Thinking of this, Ethan immediately began to circulate his magic power and released Profound Ice Crack.
Because Profound Ice Crack could freely shape the form of ice, Ethan casually created a small ice blade.
He then hurled the blade toward the opposite wall.
The ice blade slipped smoothly into the solid stone. Once inside, it detonated, scattering into countless tiny shards that tore through the wall.
In the blink of an eye, the sturdy stone wall crumbled into pieces.
Ethan stood stunned. This power was overwhelming.
The original low-level spell, Ice Crystal Crack, could only form a few crude ice shards and shoot them at a target. But after being transformed into an immortal art, it now carried greater precision, stronger attack power, and most importantly an additional strike.
After the initial blow, the ice would erupt into countless smaller blades, shredding the target and launching a devastating second attack.
Caught off guard, an enemy facing this technique would surely suffer greatly.
Overall, this immortal art was far superior to ordinary magic.
After testing it thoroughly, Ethan sobered up.
The stone house had once stood firm against the cold winds, but after his experiments with magic power and immortal art, it was left in ruins.
He didn't bother calling anyone to repair it. Though he had the money, it no longer mattered.
Now that he had the system and after witnessing the power of immortal arts Ethan had no desire to stay in this small border town.
He had set his sights on the Fiore Kingdom itself.
There, the world was vast and colorful, filled with powerful mages and endless possibilities.
Right now, his thirst for magic burned stronger than ever.
So without hesitation, he packed his belongings, left the stone house at dawn, and stepped into the snow.
The bone-chilling wind carried the flurries freely across the empty land.
Each step Ethan took on the endless white field left behind a deep print in the snow.
Nearly half a day later, Ethan stepped into a dense forest. Under the blanket of snow, the trees were coated in white, their branches heavy and silent.
"Roar!"
A sharp, chilling howl suddenly broke through the stillness of the frozen world.
Ethan's eyes snapped toward the source.
From between the trees, a massive Snow Wolf emerged, nearly three meters tall. Its heavy paws sank into the snow as it advanced toward him, step by deliberate step.
The closer it came, the more vicious and greedy its gaze became.
Those eyes were like those of a seasoned hunter fixed on its chosen prey.
To a beast of this ferocity, a young boy like Ethan was nothing more than the perfect meal.
Ethan's expression hardened. In his hand, an ice arrow half a meter long condensed into being, glimmering coldly in the pale light.
Yet he did not immediately release it.
His sharp senses told him that within the Snow Wolf's body, magic power was circulating.
This was no ordinary wild animal, but a magical beast capable of releasing magic.
After the two stared each other down for a tense moment, the hungry Snow Wolf could no longer restrain itself.
Its body crouched low, muscles coiling, then suddenly sprang forward. The massive form charged straight at Ethan.
"Roar!"
The Snow Wolf's jaws opened wide, revealing rows of sharp fangs. Though it sensed the ice arrow in Ethan's hand carried some strange power, the gnawing hunger in its belly burned too fiercely. It could not hold back.
In weather like this, finding prey was never easy.
Faced with the ferocious wolf, most people would have collapsed in fear. But Ethan stood calm, his gaze fixed firmly on the creature's neck.
When the Snow Wolf closed in to less than three meters, the ice arrow in Ethan's hand shot forth.
There was almost no sound. The arrow of ice struck true, piercing directly through the beast's neck.
"Pfft!"
A bloody hole tore open where the arrow had landed.
But it didn't end there.
The arrow shattered inside the wound, bursting into countless tiny ice blades that shredded the Snow Wolf's head in an instant.
"Awooo!"
The beast let out a final cry, which quickly faded into silence. Its head was slashed to pieces, leaving only ruined flesh and bone.
"Bang!"
The Snow Wolf's corpse collapsed heavily into the snow, staining the white ground crimson.
Ethan walked slowly toward the fallen beast, his brows furrowed.
"I didn't think forging an ice arrow would consume so much magic power. I really need to increase my reserves," he muttered softly.
The arrow had been created through Profound Ice Crack. Though the technique was incredibly powerful, the larger the weapon formed, the more magic power it consumed.
That single ice arrow had drained nearly a quarter of the magic power in Ethan's body.
Reflecting on the battle, he realized his approach had been too simple. It had wasted precious time and consumed far more power than necessary.
Shaking his head, Ethan bent down and dragged the Snow Wolf's body from the snow.
It was heavy, but with the support of magic power, the weight was nothing to him.
Instead, what caught his attention was the thought of fresh wolf meat. At least he would have dinner tonight.
Just as Ethan was preparing to leave, voices suddenly drifted from the distance.
"Hey, I just saw a Snow Wolf run this way. It shouldn't be far."
"Got it. Let's hurry and catch up."
Hearing this, Ethan froze.
"No way… could it really be such a coincidence?" he muttered under his breath.