While walking, Liebe realized, Is this blizzard? There is no way to sense direction. The sun can't be seen, and even walking in a straight line is tough. You can't even retrace your footsteps in the snow.
But he could feel it: Geno's magic power. He didn't know why, but Liebe knew it was Geno. As Liebe was walking, he could sense them—Ice Fangs: 7-meter-tall polar bears who are immune to ice magic. And as he was walking, he could hear the roars of the Ice Fangs.
As he walked for about twenty minutes, he couldn't feel the way he came from. His skin was becoming numb. He was barely able to keep his body together in the cold, the 2x gravity, the pressure, and the mana-dense environment. While near a river, as he tried to drink water, a school of Iruni attacked from the river.
As Liebe did his best to defend himself, yet there were too many, and they were too fast. In an instant, he realized his only chance was his swords. With his swords, he used Dark Magic: Dark Cleanse. Each of them were fast, but missing any would be a death sentence. At that moment, Dark Cleanse truly became true; it finally reacted. He realized he had something to eat.
After eating them, he realized the Iruni were cold and raw, yet it was food. After eating and trying his best, he could sense that Geno was still about 600 meters away. And as he continued to walk, knowing that after sunset the tundra would be far more dangerous, he saw it: an Ice Fang.
As the Ice Fang saw him, Liebe realized this monster didn't just find him; it was following him, watching him getting weaker from the environment. Liebe said, "Let's fight!"
The Ice Fang used its Blizzard Breath. Liebe said, "Dark Magic: Roar of Dark!" As the attacks clashed, Liebe was the one knocked back. Liebe realized in this environment he used more magic than he knew. As he was on the ground and the Ice Fang got closer, he realized it was the end. As he began to lose consciousness from the attack, all he could see was pitch darkness.
All he could think was, So this is death? It's cold and black. I can't feel anything. I wonder what Licht is doing? If Mother will be okay? If Elizabeth will mind that I didn't get the souvenirs? If Alysa is still waiting for me? If Gelda and Eldrie will be sad that I couldn't make it? I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.
As he could feel a pain in his chest—the Ice Fang was stepping on him—he wondered, I'm dead, so why am I feeling pain? Why does it hurt? As he could see his own tears, he saw his own reflection. That was when he realized that his tears were a sign he was alive.
Suddenly, the reflection said, "You are not done yet, are you?"
Liebe screamed, "I'm nowhere near done yet!" And he used his hands to grab the paws of the Ice Fang. He screamed, "I'm not done yet!" As he could feel it, his heart was beating; it was beating faster than ever. As he removed the paw, he screamed, "I'm not dead yet!"
As he could feel it, he clashed with the Ice Fang. He realized he wasn't fighting to go back; he was fighting to survive. The fight lasted for more than five hours, yet in this time he didn't feel any fatigue or lack of mana; it was just his instincts. And finally, he emerged victorious.
After that battle, he didn't feel much different, yet the cold couldn't get to him. As he reached Geno, Geno said, "Good to see you survived. Looks like that Vanadis Eilífa Áin is more than what it claims to be."
Liebe said, "Yeah, but how is this survival supposed to teach me Rampage or Afterglow?"
Geno said, "It isn't. I just did it to see if you really could do it. And at any point, if you were about to die, I would have saved you. But the seven hours looks like it helped."
Liebe said, "But how were you just standing here and emitting mana without the monsters finding you?"
Geno said, "They did find you." As Liebe looked behind Geno, he could see hundreds of Ice Fang corpses.
Geno said, "Now your training can begin, if you want." As Geno warped them back to his office, Liebe realized what he had to do now, yet he couldn't understand why he couldn't feel cold after the fight.
After he returned to his hotel room, it was about 8 PM.
Alysa said, "Liebe, you are early! But what happened to you?"
Liebe said, "Long story."
Licht said, "Dude, where were you? And why is your skin so cold?"
Liebe said, "You guys have no idea how much I missed you."
Licht said, "But what happened?"
Liebe said, "Mr. Geno helped me train for Afterglow and Rampage."
Licht said, "But where did he take you?"
Liebe said, "300 km into the Abyssal Zone. And the tundra was cold; I almost died a few times."
As Alysa grabbed a warm towel and placed it on Liebe, she said, "Liebe, you are freezing."
Liebe said, "I don't know, but right now I can't feel the cold."
Alysa hugged him and said, "Then I will just use my body warmth to help you."
Liebe said, "Thanks," as he collapsed.
After a few hours, he woke up. Liebe woke up seeing everyone standing beside his bed, waiting for him. As he sat on his bed, Liebe said, "I don't know what happened."
Lilith said, "How does your body feel right now?"
Liebe said, "I don't know why, but my body... I don't feel any cold."
Lilith said, "So Geno really took you 300 km deep into the Abyssal Zone. Now that isn't surprising. In fact, he took me 75 km deep when I was 17 just to test my power. And well, he is the type to throw a hatchling from 100,000 meters into the sky to teach it to fly. But unfortunately, most of them die from atmospheric heating before they make it to the ground."
Liebe said, "Unfortunately, I found out the hard way."
Lilith said, "Yeah, walking 1 km deep into the Abyssal Zone isn't easy. I skip that part whenever I go in."
Alysa said, "How are you feeling right now?"
Liebe said, "Actually, I don't know, but I feel fine. It's as if I never went in. But my body feels different, and I don't know why, but I'm starving."
Alysa said, "One minute, let me grab you dinner. Just stay here; no need to get up."
And after seven plates, Liebe said, "Finally, I feel better."
Alysa said, "Good to know."
And after everyone left the room, Alysa stayed. She asked, "So what happened in the past two days?"
Liebe said, "Nothing much, just work and train, I guess. So what were you up to?"
Alysa said, "Well, just babysitting. But it's nice, I guess, having a younger brother. And well, I got the souvenirs."
Liebe said, "Thanks. So how is Eosian and Aile?"
Alysa said, "They are good. And well, now most of the time he wants my help in training, and whenever I ask why, he just says, 'If a half-breed can become that strong, so can I.'"
Liebe said, "Now that's racism with dedication."
Alysa said, "Yeah, just wish he could accept us."
Liebe said, "Nothing to do. Maybe when he is a bit older."
Alysa said, "Yeah, I even apologized, but nothing."
Liebe said, "Well, nothing to do."
Alysa said, "So how did you know he is usually in Cafe Dawn?"
Liebe said, "A guess."
Alysa said, "There is no such thing when it comes to you."
Liebe said, "Yeah. Alysa, so how was your day?"
Alysa said, "Great. And yours?"
Liebe said, "Nothing much, but they actually managed to scratch me today."
Alysa said, "Need any help healing it?"
Liebe said, "Licht already did that."
Alysa said, "Good to know. What else happened?"
Alysa said, "Eosian came by today when you weren't around, and we had lunch here since he doesn't like you."
Liebe said, "That's unfortunate. But little brothers, am I right?"
Alysa said, "Yeah. I wish I could stay to be a better older sister, but I can't."
Liebe said, "Why? If you want, you can."
Alysa said, "A part of me wants to, but you know what my stepmother is like, and my sister. So that's why I'm not a fan of my home."