Chapter 193: Frost Crystal Vein.
Bang!
A Yeti was smashed into smithereens before it even had the chance to understand what had happened. Its massive body burst apart beneath Kael’s fist, chunks of flesh and shattered bones scattering across the thick layer of snow as the force of the impact carved a shallow crater into the ground.
Kael stood over what remained of the creature, his expression completely indifferent.
A translucent notification screen hovered before his eyes.
[You have killed a Level 41 Frost Yeti.]
[Experience gained.]
[Infinite Reward Multiplier — Activated!]
[Multiplier: x53]
Kael stared at the notification for a moment before sighing.
"How weak."
It had already been several hours since the exploration began, yet the only monsters his team had encountered were a handful of weak Yetis. None of them had been capable of putting up even the slightest resistance against him.
He had expected something more from this rift.
At the very least, he had expected to encounter monsters that could force his team to take the exploration seriously. Instead, he had spent the last few hours walking through the frozen landscape and casually slaughtering anything that happened to cross their path.
Kael sighed again before shaking his head.
"Well, I shouldn’t jinx it."
Having weak monsters around wasn’t exactly a bad thing. It meant less danger for him and his team. There was no reason to complain about an exploration that was going smoothly.
He was just beginning to turn away from the Yeti’s remains when he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
The sound of boots pressing into thick snow gradually became clearer. Kael turned his head and soon spotted Oswald walking toward him.
Since the incident earlier, the green-haired hunter had become considerably more obedient. The hard-headed attitude he had displayed at the beginning of the exploration had disappeared almost entirely, replaced by a cautious restraint whenever Kael was around.
The moment Oswald noticed Kael’s gaze falling upon him, his head immediately lowered slightly.
Kael stared at the change in behavior for a moment before speaking.
"Report."
Oswald straightened.
"The analysis team has discovered a rich Frost Crystal vein. Based on their initial estimates, the entire vein should be worth around ten billion credits. They’re requesting permission to set up camp and begin mining it."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"I’ve also scouted the surrounding area. I didn’t sense any powerful beasts that could pose a threat to the team."
Kael didn’t immediately respond.
Frost Crystals weren’t particularly valuable to someone like him. Compared to resources such as Mythril, they were far less precious. However, that didn’t mean they were useless.
Frost Crystals were important materials for enchanting. They could be used to imbue equipment with cold-related properties and enhance spells associated with ice and frost. High-quality Frost Crystals could also be used in various magical formations and specialized equipment.
For the members of his team, discovering a vein worth ten billion credits was undoubtedly a considerable opportunity.
"How long are they asking for?" Kael asked.
"Thirty minutes."
Kael nodded.
"Sure. Let’s go meet them."
Oswald immediately turned around and led the way.
The two soon returned to where the rest of the exploration team had gathered. The main team was still maintaining their defensive formation, their members spread out around the specialists while remaining vigilant toward their surroundings.
At the center of the formation, the specialists had gathered together, many of them huddled beneath their protective equipment in an attempt to shield themselves from the freezing environment.
As Kael approached, one of the men immediately stepped forward.
He appeared to be in his forties, with a calm and gentle expression that contrasted sharply with the stern attitudes of some of the hunters. He was Sean, the head of the specialist team.
"Team Leader Kael."
Sean approached respectfully.
Kael nodded.
"I heard you guys found a Frost Crystal vein."
"Yes."
Sean pointed toward a distant section of the frozen landscape.
"Our machine is picking up the strongest signal from over there."
Kael didn’t even bother looking in the direction he pointed.
"Okay. You have thirty minutes, just as requested. Harvest as much as you can within that period."
"We’ll do our best."
Sean nodded gratefully.
Kael returned the gesture before his eyes shifted toward the specialists.
"So, how are you guys handling the cold?"
Sean’s expression stiffened slightly.
Although every member of the specialist team had protective equipment designed to resist the cold, the environment within the rift was on another level entirely. The freezing temperature seemed capable of penetrating even their protective layers, gradually draining their body heat despite the equipment.
"To be honest, not very well," Sean admitted. "But I assure you, we won’t become a hindrance to the exploration."
"Hmm."
Kael studied him for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"Call the entire specialist team together."
Sean blinked.
The request seemed to catch him off guard, but he didn’t question Kael.
"Understood."
He quickly turned around and called for the rest of the specialists.
Not long afterward, all twenty-two members of the specialist team had gathered together. Sean stood at the front of the group before approaching Kael again.
"I’ve called them."
Kael nodded.
His gaze swept across the group.
It didn’t take long for him to notice the condition they were in.
Some of the specialists were trembling uncontrollably. Others had their arms wrapped tightly around themselves, trying desperately to preserve whatever warmth remained in their bodies. A few had lips that had already begun turning purple from the extreme cold.
Their protective equipment was working, but barely.
Kael couldn’t help sighing.
"Hopefully this works."
He extended one hand.
The next instant, earth energy surged from his body.
The energy rose into the air before spreading outward, forming a massive dome that enclosed the entire group.
But Kael wasn’t finished.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he concentrated.
The enormous dome began shrinking.
Rather than disappearing, the earth energy compressed inward, flowing toward the twenty-two specialists gathered beneath it. Threads of energy wrapped around their bodies before spreading across their protective equipment.
Within seconds, the massive dome had completely vanished.
In its place, a thin layer of earth energy covered every member of the specialist team like an invisible protective film.
The specialists immediately felt the difference.
The biting cold that had been penetrating their equipment moments ago suddenly became distant, as though an invisible barrier had been placed between their bodies and the frozen environment.
Sean’s eyes widened slightly.
He looked down at his hands before slowly raising his gaze toward Kael.
Kael simply lowered his hand.
"That should help."
For the first time since entering the rift, the specialists could finally feel their bodies beginning to recover from the cold.
Sean stared at the thin layer of earth energy surrounding his body, then looked toward Kael with a mixture of surprise and gratitude.
"Thank you, Team Leader Kael."
Kael merely nodded.
"Now go harvest your Frost Crystals."
Sean immediately turned toward his team.
"You heard him. Get ready."
The specialists quickly moved toward the direction of the Frost Crystal vein, their steps noticeably steadier than before.
Kael watched them leave before turning his attention toward the frozen wilderness ahead.
Although the exploration had been disappointingly peaceful so far, Kael couldn’t shake the feeling that something deeper within this rift was waiting for them.