Chapter 11 – Frostbite Camp
Chapter 11 – Frostbite Camp
The aftermath of the battle with the Dreadnest Spider left both Tyler and Milo drained. Tyler sat slouched in a wooden chair he had hastily crafted with a few sticks, staring into the void as if lost in thought.
[Item: Chair]
[Description: Something to sit on.]
[Crafting Recipe: Wooden Sticks x3]
He was in deep contemplation, his mind swirling with possibilities and strategies. Having used [Rage] twice in rapid succession, he had grown more familiar with its effects. The immense power was tempting, but the trade-off in defence made him a glass cannon. Could he afford to rely on such a volatile skill?
“To use Rage more often, I need a bigger PE pool,” he muttered to himself. “But if my defence is too low, I won’t survive long enough to use it.”
He scratched his head. Investing in [Power Energy] seemed important now, especially after acquiring a new skill like [Spider Web], which could open new combat strategies. Still, [Attack] had always been his favourite stat. The Rhino Momma had humiliated him. And though it had a lower level than the Dreadnest Spider, its HP pool had been monstrous.
He glanced at his stat window, analyzing every line, trying to piece together the best path forward.
Meanwhile, Milo was gathering supplies.
[Level Up! Milo Level 13 → 18]
[Acquired Items: Wooden Sticks x20, Blueberries x10, Spider Silk x5, Leather x10]
“Woosh! That was a lot! Do you know how low the drop rate of leather is?!” Milo called, walking up with arms full of loot. “I had to kill so many bears just for this. But I think it’s enough for our expedition.”
Tyler nodded. “We still need more health potions. We have no idea what kind of abomination that so-called divine entity is. Better to be over-prepared.”
“Right,” Milo agreed. Tyler then brought up the idea of teleporting to Shindo to clear more bandit camps.
Though hesitant, Milo agreed. They were stronger now, but deeper regions meant tougher mobs. Their combat relied on Milo’s tanking and Tyler’s high output damage — a fragile balance, especially now with new skills in the mix.
As they teleported to Shindo, something felt off. People were running around, panic written on their faces. Milo asked the nearest guard, one whom Tyler had bribed previously.
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“Rumour is… Shindeon’s about to be resurrected,” the guard whispered.
“Shindeon? Like the name of this place?” Milo asked.
“This town was built by Shindeon’s followers,” the guard explained. “He died twenty years ago in the Great War. And so did the then ruler of Shindo. The current citizens don’t revere him like the old ones did.”
“So what? He’s like a hero?” Tyler asked.
“No,” the guard replied grimly. “He was called the Infernal Warden of the Underworld. They say his sword could cut through mountains. If he comes back, this place won’t survive his wrath.”
“You’re saying the people are scared because a literal god might wake up beneath their feet?”
“Exactly. Those who know his true power are fleeing. He wasn’t just powerful— he was revered. And now, they fear being crushed under that power.”
Tyler handed over some gold. The guard accepted with a nod. “My advice? Stay far away. Though it’s still rumour, it may not remain so for long.”
Tyler scoffed. “How strong could one dead guy be?”
They left the town toward the wilderness. A new camp loomed ahead.
[Entering Enemy Field: Frostbite Bandit Camp]
Five tents. One larger than the rest. All enemies around level 22–24, slightly lower than Tyler.
Tyler outlined a plan.
“I’ll draw in two at a time. Use [Spider Web] to pin them down. You handle the rest.”
Milo raised an eyebrow. “That sounds like my role.”
“Exactly. You need to learn how to hit something, too,” Tyler smirked.
Tyler aggroed two bandits and launched [Spider Web]. The strands immobilized them.
[PE: 16 → 11]
Milo dispatched one. Tyler finished the other. They repeated the process, clearing out the outer patrols. Milo watched silently, his heart sinking slightly. This new strategy had flipped their roles — he was no longer the stalwart defender but just a filler damage dealer. It wasn’t that he minded helping, but the way Tyler snapped and barked orders made things… strained.
[Level Up! Tyler: 28 → 29]
[Level Up! Milo: 18 → 19]
Inside the tents, the enemies came in threes. Tyler would pin two with [Spider Web], and focus on the third. Milo froze or finished the rest.
[PE: 11 → 6]
Time after time, they repeated this. The routine was efficient.
[Level Up! Tyler: 29 → 31]
Milo’s thoughts wandered. Tyler wasn’t like this before — not this intense. Maybe the rhino had done more than physical damage. Maybe the fear of weakness had changed him. Milo knew this pattern well. Tyler was the type who had to win at all costs — not just against enemies but against himself, his doubts, even Milo.
“Hey! You stole my kill!” Milo shouted as Tyler leapt in to finish another.
“Get good then,” Tyler shot back with a smirk.
Milo grumbled but kept up. Finally, they reached the central tent — home of the Elite Bandit and the Bandit King.
Tyler activated [Rage].
[Activated Skill: Rage] [PE: 10 → 0]
Even without Milo’s help, he tore through the enemies.
[All Enemies Defeated]
No runestones this time.
[Acquired Item: Metal Sword (+10 ATK)]
[Acquired Item: Metal Armour (Dyed) (+10 DEF)]
[Acquired Item: Frostbite Bandit Camp Flag]
[Acquired Item: Black Wizard Hat (+50% PE)]
Tyler inspected the hat.
[Player: Tyler] [Level: 32]
[HP: 175/175] [PE: 24/24]
Stats:
> Attack: 15 (+10)
> Defence: 5 (+10)
> Agility: 2
> Speed: 2
> Power Regen: 6
> Accuracy: 1
> Dodge: 1
> Health Regen: 1
Remaining Attribute Points: 6
“Hmm… more Power Energy? That’s useful.”
He tried it on but frowned. “Doesn’t fit my style. Now I get why people love these, but no thanks.”
He re-equipped his old metal helmet.
Tyler exhaled slowly. He was getting stronger. Not strong enough yet, but soon…
Soon, the world would know the name [Player].