Vimana was incredibly fast—so fast that ordinary people on the ground couldn't even catch a glimpse of it with the naked eye.
Haruki, Esdeath, and Gin flew in one direction aboard Vimana. Since both Esdeath and Gin were rare and powerful warriors, Haruki didn't need to worry about the intense wind pressure from flight harming them.
They continued flying at high speed for most of the day, eventually crossing the Empire's borders. They soared over the desolate, icy plains inhabited by foreign tribes and pressed on toward a remote, rarely visited region.
This region was distinctly different from the places they had passed earlier.
While the previous areas were also blanketed in thick snow, they were mostly snowfields with a few scattered hills at best. Along the way, they occasionally encountered over thirty powerful Super-Class Danger Beasts.
Of course, "powerful" was only in comparison to the current group. For ordinary people—or even someone as strong as Budo—any Super-Class Danger Beast would be immensely dangerous, far beyond what an individual could handle.
But this new region was remarkably unique—it was a circular area.
The outer edge was still an endless expanse of snowfields, but at its center stood several towering snow-capped mountains of varying heights, each reaching up into the clouds.
At the very heart of these peaks stood the most majestic and imposing mountain of all, like a moon surrounded by stars.
What stood out most was the wildlife in the surrounding snowfields. There were large herbivorous Danger Beasts and countless smaller types, but not a single Super-Class Danger Beast—or even a large carnivore—could be seen. It felt more like a natural sanctuary.
Haruki didn't stop at any point. He directed Vimana straight toward the tallest snow-capped mountain.
"Hold on tight!"
Haruki warned.
Then, he pulled Vimana into a sharp ascent from the mountain's base, flying vertically up toward the summit at a near-perfect ninety-degree angle.
"Master, you're here! I missed you so much!"
Just as they reached the peak and stabilized, before they could even take in the surroundings, a clear voice rang out.
The next moment, the ground trembled beneath them, and in a flash, a massive Ice Phoenix appeared before Haruki and the others—far larger than any Super-Class Danger Beast Esdeath had ever encountered.
As the Ice Phoenix emerged, the already frigid air grew even colder. Its overwhelming presence, far surpassing even the strongest Danger Beasts, created an immense pressure that weighed heavily on both Esdeath and Gin.
"Ice Phoenix, tone it down a bit."
Seeing the discomfort on Gin and Esdeath's faces, Haruki had to step in and remind the Ice Phoenix.
"Oh, Master, I was just so excited to see you again!"
Hearing his words, the Ice Phoenix quickly explained herself. Though her expression was unreadable, Haruki could hear a trace of embarrassment in her voice.
Immediately, the oppressive aura that had been bearing down on Esdeath and Gin vanished without a trace. If not for the massive Ice Phoenix still standing before them, no one would have believed such an overwhelming presence had been there just moments ago.
The sudden shift caught Esdeath off guard. Gin had encountered the Ice Phoenix before, but Esdeath hadn't. Now, seeing such a powerful Danger Beast appear out of nowhere and address Haruki as "Master," she couldn't help but stare in stunned silence.
"Ice Phoenix, it's been years since I've been here. I didn't expect the place to have changed this much."
Surveying the landscape, Haruki couldn't help but marvel.
"Well, of course! Our Ice Phoenix clan now rules this entire region."
The Ice Phoenix responded with a touch of pride.
"Ice Phoenix clan?"
Before Haruki could reply, Esdeath spoke up. She had never heard of a Super-Class Danger Beast having a clan.
"Let me explain."
Seeing the confusion in Esdeath's eyes, Haruki stepped in.
After Haruki's explanation, Esdeath finally grasped the situation.
It turned out that in most regions, multiple Super-Class Danger Beasts coexisted, keeping each other in check. This balance prevented any single species from expanding too much or dominating the others.
However, that balance was shattered a thousand years ago with Haruki's arrival. Back then, he had nearly wiped out all the Super-Class Danger Beasts in the northern continent, allowing the Ice Phoenix to become the strongest species in the region. This gave the Ice Phoenix clan both the time and opportunity to grow.
Over the course of a thousand years, before any new Super-Class Danger Beasts could rise among the other species, the Ice Phoenix clan used the resources Haruki left behind to evolve significantly.
On one hand, the Ice Phoenix herself broke through the limits of a Super-Class Danger Beast. On the other hand, more Super-Class Danger Beasts emerged within the Ice Phoenix clan—securing their dominance over the entire northern continent.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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