I released the five weapons in a single burst. They shot through the air like bullets, each one whistling as it spun toward the yeti’s massive frame. The blades slammed into its chest and arms, burying themselves deep—muscle-deep. The impact drew a roar that echoed across the mountainside.

  For a moment, I thought it might actually stumble. But instead, the creature flexed. Its muscles bulged under its thick fur, veins like ropes shifting under the skin. The weapons popped free, clattering into the snow. Steam rose from the wounds, then froze over instantly. It was hurt, but not nearly enough.

  I clicked my tongue.

  No time to think. I dashed forward, carving deep lines in the snow, keeping distance between Mary and the beast. It noticed, those dull blue eyes tracking me, but it didn’t change its focus. I could tell. It didn’t see her as a threat. It wanted the one throwing spells. If I died, she’d be next.

  Not happening.

  “Great Mana Enhancement!”

  The air crackled, and a dense red aura flared around my body, heat against the freezing wind. My heartbeat thundered. Power surged through my limbs. The ground beneath me melted slightly from the mana discharge.

  The yeti reached me. It raised its right arm and swung—a massive, bone-shattering hook that carried enough force to tear trees out of the ground. I gritted my teeth and met it head-on, swinging my sword in a full arc.

  The collision was deafening.

  Steel clashed with flesh, then something harder—bone or ice, I couldn’t tell. My sword vibrated violently, the shock rattling through my arms. The weapon nearly shattered in my hands. I was thrown off balance, sent skidding sideways through the snow for several meters before I caught myself. My grip ached. My knuckles split open.

  Too strong. Way too strong.

  I was trembling—not from fear, but from the sheer recoil of its power. I was leagues behind in raw strength. If it hit me again, I’d die before I even hit the ground.

  The yeti lunged, faster than before, its fist chambering near its hip like a trained fighter. I didn’t wait to find out how bad that punch would be. I threw my sword down the mountain, letting it vanish into the white distance.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “Weapon Gate.” I whispered.

  A purple portal bloomed above my hand. From within, another black sword dropped into my grip. My mana was draining fast from maintaining the enhancement. Five percent per minute at least. I don't want to create a habit of using all my mana quickly.

  The yeti slammed its chest and roared. The sound wasn’t just loud—it was a shockwave, blasting snow in all directions. The pressure made the air itself vibrate.

  I pointed the blade toward the ground and smirked. “Alright, big guy. Let’s see how you handle this.”

  “Gravity. Maximum Output.”

  My body shot upward like a launched projectile. The world blurred. The temperature dropped instantly, the thin air biting at my skin. The cold was unbearable, but I didn’t care. This was it.

  From hundreds of meters above, the tundra looked like a white desert. The yeti was below, still looking up at me, one clawed hand raised as if it could swat me from the sky.

  I felt my mana twist again.

  “Gravity. Maximum Output.”

  This time, I inverted he spell. My descent was instantaneous. I fell, faster than sound, the red aura compressing into a single burning layer around me.

  It was terrifying, feeling gravity bend around me. The magic adapted. It didn’t crush me; it flowed through me, syncing perfectly with my movement. It was magic.

  The yeti tried to leap back, but too late.

  I came down too fast.

  The blade tore through its body diagonally, from shoulder to hip, clean and effortless—as if the creature were made of paper, not flesh. Blood and steam erupted in the air, instantly freezing into crimson shards that glittered as they fell. The two halves of the yeti hit the snow with a muffled thud, the sound swallowed by the storm around us.

  I landed hard, legs sinking into the snow, but the enhanced strength in them absorbed the impact. My mana aura flickered and faded, steam rising from my shoulders. I exhaled, my breath a white cloud.

  I looked down at what remained of the monster—its glassy eyes frozen open, its expression now one of fear.

  I raised my thumb, then turned it down.

  “That’s what you get for mocking me.”

  No level up?

  Nice.