[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 82
"A Yeti?"
A Yeti, a snowy mountain monster with thick fur and hide, appeared.
Reina and her companions all drew their weapons.
However, the Yeti that appeared from the snowy field wasn't alone.
A dozen Yeti were approaching Reina and her group.
The largest Yeti among them stepped forward, opened its mouth wide, and roared.
"Raaaaaar!"
It was a roar as if to warn them not to come any closer.
Reina and her group couldn't turn back, as they had to pass through this path to reach their destination. They didn't know any other way.
Confronting the Yeti, Reina wondered,
'Why would a Yeti, which rarely reveals itself, suddenly appear...?'
At that moment, Edward came to her mind.
She had thought it strange that there were no attacks from the Siemens side while they were climbing, but she hadn't imagined that they would have placed a Yeti group near the summit.
As Reina and her group didn't back down, the Yetis' eyes turned red.
They slowly approached, baring their sharp teeth and puffing up their bodies.
Reina and her group tensed up, holding their swords cautiously.
Just then, something whizzed past from behind.
Crash!
One of the Yeti behind them had thrown a giant snowball at Reina's group.
It wasn't just a simple snowball.
Realizing that the snowball had transformed into a hard ice rock, Reina shouted, "Dodge!"
At Reina's shout, the group quickly scattered.
Crash!
The ice rock crashed into the ground and shattered, sending sharp ice shards flying in all directions.
"Ugh!"
One of the companions was grazed by an ice shard.
The problem was that even a small wound could quickly freeze and lead to frostbite.
Reina ran towards her companion and poured a potion on the wound.
Sizzle!
Thanks to the potion, the wound healed, but that wasn't the end.
Rumble!
The Yeti started throwing similar ice rocks from all directions.
Crash!
Bang!
As the ice rocks, like ice bombs, fell incessantly, Reina and her group had to keep swinging their swords to dodge and deflect the shattered ice shards.
"Huff... Huff..."
In the high altitude and sub-zero temperatures, their stamina drained with every small movement.
Finally, Reina gripped her sword and turned towards the leader of the Yeti.
"Haaa!"
Reina kicked off the snow and leaped towards the Yeti leader.
Turunn Style Dragon Sword Skill
Charge Skill
Bull Horn Strike
A charge skill, developed from the Dragon Sword Skill into a technique unique to the Turunn Clan, unfolded.
Reina's sword, imbued with Aura, swiftly descended towards the Yeti leader.
The Yeti leader raised its arm to block Reina's sword.
Thud!
The Yeti's thick, abundant fur and tough hide deflected the Aura-infused sword.
"Ugh!"
With her charge skill failing, Reina suffered internal injuries and had to retreat.
The Yeti leader didn't miss the opportunity.
"Raaaaar!"
It lunged towards Reina, baring its sharp teeth.
Whirl!
Reina rolled to dodge the Yeti and swung her sword again.
Thud!
It was the same with its side.
Her sword, unable to pierce the thick fur and hide, was deflected.
"Huff... Huff..."
Reina caught her breath and retreated as far as possible.
Even then, the other Yeti continued to throw snowballs at her companions.
The snowy field was like a siege weapon for the Yeti.
'At this rate, we'll all be wiped out.'
To save those who followed the Turunn Clan, she had to retreat from here.
Reina gritted her teeth and shouted to her companions,
"I, Reina Draker, will hold them off here! Everyone, escape this place!"
Her companions hesitated at Reina's words, but as more Yeti approached, they had no choice but to turn back and start escaping the snowy field.
Reina continued to swing her sword to prevent the other Yeti from chasing her companions.
Thwack!
The Yeti struck by her sword immediately retreated and rubbed its wound with snow, and soon the bleeding stopped.
"Raaaaaar!"
Having diverted their attention from Reina's companions, the Yeti slowly surrounded her, maintaining a distance.
They had no intention of letting her go easily after seeing blood.
Reina was already exhausted.
She gripped her sword and steeled her resolve.
'Even if I die here, there's nothing I can do.'
A moment later, one of the Yeti charged towards Reina.
She tried to swing her sword at the Yeti.
But she no longer had the strength in her hands.
"Raaaaaar!"
That was when it happened.
Thud!
Something flew towards the charging Yeti and plunged straight into its heart.
'What?'
She looked back.
A person wearing a bear hide stood on the snowy field.
Even so, Reina could recognize who he was.
'Zeke Draker?'
Zeke, who was searching for Yeti to earn points, had spotted the Yeti attacking Reina.
Zeke drew Bahamut and stood before the Yeti.
"Come on."
The Yeti hesitated as an unusual aura emanated from Zeke.
However, the leader of the Yeti had no intention of forgiving the intruders who had invaded their sacred snowy field.
"Raaaaaar!"
As the leader roared, the other Yeti, driven by fear, charged towards Zeke.
"Kiaaaaa!"
"Kaaaa!"
Zeke's sword cleanly beheaded the charging Yeti.
Thud!
As the head of the foremost Yeti fell, the other Yeti were startled.
Zeke didn't miss the opportunity.
Whoosh!
His sword flashed again, and another Yeti's head fell.
With two Yeti dead, the leader at the back bared its teeth and slowly walked towards Zeke.
Looking at the leader Yeti, he said,
"The leader, huh? You must be worth quite a few points."
"Raaaaaar!"
The leader Yeti charged towards Zeke.
Zeke swung Bahamut, enveloped in an Aura Blade.
Slash!
Unlike Reina's sword strike, Bahamut pierced through the Yeti's fur and hide, inflicting a wound.
"Kaaaa!"
The leader Yeti lunged at Zeke, baring its sharp teeth.
Whoosh!
Zeke swiftly leaped and landed on the leader's arm.
Then, like an acrobat, he swung his sword from that position.
Slash!
Zeke's sword grazed the leader's neck.
"Kaaaa!"
The leader roared even louder as its neck was wounded.
It commanded the other Yeti to attack Zeke.
However, the Yeti just watched the duel from behind without moving.
Only by killing Zeke himself could the leader maintain his authority.
"Grrrr!"
The leader rubbed its eyes to stop the bleeding and stood before Zeke.
Zeke pointed his sword at the leader and said,
"Come on."
Provoking the Yeti leader, he assumed the starting stance of the Dragon Sword Skill.
Dragon's Sword Technique
Chapter 6, Verse 2
Dragon Heart Thrust
The tip of Zeke's sword aimed for the leader's heart.
The leader dodged the sword tip and swung its long arms to grab Zeke.
That was when it happened.
Whirl!
The tip of Zeke's sword momentarily swayed and changed direction.
It had instantly shifted from Dragon Heart Thrust to Dragon Head Beheading.
Although it was a basic Dragon sword technique, because it contained the secrets of the True Dragon Sword Art, it could create countless linking moves.
The sword tip, having changed direction in an instant, aimed for the leader's neck.
Dodging the leader's attack, Zeke dug into its chest and swung his sword with great force.
Slash!
The sword pierced through the thick fur and hide, cleanly beheading the leader.
Thud!
The leader's head fell to the ground.
[You have slain the Chieftain Yeti. You have earned 50 Karma points.]
Screech!
The Yeti went into a frenzy as their leader died.
They approached Zeke, baring their teeth.
This was because the one who devoured the Yeti that killed the leader would become the next leader.
Zeke smiled as he looked at the charging Yeti.
"Come on, points."
Screech!
Sword light emanating from Zeke's sword filled the snowy field.
Slash!
The Aura Blade enveloping his sword pierced through the Yeti's thick fur and hide, beheading them and severing their limbs.
The Yeti, who had been charging recklessly, finally realized that they couldn't defeat this human.
They abruptly changed their strategy and started to create distance.
Zeke turned around and shouted,
"Felix!"
Felix threw the wooden spears he was holding towards Zeke.
Zeke stuck several wooden spears into the ground and, pulling them out one by one, threw them at the Yeti.
Whoosh!
The spears, imbued with tremendous force, pierced through the Yeti's bodies.
"Kaaaa!"
They had created distance to throw snowballs, but the snowballs couldn't reach what they considered a safe distance.
On the other hand, the wooden spears Zeke threw accurately struck the Yeti.
"Keeek!"
As if realizing they would be annihilated at this rate, the Yeti started to flee.
But Zeke's spears were merciless.
The spears struck the fleeing Yeti in their backs.
[You have slain a Yeti. You have earned 20 Karma points.]
[You have slain a Yeti. You have earned 20 Karma points.]
Messages popped up every time he killed a Yeti.
'Not bad.'
After annihilating the Yeti in no time, Zeke secured a large number of points and wore a satisfied expression.
It was more than enough to compensate for the points he had spent on scrolls and ancient potions during the competition.
After dealing with all the Yeti, he slowly approached Reina.
Then he took out a potion, poured it on Reina's wounds, and fed it to her.
"Zeke Draker. How did you get here...?"
Zeke said to the surprised Reina,
"Let's make a deal."
It meant that she had to repay him for saving her life.
The Turunn Clan, as straightforward as they were, were also clear about favors and grudges.
She believed she had to repay Zeke for saving her.
"...The Turunn Clan never forgets a favor. What do you want?"
Zeke grinned at Reina.
"We'll think about that later. Let's go for now. We're almost out of time."
Zeke had Felix and Liam support Reina.
After walking for a while, they passed through the snowy field and reached the finish point at the mountain summit.
There were already people who had arrived at the summit.
Edward, along with those who followed the Siemens Clan, and Helen Draker were already there waiting.
Edward gritted his teeth as he saw Zeke and his companions entering the finish point, supporting Reina.
'How did this happen?'
He had assumed that only those from the Siemens Clan would survive the survival race, making it easier to proceed from the second round of the finals.
As soon as Zeke and his companions entered, the sand in the hourglass signaling the end of the 48 hours ran out.
Simultaneously, Gareth and the Draker examiners appeared.
"The first round of the finals is over. Thirty-four participants have passed."
Apart from Zeke and his companions, Reina, and Helen Draker disguised as Elin Sabrina, no one else had made it through the Siemens Clan's sabotage.
Edward, grinding his teeth at the sight of Zeke's group, descended the mountain.
Zeke simply chuckled at Edward's reaction.
Just then, Helen approached Zeke.
"Zeke Draker."
Surprised that Helen initiated contact first, Zeke responded to her.
"Elin Sabrina."
Zeke pretended not to know her.
"I've never heard of that name, but you're quite skilled. To have overcome all of Siemens' obstructions and climb all the way here."
Elin scrutinized Zeke with a gaze that seemed to pierce through him.
Then she spoke.
"I have no interest in such childish games."
She looked at Zeke with an intense gaze.
"Zeke Draker. I want to test your limits and skills."
Leaving those words behind, Helen turned and descended the mountain.
Hearing Helen's words, Zeke felt like he understood her purpose a little.
'To test me... So she has indeed joined Cali's faction.'
It was highly likely that she had entered the martial arts tournament herself to test his qualifications, having learned that he had chosen Cali's side instead of Abel's.
'In a way, it's a very Steel Knight-like action.'
Just then, Reina, having finally recovered, approached Zeke.
"Zeke Draker. I owe you my life."
Zeke looked at Reina and said,
"Since things have turned out this way, how about joining us for the second round? It's obvious that the Siemens guys must have done something again."
Reina nodded at Zeke's words.
Although the Turunn Clan was rough around the edges, they were by no means foolish.
She also knew that it was rational to participate in the second round with Zeke.
Reina decided to join forces with Zeke and his companions for the second round.
Having made her decision, Reina said to Zeke,
"I know what the second round of the finals is."
Zeke and his companions, who hadn't heard anything about the second round yet, were surprised.
Felix exclaimed excitedly,
"R-really? W-what is it?"
Liam also focused on Reina.
Reina slowly opened her mouth.
"The second round is... tightrope wrestling."
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]