The increase in magic skill levels doesn't bring about any noticeable sensation.

  If there's any feeling at all, it's that there's none.

  Li Meended his right hand, and with a thought, a white mist emerged from his palm, instantly densing into a three-foot-long ice spike.

  The ice spike was a transparent white, radiating waves of cold air.

  "Amazing!"

  Every time Li Meng used magic, he found it incredible.

  Especially with the skill "Ice Element trol."

  It's far more advahan any magic skill like "Wind Bde."

  It allows dired free manipution of ice power.

  Li Meng waved his hand, flinging the small ice spike into the depths of the forest.

  The tiny ice spike shot out, crossing dozens of meters in an instant, and struck a rge tree.

  "Hiss!"

  With a "hiss," the tree ierced through.

  The ice spike, still with momentum, hit aree.

  "Snap!"

  Sitting at the doorway, Li Meng snapped his fingers.

  The ice spike that pierced the sed tree suddenly shattered in mid-air, turning into a mass of white mist that swept around.

  Everything it touched was frozen.

  In almost an instant, that small area was pletely encased in ice.

  This terrifying se left the nearby Goblins, who hadn't yet left, looking at each other in dismay.

  Even from a distahey could feel the cold air rushing towards them.

  Gobu Mo and Gobu Gao looked at their leader with fervor.

  "The power has indeed increased signifitly!"

  Seeing this, Li Meng nodded in satisfa.

  He stood up, turned, aered the wooden house.

  When he came out, there ackage at his waist.

  "Gobu Mo, Gobu Gao, tio guard the throribe!"

  Gobu Mo and Gobu Gao quickly nodded.

  Without saying more, Li Meng strode out of the tribe.

  Watg their leader's departing figure, Gobu Mo and Gobu Gao were filled with fusion.

  Why does the leader, being the leader, always leave the tribe?

  Wouldn't it be better to leave things to them, his subordinates?

  And he always goes alone, without taking any of them.

  Half an hour ter, on the northern bank of the Goblin River.

  Li Meng emerged from the dense forest at a leisurely pace.

  Standing by the water, Li Meng gazed at the vast Goblin River before him.

  "Ha ha ha, freeze!"

  Li Meng ughed loudly, stepping onto the water.

  "Crack!"

  With a "crack," the sound of freezing filled the air.

  Rolling white mist surged out, like a thousand horses galloping across the water.

  In the blink of an eye, a teer-wide ice path appeared on the hundreds-of-meters-wide river.

  "It feels like something is draining from my body, could it be magic power?"

  Looking at the ice path across the river, Li Meng thought to himself.

  Without thinking much more, Li Meng grinned.

  He stepped onto the ice path and walked towards the opposite bank.

  ------

  Principality of Ilysis.

  Bion, Goblin Forest.

  In the rugged mountains, the Goblin River wound forward like a long dragon.

  July was the height of summer.

  On the Goblin River, a small boat was sailing.

  There were five people on the boat, oeering, and the other four paddling upstream.

  The boat wasn't rge, about 10 meters long.

  Among the men, two wore armor, with swords, shields, and rge axes on the boat.

  Another wore leather armor, with a hood on his head and a bow and arrow by his side.

  The two women wore robes, one white and one bck.

  Beside them were staffs inid with blue crystals.

  "It's too hot, Odyssey, this is the route you chose!"

  The scorg sun hung high in the sky, making the girls on the boat srofusely.

  The sticky feeling made the girl in the white robe gre angrily.

  Odyssey, steering at the stern, gave a sheepish smile.

  "Martha, Aileen, you 't bme me for this. Taking the water route is the safest and most time-effit. If we went by nd, you'd be even more exhausted, and it would take nearly twice as long. Could you ehat?"

  Martha and Aileen, with bitter expressions, had no choice but to tinue paddling.

  Beside them, Patiend Rachel were silently panting as they rowed.

  "If I'd known, I would have rented an airship from the Crystal Temple!"

  Ailee sighed in frustration.

  "e on, we don't have that kind of money!"

  Odyssey's words drew angry gres from the four.

  The culprit for their oney was right in front of them.

  Fag his teammates' gazes, Odyssey gave an awkward smile.

  "Um... sorry!"

  The four remained silent, each rowing their oars.

  "Captain, no matter how much money you do won't reach those children!"

  After a long while, Rachel was the first to break the silen the boat.

  Rachel's words made Odyssey frown slightly.

  "Rachel, what do you mean by that?"

  Odyssey looked at Rachel, who was expressionless, with fusion.

  A hint of hesitation fshed in Rachel's eyes as he rowed.

  He wasn't sure if he should tell the captairuth.

  The captain, as a Crystal Padin, was inexperienced and unaware of the world's harsh realities.

  The other three also looked at Rachel with curiosity.

  They supported the captain's sponsorship of the orphanage.

  After all, those children were desdants of adventurers.

  As advehemselves, how could they remain indifferent?

  Ultimately, Rachel decided to reveal the truth.

  "Captain, you should know I e from a merary background. During those years as a merary, I experienced many things, some of whiight find unimaginable. But what I'm about to say is the truth, something I witnessed with my own eyes."

  Rachel's words sparked curiosity in the four.

  They were eager to hear what Rachel would say .

  "Do you know why the orphanage in Locke Town only takes in girls?"

  Martha raised her hand.

  "I know, I know, because the boys are taken in by the militia!"

  The militia is a civilian military anization in human towns.

  It's an armed group funded by local merts and nobles.

  Although it's an auxiliary unit of the regur army, it's not uhe jurisdi of the local lord.

  It's mainly responsible for safeguarding the safety of local towns.

  Rachel's face darkened, and he rowed the oar forcefully.

  "That's the official story, but secretly it's a different matter. During my years as a merary, I saw girls from the Locke Town orphanage in a sve trader's voy. Some were adults, while others were just children!"

  "This... this 't be!"

  Rachel's words left the four with looks of astonishment.

  Martha immediately retorted, gring angrily.

  "The orphanage's head is Sister Tataru, who es from the Crystal Temple. How could she do such a thing?"

  As a Crystal Priestess, Martha couldn't tolerate anyone sullying the Crystal Temple.

  "Rachel, could you have been mistaken?"

  Odyssey also couldn't believe that Sister Tataru would do such a thing.

  In Odyssey's heart, Sister Tataru had always been a kind dy.

  "Perhaps!"

  Rachel didn't argue with his panions.

  xx34810