‘Oh no, there’s not much time left.’

Upon recovering from the chaos that Catherine’s dragon roar had caused, Max realized that there was only 4 and a half minutes remaining to his Stealth ability.

After all, Max’s speed could not be compared to that of the Ancient Dragon, Catherine. Furthermore, Catherine had already entered a berserk state.

Although he would not be discovered by Catherine while under the guise of Stealth, should Catherine unleash a large-scale spell, she could easily annihilate him.

‘I should take my leave here.’

Without saying anything else, Max spread the wings on his back and flew towards the Dark Snow Lotus in the distance.

As expected, not long after Max had left Catherine’s side, an incomparably terrifying frost storm appeared from where Catherine was.

The terrifying frost aura contained within it shocked even Max.

‘Are all Ancient Dragons this terrifying!?’

Even though Max was an anomalous existence that possessed cheats, he was still completely overpowered by Catherine.

The wind was howling, and it had taken all of Max’s strength to fly towards the Dark Snow Lotus.

The originally clear sky had turned into an extremely powerful snowstorm. Although he was already giving it his all, he was only flying at half his original speed.

The duration of his Stealth had already been cut by half. There was not much time remaining for Max.

Max gritted his teeth and spurred onwards amidst the snowstorm.

The distance between Max and the snow lotus within the map was getting closer and closer!

3 kilometers…

2 kilometers..

1 kilometer!

Max could vaguely see a towering mountain peak amidst the snowstorm.

‘The snow lotus is most likely located there!’

Max was constantly thrown about within the snowstorm. He was like a small boat within an ocean storm, ready to be overturned at any moment.

Suddenly, Max located a trace of frost energy coming from within the mountain peak.

‘Is this the energy fluctuation of the Dark Snow Lotus Crystal?’

‘It’s so powerful!’

Max mentally chimed. He was caught within a snowstorm that was caused by an Ancient Dragon. Logic dictates that any other frost energy should be extremely weak.

However, despite being a full kilometer away from the flower, Max could still detect its overpowering aura. It had caused Max to sigh in admiration.

‘The energy it contains should rival that of a Prime Dragon, right?’

While these thoughts played within Max’s mind, he soon arrived on the mountain peak.

There was a large pit contained within the mountain peak. It seemed as if something had forcefully created it.

At the center of the pit was a crystal-like structure made by icicles. It was the Dark Snow Lotus Crystal, and it was shining brightly within the snowstorm.

Max could not help but blink upon noticing the snow lotus. He needed to make sure he was not imagining it.

‘This thing’s amazing!’

Max had only come to the Moldos Mountain Range due to the system’s advice.

However, now that he had actually seen the snow lotus with his own eyes, he was certain that it would cure Mia of her body’s defects.

Even if he discounted all other benefits, just the raw energy that was contained within the lotus was enough to last Mia for a long, long time.

Max quickly walked forward, but he soon detected a familiar scent.

It was Catherine’s scent!

Max’s pupils suddenly contracted. He subconsciously looked around him and checked if his Stealth had worn off.

Fortunately, everything was normal.

Max heaved a sigh of relief. Max was still within Catherine’s range of detection. Thus, if he were to reveal his aura, Catherine would be able to grasp his whereabouts in an instant.

‘But Catherine’s clearly not around. Why is her aura so intense here?’

A thought surfaced in Max’s heart.

‘Could this be her lair?’

There was not much time remaining to Max’s Stealth ability. Otherwise, he would have used his Stealth to quietly snatch the lotus away.

However, as he was located within Catherine’s lair, he feared that the moment he grabbed the snow lotus, Catherine would immediately notice it.

Had there been sufficient time for him to escape Catherine’s perception, Max would have snatched it without hesitation. However, the problem that he was plagued with at the moment was that there was only a minute left to his Stealth. He did not have the chance to do so.

Max was rather certain about his hypothesis, and thus, he dared not linger in the pit for too long. However, he needed the lotus, and thus, he took the risk and plucked out the snow lotus and placed it into his mouth.

Following this, Max then flew into the distance as fast as he possibly can.

There were less than 10 seconds before his Stealth would completely disappear!

At the same time, the furious Catherine suddenly sensed something. She suddenly turned around and looked towards her lair that she had spent decades, no, centuries slumbering in!

“A thief!?”

The anger in Catherine’s voice was very apparent. A mere instant after she roared, a circle of 3-meter-tall ice shards appeared around her.

The rage that Catherine felt had manifested as the drastic changes in her surroundings!

In an instant, Catherine thought of many things.

‘How did the Dragon Hatchling resist my attack?’

‘How could it navigate within my Glacial Mist, and how could it vanish into thin air?’

‘Why would Avril self-destruct…’

‘Perhaps the cause of this entire fiasco is due to someone eyeing my Dark Snow Crystal Lotus!’

‘There might also be more than meets the eye to that Dragon Hatchling…’

Catherine had decided not to treat Max as a mere Dragon Hatchling any longer. Instead, she was beginning to see him in a new light, she treated him as an existence that rivaled that of Ancient Dragons, and his goal had been her prized snow lotus all along!

‘Damned Red Dragons! Shameful Red Dragons!’

Upon recalling Max fleeing without paying any heed to the dignity of dragons, the rage within Catherine’s heart burned anew!

“I swear, I will seal you within this eternal winter, you damned thief!!!”

“I will offer your soul to Lord Bahamut!”

Catherine’s voice resounded throughout the entire mountain range.

She spoke in the language of the dragons, as such, Molmo and Osse who were on their way could only detect the fury contained within her roar, and not its contents.

“What on Earth happened to make that guy this angry…”

Osse looked into the distance and narrowed his eyes.