Ch.168Frozen Planet (4)

Early morning, I climbed up to the nest with the Sky Mother.

A substantial amount of snow had accumulated overnight on the ice block placed over the nest entrance. After clearing away the ice block, I waited briefly in the passage through the ice sheet.

The Sky Mother went outside before me. With her superior vision, she was checking if there were any dangers in the sky.

After examining for a few minutes, she wagged her lion’s tail, signaling that it was safe.

After clearing away the snow and ice blocks to climb up, I saw the same scenery as before we entered yesterday.

The only difference was that the razor-sharp snow wind that could tear flesh had stopped. Thanks to this, the Sky Mother was feeling less cold than yesterday.

‘Still, we can’t stay out too long.’

Looking up, the sky was still filled with clouds. We needed to hurry since we didn’t know when snow and hail might pour down again.

“What was it we needed to get again?”

“Winterwalker and Ice Horror hearts.”

Winterwalker and Ice Horror. Both are creatures that only inhabit ice planets or the polar regions of Earth-like planets.

Adhigh Orr knew about creatures similar to these two animals. He had seen Winterwalkers himself, and had heard about Ice Horrors from other Gallergorn.

‘It’s fortunate that both are on this planet…’

Besides the challenging conquest conditions of the cold environment, the specs of these two creatures are nothing to scoff at. Among them, the Ice Horror is an especially powerful enemy.

“This won’t be easy.”

“Yeah. Winterwalker might be manageable, but the Ice Horror is the problem.”

She’s right. The Ice Horror is one of the most dangerous predators in frigid regions.

It’s weaker than raid boss-level creatures like Sea Demons or Black Gallergorn, but its unique habits and superior raw stats make it a formidable opponent. Even I had failed several times trying to hunt one in the game.

‘But there are four of us.’

Gallergorn, Sea Demon, AMorph Subadult, and Incarnate Volf combination. Together, we should be able to defeat it.

‘I need to hunt an Ice Horror anyway.’

In my case, to evolve from a Subadult to an Adult, I need to hunt 30 powerful creatures classified as APEX. Since Ice Horror is classified as an APEX, it wouldn’t be bad to count one on this opportunity.

“The problem is where to find it.”

“Right. It doesn’t travel above ground.”

Rather than wandering around looking for prey, Ice Horrors dig traps within their territory and hunt creatures that fall into them. Simply put, they’re like spiders living in frigid regions.

‘Though they look quite different.’

Anyway, finding an Ice Horror will take quite some time.

They can inhabit anywhere with prey, but they’re masters of concealment. I’m pretty good at hiding myself, but I’m no match for them. They decorate their territory and traps so convincingly that it’s impossible to identify them unless you get close.

‘If it’s nearby, we could try luring it.’

If it’s not in the vicinity, we might have to travel very far.

“Since Ice Horror will take a long time, let’s find the Winterwalker first.”

“Good idea.”

The Sky Mother made the same judgment as me.

Unlike Ice Horrors, Winterwalkers actively hunt. Since Adhigh Orr had seen one, they must be common enough to find quickly.

With our goal set, we ran across the plains filled with snow and ice.

A golden Griffon sprinted beside me as I crawled through ice sheets and snow piles.

Her mane and the sapphire pendant around her neck fluttered wildly in the winter wind. The muscles hidden beneath the fur of her lioness body became prominent. Her movements were very nimble, as if to prove those high-density muscles weren’t just for show.

Though she moved as swiftly as the wind, I was no slouch either.

My six combat arms became legs, shattering the ice on the sheet as they pulled my body forward. Behind me, my tail and the blunt claws scattered across my body pushed my massive frame forward.

Though my movements were more clamorous compared to her gliding through the air, my speed was just as fast.

Thanks to our rapid movement like high-speed trains, we quickly approached the mountain range.

The black mountains sitting on the white horizon felt like structures built by unknown beings. Since nature that created these mountains is also a transcendent existence, my feeling might be true.

Along with the magnificent scenery, a strong scent of life emanated from the black mountains. Trees grew densely on the firmly hardened soil.

Perhaps due to the unique environment of this frigid region, all the plants looked similar. The trunks were long and thin, but as they went up, branches spread out in complex patterns. These branches intertwined with other trees, firmly anchoring each other.

This must be an adaptation to the frequent strong winds in this area.

‘I need to be careful.’

If there’s a forest, it means food is abundant. It’s a good environment for Winterwalkers or Gallergorn to roam around looking for prey.

I reduced my speed and moved while focusing on my auxiliary organs. The Sky Mother beside me also walked while observing the surroundings.

Four auxiliary organs under my jaw wriggled, brushing against the ground as if licking it. Each time, information about what was happening in the vicinity flowed through these organs to my brain.

‘Judging by the vibrations from the ground, there are two, maybe three enemies.’

Based on the intensity of the vibrations, they seem to be at some distance, but there was something peculiar. The vibrations were repeatedly intertwining and separating.

What does this mean?

‘A fight.’

I lifted my head from the ground.

Since I could feel the movement of what might be our target creatures in the forest, we needed to move quietly from now on. Instead of using my mimicry organ to speak, I used the monster’s tentacles to call the Sky Mother.

“There’s a fight up ahead?”

[Zzzzz zzz (It’s some distance away)]

“We should check it out, right?”

I nodded in response.

Based on the vibrations, both are land animals. If they were Gallergorn, they could fly, so the vibrations would have been more intermittent.

The Sky Mother and I carefully moved following the vibrations.

As we got closer to the source, we could hear the sound of trees breaking and animal cries from a distance.

That low growl, similar to a tiger’s roar, is the sound of a Winterwalker. It’s fighting with its prey.

Upon hearing the sound, we stopped moving. If we approached any further, they might notice the sound of my movement.

“I’ll check from above.”

The Sky Mother climbed up a tree with light movements.

The trees here aren’t sturdy enough for me to climb. I placed my auxiliary organs on the ground again and eavesdropped on the sounds and vibrations of the enemies.

‘The opponent the Winterwalker is facing is small and agile.’

It seems about the same size as the Sky Mother, and the legs…

‘Between eight and nine.’

As far as I know, there are no creatures with eight legs inhabiting ice planets. Unless they have hundreds of legs or no legs at all.

‘Is it a species I don’t know?’

At that moment, the Sky Mother, who had finished her reconnaissance, jumped down from the tree.

[Zzz (Did you see?)]

“One is definitely a Winterwalker. The other one is…”

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“It looks like a Screamer.”

[Zz (What?)]

Why would a Star Union’s mechanical monster, a Screamer, be here? If what she says is true, this place is Star Union territory.

‘I’ve devoured several Star Union ships, but I haven’t seen a route extending this far.’

[Zzzz (Are you sure?)]

“To be honest, I’m not sure. A creature resembling a Screamer is fighting with the Winterwalker.”

It seems I need to see for myself. We moved again.

As we ran through the trees, we found the Winterwalker and the mysterious monster.

No, let me correct that. A “decapitated” Winterwalker corpse and a monster resembling a Screamer.

“Hostile creature elimination complete.”

The creature standing in the blood-soaked clearing was a monster I had never seen before, even with my extensive gaming experience.

‘Is that a Screamer?’

It had a human head and torso with tubes, metal mechanical devices, and a tail attached, and it crawled on the ground with six legs made of metal skeleton—identical to a Screamer in these aspects, but there were more differences.

Simply put, it looked less mechanical than the original.

Regular Screamers have their mouths blocked by tubes, so instead of speaking themselves, mechanical devices speak for them.

In contrast, this creature’s mouth wasn’t connected to tubes and was exposed. It could make sounds of its own will and didn’t make the rough breathing sounds caused by tubes.

Its face was normal except for being pale like a human-faced beast, but from the back of its head, a biomechanical appearance of biological tissue, tubes, and mechanical devices intertwined. Unlike Screamers where machines and flesh are clearly distinguished, there was no such distinction in its body.

The eight legs extending from its body were the same. Legs with red muscles and tubes entangled on metal skeletons. Instead of feet, three pointed alloy claws protruded from the long, thin legs.

If the original Screamer resembled a scorpion, the one before me was a mantis spider—a hybrid spider where creature and machine were mixed.

‘Its appearance isn’t the only threatening thing.’

The decapitated Winterwalker was killed by it. If it killed a Winterwalker alone, it must possess considerable skill.

However, it seems it wasn’t completely overwhelming.

Two of its legs had severely dented metal skeletons and didn’t seem to move properly, and it was bleeding dark red blood from around its torso where machine and flesh were intertwined.

“Insufficient energy replenishment needed. Self-supply initiated.”

Muttering that, it opened its mouth and began devouring the Winterwalker hastily.

‘No need to wait any longer.’

I can check its identity directly. In the AMorph way, as an AMorph.

‘Everything will be revealed once I eat it.’

The Sky Mother read my intention and immediately jumped up into the trees. Simultaneously, I charged at the creature that was in the middle of its meal.

“Danger detected.”

Focused on the meat, it sensed my ambush without even looking at me. It jumped into the air from its feeding position. I, rushing like a runaway truck, crashed into the Winterwalker’s corpse instead.

“Hostile creature confirmed. Suppression…”

“Where do you think you’re going!”

The spider monster trying to shout something from above couldn’t complete its intention.

The Sky Mother, who had sprung out from between the trees, swung her front paws at its head. The creature’s neck bent at a grotesque angle as it narrowly avoided the attack.

“Tch!”

Disappointed that her attack had failed, the Sky Mother landed. The spider monster, having evaded all our ambushes, landed and immediately distanced itself.

‘Is it not a Screamer?’

If it were a Screamer, it would have immediately pounced after regaining its posture, but it didn’t. It tilted its head as if trying to assess us, glaring at both of us.

“Two hostile creatures confirmed. Left creature. 89% match with special target Type C. Right one…”

Upon seeing me, it widened its blood-red eyes. It stared at me with eyes resembling blood and tilted its head threateningly.

“75% match with set target. Main controller ‘Pyrrha Eleven’ command delay status. Self-judgment required. Target suppression initiated.”

After spouting incomprehensible words, it lowered its body and took a combat stance.

I also prepared for attack without taking my eyes off its movements.

I don’t know if it’s really a Screamer or a new type of weapon. However, if it is a Screamer, the situation becomes serious.

‘The possibility of a Screamer wandering here alone is close to zero.’

There’s a high possibility that its reinforcements are somewhere I don’t know about. Since there’s a Gallergorn nest on this planet, they must have entered with a small elite force, but that doesn’t mean we can be at ease.

‘I need to finish this quickly and assess the situation.’

Just as I thought that, it leaped like lightning and charged at me.