Chapter 312
The sky was dark and low. Amid the endlessly swirling snowstorm, there was the smell of a storm from the sea.
The snow that fell on the ground did not melt. Snowflakes scattered by the wind surged like waves.
The sky was full of dark clouds, making the accumulated world white yet dark. Every time I breathed, the cold air entered my lungs, as if it were trying to freeze me from the inside.
The moment we stepped outside, the exploration team split into groups.
There were ten teams of about ten members each, and I was in the last team, Team 10.
And within each team of ten, we were divided into pairs, making a total of five pairs.
“Why am I paired with you?”
I asked Lean, who was silently walking beside me through the snowstorm.
Lean did not answer. Seeing his resolute demeanor, as if he would not tolerate any idle chatter, I sighed.
‘This is quite something.’
I had vaguely expected to move with someone, but I never thought Lean himself would come out.
Even if I asked why, he probably wouldn’t answer, so I decided to focus on my duties as an explorer.
“So, where are we heading?”
“…We’re going to the unexplored area.”
Was it okay to talk about work matters?
Such an uninteresting man. His rigid attitude reminded me of someone else who spoke similarly.
‘But compared to Choi Do-yoon, he’s gentler. No, that guy is just a psychopath.’
At least Lean cared enough about his fellow explorers to wish them to return alive, unlike Choi Do-yoon.
“Where in the unexplored area?”
“Look at the map.”
Lean unfolded a map. The northern part of the continent was detailed on it, and the map divided the northern continent into several sections.
More than half of them were marked with red Xs.
The marked areas were those that had been explored, while the unmarked areas were places we had never been to.
The place I would be exploring today was northwest of Gard.
After confirming the direction, I nodded and was about to move with Lean when I noticed suspicious movements in the distance.
“Isn’t that Emperor Frechen? And his subordinates…”
Frechen was leading his subordinates somewhere. Unlike the other exploration teams, they were moving in groups of dozens.
Had they followed after the exploration teams went out first?
Before I could convey this to Lean, he spoke up.
“Don’t mind them.”
“Don’t mind them? Isn’t that an individual action?”
“He’s a man who won’t listen even if you tell him. Besides, they’re doing their own exploration in their way, so we can’t really say anything. It’s better to leave them be. As long as we don’t provoke them, they won’t interfere with us.”
“…It would be nice if they helped us.”
I murmured, but Lean did not respond.
The two of us continued to wander the unexplored lands, pushing through the snowstorm.
We leaped over the cracks in the ice cliffs and moved around large icebergs.
Occasionally, we saw things other than snow and ice.
There was a forest of trees growing sharply, but the trees were black and leafless.
A forest of mummies.
That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw this place.
Lean took off his glove on his right hand and touched the black bark of a tree with his bare hand.
“Long Globe apple trees.”
“Apple trees grow in a place like this?”
“The northern land has always been cold, but it was abundant in the past. The Long Globe is one of the few trees known for its strong vitality, able to survive the harsh environment of the northern continent. The fruits this tree bears were nothing short of a blessing to the northern Guardians.”
For the Guardians, the Long Globe apple tree was a symbol of strong vitality.
But these Long Globe trees were dying.
“Are they still alive?”
“For now. But if you try to uproot them, they’ll die instantly. They’re barely clinging to life as it is.”
In the end, they would die someday.
Even these trees, central to the northern continent, could not withstand the Curse of the Frozen Land.
Watching Lean’s somewhat bitter profile, I suddenly wanted to ask him something.
Did he know why he took on Kaira’s appearance?
Did he know what deal Kaira made with the system and what she tried to do to protect this world?
“Hey…”
“Shh.”
Thinking I wouldn’t get another chance, I tried to speak, but Lean put his finger to his lips and looked beyond the forest.
His eyes narrowed.
“Frost Giants. Two of them.”
At his words, I listened closely and heard faint noises mixed in with the howling wind.
The heavy footsteps and defiant shouts of what I presumed to be Frost Giants.
Human screams.
“…They encountered them.”
“They’re moving.”
I nodded and followed Lean.
As we crossed the snow-covered hill, we saw two giant figures chasing the exploration team. The pursued were two; one was unconscious, and the other was desperately running while carrying the unconscious one.
The person being carried was bleeding.
With every step, drops of blood fell to the ground and were quickly covered by the swirling snow. The red traces vanished instantly.
The Frost Giants were close behind.
Before I could shout, Lean moved like lightning.
Huh?
Lean slid down the snowfield and reached the lead Frost Giant’s feet. It didn’t take long, and Lean left no footprints in the snow.
Before the giant could recognize the unexpected guest below, Lean’s sword was already out of its sheath.
Slash.
A beam of light cut through the snowstorm, grazing the giant’s neck.
The giant’s body tilted and fell to the ground, sliding away. He felled the Frost Giant with a single strike, but his expression wasn’t good.
“Captain Lean!”
“Get some distance! It’s not dead!”
As he said, the giant’s body twitched, and countless ice spikes shot out in all directions. Lean quickly retreated. He thought he had severed the neck, but it wasn’t enough.
The giant stood up. The neck, more than half severed, dangled and then reattached with a crackling sound.
At that moment, another giant running from behind passed Lean and continued chasing the two explorers.
When Lean tried to block the giant, the first one, now with ice blades for arms, charged at him.
“Ugh! Run!”
Lean blocked the Frost Giant’s sword with his body and shouted to the two explorers. But the giant’s movements were much faster.
The Frost Giant gathered strength in its legs and leapt high into the air. The giant traced a parabolic arc and landed on the ground with agility that belied its massive size.
Boom.
The snow piled around exploded with the impact.
The fleeing explorers were caught in the shockwave and tripped over their tangled legs. The giant, rising from its crouched position, lifted its foot toward the fallen explorer at its feet.
“No!”
Lean shouted as he witnessed the scene, but the giant did not stop.
Just as the frost-covered foot was about to crush the explorer’s head, a large shadow leapt from behind the giant and drove a blade into its neck.
Roar!
The Frost Giant’s foot landed right next to the explorer.
Lean’s eyes widened as he recognized that the person who had stabbed the giant’s neck was none other than Yu-hyun, who had taken Kaira’s form.
‘Why her?’
Yu-hyun clung desperately to the giant’s shoulder, gripping the sword tightly.
Lean watched the scene, transfixed.
“Haa!”
With a shout, Yu-hyun swung the sword embedded in the Frost Giant’s neck. Ice shards flew as the giant’s neck was severed.
Lean, watching in disbelief, gritted his teeth and deflected the giant’s attack that had been grappling with him.
Boom.
The giant’s arms fell to the ground beside Lean, and Lean’s sword moved swiftly.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
The first strike took the arms.
The second strike took the ankles.
And the final, third strike took the neck.
In the blink of an eye, the giant’s icy body tumbled across the snowfield.
Leaving the Frost Giant’s corpse behind, Lean approached the fallen explorers and helped one of them up.
“How’s the injured?”
“He only has a deep scratch on his arm from the ambush, his life is not in danger.”
“Return immediately for treatment. If the giant’s blade cut him, his arm might freeze.”
“Yes, understood.”
The explorer, carrying his comrade on his back, left the area. Before leaving, he gave a grateful nod to Yu-hyun.
Once the two had disappeared, Lean stood still for a moment before approaching Yu-hyun.
“That just now…”
“What?”
“Why… did you fight?”
Lean still could not understand Yu-hyun’s actions.
Charging recklessly at a Frost Giant was something even the bravest of Gardian warriors could not do easily. Yet, Yu-hyun had done it. She had stabbed the giant’s neck and beheaded it.
Had she hesitated even a little, or swung her sword improperly, it would have been Yu-hyun who ended up dead instead of the giant.
More than the surprising decisiveness, what baffled Lean was Yu-hyun’s fearless attitude.
“Why?”
Amid the swirling snowstorm, Yu-hyun looked straight at Lean and spoke.
“Because I can’t just stand by and watch someone die.”
“….”
Lean’s eyelids trembled. His eyes saw the distant past.
‘No.’
The woman who had smiled gently at him.
The woman who had advised him to wield his sword with courage to protect people, not to be afraid.
Now, with only cruel remnants left in his memory, Yu-hyun’s actions struck Lean deeply.
‘Don’t recall.’
Lean instinctively took a step back from Yu-hyun.
‘Don’t rekindle hope.’
He had to forget. He had to live on having forgotten everything.
‘I am….’
“Are you okay?”
Yu-hyun approached Lean and asked. As she reached out her hand, Lean instinctively slapped it away.
Yu-hyun looked at her own hand, wide-eyed.
“Oh.”
Realizing what he had done, Lean stammered.
“I, I… I mean….”
“It’s okay. Just stay still.”
Yu-hyun spoke calmly and picked up Lean’s sword that he had unknowingly dropped, then sheathed it for him. Lean could only watch her actions up close.
“Alright. Let’s go now. Anyway, I don’t think we’ll find anything more today.”
“…Alright.”
Lean obediently followed Yu-hyun’s lead. When they had first come to this place, Lean had led, but now, as they returned, it was Yu-hyun who led the way, creating a strange scene.
And that day.
Miraculously, there were no deaths among the exploration team.
* * *
After successfully completing his first day as an explorer, the perception of Yu-hyun changed significantly.
Thanks to the rumors about him taking down the Frost Giant at great risk, the disregard or wary glances from the explorers disappeared.
Fighting with one’s life on the line to save a comrade was considered a very honorable act.
The explorers, made up of Gardian warriors, held this in high regard.
The rumors spread even further, and occasionally, the surviving Gardians would greet or talk to Yu-hyun.
At that moment, Yu-hyun was sitting outside the city walls with the explorers, sharing a meal.
“Haha. We’re the ones who should be grateful to have such a dependable warrior join us.”
“Sister, do you know everyone’s names?”
At Ringug’s question, Yu-hyun shook his head. Seizing the moment, Ringug introduced the people around them.
“This hairy guy here is Ethan.”
“Hey! I’m not an old man yet!”
“He claims to be a spry youth, but, well, you know.”
Ringug’s playful remark made the surrounding comrades chuckle.
“This tough lady with the eyepatch is Sugara. She’s a master of dagger fighting. This gentleman here is Hanson. He’s got the best eyesight. And this scar-covered guy is Durf. He’s a veteran explorer of 20 years and wields a massive double-headed axe.”
Ringug introduced about ten explorers gathered there to Yu-hyun.
Yu-hyun greeted them all. Everyone had heard of Yu-hyun’s deeds and welcomed him with smiles.
“And that guy sitting alone over there is… Rayon. You know him, right?”
“Yes.”
Rayon sat quietly, sipping his beer. With his sharp eyes and solitary demeanor, he resembled a lone wolf running through the snowy plains.
“Despite his appearance, he’s actually quite old. Almost in his fifties.”
“Really? He doesn’t look it.”
Rayon looked no older than his early thirties at most. Without a beard or wrinkles on his face, he appeared even younger.
“Rayon is the most experienced in our exploration team. He’s been an explorer for 32 years. In fact, he’s practically the living history of this Guardian, having worked alongside Lean.”
“Ringug, stop with the nonsense.”
Rayon snapped sharply, clearly not keen on hearing such praise.
“Oh come on, how many Frost Giants have you taken down so far? You deserve to hear this.”
“I’m just doing my duty as an honorable warrior.”
“Sigh. Rayon is always so stiff. No wonder he’s still single at his age.”
“Haha! Sugara, take it easy. The captain must have his reasons.”
“Right. I think Rayon is amazing. He’s strong and humble.”
With Ringug’s support, Sugara shrugged, unable to argue.
As the atmosphere began to warm, a large shadow suddenly approached.
“Hey miss, I heard you did a great job last time.”
It was Emperor Frechen.
He approached Yu-hyun with a friendly demeanor.
Tension flickered across the faces of the explorers. It was unclear why Frechen had come, but his intentions didn’t seem entirely benevolent.
“…And?”
“Haha. Don’t be so wary. I just came to verify an interesting rumor. Joining the exploration team, saving comrades, and defeating Frost Giants. I wasn’t mistaken.”
What was his reason for such praise?
Despite being humiliated in front of others, Frechen didn’t seem to hold a grudge.
That made Yu-hyun even more cautious of him.
It was difficult to discern Frechen’s true intentions.
“Frechen, back off.”
Rayon glared at Frechen. Frechen glanced at Rayon and then raised his hands, stepping back.
“Well, there’s always another opportunity. I look forward to your next feat.”
Leaving those words, Frechen departed. It was unclear what his intentions were, but Yu-hyun decided it was wise to stay cautious.
Usually quiet, Rayon was notably aggressive when speaking to Frechen.
‘As Lean’s right-hand man, he must despise Frechen, who opposes Lean.’
Moreover, Frechen was second-in-command, and Rayon was third. Such a power dynamic likely contributed to their poor relationship.
Rayon was stern and rigid, while Frechen was sly and whimsical.
Their personalities were entirely opposite.
‘Well, it’s not my concern. What matters is Lean.’
Since that day, Lean had been appearing even less frequently, seemingly troubled.
Though he still participated in explorations, he no longer moved with Yu-hyun. If anything, he avoided him.
Yu-hyun wanted to ask him something but couldn’t find the opportunity.
* * *
A week passed since Yu-hyun arrived.
In that time, he participated in four explorations, all of which ended successfully.
With each successful exploration, Yu-hyun felt strength welling up inside him.
As he gained recognition and became friends with others, and as he defeated Frost Giants.
A small amount, but stories were accumulating within him.
‘It’s not a complete transformation yet, but it’s a start.’
This meant his lifespan had extended by a few weeks.
However, it wasn’t enough. More important than defeating Frost Giants and gaining recognition was finding the cause of the Curse of the Frozen Land.
And also, finding the fragments of the Codex hidden somewhere in this world.
‘I hope we find something at today’s location. I wonder who I’ll be paired with this time.’
As Yu-hyun arrived at the square early that morning.
“Oh…”
“….”
He ran into Lean, who was already there.