The slightly smaller snowman was still enormous, and its movements had become just a tad quicker than before.

Without a moment’s rest, Mika and the other three resumed their battle, peeling away the snow from the snowman’s body.

“Aim for the base of its legs! Let’s make it topple like before!”

From above, Dada shouted instructions while occasionally stabbing his dagger into the snowman’s head whenever he found an opening. However, there was no sign of damage—its core must have been buried deep within the snowball, still out of reach.

Thanks to the snowman shrinking a bit, the base of its legs was now at a height where Gatt could attack more easily. Together with Mika, the two hacked away at its joints with fierce intensity.

Zurah gradually increased the power of her flames, but the results weren’t as effective as she’d hoped.

“No good! My magic isn’t doing much!”

“Zurah, switch to healing instead. Focus on Mika and Gatt’s arms.”

The snow clinging to the snowman was bitterly cold and packed tightly, freezing Mika and Gatt’s hands beneath their gloves, turning them red.

Though the snowman had become slightly faster, its movements were still sluggish, and its attacks never landed.

Zurah, who had been standing a little farther back, moved closer to Mika and Gatt, carefully timing her healing spells.

After repeatedly chipping away at the snowman and severing its legs, it gradually shrank until it was finally about the same height as Mika.

“Alright, we’ll finish it this time!”

Despite her spirited words, Mika was completely exhausted. They had been fighting this snow for nearly two hours now.

In contrast to Mika and the others, the snowman’s movements grew more agile as its body shrank. Just as Mika raised her rake for the final blow, the snowman suddenly turned around and tried to flee.

“Ah, wait—!”

Normally, a shrinking snowman fleeing would have meant the quest was complete, but Mika’s mind was too worn out from the two-hour battle. Reflexively, she hurled the rake in her hand.

The rake tangled around the snowman’s short legs, tripping it. Gatt rushed over and finally lopped off its head!

“It’s over~”

The group, drained from the intense fight, let out a sigh of relief. But then—

The snowman’s torso suddenly jerked upright and tried to run away.

Stunned, everyone froze.

Just as it seemed the snowman would escape, Mika—who had thrown her rake and had her hands free—pulled out a can of insecticide from her pocket as an improvised weapon.

Psssh!

A cloud of poisonous mist shot from Mika’s hand, enveloping the snowman’s torso just as it was about to bolt.

The snowman collapsed again, and Mika rushed forward, vigorously hacking away at its body with the insecticide can.

“We have to check what’s inside! Stay back, everyone—I used insecticide!”

Under the watchful eyes of her companions, who kept their distance, Mika peeled away the snow… and inside was—

A small, unconscious girl, about 50 centimeters tall, wrapped in gray fur, her eyes tightly shut.