Chapter 5: Chapter 3

“…I'm so sorry, Amy.”

After stroking her beloved daughter's head, my mother slowly got up, walked out of the room, and headed towards a dangerous place alone.

“Mom, where are you going? “

In the dream projection, what I saw was my mother slowly disappearing, leaving me in the shadows. I tried to stop it, but couldn't. I tried to chase her but couldn't reach her. I tried to call but never got a response.

“Mom…Mom…Wait…Don't leave me alone again……”

My mother just kept walking away, leaving me who was fast asleep alone in that room lonely. Despite how hard my soul cried, screamed, and begged mom not to go, my mother never listened to me or turned back to hug me.

I want to get up and chase, but I can't. I want to run, but my feet don't want to hear my orders. Mother kept walking towards the pool of light, while I seemed to be drifting in a vortex of darkness. The wider the distance away, the smaller the figure of the mother reflected in my dreams. My vision was also getting darker, mixed with pools of tears. I can no longer see anything. I've been completely swallowed up in the storm of darkness.

“Hahh!!!……D-dream?”

Opening my eyes, I woke up from sleep and took a half-lying posture quickly.

Looking around, I realized that I was in the simple wooden hut I had built and had just been lying on a pile of leaves I had gathered earlier.

“Why did I dream that again? It hurts to remember.”

It's clear if you see my reddened eyes and the many traces of tears that have just washed my cheeks.

"Should not! If it continues like this, I might disappoint my mom. I have to be strong and can't be sad all the time."

Recalling my promise to my mother, I mustn't dwell on brooding or being sad. I have to be a tough girl like my mother, otherwise, how can I make progress and make my mother proud?

With that, I got out of bed and headed out for my usual morning routine. Exploring the forest, gathering food, and continuing to make various preparations for survival.

That's right, it's been a week since I woke up from my longest slumber.

By then winter had ended and it had turned to spring. The snow melted and the earth began to turn green again. The birds happily sang and the squirrels nimbly danced. The land regained its fertility and flowers began to bloom under the bright sun. Complementing the view, the butterflies also seemed to be beaming and dancing to enjoy the beauty of this world.

As said that woman, whom I met a few days, weeks, or months ago? Or I don't know when it was, I don't know because I can't be sure myself.

But from that woman's words, which came from my death dream, now I have truly been revived with a healthy body again. I'm grateful to her.

At that time I woke up on the beach in a pool of water which I thought was a crater where garbage was dumped. I don't know why I was there, but it was fortunate to be able to wake up there because then there was no way anyone would notice me when I revived. Because the landfill is quite far outside the city.

As I reflected on the surface of the pond water, I also noticed that I had undergone a slight change. My hair, which used to be black and gray, is now somehow pale white as snow, just like my mother used to be. My eyes also changed from tawny to pale blue. That feature is really like my mother's. I wonder, did my mother ever used to be like me too? Remembering several pieces of the puzzle I managed to put together.

It's because the woman in my dream was the culprit behind this new change in my features. Remember, that woman also had white hair and pale blue eyes just like my mother and the current me. That's why, I suspect that my mother ever met that woman and gave her the same blessings as me, which made me and my mother have the same features as that woman.

Looks like it's called ‘White Blessing’.

According to the woman, whom I met in a dream, this blessing would allow anyone to become a descendant of the White Star, which would naturally allow them to inherit the ancestor's blood and grant them transformation. That was why my hair and eyes changed following the White Star ancestor.

That's all I know from that woman.

Then, the most important change of all was to make the recipient of this blessing have the same ability as the White Star ancestor. That's a strange ability my mother might have, and now I have it too. I vaguely remember the time when my mother saved me from a Wyvern attack, that was when the Wyvern that was supposed to attack me turned into ice. I suspect that it was the mother's doing.

Its name is White Power from White Blessing, which means Cooling or Freezing. It would be easier to call it natural control over all laws of heat absorption, which allows all users of this ability to freely cool or freeze whatever becomes their object or system.

After the forced cultivation of this ability, I somehow understood the nature of this ability. My hands, or rather myself, can absorb the heat in the environment around me, which causes the temperature of the environment to decrease according to my will.

Like magic, this ability of mine is absolute control over the law of heat absorption, which makes me look like a human with the power of ice, capable of freezing anything, like an ice wizard in fairy tales.

That's an ability my mother probably used to have. I also just realized it because the ability is now mine. That's why my mother often leaves suddenly and acts as the secret hero behind my back. Even though I was upset because I never knew about my mother's actions, I also know the reason why my mother didn't have to tell me about it was that she was worried about me. I'm glad that my mother is worried about me, even though whenever my mother is away I always feel lonely.

“….Cools the air.”

Now, this ability has been given to me, so I want to get used to it. I also want to be strong like my mother. Therefore, I want to get used to it as soon as possible and be able to rely on this strength to survive any trouble that befalls me.

Actually, along with the blessing I received from that woman, a certain amount of knowledge related to this blessing had also been imparted to me. It's not much so it doesn't weigh on my head. Just a basic understanding of how this ability works.

Like right now, I cool the air. Not freezing water vapor. I only slightly lowered the ambient temperature to allow the water vapor to condense and become dewdrops that I could drink. Even though it's not much, it's okay when compared to me having to drink pool water full of piles of garbage. I used to be willing to eat and drink things even if they were dirty. But this time, I've been given back a healthy body, so I don't want to ruin it any more. With care, I want to eat and drink something healthy and clean. After all, I had been given new abilities and knowledge that allowed me to understand the basics of how natural laws work. So I want to make the most of it. It's not just wasted.

But despite this fact, I already knew a lot from the adventure books I used to hear from my mother. Because after all, the stories my mother told were so detailed, and many of them were books that told about one's struggle to survive. I've also had two years living in the wilderness alone. So in this second opportunity, I want to be better.

*GULP...GULP...GULP*

After drinking several balls of water the size of my small fist, which I had just produced after condensing the water vapor, I decided to head towards the depths of the forest to quickly get away from here. I'd rather live alone in a deserted place than live in a settlement where the people who always hurt me are. In the future, next winter, I even plan to go to the north sea and live alone there. Because that's the right place for me to live according to the advice that woman gave me.

It's because of my new ability. With White Blessing, I have also gained maximum resistance against the cold. So no matter how cold the air temperature is, I can live without experiencing cold problems. I think it makes me more comfortable living in a cold environment than a hot one. Maybe because of the influence of that blessing too. That's why I remember my mother building a basement and making it her special room, which provides a comfortable environment for my mother to sleep in. At that time I was wondering, why did my mother prefer to sleep in the basement where it was so cold? It's just a matter of convenience.

That's why when I planned to stay away from the human settlement and enter the deep forest, I chose the north direction. Because according to my mother’s story, the further north, the colder the air temperature. There's also the problem that I can't live with another human. This ability seems too special for humans, so I don't want to become a target. I'm also not used to socializing except with my mother, also I hate other humans for abandoning me without the slightest concern.

So before anyone else saw I was here, I rushed into the forest after I had made some minimal preparations.

Luckily, I also found a used bag that could still be used even though it had a hole and the strap had been cut off, but since it could still be used, I took it without hesitation. I also found some discarded clothes that looked like they weren't worn anymore. I chose some that could still be used by me in the bag before, before leaving.

Unfortunately, I didn't find anything I could use as footwear, so I headed into the depths of the forest barefoot.

Since it's spring now, I don't have to worry about food. In this season there will be lots of food ingredients that can be found in the forest, unlike during winter. As long as it's not poisonous and not dirty, I'll eat it.

That's why I live in the forest for one week.

***

I kept walking, exploring the forest.

It was not a tropical forest, nor was it a cinnamon forest, but it was a kind of conifer forest, which had many trees such as cypresses and pines. So there's as little food as I can find.

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I usually eat the leaves of any grass I find and make sure they are not poisonous. By finding out if that type of grass is also food for other mammals, then I will know whether the grass is poisonous or not, that's how I can tell for sure.

I also occasionally make bird traps for wild meat. But that's rare because it's so hard to make a trap.

While thinking about how I'm going to get a proper meal today, a splash sounded faint from the distance.

“...the sound of water?”

It was the sound of water splashing constantly accompanied by the sound of its flowing. Then I can come to a clear conclusion.

"It's a waterfall!" I rushed toward the source of the sound.

Sure enough, what I encountered as soon as I got there was a mini waterfall no more than five meters high. The water is clear and seems shallow. I wish I could take a shower to wash off the dust from the journey here. I'm also hoping to get some river fish for dinner. This area also seemed to be far from any human habitation, so I decided to spend the night here.

I immediately freed my body from everything that covered it and went under the waterfall to wash my body. This water would be too cold for normal people because, after all, it was still not long after winter ended. But for me, who is currently so immune and likes cold things, this bath feels so refreshing.

I also ventured to drink this water because it looks like this water is coming from the mountains ahead, where I will pass next. And I bet there are no local human settlements along the river. Because apart from its clarity, there is not the slightest bit of human activity visible under the foot of the mountains.

I'd like to make a fishing rod, but there's no line or hook I can find here. So I decided to make a sharp spear which I made by freezing some of the river water and shaping it into an ice spear.

Catch fish with a spear is also a standard template of survival adventure series if there is a technology limitation. Besides, I also want to hone my skills. It was quite complicated and required great precision to create a suitable spear shape. At first, I even made long chunks of ice which were quite awkward. Then scrape it off a little by unfreezing it until it finally forms a long stick with a pointed end. 

“I remember the shape of a spear like a pencil. A long stem with a tapered end... Ehm! Then it's fine to go with it." I confidently used the pencil shape as a base to form the spear.

“Uhm! So, I believe this is what is called a spear.”

With that, a simple pencil-shaped spear was successfully created. Then the next is to get the ability to be on target when shooting.

It just so happened that the fish was big enough to be the size of an adult's palm and with the clear water, it was easy to make a shot if I was standing on a rock in the middle of the river. Besides water, in the middle of the river, many rocks settle and adorn the river. The fish can usually be seen swimming in the shadows of the rocks, that's when I had to shoot them. I hope it works.

The first time failed. The second time missed. The third time, too late to shoot. The fourth time, still no luck. The fifth time, I almost gave up. The sixth time, I've given up hope. Resurrected for the seventh time, my shot still missed. After the break, I tried again with the highest focus, and I grazed it. Too bad it just hurt the fish without getting it. But that way I got a little understanding. This means I have to shoot with a diagonal path because the fish will look thin vertically, but wide when viewed horizontally. That's why I aimed at it by forming a slope this time.

"...Yeah! It hit!

I'm happy with this first success, even though it took a lot of energy. But like all those struggles finally paid off, I feel satisfied. To preserve the fish and get rid of bacteria, I froze it and placed it by the river before trying to find it again.

Two hours later, I only got four frozen fish as a starter. But it's okay, after all the fish eater is just me alone, so that's enough. I want to burn it, but I don't have any skills to make fire with my bare hands. I know there is a way to make fire by friction between two stones or by rotating wood rubbing against each other. But it is very difficult. Once again I gave up, I was satisfied enough to eat fish meat this time, even if it was raw. Hopefully just freezing it will be enough to get rid of the bacteria.

Just like when I make a spear, I also make a sharp blade out of ice, with a kitchen knife as a reference, I shape the ice into an ice kitchen knife. It's still too early for me to get used to using this ability. So I want to keep practicing it by applying it to my daily activities. And then, using this knife I made, I slice the fish flesh and eat it.

Well, it's bland as usual, but that's fine considering everything I've eaten up to this point. This fish meat is much better.

Until a few moments later, it seemed that the fishy smell of the flesh and blood of the fish I had eaten had invited something dangerous.

I didn't realize it then, but one of these forest predators sniffed out the smell of food and approached its source. I began to hear the rustling sounds of the bushes rubbing against each other, the sound of footsteps, and some sounds of branches breaking. I also heard some birds chirping and flying away from some threat.

*GROWL*

It was then that I realized something had appeared from behind the tree after I heard a few growls.

“…B-bear?”

It was a large, brown-bodied creature about two meters tall, emerging on two legs from behind a tree. Then as if it had found proper prey after its hibernating sleep, the bear excitedly ran on all fours toward me.

Naturally, instead of finding some fish after sniffing out the fishy smell, the bear got a big catch instead. Amy being only a child, must have been the best prey according to the bear, which had not eaten much after its long winter sleep. So ferociously, the bear charged quickly toward its best prey.

 

“H-how is this? run? Impossible."

Amy panicked, however apart from the Wyverns, this was her first time encountering a beast. The surroundings of the previous town must have been relatively safe, which was why Amy had never been attacked by wild beasts in those two years. But this time was different, Amy had gone deeper into the forest, to a place where even humans no longer touched it. There must be a lot of things that have developed rapidly without human interference. What's more, the place Amy is walking on now is the bear's domain.

So frantically, Amy thought of a solution. No matter how hard she tried, Amy couldn't find an answer that would allow her to escape the bear's pursuit.

"No choice but to fight it."

Amy remembers her trauma from being attacked by a monster called a Wyvern. Her fear of becoming food for beasts was still rooted in his mind. The ferocious aura of the bear also added to Amy's fear.

But anyway, Amy has promised to fight for survival. After all, Amy is now different from before. Once she was just a weak baby, now she is a strong child. That is why Amy has survived to this day. Amy has also got White Power as a means of survival. Even though Amy still wasn't very good at it, that was her only ace for the defense at this time.

Amy ran to the river bank and picked up the ice spear that was still lying there. Incidentally, everything she freezes will remain frozen until she undoes it. So the ice spear was still frozen eternally on the river rock, even though it was bathed in the sunlight.

Amy thinks the river is the best place to fight the bear. and she has also thought of a counterattack to kill the bear.

*GROWL*

The bear reached the river bank before it reached its prey. When the prey was in the middle of the river, the bear stopped and growled once more. After confirming that the river was shallow, the bear also finally dipped its feet into the water to chase its prey. The river water was still cold, but that didn't matter to the starving bear. The average water level is no more than half a meter, besides that some rocks became the bear's foothold, so the bear only thought about pouncing on its prey as fast as possible without thinking about anything else that might happen.

At first, the bear felt that the water was suddenly getting colder. But that still doesn't stop the bear from heading toward its prey, it can jump over rocks to get closer to its prey. And when there were only three meters of distance between itself and its prey it remained silent. The prey suddenly jumped into the water and ran with the flow of the river to go to a slightly rocky part of the river. But this prey was impossible to escape the pursuit of the hungry bear. And when the bear also followed the actions of its prey to jump itself down and chase the girl in the direction of the water, it felt something strange in its feet. Over time, the water quickly gets colder. And soon, the bear felt its legs stiffen from the cold and its movements slowed down. After that, the bear realized its feet had frozen. Not only its feet but also the flow of the river water around it had frozen. The bear's four legs were completely trapped in the ice.

The bear struggled, trying to free itself, but it was too late. Its prey, which had been trying to escape, was now turning towards it brandishing something sharp-looking.

*GROWL*

Immediately pain enveloped the bear's body and red blood flowed from its skin. The bear felt the most excruciating pain it had ever felt. The pain of death.

Slowly its vision blurred and the agony quickly vanished as its life was completely taken away. The bear didn't know why it had ended up like this, but the only thing it did know, was the fact that the prey it was trying to catch was now the one that killed itself.

 

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