Frostfire Legacy

Chapter 197: A Week of Rush! (3)

After the long quarrel between the two cats, Aster assigned them to different shifts for the night watch. While they could have opted to rest at the Twister Hotel, they decided against it, feeling it was a waste to walk there. After all, a round trip would take an hour.

Everything seemed to return to normal, but...

"Achoo!"

They quickly realized an unexpected issue—Liz was sensitive to the cold! The 11th to 13th floors were already chilly, and rushing through the dark corridors only made the cold more biting. The dragonkin Liz began to shiver as if she were having a seizure from the freezing air.

Fortunately, they came up with a solution almost immediately.

"Phew..."

Liz was now piggybacking on Aster as he pulled the cart with the rest of the group's supplies. Ever since Aster gained control over the twin spirits of Ice and Fire, his passive ability to regulate the temperature around him had returned in full force, making it feel like room temperature with a meter around him.

While Aster could also control temperature directly using his Frostfire Legacy, doing so required concentration, which was best preserved for the journey ahead.

To make it easier for Liz to cling to Aster, she removed her metal-plated armor—this, however, led to two large problems and one small problem.

The two large problems pressed against Aster's back, shifting with every stride he took. The sensation was heavenly, and it was challenging to maintain his composure with such a distraction.

The small problem was...

"GRRRR! Let me go!"

It was Tina, who was thrashing around on top of the cart.

"Liz! How dare you cling so tightly to my darling! I'll kill you!"

"Come on, calm down, you crazy vixen! It's just a piggyback ride, nothing to be jealous about!"

"Right, Tinya! This is the most reliable method to continue without losing speed or focus, so just sit down!"

"NO!"

Enjoy more content from M-V-L

Standing on top of the cart was dangerous, and Aster quickly grew concerned. After some deliberation, he decided to let Tina have her way, hoping it would calm her down. While silence returned, Aster was now burdened even more.

On his back, Liz's firm, supple body pressed against him. And in front, Tina's soft form drained even more of his concentration. Aster now resembled a small branch with two cicadas hanging onto him!

*Sniff!* *Sniff!*

"Hey, stop that! It tickles!"

Tina added to the chaos by occasionally sniffing Aster's neck, sending him closer to the edge of his sanity. He was determined to end this situation as soon as possible. With Cassy's light guiding their way, they moved at double speed, not stopping to fight or gather resources.

In just five hours, they reached the boss's area, where Argus ended the battle with a single strike. Since the drops from the 11th to the 13th-floor bosses weren't worth much and they didn't need more money after becoming billionaires, they skipped looting and continued their rush.

By midnight, Aster had achieved an impressive feat—running non-stop for 18 hours and reaching the 14th floor.

---

The 14th floor was vastly different from the previous ones. It marked the start of the "real" dungeon, following the transitionary 11th to 13th floors.

Unlike the earlier floors, where monsters were the primary threat, the 14th floor's terrain itself posed significant dangers. However, there were still familiar biomes like plains and forests. But right at the entrance, they encountered one of the deadlier biomes.

"This..." Aster groaned, squinting through the darkness. "So the 14th floor starts with a desert?"

As they stepped in, the cold air of the midnight desert welcomed them. Though Aster, Tina, and Liz were unfazed thanks to his temperature control ability, the other girls quickly began to shiver in the icy wind.

The temperature had already dropped to single digits and was still falling!

"S-S-Star... L-Let's s-s-s-set up c-c-camp outside!" Cassy stammered, her teeth chattering.

Seeing their condition, Aster immediately used his ability to chase away the cold. Warm air enveloped the group, and within half a minute, the temperature around them had risen to a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius.

"This should help for now, but..." Aster muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I can't maintain this ability all night. And one campfire won't be enough in this cold."

Their portable campfire and thin tents were decent against rain and sun, but they couldn't provide adequate protection against the harsh cold of the desert night.

"I guess we should camp outside the dungeon tonight, as Cassy suggested." Aster sighed.

"Agreed!" the girls chimed in unison.

With the group eager to retreat to a safer, warmer place, Aster smiled wryly. "Alright, let's turn around and—"

But something caught his eye. About a hundred meters ahead, several figures were running toward them. It was too dark to make out clearly, but it looked like they were being chased by something.

"Leader...!" Kali, whose night vision was better than the others, quickly picked up on the situation.

"Adventurers are approaching! Seven of them! They're being chased by the Field Boss, the Giant Sand Scorpion!"

"This is bad..."

They were close to the portal, so the adventurers might make it to safety. However, Aster's group was still in their path, and even if they retreat quickly, the Field Boss could catch up.

"Argus, stand by for now!" Aster ordered the small dog at his side. "Wait until those adventurers exit!"

Even though they weren't hiding Argus' abilities, caution was always wise. As the adventurers approached, Cassy's light revealed their strained faces.

Of the seven, five were still able to run, but one was unconscious, being carried on another's back, while the last one hobbled along, supported by the shoulder by another, barely able to move.

With their speed, the monster would catch them before they reached the portal!

"Tina! Liz!"

""YES!""

The two women, no longer clinging to Aster, sprang into action, rushing to meet the adventurers. They flanked the group and quickly activated their abilities.

"Me first! TAUNT!"

Tina's skill had an impressive range, pulling the boss's attention from a distance.

*SCREEECH!*

The gigantic, purplish-black scorpion turned toward Tina, raising its massive claws—each as large as she was tall!

"What a big-ass insect you are! Metal Body!"

As the scorpion charged, Tina braced herself, raising her defenses to their limit. A moment later, the scorpion's stinger struck, only to be deflected by her bare iron-skin.

"Tina, scorpions are classified as arachnids, not insects!" Liz corrected as she swung her mace at the creature.

"It's the same thing!" Tina shot back while extending a fist, throwing a punch with her fiery knuckles.

The party of adventurers didn't waste time looking back. They bolted through the portal in one swift movement. Aster watched them go, shaking his head. "Not even a small thanks, huh?"

Of course, he hadn't failed to notice the symbol on their armor as they passed by—an all too familiar crest. Dragon's Roar.