Mystic Overlord: Reading Gives Strength

[The great adventurer successfully triggered the disaster, attracting the attention of the guards here.]

[But, in such a terrifying destruction.]

[Can they escape safely?]

In the void, a voiceover appears.

In that voice that embodies the tension and intensity of the moment, there's also a rare sense of uncertainty.

That's exactly the case.

Although Ronald and Nicole's plan was proceeding smoothly, the action itself was fraught with dangers.

Even if they could maintain their skateboards moving forward with their excellent reflexes and control.

The frequently falling icicles beside them made no distinction between friend and foe.

These terrifying 'assassins', carrying enough force to pierce through a body, fell frequently. Ronald could hear the sound of the icicles shattering beside him, constantly ringing in his ears, while also feeling some cold impacts on his face.

Those were the shards of broken icicles colliding everywhere, finally landing on him.

In such a dangerous scene, any minor mistake would result in Ronald and Nicole meeting awful ends.

"Oh oh oh!"

"Ronald, this is really exciting!"

Then Nicole right next to Ronald shouted to express her thoughts.

Even though the everyday work at the investigator bureau was dangerous enough, the young investigator girl still gave a high evaluation to the current scene.

Just looking at her expression, Nicole even seemed to be enjoying it a bit.

"..."

"I really should have given you this artifact!"

Ronald couldn't help but make a joking remark.

And just then, they crossed the distance to the checkpoint.

But just not far ahead of them at a corner, a tunnel collapsed from being hit by an icicle seemed unsteady, clearly posing a danger to the two speeding forward.

"Nicole, fix your position!"

"Don't get knocked off by the ice shards!"

Ronald reminded, and they quickly adjusted their posture.

At the checkpoint entrance, the ice crystal creatures once responsible for guarding were long gone.

And with the "correct" response.

The problem Ronald and Nicole faced shifted from the guard to the complex and unknown road ahead. Then, in a far bumpier rush than a hilly road, they darted straight into the tunnel like race cars speeding down the track.

Bang bang bang!

Following closely was an impact.

Ronald and Nicole, having just darted in, crashed into a few guys who came here to escape the icicle disaster.

Luckily, this was a cartoon world built by "Maze Picture Book".

In what would definitely have been a serious traffic accident in the real world, Ronald and Nicole managed to disperse the impact with a few side rebounds. Thanks to their superb driving skills, they regained stability and continued racing into the tunnel.

"..."

Serious about controlling the skateboard under him, Ronald was filled with mixed feelings while also observing the changes ahead and around.

There's one thing certain for now.

This indeed seemed to be the escape route leading to the surface.

While passing through this winding and long tunnel, Ronald could feel the subsequent slope beneath him continually upward, elevating both his and Nicole's positions.

The only problem.

Was that their skateboard was moving faster and faster, almost beyond control.

The world constructed by "Maze Picture Book" adhered strictly to rules in some areas, but was quite ambiguous in others.

Like this smooth surface.

And the gravitational potential and kinetic energy on Ronald and Nicole.

The speed should have slowed because of the increasing height, yet it didn't change as expected at all. If the real world turned out like this, roller coasters could fly straight into outer space.

"Lulululululovely Ronald!"

"Wha-wha-what shouldwe doabout thethethe speed?!?"

At this moment, Nicole started yelling loudly beside him.

Gale-force winds rushed into the investigator girl's mouth, making her face look like a bag blown into chaos by the wind. Ronald could only vaguely discern that she was asking how they should stop but couldn't grasp any other meaning.

"I-I-I don't know either!"

Ronald opened his mouth.

His response to Nicole was equally garbled due to the interference of the wind.

"..."

Then, their eyes met in the rush.

Both pairs of beady eyes underwent different transformations.

Nicole's excitement seemed to now carry a trace of astonishment, while Ronald was already contemplating solutions.

— How to stop?

However, the accelerating skateboard and rapidly changing reality didn't give Ronald any leeway to consider a plan. While they struggled to communicate in this extreme situation.

At the end of their road.

A large, entirely white, very dense object barred their path.

"Wha-what is that?"

BANG!

Only managing to ask one garbled question, Ronald and Nicole plowed right into it, their speed offering them no chance to perform maneuvers to change their status.

But they were quite lucky.

This white object was soft in texture and voluminous enough to consistently absorb the kinetic energy Ronald and Nicole carried.

When their bodies finally came to a halt on this fluffy whiteness.

Ronald paused for two seconds, realizing with uncanny amazement that they were miraculously out of danger!

"Nicole, how do you feel?"

"I feel alright, even want to go for another round!"

[The great adventurers used their wit and courage to successfully escape the obstacles of the Snowy Kingdom!]

[Now, only the final hurdle remains before returning to the surface.]

[How will they continue to overcome challenges?]

Just then, the voiceover in the void reappeared.

Interrupted from their conversation, Ronald and Nicole didn't discuss further but instead focused on adjusting their postures and extracting themselves from the white object they had sunk into.

With considerable effort, the two of them gradually crawled out of there.

Standing on the last stretch of path they had just skated, they could tell they were still beneath the ice cap.

Yet, looking up now.

They already saw a glimmer of light filtering through the ice layer from above.

Just like the voiceover hinted — Ronald and Nicole were very close to the surface.

Even though this was a fairy tale world built by "Maze Picture Book", the setting wouldn't veer too much here.

But at this moment, the voice outside the scene appeared again.

[The brave children found traces left by the evil ones.]

[They are still slaughtering here!]

[Children, the mission to defend the mother and uphold justice lies ahead.]

[Trace their tracks, and bring back those two despicable and evil humans!]