In other words, the possibility that it had appeared alongside the Nest of the Frost Dragon when it formed at Tech Row Station.

Of course, this too was nothing more than a hypothesis, and for now it was a hard question to resolve. Walfred shook his head and brushed away the stray thoughts.

’Enough thinking about this.’

Instead, he decided to examine the detailed effects of Elsa’s trait, Frost Feast.

He wanted to confirm whether it had the same abilities as his own unique skill, [Frost Feast].

-----

[Trait: Frost Feast]

[A unique trait possessed by purebred Frost Dragons.]

[Eating snow or ice of pure mana accelerates growth and increases the mana pool.]

[Additionally, some physical abilities are enhanced, and there is a low chance of acquiring a new skill.]

-----

"This is..."

It was quite different from Walfred’s Frost Feast.

Unlike Walfred, who could eat any snow or ice at all, Elsa’s trait only activated when she ate snow or ice of pure mana.

And the additional rewards gained from eating snow and ice were completely different, too.

’Then again, this version of Frost Feast might actually be better for Elsa.’

Since Elsa’s level was synced with Walfred’s, she didn’t particularly need experience.

Rather, having her physical abilities enhanced or acquiring new skills would be far more beneficial.

Walfred wore a look of understanding.

Just then,

Boom! Crrrash!

Part of the Bone Drake’s remains, not far off, came crumbling down. Watching the sight, a memory he’d forgotten suddenly came back to him.

"...Ah!"

Walfred’s eyes went wide.

He glanced around and muttered,

"Right. The Drake’s loot...?"

The reward he’d gained from exterminating the Bone Drake.

He remembered picking up quite a lot of loot besides the enormous pile of coins. But the spot where the Bone Drake had been was full of nothing but its remains.

There was no sign of anything that looked like loot.

That was when,

"I gathered it all up!"

Had she heard Walfred’s mutterings?

Elsa pointed to the ice wall where she’d brought the snow of pure mana earlier. A moment later, when he went over there with Elsa, the loot really had been gathered there.

"Well? Did I do good?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Hehe."

Walfred grinned and stroked Elsa’s head. Then he examined the Bone Drake’s loot she’d collected ahead of time, one piece at a time.

’First off, 100,000 coins.’

Even adding up all the coins he’d gathered so far, it didn’t reach 10,000, yet he’d earned more than ten times that in one go.

But he had no immediate use for it, so Walfred turned his eyes to the other loot. Among it, what captured his attention were two skill books.

Walfred opened the first skill book.

And then, a moment later,

Flash!

Along with a burst of light, the skill book vanished.

Afterward, the identity of the new skill was revealed.

-----

[Combat: Frost Nova (Lv.1)]

[Releases a powerful wave of frost within a radius centered on the caster, inflicting freeze and slow status effects on all enemies.]

[If snow or ice is present nearby, ice spikes erupt to deal additional damage, and frost-attribute damage taken is doubled.]

▷Mana cost: 700

▷Activation range: 33-foot radius

▷Slow effect: -30% (lasts 20 seconds)

▷Freeze duration: 5 seconds

▶Cooldown: 15 minutes

-----

The first skill he’d acquired was an area-of-effect attack skill.

Judging by the skill name [Frost Nova] and its effects, it looked like a frost-attribute version of the [Flame Nova] that Jonah had used earlier.

What stood out was that, unlike the other skills he’d acquired before, this one had a cooldown added.

And.

’I finally got a slow skill.’

Frost Nova had an effect that inflicted slow on the target.

It meant he’d acquired, for the first time, the slow-related skill that Mina had mentioned before, the kind a frost-attribute Hunter supposedly had by default.

Now he wouldn’t get nagged about not having a slow skill. Just as Walfred was shrugging his shoulders,

Ding!

[’Frost Domain’s’ effect is being applied.]

[’Frost Nova’ is being enhanced.]

[Mana cost: 700 → 350]

[Activation range: 33 feet → 66 feet]

[Frost Domain]’s skill enhancement had been applied.

The mana cost dropped and the range doubled, but there were things that hadn’t changed, namely,

the freeze duration and the slow effect.

’So that means even if the skill level rises, the freeze duration and slow stay the same.’

Walfred nodded quietly.

When he then opened the second skill book, this time too the skill information was revealed along with a halo of light.

-----

[Combat: Icicle Chaser (Lv.1)]

[Creates icicles that chase down a designated target to the end. Upon striking the target, it inflicts a slow status effect, and this effect stacks.]

▷Mana cost: 300 each

▷Maximum count: 5

▷Activation command: ’Chase’

▷Slow effect: -10%

(lasts 60 seconds / up to 10 stacks)

▶Cooldown: 25 minutes

This was an attack skill again.

A ranged attack skill with a homing function.

Like the [Frost Nova] he’d acquired beforehand, this one had a cooldown as well.

Just then,

-----

[’Icicle Chaser’ is being enhanced.]

[Mana cost: 300 → 150]

[Maximum count: 5 → 10]

Once again, [Frost Domain]’s skill enhancement effect kicked in and the skill was strengthened. Having looked over the detailed skill description, Walfred narrowed his eyes.

"Hmm."

Aside from the homing function and the slow effect, it didn’t seem much different from Ice Needle.

On the other hand, the mana cost was far higher.

So did that mean its power was different?

’Should I give it a test?’

Walfred rose to his feet.

His target was the solid ice wall far off in the distance. Keeping his eyes on it, he stretched out his hand toward the empty air.

"Icicle Chaser."

Crrk!

A massive icicle soon formed.

A shape that looked thicker and harder than anything an Ice Needle could compare to. With his eyes fixed on the ice wall, Walfred spoke the command.

"Chase."

And in that instant,

Vwoooom!

Ten icicles began spinning furiously in midair. Then, the moment their spin reached its limit, the icicles launched.

And a moment later,

Kaboooom!

The ice wall exploded with a tremendous roar.

When the smoke cleared afterward, what lay revealed was the ice wall, now vanished without a trace, and an enormous hole.

The power exceeded anything he’d imagined.

’With this much, I could probably send your average D-rank monster packing in a single hit?’

Walfred clicked his tongue in amazement.

The mana cost was considerable, but it more than earned its keep. With a satisfied smile, Walfred finished testing the skill.

’Next up...’

It was time to check the physical loot.

The first thing among it to catch his eye was a lump of meat as wrinkled as a dried prune.