Locci watched Wanderclaws' movements closely and identified a suitable location for shelter. He began digging a burrow beneath a nearby tree, certain that this spot would serve as his refuge. Although situated just outside Wanderclaws' territory, it was still within close proximity. Locci noted that he could reach Wanderclaws' domain in merely three minutes of running.

'Hm, this place is now etched in my memory. Shelter secured. Should I venture back into their territory?'

With his shelter secured, Locci embarked on his quest to find Icery. He harbored a strong desire to acquire their healing ability.

Entering Wanderclaws' territory, Locci pondered his next move, considering where he might find them. He began to strategize carefully, weighing his options.

'Wanderclaws are quite cunning. There's a chance they're keeping them in their nest. But wait, only humans have the ability to enslave Nixes. If that's the case, there's no need to expand the scouting range.'

Locci then had a realization. There was something suspicious about the way Wanderclaws deployed their scouts. He noticed that certain areas would be left unguarded at specific times, while there was always a consistent presence of Wanderclaws' scouts in one particular area. Coincidentally, this area was near the site where the battle between Wanderclaws and Whimbies had occurred.

'I see. The reason other Nixes always invade this place is because they also want to seize Iceries. Why haven't I thought of it before?'

Locci, eager to confirm his suspicions, wasted no time and headed straight for that area.

Arriving at the scene, Locci concealed himself behind a tree, carefully observing the Wanderclaws' scouts ahead.

'The guard is too tight. There's no way I can bypass them. Is there truly no way to get through?'

Locci persisted in his observation for hours, but no opportunity presented itself. Just as he was about to give up hope, he heard animal cries coming from behind him.

Startled, Locci turned around and saw an army of Whimbies approaching. As they passed by on branches above him, they paid him no mind. It became evident that their target was indeed the area where the Wanderclaws were stationed.

'Perhaps there's a chance for me when they're engaged in battle.'

Locci cautiously moved from one tree to another as the battle raged on. However, he soon realized that he couldn't cross without directly passing through the fighting.

Summoning his courage, Locci made a bold decision and ran straight into the midst of the battlefield.

A Wanderclaw, engaged in combat with a Whimby, caught sight of Locci. His sudden presence served as a distraction, allowing the Whimby to land a decisive blow.

Without hesitation, Locci approached the struggling Wanderclaw and aided it in overcoming the Whimby. After the skirmish, the Wanderclaw gazed at Locci with confusion before redirecting its attention to another Whimby, resuming the battle.

Locci pressed on, lending occasional assistance to the battling Wanderclaws. Surprisingly, none of them turned hostile towards him.

Grinning to himself, Locci thought, 'Good. No one seems to suspect a thing. Lucky me.'

Finally, Locci successfully navigated through the battlefield and reached the area that the Wanderclaws were guarding.

As he had suspected, the Wanderclaws were indeed guarding the natural habitat of the Iceries. Before him, several igloos stood, each guarded by humanoid plants who watched the battlefield with evident concern.

"These creatures are Iceries," Locci realized as he observed the Nixes before him.

Iceries' bodies were a striking shade of blue, resembling walking stalks with short legs and hands. Atop their heads sprouted vibrant leaves, adding to their unique appearance. What truly caught Locci's attention were their large, endearing eyes, which gave them an unmistakably adorable charm.

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Those Iceries were by far the most bizarre-looking Nixes he had encountered so far. While other Nixes resembled animals, these beings seemed to step straight out of a fairy tale.

Locci wasted no time and sprinted towards two Iceries who were standing guard by an igloo. The Iceries looked at him hesitantly as he approached, but they made no move to flee.

Coming to a halt before them, Locci watched as they cautiously approached him. Sensing no hostile intent, he allowed them to draw nearer. His eyes widened in amazement as they began to heal him.

'I see. It's becoming clear. These Iceries have formed a mutual symbiotic relationship with the Wanderclaws. The Wanderclaws protect them, and in return, the Iceries provide something of value, perhaps allowing the Wanderclaws to consume certain parts of their bodies. But there must be more to it. Perhaps the Iceries have a way to harvest specific body parts and offer them to the Wanderclaws willingly.'

Locci gazed at the Iceries and inquired, "Can you understand me?" The Iceries simply regarded him with puzzlement.

"I suppose not. My mistake," Locci conceded.

He then attempted a different approach. Carefully, he poked the bodies of the Iceries a few times. The Iceries exchanged glances before nodding in unison. With that, each of them tore a leaf from their heads and presented them to Locci.

"So, that's how it's done," Locci remarked, promptly consuming the leaves. Despite being a carnivore by nature, he found the taste surprisingly pleasant, akin to eating sautéed vegetables.

"Wow, you guys are delicious," Locci admitted with a grin. If they remained this cooperative, he didn't see a reason to harm them. However, he acknowledged that he couldn't visit this place regularly; he wasn't a Wanderclaw, and his presence here was simply a stroke of luck.

Locci was eager to fulfill his mission quickly, but he realized that the Wanderclaws were on the brink of victory. He knew he couldn't linger any longer.

"I'll have to devise a plan to infiltrate this place later. For now, I must leave," Locci decided.

Just as he prepared to retreat, Locci witnessed a Batsunix launching a sneak attack on the guard of another igloo. Observing the fox, an idea suddenly struck him.

"That's it! I have two essence slots. I'll fill one with that fox's essence!" Locci exclaimed.

Without hesitation, Locci gave chase to the fleeing Batsunix, who had an Icery clutched in its mouth.

Despite Batsunix utilizing its invisible mode, Locci could still see the floating Icery it carried. He maintained a safe distance to avoid detection by the cunning fox.

After a while, Batsunix reached its nest, where several cubs eagerly awaited its return. Dropping the Icery, Batsunix allowed its offspring to feast upon it, momentarily letting its guard down.

Seizing the opportunity, Locci swiftly appeared behind the distracted Batsunix and struck it with [Frostbite Fury]. The unprepared fox succumbed to the attack in just one blow. Locci then turned his attention to the cubs, dispatching them quickly. However, upon inspecting their bodies, Locci found no essence.

'Essence is indeed rare. I suppose this outcome is to be expected. I'll just have to search for the fox's nest.'

After dispatching the them, Locci decided to consume them before departing. As he finished his meal, he noticed a subtle increase in one of his stats.

[Your force has increased!]

Satiated, Locci resumed his search for Batsunix nests. To his surprise, he found several rather easily. It seemed that due to the presence of a permanent Nix settlement, many Batsunixes had chosen to establish their nests nearby. The proximity to a reliable food source likely played a significant role in their decision.

Typically, Batsunixes proved to be troublesome adversaries with their stealth techniques. However, when caught off guard, they were even weaker than Vizernix.

After effortlessly dispatching them and consuming their remains, Locci's stats experienced a significant boost, resulting in a level-up for him.

[Your strength has increased!]

[Your sense has increased!]

[You have leveled up!]

[Name: Locci Snowstar

Species: Snowoo

Level: 4 | Grade: Extra

Innate Ability: 2 | Essence: 0/3

Strength: 16 | Endurance: 11 | Resistance: 15

Speed: 15 | Stamina: 17 | Polish: 11

Mana: 7 | Force: 10 | Wisdom: 6

Soul: 2 | Sense: 13 | Willpower: 6]

Despite leveling up, Locci still felt a sense of dissatisfaction lingering within him. After all, none of the Batsunixes had dropped an essence yet.

'I understand that obtaining essence isn't easy, but I never imagined it would be this difficult. Why is my luck so poor?'

As Locci lamented, a sudden attack from a Batsunix caught him off guard, clawing his back and causing bleeding.

Reacting swiftly, Locci retaliated with [Frostbite Fury], preventing the fox from employing its stealth technique again and pinning it against a nearby tree. Despite the onslaught, the Batsunix managed to rise to its feet, a glowing light enveloping its body as it healed its injuries.

'Ah, so that fox has absorbed Icery's essence. In that case, I'll simply have to overpower it before it can heal!'

Fortunately, the slowing effect of [Frostbite Fury] took hold on the Batsunix, allowing Locci to easily close the distance between them. Seizing the opportunity, Locci unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, taking advantage of his opponent's slowed movements to press the advantage.

After vanquishing the Batsunix, its body dissolved into a radiant light before disappearing entirely, leaving behind a crystal ball on the snowy ground.

"No way! An essence! Finally! Thank goodness!" Locci exclaimed joyfully, unable to contain his elation as he let out a few triumphant howls. However, he quickly realized the imprudence of his actions.

"I really need to break this habit of speaking aloud," Locci muttered to himself ruefully before swiftly consuming the essence.