Chapter 174 Beating up balls of floof!

Unseen by the yetis, Lone and Dave rushed to hide near a frozen river. the river ended in a frozen waterfall that cascaded down the large area they were on.

There was a yeti walking in circles in the middle of the icy river valley. From where they stood; a branching path to the right and left led to different entrances. These entrances were several other frozen streams that cut their own path through ice and converged at the frozen waterfall.

"Okay, this is the first yeti we have to take down," Lone said.

"Alright, I'll be tank and damager. You do crowd control and ranged."

Dave gave her a smirk with a thumbs up and ran at the yeti.

Dave used [Stampede], shooting forward to smash into the yeti.

[-32,880]

The yeti lost its balance and roared at Dave as it swung a bowling ball sized fist athim.

He used [Block] on the incoming fist and retaliated with a sword swing.

[-17,300]

Lone drew and loosed a quick [Penetrating Shot] at the yeti just as it retaliated with another punch. The arrow intercepted the yeti's fist creating an opening for Dave to hit the yeti instead.

The yeti glared with blood-red eyes and began to suck big gasps of cold air into its lungs, compressing them down without exhaling. Then its jaws yawned open, the pent up air was expelled in one terrible prolonged burst of sound, [Beast Roar]. The sonic attack blew away the snow and ice around the yeti in rippling concussive waves.

Afflicted Dave with a [Dazed] status Dave instantly activated [Undying Will], removing the effect just in time for him to sidestep the yeti's follow-up [Chomp]. His heart skipped as the beast's tusks snapped together just a finger's width away from his neck. Dave turned and sliced down with his flamberge, hitting the yeti in the left shoulder then dodging a retaliatory kick from the monster.

[+3,000]

He switched his sword and shield out for the Stalwart gauntlets and bashed his fists together, causing them to burst into flame.

"It's clobberin' time!"

Using [Heroic Descent] Dave jumped high up and activated [Twin Strike] as he came down like a meteor. He immediately used [Infernal Tempest], causing his avatar to spinn like a flying top, fists beating the yeti's face like a drum.

[-35,115]

[-25,440]

[-15,888]

[-12,666]

[-10,333]

[-8,555]

"Whoa!" Lone was shocked, "That's a lot of damage, you just lopped off a quarter of its HP with that combo!"

Dave performed a summersault to dodge a retaliatory punch, putting some distance between himself and the yeti..

"Yeah, I'm finally fighting a mob close to my level." He was smiling happily.

He sprinted forward, dodged a punch, and ran up the yeti's extended arm. He grabbed onto one of its antlers, steadying himself and with his other free hand, he pummeled the beast.

The yeti tried to shake Dave off, but the pesky human was holding tight.

Lone hit one of the yeti's eyes with an arrow, staggering it.

Dave used [Double Edged] then escaped with [Vertical Slash] as the worm rushed up through the ice and snow for a taste of flesh.

[-20,000]

He activated [Aura] and used [Immortal Apparition], teleporting himself behind the yeti.

The yeti was afflicted the Fear effect. Dave stomped on the ice cracking it, then activated [Death Surge]. A black aura burst out from Dave's foot for a staggering [-93,000] points of damage.

Dave strafed around the yeti, Lone supported him by disrupting the yeti's rhythm. Punches and arrows rained on the furred monster until they felled their first yeti.

"I leveled up!" Lone shouted, exhilarated.

"Neat. I got a decent amount of exp myself. Let's check the loot and rest. I need to wait for some skills to come off cooldown before we fight again." Dave went to the yeti's body and touched it to get the loot.

1 X Yeti's Blood [Common alchemy material]

1 X Yeti's pelt [Common crafting material]

1 X Yeti's antlers [Common crafting material]

"Meh, the loot sucks," Dave complained.

"What did you expect? This area is not like the underworld where you get first monster kills and the best loot. But I heard there was a lucky player who got a skill-book from killing yetis." Lone shrugged.

"Huh, I wonder what skill he got. Let's get moving."

The two moved along the base of icy river, deep into the colder areas of the region. Lone drank another Frost-Halting potion.

They fought and killed another yeti. Dave leveled up to 289 and Lone reached level 161.

"Alright, this one is going to be tough. There is one yeti here, but if we let it use [Beast Roar] it will cause an avalanche and we will die," Lone said, pointing up.

There were loads of ice and snow, piled on the top of the frozen river banks, with a powerful enough skill or spell, the gathering of snow fall and bury anyone underneath it.

"So, can't we just kite the yetis where it's safe?"

"Well, I already tried that the last time I was here. The bastard just called more yetis. Our party got wrecked and they all refused to come back here afterward."

"Alright…tell me what exactly happens when the avalanche falls."

"Well, it comes down this river slope and takes everything down with it. A wave of ice and rock, it hits with flat damage so protective and defensive skills are useless. "

"Does the avalanche damage the yetis?" Dave asked as he stroked his beard. His eyes wandered about, examining the area.

"I don't really know, we didn't survive long enough to see."

"Alright. I have a plan that I think will work. Move back a bit, I'm going to try something. You should go back to the river bank and take cover."

Lone nodded and ran back, she left the frozen river area and went to hide in one of the other passages.

Dave pumped himself up and ran toward the yeti.

"Hey! You fat ball of fluff!"

The yeti was puzzled by the draugr yelling at him at first. Then it started beating on its chest and howling back at the undead in its territory.

Dave could feel the vibrations it caused through the ice and snow.

Two more yetis appeared behind the first and ran toward Dave. They were sprinting sideways on all fours.

Dave waved a hand to summon Spectral Skulls.

Spectral Skull has leveled up

You now summon four spectral skulls with one cast.

The skulls last for 20 additional seconds before detonating.

"Nice."

Four Spectral Skulls materialized in front of Dave. They were larger than before and their red glow was a shade darker.

Dave had the skulls float to the snow loaded river banks and blew them up.

When the monsters saw the incoming snow, they howled and fanatically moved back, but they weren't fast enough.

Lone yelped jumped up from her cover ran, knowing she was far from safe. Dave paled, turned, and sprinted down the glacier to escape the incoming avalanche. He looked back over his shoulder at the avalanche as the rumbling of snow, rocks and ice grew closer.

Two waves of ice and snow, each coming from a the high river banks's top, clashed with each other when they reached the river slope. The snow came down from the glaciers like a tide, carrying with it the four-meter yetis like if they were weightless twigs.

The wave rumbled down, growing and accelerating like a tsunami of cold snowy death.

"That was a calculated risk… But I forgot how bad I am at math!!" Dave turned and ran down the slope as fast as he could, but he knew well that he would never make it to the other frozen streams where it was safe before the snow engulfed him.

Dave was screaming curses as the avalanche caught up with him. But just before he was engulfed by the leading edge of the icy wave he had an idea. He leapt up and swapped the gauntlets out for his greatsword and tower shield. Grabbing the shield in midair he arched his body to get his feet on it and caught the wave of snow and ice just right, touching down to slalom back and forth across the avalanche front. Dave surfed the wave of tumbling snow, ice and rock like a pro athlete. Though he was guided by the game's system.

Lone had both hands to her mouth when she saw the sweeping wave of deadly ice. When she saw Dave riding on top of it, she gasped.

The avalanche carried Dave all the way to the frozen waterfall.

Yetis noticed the rumble and came to investigate. Dave couldn't let them spot him or Lone, so he had to make his way back to her and go up the river slope as fast as he could.

Dave made his way through the avalanche snow. He had trouble walking on the fresh snow. After he crossed some distance, he saw Lone safe and sound, hiding in one of the streams. Dave waved at her and signed to her to go up the slope.

Lone nodded and went up and ahead of him, while he made his way toward her.

A furry hand burst out of the snow and ice and a yeti made its way out from underneath. It shook its body of the frost and grumbled in a low voice. When the yeti saw Dave, it started slapping its chest again and moved toward Dave.

Dave used [Immortal Apparition] and teleported away from the yeti, only to have another yeti rise up from under the snow and block Dave's path.

Dave used [Death's Descent] and jumped away from the yeti. Right as he landed, Dave activated [Stampede]. The snow and ice blew up and away from Dave's body as he accelerated.

When Dave reached Lone he spoke urgently, "There are a bunch of yetis coming our way. We need to run away fast, try to leave these yeti's aggro range."

"My quest marker is nearby. We need to go up this slope, there will be a passage we can use to escape the yetis."