CHAPTER 91: CHAPTER 91

For a while, Clayton was still struggling to protect himself from the icy water crashing against his body. He could barely keep his balance as the fish on the line pulled with incredible strength. At one point, the thought of letting go of the rod crossed his mind—but his determination and thirst for revenge kept him holding on.

Meanwhile, Dingo and Gemma came sprinting toward him like frightened ducklings searching for their mother. The dog and the deer were clearly panicked, dashing around aimlessly as the hailstorm pelted down on them.

At first, Clayton didn’t pay them much attention—he had his own crisis to deal with. But then, he heard their frantic cries. Glancing over, he saw both of them staring in the same direction, letting out distressed sounds.

Following their gaze, a chill ran down Clayton’s spine.

In the distance, a dark, unnatural zone had formed—completely out of place against the snowy landscape. It radiated a bone-chilling cold, unlike anything he’d felt before. Swirling violently within the zone were countless razor-sharp ice particles, moving like a vortex of knives.

If those shards touched human flesh, they’d slice through it like paper.

Clayton trembled at the sight—especially when he realized the deadly storm was steadily moving toward them.

Without hesitation, he made his decision: run. He dragged Dingo and Gemma along with him, abandoning the arowana still fighting on the line.

But as if sensing Clayton’s retreat, the fish gave a brutal tug.

Caught off guard, Clayton stumbled forward—almost plunging straight into the frozen lake.

Dingo and Gemma panicked, rushing to his side. The mini skeletons, standing by, also sprang into action. But before Clayton could regain his footing, the arowana gave another savage yank—and this time, he fell into the icy water.

The shock hit him like a hammer. The freezing cold gripped his body, almost knocking him unconscious. The fish kept dragging him deeper, but Dingo, Gemma, and the skeletons weren’t about to let that happen.

Dingo clamped down on Clayton’s collar, Gemma hooked him with her antlers, and the skeletons grabbed at anything they could reach. The arowana didn’t relent, but eventually, its pull began to weaken... and finally stopped.

With everyone working together, they managed to haul Clayton back to the surface. But there was no time to rest—the storm was almost on top of them.

Thanks to the earlier mishap, precious seconds had been wasted. Now, all they could do was brace for impact.

The storm had looked slow from a distance, but up close, it moved terrifyingly fast. Within moments, it would hit them.

Panic surged through Clayton’s chest. Then, in a flash of inspiration, he remembered a spell the pickpocket boss had once used.

Without wasting a second, he shouted, "Everyone—cast Water Dome together!"

The mini skeletons responded immediately, chanting in sync. Thanks to the Entry-level skills Clayton had inherited, their combined dome was thicker and more durable than the thief leader’s version—though still semi-transparent.

He could see faint outlines beyond it. The storm was nearly here.

Holding his breath, Clayton waited.

When the blizzard finally slammed into the barrier, a thunderous whoosh rang out. The dome shook violently as shards of ice pelted it. Leaks started appearing.

"Patch it!" Clayton ordered.

The skeletons moved quickly to repair the breaches. The outer layer began to freeze over, forming a shell of solid ice. But the storm was unrelenting. New cracks appeared, letting cold air seep through.

Clayton was no longer just shivering—fear was sinking into his bones. If the dome failed, they’d be dead in minutes.

Dingo and Gemma huddled together, trembling. Clayton desperately wanted to tuck them into his Entry space, but he couldn’t spare the concentration.

He recast Water Dome, layering a fresh shell over the existing one. The barrier thickened, and slowly, the air inside began to warm. Finally, Clayton exhaled, though he was still shivering with exhaustion.

Dingo and Gemma nuzzled close, licking his hands and face. Gradually, warmth returned to his limbs.

Then, Gemma stood up and bathed him in a soft glow. It wasn’t just warmth—Clayton felt energy flooding back into his body. His numb fingers twitched. His heart pounded stronger.

Moments later, color returned to his face. He smiled faintly, reaching out to stroke Dingo and Gemma’s heads.

"Thanks... both of you."

Once stable, Clayton inspected the dome. It was holding.

He opened a small vent to let in some fresh air and reignited the campfire that the storm had extinguished. Using water magic, he dried the surrounding area and began roasting one of the zero-star fish he’d caught earlier. At the same time, he set water to boil for tea.

When it was ready, he poured the tea into three cups and handed them out.

"Woff~ woff~"

"Ang~ ang~"

Dingo and Gemma sipped happily. Clayton shared the grilled fish and took a bite himself.

Despite the howling storm outside, the three of them enjoyed their warm meal in peace. Occasionally, the dome would crack again, but the skeletons patched it up without fail.

When the meal was done, Clayton peeked outside. The storm was still raging. Beyond the dome, it was pitch black.

He had no idea when it would end.

Still, he was grateful he’d come prepared. Even if they had to camp here for days, he was confident they’d survive.

He sat back beside the fire, enjoying its warmth with his two companions. Then his eyes fell on his fishing rod, lying nearby.

He picked it up—and to his surprise, the arowana was still on the line. It hadn’t escaped or pulled the rod away.

Clayton blinked, then scoffed. "What a cocky fish."

He let it play with the bait a bit longer, then leaned back to rest.

After a while, he checked again. The fish was still there, lazing around, almost like it was taunting him.

"Heh... you really are stubborn, huh?" he muttered. "Since you’re being so generous, I won’t waste the opportunity."

He slowly began reeling it in. The fish flinched but didn’t flee. Instead, it flailed arrogantly, flicking its tail like royalty.

A few times, it even splashed water at his face—but Clayton, skilled in water magic, dodged easily.

He played along, gradually drawing it closer. He still appeared calm as usual, but deep inside, he was grinning. He would get his revenge.

Finally, when the fish was right where he wanted it, Clayton shouted:

"Now!"

The mini skeletons sprang into action—