The cold of the atmosphere was unbearable, especially as the snow came pouring down in thick sheets, making visibility scarce. It was as if the world had been swallowed by an endless blizzard, each gust of wind slicing across the skin like a thousand tiny des. The air felt heavy, suffocating almost, and yet, for the demons stationed at the mountain ridge, the cold was not their primary concern.


    The biting wind and snow posed no threat to beasts of their caliber.


    These were not ordinary creatures—they were demons. Thick-skinned, deformed, and drenched in a dark, malicious aura. Their long, whip-like tails swayed in the wind, and their bodies bore several eyes, each flicking restlessly. Their very existence was tainted with a grim heart that knew no peace.


    Three of these demons stood watch at the ridge, spears tightly clutched in their hands, their eyes scanning the endless white wilderness beyond. They dared not let their guard down, not even for a second. But not all shared the same level of vignce.


    One of the demons, Horiuba, yawned loudly, stretching his arms outzily before slumping down on the icy ground. The shimmering snowkes collected on his dark, hulking frame, forming fragments of ice that clung to his skin, though they did little to truly affect him.


    The cold might have spared their bodies, but it was different for their joints, which sometimes froze up, making movement stiff and cumbersome.


    "I''m spent," Horiubained, staring at the snow as it umted on his body. He flicked a clump of ice from his shoulder, his face a mask of boredom.


    The other two demons shot him looks of frustration, their faces twitching in barely concealed anger. "Come on, Horiuba!" one of them snapped. "You can''t ck off like this. Remember what happened to thest scouts? They were wiped out—ughtered!"


    Horiuba, however, remained indifferent, ignoring the warnings. "This is life," he said with a half-hearted shrug. "A few hundred years of running, hiding, fighting off disasters. Day in and day out, it''s the same. We stand watch, and sometimes we make it back. Sometimes we don''t.


    So why worry?"


    His colleagues exchanged nces, perplexed and a little unnerved by Horiuba''s sé attitude. They continued their vigil, spears clutched tighter, unwilling to risk the same fate as the fallen scouts. But Horiuba had survived for centuries because of his sharp mind. He wasn''t just a brute; he was the mastermind behind many sessful defenses.


    "Come on, Horiuba!" the other demon pleaded. "Your attitude will break our formation."


    Horiuba tilted his head back, gazing at the falling snow with a look of detached peace. "Have you ever dreamt of peace?" he asked softly. "True peace. A peace that doesn''te with war and struggle. Death is the only true peace, you know."


    The others stared at him, bewildered. "Are you saying we should die?" one of them asked, incredulous.


    Horiuba smiled faintly and shook his head. "No, not really," he chuckled, letting out a deep breath. "Just kidding."


    The tension eased from hisrades'' faces, and they turned their attention back to the icy expanse in front of them, though not without a lingering sense of unease.


    As the others resumed their watch, Horiuba sighed, his gaze dropping to the snow beneath his feet. ''No one will ever understand me,'' he thought.


    But then, a sound—two sharp thuds—echoed through the snowden air. It was strange, unnatural, and it caught Horiuba''s attention immediately. His heart raced as he turned his head, his eyes darting toward hisrades.


    His blood ran cold. Stay connected via m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed, stumbling backward as horror gripped him.


    All that remained of his tworades were the severed stumps of their legs, dangling weakly in the snow. Their torsos were gone, severed cleanly at the waist. Blood hissed and steamed in the cold air, pooling around the stumps where their upper bodies had once been.


    Horiuba''s breath caught in his throat, panic surging through his veins. He scrambled back, hands digging into the snow as he tried to distance himself from the gruesome sight.


    He barely registered the enormous shadow looming above him, its blood-red eyes glowing with malevolent intent. The creature was massive, towering over Horiuba with a presence that was suffocating. Its dark fur rippled with every breath it took, and its monstrous ws scraped the ground, leaving deep gouges in the snow.


    Horiuba''s entire body trembled as the beast''s eyes bored into him, freezing him in ce.


    "That scent…" the creature''s voice was deep, guttural, and dripping with malice. "Where is that powerful presenceing from?"


    Horiuba didn''t know. He couldn''t answer. He could barely think.


    "R-right there…" he stammered, raising a trembling finger toward the horizon.


    But before he could finish, the beast''s massive paw came crashing down, smashing him into the ground. The force of the blow crushed Horiuba into a mangled heap of flesh and blood, his body ttened into the snow.


    The beast let out a low, rumbling growl, its gaze narrowing on something far in the distance.


    ***


    Axel followed closely behind Mane, the cold air biting at his skin, though he hardly felt it. Just moments ago, he had been standing in a warm, sunny forest, but now he found himself in a frigid, snow-covered wastnd. Snow fell thickly from the sky, and his breath formed white clouds in front of him.


    "Master, unlike your, this world''s weather varies drastically between regions," Mane exined.


    Axel nodded, taking in his surroundings. Despite the freezing temperatures, his body remained unaffected, thanks to the system that kept him from feeling the chill.


    They trudged through the snow for a while longer before reaching a settlement—a vige nestled at the base of the mountain. Small huts dotted thendscape, and demons, much like the ones who had escorted them, went about their tasks, performing mundane, medieval chores.


    Axel couldn''t help but notice the hostile res from the vigers. They watched him with resentment, their eyes filled with suspicion and fear. Yet, whenever they looked at Mane, their expressions shifted to one of reverence, bordering on worship.


    "Why do they hate me?" Axel whispered, closing the distance between them.


    Mane gave a measured response, choosing his words carefully. "The demon tribe does not know who you are. If I were not with you, they would attack you out of disgust. You are an outsider, and they do not trust you."


    "And why do they fear you?" Axel pressed.


    Mane''s lips curled into a faint smile. "I once held a high post as a boss of Hell''s Gate. These demons are not peaceful by nature, and though they are one of the weaker ns, they are still dangerous. This vige may seem insignificant, but your trial begins here."


    Axel frowned, his mind racing as he thought of the recent notification he had received.


    He opened his status box and reviewed a message.


    [Your Mana will hit zero within minutes anytime you unleash your full army.]


    It was a grim reminder that he couldn''t rely on the same tactics as before. Unlike the alien spaceship, where his army could kill enemies and absorb their souls for additional mana, this realm was different. Here, resources were scarce, and the cost of summoning his full power would be devastating.


    ''I''ll only use my generals for now,'' Axel decided.


    As they reached the center of the vige, they were met with arge gathering of demons, each holding spears and ring at Axel with barely concealed hostility. Only Mane''s presence kept them from attacking outright.


    Mane stepped forward, his voice booming across the crowd. "Kukah!" he called out to the vige elder, an ancient demon who stood at the far side of the crowd. "You insult our Lord with your foolish stares! Do you wish to be wiped out?"


    At Mane''s words, the demons'' expressions shifted to fear, and a murmur of panic spread through the crowd. The elder, Kukah, bowed his head in submission, though his hands trembled.


    "My people… they have be wary of outsiders," Kukah stammered. "We did not recognize a new Lord. Forgive us."


    Axel let out a low chuckle, his eyes narrowing as he addressed the elder. "I''m not interested in your apologies. I''m here for one thing—tell me, who do you want me to kill?"


    [Quest: Kill the Threat]


    ***Author''s note***


    Something I cooking up here.