Chapter 398 The Invisible Force of Gravity Magic

Suzuka stepped further into the snow, her sharp eyes scanning the landscape. But there was little to see—the storm was still raging, the snow falling in thick, heavy flakes that obscured everything beyond a few feet. The wind howled, whipping the snow into a frenzy and reducing visibility to almost nothing. She sighed, muttering under her breath, “Well, this is just great. Can't see shit. I just hope this damn snow stops soon or I will go crazy stuck with this goblin.”

Despite the lack of visibility, she made the most of her time outside. She crouched down, scooping up a handful of snow and rubbing it over her arms and face. The snow melted instantly upon contact with her warm skin, the water running down her body and washing away the sweat and grime from the sweltering heat inside the shelter. She repeated the process, using the snow to clean herself as best she could in the freezing conditions.

Once she was satisfied, Suzuka stood up and shook herself off, sending droplets of water flying in all directions. She turned and headed back to the shelter, her body dripping wet but her expression as calm and unbothered as ever.

Hermit peeked out from the entrance, his eyes widening as he saw her soaked. She looked completely fine, as if standing practically naked in a snowstorm was the most normal thing in the world.

“M-Master! You’re soaking wet! You’ll get sick!”

Suzuka rolled her eyes, stepping past him and into the shelter.

 “Relax, Hermit. I’m not made of sugar. I’m not going to melt.”

She reached into her item storage and pulled out a large, fluffy towel, drying herself off. Her skin glistened in the firelight as she rubbed the towel over her arms, legs, and hair, the water soaking into the fabric. Once she was dry, she tossed the towel aside and sat down at the entrance of the hollow, where the cool air from outside provided some relief from the stifling heat of the fire.

Hermit watched her, his expression a mix of awe and disbelief. 

“M-Master... how are you not freezing?”

Suzuka smirked, leaning back against the wall of the stump. 

“I'm built different. I told you, Hermit. I’m not as fragile as you are. A little snow and cold water aren’t going to hurt me.”

Hermit shook his head, muttering under his breath.

 “She’s not human... she’s not human...”

Suzuka chuckled, her tone light and teasing. 

“You’re just figuring that out now?”

With the fire roaring and the warmth of his new pelt coat and boots enveloping him, Hermit was in high spirits. He sat cross-legged by the fire, his frostbitten wounds healed and his body finally comfortable. 

A wide grin spread across his face as he ran his fingers over the pelt, marveling at its quality.

 “Master Helen is the best,” he muttered to himself, his voice filled with awe.

 “She’s so strong, so smart, so... so amazing!”

His joy bubbled over, and before he knew it, he was humming a tune. The melody was simple and repetitive, typical of goblin songs, and soon he began to sing, his voice high-pitched and off-key.

"She’s strong and tough, she’s smart and bold,But she made me this coat, so she’s pure gold!Oh, the snow can fall, the wind can blow,But I’m cozy now, thanks to my Master Helen!"

Hermit clapped his hands together, swaying side to side as he sang. His voice grew louder with each verse, his enthusiasm infectious even if his singing was... well, less than perfect. He didn’t care. He was warm, he was safe, and he had a brand-new coat and boots. Life was good.

Hermit giggled, humming softly to himself. He couldn’t help it—he was just so happy. For the first time, he felt safe and cared for.

The snowstorm raged on, unrelenting and merciless. By the next morning, the snow outside had piled up to neck-deep levels, the wind howling like a deranged beast as it whipped the flakes into a frenzy. The entrance to the shelter was completely blocked again, the icy barrier thicker and more imposing than before. Suzuka stood at the entrance, her arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently as she glared out at the white void beyond. Her expression was a mix of irritation and simmering frustration.

“This is taking way too long,” she muttered under her breath. 

“I didn’t sign up for a winter vacation.”

Behind her, Hermit was a bundle of nerves, his new coat and boots doing little to calm his growing anxiety. He fidgeted incessantly, his ears twitching as he mumbled to himself in a high-pitched, whiny voice. 

“Kaka... Kaka’s in trouble... I can feel it... My connection to him is getting weaker... Something terrible must’ve happened... Oh no, oh no, oh no...”

Suzuka’s eye twitched as his muttering grew louder. She turned to him, her sharp eyes narrowing into a glare. 

“What are you yammering about now, Hermit?”

Hermit looked up at her, his wide eyes filled with panic. 

“M-Master! My feeling of Kaka... it’s fading! It’s getting weaker! Something’s wrong! He’s in danger! We need to go! We need to go right now! Please, Master, we have to save him!”

Suzuka sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose as if trying to stave off an impending headache. 

“Hermit, for the last time, I’m not some all-powerful deity. I can’t just snap my fingers and make this snowstorm disappear. We’re stuck here until it clears. End of story.”

But Hermit wasn’t having it. He scrambled to his feet, his voice rising to a shrill whine. 

“B-but Master! We can’t just sit here! Kaka needs us! He’s... he’s all I have left! What if he’s hurt? What if he’s... he’s...”

 His voice broke into a sob, his hands clutching at his chest dramatically. 

“Oh, what if he’s dead?!”

Suzuka’s eye twitched again, her patience wearing thinner by the second. 

“Hermit, if you don’t stop that whining, I’m going to throw you out into the snow myself. And trust me, you won’t like it.”

Hermit gasped, his hands flying to his mouth. 

“M-Master! How could you say such a thing? Kaka’s life is at stake! Don’t you care?! I can’t just sit here and do nothing! Kaka’s out there, all alone and scared and cold and—and—” 

He broke down into full-blown sobs, his shoulders shaking as he buried his face in his hands.

 “Oh, Kaka! My precious Kaka! What if I never see you again?! What if he’s hurt? What if he’s... he’s...”

He trailed off, his voice cracking as he dissolved into another round of sobs.

Hermit’s whining reached a fever pitch, his voice rising to an ear-piercing wail as he clutched at his chest.

 “Oh, Kaka! My precious Kaka! What if he’s—?”

“AHHHH, SHUT UP ALREADY!” Suzuka’s voice exploded like a thunderclap, cutting him off mid-sentence. Her patience had finally snapped, her eyes blazing with fury as she turned to face him. 

“Kaka this, Kaka that! What kind of name is Kaka anyway? It sounds like another word for shit! Is that what he is? Your precious pile of crap?!”

Hermit froze, his mouth hanging open in shock. 

“M-Master... how could you say such a thing about Kaka? He’s—”

“I don’t care!” Suzuka roared, her hands clenched into fists.

 “You want us to go save your precious Kaka? Fine! We’re going! But if I hear one more word out of you, I’m leaving you here to freeze!”

Without waiting for a response, Suzuka reached into her magic item storage and equipped her armor in one swift motion. The sleek, form-fitting plates clicked into place, glowing faintly with magical energy.

Hermit scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and hope.

 “M-Master... are you serious? We’re really going?”

Suzuka didn’t answer. Instead, she raised her hand, her gravity magic flaring to life. The air around her crackled with energy as she unleashed a powerful gravity wave, the force of it rippling outward in all directions. The stump they had been sheltering in exploded and splintered into pieces, the wood exploding into shards as the gravity wave tore through it. The snow piled outside burst into a massive cloud, the force of the blast sending it swirling into the air like a miniature blizzard.

They were standing in the open, the storm raging around them. Snow fell in thick, heavy flakes, and the wind howled like a wild beast. But Suzuka wasn’t done. With another wave of her hand, she activated her gravity magic again, forming a dome of invisible force around them. The snow and wind were pushed away, the dome creating a small, safe space where they could move freely.

Hermit stared at her, his jaw hanging open in awe. 

“M-Master... that was... amazing...”

Suzuka shot him a glare, her tone sharp. 

“Don’t get used to it. This is a one-time deal. Now, which way to your precious Kaka?”

Hermit pointed a trembling finger toward the mountains. 

“T-that way, Master...”

“Alright, then. Let’s go. And Hermit?”

“Y-yes, Master?”

“If you start whining again, I’m leaving you behind. Got it?”

Hermit nodded vigorously, his ears flopping with the motion. 

“Y-yes, Master! I’ll be quiet! I promise!”

Suzuka sighed, muttering under her breath as she started walking.

 “I swear, if this Kaka turns out to be a pile of crap, I’m going to lose it...”

Suzuka took the lead, her gravity magic flaring as she pushed through the snowstorm. With each step, she used her power to clear a path, the invisible force of her magic shoving aside the deep snow and creating a trail for them to follow. The wind howled around them, but the gravity dome kept the worst of the storm at bay, the snow and ice sliding harmlessly off its surface.

Hermit followed close behind, his small form bundled in his new coat and boots. He pointed eagerly in the direction they needed to go.

 “T-this way, Master! I can feel Kaka... he’s close!”