Chapter 378: Four Seasons Deer

Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Four Seasons Deer

The Power of the God of Cuisine... it was far more than just changing the physical form of matter.

It reached into the supreme domain of certain fundamental laws!

’My [Magic Cuisine] might still be limited to turning ordinary ingredients into delicious meals...’

’...or converting Skills into Special Bullets, but its potential is probably far greater than I ever imagined.’

’Maybe... I can make [Magic Cuisine] even stronger... bring it closer to that level?’

A powerful yearning surged within Seraphina Sullivan.

It wasn’t just about survival or getting stronger.

It was because after witnessing that power, a power that bordered on a fundamental law...

...she could no longer be satisfied with treating [Magic Cuisine] as a mere convenience for daily life or a simple combat aid.

She wanted to explore the limits of this Talent and unearth the esoteric principles of "creation" and "transformation" it might hold—principles that shared a source with the God of Cuisine.

That’s why she had to use it often, to practice this Skill.

The journey was long, and unknown dangers lay ahead.

Seraphina Sullivan didn’t just need to reach the Central Safe Zone.

She also had to use the time on the road, during this precious Peace Period, to improve herself.

Especially... developing [Magic Cuisine] and [Demon Eyes], two brand-new powers of Divine origin.

The convoy crawled along the muddy road, heading into a future shrouded in mist.

Inside the RV, however, the aroma of food and the gradually warming atmosphere created a small, sturdy sanctuary, offering a moment of peace and strength on this turbulent, apocalyptic journey.

A brief moment of warmth filled the RV. The road was muddy and slick, and they frequently had to stop to clear obstacles, so the convoy crept forward at a crawl for the better part of the afternoon.

Just as most people were beginning to let their guard down, fatigue setting in...

"AHHH—!!!"

A woman’s scream, filled with sheer terror and agony, abruptly shattered the relative calm of the convoy.

The steadily moving convoy lurched to a halt.

A cacophony of screeching brakes and the dull thud of colliding vehicles immediately followed.

The long column of vehicles ground to a halt, the stoppage rippling back from the front.

Flora Sullivan immediately scrambled to the window to peer outside.

A confused look crossed her small face. "It’s... so loud out there. All the cars have stopped."

"What’s going on?"

Dexter Luther, who had just been starting to feel revived by the hot Magic Cuisine, was instantly on alert.

He put down his bowl.

"I don’t know, but for the whole convoy to stop so suddenly, there must be a problem up ahead."

Sean Chandler gripped the steering wheel, his brow furrowed.

Their RV was near the back of the convoy, and their view was completely blocked by the dense pack of vehicles and people ahead, making it impossible to see what was happening at the front.

Panic rippled through the convoy.

People poked their heads out of their vehicles, trying to see.

Uneasy whispers spread from car to car, the panic expanding like a drop of ink in water.

Soon, snippets of information began to trickle back from the front, passed by word of mouth or through sporadic radio calls.

Since Crystal Lynn had to care for her sister, their modified car was always positioned right behind the military escort.

Being near the front, she was able to run back to Seraphina Sullivan’s RV.

"Sullivan, up ahead... I think monsters have appeared!

"We thought it would be safer on the road now that the deep freeze has ended and the ice is melting, but I guess not..."

A chill went down Seraphina Sullivan’s spine.

She immediately thought of the [Splitting Demon Rabbits] she’d encountered in Kaelen.

"Animals? Like the ones with Player Power?" she pressed.

Crystal Lynn nodded vigorously, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yes! And there’s more than one!

"They burst out of the half-melted snowdrifts and frozen ground by the side of the road!

"They’re huge! The soldiers are already firing, but it doesn’t seem... very effective!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a more intense and rapid volley of gunfire erupted from up ahead!

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

"RAT-TAT-TAT!"

It was interspersed with people’s shocked cries and agonized screams, along with the heavy thuds of something massive hitting and trampling the ground!

The chaos was clearly escalating!

"Oh my God... don’t tell me it’s those rabbits that won’t die and just keep splitting again?"

Dexter Luther’s face went even paler.

He recalled the terror of being overwhelmed by those bizarre rabbits in Kaelen.

Matthew Dawson subconsciously touched his eyes.

"If it’s really them, this is going to be bad..." Matthew Dawson’s voice was grim.

Seraphina Sullivan was decisive. "First, let’s find out what we’re dealing with!"

With a thought, she summoned an ordinary gray pigeon. It flapped its wings and landed on her outstretched arm.

Then, she activated her Skill, [Bird Manipulation Technique], to control it.

At the same time, the unusually shaped ring on her finger, the [Pelican’s Eye], glowed faintly.

It allowed her to share the vision of the bird she was controlling.

The pigeon took flight, soaring high above the chaotic crowd and stalled vehicles, heading toward the front of the convoy where the fighting was fiercest.

Through the pigeon’s sharp, bird’s-eye view, Seraphina Sullivan quickly located the source of the chaos.

It was an abnormally massive elk!

It stood over three meters tall at the shoulder, and its antlers were not the usual branched shape.

Instead, they had a peculiar form, shimmering with a shifting luster as the creature moved.

It hadn’t appeared alone. Surrounding it were a dozen smaller, yet similarly strange-antlered, deer-like creatures of various shapes, locked in a fierce battle with the convoy’s soldiers and Players!

The deers’ methods of attack were bizarre.

Some shot icicles that formed on their antlers.

Wild grasses sprouted and grew uncontrollably where others stepped, attempting to entangle people’s ankles.

Others radiated a scorching Aura, leaving charred marks where they slammed into vehicles.

Still others could seemingly whip up localized gales, kicking up sand and stones.

The largest elk, meanwhile, acted as a commander.

It hadn’t joined the fiercest part of the battle.

Instead, it stood on a small rise, its head turning as it observed the entire convoy, occasionally letting out a long, strange cry.

The other deer would then change their attack patterns or shift their formation in response.

Seraphina Sullivan immediately focused and activated [Eye of Resume] on the largest elk.

[Name: Four Seasons Deer]

[Gender: Female]

[Level: Level 2]

[Professional Skills and Talents: Four Seasons]

This creature resonates deeply with the natural laws of the four seasons, allowing it to perceive and draw upon the power of ambient temperature and seasonal changes.

It can switch between and utilize four different seasonal powers based on the ambient temperature:

Spring Power: Brimming with life. Can accelerate self-healing and promote the growth of surrounding plants (can be used for Binding or interference).

Summer Power: Scorching sun. Attacks inflict a burning effect. Can manipulate localized high-temperature air currents.

Power of Autumn: Wither-bringing gales. Attacks are more piercing. Can unleash Wind Blades with a slicing effect.

Winter Power: Biting frost. Attacks inflict a freezing and slowing effect. Can form icicles for ranged strikes.

[Skills: None]

[Weaknesses: Is unsettled by intense light or pure darkness, which limits its abilities. Has poor adaptability to extreme and stable single-season environments.]