Dok trowels a small barricade by the entrance as Laffer stands guard plays outside. I lead into the small snowy passageway. Alone, unfortunately. In concern for their safety, I had the other two stay up top. Lazari… she wasn’t too keen on playing with snowmen

After all, this is different from normal snow forts. They usually never go downwards. Actually, lemme reword that, they never go downwards. I heard some news back in the day with the paper pushers spreading rumours that the average temperatures are rising, but that’s kinda bogus.

According to my own investigations, I’ve noticed that during passing years, snowmen have become increasingly… Aggressive.

More nexus’ are formed annually resulting in progressively longer winters, as if to plunge the world into an ice age and snowmen are spawning in much higher tiers than usual. So if anything, temperatures should be cooling. Not many have batted an eye to this problem, but instead, blaming the snow removers for alleged increasingly poor performance, but those blokes do an honest work despite the hard labour. If I had to stab someone between an honourable knight and a frostbitten snow remover, I’d stab the knight 10/10 times.

And I can tell that they’re work is only getting harder, judging by this snowman in front of me, and well, he doesn’t look like the conventional type. Compared to regular snowmen, this fellow was at least a head taller, and he was armed.

He has a godsdamned icicle in his hand! The danger just jumped from zero to a hundred real quick!

Great lordy! This… He ain’t just silver ranked. He's a higher rank. Most certainly he is, and one rank higher than the supposed highest puts this fella at steel. And you may be thinking, Well, you must be screwed then. However! It seems as if you’ve made erroneous assumptions regarding the ranking system.

I’ve told you about how the ranks go right? Oh, you forgot…

Recapitulation time!

Unranked → Bronze Body → Silver Strength → Steel Will → Golden Mind → Heroic Legend → Unyielding Myth → Immortal Semigod.

Okay, remember now? You should, because I just told you what they were.

You must be thinking that all beings within the same rank must be have similar power level, right? Wrong. That’s just not how it works. Yes, power scales with the ranking system, but if my experience has anything to say, then it’s a relative scale.

Relative to your innate qualities and race.

Like the snowmen from before. Unranked to bronze ranked brought small changes overall, but still they were at least the same rank as a normal person right? Correct, but their strength doesn’t exactly match up which is how I can so easily piledrive them.

It’s more of a scale referring to how evolved a certain specimen is.

So naturally, even though this snowman may be steel ranked, it’s power level should still be similar —or even lower— to mine which is only silver ranked.

I know this, yet I still can’t help but get the chills facing them.

Right behind him is the coveted Winter Nexus, but a pressure bears down on me as I enter the Nexus chamber. Usually, the chamber would be packed with snowmen, but it’s just this one anomaly. An inapt proclamation.

And if I’m not mistaken then this isn’t just its aura pressing on me… I think hypothermia may be setting in…

Touching my finger tips together, I discover this to be, for the most part true. The tingling numbness that comes with the devastating cold. This was supposed to be a quick, in and out job, but I’m really gonna have to risk it for the biscuit here, aren’t I?

I’m a good twenty metres below ground, so it’s especially cold down here. I mean, I knew it was gonna be cold but by Verdigris' Flame was this chilling! But then again, I guess ice is in fact cold. Ya’ think I could admission into a scholar’s rank with this thesis?

Maybe, maybe not. Betcha no one’s submitted one like this one tho.

Why is ice cold you may ask? Well, I came to this genius discovery whilst being pinned to a wall by a snowman using an icicle. Ice is cold. Frankly, that’s all I can think about, like my mind is going through thick molasses, my thoughts take very long to form. Not mention how messed up my hand eye coordination is.

Damn, I guess it’s also hard not being able to feel. It’s a strain to even keep my eyes open what with the frigid mist about. I try to warm myself up with a ranger technique, but I find that I can’t tap into the essence required to do that.

It’s strange really. I’ve noticed that ever since learning those godsforsaken dark arts I’ve stopped using any other essence art. When I shoot my crossbow, it’s no longer enchanted, and when I sneak, I’m not stealthy. I'm just Jeffrey.

However, the boon that the dark arts provides instead is the ability to thrive in the cold. When I try any other essence art, it becomes almost second nature to draw on the dark arts and that’s when the cold is no longer a problem.

Huh. That dilemma was quick to solve itself… Now I can understand how Laffer isn’t the least bit cold despite wearing considerably fewer layers than me.

I still can’t feel anything —which might be a good thing—, but it’s now a simple task to pummel this snowman.

And yup, I murder the snowman. Though can it really be considered murder? I basically just punched snow until it deformed and broke up. I stomp on it for good measure. Can never be too sure with these fellas.

Now, in this snow paved room, is just me, and the Winter Nexus.

It floats around a meter high and glows with an icy blue hue as it spins in on itself. Like three interlinked snowflakes, the parts mesh and separate into eachother in a mesmerising sequence. More importantly, it looks very edible and very tasty, but that masquerade is only going to leave you in disappointment.

It’s like eating water. Hard and crunchy water.

Trust me. I have experience.

Picking it up with my bare hands, I see the snowball sized nexus spread it’s frigid aura to freeze over my hands, and this would be enough to make any sane man let go in apprehension of the domineering Winter essence. But I lost feeling in my hands long ago! Stuffing it in my rather bare bolt bag and move onto a mildly concerning matter.

“I think I may have dickered Frost’s bite…” Don’t remember getting bit, but that icicle… It might be a cursed artifact. I glance over to the wet sleet, more specifically the gleaming crystal blue in that mess.

Mmmm, we’re gonna have to try that later.

Again, I pick it up with my bare hands —Like the certified dumbass I am— and evacuate with the two items.

Actively circulating my dark arts usage the long hike up the escalier isn’t so numbingly cold, and the first thing I see when I get out is the lovely afternoon snow. I’m starting to see why Lily may not like snow so much…

“You good?”

“Laffer… No, and take this,” So saying, I press the cursed icicle into Laffer’s (gloved) hands for the time being whilst I try to solve the issue of cold hands.

“Have you considered gloves?”

Wow, what a surprise! I drawl sarcastically, “I have actually, but oh my, with your amount of genius and munificent hospitality could you possibly source me some?”

He doesn’t, “Ehhh, Frost’s bite isn’t a big problem anyway. If you practiced how to become one with the corpse then it’ll be fine,”

Yeah no, screw you. “I’m making a fire.”

Mmm, sitting down on a snow seat, courtesy of Dok, I take out the Winter Nexus I bagged. It still faintly glows, though it’s axial rotation has slowed quite a bit. Better do the thing quickly.

Placing it on my lap, I pull aside my tinderbox, emptying its contents. Pouring a good helping of sulfur powder mix over the nexus, I spread it very particularly, especially over the edges. My hands struggle with the act on the account of not feeling anything.

Striking the firestarter with a piece of flint, the spark immediately catches on the powder heating up and stripping the surface of the nexus away.

And quickly, before I burn myself, I place the nexus down, basking in the strong waves of heat.

Mmm, now it’s all nice and warm. Funny how the Nexus of Winter can be used this way.

“Jeffrey, that feels like a fat waste of a nexus,”

I don’t wanna hear it. “I’m cold.”