Chapter 258 - Northern Sea

Cutting winds blew over the frozen sea. Each gust sent snowflakes flying high, only to flutter back towards the sky. The exposed ice, occasionally visible through the thick piled snow, gleamed like a well-polished mirror under the sunlight.

The guards of Drosia patrolled the coast where the city met the sea.

Around them, elementals of various shapes danced freely in the air. The Mana Hall of Drosia was located in the sea. It was difficult for people to approach; instead, countless sea elementals gathered around it. Most of the Drosian Guards had an affinity with the elementals and received mana from the Mana Hall through their connections with the elementals, protecting the city and the sea.

It wasn’t that there weren’t people who formed contracts with elementals, but it was usually simple cooperation. It was extremely rare to go as far as signing a contract when they only worked together for mutual protection. Above all, there was no reason for the elementals to insist on bonding with humans.

Unlike humans, elementals did not have skills. Their delicate mana control abilities were also reduced, and because they simply emitted the power of their attributes, the effectiveness of their skill management was relatively low. If skills were like wielding a finely honed sword with precision, then elementals were like throwing blunt pieces of metal.

As such, they worked with humans and lent them their power, but that was possible even without a contract.

“We've received a support call from B-1 in the east. It seems the ice has melted considerably.”

Hearing the guard’s words over the radio transmission, several guards turned their snowmobiles around. The snowmobiles sped past the white shore and lightly crossed the frozen sea.

The monsters that appeared every night were also hostile to the elementals, but they targeted cities where crowds of people gathered first. Therefore, most of the monsters appearing within the sea would climb ashore, so the guards and elementals of Drosia froze the sea to a certain distance from the shore.

In that powerful cold, all monsters without SS rank or superior cold resistance would freeze to death under the sea.

“The sun will set soon.”

A Drosian Guard murmured softly, drinking hot tea from his thermos. Although they carried basic cold-resistant equipment, it was inevitable to feel cold on the shore where ice attribute abilities constantly extended. Unless one had at least C-rank Cold Resistance, it was difficult to stay in this place for long.

The guards beside him also seemed tired of the cold. Still, because the elementals absorbed the cold, the interior of the city was like a spring day year-round.

“There were alerts of SS-rank monsters. Two at the same time, no less.”

“It's good they’re underwater this time. If they were in the city, there would definitely be significant damage.”

“Still, they’ll destroy everything we worked hard to freeze. Should we work overtime for a while?”

It was relatively easy to manage the already frozen sea, but once it thawed, refreezing it was difficult. Hopefully, they were on the smaller side. As they wished for this, the sky darkened. The faint light of the stars, colored deep red mixed with violet, appeared one by one.

The guards handling the frozen sea, with little to no combat ability, began to leave the coast as one. When only the elementals wandered over the sea.

- She’s back!

At the sharp call, the elementals stopped moving all at once. A school of fish swimming among the winds, blue antelopes lightly running across the snowy fields, dolphins entering and exiting the ice as if it were water, and elementals of other forms, all looked in one direction.

Kooooooo—

A loud hum shook the air. Through the darkening sky appeared a white-blue object. It was a colossal whale.

Countless elementals floated around the slowly moving whale. The elementals over the sea also began to flock towards the white whale. As they watched, the Drosian Guards had looks of awe.

“As amazing as always.”

“To think the elementals are so eager. You said they weren’t like this before, right?”

“Since Delta-nim is strong, the elementals favored her. But it was never to this extent.”

As the guards exchanged words, the whale slid over the frozen sea. The combat and support guards riding on the whale’s back jumped off one by one. Then the whale's form broke apart.

The enormous mass of translucent blue water separated slowly from the center. Only a portion in the center remained, with walls of water forming on each side, and what was left gently sank to the ground without hesitation.

The platform of water descending like an elevator dispersed completely, and the soles of white boots sank into the snow.

“I could have jumped.”

Delta—Park Yerim—said to the water elemental that had returned to the form of a small whale. She even had the ability to fly, but that would have been a waste of effort. Nevertheless, the whale shook its head.

Park Yerim looked around slowly. Wherever her eyes landed, countless elementals straightened with bright eyes. Faced with the heavy outpouring of attention and favor, Park Yerim slightly shrugged her shoulders.

“I have to go back anyway.”

For some reason, the elementals showed deep interest in Park Yerim, who had entered Delta’s body. Not only the small and young elementals who couldn’t even speak properly, but also ancient spirits that were hundreds of years old would try to gain her attention.

They all wanted one thing: a contract with Park Yerim.

She grabbed the elementals who could speak and asked why, but got no clear answer. They just wanted to. That was all.

“Delta-nim!”

The guards who had descended earlier started their snowmobiles and called out to Park Yerim. She lightly lifted herself and got on a snowmobile. While patrolling, without being able to detect the exact location of the SS-rank monsters, the elementals flocked after her.

- We can search for them!

- Yes, you can rest!

“Then you’ll attack them and get hurt.”

Park Yerim said, touching a large flower that appeared in front of her with a fingertip and sending it flying away.

- No interference. We won’t get in your way.

An elemental in the form of a tropical fish with long, impressive fins spoke in a calm voice. Beside it, a white-furred wolf leaped. A terrifyingly enormous sea serpent followed closely behind Park Yerim’s snowmobile. The nearby guards cast nervous glances at the sea serpent elemental, which was avoided due to its temperamental nature and lack of cooperation.

- Here, they’re here! Here!

In the distance, a storm petrel soared and cried out. Park Yerim skillfully turned the steering wheel of her snowmobile. Several elementals clung to it as she sped up, almost flying, and the moment they reached the spot where the storm petrel was...

Crr-rr-!

The firmly frozen ice began to crack. Park Yerim abandoned the snowmobile and floated into the air. Her empty hands extended, and from the elementals that looked at each other, one quickly rushed forward.

The shape of the elemental in Park Yerim's hand transformed into a long spear. The mana from the elemental flowed into Park Yerim, who refined it precisely and returned it to the spirit: the spear. The ice spear, charged with furious mana, shot toward the cracked sea.

¡Kwaaang—!

It pierced through the ice layer, creating a massive hole. The ice, as thick as a city wall, was penetrated instantly, and the freezing seawater beneath surged with force. Through it emerged a head covered in scales.

- Krrr.

A monster with enormous sail-like fins along its back bared its teeth fiercely. One of its eyes was pierced by the ice spear. The monster's fins split to either side and began flapping like wings. Heat burst around the monster as it soared into the sky in an instant.

"Hey, I know a guy like you."

The corners of Park Yerim's mouth lifted. The monster heated the air until it was boiling. Clouds of steam rose, and the sea beneath the monster began to melt. But that terrible heat didn't touch even the tips of Park Yerim's hair.

As the Drosia guards and countless elementals watched, unable to approach, Park Yerim stepped forward.

“What was his name, Gagu? You're stronger than that guy. If Gagu was at the level of a boiling kettle, you'd easily be at the level of heating in public baths.”

-Kyarrk.

A wave of steam hot enough to melt flesh surrounded the monster. The elementals hid behind Park Yerim, not daring to get close. The elemental that had become an ice spear also retreated to a distance. The monster's scales heated like molten iron, and with a flap of its wings that sent a massive heat wave, it charged at Park Yerim.

At that very moment.

¡Kwaaa!

Seawater shot up. A column of icy water mixed with ice fragments blocked the monster's charge. Thick steam veiled everything. The monster, still maintaining its heat through the water column, struck the ice layer. The ice shattered, pieces flying, but Park Yerim had already disappeared from that spot.

Instead, a sea serpent emerged onto the ice. Its long body, covered in cold blue scales, wrapped around the monster in an instant. Scales clashed against scales with the groan of a body being constricted. The red-hot and frozen scales rubbed against each other as they began to struggle.

- ¡Kyaaa!

The monster let out a burst of heat, trying to shake off the elemental coiled around it. Originally, the elemental lacked enough strength to confront SS-rank monsters.

But atop its head rode Park Yerim. The one who could skillfully draw out the power of water.

The power of the long-lived elemental exploded under Park Yerim's guidance. It swallowed the monster's heat, sending a fierce chill through its own body.

Park Yerim didn't just give instructions either. Her hands touched the serpent's scales and...

Charararak!

Suddenly, sharp spikes rose over the blue scales. Thousands of ice spikes stabbed and pierced the monster's scales. The struggling monster suddenly felt a shadow fall over it and lifted its head. Reflected in the monster's eyes.

- Krk.

Was water. The wall of water that had risen without its notice fell forward as if its line was cut, crashing against the monster. The steam stopped rising. The water seeped through its broken scales and froze terribly. The monster's body soon became rigid, its screams and heat completely swallowed by the icy seawater.

“Is the next one out?”

Park Yerim, who floated into the sky without a drop of water on her body, asked the elementals around her. The other guards rushed to finish off the half-submerged monster.

-It's still in the sea!

At the words of the fluttering butterflies, Park Yerim dived into the sea without hesitation. The elementals flocked after her, and soon, a large eel-like monster was pulled from the water. The struggling eel, wrapped in all sorts of defensive abilities and coughing up sticky mucus, was soon eliminated.

The elemental that had become an ice spear approached Park Yerim, who had carefully aimed, and whispered.

-If you contract with us, things will be much easier than they are now. You won't have to adjust our power personally.

When a contract was formed, elementals could adjust their strength based on their contractor's ability. Park Yerim wouldn't have to guide them bit by bit as she did now. When the subject of contracts came up, the elementals' gazes turned hopeful. Park Yerim waved her hand lightly.

“It's okay. I'm not thinking about that now. Thank you, but I have to decline.”

Park Yerim smiled at the elementals. It wasn't that she disliked them constantly showing their favor. Honestly, it was welcome, even tempting, but.

‘I have to go home.’

She couldn't take on the responsibility. One could say this world wasn't real, but even so, she didn't want to treat those who were kind to her irresponsibly.

Especially not just for the benefits. If she was going to keep them by her side, she had to take responsibility until the end.

‘Is Ahjussi okay?’

She wasn't too worried about others, but Han Yoojin concerned her. This world had a higher average ranking, so would he be alright?

‘I want to look for him, but I can't even leave! If I were Han Yoohyun, I would have gone to find him immediately.’

For the SS-rank, the city's strongest guard, leaving was one thing, but the problem was that all the elementals would follow her. If the elementals suddenly disappeared, Drosia City wouldn't last long before falling into ruin.

“So I really can't do that,” sighed Park Yerim. Still, it was a relief to know that if they died here, they wouldn't really die. If these were their real bodies, forget the city, she would have set out to find Han Yoojin first thing.

“Delta-nim!”

At that moment, a Drosia guard approached her.

“We've received contact from Medsang City.”

“Medsang? What was that again?”

“It's a city famous for having many support guards. Drosia also has several guards originating from Medsang. But this wasn't from Mu of Medsang, it was from someone named Han Yoojin—”

“Ahjussi?!”

Park Yerim appeared in front of the guard in an instant. The guard startled and took a step back.

“Wasn't Han Yoohyun with him? I'm sure he's with him.”

“Pardon? I'm not sure who...”

“You said there was an SS-rank guard with flame abilities, who was it?”

“That's Alpha of Akates. Alpha was among the people accompanying...”

“Then it's Han Yoohyun! I was right! He's with Ahjussi, as I thought.”

“They made a request on behalf of Guard Han Yoojin, asking for permission for a ship from Medsang to visit. But the group includes not only Mu of Medsang but also Alpha of Akates, Lambda of Lancea, and another anonymous SS-rank guard, so it's likely extremely dangerous.”

“It's okay! Tell them all to come!”

Park Yerim said, smiling brightly.

“There is absolutely no problem. Even if they come for me, I'm still the strongest here!”

Seeing her ready to receive her guests, brimming with confidence, the guard delivering the news nodded, easing his anxiety. In this place, even if all the cities allied together, the winner would be Drosia's Delta.

***

"Alright, everyone. Are you ready?"

I lifted a megaphone and shouted. Some of the Lancea guards nodded slightly. Yoohyun and Moon Hyuna stood on either side of me.

After contacting Drosia City, where we believed Yerim was, we split into two teams. Sigma, being pursued by monsters, stayed on the ship with Noah. While they attracted the SSS-ranked monster, Yoohyun, Moon Hyuna, and I decided to install the discs.

Starting with the closest one, Lancea.

"At least three SS-ranked monsters are likely to appear, so make sure you're well-prepared."

If an unmanageable monster appeared, they were supposed to open a path out of the city for it. If we contacted the Medsang ship, they would approach immediately and take it away. Please ensure we don't have to handle two SSS-ranked monsters.

"Hyung, be careful too."

"Don't worry. I'll eat a cookie first and then press it."

Safety first. After eating a Mini-Mini Cookie, I stepped on the button of the disc and jumped onto it. Immediately, the space trembled and, with a sensation I was gradually getting used to, monsters appeared. Three SS-ranked ones. That wasn't so bad.

Yoohyun quickly grabbed me, put me in his chest pocket, and got on the motorcycle that Moon Hyuna had started. The bike roared forward, flames shooting out.

When we finished dealing with the ones here, Medsang was next. As if to celebrate the installation of the third disc, a side mission arrived.

[Be careful not to catch a cold!

Drosia City is located next to the icy northern sea. Please make preparations to avoid catching a cold! Wrap a warm and cozy wool scarf around your neck~☆

Rewards: 100,000P, handmade bright pink long cardigan, strawberry-flavored cold medicine]

... Did it also make a cardigan meanwhile? Amazing. But strawberry wasn't to my liking.