Lorian's body temperature rapidly fell as frostbite skill activated. It didn't cause his body any discomfort though, all because of anti-poison body's adapting properties.
Though there was no holy water as a catalyst this time, Lorian still felt a special feeling as he activated the skill.
Upon further inspecting, he realized he felt resonance from the falling snow around him.
The street was frozen. The wind blew and thick lumps of falling snow obstructed the vision.
Water, snow, ice...this was basically his domain.
Snowflakes started swirling around him. He actually managed to control the snowflakes!
Lorian felt there was another reason for it.
'Attunement'
This attribute most likely had something to do with the control of the elements. Otherwise, his improved control couldn't be explained as frostbite still remained level 1.
It was a strange and wonderful feeling. As if the falling snow had a close affinity towards him.
'Maybe I can do more than to just manipulate it.'
The snow wolf king pressed on its huge limbs and pounced at Lorian, menacing cold light flashing in its eyes.
*Crackle, crackle
Under Lorian's control the falling snow, which started swirling around him started congealing, congregating and solidifying into ice cones in the air.
The sweeping claw was met with sharp ice cones.
The snow wolf king whimpered as blood started trickling down its paw. Despite its majestic stature and physique, there was a gap between Lorian and itself. The snow wolf king was weaker.
However, it possessed skills and overbearing physique to its advantage. It was not a common monster, but a sub-elite. Lorian still didn't know the difference, but soon he would find out.
The snow wolf king's figure blurred as its blurry silhouette advanced at Lorian's direction at terrific speed. Lorian felt alarmed and lifted his new greatsword to parry, but the blurry silhouette abruptly vanished and he felt danger coming from his back.
'So fast!'
Lorian's eyes widened in shock as he tried to twist his body to meet the attack, but he was too slow.
An attack containing huge power was transmitted from his back. The cape was an artifact and wouldn't be damaged that easily, but it didn't possess much of a defensive property. The claw attack transmitted the wave of wrecking physical power as he was thrown up in the air.
'Slash flurry'
The wolf's shadow once again emerged but from a different angle. Lorian was suspended in air, helpless to block the shadow of pouncing snow wolf king's fierce slash flurry.
*Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash~
Bloody claw marks accumulated around his body and the attacks from different angles landed in merely less than 2 seconds. He was thrashed in the air before snow wolf king's blurry figure appeared a distance away from him.
*Plop
His wounded body dropped to the ground.
- Grrrrr! Growl!
- Growl!
The summoned snow wolves pounced at his beaten body. Lorian was already more than 50% stronger than these wolves he previously had a hard time to face. He grabbed their throats and smashed their skulls on the icy pavement.
The wolves whimpered a little before turning into particles, deader than dead.
They didn't give any experience as they were just summoned beasts.
Lorian lifted his head and fixed his eyes on calmly standing snow wolf king's chilling blue eyes.
- Interesting. Now it's my turn.
Grinning, Lorian activated force step and flew at snow wolf king, dragging his new greatsword on the way.
The snow wolf king raised its head and let out a peculiar howl.
Lorian's body stiffened but resumed its previous action.
- Freezing howl? Useless on me.
He muttered smugly as he shot up in the air with another force step and waved his great sword at the snow wolf king's head.
*Clang
The snow wolf king met the greatsword with its claw and unexpectedly...it was a stalemate. Lorian dropped back on the ground.
- Beast is a beast indeed. Its physique is always higher than a human.
But he didn't grow disheartened. Instead, he was excited as he continued exchanging blows with the wolf. Sometimes the snow wolf king would twist its head at a peculiar angle aiming its fangs on his body. Its claws were as tough as steel, capable of contending against his greatsword and injuring him.
Lorian dodged another chill-raising claw swipe, then activated force step, positioning him under its belly.
After putting his hand on the ground and activating frostbite, the ice started encasing snow wolf king's forelimbs before it could jump back in response.
- Now you're stuck.
Lorian grinned and shot up and waved the greatsword under snow wolf king's belly.
Using this vulnerable state of the opponent, Lorian struck hard.
*Kshhh~Crumble~
The ice shattered as snow wolf king's figure once again blurred. Lorian's attack missed.
- This again!
*Clang
Lorian managed to repel the first attack of the slash flurry but was unable to deal with the rest. After being thrashed once again the snow wolf king pounced when he was beaten down, intending to finish him off.
- Not today!
Lorian grinned and channeled the freezing coldness in the ice of the street.
The ice spikes rose from the ground and nailed the enemy.
- Awooo!
The snow wolf king gave a long howl as blue fire flickered around its body. Its fur started giving off the more glossy sheen. Lorian shuddered as he felt changes in the enemy. It has become much more dangerous.
[ The enemy has activated chilling fury
+30% agility, strength, dexterity, reflex for 3 minutes ]
- What kind of broken skill is this?!
Lorian cursed loudly as he retreated continuously with force step.
- Howl!
The snow wolf king sprinted in his direction like a giant bulldozer.
- So fast!
One had to know, that agility was the hardest attribute to increase. Snow wolf king's agility would put many 1-star warriors to shame.
Lorian could only respond with enemy's vigorous forelimb swipe with positioning greatsword in defensive position and parrying.
*Bang
His body was thrown like a broken kite and crashed into the nearby building's wall.
- Cough, cough, son of a bitch!
Lorian spat and activated force step over and over, avoiding several deadly strokes.
A few moments later Lorian lay sprawled on the ground, gripping the greatsword while panting and facing the ferocious snow wolf king, which had toyed with him.
- Haaa~
The icy breath left Lorian's mouth as he started crawling at snow wolf king's direction, dragging his greatsword while giving off a menacing beastly aura.
Grinning, he took out a barrel of water he had prepared and grinned.
- Seems I'll have to play a bit dirty. Please don't mind.
Snow wolf king's figure blurred, while Lorian's brows furrowed. He pushed the barrel, causing the water to spill.
Shadow was inching closer from his back. The power its claws contained was much more deadly than before.
The water acted against the laws of the world and rose around him, then froze into ice.
*Kshhh~
The ice wall almost crumbled, but it managed to hold on.
Lorian slammed his hands down. Ice spikes rose all around him.
- Beat it!
He howled as he waited for a barrage of the slash flurry to continue.
*Bang, bang, bang, bang!
- Fuck!
In the end, his barriers were broken and the last claw slash hit his chest, causing a deep gash to appear as his body was once again thrown back, which then pathetically rolled on the ground. He was lying motionless, seemingly waiting for his death.
The menacing figure approached him and stomped down with its claws.
Motionless Lorian activated force step and flew right at the claw, aiming his greatsword at its paw.
His body crashed down and was pathetically flattened on the ground, then his body was grabbed by merciless sharp and huge teeth and snapped into two.
His vision grew blurry as he was forced out of the instances.
After coming out of the instances, his mind was still feeling agitated, but he was not indignant. He wouldn't be able to kill the snow wolf king as he was now. He was crippled and lacked attack power to injure the huge beast.
As for vitals, the snow wolf king wasn't any average joe, unable to defend its vital points. It was not so easy to land a hit on its eyes, neck or belly.
- This was a great fight, I've so much to learn. My practical experience is still close to nill. Haha, I found a great training partner.
The target of abuse was bound to change in no time.