First Arrival at the Ice Fortress

The middle-aged wizard accidentally met Dago's gaze. A surging chill seemed to flow straight through that brief connection, bringing wave after wave of cold that threatened to freeze his soul.

The man was a Second-Ring Wizard, yet his scalp prickled at once. Cold shot up his back toward his neck, and tiny beads of sweat began to form at his temples.

He barely saw what the owner of those eyes looked like. Man or woman, young or old, tall or short, fat or thin—even the style of the person's robe escaped him.

Those ice-blue eyes had seized all his attention.

Only when Dago continued across the deck did the man break free of the Mental Force Field Dago had let slip.

"What kind of monster is that?"

Pale-faced, the middle-aged wizard muttered in disbelief. He abandoned his questions for the crew, hurried off the deck, and shut himself in his room.

A shaft of crisp sunlight filtered through the thin clouds and fell across Dago's closed eyes. He was feeling the great sun of this world.

Perhaps there was still room to improve his Gray Sun Meditation Method, even if the system no longer rewarded him with progress points.

Three days later.

A knock sounded at the door of the airship's first-class cabin. Dago opened his eyes, brilliant light flashing from them before fading back into their boundless, tranquil lake blue.

He put away the formation tools on the floor and opened the door. A young crewman stood outside with his head bowed. "Honored sir, we've entered the Ice Fortress's territory on the Ice Plain."

"Have we?"

Dago's eyes flickered. He strode to the window and looked out through the glass.

Snow-covered mountains stretched before him, with a long, unfrozen river winding through the white landscape.

Ahead, the river seemed