The ancestral God of Hoarfrost Gorge, Karyan, was a rather unfamiliar entity to Khan, who was well-versed in the many secrets of “Midland Quest”.
One reason was that barbarian seldom played a major role in the game’s main storyline. Additionally, gods who didn’t belong to the divine pantheon were generally regarded as malevolent and were persecuted by the pantheon.
This included the memories of ‘Gordi Khan’ before Khan’s possession.
‘All I know is that Karyan is the ancestor of Hoarfrost Gorge’s people and a transcendental being who ascended to godhood within a mortal’s body.’
No legend exists about how great a warrior Karyan was in life or what enemies he bravely defeated. Yet, all the warriors of Hoarfrost Gorge revere him, as if it were etched into their very blood.
In the past, when ‘Gordi Khan’ was uncharacteristically curious for a barbarian, he once asked the Great Warrior a question.
“Is Karyan really our God? I don’t know who our God is or what deeds he’s performed. So why should we serve Karyan as our clan’s God?”
It was such a logically coherent question that it was hard to believe it came from a young barbarian. Khan’s memory of the Great Warrior’s expression at the time is fuzzy, but he faintly recalls that the Great Warrior was smiling.
And the answer he got from the Great Warrior was very unsatisfactory.
“Your blood proves him. My son.”
‘Curious Gordi Khan’ thought the Great Warrior was evading the question. So, he incessantly read the few ancient texts that existed in Hoarfrost Gorge, which is why Khan can now decipher ancient languages.
‘Gordi Khan’s’ curiosity persisted up until he had to take the warrior’s trial.
The warriors scolded him, saying the Great Warrior’s son had gone mad, and the children expressed their honest scorn and disdain. Yet ‘Gordi Khan’ maintained his inquisitive nature, and—
‘It was right before the warrior’s trial that I possessed him.’
And now, realizing the truth, Khan understood that the Great Warrior’s words were not evasive but a very blunt answer.
『Ancient Bloodline (B) – 00%』
─Level-up bonus, strength +1
─Innate rank of combat-related skills permanently increased by one grade.
The B-rank skill, Ancient Bloodline, was granted as a racial bonus to the barbarian warrior. It was a miraculous trait that turned the modern, corpulent office worker, who had only ever gotten into schoolyard brawls and loathed killing even insects, into a superhuman.
Until now, Khan hadn’t deeply questioned why the name ‘Ancient Bloodline’ was given to ‘Ancient Bloodline’.
As he pondered that, the realization dawned that the Great Warrior’s statement — “Your blood proves him” — had always been a direct, and truthful, answer.
‘At level 30, I received a class-specific quest, which led me to Hoarfrost Gorge. And it was around that time the Warrior God summoned the Great Warrior.’
Could all of this be mere coincidence?
“Of course not….”
Khan clenched his scarred fist tightly as he came to an inevitable conclusion.
‘So this means I’m finally worthy. Is that what this is?’
His gaze turned towards the northern part of the port city, where the snowy expanse of Hoarfrost Gorge lay.
The Warrior God was calling him.
After arriving at an agreement with the Three Idiots, Khan decided they would all return to Hoarfrost Gorge together. He reviewed the supplies Ludmilla had procured in the port city.
“What’s this, boss?”
“These are snowshoes, designed for walking on snow. This prevents slipping on ice. Handle it with care; it’s a magical item.”
“Oh, and I thought the Witch was just picking stuff out randomly… Is this one a magical item too?”
“That’s a container for draining and storing animal blood. Not a magical item.”
“What? Why would we store…”
“If we run out of water, we’ll have to drink it.”
Alejandro’s face turned pale at the thought, but Khan ignored him and stuffed the supplies into Aecharis’s pouch, dusting off his pants as he stood up. He sensed the old tanner approaching from a distance.
“All ready. But where did you get these materials? If the young mage hadn’t helped, it would’ve been impossible to work on them.”
“It’s Hydra hide.”
“H-Hydra?!”
The tanner, nearly dropping the item in his hand, glanced between Khan’s face and the finished product with scales. Hydra hide? Did that mean they had slain a Hydra?
Recalling a city devastated by Hydra in the past, the tanner shuddered. The scales indeed looked just like those of the Hydra he had seen.
“Did you actually… kill it yourself?”
“Do I need to spell it out for you?”
“No. I got it. That’s answer enough for me….”
A Hydra was a beast that took an entire army to defeat. It had taken a united front of port cities to form a hunting party, and even then, the effort had come at great cost.
Thus, the old tanner decided it was easier to believe that Khan had been part of such a hunting party.
‘It’s just easier this way….’
“So, what are you planning to do with this Hydra hide? If you want to make armor, I could introduce you to a skilled craftsman….”
“I’m going to wear it. While most draconic hides are known for their warmth, hydra hide is particularly effective.”
“Warmth? Are you planning to climb a snowy mountain…? Oh, my heavens.”
The tanner realized the answer to his question mid-sentence. A barbarian from Hoarfrost Gorge, who treated the snowy mountains like child’s play, wouldn’t need Hydra hide just to climb them. It meant he intended to venture somewhere even harsher.
And as far as the tanner knew, there was only one place in all of Midland that matched those descriptions.
“You’re heading to Hoarfrost Gorge, aren’t you? With your companions, too?”
“Why else would I come to this backwater place if not for that?”
“The idea of having business in Hoarfrost Gorge is surprising enough, but… can your companions even handle it? Even Northland’s snowy mountains are almost called a demonic realm.”
“That’s not something you need to worry about, old man.”
“I suppose it isn’t… Sigh, wait a moment.”
The tanner sighed deeply, scratching his head vigorously before stepping away. Though curious about his sudden departure, Khan decided to inspect the Hydra hide the tanner left behind.
『Well-Tended Hydra Hide』
The modifier “Well-Tended” on a material item signified the old tanner’s craftsmanship skills were at a master level. Such talent shouldn’t be confined to a backwater place like Northland.
‘Even though Ludmilla helped make the processing possible, it’s genuinely impressive.’
Of course, this hide alone wouldn’t suffice.
Khan planned to use the small magic stones obtained from the Georges Principality to craft “hand warmers” that would keep their extremities from freezing. He also stocked up on snow gear used by Northland hunters for traversing snowy terrains. These measures should help them endure somewhat.
‘I wish I could take only Ludmilla with me.’
Eson, who had joined them from the Georges Principality, was determined to face the warrior’s trial, so Khan didn’t see the point in stopping him.
Maya, with her peculiar taste for pain, refused to back down, believing that overcoming such extreme conditions would make her stronger.
And then there was Alejandro, the audacious thief who had snuck into the royal palace just to prove his skills. He declared that friendship wouldn’t let him back out, willingly walking into hell alongside them.
‘They’ll only learn the hard way by experiencing it themselves.’
Despite tirelessly warning them about the harsh environment of Hoarfrost Gorge, they wouldn’t truly understand until they felt it firsthand. Like soldiers who trash-talked about winter training only to regret their words after experiencing it.
Thus, all of them would head to Hoarfrost Gorge together, without exception.
“Here, take this.”
“…?”
“I just realized. You never got any reward for dealing with those troublemakers.”
Khan muttered internally that he hadn’t done it for a reward, taking the item the tanner handed over.
It was a massive gray-white fur cloak, in perfect condition, large enough to be worn as a mantle. Upon closer inspection, there was a rubber-like tie near the neck for fastening.
“A Winter Wolf pelt. It’s the best insulation material you’ll find around here.”
“Perfect for keeping warm in Hoarfrost Gorge.” the tanner added.
Khan recognized the pelt immediately. The Winter Wolf was a fearsome beast of the frozen tundra, its fur renowned for its warmth. The fact that the tanner was giving this up as a reward confirmed his high level of respect or repayment for Khan’s deeds.
“Snow Mountain White Wolf.”
“That’s right. A long time ago, a barbarian who crossed over to the Midland continent gave this to me as payment. It’s been decades, but it should still serve you well.”
“Did you process it yourself?”
“Who else would’ve done it? I only added some orc sinew to make it wearable as a mantle.”
Though he said it nonchalantly, Khan knew it was no easy task. The pelt of the Snow Mountain White Wolf inherently emitted cold. It must have been quite a laborious job. Khan intended to express his gratitude for the old man’s kindness.
“Forget it. I gave it to make up for swinging my club so recklessly at first. If you’re that grateful, come back later and let me know you’re still alive.”
Without waiting for Khan to respond, the tanner turned and walked away, as if emphasizing he didn’t want to hear any thanks.
“Out of respect for him, we should make a point to visit the port city again,” Khan mused.
Fully prepared, Khan and his party left the port city and ventured north towards Hoarfrost Gorge. Compared to the Midland continent, the threat level from monsters or brigands was considerably low, allowing them to leave the human domains without much difficulty.
Beyond the territories of human settlements, with not even a hamlet or a cluster of homes in sight, they entered the wild stretches of Northland. Only the hunters or mercenaries from Northland would dare step foot in this wilderness.
“It’s still warm enough.”
Alejandro remarked.
“Enjoy it while you can.”
Khan responded.
The further north they went, the colder it got. As they approached the giant snow mountains, the world turned into a white expanse. Even on mild days, the snowstorms were merely thinner, but the cold remained brutal—surpassing any winter Midland could offer.
Whooooshhh.
The moment they set foot on the snow mountains, a deafening blizzard claimed their senses, eating up their sight and sound. Even with a stamina stat over 50, Khan could feel the cold seeping through. It was no surprise his companions were struggling.
“Boss, can we use one of those ‘hand warmers’ the Witch made now…?”
‘Should have listened when I was just speaking.’
Dressed layer upon layer until movement was a chore, even with a cape made from wyvern scales, Alejandro shivered uncontrollably as Khan delivered a verdict that felt like a death sentence.
“The real cold hasn’t even started yet.”
“No way…!”
With a face of utter despair, Alejandro, and the rest who overheard, halted in their tracks. Their silence was an implicit plea hoping Khan was joking.
Instead, Khan smiled even more brightly and prepared them for the harsh truth.
“Once we cross the snow mountain, the cold here will seem like a mild inconvenience. You’d better brace yourselves. And of course, none of you plan to turn back now, do you? I warned you thoroughly, but you didn’t listen.”
“Damn, we’re screwed…!”
And just like that, Alejandro’s world crumbled.