102 - I’m Surrounded by My Own Pets!

But perhaps not right now...... --- --- White Moon State, a storied noble domain, Ice Palace Academy. Snow fell endlessly, covering thousands of kilometers, vast mountains sealed in ice, while the air sparkled with snow-like dust. Unlike other academies that set up cities around wilderness portals, Ice Palace Academy itself was a vast wilderness set amidst unyielding snow and ice. Thirteen years ago, Ice Palace Academy was one of the top ten institutions, having produced the renowned powerhouse, the Ice Finch. The Ice Finch forcibly entered the top four during an era of legendary combatants, though ultimately falling to the powerhouse of Illusory Sea Academy, the top-ten monarch, Stormy Wind Shui Tianliang. In recent years, however, Ice Palace Academy had lingered around the rank of 16, losing by a single move to the Starlight Academy's Zi Wu Tong last time and failed even to enter the top 16, leaving the academy breadth deeply disheartened. At this moment, a group of young maidens, clad in heavy down jackets, were climbing at the foot of the mountain amidst the swirling snow. Among them, a cute girl with white hair was sitting on a massive white bear covered in ice spikes, engrossed in watching a live match on her phone, seemingly unfazed by the frigid environment. "Yue Rabbit Lianxing, gosh, how can she be so stunning?" "Incredible, those eyes are breathtaking~~~" "When I make it to the first team next year, I’ll definitely get a photo with her at the tournament!" The white-haired girl gazed at the screen, smitten by the blonde girl in sheer white silk. Despite the icy surroundings, she couldn't suppress the heat in her imagination. Just a glance, and she was already fantasizing about marrying Yue Rabbit Lianxing, having children, and living a hedonistic life. To clarify, Lianxing's fans are indeed like this. "Captain, do we really need to keep climbing? It feels cooler than usual today—could there be powerful beasts nearby?" "No worries~~~" "This is nothing. Back in the day, Lady Ice Finch survived under extreme cold by eating snow for a whole year, and the next year, her strength skyrocketed, shocking all of White Moon State. I want to learn from her training method too~~~" The white-haired girl waved dismissively, speaking nonchalantly. However, their meek conversation traveled through the falling snow, reaching an ice-blue silhouette miles away, who turned over with clear irritation. Hidden within an ice crystal cave, a blue elemental entity with an exquisite crystalline body clutched its life crystal core, writhing in agony, occasionally letting out deep groans. As an entity feared even among the royal hierarchy, it could hear not just the voices of those few insignificant ants, but all the tiniest sounds throughout the Ice Palace Academy grounds. Yet, with its life crystal half shattered and hanging on to life, it couldn't even block out the noise. Normally, it would have stomped out these ants without hesitation, but now it was gripped by not only pain but also profound fear, an unforgettable terror resonating within its heart. It vividly remembered a few days ago when a shadow descended under the moonlight, causing the entire Dark Prison Sea to collapse instantly... As if the moon itself had fallen, the inexplicable yet chilling aura had merely brushed past it as it fled the Dark Prison Sea, leaving its body shattered. This was its first encounter with an ancient creature... Having just survived such a life-altering terror, the normally unrestrained entity known for its wrath and arrogance found itself restraining its hostility and was terrified of revealing its precise location, lest it drew the attention of the one that held that immense power. "Ants, shut up and leave quickly!!!" "Don’t watch the broadcast near where I sleep!!!" Even if it were an internal Ice Palace broadcast, it might have tolerated it, but there was a group of ants watching it nearby, making it feel as though its mind was on edge. Several seconds later, however, hearing the specific reward announced in the broadcast, the elemental entity froze, momentarily forgetting its pain. "On top of all previous rewards, obtaining royal-tier pet evolution intel for [Extreme Frost Detonation]." "......" "......" “Whoosh—” In the blink of an eye, separated by miles, as the white-haired girl continued enjoying the broadcast, her phone vanished from her hand the next time she blinked. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, scanning the surroundings, eyes widening in shock. Around her, every one of her teammates had turned into ice sculptures, frozen in place. Just a few meters away, an ethereal ice-blue elemental entity was clutching her phone, engrossed in the broadcast. The chilling aura emanating from it left the girl feeling as though she had plunged into an icy abyss, robbing her of speech and thought. Ice elemental entity? This was the dream battle pet for all academicians at Ice Palace Academy!!! After some time, when the host, Mo Teeth, stammered to announce the first prize, the enchanting ice-blue elemental entity let out a disdainful chuckle. "Hehe, a mere level 10 state domain also tries to gauge our strength and state." "If so, let me show you the means of our plague~~~" “Plop—” With the cold words drifting away, the Extreme Frost Detonation · Ice King entered the white-haired girl's body as a spectral glow, its expression full of immense disdain, as if it had encountered a customer who bought on credit but refused to pay, yet restrained by the academy’s regulations from tearing them apart publicly, silently bearing the grievance instead. Moments later, still in utter panic, the white-haired girl suddenly received a pet panel notification, her initial panic turning into ecstasy. [Royal-tier—Elemental Species—Extreme Frost Detonation · Ice King is requesting to form a contract with you, do you accept?] What kind of astronomical luck is this!? Faced with such an opportunity, who would refuse...? Fearing the opportunity would slip away, she agreed without hesitation. After all, battle pets cannot harm or betray their owners!! However, just as she was dreaming of conquering White Moon State Academy with her newfound power, her body froze with a "bang," as terrifying cold instantly sapped her life. "......" "......" Moments later, as her life force dissipated, three lights burst from her remains, forming three distinct beast apparitions. In the snowy expanse, a gigantic white bear covered in ice spikes and a massive snowball exchanged bewildered, grief-stricken glances, unable to fathom what had transpired. Meanwhile, the ice-blue elemental entity knelt on the ground, crying. “Boo hoo, Master, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. I accidentally triggered a delayed attack a few seconds before the contract; I didn’t mean to kill you!!” “It's my fault, it's my fault, I’m sorry, please forgive me!!!” “After all, it was just a tiny little—mistake~~~” “Crack—” As its words faded, the white bear and snowball turned to fragments, shattering into pieces like glass. In fake mournful cries, the Extreme Frost Detonation · Ice King lifted its head with a sinister smile, eyeing the tournament venue. Its fragile crystal state had been fully rejuvenated by the contract. In that moment, an unparalleled royal-tier aura began to slowly spread across the White Moon State. Chapter 77: Royal Tier Entrant!! White Moon State, Ice Palace Academy. Snow swirled, ice dominated. The low temperatures intensified the already frigid air of Ice Palace Academy's realm. Simultaneously, the ice-blue, dreamlike elemental entity emerged from the white-haired girl's body, clenching its palm while its cold gaze surveyed itself, satisfied with its restored state. In truth, regaining its state through a contract with a human beastmaster was a highly risky endeavor. After all, a pet cannot betray its master...... Had the girl realized in time, she may have even shielded it from attacks, repenting her earlier irreverence, and dedicating herself to redeeming it in the future. Yet, as expected, faced with her overwhelming royal-tier aura, the ant didn't have time to react, let alone share a thought, before its preemptively prepared delayed attack shattered her into fragments. "Humans, with their frail mortal bodies, what weaklings. They have no right to form contracts with beings of the royal tier!" "I truly don't understand what those beings in the Sanctuary are thinking..." "Why not just keep all humans as livestock?" "..." "..." After a bout of complaints, the ice crystal element pondered quietly. If it had been a week earlier, she would have undoubtedly frozen the entire White Moon State solid the moment her power was restored, but... Now that the Plague has been annihilated, there's no need to continue the path of destruction and chaos, isn't there? She worried that acting with grandiosity might attract the attention of that ancient species. What if they intended to hunt down every last member of the Plague? Moreover, she had spent several years in the Plague without any increase in strength!!! This meant... The path of the Fallen species transformation was fundamentally incorrect, nonexistent!!! They had all been deceived!!!! If their leader were the Fallen Emperor, shouldn't he be an unmatched existence in this world? How could he be easily defeated by a mere ancient species!? "Going forward, instead of chasing the elusive and unproven path of the Fallen, why not elevate my power to the pinnacle of the royal tier and enjoy being the ruler of a high-level state~~~" "Level 10 state beast association, is it? Very well, I'll amuse myself with them~~~" "In the face of absolute power, the ants' schemes are meaningless!!!" Floating above the snowy expanse, the Extreme Frost Detonation · Ice King mused aloud, its icy gaze fixed on the direction of the ongoing academy tournament. For now, she did not rush into a killing spree.