TLWD 21

Chapter : 21 Master of the Snowy Mountain (2)

A massive force erupted from a creature towering over 10 meters.

I couldn’t even see Gelu Drake’s movements.

At most, I could barely perceive blurry afterimages.

‘My agility is too low.’

Agility didn’t just mean moving fast.

To be precise, it referred to “the ability to transmit commands from the brain through the nervous system.”

That’s why high agility allowed for faster movement.

The better the ability to transmit signals through the nervous system, the faster those signals interacted, leading to quicker physical responses.

Conversely, the brain also processed incoming sensory input more quickly.

Reflexes for reacting instantly to enemy attacks.

Dynamic vision to track enemy movements.

The higher the agility, the sharper these abilities became.

In short, “all actions governed by the nervous system” were tied to agility.

Even dexterity counted as a form of agility, and such traits were incredibly hard to improve just through physical training.

That’s why I had invested all my bonus stats from leveling up into agility.

Currently, my agility stat was 8.

With Metabolism Boost [E+], I could gain a +10% boost, raising it to 8.8.

But it wasn’t enough.

Not nearly enough to read or react to Gelu Drake’s movements.

CRUNCH!

My side was torn off completely.

Even before the pain could send me into shock, I shut off my pain receptors and swallowed the agony.

Where was Gelu Drake?

Restricted—busy biting into my flank.

Sacrificing flesh to break bone.

I clenched both fists. Aimed at Gelu Drake’s exposed back, still chewing on my side, I slammed my fists down like hammers.

CRASH!

Gelu Drake smashed into the snowy ground.

I didn’t go for a follow-up.

I quickly retreated to create distance.

Regeneration isn’t all-powerful.

Even with Enhanced Regeneration [B-], lost limbs could grow back.

But if your heart or head was destroyed—instant death—regeneration was impossible.

Regeneration couldn’t bring the dead back to life.

And just now, had I not twisted my body at the last second, it wouldn’t have been my side—it would’ve been my heart.

So I couldn’t rush.

If I couldn’t kill it in one blow, I’d have to keep inflicting damage.

◆ Skill ‘Regeneration [B-]’ can restore damaged body parts.
◆ Skill ‘Nutrient Synthesis [C+]’ can synthesize required nutrients.

I activated both Regeneration [B-] and Nutrient Synthesis [C+], and my torn side regenerated in an instant.

It cost a massive amount of calories—but that’s fine.

I reached into my inventory to pull out monster meat—

◆ Inventory is empty.

…What?

My mind snapped into clarity.

And right on cue, a translucent message scrolled before my eyes:

[Inventory Explanation]
The inventory is a subspace that stores items a player owns.
Only objects the player owns can be stored.
There is no limit to the type or number of items,
but the total weight is limited.

Weight capacity = Player’s Strength stat × 40kg.

◆ Current inventory capacity: 880kg

I already knew this.

The inventory had a weight limit.

That’s why I couldn’t collect every monster corpse while hunting on the snowy mountain.

But I thought 880kg was enough…

Just then—

Rustle, murmur…

A commotion echoed from the foot of the snowy mountain.

* * *

Kai led the soldiers toward the explosion.

And sure enough—they found Gelu Drake.

Gelu Drake was classified as a dragon-type monster.

If dragons ruled the continent as calamities, Gelu Drake ruled the snowy mountain as a disaster.

He rarely came down from the mountain’s peak, but when he did, he could easily wipe out entire villages.

The best strategy was simple: Don’t mess with Gelu Drake.

Frankly, even Kai wasn’t confident.

He couldn’t guarantee that he could take it down alone.

That’s why what he saw next shocked him.

A man fighting Gelu Drake head-on and alone.

“It’s Sir Adrian!”

“Sir Adrian is fighting Gelu Drake!”

Adrian was locked in a fierce battle against Gelu Drake. Blood, uncertain whose, stained the white snow.

And this wasn’t Gelu Drake’s territory.

This was far from the mountain’s summit where it resided.

So it wasn’t Adrian who lured it down.

Gelu Drake had come down on its own.

No one knew why.

But once it descended, it wouldn’t return until it had gorged itself.

Its prey? The count’s people.

Dozens of them would die.

Villages would be destroyed.

Gelu Drake must be slain.

“Prepare for battle! All units, ready!”

Kai’s voice made the soldiers quickly fall into formation.

They had drilled hard; their discipline was no less than elite soldiers.

Yet fear clouded their faces.

Gelu Drake—the Lord of the Snowy Mountain.

Casualties were inevitable.

At least dozens. Possibly total annihilation.

Kai stood at the front, sword in hand. He would absorb all the damage to reduce soldier deaths.

Still, losses would occur.

But Gelu Drake had to be killed.

Just as Kai tightened his grip—

“Pull the soldiers back!!”

Adrian shouted.

Even while dodging Gelu Drake’s attacks, he kept yelling.

“The soldiers can’t handle this thing!!”

He was right.

Gelu Drake was a disaster incarnate.

It had earned its infamous name.

But even so, this battle…

“Kai! You and I will face Gelu Drake together!!”

Adrian shouted again.

Kai snapped to attention.

Just him and Adrian? Against Gelu Drake?

Then—civilian losses could be prevented.

Not reduced—eliminated.

But Adrian… was different.

Kai had expected him to throw the soldiers to the wolves to save himself.

Instead, he threw himself into the jaws of death to protect the soldiers.

‘Why…?’

This wasn’t the Adrian Kai knew.

He wasn’t consumed by madness.

He was thinking clearly.

Coldly calculating.

Adrian had already lured Gelu Drake to this spot, keeping it from heading down the mountain.

Had he not done that… who knows how many would have died?

But that wasn’t enough.

In the end, Adrian and Kai had to take it down.

…But could they?

Frankly, the odds weren’t good.

Kai alone would have a ~30% win rate.

Gelu Drake was that strong.

But with Adrian?

One thing was certain:

Adrian was no longer the count’s mad dog.

Kai made up his mind.

“Entire unit—descend the mountain immediately.”

“What?!”

“But, sir—!”

The soldiers cried out.

None of them agreed.

Understandable.

These were Whitewolf soldiers.

They trained daily to protect the people—family, lovers, friends.

Running now meant letting Gelu Drake roam free.

People would die.

Even so—

Kai became more certain.

“This is an order. Withdraw immediately and alert the count’s estate. Evacuate the people.”

Until then—

“I’ll hold him off somehow.”

The soldiers didn’t move.

They didn’t distrust Kai.

They didn’t trust Adrian.

Neither did Kai.

But there was no choice.

“GO!!”

Finally, Kai’s roar got them moving.

“We’ll come back with reinforcements!”

“Stay alive until then!!”

The soldiers retreated swiftly down the mountain.

Kai confirmed it, then launched himself into the snow.

* * *

The reason I told the soldiers to retreat was simple:

‘The heart must not be damaged.’

If the soldiers got involved, there was a high chance they’d damage Gelu Drake’s heart.

Striking the heart was the fastest, surest way to bring it down.

But I can’t let that happen.

I will not let them ruin this.

The dragon gene embedded in Gelu Drake must be consumed whole.

That gene… I can’t afford to waste it.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

The soldiers couldn’t fight Gelu Drake.

They’d be nothing but meat shields.

That didn’t mean they’d be useless.

Which is why… if it were the old me—

The count’s mad dog—

I would’ve used them.

Sacrificed them.

But not now.

As a Predator of the Allied Forces.

As a Special Ops Commander.

I used to tell my agents one thing:

To survive the battlefield, sell everything—your pride, your soul.
But never sell your comrades.
If you must sell your comrades, then die instead.

I’d rather die than throw comrades to the wolves.

Granted, these Whitewolf soldiers weren’t my comrades.

They served the Lord of Frost, technically my enemy.

But what sin did they commit?

They were just following orders.

My targets are limited.

If I intend to hunt Gelu Drake, there’s no need for soldier casualties.

But doing it alone was too much.

So I allowed one person to stay.

Former Lord of Frost’s General.

Current First Knight of the Whitewolf Family.

In a blink—

Golden hair streaked through the snow-white world.

A flash of gold.

SLASH—!

Kai transformed into a golden wolf and lunged for Gelu Drake.