Cold winds screamed across Dragon's Peak.
The moment they left the safer lower trails and entered the mountain paths, the temperature dropped so sharply that even breathing felt different.
Snowflakes danced violently in the air.
No—
calling them snowflakes almost felt wrong.
The snow wasn't gently falling.
It was attacking.
Strong gusts of freezing wind slammed into the mountain slopes and carried endless white particles through the air, reducing visibility every few seconds.
The world around them had become a sea of white.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Their boots sank into thick snow with every step.
Memory looked completely miserable.
Her body was wrapped in thick winter clothing she had bought earlier, including a fluffy white coat with fur around the hood and oversized gloves.
Despite that—
she was still shaking.
"W-Why..."
Crunch.
"W-Why is i-it..."
Crunch.
"S-SO COLD?!"
She practically yelled the last words while hugging herself.
Bubbles sat on top of her head under the hood, only its tiny eyes visible.
"Pyu..."
Even the slime looked depressed.
Akari walked beside her calmly.
"...You're wearing three layers."
Memory looked offended.
"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!"
A powerful gust of snow slammed directly into her face.
"GYAAAAH!"
Memory immediately hid behind Akari.
Leila stared at her.
"...How are you alive?"
Memory pointed dramatically.
"THIS MOUNTAIN IS TRYING TO KILL ME!"
Leila sighed.
"...We've only been walking for fifteen minutes."
Memory looked devastated.
"...Fifteen?"
"...It felt like three years."
Cynthia laughed quietly.
Meanwhile Akari remained strangely calm.
The cold bothered her.
Of course it did.
Her cheeks felt cold and her hands occasionally felt numb despite her gloves.
But for some reason—
it wasn't unbearable.
Not enough to complain.
Perhaps it was because she had been too focused on observing everything around her.
The mountains.
The cliffs.
The trees.
The endless white scenery.
Dragon's Peak looked completely different from Floor One.
Huge frozen pine trees stretched across the mountain slopes.
Large rocks covered with ice stood like natural walls.
Occasionally distant sounds echoed throughout the mountains.
Creature cries.
Wind.
Unknown noises.
The mountain felt alive.
And dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Leila suddenly stopped walking.
"...Wait."
Everyone looked toward her.
Her eyes narrowed.
"...Did something move?"
Instantly everyone's expressions changed.
Memory froze.
"...Move?"
Leila slowly turned toward the left.
Toward the tree line.
Snow-covered pine trees stretched endlessly along the mountain slope.
At first—
nothing looked unusual.
Only white snow.
Only trees.
Only wind.
But...
Leila narrowed her eyes.
"...I definitely saw something."
Cynthia's expression became serious immediately.
Without saying anything, she opened her inventory.
A small metallic object appeared in her hand.
Memory blinked.
"...Huh?"
Akari looked curious.
The object resembled a circular mechanical lens with tiny gears attached around the edges.
Cynthia raised it toward her left eye.
Click.
The device attached itself perfectly.
A faint blue glow spread across its edges.
Memory stared.
"...Whoa."
Akari blinked.
"...What is that?"
Cynthia adjusted it slightly.
"I made it."
"P-You MADE that?!"
Memory nearly screamed.
Cynthia nodded casually.
"Scope Lens."
"It increases visual clarity and lets me temporarily observe distant movement."
Leila stared.
"...You really build weird things."
Cynthia ignored her.
She focused her vision.
The lens glowed brighter.
For several seconds—
silence.
Then—
Cynthia's expression changed.
"...Not good."
Everyone immediately looked at her.
Leila frowned.
"...What is it?"
Cynthia slowly lowered the lens.
"...Snow Elves."
Silence.
Memory blinked.
"...How many?"
Cynthia looked back toward the forest.
"...Around thirty."
"...Thirty?!"
Memory nearly jumped.
Akari narrowed her eyes.
"...Where?"
"They're moving with the snow."
"They're using the storm as cover."
Akari focused.
At first—
nothing.
Then slowly—
very slowly—
she noticed it.
Movement.
Tiny movements.
White figures hidden among white trees.
Barely visible.
Walking.
Circling.
Watching.
Like ghosts inside the storm.
Memory slowly grabbed Akari's sleeve.
"...Akari."
"...Hm?"
"...I don't like this."
Before anyone could speak—
SHIIIIING!
Cynthia's eyes widened.
"DOWN!"
THUNK!
A frost arrow pierced directly into a tree beside them.
The entire area exploded into movement.
SHIIIIING!
SHIIIIING!
SHIIIIING!
Dozens of arrows suddenly emerged from the storm.
"RUN!"
Everyone scattered.
Akari immediately grabbed Memory's arm.
Leila dove toward a nearby boulder.
Cynthia rolled behind another.
Snow exploded everywhere.
THUNK!
THUNK!
THUNK!
Frozen arrows pierced the ground.
Pierced trees.
Pierced rocks.
Memory screamed while hiding behind the boulder.
"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY?!"
Cynthia peeked out briefly.
"...Ambush formation."
"They were surrounding us."
Leila clicked her tongue.
"Tch."
She looked toward Akari.
"...Can you fight?"
Akari looked at her.
Then nodded.
"...Yes."
Leila grinned.
"Good."
Without hesitation—
she jumped out from cover.
BOOM!
Snow exploded beneath her feet.
She charged directly toward the tree line.
Arrows immediately changed direction toward her.
But Leila moved quickly.
Too quickly.
Left.
Right.
Slide.
Jump.
The arrows narrowly missed.
Akari stared for a moment.
Then immediately followed.
She still hadn't removed the white scarf wrapped around Narukami.
The sword remained sealed.
But she still ran after Leila.
Snow exploded beneath her feet.
Behind them—
Cynthia opened her inventory.
Golden light appeared.
Then—
a large golden crossbow materialized in her hands.
Mechanical parts unfolded automatically.
Memory stared.
"...WHOA?!"
Cynthia calmly loaded the weapon.
The storm had only grown stronger.
Cold wind howled endlessly across the mountains of Dragon's Peak, carrying sharp snowflakes that struck exposed skin like tiny needles. White mist danced between the trees, swallowing visibility with every passing second.
The entire mountainside felt alive.
Branches creaked.
Snow shifted.
The wind itself sounded almost like whispers.
And arrows continued flying through the blizzard.
WHISH!
WHISH!
WHISH!
A frost arrow cut through the air and slammed into the boulder they had been using for cover.
Cracks spread across the stone surface.
Ice rapidly crawled outward from the point of impact.
Memory screamed.
"AHHHHH! THEY'RE SHOOTING AGAIN!!"
She ducked her head and wrapped her arms around Bubbles while the little slime trembled violently in her hands.
"Bubububu!"
Cynthia narrowed her eyes through the Scope Lens attached to her left eye.
The small device glowed faintly.
Her vision shifted.
Snow.
Trees.
Movement.
Multiple figures.
"...They're spreading out."
Her expression turned serious.
"Twenty-seven left."
"They're trying to surround us."
Leila clicked her tongue.
"Tch."
Without hesitation she stepped forward.
White energy immediately began flowing around both of her arms.
The snow beneath her feet cracked.
The pressure alone caused nearby snow to explode outward.
[Unique Skill: Vital Fury]
Akari's eyes widened slightly.
The air around Leila had changed.
It felt heavier.
More violent.
More dangerous.
Leila rolled her shoulders.
Then smiled.
"Heh."
"Guess we're doing this the hard way."
She disappeared.
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath her feet.
Akari almost lost sight of her.
Almost.
Leila shot through the storm like a missile.
One Frost Elf had barely raised its bow—
—and suddenly Leila was already standing in front of it.
The elf's eyes widened.
Her fist moved.
No.
The shockwave moved first.
BAAAAAAM!!
The Frost Elf flew backward so fast it shattered through two trees before disappearing into the storm.
Memory stared.
"...W-WHAT?!"
Another Frost Elf jumped from above with a curved blade.
Leila turned.
Punched.
BOOM!!
A circular shockwave exploded around her.
Snow erupted into the air.
The elf was sent spinning across the mountain.
Akari stood frozen for a second.
"...Strong."
Very strong.
Leila grinned.
"Stop staring and fight!"
That snapped Akari back.
"...Right."
Akari immediately dashed forward.
But unlike before—
her hand never reached Narukami's handle.
Instead—
she kept her hand on the scabbard itself.
The white scarf wrapped around the handle danced gently under the snowstorm.
Still sealed.
Still untouched.
Leila noticed immediately.
"...Hm?"
She looked confused.
A slayer.
Using a katana.
Yet refusing to draw it?
What kind of fighting style was that?
But she didn't have time to ask.
Two Frost Elves suddenly rushed Akari simultaneously.
One from the left.
One from above.
Akari moved.
CLANG!
Without drawing Narukami completely—
she partially slid the blade outward just enough to block.
Metal collided.
Snow scattered.
The scarf remained wrapped around the hilt.
Akari immediately pushed the blade back into its sheath.
Then twisted.
THUD!
She struck the elf in the stomach using the sheath itself.
The elf coughed violently.
Akari spun.
Her leg swung.
WHAM!
The second Frost Elf crashed into a tree.
Leila stared.
"...Wait."
She blinked.
"...You're fighting with the sheath?"
Akari remained quiet.
She stepped forward again.
The snow beneath her feet shifted softly.
Three Frost Elves approached this time.
Their swords raised.
Their eyes cold.
Akari stared at them silently.
Then—
she slowly positioned her hand near the hilt.
Not drawing.
Just preparing.
One charged.
Then two.
Then all three.
Akari's eyes narrowed.
She moved.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Fast.
Very fast.
She parried one blade.
Twisted around another.
Blocked the third with the scabbard.
Her movements weren't overwhelming like Rio's.
They weren't explosive like Leila's.
But they were clean.
Precise.
Natural.
Leila's eyes widened.
"...No way."
Akari wasn't overpowering them.
She wasn't using some flashy ability.
She was simply reading movements and responding.
Like instinct.
Like breathing.
Meanwhile behind them—
Memory suddenly felt something.
A presence.
Right behind her.
Very slowly—
she turned around.
"...Eh?"
Something enormous had landed behind the boulder without making a sound.
Memory's eyes widened.
Bubbles widened too.
"...Pyu?"
Standing behind them—
was a giant snow-covered creature.
Its glowing blue eyes stared directly at Memory.
Memory stared back.
Silence.
Then—
Memory pointed.
"...Akari."
Pause.
"...There's a problem."
The creature opened its mouth.
Memory's face turned pale.
"...AKARIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!"
Memory was experiencing a completely different battle.
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!"
The Frostbite Beast roared.
The creature stood nearly three meters tall.
White fur covered its body.
Massive claws tore into the ground.
Its mouth dripped freezing saliva.
And it was currently chasing Memory around a tree.
"BUBBLES SAVE MEEEE!!"
"BUBU?!"
Memory ran with tears in her eyes.
The beast swiped.
BOOOOM!!
The tree exploded.
Memory screamed louder.
Cynthia sighed.
"...How is she still alive?"
She raised her golden crossbow.
A mechanical sound echoed.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
Golden energy gathered.
Then—
FWOOOM!!
A glowing bolt shot forward.
The Frostbite Beast looked up.
Too late.
BOOOOM!!
The impact launched it backward through the snow.
Memory collapsed onto the ground.
"...I saw my life flash before my eyes..."
Bubbles bounced against her face.
"Bubu!"
Memory hugged the slime immediately.
"I'M NEVER LETTING GO OF YOU!"
Meanwhile—
Akari blocked another attack.
Then another.
Then another.
Snow danced around her.
Her breathing remained calm.
But inside—
her thoughts weren't.
Don't use Narukami.
Don't.
Don't.
Images flashed through her mind.
Memory screaming.
Burn marks.
That horrible moment inside the dungeon.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Just slightly.
Narukami remained sealed.
Because she was afraid.
Afraid of herself.
Afraid of that power.
Afraid that if she drew it—
someone beside her would get hurt again.
Leila looked toward her.
Then frowned.
Because for a brief moment—
she saw something.
Something terrifying.
Something sleeping.
Something enormous hidden beneath that quiet girl's calm eyes.
It felt like staring at an ocean.
No—
worse.
Like staring at a storm waiting to awaken.
Leila narrowed her eyes.
"...Who exactly are you...?"
Akari never answered.
Because suddenly—
Cynthia's face turned pale.
Her Scope Lens trembled.
"...Wait."
Everyone looked toward her.
"...No."
"...No no no no."
Leila frowned.
"What?"
Cynthia slowly pointed toward the upper mountain.
Toward the storm.
Toward something massive moving through the white snow.
"...Please tell me that's a rock..."
Silence.
Then—
two giant glowing blue eyes slowly opened within the blizzard.
And something enormous breathed.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...
Memory looked up.
Then immediately started crying.
"...WHY IS THERE ALWAYS SOMETHING BIG?!"