They had expected Stark, who was usually a bit timid, to agree to the request, but instead, he pushed up his wind goggles and spoke with a serious expression.
“No, I’m going too. That energy bothers me immensely. None of you can analyze it, so this is something I must do.”
Stark’s voice was unusually firm. Before his companions could object, he had already nimbly donned his power armor.
With the metallic clicking of interlocking gears, the fine-steel exoskeleton instantly covered his body. The steam core on his back began to hum, emitting wisps of white mist.
“Besides...” Stark flexed his metal-clad fingers and gave his chest a heavy thud. “I still have this guy. I can definitely be of help!”
“Alright... but if you encounter danger, remember to prioritize your own safety!” Starlight sighed slightly as he looked at the fully geared Stark, but he did not refuse.
“Then let’s head out, or we won’t be able to catch up with them!” Po Kong urged.
...
Maela summoned the crystal sled once more. With the silent surge of wind elements, the four of them glided toward the center of the frozen lake like ghosts.
They moved quickly, catching up to the Frost Giant procession in just a few minutes and making landfall at the edge of the island in the center of the lake.
Their movements did not attract the attention of the Frost Giants ahead, but as the group looked at the dense formation before them, they couldn’t help but feel troubled.
It was only after landing on the island that they realized the Frost Giants present weren’t just the group they had seen earlier; there were thousands of them.
“This isn’t right...” Po Kong lowered his voice, his throat bobbing. “I’m afraid every Frost Giant in the Northlands is gathered here.”
Creatures of such height and bulk, simply standing side-by-side, formed a blue-and-white wall that blocked their path.
Trying to infiltrate deep into the island under these circumstances was truly difficult. No matter how dull the Frost Giants might be, they wouldn’t just stand by and watch the four of them charge in.
All the giants faced the center of the island, maintaining absolute silence as if waiting for a significant moment to arrive. Starlight and the others could only watch silently from the rear, not daring to make the slightest move.
“It looks like we can’t go any further. I just don’t know what’s happening inside,” Maela whispered, huddled behind a block of glacial rock.
Starlight and Po Kong nodded solemnly in response. The overwhelming number of Frost Giants was indeed beyond everyone’s expectations.
But on second thought, this might be an opportunity—since the vast majority of Frost Giants were gathered here, their usual habitats must be empty. Returning now to gather the minerals needed for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony would be the perfect time.
After all, these giants had not yet shown any aggression; avoiding them seemed the wisest course of action.
However, Stark proposed a completely opposite idea: “We can’t leave. I have a premonition that there is something inside we must know!”
As he spoke, he looked down at the ice behind them. That faint red light was still flickering slightly beneath the ice, and the point where they all converged was this very island.
“But...” Starlight wanted to argue, but he was interrupted by Stark’s next words.
“I believe we can find a way to restore Noah in there. That energy... we must obtain it!”
Stark’s suggestion silenced Starlight. This was a reason he absolutely could not refuse.
“Alright... but how do we get in? Force our way?” Starlight asked, looking him straight in the eye.
“Since I dared to make this proposal, I naturally have a plan.” Seeing that Starlight was no longer insisting on leaving, Stark breathed a sigh of relief and took a sealed test tube containing a dark grey fluid from a compartment in his power armor’s side skirt.
“I once read in 《Strange Tales of the North》 that Frost Giants do not have very strong perception. This is a special coating I prepared for this ceremony; applying it to our bodies will grant us exceptional concealment.”
As Stark spoke, he poured some of the liquid from the test tube onto the arm of his armor. The liquid did not splash like water; instead, it spread across the surface of the armor, eventually slowly turning into a deathly white that closely matched the snow.
“Eh? When did you tinker with such a good thing?” Maela’s eyes widened as she watched Stark’s power armor gradually blend into the snow, even the details of the metal seams becoming perfectly hidden.
“During these past few days, of course. As for the three of you...” Stark paused slightly. “Maela, use your crystals to cover everyone’s body with a layer of armor—the thinnest kind will do. Your crystals have certain metallic properties, so my mimicry coating can work on them as well.”
Hearing this, Maela immediately channeled her mana. Shimmering crystal energy covered her body like flowing water, condensing into a semi-transparent film.
When Stark’s coating dripped onto her hand, a miraculous change occurred—the originally clear crystal instantly transformed into the texture of snow, perfectly blending into the surrounding environment.
Seeing that the coating was effective, Maela hurriedly applied a layer of crystal to Starlight and Po Kong, giving them the same camouflage.
“Hmm... as for the scent, let me think... let’s use this.”
While the three were preparing, Stark produced a small spray bottle from behind him and sprayed it around each of them. A pungent, musky odor immediately filled the air.
“What is this now? It’s a bit choking!” Po Kong sniffed the air and frowned slightly.
Stark explained while packing his things, “This is a spray that simulates the body odor of a snow ferret. This way, we can mask our original scent, making it even harder for the enemy to detect us.”
“...Just how many strange things did you prepare?” Starlight couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed. He hadn’t expected Stark to prepare so many fancy little gadgets in just a few days.
“I had no choice~” Stark shrugged helplessly. “Since my strength is too weak, I can only rely on these tools to make up for it. As for the sound... we’ll have to do this.”
As he spoke, he took a shining magic crystal from his pocket and inserted it into the chest of his power armor.
The next second, the clattering of gears in the power armor vanished, and even the steam rising from the back dwindled to an almost imperceptible level.
“What is this now?”
“Well... it’s a wind magic crystal. I engraved a series of runes inside the armor that can channel the wind elements within the crystal to influence the surrounding sound, thereby reducing noise to a minimum... It seems the effect is quite good, though it’s a bit expensive~ This crystal alone cost me nearly half a month’s savings.”
Stark moved his limbs with satisfaction and nodded to the three.
“Since everyone is ready, let’s head out. Whether it’s the coating or the spray, they can only last for about two hours. We must act quickly.”
“Let’s go!”
...
After making full preparations, the four of them were like four wisps of drifting mist, silently blending into the environment along the shadow of a large tree.
It had to be said that Stark’s inventions were indeed effective. When they passed right next to those Frost Giants, Starlight could even feel the bone-chilling cold radiating from the behemoths, yet the giants were completely unaware of them being so close.
As they passed an ice-covered ancient tree, Starlight couldn’t help but look up at the Frost Giant nearest to him.
The moonlight poured down like water, illuminating the giant’s face—which was as large as a millstone—in vivid detail.
The Frost Giant’s features were surprisingly close to those of humans and dwarves: rugged but distinct features, frost-laden white eyebrows, and even neatly trimmed beards.
Compared to the hideous Stone Trolls, these polar inhabitants possessed a certain primitive and solemn beauty.
The Frost Giant before them stood tall and straight, with its two thick arms raised high above its head. Its blue-and-white face was filled with an expression of piety, as if it were worshipping something.
In its deep-set eye sockets, its blue-glowing eyes were fixed toward the center of the island, its lips moving silently as if reciting some ancient prayer.
————————
Happy Double Festival, image in author's note ↓
Rate on N.U.
