Frozen Mountains: The Summit's Fury
Bipedal monster.
A beast three meters tall, its entire body covered in pure white fur.
Krrrng...!
Spotting Mu-hyuk and his group, it closed the distance in a flash.
--------!
Impressively fast.
"Skeleton Summon."
He hurriedly called forth skeletons to block its charge.
Kwaaaang!
Without a proper formation, the skeletons at the front were flung aside powerlessly.
He quickly pulled the mages back and spread the mounted archers in a crescent shape.
Then he sent in the Armor Knights to surround it—but it wasn't as easy as he'd hoped.
Burtan, Ki Wave.
The beast flinched at the shot Ki Wave.
Kruk?
It shook itself off and shrugged it away. Then it leaped skyward, and Mu-hyuk seized the opening to apply buffs and debuffs.
His allies grew stronger, the beast weaker—but it ignored them all, plummeting down and slamming both fists into the ground.
Kwaaaang!
Vibrations rippled outward.
Hands of dirt erupted.
Soil shaped like massive hands burst from below, devouring skeletons. The wide-ranging attack drained HP from a good number of summons. That's when a beam of light pierced a skeleton from somewhere.
It was the dark healing spirit.
But one spirit couldn't handle this broad assault.
Pababat.
Mu-hyuk closed in on the beast.
Storm, Destroyer's Charge.
His body wrapped in light, he rocketed forward at blinding speed.
Kwaang!
He struck its flank dead-on.
-17,700 Damage
-31,860 Additional Damage
Monstrous damage.
"Hup!"
He pressed the attack without pause.
Three swords materialized.
They stabbed and slashed from all sides.
Storm, Numbing Sensation.
Close-range skills hammered it relentlessly.
White Tiger Swordsmanship, First Form: White Tiger's Fury.
It staggered back—clearly taking heavy damage.
Just as he thought to fall back and catch his breath, something dropped from the sky.
Kwaang!
The impact warped his vision.
-2,312 HP
-2,291 HP
The beast swung again.
Poison Ogre, Fearsome Roar!
He ordered a roar to buy a moment's respite.
Yeti, Ice Hold!
He scrambled up and used Power Dash.
Kwaang!
He toppled the immobilized beast, then Wind Step to retreat. He coated Mounted Archer 1's tailbone with hallucinogenic poison—for the next crisis—then focused on vision.
Mounted Archer 1, attack.
The bone arrow struck the yeti squarely in the upper body.
Krk, krr?
The beast lost bodily control.
Mages, all-out attack.
First-tier spells rained down: Fire Wall, Ice Fist, Wind Storm, Thunder Lightning.
As magic lit the sky, second-tier followed: Fire Spear, Ice Stone, Wind Cutter, Thunder Fist—for extra damage.
Kukugugu.
Bone arrows filled the air.
Pababat!
Armor Cavalry charged, stabbing and trampling with warhorses.
Just before the rear cavalry passed, the charging ones halted abruptly.
The yeti's arms stretched impossibly, ensnaring multiple Armor Cavalry in a crushing embrace.
Kwaduduk.
It squeezed, bones warping. HP plummeted; the healing spirit flew in, but it wasn't enough.
"Hah...?"
Five Armor Cavalry were forcibly unsummoned.
Krr...!
The yeti had taken massive damage—its flesh shredded.
But it lived, still snatching and crushing skeletons with those elongated arms.
"Whoa, still that strong?"
"It's on the brink. Let's finish it quick."
"Okay."
Sung Min-woo charged with his spirits.
The squirrel spirit, now present, slithered low, targeting the legs.
Krwarrgh!
The yeti roared and leaped again.
It landed right before Yerin, swinging a fist.
Kaaang!
Mu-hyuk intercepted at the last second.
The shield absorbed much of the shock—his HP held—but the force sent him and Yerin flying.
Now it targeted Kim Ji-yeon.
"Uh, uhh...!"
Sung Min-woo rushed, but too late.
Peok!
The fist smashed her head.
"Kyaaak!"
Low defense and HP—hers bottomed out. One more hit, and she'd die.
Kim Ji-yeon could do nothing, staring blankly at the enlarging fist.
Then Armor Knight 1's sword glowed.
Special option: Damage Absorption activated.
Kaaang!
The fist met the blade.
Kim Ji-yeon survived. Sung Min-woo arrived, hammering the yeti with spirits.
"You monster bastard...!"
More fired up than usual, he chained attacks.
"Die, you fucker!"
But the yeti endured.
Krk, krwarrgh!
It didn't dodge or block—just tanked hits while flailing wildly. Several spirits were knocked away.
"Crazy!"
Still, Sung Min-woo pressed on.
Meanwhile, Mu-hyuk applied hallucinogenic poison to Mounted Archer 1's tailbone—insurance for repeats.
Mobility was the issue...
Its jumps defied encirclement.
Some way around this?
An idea flashed: split the group.
Viable.
He divided mounted archers and mages into eight groups, positioning east, west, south, north.
"Min-woo, we're good!"
"Okay!"
Sung Min-woo fell back; attacks resumed.
Yerin and Kim Ji-yeon retreated fully.
Kwajijik.
The yeti stomped and leaped again.
Group 3, Power Shot!
Group 3's bone arrows, dead ahead, struck.
No midair dodge—it shielded its face.
The force blew it backward.
Kuung.
It landed and charged—only for Group 4's Power Shot to halt it.
Krwarrgh!
Furious yeti.
Cavalry, charge.
Armor Cavalry slammed it aside.
"Ooh, nice!"
"Oppa, you're the best!"
"What? No worries now. I'll protect you properly."
Whenever it targeted Yerin or Kim Ji-yeon, subdivided groups' mounted archers and Armor Mages shoved it back.
Power Shot if available; Multi Shot otherwise; mage spells as backup.
It cost more time, but stabilized.
Krk, krr...
Finally, Sung Min-woo's spirit combo dropped it.
Experience gained.
A tough, resilient bastard—massive EXP reward.
"Whew, but at this rate..."
Full recovery would take ages. Three more, and it'd be flight over fight.
"Hoo."
Worry clouded his view.
Two days later.
Heading from base to mid-slope.
"Hm?"
Vibrations from behind.
"Ah, Phoenix Guild?"
"Seems like it."
Trees and leaves obscured, but a large player group was at the entrance—clear enough.
"This might ease things."
"Hope so."
Frozen Mountains.
The yetis here were too strong.
Two was the limit.
Hoping they'd draw aggro.
"Please..."
And Phoenix Guild didn't disappoint Mu-hyuk's hopes.
*
Atop a tree trunk, Mu-hyuk whispered low.
"Here it comes again."
Phoenix's size drew the yetis perfectly.
Beasts from the mountains converged on them.
"There too."
"More nearby?"
"Yeah, descending from the right."
"Gotta stay put longer."
"Yeah."
Soon, the yeti pack passed below.
"Now?"
Mu-hyuk focused on Skull Snake vision.
Clear.
He shook his head; Sung Min-woo, Yerin, and Kim Ji-yeon descended.
They sped up, climbing far—then Mu-hyuk raised a hand.
"Up the trees."
"Okay!"
"Yes!"
"Roger."
Let the descending pack pass.
"One spotted."
Solitary ones fell to combined force.
Experience gained.
Mu-hyuk sat.
"None nearby—rest up."
Cooking tools out—filled bellies, bought weapons, enhanced via artisan skill for boosted attack and options.
Hm, this...
Decent bow.
Handed to Mounted Archer 37, whose weapon sucked.
"Use it well."
Mounted Archer 37 clacked its jaw.
Demon Realm Transfer.
Sent them there, passed time treetop.
Summon experience gained.
Summon experience gained.
Poison Ogre forcibly unsummoned...
After ~20 minutes, all unsummoned. Summoned Hydra, dispersed Skull Snakes.
"Clear, let's climb."
"Okay!"
Summit neared. Eight-day trek nearing end.
Just a bit more...!
Climb, pause, rest, hunt.
Repeat five hours.
"Hup...!"
"What?"
"Coming from all sides."
"What? Yetis?"
"Yeah, hordes."
Left, right, rear—swarming yetis.
Kung, kuwoong.
Full sprint.
Insane. What the hell...!
No escape.
Suddenly, clear path ahead in vision.
Skull Snake confirmed: summit path empty.
No choice—gamble.
Reach summit, find hidden spot immediately. Only survival shot.
"Skeleton Warhorse Summon!"
"What?"
"Mount up—full speed to summit!"
"For real?"
"Hurry!"
"Crazy, how many?!"
"Dozens at least!"
"Holy...!"
No more talk.
Can't die here!
Too wasteful.
Solemn faces, mounted, full gallop.
"Almost there!"
"Please...!"
Yeti roars echoed.
Krwarrgh!
Every direction howled back.
-------!
Vibrations shook them.
"Damn, they're almost on us!"
"Just run!"
Yetis faster than expected. Down to 50 meters.
40, 30, 20.
Summit reached—central statue spotted.
"Uh...?"
Frantic scan—no hidden spot.
No time.
Kuung!
Yetis emerged. One, two—ten in seconds. More pouring in.
"Holy..."
Sung Min-woo's despairing sigh as Mu-hyuk touched the statue.
Please!
The statue reacts.
Reviewing accumulated achievements.
The seal of the Frozen Mountains weakens.
The suppressive energy on the statue largely dissipates.
Dissipated energy spreads outward.
The statue's seal breaks.
Energy burst from the statue, engulfing the yetis.