The underground ice cathedral groaned as if mourning the departure of its master. As I stepped away from the central forge and began the long ascent back to the surface, the System chimed with a cascade of celebratory fanfares.
"[Congratulations! You have cleared the Special Event for the Hidden Region: 'Forge of the Ice Heart'!]"
"[Rewards: A Random Item Box, +5 Additional Stat Points, A-Rank Item: 'Frozen Tears of the Goddess', +1,000 Coins]"
I didn't stop to admire the view. After meticulously harvesting the rarest mana crystals the forge had to offer, I tucked Melchior back into the safety of the ring and sent the slumbering Cero into his personal pocket dimension subspace. The rewards were substantial, but the real prize was the 'Frozen Tears of the Goddess', a crystalline vial filled with a swirling, cerulean liquid that radiated an ancient, frigid authority. It was the final catalyst I needed.
"[Activating the Exclusive Skill, 'Fusion'!]"
I visualized the blueprints in my mind, merging the raw elemental power I had gathered with the divine essence of the tears.
"[Fusing: A-Rank Item 'Frozen Tears of the Goddess', B-Rank Skill 'Ice Breath', and B-Rank Skill 'Ice Element'...]"
A pillar of absolute-zero energy erupted from my chest, crystallizing the air around me into intricate, fractal patterns.
"[Congratulations! You have successfully obtained the S-Rank Skill 'Glacial Dominion' Lvl 1!]"
"[Notice: You are the first person to evolve a Skill from B-Rank to S-Rank, skipping an entire Tier in the lower Floors!]"
"[Notice: +2,000 Coins have been sponsored! Your achievements will be recorded in the Tower's 'Hall of Fame' permanently!]"
A surge of cold, refined power settled into my soul. My control over ice was no longer just about conjuring shards; it was now a literal dominion over the atmosphere. I felt my stats adjust as I allocated the new points.
"[Notice: Successfully allotted +3 Stat Points to 'Mana' and +2 Stat Points to 'Strength'!]"
The fatigue of the past few days evaporated as my muscles tensed with new density and my mana pathways expanded. I was finally starting to feel less like a Level 9 body and more like the S-Rank the RMB claimed I was.
"[Activating 'Navigation' Lvl 1!]"
"[Location Found: 'Freezing Willow Tree']"
I narrowed my eyes toward the distant, jagged silhouette of the highest peak. The 'Freezing Willow Tree' was a legendary landmark, a source of near-infinite ice mana that acted as the final sentinel before the Gateway.
"[Activating 'Glacial Dominion' Lvl 1!]"
I gestured toward the snow-covered ground. Instead of a simple platform, the ice rose and sculpted itself into a massive, multi-jointed hand that served as a high-speed mount. I stood in the center of the palm as it began to sprint across the tundra, covering miles with every stride.
"[Time Remaining: 7 days 14 hours 37 minutes 28 seconds]"
I had spent nearly three days in the darkness of the forge, mining crystals and bonding with a Mystic Beast. It was time to put an end to this floor.
The wind howled against my parka as the ice mount ascended the mountain's base. However, as the peak drew closer, the rhythmic thud of my mount's footsteps was interrupted by a violent ripple in the atmosphere. A clash of massive mana wavelengths erupted just a few miles to the east.
At first, I intended to ignore it, the standard Ranker parties were likely struggling against the floor's elite mobs, and I had no interest in playing hero. But then, a specific sensation prickled the back of my neck. It wasn't the clean, biting chill of the 'Frozen Plains.' It was a heavy, suffocating cold that felt like rotting shadows.
"Demonic Energy."
That energy shouldn't be present on the 2nd Floor. Not yet at least. My eyes hardened as I commanded the ice hand to pivot. The mount dug its claws into the permafrost, kicking up a spray of crystals as I surged toward the source of the corruption. If the demons were here early, the "Standard Clear" was about to become a massacre.