Beast Evolution Forge - Chapter 194

Chapter 194: I am dropping this book 4
The lake came into view by midday, its icy surface stretching wide. The settlement Regina mentioned sat on its shore—a cluster of wooden huts with smoke curling from chimneys. Players moved between the buildings, their cloaks dark against the white snow.

“Looks cozy,” Jolly said, cracking her knuckles. “Think they’ll share their fire?”

“Not likely,” Vell replied. “Stay sharp. We’re not the only ones climbing.”

They approached carefully, keeping to the trees along the lake’s edge. Up close, the settlement was rough—huts patched with ice and wood, some half-broken. A few players glanced their way but didn’t stop working. One, a tall woman with a spear, stood by the main path, watching them.

“You’re new,” she said as they got closer. Her voice was hard, like the ice under her feet. “Name’s Lira. What’s your business?”

“Passing through,” Vell said, meeting her gaze. “Looking for info on this floor.”

Lira’s eyes narrowed, flicking over his team. “Info’s not free. Got points or goods?”

Ruby stepped forward, tail swishing. “We’ve got stories! We cleared Floor 4—beat sand demons, a giant, everything!”

Lira raised an eyebrow. “Floor 4, huh? Heard rumors about that. Desert’s quiet now. Your doing?”

“Maybe,” Vell said, keeping it vague. “What’s it worth to you?”

She smirked. “Enough to talk. Come inside.”

They followed her to a bigger hut, its walls lined with furs. A fire roared in the center, and a few other players sat around it, warming their hands. Lira waved them to sit.

“Floor 5’s a mess,” she began, poking the fire with her spear. “Cold kills you faster than monsters if you’re not ready. Main threats are frost wolves—big, fast, hunt in packs. Then there’s the lake spirits. Hard to hit, harder to kill. They guard something under the ice.”

“Something?” Regina asked, leaning forward.

Lira shrugged. “No one’s sure. Could be the key to clear the floor. Most who go looking don’t come back.”

Vell nodded. “What about players?”

“Plenty of teams here,” Lira said. “Some trade, some fight. Big group up north—call themselves the Icefang Clan. They’re trouble. Control most of the supply routes.”

“Sounds familiar,” Wren muttered, thinking of the Desert Kings.

“They’re worse,” Lira said. “Desert Kings were greedy. Icefangs are cruel. Watch your back.”

They thanked her and left, stepping back into the cold. The sky was darkening, clouds thickening. Snow started falling, soft at first, then heavier.

“We need a plan,” Regina said as they huddled under a tree. “Lake spirits might be our best lead.”

“Agreed,” Vell said. “But we prep first. Gear for the cold, then we scout the lake.”

They traded some points at the settlement for thicker cloaks and gloves. Ruby got a fluffy hat that made her look like a snowball with ears, and Wren grumbled about how heavy her new coat was. By the time they were ready, night had fallen, the lake glowing faintly under the moons.

The team crept toward the lake, snow muffling their steps. The ice stretched out before them, smooth and dark, with cracks glowing blue from below. The air hummed faintly, like a song just out of reach.

“Spirits are here,” Regina whispered, her grimoire open. “I feel mana.”

“Stay close,” Vell said, drawing his dagger. “No splitting up.”

They stepped onto the ice, boots slipping a little. The hum grew louder, and shapes moved under the surface—fast, flowing, like fish made of light. Then one broke through.

It was humanoid but not human—tall and thin, its body shimmering like water frozen mid-splash. Its eyes glowed white, and its hands ended in long, sharp claws. It floated above the ice, staring at them.

“Uh, hi?” Ruby waved, nervous.

The spirit screeched—a sound like breaking glass—and lunged. Vell pushed Ruby aside and slashed with his dagger, but the blade passed through, hitting nothing solid.

“Physical attacks don’t work!” he shouted.

“Like the sand demons!” Regina said, casting a spell. A burst of fire shot from her hands, hitting the spirit. It shrieked and dissolved into mist, leaving a faint blue glow behind.

“Magic it is,” Wren said, her claws flaring with mana. She slashed at another spirit as it rose, cutting through its misty form. It vanished with a wail.

More appeared, rising from the cracks—five, then ten. The team formed a circle, back-to-back, just like in the desert. Ruby fired water blasts, weaker here but still effective. Jolly punched with mana-coated fists, smashing spirits apart. Jia’s daggers glowed as she sliced through them.

Vell stayed calm, directing them. “Focus the big ones! They’re stronger!”

A larger spirit emerged, twice the size of the others, its claws crackling with ice. It swung at Jolly, who blocked with her arms but slid back, grunting.

“Regina!” Vell called.

“On it!” She unleashed a wave of fire, engulfing the big spirit. It screeched and melted, leaving a small orb on the ice—a glowing blue stone.

“What’s that?” Ruby asked, picking it up.

“Loot,” Vell said, taking it. “Might be useful.”

[Frost Spirit defeated. Ice Shard earned. 100 points per spirit. 1200 points total.]

The spirits stopped coming, the lake quiet again. The team caught their breath, steam rising from their mouths.

“They’re guarding something,” Regina said, looking at the ice. “That shard—it’s a piece of a bigger puzzle.”

“Then we keep hunting,” Vell said. “Let’s move.”

The next day, they headed north, following rumors of more spirits. The snow was deeper here, and the wind cut like knives. They found a frozen river, its surface dotted with more blue cracks.

“More spirits?” Jolly asked, peering down.

Before Vell could answer, a shout rang out. “There!”

Figures burst from the trees—ten players in white cloaks, weapons gleaming. Their leader was a man with a jagged axe, his face hidden under a hood. Icefang Clan symbols marked their gear.

“You’re the Floor 4 team,” the leader growled. “Heard you’re tough. Let’s test that.”

“No talking this time,” Vell said, drawing his dagger. “Go!”

The fight was fast and brutal. The Icefangs were skilled, moving like they’d trained together. Their axe guy swung at Vell, who dodged and countered with a mana ball to the chest. The man stumbled, gasping as the mana locked his arms.

Ruby blasted two with water, freezing them in place. Wren’s claws tore through another’s cloak, sending him running. Jia and Jolly took down three more, their teamwork flawless.

Regina finished it with a fire spell, scattering the rest. The leader glared as he retreated, shouting, “This isn’t over!”

[Icefang Scouts defeated. 150 points per player. 1500 points earned.]

“They’ll be back,” Vell said, cleaning his dagger. “With friends.”

“Let them come,” Wren smirked. “More points for us.”

They pressed on, finding more spirits by the river. Each dropped an Ice Shard, and soon they had five. The shards glowed brighter together, humming softly.

“These fit into something,” Regina said, studying them. “A key, maybe?”

Vell nodded. “We need a lock.”

Days passed, the cold wearing them down. They fought spirits and dodged Icefang patrols, collecting shards until they had ten. The settlement became their base, trading points for food and warmth. Lira watched them with growing respect.

“You’re stirring things up,” she said one night. “Icefangs are mad. And the lake’s glowing more.”

“Glow?” Vell asked.

“Go see,” she said. “Something’s waking up.”

They returned to the lake at dawn. The ice was alive with light now, blue veins pulsing under the surface. In the center, a shape rose—a temple of ice, its spires sharp and gleaming.

“That’s new,” Jolly said, eyes wide.

“Shards must’ve triggered it,” Regina said. “Let’s go.”

They crossed the ice, the temple growing bigger as they approached. Its doors were sealed, but ten slots lined the frame—perfect for the shards.

“Here goes,” Vell said, placing them one by one. The slots glowed, and the doors slid open with a groan.

Inside, the air was still, the walls shimmering with frost. A spiral stair led down, deep into the lake. At the bottom was a chamber, its floor pure ice. In the center floated a crystal orb, glowing blue and white, with a key inside.

“The floor key,” Regina breathed.

But as Vell reached for it, the ice cracked. Water surged up, forming a massive spirit—bigger than any before, its body swirling with snow and ice.

“Boss fight,” Wren grinned, claws ready.

The spirit roared, shaking the chamber. Ice shards flew like arrows, forcing the team to scatter.

“Magic only!” Vell shouted, dodging a spike.

Regina hit it with fire, steam rising where it struck. Ruby’s water blasts mixed with Jolly’s mana punches, chipping away at its form. Wren and Jia danced around it, slashing with glowing weapons.

The spirit swung a massive arm, sending a wave of ice. Vell shadow-stepped over it, landing near the orb. “Keep it busy!” he called.

Regina’s barriers blocked its next attack, giving him time. He grabbed the orb, and the key fell into his hand—a silver rod with frost patterns.

“Got it!” he yelled.

The spirit screeched, growing bigger. Ice coated the walls, trapping them.

“Break it down!” Vell ordered.

They hit it together—fire, water, claws, fists. The spirit faltered, cracks spreading through its body. With a final blast from Regina, it shattered, raining ice across the room.

[Lake Guardian defeated. Floor 5 Key earned. 3000 points awarded.]

The ice melted, revealing a portal. They stepped through, back to the tower’s base, the cold fading behind them.

Floor 6 was a shock—floating islands in a bright blue sky, connected by rickety bridges. Wind howled between them, and birds screeched overhead. The air was warm, a relief after the frost.

“Flying monsters,” Regina said, scanning her map. “And ruins. Old ones.”

“Let’s explore,” Vell said, stepping onto a bridge. It swayed under his weight, but held.

They moved island to island, finding broken temples and statues. Winged creatures attacked—eagles with metal claws, bats with sonic screams. The team adapted fast, using the terrain to their advantage.

On the third island, they found a puzzle—stone tiles with symbols. Regina solved it, revealing a chest with a golden feather.

“Part of the key?” Ruby asked.

“Looks like it,” Vell said. “Keep hunting.”

Days later, they reached a massive island with a ruined castle. Inside, a giant bird waited—feathers like steel, eyes glowing gold. The Sky King.

It screeched, wind blasting them back. Vell led the charge, dodging talons and striking with his dagger. The team worked together, wearing it down until it fell, leaving a second feather.

[Sky King defeated. 4000 points earned.]

With two feathers, they found a pedestal on the highest island. Placing them activated a portal, clearing Floor 6.

Floor 7 was a volcano—rivers of lava, ash in the air. Heat pressed down, worse than the desert. Fire elementals roamed, burning anything they touched.

They fought through, collecting obsidian shards from the monsters. A lava giant guarded the key, but Vell’s team outsmarted it, luring it into a trap.

[Volcano Guardian defeated. Floor 7 Key earned. 5000 points awarded.]

Back at the tower, Vell looked up. “Seven floors down. How many left?”

“No one knows,” Regina said. “But we’re stronger now.”

The team smiled, ready for more. The tower stretched into the sky, endless and full of challenges. And they’d face them all—together.