Descent into the Frozen Depths
The last remaining one, the Black Combat Leader, put up a fierce resistance.
Kwaaaarrr!
The largest monster leading the pack.
It possessed destructive power that could be called quasi-boss level without exaggeration.
Because of it, the knights and cavalry that had survived quite well were wiped out. The mages suffered heavy losses too.
But...!
Mu-hyuk was smiling clearly.
Clack, clatter-clatter.
It was because a considerable number of mounted archers were still alive.
"Everyone, Power Shot!"
They toyed with the Black Combat Leader using their mobility.
Whenever it occasionally used a skill, one or two would take damage, but in the end, it fell first.
You have defeated the Black Combat Leader.
You have acquired experience points.
Only then did Mu-hyuk stand from his spot.
"Hoo."
It had truly been a long battle.
"Took over 15 minutes, right?"
"About 20."
"Fucking tough."
"Yeah, insanely tough."
From the experience points gained, he could gauge it.
The squad members were around level 210.
The leader was over 230.
"Took a while, but no helping it."
"Yeah. Can't expect to take down that insane power easily."
"Right."
"Anyway, let's rest a bit before we go."
That's when Yerin and Kim Ji-yeon approached from the back.
"Oppa..."
Their faces looked quite haggard.
The mental strain from that one battle had been immense.
"Pretty tough, huh?"
"Not pretty—super tough!"
"It was hard..."
"The next fights won't be this brutal."
"Huh? Why?"
"Why? We'll use limited revival."
"Oh, right!"
Mu-hyuk had Revive—no, now an even stronger limited revival.
Reviving the dead ones with it would bring them back at 80% of their ability.
Even at 60%, they'd been a huge help. At 80%?
"Might end up easier than expected."
As he spoke, Mu-hyuk pulled cooking tools from his inventory.
"We'll figure that out later. For now, let's eat something."
"Yeah!"
They filled up on simple cooking for satiety.
Took ample rest.
And used the time to scout the surroundings with Skull Snakes.
"The path's narrowing?"
"From here on?"
"Yeah, and monsters in the middle."
"How many this time, oppa?"
"Roughly 60?"
Twenty more than the 40-odd from before.
"Two big ones, leaders."
"Hmm...!"
Plus one more quasi-boss level. Still, no one suggested retreating.
"We got this?"
"More than enough."
They trusted the limited revival.
"Revive 'em and go."
"Okay."
Mu-hyuk's gaze turned to empty air.
You have discovered 41 lingering monster souls nearby.
How many monsters would you like to revive?
All 41.
The Black Combat Leader and Black Combat Squad members appeared, wielding 80% of their abilities.
"Skeleton Summon."
"Spirit Summon."
"Squirrel Summon!"
The existing summons joined them.
Battle soon ensued.
———!
It was fierce, but they claimed victory more comfortably than the first time.
After that, they used the same method to hunt them down, advancing deeper and deeper along the narrowing western path.
After investing over two weeks, they finally reached the end of the path.
"What is this?"
Before an endless cliff stood a small lake.
"It's clearly frozen, so why is it hot...!"
A place causing bizarre phenomena.
Instinct told him.
This was the place the hint had mentioned, where hidden power dwelled.
*
Sung Min-woo reached out to the frozen lake.
"Hot!"
"It's really hot?"
"Yeah, really!"
"Makes no sense. How can frozen water be hot?"
"Touch it yourself!"
"Maybe I will."
Mu-hyuk shrugged and cautiously extended his hand to the lake's surface.
"...!"
It was really hot.
He hadn't touched it yet, but volcanic heat rose from below.
"Whoa."
"See? Told you it's hot!"
"Hmm."
"Oppa, really?"
"Yeah, hot. Anyway, seems like this is the place from the hint, but..."
"Yeah, has to be. Nothing else fits."
"It's the end."
"Problem is, what do we do with it."
All four wore troubled expressions.
Then Sung Min-woo spoke up.
"Just break it."
"What?"
"I mean, what else? It's frozen, so smash it."
"Makes sense?"
It did seem logical at first glance.
"Yeah, let's smash it!"
Trying it out didn't seem bad. Just pondering was pointless.
"Skeleton Mage Summon."
He summoned the mages.
"Ooh, exciting!"
"Oppa, fighting!"
Mu-hyuk nodded, stepped back, and gathered only the fire-attribute mages.
Designated as Group 1.
He ordered only Group 1 to use magic attacks.
Flames filled the sky.
Scorching heat hit the lake.
Kwaaaaang!
The aftershock wind swept over Mu-hyuk, Sung Min-woo, Yerin, and Kim Ji-yeon.
"Ngh...!"
The wind died down.
"Should be broken now, right?"
"Obviously!"
The four approached the lake.
"Holy."
They frowned at the lake's surface, utterly unscratched.
"Not even a mark, oppa?"
"Yeah... How? If it's frozen, it should melt or shatter from that magic."
"True. But it's frozen and hot? Not a normal lake to begin with."
"Ugh...!"
Then Kim Ji-yeon cautiously spoke.
"Um..."
"Yeah?"
"The lake's inside is frozen, but the surface is hot, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, shouldn't we cool the surface heat first...?"
Mu-hyuk's eyes lit up.
"Cool the surface heat. Then melt the ice?"
"Yes."
"That works."
Kim Ji-yeon smiled at his reaction.
"Whoa, unnie, cool!"
"Th-thanks."
"Let's try Ji-yeon's way."
"Okay!"
This time, he summoned ice-attribute mages separately and made another group.
Named Group 2, he ordered them to attack with magic.
Kiric, kiririk.
White energy gathered in their palms. The chilling blasts took form and shot out.
———!
A massive explosion echoed.
Sssizzle.
The sound of heat cooling.
"Oh?"
He rushed over and touched it.
"Cooled. For real."
"Awesome!"
"No heat left at all?"
"Then melt the frozen lake now?"
"Yep!"
Mu-hyuk ordered the Group 1 armored mages to cast again.
Fire magic flew into the frozen lake.
A portion of the seemingly unbreakable surface caved and melted, revealing a surprisingly deep space below.
"Ooh, melting!"
"Repeat a few times?"
An endless depth.
Keep destroying until visible.
Waited out cooldowns.
Repeated attack orders on the ready magic.
Moments later.
Fire magic slammed into the lake again.
———!
The ground shook violently, like an earthquake.
"Wh-what...?"
Stronger impact than expected.
"Must've shattered properly."
He hurried to check. Water was draining into the endless hole.
The water level dropped rapidly, and as shaking stopped, the lake bottom came into clear view.
"Let's go down."
"Y-yeah. Okay."
"Whoa, oppa, the bottom's super squishy."
"Weird."
Mu-hyuk carefully examined the walls and floor. He even summoned minions and used vision sharing.
But nothing special emerged, no matter how long.
"Nothing special?"
"Nope."
"Sigh, what is it? Doesn't even look like a proper space."
Mu-hyuk shook his head.
"One thing is."
"Huh? Where?"
Mu-hyuk turned right.
"N-no way, that...?"
"Yeah."
The hole from the magic barrage.
"Oppa, you mean go in there?"
"Why not?"
"W-well, but..."
"Nothing else."
"Hmm."
All four gathered at the hole.
"How to get down?"
"Send skeletons first."
He summoned Poison Ogre, Armor Knight, Armor Cavalry, Yeti, and two Big Skeletons upfront.
"Sorry, you'll have to work."
He tossed them down.
Kiric?
Long after, a thud echoed.
Poison Ogre has been reverse-summoned.
Armor Knight has been reverse-summoned...
He nodded at the full reverse-summons.
Instant death from the fall.
Slow, but he sent multiple Skull Snakes down.
Wall-clinging ones.
"How's it?"
"Too dark to see."
"Gotta send lanterns then?"
Spirits were too far, so he tied lanterns to the Skull Snakes' waists.
Darkness lifted, visibility secured, but still nothing special.
Swish, swish.
After descending a while.
Eh? Floor?
Finally reached ground.
"Floor."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, hold on."
He moved the Skull Snake to scout. Denser darkness on the right side.
That?
Ordered approach. As it neared the darkness, Mu-hyuk smiled.
"Found it."
"Huh? Oppa, really?"
"For real?!"
"Yeah, entrance below? Sealed by a door, though."
"Ooh, jackpot!"
"Time to go down then?"
"Yep."
"How...?"
A longer silence than expected. Mu-hyuk, standing still, tilted his head.
What's that?
A lever-like shape in the Skull Snake's vision.
Push or pull?
Several Skull Snakes pulled together. Slow, but it moved.
Rumble-rumble-rumble.
Vibrations hit.
"What now...?"
Everyone backed away hastily.
Except one.
Mu-hyuk stayed put. He just marveled at the phenomenon starting with the vibrations.
"Jackpot."
The three showed curiosity.
"What? Safe?"
"Oppa, get back first..."
Mu-hyuk ignored their worry.
"Can't see now, right?"
"Huh? Yeah."
"Stairs appeared here."
"What? Really?"
"Yeah."
The three approached again.
"Wow!"
Actual stairs.