Following a single set of footprints, the tracks of two people and one animal trailed up the mountain. Even with paws significantly smaller than a human's, Eunbok darted up the slope with agility.
"A total pro, really."
Now I understood why Eunbok had insisted on coming along.
With how well she climbed, it would've been a shame to leave her behind. Unlike me, already gasping for air, Eunbok was full of energy — I had to admit it.
"Mya. Muaang."
Maybe she heard me, because she meowed something back.
Then she raised her chin like she was showing off her mountain-climbing skills, and I couldn't help but laugh.
'Yeah, this really is Eunbok.'
The real Eunbok used to make that same proud gesture sometimes. All our guild members used to cover their mouths in unison because she was just too cute.
Her fur color caught my eye. Her body was covered in a soft gray without distinct markings.
That alone reminded me of the Russian Blue breed of cats, but Eunbok's fur was much lighter than that. Hence the name "Eunbok."
She had white socks on all four paws, and the area around her facial features was snowy white too. A cat with such looks was rare to find.
The fact that this cat had voluntarily followed Song Jiwoon and stayed close to him also stuck with me. It felt like Eunbok and Song Jiwoon were reconnecting. Even if Jiwoon claimed he wasn't her owner anymore.
"Haa..."
My exhale turned into a puff of white in the frigid air.
Silently following the path Song Jiwoon had taken, I noticed the altitude rising. I thought we'd just check the areas near his house and the mountain's base, but contrary to our expectations, he was climbing toward the peak.
"I don't think he's searching for a lost person this time."
I glanced down at the markings on the trees and the neatly stamped footprints.
"You don't need to climb this high to find a missing person. And the footprints wouldn't be this clean, either. This is clearly someone heading toward a destination."
Ryu Sunghyun rubbed at the corner of his mouth as he replied.
"Something's definitely off. At this rate... we'll reach the summit."
We couldn't follow him that far. We were already reaching our limits.
'Is there something at the summit?'
I lifted my gaze.
The sky was full of dark clouds and swirling snowflakes, the tall trees blanketed in snow. The mountaintop was hidden from view.
"...We have no choice. Let's stop here."
At my firm words, Ryu Sunghyun's eyes widened slightly — he hadn't expected that. His surprised reaction made me let out a wry chuckle.
"We promised, didn't we? No pushing ourselves too hard. I'm curious about where the mountain keeper is headed, but if we climb any higher, it'll be dangerous."
I checked Ryu Sunghyun's hands.
Like mine, his fingertips were red and trembling slightly. This place was cold enough to affect even someone like Ryu Sunghyun, an S-rank.
If it were just me freezing, fine. But dragging him further up when he was already suffering wasn't something I'd do. Even Eunbok, who looked the most unaffected out of all of us, was starting to worry me.
"We didn't come away empty-handed. We now know the mountain keeper wasn't just searching for a missing person — he has a destination. And there's also my throat."
"Your throat?"
"When we first faced the mountain keeper, I felt like my insides were freezing. My throat got worse then too. But now, after climbing this mountain, it's not the same. It's just cold. My throat's definitely connected to the mountain keeper somehow."
Even so, that didn't change the fact that I couldn't get near Song Jiwoon. Being close to him made my body freeze up little by little.
'If Seonghyun-hyung is fine but I'm not, that must mean regular people and supporters are at risk.'
I understood why Song Jiwoon had run away to such a remote place, avoiding people. And that thought hurt.
I would find a solution no matter what. There had to be a reason the fake sent me here.
"For now, let's head back down. We still have another day."
"Understood."
Ryu Sunghyun nodded, his expression complicated.
He must've figured out the same thing I had about Song Jiwoon. We'd need to talk it over once we were back down.
"Come on, Eunbok."
"Muaang..."
Eunbok had been standing ahead, staring at us like, Why aren't you moving? I motioned for her to come, and though she looked back and forth with lingering reluctance, she eventually trotted back to our side.
Just as I turned away and began the descent—
Rumble!
"......!"
The ground suddenly trembled, and a deafening crack of thunder split the sky. I turned in shock, only to be blinded by a blinding flash of blue light.
"What the...?"
As if a lightning bolt wasn't enough, a massive force swept over us — it was a monster's energy.
'There's a monster?'
And not just any monster. One with a terrifyingly strong aura. It had to be S-rank. Maybe even stronger.
KRRRRAAAK!
Another thunderclap ripped through the world.
Ryu Sunghyun, with sharper senses than mine, identified the direction of the energy's source and spoke.
"It's coming from the direction the mountain keeper went."
"......!"
My heart sank.
No matter how strong a damage-dealer Song Jiwoon was, facing a monster with this much power alone would be nearly impossible.
I gritted my teeth and dashed toward the sound — but someone else beat me to it.
It was Eunbok.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Terrified, Ryu Sunghyun and I sprinted after her as Eunbok shot off like a bullet toward the monster's aura. I was already scared to death about Jiwoon — now Eunbok too?
To make matters worse, the snowstorm intensified, making it harder to chase after her. Ryu Sunghyun grabbed my arm tightly, acting as my guide.
The higher we climbed in pursuit of Eunbok, the more intense the cold and the monster's energy became.
'Their powers are colliding!'
The clash between Song Jiwoon and the monster was creating a wave of energy that spread like ripples. My skin felt like it was being stabbed by dozens of needles.
I scrambled over a snow-covered boulder, bare hands in the freezing snow — and finally, in the distance, I saw Jiwoon's back.
"Ghhk, haaah!"
"Cha Seohu, Hunter!"
A strange sensation of my chest icing over choked the breath from my lungs. I collapsed, clutching my throat, and Ryu Sunghyun quickly caught me.
WHOOOOOSH!
Snow poured down in massive gusts with the howling wind.
"Damn, my body... it's locking up..."
I couldn't move closer to Jiwoon. I couldn't run away either.
Ryu Sunghyun clutched my shivering body, his touch barely warm.
Snow piled onto us.
I couldn't breathe. I was so cold I felt like I was fading. Forcing my eyelids open, I looked over Ryu Sunghyun's shoulder and saw Jiwoon's back — and someone else standing in front of him.
Small build. Long hair fluttering in the wind.
'Who...?'
Could that be the monster? A humanoid?
I tried to see more clearly, but between my fading consciousness and the blizzard raging around us, it was impossible.
"No..."
Frozen in Ryu Sunghyun's arms, I thought desperately.
There had to be a way. If we stayed like this, both of us would freeze to death.
Ryu Sunghyun dying? Unacceptable. And I — I had the Catastrophe bound to this life! I absolutely couldn't die here.
I bit down hard on my tongue. The sharp pain helped clear my mind, if only a little.
'A solution... a way out...!'
CRACKLE!
Then, an unnatural sound pierced my ears.
I opened my eyes without realizing it — and saw a fractured, distorted system window appear before me. It hadn't shown up once since we entered the mountain.
Crackle. Crackle. Bzzzt.
It flickered in and out, glitching, until it finally displayed a full, clear message:
《Monster information updated!》
《Would you like to check it?》
A new message. Why now?
'Monster information...'
Was it offering intel on the humanoid monster facing Jiwoon? The fact that it popped up now, of all times, could only mean one thing:
'The solution lies in that info window.'
I already knew the system wanted me to survive. Whether or not that was true, right now, I needed anything I could get.
'Confirm.'
Ding!
Monster Info: One Who Walks on Snow and Painting
Species: Demon-type Yeti
Rank: S-rank
Attribute: Frost
It was short — but everything I needed was there.
An S-rank demon-type monster. The system was giving me a clear hint.
Without hesitating further, I activated my skill.
《Skill: Divine Power (S-rank) activated!》
《Holy energy surges through your body!》
Blinding light erupted from my body, encasing me entirely. Wings made of radiant light unfurled from my back.
《Special effect activated due to high-grade divine energy!》
The cold that had frozen my limbs disappeared rapidly. The snow piled on Ryu Sunghyun melted instantly under the warmth flowing from me.
"...What..."
Ryu Sunghyun, who had fainted from the cold, stirred awake from the sudden warmth. The divine power that flowed from me was driving away the cold and melting the snow.
I smiled at him as he looked at me in shock.
"It's okay now."
I pulled away from his arms and clasped my hands together. Time to end this godforsaken freeze.
Meditative Prayer – S-rank (Divine Power Effect)
Clasping both hands amplifies the skill, expanding its area of effect.
FLASH!
Another burst of light radiated from me, extending the range of melting snow. Where the white blanket vanished, green sprouts emerged from the ground.
Ryu Sunghyun looked around, his face full of wonder, as the world slowly turned green.
Even I was surprised. I expected the divine energy to just neutralize the cold and snow — but this? This was beyond anything I imagined.
It was like watching time fast-forward — buds sprouted from branches, then leaves began to fill them out. I turned to look at Ryu Sunghyun again.
Thankfully, color had returned to his pale face and lips. I sighed in relief — only to be startled by a thunderous boom.
BOOM!
CRRRACK!
The ground trembled. Sharp icicles shot up through the air like waves.
Behind us, Jiwoon and the monster had begun their battle.
As amazing as the divine power was, this wasn't the time to sit back and admire it.
"Vice-Guildmaster."
At my call, Ryu Sunghyun sprang to his feet.
"Yes. I'll go now."
No, not like that! I grabbed his arm as he prepared to charge in unbuffed.
"Wait. You need a buff before you go!"
"But—"
"No buts. You're not going without it."
This wasn't like the Leviathan incident at the front gate of the Royal Palace.
Back then, I only managed because I knew about its weak point — its reverse scale. But this "One Who Walks on Snow and Painting" was an unknown S-rank demon. Rushing in without prep was reckless.
I tugged on Ryu Sunghyun's arm.
"Put your hand inside my clothes °• N o v e l i g h t •° and hold me."
"...What?"
"The more physical contact, the longer the buff lasts. Hurry."
Five minutes from a handshake wouldn't cut it.
When Ryu Sunghyun froze, horrified, I got impatient and yanked his hand into my shirt myself.
His fingers twitched against my skin.
"W-wait a second—"
The longer he hesitated, the more time we lost. I grabbed his collar and pulled him down.
"Hurry up and hold me."
I whispered low, and Ryu Sunghyun's eyes trembled.
"......"
He didn't resist anymore and let me pull him into an embrace.
His hand, now warm from escaping the cold, slid from my stomach to my back, wrapping both arms around me. He bowed his head.
His cheek, slightly warmer than his hands, brushed against my own still-cold one. With as much contact as possible, I activated the buff skill.
《Skill: Bond of the Guardian (S-rank) activated!》
《Primary skill damage increased. (Target: Ryu Sunghyun) (Duration: 1 hour 59 minutes)》
《Base speed increased. (Target: Ryu Sunghyun) (Duration: 1 hour 59 minutes)》
《Stability effect applied. (Target: Ryu Sunghyun) (Duration: 1 hour 59 minutes)》
"Holy shit, two hours?"
Before regression, it was barely thirty minutes. Now it's two hours? What the hell kind of buff efficiency is this?
"Just rubbing bodies gives me two hours?! Handshakes and hugs take the same time but the results are this different?!"

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