The statement that “there is no mana in Hoarfrost Gorge” elicited a lukewarm response from the group. Understandable, given that most of them were warriors who relied on physical prowess rather than magical abilities.
Maya, the only one who utilized mana to some extent, did not fully grasp the implications.
“… Is there not even a trace?”
Only Khan had an inkling of its gravity.
“None. There’s a very faint presence… it existed at the boundary between the snow mountains and Hoarfrost Gorge, but even that seemed stagnant, not flowing like natural mana—it’s as if it’s frozen in place.”
Mana is present everywhere on the Midland continent, constantly circulating and perpetually replenishing itself. The origin of mana—this resource that allows mortals to wield superhuman powers despite its extensive use—remains a mystery.
The answer to such a profound question was simple.
No one knew.
Mana just existed, replenishing itself faster than it was consumed, and its presence was taken for granted, accepted as part of the world’s natural order.
Only Khan, coming from a world where the concept of mana belonged to the realm of fiction and fantasy, questioned its existence.
‘Or perhaps the Hoarfrost Gorge clanspeople don’t ponder the existence of mana either,’ he mused.
Deciding to shelve this profound topic for later discussion, Khan focused on the current practicalities.
“First, let’s move to a shelter.”
Khan quickened their pace, urging his companions onward. Meanwhile, he sought to clear the questions swirling in his mind by conversing with Ludmilla, whom he carried on his back.
“If there’s no mana, does that mean spells can’t be used?”
“Not exactly. It’s possible to use spells, but their efficiency is extremely poor. In this environment, where the flow of mana seems frozen, forcing it to manifest will yield less than a tenth of its normal potency.”
“What about mages? Would those of transcendent rank be affected the same way?”
“Well… I can’t be sure. They might have found ways to wield their magic even in places like this.”
“And magic stones?”
“If we draw mana from the stones’ exteriors, it’ll be the same issue. Fortunately, these magic stones function by using their internal mana to cast spells autonomously, so they should be fine.”
As they exchanged questions and answers, the group reached the entrance of the valley. Moving deeper into the concave terrain, they were met with another dramatic change in the environment.
“This is proof that we’ve truly entered Hoarfrost Gorge.”
The air felt oppressively heavy—a perfect metaphor for their situation. Every step required twice the effort as if gravity itself was altered in this space.
“If a fight breaks out, keep your breaths short. Aim to end it with a single, fatal blow. In a prolonged battle, we’ll be at a huge disadvantage.”
This was the first rule when facing beasts, monsters, and Greenskins that had adapted to the environment of Hoarfrost Gorge.
‘It feels… a bit less intense than before.’
While advising his companions, Khan checked his own condition. It seemed as though the eerie ‘weight’ enveloping Hoarfrost Gorge was less pronounced than he remembered.
Of course, back then, his stats were laughable. Now, with a superhuman physique, the perception might have changed.
‘It’s not just the stats.’
He had grown familiar with it.
Khan concluded that he had somehow adapted to the ‘weight’ that permeated Hoarfrost Gorge, making him less affected by it.
“Huff… Boss! How much longer? I can’t keep this up…!”
“We’re almost there.”
Given that this wasn’t the right time for deep contemplation, Khan did his best to encourage the group, pushing them to move swiftly towards the Hoarfrost Gorge clan’s shelter.
Due to the increased ‘weight’ in the valley’s center, Maya was the first to succumb to exhaustion, not Alejandro or Eson.
“I’m sorry…”
“Just rest.”
Khan now found himself carrying both Maya and Ludmilla, hardly an enviable situation, despite what it might look like.
“Ashuk! Carry him!”
“Humph. Weaklings!”
Next was Alejandro. His nimble movements were no match for Hoarfrost Gorge’s unique laws, and he collapsed silently. Ashuk was tasked with carrying him.
Eson, however,—
“Huff. Huff.”
Though his breathing was labored, he continued walking on his own two feet.
“Lord, I can walk on my own now.”
Whether spurred by Eson’s tenacity or having partially recovered her strength, Maya insisted on walking herself, and Khan respected her resolve.
“This place… To think such effects could occur without mana, what principles could be at work…”
Back on Khan’s back, Ludmilla muttered incessantly, struggling to understand the peculiar laws governing Hoarfrost Gorge.
The Three Idiots reveled in the familiar heavy sensation of Hoarfrost Gorge, moving energetically. As they neared the clan’s shelter, they faced yet another restriction.
Suddenly—
“Wait, no, I feel a disturbance—something’s off,” said Ludmilla, her voice tinged with urgent curiosity.
The path became harder, steeper, and the very air seemed to press down more severely. Khan realized they were entering the deepest part of Hoarfrost Gorge, where the ‘weight’ was the most intense. The final trial before reaching safety was upon them.
“Everything feels slower…?”
Khan noticed his body’s reactions were sluggish. It was as if there was a delay between commands and actions, like a computer suffering from lag.
“Adapt. If you can’t, you won’t even be able to fight properly.”
Maya, who had tripped over the unfamiliar sensation, gritted her teeth. It felt like trying to swim through a swamp with shackles weighing her down. The constraints on her body made even walking challenging.
Could she even swing her spear properly in this condition? How could she hope to pass the warrior’s trial, or even fend off a goblin, if she was this encumbered?
“We’re almost there.”
While Khan could offer advice on tolerating Hoarfrost Gorge’s extreme cold, he couldn’t help them adapt to the oppressive ‘weight’ that enveloped the area. They had to adjust on their own, finding ways to move within these limitations.
“We have less than an hour left.”
This was the only encouragement Khan could offer. Though they had more distance to cover, he hoped that psychological relief might lighten their burden.
“Hmm. I’ll carry this weakling!”
“Do as you please.”
“Ha-ha! With more weight, I’ll be even more trained. You can rest comfortably, Amal, son of Karan!”
“Grr! You, blooded one! Tell me if you’re about to fall! I’ll carry you right away!”
No matter how strong one’s will, there is a limit to physical endurance. Stumbling, falling, getting up again, and trying to walk, Maya finally collapsed from exhaustion.
Until that moment, Eson had soldiered on.
‘So, the Hoarfrost Gorge bloodline does seem to have some protective effect.’
Between Maya and Eson, the latter was undoubtedly more physically capable. Eson, inheriting the Hoarfrost Gorge bloodline, possessed strength far beyond that of an ordinary person.
However, in every other aspect, Maya excelled. Especially with her peculiar penchant for enjoying pain. Under normal circumstances, she would have relished the increased challenge, wanting to push her limits even further.
‘Maya is fully affected by the constraints, while Eson seems to be somewhat less impacted.’
Hoarfrost Gorge life adapted in unique ways to their environment. Some even seemed to move without being affected by these constraints. Naturally, this included the Hoarfrost Gorge clanspeople. Eson, carrying that bloodline, was likely enjoying a portion of those benefits.
But even he couldn’t hold out until the end.
“Ha-ha! Fatun! Now I carry a heavier burden than you!”
“Quiet down…!”
“We’ve slowed down…?”
Her body’s reactions were delayed, as if she were experiencing lag. Movements seemed to have a latency between them, just like a computer suffering from a slow load time.
“Adapt. If you can’t, you won’t even be able to fight properly.”
Maya ground her teeth as she stumbled and fell. She felt as though she was wearing heavy shackles, struggling to wade through a marsh. Every movement was encumbered, making just walking a challenge. Could she even wield her spear in this state? How could she fight the warrior’s trial or even a goblin in such a hampered condition?
“We’re almost there.”
Although Khan could help with adapting to Hoarfrost Gorge’s severe cold, the oppressive ‘weight’ surrounding them was something each person had to overcome on their own. One had to find their own way to move within this restricted environment.
In stark contrast, the Three Idiots were positively thrilled to be back in Hoarfrost Gorge.
‘They ran away from their homeland, yet now they seem happy to be back.’
Had Khan not possessed his body, these three fleeing Hoarfrost Gorge would never have happened. So, it wasn’t too strange to see their reactions.
“Ludmilla. Wake up. We’re almost there.”
“Mm.”
Unlike her formidable magical abilities, Ludmilla was physically fragile. Ever since the final restriction had kicked in, she had barely remained conscious. Her body had decided it was best to conserve energy this way.
The only reason Khan woke her now was simple.
“We’ve arrived.”
To let her see it for herself, Khan lifted Ludmilla slightly, bringing her to eye level. Too exhausted to even express her appreciation, Ludmilla weakly lifted her eyelids. Her vision focused on clear evidence of civilization.
A barrier crafted from the bones of a once-massive beast marked their destination. Skulls from various creatures decorated it like macabre trophies.
The sight might have resembled a black magic ritual site or a savage shaman’s altar, but the presence of numerous leather tents confirmed it was a place where people lived.
“No matter how hard you squeeze, you can’t snap a goblin’s neck!”
“I’m pretty sure I could snap yours!”
“What nonsense! Then try it─!”
And there were people—giant figures that dwarfed average humans, their ash-gray skin marking them as Hoarfrost Gorge barbarian, a rare sight in Midland. More than a hundred stood before them, each one capable of replacing a hundred regular soldiers. Fearless warriors, they emanated raw power.
“This is…”
“Yes, this is—”
“Haha! Hoarfrost Gorge! I’m back!”
Ashuk, with Alejandro on his back, roared with laughter as he marched through the barrier. The other two idiots, of course, followed.
“Ashuk! Amal! Fatun! Where have you been all this time?”
“We thought you’d been eaten by wolves! But you’ve come back alive!”
“Wait a second! Those dwarfs are riding on their backs!”
Pandemonium ensued.
With the great warrior away at the sanctum, the return of the Three Idiots stirred up quite the commotion. The remaining barbarian, who had been squabbling among themselves, now swarmed over.
“You fools──!”
“Ta-Tarak!”
At that moment, a middle-aged man leaped over the others with a battle cry and landed before Ashuk.
He was Tarak, the great warrior’s sworn brother, acting as the clan’s representative when the great warrior was away, and Pashantu’s husband.
Tarak swung a bone, easily two meters long, aimed at Ashuk’s head. But just before it connected, a hand shot out to intercept the blow, and everyone watching was stunned.
It wasn’t that someone had blocked Tarak’s attack, who was considered the greatest warrior after the Great Warrior, with their bare hands. It was the identity of the person who had stopped the attack that shocked everyone.
“You, you’re…!”
“It’s fine to scold your foolish son, but I can’t let you harm my comrades, so I had to step in.”
Tarak, despite recognizing the figure before him, struggled to accept what he was seeing. Anyone would have felt the same.
“Khan?!”
So astonished was Tarak that his grip on the bone club loosened, and Khan offered a fierce smile. The Great Warrior’s son, once the weakest nuisance in Hoarfrost Gorge, had returned.
“It’s been a while, Uncle.”
The son of the Great Warrior had returned.
Not as a mere warrior, but as a superhuman.