Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1575 1575: Fridge in the mountain

"GHA!" Alexia coughed, spitting green liquid onto the snow. "What the hell is that?"

Goen hoisted a massive log onto his shoulder and headed forward.

"Just a simple mixture of herbs and a small amount of mushrooms. Nothing special. I usually use it before working out, but in your case, it should help your bone heal faster."

He pointed to her leg.

"Try to strengthen it with your energy. You have a strong body. You should be able to move without crutches, albeit slowly."

Alexia didn't like that she couldn't walk properly, so despite the terrible taste of the mixture, she drank every last drop and did as Goen said.

Usually, when she suffered serious injuries, it happened towards the end of a battle, after which she would return to the Citadel. There she had enough time to rest and recover, but not this time.

Tremble.

The blue energy trembled, covering the fracture area with a dense veil, as Alexia's eyes flashed. She had an idea.

"I don't recommend doing that."

"Agh?" Alexia was caught off guard. She said nothing.

How could Goen know what she was about to do?

"You're still too weak. Sure, if you use the ancient energy and everything goes well, it will speed up your recovery, but if you lose control for even a split second, instead of healing, you'll get another fracture or something even worse."

Alexia gritted her teeth but decided not to use the ancient energy. If she broke her leg in another place now, it would be embarrassing and stupid.

After a few moments, Alexia nodded and, leaning on the nearest tree, tried to take her first step.

Step.

The step sent pain through her leg, but the energy held her bones together.

"Hah, it works..." She smiled, slowly walking forward. "Hey, how long will it take for your disgusting mixture to work?"

Goen replied without turning around:

"It should already be working. Soon you'll be able to walk as usual. It won't be a complete cure, so keep using your energy."

Alexia rolled her eyes, but didn't argue. All of Goen's advice had worked so far.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Goen threw one log after another onto the fire, making it bigger and bigger until its shadow fell on Alexia.

"Shit..." She looked up. "Who are you planning to roast here?"

"Well, when we return, only a small portion of this wood will remain. But that's what we need. If we want delicious meat with a crispy crust, then hot coals among the ashes are our choice."

Goen leaned forward and folded his arms in front of him to create a narrow passage for the air.

When he took a deep breath, particles of fume appeared in the air, which instantly condensed and became bright sparks.

That was enough to ignite the dry grass at the base of the fire. Soon the flames would spread to the dry branches, then to the firewood, until everything gradually turned to coals.

For someone like Alexia, who was here for the first time, it would have been an exciting sight, but not for Goen, who had done this hundreds of times before.

"Alright, you can stay here or follow me."

"Hmm? Where?"

Goen grinned.

"To my humble fridge."

"W-What…?"

...

Step. Step. Step.

Alexia didn't know what to expect, but following Goen, they headed towards the entrance to the cave, which was located not far from his house.

From the outside, it was just an entrance between two stone slabs, but the deeper they went, the colder Alexia felt.

"Brrrh!" She hugged herself. "Why the hell is it so cold in here? I shouldn't be freezing at all!

"Hahaha, because ice is your element?"

Goen chuckled as he pointed to the icy walls of the cave.

"It took me much longer than I thought, but it was worth it."

Under Alexia's confused gaze, Goen walked over to something resembling a large stone coffin.

He pulled back the top cap as Alexia's eyes widened.

Inside, under the snow and ice crystals, were many fish with iridescent scales. There were at least several dozen of them, and most importantly, they were fresh, because Goen had frozen them immediately after catching them.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Goen picked up a few fish and threw them over his shoulder. He had neither a bucket nor a basket, so the fish would inevitably hit the ground. But the fog appeared just in time, catching each fish on the hook that now hung from Goen's shoulder.

"Alright, that'll be enough for an appetizer. They're pretty tough, but I actually like that." Goen explained as he looked ahead. "But, we'll need something else for the main course."

"Huh?"

Alexia's jaw dropped as she realized there were dozens of stone fridges ahead. Each one was full of food, whether it was meat, fish, or vegetables with berries. But, Goen headed further on.

"Hey, don't fall behind. There's nothing worth taking in these blocks."

"Y-Yes!" Alexia's voice trembled as she followed him as quickly as she could.

Along the way, she looked around, seeing more and more stone blocks, many of which were part of walls that were getting wider and wider. In addition to whole beasts and fish, there was also pre-cut frozen meat, including steaks, ribs, and thighs, among others. Goen had everything.

When they reached a spacious hall, Goen finally stopped. A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"What the hell..." Alexia gulped.

There were no stone fridges in front of them, but there were many ice blocks, each containing one or more huge monsters. It was deep freeze.

Alexia didn't need to know their history or power level. She knew that some of these monsters were too strong for her. They would tear her to pieces, but to Goen, they were just food supplies, nothing more.

"You said we're going to fry some kind of fish monster, right?" Alexia asked.

Goen nodded deeply.

"Yes. Basically, it's not a fish, but it's not a beast either, something in between, like a water monster."

He pointed to an ice block off to the side.

"How about this one?"

Alexia looked over as her eyes went wide.

The great serpent, as tall as a five-story building, was encased in ice, and the only sign of its death was a deep wound in its neck from the fight.

It was a feast that only the apex hunter could afford.