Locci trailed them silently, careful not to make a sound. Despite lacking any discernible aura or odor, his footsteps were still audible.

He eavesdropped on their conversation. It appeared that the English speaker, Andre, was urging a formidable Nix Master named Sergio to launch an attack on Icery's Settlement.

"Master Sergio, with your Overlord Nix, taking down the Wanderclaws will be a piece of cake. I want to extend my congratulations in advance for securing Iceries," Andre said.

Sergio chuckled. "Thanks, but I won't even need my Overlord Nix. My buddy here, Walski," he gestured to the penguin Nix following him, "is more than enough to deal with those Wanderclaws."

"As expected of you. By the way, I'll be counting on you to put good words about me," Andre added with a grin.

"Of course, your skills are valuable. Among otherworlders, you've adapted to this world remarkably quickly. Plus, that innate ability of yours is quite handy. Our organization will greatly appreciate you," Sergio replied.

Andre nodded, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "Thank you, master. Your words are reassuring."

As Locci listened in, he couldn't help but feel irritated. He understood Andre's words, but the language spoken by the other individual eluded him.

'How did they even understand each other?'

Locci pondered whether the man named Andre possessed the ability to translate not only his own words but also those of others. If that were true, he wondered if Andre could understand him.

Tempted to approach Andre, Locci quickly regained his composure. He couldn't afford to trust just anyone solely based on the possibility of them being from Earth. After all, he was no longer human.

Locci halted in his tracks and gazed down, a wave of sadness washing over him. If there truly were Earthlings in this world, he couldn't help but envy them for retaining their human forms, while he was condemned to exist as a Pokesol.

'I just want to live in peace. Why am I the only one to live like this? I never ever committed bad deeds when I was a human.'

Locci shook his head, pushing away the sadness that threatened to consume him. He realized there was no one there to offer a comforting pat on the back or words of solace. He was truly alone. And that, more than anything, compelled him to muster his strength and resilience.

'I swear I'll find those responsible for putting me in this situation. But for now, I'll endure.'

Deciding to follow them, Locci dismissed thoughts of the people he overheard. However, if they were indeed going to confront the Wanderclaws, he saw a chance to secure a free meal.

As they approached the Wanderclaw guards, the two men strolled leisurely, seemingly unfazed.

Upon spotting intruders, the Wanderclaws immediately let out howls, summoning reinforcements. Before long, a horde of them converged to confront the intruders.

"Andre, stay behind me," Sergio instructed, positioning himself protectively in front of Andre. "My Walski will take care of them in no time." With a gesture, Sergio directed Walski to advance.

Walski adjusted its round hat, and its scarf billowed in the wind, adding to its already impressive appearance as it moved forward calmly.

As the Wanderclaws lunged towards it, Walski extended its wing, creating a barrier that repelled their attacks. Then, with a swift motion, it unleashed a punch, sending the barrier hurtling forward and knocking back the advancing Wanderclaws.

Locci's mouth fell open in surprise. Observing Walski's display of power ignited a desire within him to acquire a formidable area attack of his own.

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Walski continued to astonish Locci as it conjured a rifle seemingly out of thin air and began firing at the advancing Wanderclaws.

Locci nearly exclaimed aloud at the sight of the rifle. In this world, or rather in this game, individuals could capture Nixes, but there were additional intricacies to consider. People had the ability to command Nixes to perform tasks and could equip certain Nixes with artifacts. This game resembled a blend of Pokesol, Yourcraft, and Battlecraft, which explained its rapid rise in popularity, garnering million downloads within just a few days of its release.

Seeing the real Nix Artifact, Locci felt a surge of unease towards Nix Masters. He would rather avoid direct conflict with humans and opt for flight instead.

After a few moments, Walski effortlessly dispatched all the Wanderclaws, leaving even Andre visibly astonished.

"Master, your artifact is truly formidable," Andre conceded.

Sergio chuckled. "I could put in a word with the organization to have one made for you, but not just any Nix can wield artifacts."

"That's a shame. Shall we press on with our task then?" Andre inquired.

"I'll be counting on your innate ability," Sergio replied.

"[Detection]," Andre uttered, releasing an invisible wave that rippled outward in a wide radius. Grinning, he remarked, "Ah, it seems an invisible Nix is tailing us."

"Where? My Walski can take care of it," Sergio offered.

"No need, master. You can focus on the task. It's likely just a Batsunix. My Vizernix can handle it," Andre assured him.

Sergio nodded. "Very well. Just stay cautious. Let me know if things start to escalate," he instructed as he made his way towards the igloos.

Panic surged through Locci as it appeared that Andre had detected him. Without hesitation, he turned and fled as swiftly as possible.

As he ran, Locci's mind raced with confusion. He couldn't comprehend what he had just witnessed. Andre had employed an ability akin to that of Nixes, which seemed utterly improbable. In the Nixworld game, such capabilities were unheard of. Humans were only capable of taming Nixes to extend their lifespan; there was no mention of them possessing any special abilities.

Despite his curiosity about many things, Locci remained steadfast in his resolve, refusing to let his focus waver. His senses sharpened, allowing him to anticipate potential threats.

As Locci detected the approach of Vizernix from his side, he remained still, allowing it to draw nearer. Once he had a clear view, he swiftly unleashed [Frostbite Fury], repelling the Vizernix and sending it fleeing.

As his invisibility faded, Andre caught sight of Locci's true form and his expression shifted to one of shock. "No way. You're a Snowoo, a Pokesol!"

Locci frowned upon hearing this revelation. If Andre was familiar with Pokesol, it confirmed that he was indeed from Earth. However, this knowledge alone wasn't enough to sway Locci from his decision to leave.

Just as he prepared to flee once more, Andre's gaze shifted to the space above Locci's head, as if he was reading something in the air. Then, he spoke again, "Wait, Locci Snowstar. You were once human?"

This was the first time Locci had heard his name spoken in this world. It stirred something in his heart, prompting him to turn towards Andre.

"You were human? An Earthling like me? What happened to you?" Andre asked.

Locci hesitated before questioning, "Can you understand me?" But Andre just frowned in confusion.

"I think I get the gist of what you're saying, but I'm sorry. I can only hear you bark. It seems the translation system works only for human languages. I apologize," Andre explained.

Locci felt a pang of sadness. Even among fellow humans, he couldn't communicate. But he refused to despair. If spoken words failed, perhaps written ones could convey his message.

Just as Locci was about to inscribe something onto the snow, Vizernix abruptly darted towards him from the side, its entire body ablaze with light.

Even Andre was caught off guard. "Wait, Vizernix! Don't attack him!" he shouted, but his plea fell on deaf ears.

With unstoppable force, Vizernix crashed into Locci, sending him soaring into the air before plummeting back down to the ground.

As Locci's vision blurred, he caught a glimpse of Andre approaching with a worried expression before everything faded to black.

When Locci regained consciousness, darkness still enveloped him. Struggling to move, he felt as though he was confined within something.

Wriggling his body and sweeping away the debris covering him, Locci managed to rise to his feet, only to realize he was buried beneath the snow.

"Did Andre assume I was dead?" Locci pondered aloud.

Though he couldn't be certain, frustration gnawed at him. Being knocked out by a Vizernix was a blow to his pride. He had defeated one before, which made him keenly aware that Andre's Vizernix was far stronger than the norm.

'I need to become stronger. Strong enough to defend myself against Nix Masters.'

Activating his [Traceless], Locci returned to the Icery Settlement once more. Fortunately, the bodies of the defeated Wanderclaws were still visible. However, numerous Nixes had begun to congregate around the corpses, indicating that he would need to compete with them for his meal.

Just as Locci prepared to enter into a battle royale with the other Nixes, a horde of Whimbies swooped down from the trees, posing a threat to them.

Gritting his teeth, Locci weighed his options. While he wouldn't have minded engaging in a chaotic battle royale, facing a group alone was a different story.

In the end, Locci chose to seize a nearby body with his mouth and make a hasty retreat. Life as a solitary Pokesol was indeed challenging.