Mysterious Ice Woman

Ever since I mastered the Gale Force in the Storm Ruins, I haven't been able to control it well, including during my duel with Uncle Wolf. 💚♢ 😲💞

However, after this period of reflection and continuous northward travel, we are now able to consolidate our power at will.

However, because the force of the Gale Force was quite powerful, I didn't use it at first. But now, seeing Trundle's appearance, he doesn't seem to be afraid of the extreme cold, so there's nothing to worry about!

As the Gale Force surged forth, my feet gradually gripped the ice. The light of the Gale Sword dimmed, its sharpness diminished, but its power increased!

Trundle only releases pure cold air, while my attack combines cold air with Wind Force, so I can dispel the effects of the cold air while attacking, unlike him.

Before long, I gradually got used to the ice rink, but Trundle's movements became sluggish, and a layer of frost slowly condensed on his body, turning him into a white Trolls.

However, he never gave up, until he froze to the ice and became a sculpture.

The Yara people cheered with joy, while the Trolls hung their heads in dejection; the king's defeat heralded their utter defeat.

I never intended to kill them, so after subduing Trundle, I released him from the ice. He plopped down on the ground, looking quite dejected.

"I don't know how to describe your power. As someone from the far north, especially Trolls who has been enhanced, to be frozen by someone else is truly shameful."

"I have an extraordinary encounter that will allow me to harness your power for my own use, so there's no need to be angry."

"Kill me or torture me, it's up to you. We've had enough of living anyway." Trundle suddenly adopted a look of resignation to his fate.

"I didn't want your lives, I just wanted you to resolve your conflict with the Yara people. But why are you so tired of living?"

"This appearance is disgusting, what's the point of living?"

Trundle's words left me a bit confused. While others might find them disgusting, do they really see themselves that way?

Seeing the Yara people pick up their weapons, ready to attack, I stopped them. "Don't let the hatred blind you. Resolving the hatred is the key. Otherwise, how will you defend yourselves after we leave?"

"They're going too far! They come to harass us every few days!"

"That's only because you're too weak; this place isn't suitable for you to survive."

"You!" The Yara people were furious, but I had just saved them, so I had to swallow my anger, especially since I was right!

If you want to continue living here, then become friends with the Trolls; if not, then move away as soon as possible.

They couldn't possibly be unaware of such a simple truth; they were simply blinded by the power of the World Rune and became somewhat arrogant.

"It seems you're not friends with these Yara people, so why are you helping them to this extent?" Trundle, puzzled.

"Because the person who took their jewels saved my life, I want to save their lives as a way of repaying that debt."

"Were their jewels really taken away?"

"I have no reason to lie to you, but you are already very powerful, so why do you still covet the power of the gem?"

"Actually, we stole the gems to offer as a tribute to Ice Woman Maiden."

"Ice Woman?"

"That's what turned us into this kind of people..." Trundle said, revealing a secret that no one else knew.

It turns out that these Trolls weren't born ugly; they were all ordinary humans before.

Hundreds of years ago, this was a fertile land inhabited by many tribes, at its peak numbering in the dozens, with all tribes totaling tens of thousands of people.

They often attacked each other, but there was never a catastrophic war until the people of the Uen Tribe brought out a divine artifact— the Crystal Cudgel.

The Un people used the power of the Crystal Rod to sweep across their neighbors, conquering all the surrounding tribes except for the Lava Tribe, with whom they had the best relationship.

No one knows where this weapon came from. Some say it is an ancient artifact, some say it came from the terrifying Howling Abyss, and some say it is the work of a demon.

In short, opinions vary, and there is no consensus, but the Crystal Rod was the beginning of the disaster.

One day, the clear weather suddenly turned gloomy, and a terrible blizzard swept through the area and lasted for three whole days.

After the disaster, nearly half the population and all the crops froze to death; only the strongest people survived.

When people left their refuge, they found that the fertile land was gone, and the place had turned into a frozen wasteland just like the surrounding area.

At that moment, a woman's voice came from the sky. It sounded very old, yet it was deafening and terrifying.

She demanded sharply, "Who stole the key to the Frost Gate?"

Only then did people realize that the Crystal Cudgel was a key, and the current natural disasters were the woman's punishment for those who stole the key!

Silence fell over the surroundings; no one dared to answer. The woman spoke again, "I'll give you one more chance, or you'll all die!"

Just then, a voice came from somewhere. "It was the Lava people! They love to steal!"

Upon hearing this, Lawa Tribe stepped forward and admitted to many of his tribe's crimes, but he vehemently denied stealing the Crystal Rod.

Finally, the woman speaking from the air stretched out a withered hand, waved it, and the Crystal Rod appeared from the Lava tribe's tent and returned to the woman's hand.

"I gave you chances, but you didn't cherish them, and now..."

"Wait, sir! We really didn't steal this! Its original user was..."

Lawa Tribe wanted to reveal the name of the Uen Tribe, but because the two tribes had a very good relationship, doing so would undoubtedly be a catastrophe for them.

In the end, he still couldn't bring himself to say it, even though the woman promised to let them go if he told her the name.

Not only the Lawa Tribe, but all the Lawa people refused to betray their friends; they chose to sacrifice themselves.

Strangely, the woman did not kill them. Instead, she used magic to transform all the Lava people into hideous monsters as punishment for concealing the truth.

However, she set a condition: if the Lava people found three treasures that satisfied her, she would lift the curse.

Lawa Tribe thanked the woman gratefully and led his people on a treasure hunt...

Hearing this, I understood. "You must be the Rawa people?"

"Yes, that chieftain who refused to betray his friends is me, and also the infamous Trolls King Trundle."

"So you've lived for hundreds of years?"

"As long as the curse remains, we will live on in this form forever. Although we can be killed, we don't want to die as Trolls; we want to become real humans again!"

"So, all the treasures you've collected over the past few hundred years haven't satisfied the Ice Woman?"

"That's not the case. We've already found two. This gem could have been the third, but it's been taken away."

"The key to the Frost Gate is the Crystal Rod in your hand, so why is it still there?"

"Because I need it!" Trundle continued the story.