The Healing Solaris Cleric

Chapter 193: Snowy Mountains (3)

“Ugh...” Luna let out a small groan as she opened her heavy eyelids.

The sunlight of the Snowy Mountains streaming through the window had awakened her from her deep sleep.

As she shifted her body, trying to go back to sleep, her eyes suddenly shot open.

"Oh!"

She remembered fainting while talking to the adventurer Cleric the previous day. Feeling a mix of warmth and embarrassment toward him for laying her in bed, she stepped into the living room.

"...He’s gone."

The slightly warmer atmosphere than usual hinted that someone had been present, but the living room was quiet.

Right. Any sane person wouldn’t venture into the harsh Snowy Mountains to look for someone.

He seemed like such a kind person...

Luna blamed herself for being too greedy and was about to return to her room.

Clang, clang, clang!

“Huh?”

But the sound coming from the small open space in front of the house made her stop in her tracks.

This sound is...

She had often heard it when her younger brother was around, sparring with local friends or hunters.

Could it be Sora, that rascal?

Luna hurriedly opened the front door and checked the open space, but, unfortunately, her brother wasn’t there.

“Oh, have you woken up?”

“The adventurer?”

It was only the adventurer she had hosted last night, sparring with a lizardman who seemed to be his companion.

“Please wait just a moment. We’re almost finished,” Kai called out to her as he stepped back while pointing his sword at Blizzard. “You’re too slow. Your strength lies in relentlessly pressuring your enemies with your twin scimitars, but at this speed, you won’t be able to overwhelm the enemies we’re about to face.”

“Rawr...” Blizzard drooped his shoulders, looking dispirited.

However, that didn’t last long. With the warrior’s blood running through his veins, he grabbed his scimitars again, lowered his stance, and took on his tribe’s unique combat posture.

“Come at me.”

As Kai waved the tip of his sword in a taunting gesture, Blizzard’s legs pushed off the ground.

Whoosh!

He’s fast!

Not only the villagers, who were pretending to go about their business while watching the match, but even Luna was surprised.

Blizzard, now at level 250, was a warrior whose main stats were focused on Strength and Agility. Of course, an experienced player at around level 230 would be able to face Blizzard.

But that’s because they have more skills.

That was why Kai had started paying attention to Blizzard’s swordsmanship level.

I’ve never heard of a player using twin scimitars.

In other words, players who faced Blizzard were essentially up against a weapon they weren’t familiar with. That was Blizzard’s advantage.

A new, unfamiliar weapon, and relentless attacks that leave no time to think!

It was Blizzard’s greatest strength!

Kai wanted Blizzard to grow strong enough to handle at least two players of the same level on his own.

But staying by my side might not help him with that.

The level gap between Blizzard and himself was now close to seventy. Moreover, with Kai’s stats boosted by his Benevolence stats, he would now visit much more difficult hunting grounds than his level would suggest going to.

I’ve already talked to him about solo training.

Kai had decided that he would send Blizzard off to train and hunt on his own after this sparring session. He would find a hunting ground suitable for his level, and through endless battles there, he would grow stronger.

Even if Blizzard dies, I can just summon him again. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Kai had already discussed this with him. Blizzard understood well that if he stayed as he was, he wouldn’t be of much help to Kai. So when the idea of solo training came up, Blizzard was overjoyed.

Clang!

Amid Blizzard’s fierce scimitar attacks, Kai’s sword found a brief opening and tapped Blizzard’s chest.

“Too many openings. Fix it.”

Blizzard nodded.

As Kai sheathed his sword, Blizzard also carefully placed his blades into their scabbards.

Kai suddenly felt as if he understood the feelings of parents sending their child to school for the first time.

He packed a pouch of gold and some food for Blizzard, and said to him, “If you get really hungry, use this to buy yourself a meal.”

Blizzard nodded.

“Always check your opponent’s level before you fight.”

Blizzard nodded again.

“And make sure to study language for two hours every day.”

Blizzard didn’t nod this time.

Kai patted Blizzard’s shoulder firmly. “Come back stronger.”

“Kraaar!” Blizzard pounded his chest with his right hand, letting out a short roar of determination.

“Good boy.”

Kai chuckled as he watched Blizzard walk down the mountain with a bundle on his back.

Well, he’ll probably die at least once after fighting for a while. I’ll see him again in a week at most.

He didn’t bother sending Mimic along, because if it came across any unique monsters, it would need to use its Mimic skill.

After getting his thoughts in order, Kai turned back to Luna. “Luna, I have some more questions about the Death Dragon.”

“I’ll answer everything I can,” Luna nodded firmly, showing her determination.

***

Let’s see...

Having left Cordo behind, Kai ventured deep into the Snowy Mountains. The winter mask, hat, boots, and gloves that Luna had given him as a gift were incredibly helpful in keeping the cold out.

So this is the Snowy Mountains, huh... I was expecting something like Mount Everest.

The snowstorm-whipped white world made it impossible to see even a step ahead. As a result, Kai kept his head down and focused on moving his legs while organizing the information he had about the Death Dragon.

The Death Dragon Sineras—the dragon that fled after being gravely wounded by Patrick hundreds of years ago.

Many people had seen Sineras as it fled to the Snowy Mountains after being injured by Patrick’s sword. Of course, those people had long since passed, but the story had been passed down from mouth to mouth, almost like folklore.

"A dragon with scales whiter than the purest snow."

Luna said she had recently seen a dragon with pure white scales flying around the distant peaks, and Kai was able to deduce Sineras’s identity from that observation.

Sineras must be a White Dragon.

He had gathered various information about the dragons in MID Online by doing research in the community, and the most basic piece of information was about the color of their scales.

Red scales mean a Red Dragon, which uses fire. Blue scales mean a Blue Dragon, which uses water. Black scales mean a Black Dragon, which wields the power of darkness... Then, white scales would mean?

The answer was obvious. Naturally, it would be a White Dragon that governed snow and ice.

Actually, the color of the scales doesn’t matter much.

What truly mattered was the dragon’s level.

I don’t think it’s a fully grown adult.

Dragons in MID Online were categorized into three stages of growth, hatchlings, adults, and elder dragons.

A hatchling was small, had limited magical abilities, and was relatively weak. Of course, dragons were an overpowered species that grew stronger with time, even without much effort.

An adult dragon was powerful enough to be a threat that even nations paid attention to.

And lastly, the elder dragons.

They were so powerful that even an empire would fear it.

According to the community, there are no elder dragons left on the continent.

The game story also stated that there were very few dragons left in the first place, and he had gathered additional information that adult dragons never left their territories.

Which means...

It was highly likely that the Death Dragon Sineras was still a hatchling. After all, it was doubtful whether even Patrick could have defeated it if it was an adult dragon.

“It’s very likely to be a White Dragon hatchling.”

With his thoughts organized, Kai continued climbing the mountain. Even the monsters of the Snowy Mountains seemed to avoid attacking during the blizzard, as Kai hadn’t encountered any along the way.

After an entire day’s hike, Kai finally reached the peak and let out a triumphant shout, “Ha...!”

It was a thrilling sight seeing the entire world, including the clouds, spread out beneath his feet! It was a view that only those who had conquered the mountain's summit could enjoy.

She said I’d be able to see Sineras’s nest from this peak...

He took a moment to admire the scenery, but that only lasted momentarily. He then turned around and began searching for Sineras’s nest.

“Is it over there?”

On the highest peak of the massive snow-covered mountain range far in the distance, he spotted what looked like a huge cave, as if the mountain’s top had been pierced with a large hole.

At the same time, Kai’s expression turned serious.

... Just getting there would take at least several days of walking.

Luna’s brother was said to be the strongest warrior in Cordo. Having lived his entire lie in the Snowy Mountains, he would be much better at climbing than Kai and since he had left two days earlier, he would already be well ahead.

I won’t be able to catch up like this.

Kai hadn’t participated in a single walking event since graduating from elementary school. Even though he was in a game, walking toward a single destination for several days was dreadful.

There must be a way...

As Kai rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought, an unexpected notification window popped up.

[You have gained 7,102 XP from Blizzard’s hunting.]

“Oh?”

Blizzard, who had gone off for training, had successfully hunted his first prey.

Looks like he found a hunting ground suitable for his level. My pets really are impressive.

Kai smiled with pride like a doting parent, but soon tilted his head.

“Wait a minute. Could there be...”

Kai turned around and scanned his surroundings once more. After searching for a while, he found what he was looking for between two nearby peaks, in an unknown gorge.

There it is! A wyvern nest!

Kai planned to transform Mimic into a wyvern using its Mimic skill and fly straight to Sineras’s nest.

Mimic could also transform into a King Sandworm to get there, but...

That method would almost certainly cause a landslide. Considering the villages located below the Snowy Mountains, it was something he absolutely couldn’t do.

So, Kai changed his destination.

***

Squawk, squawk! Screeeech!

Kai had no idea why the wyverns sounded like seagulls, but as their cries grew louder, a smile spread across his face.

I just followed the direction I thought was right, and it seems I got it.

From the peak, he could see that there were only two adult wyverns in the nest.

I don’t know their levels, but two wyverns shouldn’t be a problem.

He had already prepared a strategy for dealing with flying monsters.

“Upgrade, Holy Chains.”

Clink.

Then, he gripped the thick chain in his hand and stealthily approached the gorge.

There they are.

The wyverns’ nest was located on a cliff within the gorge.

One is flying around on patrol, and the other is guarding the nest.

Without hesitation, Kai began spinning the chain in the air.

One, two...

The moment the patrolling wyvern flew near his marked location, the thick Holy Chain shot out from his left hand like a cannon.

Screeech!

The wyvern screamed as the chain wrapped around its neck.

“Argh!”

Kai planted his feet firmly on the ground and pulled the chain with both hands.

The wyvern immediately spread its wings and began to resist.

Its wing strength is stronger than I thought.

As if playing a game of tug-of-war, the distance between them didn’t close.

In response, Kai urgently murmured, “Upgrade, Chasing Light Arrows!”

[The size of the Chasing Light Arrows increases, and their penetration and damage are enhanced.]

He didn’t need many. Just two—two would be enough.

Ping!

With a sharp sound cutting through the air, the Light Arrows pierced through the thick wing joints of the wyvern at once.

Screeeech!

When the wings of a creature soaring through the air broke, only one fate awaited—plummeting down.

"Hyaah!"

As Kai poured every bit of strength he had into pulling the Holy Chain, what had been immovable finally started to budge.

It’s coming!

Bound by the chain, the wyvern flapped its wings desperately, but the pierced wing offered little help. In no time, it was dragged down, and crashed onto the cold floor of the gorge below.

Thud!

“Phew. That did quite a bit of damage.”

Just from falling out of the sky, the level 310 wyvern had lost half of its HP. And to make matters worse, it had now fainted!

“I need to get Mimic to imitate this thing, but...”

Mimic’s level was currently much lower than the wyvern’s, meaning there was a high chance the Mimic skill would fail.

“Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

Having successfully bound one wyvern, Kai summoned Mimic.

“I’ll just keep trying until it works.”

Kai gently rubbed the wyvern’s wing with his hand infused with holy power. He had to make sure Mimic didn’t use its skill on the wyvern with a pierced wing, as that would be a disaster.