The morning campfire had long been extinguished, leaving only wisps of smoke curling upwards. Gauss and Aria finished their morning routines, hastily ate a simple breakfast, rubbed their slightly stiffened cheeks from the cold, and arrived at today's gathering point.

The group hadn't fully assembled yet, but hushed discussions from nearby teams already reached their ears.

"Seems like one team is missing?"

"Heard they... unfortunately encountered a level 2 pureblood ogre..."

"Tsk, we'll need to be extra careful."

"That's strange. Normally, even if you can't win, you should be able to escape?"

"Maybe they overestimated their own strength?"

"..."

Gauss and Aria exchanged glances.

Could there have been another team that met with misfortune yesterday?

"I'll go ask around," Aria signaled with her eyes.

After receiving Gauss's silent approval, she approached a familiar female mage nearby. Moments later, Aria returned with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?" Gauss asked.

"What they're talking about... seems to be the four-person team we dealt with yesterday," Aria whispered, keeping her voice extremely low.

"Eh?" Gauss raised an eyebrow. "How did that turn into encountering an ogre?"

So Gauss was now equivalent to a level 2 pureblood ogre?

"Perhaps? Someone helped cover for us?" Aria shook her head, equally confused.

"Never mind." Overthinking wouldn't yield answers.

Since the matter was already settled and no one had questioned them, this rumor actually worked in their favor. Might as well... go about their business normally.

For other adventurers, while the destruction of a team put them on higher alert, it didn't cause excessive shock. After all, those who voluntarily joined this Winter Hunt had already mentally prepared for potential mishaps. Before departure, everyone had signed compensation agreements with the Adventurers Guild - generous benefits would be provided to families of those who fell in battle against monsters. A substantial cash payment, or a decent job arranged by the guild, or other forms of compensation.

Yesterday's team annihilation wasn't the end - among the hundred-strong group, more would inevitably fall as the hunt continued. Moreover, many believed that even if they encountered a level 2 ogre, while they might not defeat it, escaping should still be possible. So they suppressed their wild speculations. In another sense, this was actually beneficial - it made those who had grown slightly complacent after the first day's smooth operations more cautious again.

A man stood atop a high vantage point scouting. After observing for a while, he descended skillfully like an ape using ropes from a tree dozens of meters tall.

"Captain, people spotted."

"How many? Need backup?"

"Two, a man and woman. Strong capabilities, seem to be handling things easily."

"...Let's retreat."

The team leader sighed. On the second day, elite teams crossing boundaries to "forage" had noticeably increased. They thought they were among the earliest to act, never expecting this two-person team to have beaten them to it - and apparently needing no assistance whatsoever. However, they had no intention of making contact with Gauss and Aria either. If the duo had been struggling, that would be different - they wouldn't mind stepping in for a fifty or sixty percent share of profits. But in this situation, there would likely be no gains, and they might even be seen as provocateurs. The risk of conflict was too great. Moreover, veterans of multiple Winter Hunts knew all too well about the terrifying intelligence network of the Adventurers Guild's massive machinery. Even if you thought you'd covered all traces, as long as the guild wanted to investigate, they could always find clues.

"Hurry up, find the next monster outpost!" The captain waved his hand, and the group quickly disappeared into the forest depths.

About ten minutes later.

The battle concluded.

The snowy ground gained another batch of monster corpses.

Aria approached Gauss and noticed him staring thoughtfully at a particular direction deep in the woods.

"What's wrong?"

"Just now... felt like someone was watching us."

"Same as yesterday?" Aria's heart tightened.

"Probably not..." Gauss withdrew his gaze. "That feeling of being watched is gone now."

"We should still be careful," Aria said instinctively.

Then she paused, realizing she was becoming increasingly reliant on Gauss. Even his baseless hunches now seemed credible to her - except perhaps his judgments about edible foods.

Gauss glanced at his Monster Encyclopedia.

This was the second monster outpost eliminated today.

Time had reached afternoon.

"Total monsters slain: 922."

The seventeenth common monster encyclopedia entry was unlocked: [Frost Snake].

A low-tier magical creature only active in cold seasons, highly aggressive.

Length between 1-2 meters, thickness of a child's wrist.

Its two front fangs contain frost venom - bitten areas rapidly lose temperature and necrotize. Without prompt treatment, it can freeze ordinary people to death. Although classified as a common monster without challenge rating, it's quite dangerous to regular humans. Limited winter activity and most victims being voiceless wild animals mean its notoriety falls far short of goblins.

"I think the cookbook mentions these... should be edible?"

Gauss picked up a still-twitching frost snake, deftly severed its head, and pressed the cut end into snow for quick freezing.

Turning to Aria, he suggested:

"How about trying these tonight?"

"You're sure they're edible?"

Aria's gaze shifted to a nearby goblin corpse.

On its right thigh were two distinct circular bite marks, surrounding skin already a frightening blue-purple, the entire leg stiff as if frozen for days.

If she recalled correctly, this goblin had accidentally stepped on a frost snake and been bitten.

"Should be fine. This is an authoritative reference - hasn't been wrong so far," Gauss patted the Complete Guide to Emerald Forest Ingredients in his hand. Like rust frog meat - while Aria couldn't stomach it, that didn't mean it was inedible. As long as you could tolerate the minor side effects, it could stave off hunger. For him, those side effects didn't even exist - it was perfect ingredients. It had saved him considerable meat expenses.

After processing and freezing the frost snakes into the storage bag, Gauss nodded. Winter had this advantage - meat didn't spoil as easily.

"Pity it's another half-ogre."

Gauss sighed after collecting all the frost snakes.

This was the fifth half-ogre he'd slain - no signs of other level 1 elite monsters yet.

"This is after all a monster army led by an ogre mage. Maybe this region just has more of these creatures," Aria said, though unsure why he was sighing. "Many elite monsters of other species might be in outer areas."

Gauss nodded.

Their current location was likely mid-zone.

If he were that ogre mage, he'd probably station "his own people" in relatively safer central areas too, sending outsiders to spearhead charges.

So to hunt great goblins, twin-headed goblins, or goblin warriors - level 1 elite monsters - they'd need to move outward?

Forget it - focus on reaching the thousand-kill milestone first.

922/1000.

Getting closer to the next upgrade.

While they rested, the raven Eck continued working diligently, scouting surrounding monster outposts.

"Caw caw caw!"

Eck returned flapping its wings.

Aria fed it prepared dried meat strips as reward.

Only after it finished swallowing did she inquire about discovered outpost locations.

Youthful Eck had grown rapidly under Aria's natural energy nourishment, noticeably larger than at initial contract, feathers glossier too.

This was why druids' beast companions could rival elite monsters in strength.

Gauss observed the raven Eck for a moment.

According to Aria, its future enhancement paths could take several directions.

First was the most common - massive size increase, like gray wolf Ulfen, already several times heavier than its species average.

If the raven kept growing, it might eventually become a flying mount.

Though reaching that level would require corresponding growth in its master's natural energy.

Second possibility was evolving toward "leader" status, gaining command over wild ravens.

Third was developing spellcasting abilities - all intelligent creatures had magic potential.

After brief communication, Aria learned the locations of several outposts it had discovered.

Though Eck wasn't powerful, its aerial vantage provided unparalleled scouting advantages even regular detection magic couldn't match.

Rest period over, the duo set out again.

Arriving at the first outpost Eck had indicated.

Gauss climbed a tree for observation, his expression tightening.

This was a massive monster outpost - roughly two to three hundred creatures scattered across clearings and surrounding woods.

Far beyond what their small team could currently handle.

The leader was unmistakably a pureblood ogre even larger than half-ogres.

Ogres, giant subspecies - these creatures typically stood around 3 meters tall, easily exceeding a thousand pounds (450kg) in weight.

Challenge rating at least level 2, potentially higher with special abilities.

Visually, its massive frame resembled a moving hillock.

Even the spiked greatclub it wielded was larger than a grown man.

Ordinary goblins at its feet looked like scrawny dogs, or bite-sized snacks.

Flanking it were two half-ogres and an armored gnoll warrior.

Undoubtedly elite forces of a monster army.

"Let's retreat. This is beyond us - pureblood ogre, about three level 1 monsters, plus two to three hundred minions."

Without further observation, Gauss used Message to quickly relay retreat orders to Aria.

This area was dangerous.

Confident as Gauss was in his abilities, even he didn't believe he and Aria alone could take on such a massive monster outpost.

Gauss descended from the tree.

Just as his feet touched ground and he prepared to retreat with Aria, a sharp cry suddenly pierced the sky in the distance.

"GROOOAAARRR!!"

Rapid footsteps began approaching from afar.