The Frostbite Leonas let out a thunderous roar that echoed across the snowy mountains.
Its crimson eyes burned with fury as it tore one of the Terracotta spears in half with a single swipe of its remaining foreleg. Snow burst into the air, scattering around the battlefield as the creature planted its feet firmly into the frozen ground.
The mountain itself seemed to tremble beneath its weight.
Memory instinctively took a step backward.
"I-I told you it's still scary!"
Bubbles bounced frantically around her head.
"Pyuu! Pyuu!"
The remaining Terracotta warriors immediately shifted formation.
Rather than charging recklessly, the three spearmen spread apart, surrounding the Frostbite Leonas from three different directions while the lone Terracotta archer climbed onto a nearby snow-covered boulder to gain a clear line of sight.
Its bowstring drew back.
FWOOSH!
An arrow streaked through the blizzard.
The Frostbite Leonas twisted its body just enough for the projectile to graze its shoulder instead of striking its neck.
It retaliated instantly.
With a burst of explosive speed, it lunged toward the nearest Terracotta warrior.
CRASH!
Its massive body collided against the summon, sending the clay soldier tumbling across the snow before it managed to stab its spear into the beast's side during the fall.
Although the wound was shallow, it drew an enraged roar from the monster.
Memory raised both hands.
"Keep surrounding it!"
The Terracotta warriors obeyed without hesitation.
One attacked from the front.
Another aimed for its hind legs.
The third thrust toward its ribs.
Each attack alone lacked the power to bring down such a powerful beast, but together they forced the Frostbite Leonas to keep turning, denying it the chance to focus entirely on a single opponent.
Leila watched with widened eyes.
"...They're coordinating..."
Cynthia nodded almost absentmindedly.
"They're not just summons..."
"They're fighting like trained soldiers."
Memory blinked.
"They are?"
She looked toward her Terracotta army.
"Oh..."
"I guess they are."
Leila nearly stumbled.
"How do you not know your own summons?!"
Memory scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"I only unlocked this skill recently..."
"...and I was too busy being terrified."
Even in the middle of combat, Cynthia couldn't help smiling.
For someone so timid...
Memory possessed one of the strangest combat styles she had ever witnessed.
A Sage Tamer who spent half the battle screaming...
...yet somehow kept controlling the battlefield.
Meanwhile—
Akari never took her eyes off the Frostbite Leonas.
The monster finally abandoned the Terracotta warriors.
Its instincts had reached a single conclusion.
The greatest threat...
...was the quiet girl standing several meters away with her katana still completely sealed.
Its muscles tensed.
Snow exploded beneath its paws.
Then—
It vanished.
Leila's expression changed instantly.
"Akari!"
"There!"
The Frostbite Leonas appeared directly in front of Akari.
Its massive right foreleg swung downward with enough force to crush solid stone.
Akari inhaled slowly.
Her right hand rested upon the hilt of Narukami.
The white scarf remained tightly wrapped around the sheath.
She had no intention...
...of drawing the blade.
Not yet.
[Sword Skill: Hangeki]
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
For a brief instant—
everything slowed.
The Leonas' claw descended.
Akari moved.
Not backward.
Not sideways.
Forward.
Her sheathed katana flashed upward with astonishing speed.
CLANG!!
A deafening metallic impact exploded across the mountainside.
The shockwave blasted snow into the air.
Leila instinctively shielded her face.
Cynthia's hair whipped violently behind her.
The Frostbite Leonas' eyes widened.
A loud crack echoed through the battlefield.
Then another.
Its enormous right foreleg fractured at the joint.
Cracks rapidly spread through the frozen bone before—
CRACK!!
The limb gave way entirely.
The beast staggered sideways with a pained roar.
Leila stared in disbelief.
"...She..."
"...She blocked it?"
"No..."
"She broke it."
Akari remained perfectly balanced.
She had not even drawn Narukami.
The blade was still resting safely inside its scabbard.
She slowly shifted her footing.
Her breathing remained calm.
Her gaze never wavered.
The Frostbite Leonas, despite its injury, roared defiantly.
It charged once more.
This time—
Akari moved before it even reached her.
[Sword Skill: Retsugeki]
There was no dramatic stance.
No elaborate preparation.
Only a single step.
One impossibly fast motion.
The sheathed katana cut through empty air.
BOOOOOM!!
The impact struck the Frostbite Leonas squarely across its chest.
The force behind the blow was so overwhelming that the gigantic beast completely left the ground.
Its body flew across the snowy battlefield like a cannonball.
It slammed into the rocky mountainside with an earth-shaking explosion.
Stone shattered.
Snow cascaded from the cliffs above.
Dust and ice erupted into the air.
For several seconds...
...no one spoke.
Leila simply stared.
"...That..."
"...was a physical strike?"
Akari lowered her stance without answering.
She could already feel the strain running through her arms.
Even without unsheathing Narukami...
...its divine presence still amplified every movement she made.
She couldn't afford to rely on it.
Not after what had happened to Memory.
From within the collapsing rock wall, another furious roar echoed.
The Frostbite Leonas burst free.
Its fur was covered in dust and snow.
One foreleg hung uselessly.
Yet its murderous intent had only intensified.
Memory gulped.
"O-Okay..."
"It's still alive..."
She took a deep breath.
"Then..."
"I guess we all attack together!"
She thrust both hands forward.
Water surged around her arms before rapidly hardening.
The flowing water compressed into two long crystalline spears.
The tips gleamed beneath the pale mountain light.
Memory dashed forward.
"...Hyaaah!"
The Frostbite Leonas swung with its remaining foreleg.
Memory's body instantly dissolved into water, allowing the claw to pass harmlessly through before reforming beside the beast.
She drove both water spears forward.
THUNK!
One struck the creature's shoulder.
The other pierced into the snow beneath it, pinning its movement just long enough.
"Now!"
Golden magic circles appeared once more beneath her feet.
Her mana rapidly drained.
The familiar symbols expanded across the snow.
[TAMER SKILL: TERRACOTTA COMMISSION]
The ground rumbled.
Four more Terracotta soldiers emerged from the earth.
Three spearmen.
One archer.
Without waiting for orders, they charged.
The original surviving summons attacked simultaneously.
Spears thrust from every direction.
Arrows rained down.
The Frostbite Leonas roared and struggled violently, but every attempt to escape only opened another angle for the Terracotta soldiers to exploit.
Memory pointed forward with both hands.
"Everyone!"
"Finish it!"
The Terracotta warriors obeyed.
Eight spears struck almost simultaneously.
The archer released one final glowing arrow.
Akari stepped forward one last time.
Using the momentum created by the Terracotta soldiers' assault, she delivered a swift, precise strike with the sheathed Narukami against the Leonas' chest.
The combined force overwhelmed the monster.
The Frostbite Leonas froze.
Its crimson eyes slowly dimmed.
Then—
Its enormous body dissolved into countless shimmering particles of light that scattered into the snowstorm.
Silence returned to Dragon's Peak.
Only the sound of falling snow remained.
Memory stood motionless.
"...We..."
She looked around at everyone.
"...We actually won?"
The Terracotta warriors stood quietly behind her like loyal guardians.
Leila slowly lowered her fists.
"...That..."
"...was incredible."
She wasn't sure which amazed her more.
The girl who refused to draw her sword...
Or the Sage Tamer who had somehow turned an impossible battle into a coordinated victory.
Cynthia smiled as she watched the two friends standing side by side in the falling snow.
For some reason...
The scene reminded her of another white-haired swordswoman.
One who had changed her life on this very mountain.
She quietly laughed to herself.
"...Maybe..."
"...heroes really do have a way of finding each other."
The snowstorm gradually began to calm.
The fierce winds that had howled across Dragon's Peak moments earlier softened into a gentle breeze, carrying countless snowflakes across the mountainside.
The battlefield was silent.
The Frost Elves that had surrounded them had long since scattered after witnessing the fall of the Frostbite Leonas.
The Terracotta warriors lowered their spears one after another.
Memory's shoulders finally relaxed.
"...It's..."
"...over?"
She blinked several times as if trying to convince herself that the gigantic predator had truly disappeared.
Leila slowly let out a long breath before sitting directly on the snow.
"My arms..."
"...are killing me."
Even with Vital Fury strengthening her body, blocking the Leonas earlier had nearly shattered both of her forearms.
Cynthia lowered her golden crossbow and smiled.
"We actually survived..."
"I honestly thought this expedition was over."
Akari remained standing quietly.
Narukami was still sealed inside its scabbard.
She gently tightened the white scarf wrapped around the sheath before letting out a quiet sigh.
She still hadn't drawn it.
Not even once.
That alone was enough to ease the guilt lingering inside her heart after what had happened during the hidden dungeon.
Memory happily hugged Bubbles.
"We did it!"
Bubbles bounced excitedly.
"Pyuu!"
The Terracotta warriors dissolved back into golden particles.
The battlefield became peaceful once again.
Then—
Ding.
A familiar notification appeared before Memory's eyes.
She blinked.
"...Huh?"
Another sound followed.
Ding.
A translucent blue system window unfolded before her.
Would You Like To Tame
Frostbite Leonas?
[YES] [NO]
Memory froze.
"...EH?"
Her scream echoed across the mountain.
"EHHHHHHHHHH?!"
Akari immediately turned toward her.
"What happened?"
Memory pointed at the floating screen with trembling fingers.
"T-T-T-T-T-THAT!!"
Akari stepped beside her.
Her violet eyes widened.
"...You can tame it?"
Cynthia heard those words.
"So that's why—"
She hurried over.
Leila followed immediately behind her.
"What happened?"
Memory swallowed.
"I..."
"I got another taming prompt..."
Leila's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"...Wait."
"...WAIT."
She grabbed Memory by the shoulders.
"You can tame THAT thing?!"
Memory nodded weakly.
"I-I think so..."
Leila stared at the notification.
Her brain stopped functioning.
"That..."
"...That's a Floor One elite predator."
"...Those aren't supposed to become pets!"
Cynthia remained silent.
She simply stared at Memory.
A Sage Tamer...
One that had already summoned Terracotta warriors.
One that possessed an elemental transformation.
And now—
she could tame monsters that most players could barely survive fighting.
"...Amazing..."
Cynthia whispered unconsciously.
Meanwhile—
Memory had already begun reading the notification.
"...Would you like to ta..."
She leaned forward.
"...I wonder what happens if—"
Her finger slipped.
"...Eh?"
She blinked.
"..."
Her finger had landed directly on—
YES.
Memory slowly looked downward.
Then back upward.
Then back at the button.
"..."
"..."
"...Akariiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
Akari looked over.
"...Yeah?"
Memory's face turned pale.
"I..."
"...I clicked it."
Silence.
Akari stared.
"..."
"...You WHAT?"
Memory immediately began waving both hands frantically.
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"
"I WAS TRYING TO READ IT!"
"I SWEAR!"
"I SLIPPED!"
Bubbles quietly bounced backward.
Even the little slime had learned that whenever Memory said she had slipped...
...something unbelievable was about to happen.
Golden light erupted from the remains of the Frostbite Leonas.
The enormous body dissolved into countless streams of shimmering particles.
The light spiraled through the air before flying directly toward Memory.
The entire mountain briefly glowed.
Then—
everything vanished.
Another notification appeared.
Congratulations!
You Have Successfully Tamed
Frostbite Leonas
Epic Summon Registered
Memory slowly sat down in the snow.
"..."
She covered her face with both hands.
"My clumsiness..."
"...is going to change my entire life."
Akari couldn't help laughing.
"You really do keep accidentally taming everything."
"I DON'T WANT TO!"
Memory protested.
"I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE!"
Leila remained frozen.
"...Epic..."
"...She just accidentally obtained a Epic summon..."
Cynthia chuckled softly.
"I don't think she's doing it on purpose."
"No kidding."
Leila sighed.
"I've never seen someone fail upward this much."
Memory slowly opened her Pet Menu.
A brand-new portrait had appeared.
The fierce crimson eyes that had terrified them moments earlier now calmly stared back from the interface.
Memory hesitated.
"...You're..."
"...actually kind of cute now."
She smiled nervously.
"...Snowflake."
A notification immediately appeared.
Nickname Registered
Snowflake
Memory blinked.
"It accepted..."
Akari leaned closer.
"Let's read the details."
Memory nodded.
She opened the information window.
Epic Summon: Snowflake
Species: Frostbite Leonas
Mana Cost: 1500 Mana
Passive Effect: Upon Summoning Snowflake, the surrounding battlefield becomes a Snowy Terrain.
While Snowy Terrain is active:
• Snowflake's Attack greatly increases.
• Snowflake's Defense greatly increases.
• The Summoner receives the same environmental combat enhancement.
Leila slowly read every line.
"...It buffs..."
"...its summoner too?"
Memory nodded blankly.
"I..."
"...think so..."
Cynthia smiled.
"That's incredible."
"Most summoners strengthen their summons."
"You..."
"...get stronger together."
Before anyone could continue—
another notification appeared.
Memory jumped.
"Eep!"
New Tamer Skill Unlocked
Leonas Roar
Mana Cost: 150
The Tamer channels the Frostbite Leonas' power and unleashes an icy energy beam.
Deals moderate damage.
Has a chance to inflict Freeze.
Silence.
The only sound was the wind drifting through the pine trees.
Leila slowly turned toward Memory.
"...You gained..."
"...a combat skill too?"
Memory nodded weakly.
"...Apparently..."
Cynthia smiled brighter than ever.
"A Sage Tamer..."
"...really does evolve alongside every creature she befriends."
Memory scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"I don't think..."
"...the Leonas wanted to be my friend."
Akari laughed.
"Maybe not."
"But it's your partner now."
Memory looked back at Snowflake's portrait.
The fierce beast that had nearly wiped out their entire party was now peacefully sleeping inside her Pet List.
She sighed.
"...Please don't try to eat me when I summon you."
Bubbles bounced happily onto Memory's shoulder.
"Pyuu!"
Leila laughed for the first time since the battle began.
"I've seen Warriors."
"I've seen Mages."
"I've even seen Crusaders."
She looked directly at Memory.
"But I've never seen..."
"...a Tamer quite like you."
Memory smiled sheepishly.
"...Neither have I."
Snow continued falling across Dragon's Peak as the four adventurers stood together, unaware that their journey had just become even more extraordinary.