After leaving the warehouse store.

Walfred pushed steadily forward through the blizzard with his goggles on. The cold seeped into his bones, but it was surprisingly bearable.

His physical abilities, enhanced by his awakening.

On top of that, [Frost Domain] further boosted his physical abilities, and [Cold Resistance] gave him some level of resistance to the brutal cold.

’Even so, I can’t keep walking forever.’

Plus, the sun would set soon.

Considering some monsters only became active after dark, it would be smart to find a decent spot nearby to hole up for the day.

As he was looking around.

’Oh, come to think of it...’

Wasn’t there a shopping mall around here?

Right after the world started freezing over.

The food and clothing inside had been picked clean by nearby survivors a long time ago, and now no one bothered with the building anymore.

A place like that would let him escape the blizzard, and he wouldn’t run into other people there either.

’Alright. Let’s head there.’

Walfred set his bearings and started walking.

Thanks to his enhanced physical abilities, he was plowing through the snow much faster than expected.

A short while later, the silhouette of a massive building emerged through the blizzard. Walfred forced his way against the frozen revolving door.

Screech! Crack!

The revolving door creaked unpleasantly as it moved, then shattered like breaking ice. Walfred kicked the door clear off and stepped inside.

The inside of the mall was empty.

The cold-weather goods had already been completely cleared out, and the mannequins, stripped of their display clothing, lay sprawled across the floor in a dreary state.

"It’s kind of creepy in here."

A place with no signs of life, just the sound of the wind blowing.

But Walfred actually welcomed the silence. No people meant no chance of getting tangled up in anything annoying.

’Definitely less cold than outside, but...’

It was still below freezing in here.

Bitter wind whistled through the cracks in the broken windows, and chunks of ice were scattered everywhere.

’I should head down to the basement after all.’

That should at least block the wind.

Walfred passed the completely stopped escalator and arrived on the basement level. A space that used to sell simple snacks and coffee.

Of course, every single item of food had been so thoroughly looted that not even a trace of them remained now.

Still, he was fine.

His backpack was full of canned goods.

"This place is livable enough."

It was the perfect spot to wait out until daybreak and the blizzard calmed down. Walfred decided on the area next to the basement bathrooms as his temporary base.

The reason was simple. Out of everywhere on the basement level, the area near the bathrooms was the least exposed to drafts.

After picking his spot.

Walfred headed back up to the ground floor.

’If I’m going to travel alone, I need to gear up.’

A lantern was a prime example.

With the ice age coming, the days had gotten shorter.

Plus, the inside of buildings without electricity was pitch black even in broad daylight. So for safety alone, having something to light the way was essential.

But ordinary battery-powered lanterns were useless. In cold this extreme, the batteries drained in an instant.

’Ideally, I’d love to find a solar-powered lantern, but...’

He wasn’t sure if any were still around.

But it was worth digging around to check.

Other useful items would include things like a compass, maps, or binoculars. With the backpack full of canned goods slung over his shoulder, Walfred started his search.

How much time had passed?

"Huh? This is..."

The fifth floor of the mall.

In the storage room of an outdoor goods store, he found a solar-powered headlamp and a high-magnification pair of binoculars.

Items shoved into a corner, either dropped by someone or simply overlooked.

Walfred grinned.

"Lucky me."

Probably from being stuck in storage so long, the lamp wasn’t working, but that wasn’t a concern.

Once tomorrow rolled around and it got some sunlight, it would shine like a charm. Walfred grabbed the headlamp and binoculars and headed back to the basement.

Outside, it was already getting dark.

’The sun’s about to set.’

Once it did, the inside of the mall would become so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Walfred moved quickly and reached the corner of the basement bathroom.

He gathered up boxes, torn curtains, and pieces of cloth lying around and laid them down thickly on the floor, completing a passable shelter.

"Well, this is pretty solid."

At least he wouldn’t freeze to death.

Maybe because he finally relaxed?

Growl!

A loud alarm rang out from his stomach.

Soon, an overwhelming hunger washed over him.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t been able to eat anything at the store earlier because Chaz had shown up out of nowhere.

His mind made up, Walfred opened the backpack.

Then he immediately frowned.

"...They’re all frozen solid."

Probably because of the extreme cold below negative 76 degrees.

Every can was hard as a rock. Both the contents and the exterior.

There was no way to open them with conventional methods, so Walfred let out a long sigh.

After thinking it over, Walfred made his way through the dark hallway to the ground floor. What he found there were countless chunks of ice covering the broken mannequins.

"Frozen Weapon."

In that instant.

Cold air gathered in his hand and formed an ice axe of suitable size.

This should be enough to break open a can.

Walfred picked up the ice axe and returned to his shelter. Then he brought it down forcefully on the canned ham sitting on the floor.

Whack!

The can crumpled and burst open in an instant.

The block of ham inside popped out like a rubber ball bouncing free. Of course, even that ham was frozen solid like a brick.

Even so, he had to eat this to survive.

Walfred grabbed the frozen-solid block of ham, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed with all his might.

Crunch crunch!

The taste was less than great.

How to put it? It didn’t taste like ham at all, more like chewing on a cold sponge. But thanks to his strengthened jaw muscles, the actual chewing and swallowing wasn’t that hard.

The moment he forced down the ham.

Ding!

[Experience gained.]

[Experience: +13.04%]

"...Huh?"

Walfred’s eyes widened.

Did he see that wrong? He’d eaten ham, but his experience went up. And by quite a lot, too.

"Don’t tell me..."

Was it because he ate frozen ham?

Did the system count it as ice?

’Then maybe other stuff too...?’

He should test it out.

So this time, he smashed open a frozen can of peaches with the ice axe. The moment he ate a piece that resembled a chunk of ice cream.

[Experience gained.]

[Experience: +10.63%]

"...!?"

Walfred’s eyes flashed.

He’d gotten a similar result to before.

Now he was certain. Not just snow or naturally formed ice, but ’frozen food’ also converted to experience.

"Wow, this is amazing."

Filling his stomach and leveling up.

He’d been getting sick of eating only snow and ice anyway. Walfred couldn’t hide his excitement and tore open every remaining can.

Tuna. Even canned corn.

After laying out a feast, Walfred started chowing down on the frozen contents.

Crunch crunch! Crackle!

And so began the wild eating frenzy.

Followed by familiar notifications.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

Every time food disappeared into his mouth, his level shot up. Walfred kept stuffing his face until he thought his stomach would burst.

And as a result.

Walfred reached Level 14.

"Burp. That hit the spot."

Just one more level and he’d unlock a new skill, but there was nothing left to eat.

There was no snow or ice nearby either.

More importantly, his stomach was packed.

’I’ll level up the rest tomorrow morning.’

Walfred rubbed his full belly and burrowed into the pile of boxes. Maybe because he was so full, his body temperature rose quickly and drowsiness washed over him.

’A lot happened today.’

Awakening as a Frost attribute hunter.

Getting an absolutely broken skill, and growing more than 10 levels in a single day. His first battle with Snow Wolves, and so on.

Realizing that the Frost attribute, which he’d thought was trash, wasn’t all that bad after all, Walfred drifted off to sleep quickly.

---

The next morning.

Waking up a little early, Walfred headed straight for the rooftop. There was only one reason. He was going to scoop up the snow piled high on the roof.

’I’m thirsty, and I need to level up.’

For times like this, nothing beats snow.

Walfred climbed the stopped escalator and pushed open the door to the rooftop.

In that instant.

Whoosh!

The moment the door opened, the snow piled up outside came pouring in like a waterfall. The sheer weight pushed Walfred backward.

Looking at the white snow that quickly piled up to his waist, Walfred broke into a satisfied smile.

"I won’t have to worry about experience for a while."

Alright then, time to dig in?

Walfred grabbed a big handful of snow and stuffed it into his mouth. The cool snow soothed his thirst as it slid down his throat.

[Experience gained.]

[Experience: +6.52%]

"Yeah, this gives way more."

Eating snow was more efficient than taking down a Snow Wolf. Walfred chuckled to himself and got down to seriously eating snow.

Crunch! Crackle!

Gulp!

How much had he eaten?

By the time his thirst was quenched and the inside of his mouth started feeling cold. The notification he’d been waiting for appeared.

[Level up!]

[You’ve reached Level 15.]

[A new skill slot is being unlocked.]

"There it is!"

Walfred stared into the air with a tense expression.

He clasped his hands together and prayed earnestly.

’Please! Let it be a real combat skill this time. And ideally, something for ranged attacks...!’

[Frozen Weapon] was good, but melee weapons came with serious risks in combat.

So he desperately needed a skill that could attack or suppress enemies from a distance. And it seemed his prayers had finally been answered this time.

[A new skill has been acquired.]

▷ Combat: Ice Needle (Lv.1)

"...!"

The name itself was an attack skill.

Holding back the urge to whoop with joy, Walfred checked the skill’s detailed information.

-----

[Combat: Ice Needle (Lv.1)]

[Forms snow and ice within range into the shape of needles to attack enemies.]

[The ice needles are influenced by [Passive: Cold Emission], boosting their power and effects.]

▷ Mana cost: 10 per needle

▷ Required materials: Snow or ice

▷ Activation range: 16-foot radius

▷ Activation command: ’Launch’

▶ Maximum count: 10

-----

"F-finally...!"

The ranged attack skill he’d wanted had appeared.

The mana cost wasn’t too bad either, and most importantly, the required materials were lying around everywhere. He could fire away nonstop until his mana ran out if he wanted to.

Right then.

[Combat: ’Ice Needle’ effect increased]

[Mana cost: 10 → 5]

[Activation range: 16 ft → 32 ft]

[Maximum count: 10 → 20]

The effects of [Frost Domain] doubled the [Ice Needle] skill’s effects.

"Whoa... that’s insane."

5 mana per ice needle.

The cost-to-power ratio was insane. He was itching to test out the skill’s performance right away.

"...Oh!"

Just then, the mannequins lying around on the floor below came to mind. Walfred immediately brought a few of them up to the rooftop.

With that, his preparations were complete.

Walfred began the test.

"Ice Needle."

The instant he called out the skill name.

The piled-up snow and ice fragments around him rose into the air and quickly took the shape of needles.

Twenty in total.

The ice needles moved in perfect coordination according to Walfred’s will. Walfred pointed at the mannequins and uttered the activation command.

"Launch."

The moment his command came down, the ice needles flew off at a blistering speed, raining down like a hailstorm.

Thwack! Thwack thwack!

The ice needles immediately punched into the mannequins.

How was the power?

’It’s kind of underwhelming.’

It wasn’t a full piercing, more like the needles were embedded halfway through the plastic outer shell. With this, breaking through Snow Wolf hide would be tough.

’Could be useful for harassment, though...’

Ice needles flying in unpredictably from any direction would definitely keep an enemy on edge.

But it wasn’t quite enough for a finishing blow.

As he made a complicated face about it. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Huh?"

[Passive: ’Cold Emission’ activated]

[Ice Needle is being enhanced by ’Passive: Cold Emission.’]

[Skill effect has been enhanced.]

Along with a now-familiar system notification.

Something unexpected suddenly happened.