapt to the cold.

[Cold Resistance has increased slightly.]

[Cold Resistance: 9.34%]

Leon resumed his journey after the notification. This same cycle continued a few more times before he reached a river. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

[Cold Resistance has increased slightly.]

By the time he was there, his cold resistance had reached 14.89%. But he had to sit down immediately to adapt again. It felt like he was inside a freezer, being frozen to death. Snow had piled up in patches over his cloths.

[Cold Resistance has increased slightly.]

[Cold Resistance: 16.5%]

After the notifications popped up, he felt the cold wasn’t unbearable anymore.

He got up and started walking. But just after one step, he stopped, his eyes widening.

"What the fuck? How can this be?"

The temperature beyond one step was drastically colder. So cold that he felt his legs had already started to freeze, turning into ice.

A pain washed over his body as if thin needles were prickling in all the places. He sat down immediately with a pale face.

He gritted his teeth and started fighting against the cold. Slowly but steadily, his body became accustomed to this new pressure again without fail.

[Cold Resistance has increased drastically.]

[Cold Resistance: 20%]

"20%??????" Leon’s mouth hung open at the notification. For a moment, he didn’t move and only stared at the notification with disbelief.

Then a chuckle escaped his mouth. "This is crazy. Looks like I made the right choice coming here."

He again took a step. ’Is it going to happen again?’ He wondered inwardly if the temperature would spike up again, just one step ahead.

And it did.

The moment his feet landed, a new wave of cold hit him.

He sat down immediately. After 15 minutes, the notifications popped up again.

[Cold Resistance has increased drastically.]

[Cold Resistance: 24%]

This same thing repeated until he finally reached the bank of the river, just one step behind the frozen surface.

And by the time he was there....

[Cold Resistance: 56%]

His resistance to cold had crossed 50%. His heart started to throb in excitement.

Leon looked at the river ahead. "This river... It’s quite mysterious. If I didn’t have this ability to adapt, I would have frozen into an ice statue by now for sure. If I jump into this river and go down deeper slowly, can I reach 100% cold resistance?" The thought boiled Leon’s blood in excitement.

But just then, when he was lost in his wild imagination, a loud, hungry hiss echoed behind him.

Hissssssssss!

Leon’s heart skipped a beat. He looked over his shoulder, and the scene made his face go white.

A gigantic reptilian creature was looking at him from the back. Its enormous body stretched across the frozen land in a zigzag pattern, extending well over a hundred meters into the distance. Even while resting on the ground, its height reached at least five meters. Its face resembled that of a serpent, but two massive horns curved out from its head like ancient blades. Long fangs protruded from its mouth, sharp enough to cleave through steel. The creature’s snow-white scales gleamed like polished metal beneath the pale light.

Its brown eyes were locked onto him.

"T-the serpent king?" Leon stammered.

The majestic creature raised its head high and screeched at Leon as if enraged by his words.

A wild gush of wind hit Leon. He was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth. He landed on the frozen surface of the river, bounced twice and slid back even more.

The terrifying creature slithered forward like lightning.

"System, the sword." Leon shouted hurriedly.

The panel appeared and started to move along with him. The hilt of the sword popped out.

He grabbed it hard and yanked it out.

The giant serpent was already before him. It thrust its head forward like a missile.

Leon somehow held the sword with both hands while sliding back, trying desperately not to die.

One hand holding the hilt, another palm resting behind the front portion of the blade.

The beast’s head struck the sword. It didn’t even last a second and shattered like a fragile glass.

Leon’s eyes widened with horror. Before he could plan or instinctively execute his next move, the monstrous head continued forward and struck him.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Multiple bones shattered instantly as Leon was shot backward like a cannon.

The serpent wasn’t done and tailed behind Leon.

’Damn it! Is this how I am going to die? I shouldn’t have come here. I shouldn’t have. What’s going to happen to Jenny? What will happen to Mom? Tears rolled down his face as familiar faces flashed before his eyes. He couldn’t even speak. All energy drained from his body.

His body slid to a stop.

The ferocious beast stopped before him. It raised its head, looming over him.

Hisssssss!

Its tongue danced outside.

’So much for Eternal’s Grace.’ Leon thought. ’This is how I die, huh?’

"You dare to cover my master’s sword?"

A melodious but intimidating voice echoed in Leon’s ears.

’What fucking sword is it talking about? Wait... It can....’ He couldn’t finish his thought as the monster’s gigantic tail came forward and slammed into him.

"Dieeeeeee."

Boom!

A loud bang echoed. Ice shards exploded outward, water splashing in every direction as Leon’s body was thrown into the water.

Leon’s vision faded as his body went deeper into the cold water.

And then...

Nothing...