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The sky was filled with swirling wind and snow.
White, fluffy flakes descended like willow catkins.
As they approached Stellaron, the surrounding temperature steadily dropped.
The heavy snowfall completely obscured their footprints, but fortunately, only one path lay ahead, so there was no risk of getting lost.
Navigating through the canyon,
March 7th shivered, saying, "It's freezing... The slight power from the Trailblazer fate path can't withstand this cold anymore."
As members of the Trailblazer squad, both March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle had received a faint portion of the Trailblazer fate path's strength—a small perk for being part of the Astral Express.
Compared to the power inherent in their own fate paths, this Trailblazer influence was incredibly weak.
At most, it served to adapt them slightly to harsh environments.
Bochang, having not yet activated his fate path's power,
However, unable to directly harness the Trailblazer fate path's power, they had to rely solely on their own abilities.
Not only did March 7th feel the chill, but Bochang experienced it as well. Yet after circulating the Dragon Talisman's magic power briefly within his body... he seemed to cope much better.
Stelle nodded in agreement, "It is indeed quite cold."
[Dating Options activated.]
[Option 1: Hold both March 7th and Stelle's hands, saying, "Cold? Let me warm you up." - Completion Reward: Skill "Warm Guy", allowing you to generate heat, however... rumor has it that being a 'warm guy' ranks below dogs. Are you sure you want to choose this?]
[Option 2: Pat your chest and declare, "Luckily I have a robust physique, so I'm not bothered by the cold." - Completion Reward: Physique increased by 100%.]
[Option 3: Assume a running stance and suggest, "Cold? How about we race then? Generating some warmth will keep us from feeling chilly." - Completion Reward: Strength increased by 100%.]
Bochang had a premonition that a boss battle was imminent.
From the perspective of rewards, though...
Bochang definitely preferred the option of increasing his physique by one hundred percent.
After all...
One's physique determined the maximum potential power they could harness from the Dragon Talisman.
As for strength, Bochang had already obtained the black bear mask, which he still wore on his face, so it wasn't something he urgently needed at the moment.
The reward of enhancing his physique by one hundred percent seemed more beneficial.
As for the skill "Warm Embrace"...
This option was clearly just for laughs, as even without this skill, he could still generate warmth.
Thus, Bochang immediately dismissed it.
« Option Two! »
Bochang patted his chest and said, "Fortunately, I have a sturdy body, so I'm not bothered by the cold."
[Reward being granted—Congratulations! You have received a 100% increase in your physique.]
A familiar warm current surged through his body.
This was the fourth time he had enhanced his physique; apart from the initial fifty percent boost, the subsequent three enhancements were all one hundred percent each.
Bochang's physique effortlessly increased from six times that of an average person to twelve times.
The chill affecting him significantly diminished.
March 7th remained speechless.
Stelle and March 7th were momentarily at a loss for words.
Dan Heng glanced around and said, "Feeling cold is quite normal; it indicates that we're approaching Stellaron, nearing the heart of the Frostwave."
Of course, March 7th understood this; she just wanted to express her astonishment.
What she didn't expect was Bochang boasting about his physique.
To avoid being stared at with peculiar looks, Bochang quickly changed the subject.
"Look over there, they've even built houses," Bochang pointed out.
A cluster of dilapidated wooden cabins stood along the mountain path, many already collapsed or buried under heavy snow.
As the group approached the houses, they noticed signs of past human activity.
Dan Heng examined them briefly and stated, "These cabins were likely constructed by individuals Belobog sent to study Stellaron in the past. It seems they have been abandoned for a long time."
As they swiftly entered the wooden cabin, countless lifelike ice sculptures came into view.
Some stood erect, others lay fallen, some appeared mid-charge, while a few were kneeling on the ground.
Each sculpture displayed distinct expressions, seeming almost alive.
"Are these... remnants of the Antimatter Legion?" March 7th's delicate brows furrowed slightly, a hint of fear rising on her pretty face. "Eek... they look truly terrifying."
From their appearance, the pink-haired girl could clearly identify them as such.
Frozen void wraiths littered the entire mountain path, evoking a chilling sensation.
"It's like insects trapped in amber," Dan Heng mused, stroking his chin.
March 7th spread her hands and remarked, "The minions of the Antimatter Legion, during their invasion of this world... surely didn't anticipate being engulfed by the Frostwave."
In a sense, it was ironic that:
Stellaron, from its very inception,
Originally, they were part of the Antimatter Legion's forces.
Due to the Frostwave triggered by Stellaron, all members of the Antimatter Legion were annihilated.
It could indeed be considered quite ironic.
March 7th carefully examined the void wraith encased in ice. Recalling her own experiences, she couldn't resist asking, "But... do you think these guys inside the ice are still alive?"
Stelle pondered for a moment and said, "Let's name it July Third."
With a speechless expression, March 7th looked at the gray-haired girl.
"I can't believe you're joking around at a time like this..."
Bochang observed the intact void wraiths, feeling that their chances of survival were not insignificant... It was just that they remained frozen for now. Once thawed,
quite a few void wraiths might regain their ability to move again.
Bochang shook his head, "Whether they're alive or not, it's none of our concern."
"Yes, our goal is to find the Stellaron and prevent further expansion of the rift. As for this Antimatter Legion, it's not something we should involve ourselves with; let the Silvermane Guards handle it," Dan Heng said decisively.
As passengers on the Astral Express, they were merely transient visitors in this world. Apart from matters concerning the Stellaron, the Trailblazer squad had no obligation to intervene.
"I suppose the Stellaron must be up there." Dan Heng lifted his gaze towards the ruins atop the mountain peak.
March 7th scrutinized closely and remarked, "That thing... doesn't it resemble a massive hand?"
"Not just resemble, it clearly looks like a hand," Bochang affirmed.
Bochang affirmed this, although they hadn't yet reached this point in the game.
However...
He had some knowledge about the Creation Engine from his research.
It was likely that this structure is indeed the Creation Engine—an ancient machine built by the Jarilo interstellar civilization to counter the Antimatter Legion.
Judging by just the arm alone,
the Creation Engine must be as tall as a small mountain, seemingly even larger than the Doomsday Beast.
Following the staircase upward,
the group casually conversed as they ascended to the peak of Everwinter Hill.
At the summit, there lay a massive platform resembling an ancient altar, with diverse void wraiths scattered around like sacrificial offerings.
Upon this platform,
they spotted Stellaron, along with Cocolia and Bronya.
Just as seen in the rift vision, the two were still engaged in heated debate.