The Mountain Skeleton stood motionless for a long, terrifying moment, its hollow eye sockets glowing with cold blue light. Alton didn't dare move either, every muscle tense beneath his heavy bear-fur coat.
Then the creature struck.
Its arm swung down like a falling tree, ice rapidly forming around the bony fist. Predicting failed completely—the skeleton's movements were too erratic and unnatural. Alton barely managed to throw himself sideways. The icy punch cratered the snow where he had stood.
He couldn't waste the opening. Twisting with the feet, he delivered a powerful kick to the skeleton's arm using the newly chosen Iron Leg skill. The bones shattered with a sharp crack, shards of frost-covered bone scattering across the snow. One arm down.
The skeleton didn't slow down. It simply switched to the other massive limb and swung again. This time Alton wasn't fast enough. The bare bone fist connected with his side, launching him several meters through the air. Pain exploded through his ribs as he hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him. For a few terrifying seconds he couldn't even stand up.
The giant loomed closer, each step shaking the earth.
Pure fear gave him strength. Alton forced himself up just as the skeleton attacked again. He activated Iron Shield. A translucent barrier of energy flared around his arm, absorbing the blow. The skeleton's finger bones cracked and splintered on impact.
Seizing the moment, Alton slid between the giant's legs, charged Critical Hit, and slammed his fist into the back of its knee with everything he had. The leg shattered. The Mountain Skeleton toppled forward, crashing into the snow.
It tried to push itself up, but with only one working leg it flailed helplessly. Alton climbed onto its fallen skull, raised his boot, and brought it down hard. The bony head cracked under the force.
"Damn…" he breathed, chest heaving.
Then a wild, breathless laugh escaped him. He couldn't stop it. Standing over the defeated giant, covered in snow and adrenaline, he felt something he had never felt in his old life.
"You think you could kill me?!" he shouted into the blizzard, laughing harder. "In your dreams!"
It didn't feel like beating a final boss. It felt better. Real. Like he had actually earned this small victory.
He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. The System window appeared:
Successful Hunt!
You have leveled up to 6.
Rewards: 10 Heavy Bones
Possible Crafts: Bone Armor, bone weapon
New Skill Unlocked: Blue Flame (Ice Punch)
"It automatically unlocked a new skill?" Alton muttered, surprised. "That's new… Not complaining though." He quickly crafted simple knee and elbow guards from the heavy bones. They felt solid—almost like iron plating. The added protection gave him a small boost of confidence.
His side throbbed painfully, but he knew he couldn't stop now. Pulling his coat tighter and raising the hood, Alton continued walking through the relentless blizzard. Another hour passed before he spotted another small cave—barely more than a rocky overhang, but enough to shield him from the worst of the storm. The sky had grown noticeably darker; night was falling.
Nearby, he gathered more fallen branches and wood, then slipped inside and started a fire with his magic. As the flames grew and warmth filled the small space, he carefully peeled back part of his coat and examined his side. A massive, ugly bruise had already formed.
"Damn… I should've been more careful," he whispered.
The pain had dulled slightly. He scooped up a handful of clean snow and pressed it against the bruise, hissing at the sharp cold. Even after nearly dying, he found himself chuckling again.
"Well… that didn't go perfectly," he said to the fire, a tired grin hidden behind his mask.
Once the snow had melted and the worst of the swelling eased, Alton prepared for sleep. He rolled himself tightly in the thick bear-fur coat, using it like a sleeping bag. The fire crackled softly, casting dancing shadows on the cave walls. Staring into the flames, the howl of the blizzard strangely comforting in the background, he slowly closed his eyes.