A white snowflake-shaped crystal.
Anyone who saw it directly would involuntarily utter the word “beautiful.”
The Snow Flower Ice Crystal possessed an appearance that could be said to express nature’s beauty close to perfection.
Cain, who had first seen the Snow Flower Ice Crystal in his previous life, had also felt tremendous interest in how an extremely pure mana crystal could coincidentally take on the beautiful form of a snowflake.
He had been curious about what principle allowed the Snow Flower Ice Crystal to naturally take on such an appearance, but unfortunately, the Snow Flower Ice Crystal was sold immediately to solve the family’s accumulated debts before any research could be conducted.
‘Back then, I was just a powerless disciple in the family.’
He had inquired about it later just in case, but only heard news that it had been sold beyond the continent.
In any case, the family’s financial situation at the time was so dire that they would immediately sell such a precious item.
‘Even now, though we’re receiving support from the Bederman family, the truth is our financial situation isn’t good.’
If Cain returned to the family with the Snow Flower Ice Crystal, Blake Sears would probably make the same decision the family had made back then.
‘But there’s no choice.’
If selling the Snow Flower Ice Crystal could help the Sears family breathe easier, he wouldn’t regret selling a hundred more such crystals.
‘And if we can sell the Snow Flower Ice Crystal at a fair price, our financial situation should improve enough that we won’t need to desperately rely on support anymore.’
He didn’t know what the situation was like in the Sears family’s territory below the snowy mountains outside the family castle, but unless that side was seriously problematic, the money from selling the Snow Flower Ice Crystal might even allow them to sever ties with the Bedermans.
‘Though they probably won’t just sit back and watch…’
In any case, it was certain that just returning with this would solve various problems the Sears family currently faced.
“But before that, I should make use of this power.”
Directly absorbing the Snow Flower Ice Crystal’s power was dangerous, but using the abundant mana flow beside the Snow Flower Ice Crystal to build up his realm like this carried almost zero risk.
‘Of course, not everyone can achieve a realm breakthrough just by training in front of a Snow Flower Ice Crystal…’
If that were possible, he would have just taken the entire Snow Flower Ice Crystal back, gathered all the disciples, seated them in a row, and had them train continuously.
While it was true that the Snow Flower Ice Crystal possessed tremendous power, the dense mana flowing in this space was the result of the Snow Flower Ice Crystal, formed over hundreds of years, interacting with the snowy mountains. To fully utilize this, one had to be in this very place.
‘Besides, flame-type mages would have difficulty seeing significant effects.’
The Snow Flower Ice Crystal fundamentally contained strong cold energy.
In other words, most of what comprised this mana mass was water mana.
So for maximum effect, it was best used by ice-type mages.
But Cain was now thinking of using the massive flow accumulated over long years to build up realms in both flame and ice types.
‘Fire mana may have a small composition ratio, but if I succeed in extracting it, I should be able to obtain extremely pure mana.’
Cain sat cross-legged at an appropriate distance from the Snow Flower Ice Crystal.
Then he closed his eyes and slowly harmonized himself with the high-purity mana flow the Snow Flower Ice Crystal had created.
‘First, I’ll accept and accumulate water mana.’
If creating circles was like completing a framework, then accumulating mana through such training could be said to be adding flesh.
It was true that one could cast powerful magic just by advancing circles even with roughly attached flesh, which is why most people would carelessly bulk up with any kind of flesh—whether fat or muscle—then focus on creating higher circles.
Of course, not all practitioners deliberately attached flesh carelessly, but from Cain’s perspective, it was no different.
‘Actually, even recalling my previous life’s body makes me want to completely overhaul my circles and mana circuits right now.’
Everyone had envied Sein Shears’ circles and mana circuits when he was the continent’s strongest mage, but even he found them unsatisfactory when looking back after achieving everything.
Anyway, the important thing was that once you created the framework for the next circle, you could no longer work on adding flesh to lower circles.
‘That’s why I’m meticulously accumulating pure mana like this before advancing to higher circles.’
At least the water mana and fire mana he had accumulated so far were solid enough to satisfy even Cain.
If he continued like this, finding the key to the 10th circle that Cain so desperately wanted wouldn’t be impossible.
‘The location where our family castle is situated is also near snowy mountains, so it helps with regular training… But indeed, the Snow Flower Ice Crystal is on a different level.’
The more directly he felt it, the more Cain marveled at its amazing purity.
‘I hardly need to refine it at all.’
After going through only the minimal processing needed for physical absorption, Cain began accepting water mana.
Carefully and meticulously.
He layered the impossibly pure mana very thinly, one layer at a time, like a pastry cake.
The process went smoothly, and time continued to flow.
After about half a day of maintaining complete mental focus without moving at all, Cain succeeded in completing a 3rd circle ice realm built on a perfect foundation.
‘Whew… Good. Now I’ll build the flame circle up to the 3rd circle as well.’
Cain now began separating and accumulating the small amount of fire mana nested within the pure mana flow.
Since the absolute quantity was small, the completion speed was inevitably slower.
‘It took about half a day to complete the 3rd circle ice realm, so completing the flame circle will take a full day, maybe a bit more.’
It wasn’t a short time, but it was sufficient to return within the time promised to Ed, Fon, and Bolio who were waiting for Cain.
Cain continued to concentrate.
If he was lucky, he might be able to lay more groundwork in the time remaining after completing the 3rd circle.
But just as he thought that.
Thoom.
“…!”
A vibration strong enough to disturb his deep concentration was felt through his seated position.
Cain temporarily suspended his training and opened his eyes.
The sound continued approaching.
‘A rhythm similar to human footsteps.’
But heavy vibrations that definitely couldn’t be human.
‘Which means.’
Cain stood up.
‘How unfortunate.’
Just a little more and he could have completed the 3rd circle for the flame type as well.
Thoom. Thud.
Soon the source of the sound revealed itself.
A frame several times larger than a human.
A monster with snow-white, tough skin and solid muscles—an Ice Troll.
“So it was you lot. The ones who scattered the Snow Rabbits in panic.”
“Kurk.”
At Cain’s words, the Ice Troll made a snorting sound.
It could be considered a kind of provocation.
Though not particularly intelligent, it was a monster that would sometimes deliberately kill prey more cruelly or toy with them.
The Ice Troll was currently viewing Cain as prey not even worth a single punch.
‘It’s reasonable to think that.’
Indeed, Ice Trolls, known to be powerful even among troll variants, were monsters that required at least a 4th circle, preferably 5th circle, to hunt comfortably.
However, Cain wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve from training and looked up indifferently at the Ice Troll that was several times his size.
“I have some work left to do. I’ll finish this quickly.”
“Kuwooor!”
Whether it understood Cain’s words or caught the nuance, he wasn’t sure.
The Ice Troll seemed angered by Cain’s words and immediately charged toward him.
‘Fast.’
The troll’s movement was agile to a degree hard to believe could come from such a massive, seemingly clumsy frame.
The Ice Troll rushed forward with its large club raised, as if to crush Cain in one blow.
“Ice Wall.”
Simultaneously with Cain’s incantation, a thick ice wall rose from beneath the Ice Troll’s feet, striking the troll’s jaw hard.
“Kuek!”
Ice Wall, a 3rd circle magic, was a spell whose mana consumption and difficulty increased exponentially as its area expanded.
Raising an Ice Wall high and fast enough to strike the troll’s jaw was by no means easy, but for Cain, who had built a perfect foundation, it was simple as long as he had sufficient mana.
“Kuongok!”
The troll, whose pronunciation seemed garbled as if it had bitten its tongue, furiously struck the ice wall with its club.
Crash! Bang!
Just hitting the ice wall created a thunderous noise and made the ground vibrate.
‘Tremendous strength.’
Even though it was an Ice Wall summoned by injecting an enormous amount of mana with high density instantaneously, cracks were already spreading through it.
Bang! Crash! Craaash!
Ice fragments scattered in all directions, and soon the massive ice wall Cain had erected crumbled under the club beating.
“Kuwoooooook!”
Maintaining such a solid Ice Wall would have required considerable mana consumption.
The Ice Troll leaped over the Ice Wall’s remains and raised its club to immediately crush Cain’s head.
“Kuwo?”
But just before bringing down the club.
The Ice Troll had no choice but to stop its arm.
Because what was in front of the Ice Troll wasn’t Cain, but an ice statue roughly shaped like a human.
“Ice Spear.”
The cold incantation came from behind.
Swoosh.
The Ice Spear that pierced the weak spot at the back of the head went straight through the Ice Troll’s brain.
The Ice Troll’s massive body swayed and fell with a thud.
“Whew…”
Cain lowered his extended hand and caught his breath.
He had finished quickly as declared, but the mana consumption was enormous.
He had held back an Ice Troll that normally required a 5th circle to handle comfortably with a 3rd circle Ice Wall, created a human-shaped ice statue, then injected high-purity mana into his body to move behind the troll at nearly maximum speed in an instant.
Only after firing an Ice Spear at nearly maximum output could he kill the Ice Troll.
As the battle had been short and intense, Cain’s legs were already trembling from the excessive physical exertion.
‘This is why physical training is necessary.’
Even without using warriors’ methods like Cain, physical ability often determined life and death in critical moments during combat.
‘Physical strength is important for magic training too.’
For this reason, after becoming family head in his previous life, Cain had made it mandatory for his disciples to combine high-intensity physical training.
“Huff, huff! F-Family Head… I feel like I’m going to die from breathlessness!”
“Is this really related to magic training?”
“I can’t… run anymore…”
“Since the Family Head is running with us, we can’t complain…”
But later, everyone realized Cain’s foresight and were grateful.
‘These days, the disciple kids are probably neglecting physical training again.’
You could tell by looking at the plump Bolio and the skinny Ed and Fon.
‘When I return, I should suggest starting with physical training.’
Thud. Thoom.
And Cain turned around.
“Kuwo.”
“Kuwooooo!!”
“Kuek!”
Right. If he could return, that is.
Cain looked at the three, no four, no… steadily increasing group of Ice Trolls standing at the cave plaza entrance.
“This won’t be easy.”
Even for Cain, defeating this many Ice Trolls was impossible.
‘Not with my current realm, anyway.’
If he at least had sufficient mana it might be different, but Cain had already consumed too much mana.
Cain turned his head to look at the Snow Flower Ice Crystal.
‘It’s not impossible to lightly disturb the Snow Flower Ice Crystal’s energy right now to release it, and use the bursting mana for combat.’
But the problem was that the energy released in all directions couldn’t be used by Cain alone—the Ice Trolls could receive it too.
“Then there’s only one solution.”
Cain sighed.
And looking at the snorting Ice Trolls, he said:
“Well then, let’s do this.”
“Kuoook…?”
The Ice Trolls paused momentarily at Cain’s confident attitude.
“The Snow Rabbits’ territory migration wasn’t because of the Snow Flower Ice Crystal, but because the Ice Trolls living in the snowy mountains arbitrarily expanded their territory and caused trouble.”
Lying wasn’t his specialty, but right now there was no choice.
‘I’ll have to find another way to replenish the family finances.’
The Ice Trolls charged at Cain in unison with their clubs raised, as if they had no idea what nonsense he was spouting.
“Kuooooooo!”
“Kuwooo!”
Cain squeezed out the remaining strength in his legs and leaped toward the Snow Flower Ice Crystal.
And he grasped the brilliantly shining white snowflake crystal with his hand.
Hwaaaaaaak!
As if time had stopped, everything around came to a halt.
