Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Objects kept flying out of the ice hole, making it nearly impossible for Clayton to see what was going on. All he could do was stay alert, ready for anything. Eventually, the turbulence began to settle, and Clayton could finally see the scene more clearly. All around the hole, dozens of fish were scattered across the frozen surface. Some looked like ordinary fish, while others emitted a faint glow—zero-star magical fish. His curiosity piqued, Clayton quickly approached to confirm his suspicion—they were all still alive. A faint memory surfaced. Back on Earth, he had once watched a nature documentary that showed a similar phenomenon. It explained how vibrations, sound, light, and even oxygen levels could cause fish to leap out of the water. He never imagined he’d witness something like that in a world of swords and sorcery. Seeing the opportunity in front of him, Clayton sprang into action, gathering up as many fish as he could. It was free food—literal blessings falling from the sky. Dingo and Gemma were very interested in what was happening and looked around curiously. Then, they began helping Clayton collect the fish. It was a pleasant yet strange sight—humans, a dog, a deer, and tiny skeletons all happily gathering fish together. After checking his inventory, he counted four zero-star fish and a heap of regular ones. To save space, he kept only the magical ones and tossed the rest back into the lake. With that done, he prepped his fishing rod and other gear. He cut up one of the zero-star fish to use as bait and cast his line into the icy hole. Propping the rod up with a stick, he moved on to build a campfire. As the flames crackled to life, he began boiling water, occasionally glancing at Dingo and Gemma, who were happily playing tag in the snow. Clayton joined them briefly, laughing and tossing snow, but stopped when he noticed his rod trembling. He rushed over and grabbed it. Thanks to his enhanced strength, reeling in the fish wasn’t too difficult. He pulled up a small, two-finger-sized fish radiating a faint magical aura. It wasn’t much, but it would make excellent bait for something bigger. He reset the line with the new bait and cast it again. Returning to the fire, Clayton poured the boiling water into a cup filled with dried tea leaves. A sweet, calming aroma filled the air as the leaves steeped. He stirred gently and was just about to take his first sip when Dingo and Gemma ran over. Smiling, Clayton handed each of them a cup before taking a long, satisfying sip himself. The warmth of the tea was a small miracle—it made him feel like he was standing in a sunlit tea field, not beside a frozen lake. But just as he began to relax, his fishing rod jerked violently. Clayton groaned and jumped to his feet, slightly annoyed at being pulled from his moment of peace. As he neared the hole, he saw the rod being yanked so hard it was almost dragged into the water. The pull was powerful. His eyes lit up. "Heh, this one’s gotta be huge!" He grabbed the rod and began pulling slowly but firmly. Whatever was down there thrashed violently but with a strange grace. Dingo and Gemma, sensing something unusual, stopped playing and moved closer to watch. Clayton paid them no mind, his full attention locked onto the line. A shadow appeared beneath the surface. As it became clearer, Clayton’s heart skipped a beat. "Wait... why does this look familiar?" He pulled harder, his curiosity building—until the fish finally broke the surface. "No way! That annoying arowana again?! How the hell did I catch him of all things?" Before he could even process the absurdity of it, the fish pulled harder, nearly jerking him off his feet. Clayton scrambled, afraid he might actually get dragged into the freezing hole. He quickly called over his mini skeletons to anchor him. With their help, he managed to keep his footing. Now steady, Clayton resumed pulling. The fish was heavy and relentless. Just as he was about to lift it from the water, the arowana went berserk, its strength surging. With a sudden splash, the fish slapped the surface and launched a spray of icy water directly into Clayton’s face. Not stopping there, it also doused Dingo and Gemma before vanishing back into the depths like a mischievous spirit. "Damn it! That thing is mocking me!" Clayton growled, soaked and fuming. He remembered a similar incident from a year ago and became convinced—it wasn’t a coincidence. That fish remembered him. It had come back just to mess with him. Determined to win this time, Clayton dried himself and his pets using water magic, then changed into warmer clothes. He did the same for Dingo and Gemma. Grimacing, he cast his line again. But the arowana didn’t bite. Instead, it swam near the hole, flashing its vibrant scales, like it was saying, "I’m right here—but you’ll never catch me." Clayton’s irritation grew. "Just you wait. If I catch you, I’ll fry you to a crisp!" He waited. And waited. But no other fish came near. It was like the arowana was scaring them off on purpose. The air grew colder. Dark clouds began to gather overhead. Clayton considered packing up and heading home. But just as he reached for his rod—the arowana struck again. The battle resumed—brains versus brute force. Clayton didn’t care whether the fish was toying with him or not—he was going to win this time. He had already come up with a powerful plan to outsmart it. The fish neared the surface again, and Clayton prepared to pull— Then, a low rumble echoed across the sky. Thunder rolled. Chunks of ice began falling, pelting Clayton’s head. He lost his footing, slipping on the frozen surface. The arowana yanked hard, nearly pulling him into the hole again. Clayton tried to regain control, but before he could, the weather turned vicious—hail pounded the ground, and the wind howled like a beast. Struggling against the fish, Clayton didn’t notice the far greater danger rapidly closing in...