SSS Frost Sovereign: Rewinding The Apocalypse!-Chapter 33: Deception

"But I overheard them say it was a scavenger spawn."

Katar harrumphed.

"There is no such thing as a scavenger spawn," he said flatly. "I have never heard of one before."

Then he rose to his feet.

"Alright. I will now teach you how to condense and integrate the mana essence you all accumulated today."

Icard summoned a familiar panel then, as it flickered before his eyes.

[Attribute Status]

[Strength: F]

[Agility: F]

[Endurance: F+]

[Mana Pool: F]

[Total Acquired AP: 118]

’I see. I only managed to kill fifty one, and then the queen,’ Icard thought.

Another prompt appeared.

[Core Stone Assimilation Completed. Would You Like To See Your Rewards?]

’Oh, this’

In truth, he had barely processed the fact that assimilating core stones benefited him so much. Wester had occupied his thoughts far too much.

’Yes.’

A new panel unfolded.

[Rewards:]

[Ant Lizard Core Stone Fully Assimilated]

[New Attribute Acquired: Hard Frost Armor]

[Classification: Second Floor Attribute]

[Passive Defense Increased]

[Cold Resistance Enhanced]

’Hmph. So it only measured up to the second floor,’ he thought.

’I wonder how far this one will take me.’

Attribute extraction was a part of Erient’s system and it was only possible from core stones.

This was another aspect of his system that got him beyond the reaches of others.

Then, his attention shifted to his accumulated points.

’This is tricky,’ he thought. ’I can raise all my attributes to E grade, but...’

His gaze lingered on his mana pool.

He knew exactly how badly it had held him back today. Running dry mid fight was not something he could afford again.

Raising it by a grade or two would cost sixty AP and that would leave him with fifty eight.

Icard huffed quietly.

His eyes drifted next to agility.

’I definitely need my agility up. Then my strength.’

After thinking for a brief moment, he made his decision.

[AP Distribution]

[Strength: +20 AP]

[Agility: +20 AP]

[Mana Pool: +60 AP]

After which, another panel flickered into existence.

[Attribute Status]

[Strength: E]

[Agility: E]

[Endurance: F+]

[Mana Pool: D]

[Remaining AP: 18]

Knowing he was already crossing paths with Wester, a confrontation was inevitable.

But unlike in his first turn, he was certain which attributes would matter most.

"Icard."

Eric’s voice snapped him back to reality.

---

Later that night, one of Albert’s men stepped out of the infirmary.

His body was wrapped in layers of bandages, each movement tugging at fresh pain left behind by the plague earlier that day.

Despite it, he slipped outside quietly, seeking a moment of solitude.

The area had been newly constructed under the mayor’s direction. Stone pathways still smelled of fresh mortar and lantern posts lined the walkways in careful symmetry.

Unfinished buildings loomed nearby with scaffolding still clinging to their sides. It was orderly, but unfinished, like the city itself.

He stood there for a while, in thought.

And then he felt it - someone was watching him.

He startled, stumbling back before his eyes landed on Wester.

"Oh. You," he said, exhaling sharply. "What the hell. You’re that guy."

Recognition followed quickly. Marcus had introduced him days ago.

"It’s Wester," Wester corrected casually. "You’re Draik, right?"

"Yeah," the young man replied.

Wester studied him openly.

"Hmm. You are quite damaged," he said.

Draik let out a tired sigh.

"Honestly, I’m just glad I survived."

Wester chuckled.

"Well, this time, you did."

Draik laughed lightly at that, but the sound faded quickly. His shoulders sagged. His gaze drifted away, fixed on nothing in particular.

It was the look of someone who had reached his limit and knew it.

Wester noticed and he sighed as well.

"You’re feeling powerless," Wester said. "I understand that."

Draik glanced at him. Wester’s face was half lit by the infirmary’s glow, and the shadows carved his expression into something unreadable.

"But what if I help you out of that misery?" Wester continued.

Draik frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Here," Wester said, stretching his right hand toward Draik and opening his fist.

A dark purple stone lay in his palm, glowing faintly. Its surface pulsed like a slow heartbeat.

"What... is that?" Draik muttered, taking an uneasy step back.

Wester laughed softly.

"This is power, Draik," he said, his voice lowering into a hiss.

Draik stared at it, unable to look away.

"Is that... a core stone?" he mumbled.

Wester laughed again, louder this time.

"It is more than a core stone. This one was made just for you. It can lift you to heights you never believed you could reach."

Draik swallowed. "How... how did you get something like this?"

Wester huffed.

"Will you keep asking questions," he said coolly, "or will you take what I am offering?"

Draik looked at the stone again.

Darkness seeped from it in thin waves, cold and heavy. Yet strangely inviting that it stirred something deep inside him, whispering promises of strength and never being helpless again.

"Take it," Wester said.

Draik hesitated.

Then, despite himself, he stepped forward.

Slowly, he reached out and took the stone from Wester’s hand.

Wester’s smile widened, warm on the surface but with something rotten hiding beneath it.

"Crush it with your ability," Wester said, his tone casual and almost gentle.

Draik clenched his hand.

The stone shattered instantly.

Purple essence burst outward, breaking into fine particles before streaming directly into Draik’s body.

"Wh... what is this?" Draik gasped as energy flooded him.

"Wait for it," Wester said calmly.

The power continued to surge, spreading through Draik’s veins like liquid fire.

Then the pain struck.

Draik dropped to his knees with a strangled cry. Vapour poured from his skin as his muscles spasmed violently.

"What did you give me?!" he shouted, his voice raw with panic and agony bleeding through every word.

"Patience," Wester replied coldly. "Your answers are coming."

The pain raged on, tearing through him until it finally subsided, slowly.

Draik collapsed forward, panting, with a faint purple glow still seeping rom his skin.

Slowly, he realized something was... different.

The pain was gone. All of it.

"Do you feel it now?" Wester asked.

Draik pushed himself up, confusion etched across his face.

"I..." he muttered, then began tearing the bandages from his body.

And beneath them was unbroken skin. No burns, no wounds and no scars.

"I’m healed?" he whispered.

"I gave you more than healing," Wester said softly. "You are nothing like the man you were earlier."

Draik looked at him again, unsettled.

"How? Where did you even get something like this? I thought core stones only came from spawns."

Wester laughed.

"And who decided that?" he said, taking a few steps back.

Draik stared at his hands.

"I feel... different," he said quietly. "Stronger, lighter. Like my body isn’t holding me back anymore."

Wester hummed.

"You are definitely stronger now," he said. "But this is only the beginning."

He turned away.

"How?" Draik asked, the word slipping out before he could stop himself.

Wester paused, then huffed softly.

"We will meet again, Draik."

And with that, he vanished into the darkness, leaving Draik standing alone, staring at his hands, with his heart pounding, and his mind spiraling.

---

Wester walked farther from the infirmary.

Night had fully settled, although lanterns still burned along the streets and figures moved quietly between buildings.

He slipped into a narrow alley, stone walls closing in on either side, accompanied by dampness with shadow and silence.

Then, a voice spoke from above.

"Well done, Wester."

The Erwald stood perched on a fence, watching him.

Wester grinned, his expression sharp and predatory.

"It was easier than I expected," he said. "He assimilated it completely. My forged core."

The Erwald was blue scaled, with a white mane running from the back of its head down to its tail.

Its body resembled a small, scaly hare, elegant and deceptively gentle in appearance.

Yet its eyes held a deep, unsettling darkness that betrayed its true nature.

Wester clenched his fist slowly, staring ahead.

"Now," he said quietly, "I just need more."