The Altar of Frost
The white orc did not lose his way, even in the midst of the raging blizzard.
It was as if this snowy mountain were his own backyard.
...I'd better stay on my guard.
Given the terrain, he has the clear advantage.
He might try to betray me, so I can't afford to let my guard down.
The white orc glanced back at me as he led the way.
"B-but..."
"What?"
The white orc flinched, startled by my brief reply.
"Are... are you going to keep bringing that thing along...?"
He pointed behind me.
When I turned around, a small creature scrambled to hide about ten paces away.
The problem was that its hiding spot was completely useless.
It had only buried its head, leaving its wiggling rear end fully exposed.
...Just how long does it plan on following me?
It was the baby ice bear.
I already knew it was tailing us.
However, I had simply left it alone since there was no real reason to stop it.
"Mind your own business and just lead the way."
"U-understood..."
Completely dispirited, the white orc resumed walking.
"How much longer?"
"S-soon, human. Once we cross that path up ahead..."
Where the white orc pointed, a bridge of ice spanned the gap between two snowy peaks.
That looks incredibly dangerous.
It was incomparable to anything we had crossed so far.
Cracks ran through the ice here and there.
One slip of the foot, and it would be a straight drop to the grave.
"Once we cross this path, the altar will be right there," the white orc said, his voice sounding noticeably lighter.
He seemed excited by the thought that his job would be over once he guided me to the altar.
"Is that so..."
I muttered, staring at the icy bridge.
Up close, it looked even more terrifying.
Below was a sheer cliff. A fall meant instant death.
"Hmm."
The Blink skill from my Echo Walker boots was useful, but it had its limits here.
The bridge was far too long, and if I slipped, using Blink might actually make things more dangerous.
So, what should I do?
"Hey."
Of course, the answer was already decided.
"Take them off."
I poked the white orc's back with the hilt of my sword.
"T-take them off...?! H-human! We are of different species!"
What kind of nonsense was he spouting now?
"Are you insane? I meant your boots."
"Huh?"
"Take off your boots, you bastard."
Looking embarrassed, the white orc took off his boots.
What a ridiculous bastard.
I temporarily took off my Echo Walker boots and slipped into the white orc's footwear.
Sure enough, they had spikes embedded in the soles like crampons, making them completely slip-resistant.
They didn't seem to be a special item, just traditional white orc footwear.
Perhaps because they lived in the polar regions, the craftsmanship was excellent.
"B-but without my boots..."
"Without them, what?"
"It is too slippery to move forward..."
"Do you want to die instead?"
"No. I will go."
The white orc silently began to walk ahead.
Why couldn't he just listen from the start?
I couldn't understand why he always had to talk back.
Shivering violently, the white orc stumbled but made his way across the icy path.
He was walking just fine.
The bastard was just whining.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
I followed behind the white orc.
These boots were great. I could probably even run in them. Heh.
And ten paces behind us, the baby ice bear carefully followed.
But seriously, how long was it going to tag along?
"..."
Well, it wasn't my concern.
I didn't really feel like killing it either.
The mood had passed, so to speak. The ice bear slaughter fest was already over.
"Pant, pant...!"
The white orc rushed across the last stretch of the icy bridge, collapsing on the other side to catch his breath.
I crossed the remaining distance with ease.
The baby ice bear did the same.
"Is this it? There's nothing here."
"You just need to go inside that cave over there."
"Why is it so far?"
"Did you think just anyone could meet the Demon of the Snowy Mountain, human?"
The white orc smirked, baring his fangs in a sinister smile.
"What's with that attitude?"
"H-huh...?"
"You get across the ice bridge and suddenly you're full of confidence?"
"N-no... That's not it..."
"Seriously, give these bastards an inch and they take a mile. Hey."
"Y-yes!"
"I can't let you off easy."
"Pardon?"
"Strip. Everything."
"B-but out here..."
"Tsk."
I glared at him, and the white orc hurriedly began to strip off his clothes.
No matter how resistant to the cold white orcs were, surviving the freezing temperatures of the snowy mountain completely naked was a different story.
His skin gradually began to turn purple.
"I-I-I've stripped..."
"Then start walking."
"L-l-like this...?"
"Do you want me to skin you too?"
"I-I-I'll walk..."
Shivering violently, the white orc began to lead the way again, trembling just as he had on the ice bridge.
By the time his tears froze into snowflakes and his runny nose turned into icicles, he finally stopped.
"H-h-here..."
We had finally arrived at the altar of the snowy mountain's demon.
The altar was made of transparent ice, looking as though it had been carved directly out of a massive glacier.
The ground beneath it was stained entirely with blood.
"Alright, so what were you guys planning to do here?"
"W-w-we were going to sacrifice the ice bears..."
"Stop stuttering."
"To become warriors of Lord Imir."
Warriors of Imir?
"Explain in detail."
Listening to the white orc's explanation, it seemed there was a special quest exclusive to the white orc race.
Once they offered sacrifices at the altar, they could receive various items and buffs bestowed by the demon of the snowy mountain.
Items from a demon...
I had never heard of this before.
Was this the reason why white orcs were so much stronger than normal orcs?
Hmm... This was getting interesting.
"Give it a try."
I gestured toward the demonic altar with my chin.
"You brought all the ice bear carcasses in your inventory, right?"
"Y-yes..."
"Put them up."
"...!"
The white orc's eyes sparkled.
"You can take the buff. Just hand over the items."
"U-understood, human!"
The white orc hurriedly began placing the ice bear carcasses onto the altar.
Soon, the transparent ice altar was dyed red with blood.
And then...
The white orc began to mutter some sort of prayer.
Soon, the blood pooling on the altar began to defy gravity, flowing upward along a towering ice sculpture.
"..."
Once it was stained with blood, its shape became clear.
It was an androgynous figure, neither male nor female.
Rather than a demon, it was a sculpture as beautiful as an angel.
"Imir! Accept our offering and grant us your blessing!"
The moment the white orc's shout echoed, the altar split down the middle with a sharp crack.
In the center of the split altar...
An egg?
I saw a round white egg, along with a sword, a shield, and armor.
The white orc quickly grabbed the egg and swallowed it whole.
That was probably the 'buff.'
And then...
The bastard snatched up the shield and sword.
I knew he would.
I smirked as I looked at the white orc.
I wasn't even annoyed.
The only reason I had kept him alive was because I, as a human, couldn't complete a race-exclusive quest.
Now that the items had appeared, I could just kill him.
"Hehehe! I'll make you regret bringing me all the way here!"
The sword and shield glowed with a translucent light, looking as if they were carved from pure ice.
Perhaps due to the buff, a freezing aura was radiating from the white orc's body.
"I'll kill you!"
The white orc charged at me, pointing the tip of his ice sword in my direction.
"Tsk..."
Pathetic. Truly pathetic.
Maybe it was because their chief and shaman were dead, and I had spared a mere nobody.
Even though he held demonic items, his utter incompetence couldn't be hidden.
Shring!
Whoosh.
Clang!
Whoosh.
I easily dodged his slashes.
Honestly, it would have been harder to get hit. I could see exactly where his attacks were coming from.
Clang!
I deflected his blade with the Sword of Calamity.
"Oh."
Seeing that it didn't shatter, it seemed to be of decent quality.
However, the white orc screamed as the recoil traveled up his sword.
What a crybaby.
I should just kill him quickly, take the items, and head back.
I subtly shifted the angle of my blade.
Clang!
The white orc's attack landed exactly where I intended.
Clash!
"Gasp!"
This time, the white orc couldn't withstand the recoil and dropped his ice sword.
The sword flew through the air and embedded itself deep into a block of ice.
Just as I was about to split the white orc's head open...
Boom!
The white orc barely managed to block my strike with his ice shield.
Crack!
At the same time, an immense wave of freezing energy erupted from the shield.
...Ah!
In an instant, my body stiffened as if I had been stunned.
Or rather, frozen would be a more accurate description.
A bone-chilling cold consumed my entire body.
"Pant, pant...!"
Rolling out from behind his shield, the white orc grabbed a large icicle rolling on the ground.
It gleamed sharply.
Even if it was just an icicle, if it hit a vital spot...
Crunch!
It was at that moment.
"Aaaargh!"
The baby ice bear lunged from the side and savagely bit into the white orc's neck.
One of the white orc's shoulders was torn clean off.
Blood sprayed like a fountain, staining the snow.
"..."
I didn't expect this.
The baby ice bear tore into the white orc as if seeking revenge, practically devouring him.
By the time it finished eating the orc, my body—which had been on the verge of severe frostbite—returned to normal.
This was likely thanks to wearing the Fire Rat Leather Hat.
"Whew..."
I got lucky.
If not for that baby ice bear, I would have definitely taken a hit.
Of course, with the Cursed Blood Demon's Shadow Armor, the first attack might have been automatically evaded, but still.
I owed it one.
Or was it paying me back?
Technically, I was the one who had spared its life.
Roar!
Drenched in blood, the baby ice bear let out a roar.
Having completed its first successful hunt without its mother, it looked at me.
Wondering if it was going to attack, I gripped my sword.
But the cub simply bowed its head to me as if paying respects, then began to trudge down the snowy mountain.
"...Take care."
I watched until the cub disappeared from sight, then turned around.
Now, let's collect the items and head back.
They were indeed powerful, fitting for demonic items.
The freezing attack from the ice shield was especially impressive.
I picked up the ice shield, which was still stained with bits of the white orc's flesh.
Then, I approached the block of ice to retrieve the ice sword. At that moment...
Crack...
Huh?
Crack, crack...
Starting from where the sword was embedded, cracks began to spread across the ice block.
Shatter!
With a sharp, ringing sound, the ice block shattered into pieces.
And then...
"Ah, that was my most beautiful sculpture..."
From the ruins of the shattered ice, someone appeared.