Meanwhile, around the same time.

On the path leading to the summit of the ice mountain.

Walfred climbed the steep ice wall at speed with Elsa cradled in his arms. Thanks to his enhanced physical abilities, the ascent was a piece of cake.

How long had he been climbing?

Just before reaching the summit, a familiar vortex came swirling into view.

’That’s...’

The liberated gate he’d seen in Elsa’s memories.

But there was something different from before.

The gate’s entrance wasn’t glowing red. It was shimmering a vivid blue. And there was only one thing that change could mean.

’It means the gate’s been fully cleared.’

Most gates aren’t considered cleared until the Boss Monster is exterminated. Which meant his earlier theory had just been confirmed.

’I knew it. That thing was the gate boss.’

A-rank Elite Monster, Bone Drake.

Walfred glanced toward the spot where its remains lay, then resumed climbing the ice wall.

Some time later.

Walfred finally reached the summit.

"Oh..."

A gasp escaped him involuntarily.

The hole he’d just climbed out of.

Around the massive, crater-like opening, he saw a landscape blanketed in snow that swirled with blue light.

"Hehe, told you so!"

Elsa pointed at the mounds of pure mana snow piled around the crater and beamed. Walfred nodded and surveyed the area.

’If I eat all of that...’

He might be able to break through Level 60 today. His eyes sparkled at the prospect. Right about then, Elsa threw both hands in the air.

"There’s a ton, so let’s eat together!"

"Eat together?"

"Yeah! I wanna eat too."

Oh, right.

Elsa had Frost Feast too, didn’t she?

And on top of that, Elsa’s Frost Feast only activated when she ate pure mana snow. Walfred nodded and grinned.

"Sure. Let’s eat together."

"Yeah!"

Right after her bright reply.

Elsa dove into the pile of snow. Walfred settled into a spot as well and began shoveling snow into his mouth.

[You have consumed pure mana snow.]

[Health has been greatly restored.]

[Bonus experience gained.]

[Experience: +2.31% (Bonus +13.33%)]

Since he’d hit Level 48, the amount of bonus experience had dropped considerably, but it was still generous by any standard.

Crunch, crunch!

The more he chewed the snow, the more a cool, refreshing sensation filled his mouth.

Elsa scooped snow with her small hands and ate it steadily, bite by bite. Walfred grabbed big handfuls and dumped them into his mouth.

How much time had passed?

The towering mounds of snow slowly began to show the ground beneath. And finally, when they’d eaten nearly all of it.

’I’m... I’m gonna throw up...’

He was hitting his limit.

His stomach was swollen to the point of bursting. His head was pounding and his gut was churning like crazy.

But he couldn’t stop.

’I can’t waste something this precious.’

Walfred ate with everything he had.

And the moment he swallowed the very last handful.

Gulp!

[Level up!]

[You’ve reached Level 58.]

"Urgh."

Walfred collapsed flat on his back, clutching his stomach.

His current level was 58.

Exactly 10 levels higher than when he’d started eating snow at the summit.

’Ten levels in half a day.’

It was insane growth.

Meanwhile, Elsa, who’d been diligently scooping up snow herself, also lay down and patted her plump belly.

"Phew, I’m stuffed."

Elsa had eaten quite a lot too.

He’d effectively split the experience with her, but he didn’t mind.

If it weren’t for Elsa, he never would’ve known there was snow up here in the first place. And if Elsa got stronger, it would benefit him too.

Whoooosh!

Just then, a wind kicked up.

Accompanied by a rather harsh blizzard. Walfred stared in the direction the fierce wind was blowing from.

’When I first came here, I genuinely thought I might freeze to death...’

Not anymore.

Far from freezing to death, it actually felt refreshing. Thanks to his Cold Resistance leveling up and the Blessing of the Frost Dragon still being active.

’Cold isn’t a problem anymore.’

If he could handle this even in temperatures below negative 150 degrees, then outside the White Dome, he could probably get by wearing just a coat.

If he exaggerated a little, he might even be able to walk around in a T-shirt and shorts with flip-flops. A quiet chuckle escaped him at the silly thought.

"Daddy, Daddy."

Elsa tugged at his collar.

Then she held out some leftover snow crumbs she’d scraped together at some point.

"There’s a little left. Here, Daddy, you eat it."

"Thanks, sweetheart."

She’d even gathered the last crumbs for him.

What a thoughtful kid.

Walfred let out a small laugh and tossed the snow crumbs into his mouth.

And right at that moment.

Ding!

[Skill proficiency has reached maximum.]

[Skill level has increased.]

[Unique: Frost Feast (Lv.2) → (Lv.3)]

"Hm?"

Frost Feast’s skill level had gone up.

Walfred tilted his head.

It felt like just the other day he’d hit Level 2. It had already leveled up again?

’Is it because of the pure mana snow?’

Since it gave far more experience than regular snow, it must have boosted the proficiency a lot too.

Of course, that was just speculation with no real evidence.

Either way, a higher Frost Feast level meant more experience gained, so it was a good thing in the end.

And then.

[A Special Ability is being unlocked.]

[Iron Physique]

A Frost Feast Special Ability had been unlocked.

Walfred’s eyes went wide.

’Right, come to think of it...’

Level 3, Level 5, Level 7.

He’d been told that Special Abilities would unlock once a skill reached those thresholds, right?

Walfred opened the skill information.

-----

[Unique: Frost Feast (Lv.3)]

[Gain experience by eating ice or snow.]

[Special Ability]

▶Iron Physique

[When eating ice or snow, there is a (3)% chance that base physical abilities are permanently enhanced.]

[The probability increases as skill level rises.]

▶Unlock condition: Skill Level 5

▶Unlock condition: Skill Level 7

-----

Iron Physique’s effect was straightforward.

Eating ice or snow granted experience along with a small chance of physical enhancement. That was it.

"Three percent, huh..."

The odds were pretty low.

But there was one detail that made the low probability irrelevant: the fact that the physical enhancements were permanent.

’Before, I was forcing myself to eat snow for the experience. Now I’ll have to live with snow and ice in my mouth just for grinding stats, too.’

Walfred smirked.

The odds were low, sure, but it was clearly a satisfying ability regardless.

’Wait.’

Then Elsa suddenly crossed his mind.

Elsa also had Frost Feast, and she’d eaten the pure mana snow right alongside him.

Could she have gained something new too?

"Elsa."

"Compared to before you ate the snow, is anything different? Like, did you get stronger, or..."

"Hmm, I dunno."

Elsa shook her head.

In that case, there was only one thing to do.

Check for himself. Walfred looked into Elsa’s eyes and opened her status.

And.

"Huh?"

-----

[Name]: Elsa

[Level]: 58 (Resonance)

[Species]: Dragonkin - Pureblood

[Mana]: 58,000

[Trait]: Frost Feast

[Skills]: Blessing of the Frost Dragon, Frost Dragon’s Roar, Shared Sight, Polymorph, Frost Immunity, Cold Immunity, Frost Resonance

-----

’Frost Resonance?’

A skill he hadn’t seen before.

Elsa’s Frost Feast had a low chance of granting new skills when she ate, so she must have picked this one up from the snow just now.

Walfred immediately checked the details.

-----

[Passive: Frost Resonance]

[You will not be attacked first by any frost-attribute monster. This effect is shared with all targets under the effect of [Blessing of the Frost Dragon].]

-----

It hit him right away.

This was the frost-attribute version of the Ring of the Decaying One. And the fact that it shared its effect with anyone under the Blessing of the Frost Dragon was a nice bonus.

’Which means...’

The monster that was Walfred’s absolute worst matchup.

He no longer had to fight Ice Golems if he didn’t want to. He could even avoid battles with frost-attribute monsters of an even higher rank.

’Not bad.’

Walfred smiled in satisfaction.

Just then.

"Yaaawn."

Elsa let out a big yawn.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she nestled into Walfred’s arms and whined.

"Daddyyy..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"...I’m sleepy."

Her eyelids drooped like lead.

Having eaten snow until her belly was ready to burst, she was getting drowsy. Walfred nodded and gently patted his knee.

"All right. Go to sleep."

"Mm. Good night, Daddy..."

The moment Elsa laid her head on Walfred’s knee, she was out cold.

Soft, steady breathing.

Walfred gently brushed back Elsa’s silver hair.

"We’ll rest today and head out tomorrow."

There was nothing left to do in the White Dome.

He’d exterminated the Bone Drake, and they’d eaten all the pure mana snow.

Walfred’s gaze turned south.

And he recalled the words he’d heard from Jonah, the leader of the Silicon Alley Shelter.

’He said you’d need to be at least a B-rank hunter to walk across the ocean to Key West.’

The requirement for B-rank was Level 80.

He’d need to level up at least 20 more times from where he was now. Walfred silently clenched and unclenched his fist over and over.

’I’m strong enough now.’

He’d taken down an A-rank Elite by himself.

Sure, he’d had help from Elsa, but since he planned to stay with her from here on out, it didn’t matter.

And so Walfred made his decision.

The time had come.

’Let’s head to Key West.’

To find Jenna, his one and only niece.

With his resolve set, Walfred quietly gazed out at the blizzard-swept expanse of the White Dome.