“It hasn’t had enough yet?!” Everett called out.


    “Guess not…!” Emilio readied himself, conjuring a fireball in front of his staff.


    As they grouped together, they faced down the beast as itnded back down onto the field of snow, crashing down with an impact that stirred up clouds of frost.


    While Yuna and Everett sprinted forth through the stretch of cold white to confront the thrashing beast, the young Dragonheart unleashed a burst of high-speed fireballs that flew over the snow, burning roads through it before mming against the hide of the granga.


    BOOM.


    –The firstnded with a wave of snow propelled outward from the expansion of heat.


    BOOM. BOOM.


    –The second and third hit, causing subsequent explosions of heat that noticeably caused the monster to stumble back as parts of its fur were burnt away and small wounds were left on its form.


    Still, the fur-d monster was mostly unfazed as it had no issue confronting the two that challenged it in close-range, jumping up and mming down with both of its fists as Everett quickly raised his shield in front of the rogue.


    THUD.


    Yuna stopped for a moment, exchanging a quick nce and nod with the shielder before using the opportunity to slide beneath the gap of the bottom of the thick, steel-made barrier and the snow.


    In her swift slide, moving between the legs of the burly beast, she left a quick set of shes on its ankles, though not cutting as deep as she had hoped. The problem came in its skin that felt akin to the shining armor worn by a knight, resisting the edge of her sharpened de and triggering a deeper fit of rage from the beast.


    As it lifted its mighty foot to try and stop the rogue as she had yet to fully jump to her feet, an aquatic rope wrapped around the beast’s ankle.


    “–Gotcha!”


    Emilio had a half-cocked, strained smile, holding onto the original end of the water-made binding as he prevented the granga from stamping out the demi-human woman.


    Though it was clear to Yuna this wasn’t an easy effort as she leapt up and jumped back, giving the young Dragonheart full freedom in his attempt to trip the monster.


    [Dragonheart System Activated]


    [Current Stage: 1/10 | Dragon Newt]


    Summoning his internal strength, he yed tug-o-war with the beastpletely made of muscle as it pulled its leg back, salivating and growling at the young man’s attempts to bring it to the ground.


    “Nnngh…!” Emilio pulled.


    Just as the granga managed to gain the upperhand in the contest of strength, it was interrupted as Everett jumped in, smacking it against the head with his shield as the echo of steel crashing against its skull sounded out.


    “Graah–” The beast was momentarily stunned.


    “Gettem, Emilio!” Everett shouted.


    In that pivotal opening, the young mage summoned another band of water with his other hand, tossing it out and wrapping it around the snow-furred granga’s throat as he restrained it.


    “Yuna!” Emilio yelled.


    Even with it being choked out and held by the powerful, reinforced water, made to be flexible in its constriction, the granga thrashed out, preventing the rogue from getting a clear opening to finish it.


    “–Wind Bore!”


    From behind, Melisande set up an unforeseen attack, catching the wild beast of winter off-guard as the drilling shot of air knocked against the back of its neck, stunning itpletely for an entire second.


    “Now!” Melisande said.


    With the path fully cleared for the hulking beast’s head, the red-tailed woman dashed in with her hood swaying in the snowy winds, leaping up and stabbing down with both of her daggers.


    “Hyah!” Yuna let out.


    Both des stabbed into either side of the granga’s head, piercing through its armor of skin and into its skull, finishing it off in a merciful blow.


    “…And that does it,” Everett breathed out, resting against his shield.


    After Yuna withdrew her des and jumped off of the beast, it slowly fell over,nding face-first into the tall pile of snow.


    “These things aremon in your homnd?” Emilio asked, looking over at the demi-human woman as he caught his breath.


    Yuna wiped her daggers clean while speaking through her scarf, “Asmon as a bear in your homnd, to put it.”


    “Remind me to never go to Ygsdra,” Everett joked.


    As they moved on, the prospect of keeping a single base up felt improbable as the roars of more granga and other winter-thriving beasts echoed throughout the valley, prompting them to continue walking through the frozennd.


    After the battle against the beast and the wear of the cold, Emilio found hispanions to be tirefully marching forward, with Everett and Melisandegging behind noticeably.


    “Alright, maybe we should re–” Emilio began to say.


    Just then, something plummeted into the snow in front of him, causing a rumble in the white field as waves of frost rolled out, causing the rain of snowkes to pelt against the group.


    “Ngh!” Melisande raised her arms.


    “–What?!” Emilio muttered.


    A shadow loomed over the group of recruits, releasing a bellowing growl that sounded like the churning of heavy machinery.


    As Emilio looked up, holding his arm in front of his face to guard against the pelting snow, he found himself staring up at a colossal beast, d in fur that matched the snow, yet was stained in blood.


    By itsrge paws, snout, and circr ears, he recognized what kind of predator it was, though its size was in another realm than what he was used to.


    A pr bear?! It’s five times–no, ten times as big as it should be! He thought.


    “Ya gotta be kiddin’ me right about now!” Everett yelled out.


    Though there was truly no room forining as even though none of them wanted this fight, they all knew what was required as they stood side-by-side in the raging snow as a team, facing off against the colossal bear that had dropped down from what looked to be the looming mountain within the valley.


    “Alright, shieldy! Let’s show those big ws what we’re made of!” Everett pumped himself up, rushing forward with his shield.


    Leading the charge as the stalwart essence of defense within the group, the bumpkin roared out as he drove through the snow with his shield in front of him. Just as the great white beast drew its hand back, which was the size of the shielder himself, something happened.


    This is…? Emilio sensed.


    It was impossible to pinpoint in that moment what it was that the young Dragonheart felt; like a six sense that caused goosebumps to rise on his arms as he felt what wasing a split-second before it happened:


    The massive bear stopped in its tracks as lines of pitch-ck mana cut through its body in multiple sections, amputating its paw that it intended to swing beforepletely chopping it apart.


    “What–?!” Melisande called out at the vicious, inexplicable sight.


    Before their eyes, the building-sized predator was cut down by an unknown force, sliced apart before falling into the snow as disembodied chunks.


    Emilio stood there, focused on the shadowy energy that clung to the bear’s wounds, “–“


    “Who the hell are ya?!” Everett yelled out.


    It seemed the country-born shielder was the first to recognize whoever was responsible, bringing Emilio’s eyes up to see a figure standing in the snow where the minced bear once stood.


    A young man wearing ck trousers, a ck t-shirt, and ck hair, holding a ck de with his ck nails, stood, looking towards the group with eyes that, yes, were ck.


    Everything about him had a feeling that could only be described as “the density of darkness”.


    “Shouldn’t you be saying thanks?” The unknown figure said.


    Emilio stepped forward, using his staff as a cane to traverse the snow, “You’ll have all the thanks you want when we know you’re not our enemy.”


    “–” The ck-eyed man met with the young Dragonheart’s eyes.


    After a moment, the pale-skinned figure withdrew his ck-handled ymore, sheathing it behind his back.


    “You can thank me by telling me if you’ve seen who I’m looking for,” the ck-dressed recruit stepped forward.


    “And who would that be?” Yuna asked, standing beside Emilio.


    Even though the stranger’s de was sheathed, there was undoubtedly still an air of caution for the one who nonchntly put down the colossal predator.


    “…A man with two ck daggers,” the stranger said.


    The simple description couldn’t be any more telling for the group as their surprised expressions instantly gave away to the stranger that they indeed held some information.


    “So?” The pale-skinned, lean man pressed.


    “Yeah, we know who you’re talking about–he’s a bloodthirsty one, isn’t he? Amon,” Emilio asked, “Is he a friend of yours?…”


    That question was the crux of the tension as the four all set their eyes on the unnamed stranger, who, though quiet, seemed more than capable of understanding what it was that they felt.


    “Not at all. I’m trying to stop him, actually,” the stranger admitted, “The name’s Asher. I’m not an enemy, you can rest easy. In fact–I’m trying to save everybody in this valley.”


    “Huh?” Melisande raised an eyebrow.


    “Yeah, what’re ya’ talkin’ about?” Everett asked.


    There was still something Emilio couldn’t quite pinpoint about Asher; the mana that naturally oozed from the figure was dark and had a smell like charcoal, though he put it aside.


    He’s not cold? He’s not even wearing a jacket, Emilio thought.


    Asher didn’t seem much for conversation, and not much on time either, but exined, “Amon is after something called ‘Dread’–it’s an entity sealed within this valley. If it’s released, it’ll mean death for everything within it–animals, nts, and humans alike.”<!--


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