I Can See Evolution Paths

The moment they crossed into the White Frontier, the environment changed completely. The warm, dense atmosphere of the Everglades disappeared behind them. Snow fell quietly around them. Massive trees rose from the frozen ground, some covered in thick snow while others carried faint blue mana lights scattered across their branches. Frozen rivers wound between the trees, and several waterfalls had completely turned into walls of ice.

For a moment nobody moved.

Eden was the first to react. She flew upward and spun through the falling snow. "It’s beautiful!"

Arthur looked around with genuine fascination. "This place doesn’t even feel like the same Secret Realm."

Athena slowly looked around as well. "The environmental change is extraordinary. We went from a humid region filled with steam and dense vegetation to an area with temperatures low enough to freeze flowing water."

Athy flew beside her. "And the mana feels different too."

Athena nodded. "Much calmer."

Sun rubbed his arms. "Calmer? I’m freezing."

Kong looked at him. "You’re complaining already."

Sun looked offended. "I’m allowed to complain. It’s cold."

Kong looked at the snow falling onto his head. "I don’t feel cold."

Sun stared at him. "Of course you don’t."

Vedas raised his face toward the sky and watched the snow falling. One landed on his nose. He paused.

Arthur noticed. "How are you enjoying this?"

Vedas looked at him. "I’m freezing."

Eden laughed. "You’re a Goblin King!"

Vedas looked at her. "And?"

"Shouldn’t Goblin Kings be strong against the cold?"

Vedas sighed. "That’s not how cold works."

Arthur started laughing. Mithra smiled. "I think Eden has a point."

Vedas looked at her. "You’re supposed to be on my side."

Mithra shrugged. "I’m enjoying watching you suffer."

Vedas gave her an incredulous look. "Some friend you are."

A snowflake landed on Arthur’s shoulder. Star noticed it immediately. Its body stretched toward the snowflake.

Arthur looked down. "What are you doing?"

Star stretched farther before the snowflake touched its body and disappeared inside. Arthur looked down at Star with an interested smile. "I am. That’s why I’m wondering how far this ability can go."

Star suddenly stretched upward, almost as though it were trying to make itself taller.

Eden giggled. "I think Star wants to show you."

"Can’t wait to see."

"Before that..." Athena crouched. "It may be absorbing the elemental properties."

Arthur placed Star gently into the snow. It sank slightly. Then its translucent blue body slowly took on a faint icy sheen.

Eden flew closer. "Star looks different!"

Melo’s tails swayed. "It seems to like the cold."

Star popped out of the snow and bounced twice. Arthur laughed. "I think that’s a yes."

Kong walked over and poked Star with one finger. It squished around his finger. Kong paused. "Soft."

Sun laughed. "You like it too?"

Kong nodded. "Very soft."

Arthur looked at Sun. "See? I’m not the only one."

Sun shook his head. "I’m surrounded by idiots."

Melo smiled. "You’re included."

Sun sighed. "I know."

The group followed the compass deeper into the region. They discovered frozen streams beneath transparent ice, blue glowing plants beneath the snow, massive trees with glowing branches, and frozen ruins almost completely buried beneath drifts.

Athy landed beside one of the glowing plants. "Athena, look at this."

Athena crouched beside her. "The mana concentration is unusually high."

Athy pointed toward the snow around it. "And it’s growing through the ice."

Athena wrote something into her notebook.

Arthur watched them. "You two could probably spend the entire day here."

Athena didn’t look up. "Probably."

Athy nodded. "Definitely."

Arthur laughed.

Luna looked toward the trees. "My grandfather said the White Frontier was difficult to explore."

Mithra glanced at her. "Because of the cold?"

Luna shook her head. "Not only that." She looked deeper into the forest. "He said the Beasts here behaved strangely."

Arthur’s expression became more interested. "Strangely?"

Luna nodded. "They avoided certain areas."

Arthur looked toward the compass. "Like the Beasts we saw before."

Luna quietly nodded.

The group continued, and gradually they noticed something. There weren’t many Beasts. The few they did see were moving quickly.

Arthur watched a small creature disappear between the trees. "They’re still running."

Vedas looked in the same direction. "Which means we’re probably getting closer to whatever scared them."

Arthur smiled. "Good."

Vedas sighed. "I knew you were going to say that."

A low growl suddenly rolled through the trees. Everyone stopped.

Eden immediately looked toward the sound. "Something’s there."

Kong lowered his stance. "Several."

Melo’s tails spread slightly. "They’re surrounding us."

Athy rose into the air. "I can see them!"

Several pairs of icy blue eyes appeared between the snow covered trees. A pack of Frostfang Wolves slowly emerged. Their white fur blended into the snow, while frost gathered around their mouths.

Athena studied them. "Frostfang Wolves."

Sun gripped Long. "Finally. Something that isn’t running away."

Mithra drew Kusa. "Don’t get careless."

Arthur looked at the wolves. "Let’s see what the White Frontier has to offer."

The wolves attacked almost immediately, but Arthur quickly realized that they weren’t simply charging at the strongest opponent they could see. They moved with surprising coordination, three of them surrounding Vedas while another circled around Eden.

Vedas noticed it as well. He tightened his grip on his spear and said, "They’re coordinating."

One of the Frostfang Wolves lunged at him. Vedas met it with his spear, the impact sending a burst of ice across the weapon. He grimaced as the cold spread up his arm.

"That is cold."

Arthur laughed from nearby. "You were warned."

"I was talking about the attack!"

Before Vedas could say anything else, another wolf opened its mouth and released a cloud of freezing mist. Vedas immediately shifted backward, but the edge of the attack still brushed against his shoulder, coating part of his armor in frost.

"That’s annoying."

Eden suddenly dove between them and struck the wolf from the side. The impact sent it rolling across the snow.

"Move!" she shouted.

Vedas glanced at her and smiled. "Nice timing."

Eden hovered in place for a moment before proudly answering, "I was watching you."

Another wolf suddenly appeared behind Vedas.

Vedas turned just in time to intercept its claws with his spear. "Then keep watching."

Eden laughed before flying toward another target.

Nearby, Kong was dealing with a Frostfang Wolf of his own. The Beast lunged forward and bit into his arm, but Kong simply looked down at it with a blank expression.

"Cold."

Sun raised Long. "Move!"

Kong immediately ducked, allowing the shockwave to slam into the wolf and send it crashing through the snow.

Kong looked toward Sun and nodded. "Good."

Sun grinned. "See? We’re getting better at this."

Kong nodded again. "Yes."

Melo had already begun spreading Dream Mist through another section of the battlefield. Several false versions of the group appeared between the trees, causing one of the wolves to hesitate before it suddenly charged toward an illusion.

Melo smiled. "Wrong one."

Mithra took advantage of the opening and appeared behind the distracted Beast, striking it with Kusa and sending it tumbling through the snow.

"I’ll take care of this one."

Above them, Athy circled the battlefield and called out, "Two more are coming from the left!"

Athena immediately raised Aegis as the wolves charged toward them. "I see them."

The battle continued with everyone naturally covering one another. Nobody needed to shout out complicated commands. They had fought together often enough that each person was beginning to understand where the others would move.

Arthur watched them for a moment before smiling.

"Everyone’s gotten pretty good at this."

Mithra glanced toward him while dodging another wolf. "We’ve had plenty of practice."

Sun laughed. "Mostly because Arthur keeps finding trouble."

Arthur looked at him innocently. "That’s not my fault."

Vedas blocked another attack and shook his head with an amused smile. "It absolutely is."

Arthur grinned. "Maybe a little."

One of the Frostfang Wolves suddenly released another burst of freezing mana.

Arthur moved to avoid it, but the attack shifted slightly in the air and struck Star instead.

"Star!" Eden immediately cried.

The tiny Slime froze as frost rapidly spread across its translucent blue body. Luna’s expression changed as she watched the little creature become covered in ice.

"Is it okay?"

Arthur crouched beside Star and carefully examined it. "Wait."

He watched for several seconds.

The frost wasn’t spreading anymore.

Instead, it was slowly disappearing.

Tiny crystalline patterns began appearing beneath Star’s blue surface, almost as though the Slime were changing from the inside.

Arthur’s eyes widened. "What’s happening?"

Athena immediately knelt beside him, her attention fixed entirely on Star. "I don’t know. Its internal structure is changing."

The crystalline patterns spread farther through Star’s body before the frost suddenly shattered away.

Star bounced once.

Then again.

Arthur stared at it for a moment before a smile slowly appeared. "You adapted."

Star began wiggling enthusiastically.

Athy leaned closer, her golden eyes wide with curiosity. "It really adapted to the freezing mana."

Athena immediately opened her notebook. "This isn’t simple resistance. Its body appears to have changed in response to the attack."

Arthur gently touched one of the faint crystalline patterns beneath Star’s surface. "So you can actually change yourself depending on what attacks you."

Star bounced happily in his hands.

Eden flew around it excitedly. "Star got stronger!"

Melo watched with a soft smile. "It certainly seems pleased with itself."

Kong reached over and poked Star once.

"Still soft."

Sun looked at him in disbelief. "That’s what you’re focusing on?"

Kong nodded seriously. "Yes."

Arthur laughed. "He’s got a point."

Athena sighed as she continued writing. "None of you are taking this discovery seriously."

Arthur looked down at Star with an interested smile. "I am. That’s why I’m wondering how far this ability can go."

Star wiggled even harder.

Athena immediately wrote something down. "We need to document that."

Arthur smiled. "Later." He looked at Star. "For now, I’m just glad you’re okay."

Star bounced again and Eden laughed. "Star is amazing!"

Mithra smiled. "It certainly is."

After the final Frostfang Wolf fell, the forest gradually became quiet again. Snow settled over the disturbed ground while everyone took a moment to catch their breath.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin King]

[Level 16 → Level 17]

Eden looked around at the defeated Beasts, then suddenly froze when a familiar notification appeared before her.

[Level Up!]

[Time Fairy]

[Level 19 → Level 20]

Her eyes immediately widened.

"I leveled up!"

Eden flew into the air, clearly unable to contain her excitement.

"Level twenty!"

Arthur laughed. "Congratulations."

Eden looked down at the wolves they had just defeated, and her expression gradually became more determined.

"I’m getting stronger."

Arthur nodded. "You are."

Eden clenched her little fists. "One day I’ll be strong enough to defeat my own enemies without needing you to weaken them first."

Arthur smiled. "That’s the goal."

Vedas glanced toward her and added, "You’re improving quickly. Keep going."

Eden’s chest puffed up proudly. "I will!"

Mithra looked between them. "Everyone’s getting stronger."

Arthur nodded. "That’s what matters."

The group continued onward.

The environment gradually changed again as the snow became deeper. The trees became larger and blue crystals began appearing throughout the forest. Eventually they saw a massive ancient tree in the distance. Its branches disappeared into the snowy sky. Faint blue and violet lights glowed around it.

Everyone slowed.

Athy stared. "That’s huge."

Athena’s eyes immediately shone. "That tree may be thousands of years old."

Arthur looked toward it. "We’re definitely going to investigate that later."

Vedas sighed. "Of course we are."

Mithra smiled. "You already knew that."

Vedas shook his head. "Unfortunately."

Luna quietly looked toward the tree. Something about it seemed familiar. She didn’t say anything yet.

A faint sound came from nearby. A whimper. Mithra turned immediately. "Someone’s hurt."

They found an injured Beast partially buried beneath the snow. It was breathing heavily and had several wounds across its body.

Mithra knelt. "It’s still alive."

The Beast tried to retreat. Arthur slowly crouched. "Easy."

Mithra looked at him. "I’ll heal it."

Arthur nodded. "Go ahead."

As Mithra approached, Arthur noticed something strange. The Beast wasn’t looking at them. It was looking toward the deeper part of the White Frontier.

Arthur followed its gaze. "What are you afraid of?"

The Beast gave a low whine.

Arthur followed the injured Beast’s gaze toward the deeper forest.

"What are you afraid of?"

The Beast gave another weak whine.

Mithra crouched beside it and gently placed a hand against its fur. "It’s frightened. Whatever is coming must have scared it badly."

Arthur nodded before reaching out and touching the Beast.

His Evolution Path Vision suddenly activated.

Information flashed across his vision.

[Frostfang Wolf]

[Species: Frostfang Wolf]

Evolution Path

[Glacier Fang Wolf]

[Winter Howler]

[Frostmoon Alpha]

[Absolute Zero Wolf]

Arthur’s eyes widened slightly.

A four-stage Evolution Path.

Arthur barely had time to register them before everything disappeared.

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 39 → 40]

[Evolution Paths Discovered: 49 → 50]

Mithra looked over. "Arthur?"

He looked up. "Hm?"

"Did you find something?"

Arthur glanced toward the Beast and then toward the deeper forest. A small smile appeared. "Maybe."

Before anyone could ask what he meant, growl.

Everyone turned. Another growl echoed from deeper within the forest. Then another. Then several more.

The injured Beast suddenly became terrified. It tried to crawl backward.

Luna’s expression changed. "They’re coming."

Arthur looked at her. "You know what they are?"

Luna shook her head. "No."

A deeper roar rolled through the snowy forest. The trees trembled slightly. Snow fell from the branches.

Eden slowly moved closer to Arthur. "That sounded big."

Vedas raised his spear. "Very big."

Kong clenched his fists. "More Beasts."

Melo’s tails spread. "And they don’t sound friendly."

Athy rose into the air. "I can’t see them yet."

Athena closed her notebook. "Then whatever is coming is still beyond our sight."

Arthur looked toward the darkness between the snow covered trees. His eyes shone. "Interesting."

The growl came again. Much closer this time.

Arthur tightened his grip around Dusk.

And the White Frontier suddenly went silent.

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