Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Northern Expedition - 7
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"The rules of the contest are that the side who shoots down the most birds with a single bow draw wins."
"Those aren't easy conditions."
Anyone who had ever even drawn a bow once would know just how hard it was to hit a target. Especially a tiny bird flying through the sky? And multiple birds at that, all with one draw?
"But with skills like that, it seems like they would've gotten revenge on the Frost Claw tribe ages ago."
"According to Vivian, the Icicle Arrow tribe has special arrows passed down as a secret family technique."
"So it's all down to item power, huh."
"Item power?"
"It's a term for the strength of equipment. Hunters use it."
"I see."
As Sylvia had explained, the man who appeared to be the Icicle Arrow tribe's great warrior nocked three blue arrows onto his bowstring at once and let them fly. The three tiny arctic birds soaring overhead were struck down.
'That's just lame.'
It was supposed to be a contest of archery skill, but they were relying on item power instead of pure bowmanship. Sian couldn't help but scoff inwardly.
As he grimaced at the blatantly unfair match, Camilla, who had been watching from beside him, spoke up.
"Are you worried?"
"About what?"
"About Miss Clara losing, of course. From the looks of things, it won't be easy for her."
"No way."
"You trust her that much?"
"Of course. Why else would I have brought her along?"
As a hunter, Clara was Sian's first disciple. She never squandered the knowledge he passed on to her and always lived up to expectations as his partner. She even had real talent.
"Look. She's my number one partner."
Clara carefully observed the arctic birds before slowly drawing her bowstring.
"Just one arrow?"
The moment Camilla voiced her puzzlement, Clara loosed the shot.
Suddenly, one bird shot upward, followed by another swooping in—and then a third, startled by the sight of Clara's arrow hurtling toward it.
Three birds in total. That was Clara's haul from a single draw.
'Impressive.'
Just when it seemed the feat was done, the arrow Clara had fired suddenly veered—as if caught by the wind—and took down one more bird.
"What was that? The last one looked unnatural."
"It's aura."
This time, Camilla provided the explanation.
"Aura? Clara's mastered aura?"
"It's still weak, but she can at least imbue a single arrow with it."
"That's amazing... But wait, couldn't you knights do the same?"
When Sian pressed her, Camilla replied curtly.
"No. Miss Clara's aura is a different yellow hue from mine, carrying the property of longing. Think of it as accuracy enhancement."
"So each aura color has its own unique property?"
"Yes. The blue aura our knights wield embodies calm for delivering ultimate strikes."
Camilla's explanation made Sian's stomach ache. The more he heard, the more he envied the endless possibilities of aura.
I want aura too! If I had aura, I'd be several times stronger than I am now!
As he inwardly despaired, Sylvia, who had been translating beside him, suddenly sputtered.
"Oh my, oh my?"
"Sylvia, what's wrong?"
"Well... Clara's getting proposed to by that great warrior from their tribe!"
"Huh?"
Sian couldn't understand the northern tongue, but the excited warrior charging at Clara, grabbing her hand, and gazing at her with longing eyes told him everything. The guy had clearly fallen hard for her.
This bastard?
BAM!
Sian bolted straight toward Clara.
...
In summary, they couldn't secure the Icicle Arrow tribe's cooperation. The reason? Sian had nearly beaten their great warrior to death.
"You didn't know, but beating someone like that—what were you thinking?"
"What can I say? He should be grateful I didn't kill him for touching my woman."
Camilla scolded Sian, but he brushed it off without a second thought. He clearly had no regrets about his choice.
It bordered on rude and barbaric.
'Hehe.'
But Clara loved Sian's attitude.
Especially the word "woman." It filled the self-esteem she'd lost during the expedition!
"Clara, your mouth's about to reach your ears."
"I-it is?"
"Mom gets it completely. How commanding Sian was earlier. Even I felt my heart racing just standing nearby."
A woman was naturally drawn to a man who tried to protect her. It was instinct. No matter how capable a man was, if he didn't protect her, she'd have to find someone who would. In that sense, Sian was the ultimate man. He'd defend his woman no matter what.
Sure, it could stir up trouble, but that was fine. Sian had the skill to overcome it.
Just like now.
...
"In the end, we're back to square one."
Sian replied nonchalantly to Camilla's irritated words.
"We still got something out of it."
The black spear from the Molar Tribe that allowed unlimited throws. The ice arrows from the Icicle Arrow Tribe.
They'd acquired rare items impossible to find in some rural backwater—all in a single day.
"And clues about the Frost Flower Tribe too."
"Those clues were a huge help, for sure."
From the Icicle Arrow Tribe, they'd learned the location where the Frost Flower Tribe survivors were hiding. And the Frost Flower Tribe was the one with a shaman who could wield the expedition's most vital resource, burning ice.
Sylvia's tribe.
Maybe he'd even meet Sylvia's relatives this time.
"Sian, over there!"
"Figures the path wouldn't be easy."
The Frost Flower Tribe was hiding in the northern ice flats.
It wasn't the coldest spot in the north, but it was still a place that made you hesitate to approach.
The reason why...
"It looks like it's about to collapse."
"Don't say scary things like that."
The vast ice flat was riddled with cracks that made it seem like it could shatter at any moment.
"Just kidding. Ha... what a pain."
Without intense combat, they could cross without issue using the Foot Clan sleds.
But the world rarely let things go that smoothly.
"Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!"
A pack burst in, barking wildly as they ambushed the group.
"Kyaaak!"
"Sian!"
"Yeah, Vivian's reaction says it all."
A band clad in pure white wolf pelts. True to their tribe's name, they wielded weapons shaped like claws. It was the Frost Claw Tribe, the north's notorious troublemakers.
"Hero, we can't fight here."
"I know. But those guys don't seem to care."
Beneath the ice—fragile enough to crack unpredictably—lurked a lake of unknown depth, an abyssal void. Fighting on thin ice like this? It could spell death for everyone.
Yet the foes charged in on their wolves as if high on some drug, their movements fierce and unrelenting.
"Sian, I'll clean them up."
"No, Clara—save the ice arrows."
The ice arrows from the Icicle Arrow Tribe were limited in number. They'd have to fight trolls again in the snowfields ahead; Sian didn't want to waste them here.
"I'll handle it with sword aura instead."
"Don't. You might shatter the ice."
Camilla stepped forward, but Sian held her back.
With her skill, she could dispatch the approaching Frost Claw warriors easily—but her sharp sword aura risked cracking the ice.
After some thought, Sian turned to Helen, who was quietly observing the situation.
"Helen, can you make a miracle barrier?"
"A barrier? Yes, I can. But is it necessary in this situation...? Do you have some clever plan?"
"To threaten the wolves they're riding."
"Pardon?... Understood. O most benevolent goddess of warmth, shelter us in your care."
"O most benevolent goddess of warmth, shelter us in your care."
⟨ Barrier Miracle ⟩
Helen was puzzled but promptly worked the miracle as requested. Sian warned everyone to cover their ears, and the instant Helen's barrier went up...
"!!!!!!!"
Sian unleashed a roar mimicking the Black Tiger. The Frost Claw tribe fainted alongside the wolves they rode.
"Their mental fortitude is weaker than I thought."
Helen stared in stunned silence before murmuring in a trembling voice.
"How...? How do you wield the authority of a superior species?"
"Explanations later—let's get out of here... Wait, no?"
Sian whipped around at the sudden unpleasant gaze. Even here, the Titan Mountains loomed in view—and from them, the worst, strongest prey of all fixed its stare on him.
'You perverted bastard—even from this distance?'
But it showed no sign of venturing out this far; the gaze gradually faded.
'Eavesdropping creep—ears sharper than they should be.'
If he used an imitated roar like that again, the beast would come charging. But as expected, it wouldn't leave the Dark Forest.
As they escaped the ice flats, Helen asked Sian.
"Ugh... Sian, what in the world have you been up to? How did you end up targeted by the Sky-Swallowing Tiger?"