The Frosthowl was closer now.
Too close.
Its breath came out in violent, ragged huffs, hot vapor tearing through the cold night. Thick strands of saliva flung from its jaws as it ran, jaws parting slightly with every breath, eyes locked forward with a single, murderous focus.
Si Hon didn't need to look back to feel it.
But he did anyway.
For half a second, his gaze flicked sideways— past the trees, past the chaos, toward Boreas running beside them, and then down to Nivalis beneath him.
Neither beast looked back.
Not even once.
Their ears were pinned flat. Their bodies leaned forward at a brutal angle, muscles screaming as they tore through the forest. They don't even know.
Because… If they looked back—
They would die.
Behind them, Sixxy stood rigid on Boreas's back, barking sharply again and again, her voice cutting through the wind.
"Sixxy says she will alert, if anything happens or if it's gonna do something!" Arven shouted, gripping the saddle so hard her knuckles turned white.
The system window trembled beside Si Hon's vision.
「Distance to Target: 402M」
「Distance to Target: 392M」
「Distance to Target: 386M」
「Distance to Target: 372M」
「Distance to Target: 348M」
"It's— it's still closing!" Si Hon yelled, panic clawing up his throat.
The forest screamed past them and snow burst upward with every stride.
「Distance to Target: 329M」
Everyone was screaming now— wind, beasts, breath tearing from their lungs.
Si Hon and Arven were screaming. actual, full-throated screaming, voices being ripped apart by the wind as Nivalis and Boreas tore through the forest.
Behind them— roars. Explosions. Trees dying violently.
And Hana?
Hana was still asleep.
Completely.
Her cheek was smushed against Si Hon's chest, breathing slow and peaceful, like she was napping in a carriage instead of fleeing a mountain-shaking monster.
Si Hon glanced down at her for half a second, disbelief punching through his panic.
"…What the fuck?"
「Distance to Target: 284M」
「Distance to Target: 232M」
Behind them—
The Frosthowl lowered its body.
Si Hon saw it in the corner of his vision— saw the way its legs compressed, muscles coiling unnaturally tight, drool splattering the snow beneath it as its jaws opened wider.
「Distance to Target: 178M」
It jumped.
The Frosthowl surged forward, the earth cracking beneath its weight.
「Distance to Target: 67M」
Claws tore through the air as its massive shadow flooded the forest, blotting out light as it lunged straight for Nivalis.
Heat fog rolled off its body, warping the air around it. Its jaws were wide, breath roaring, eyes locked— certain, angry, descending.
Si Hon didn't think. He just reacted.
「Distance to Target: 57M」
He raised the torch, flame shaking as it flared upward, eyes locked on the monster above.
「Distance to Target: 38M」
「Distance to Target: 13M」
Then—
"Nivalis!!! Sideways!!! Now!!" Arven screamed.
Nivalis moved.
Not forward.
Sideways.
Her body twisted mid-run, paws digging hard into the snow as she slipped just enough for the Frosthowl's claws to tear through empty air where Si Hon had been a heartbeat ago.
The impact behind them was catastrophic.
The Frosthowl crashed down, earth exploding outward, trees snapping and flying as its weight slammed unto the floor.
Boreas barked sharply and turned his head.
For a fraction of a second, his body shifted— legs tensing, stance lowering.
He was going to jump.
He thought they'd been hit.
Nivalis barked.
Once.
Sharp. Commanding.
Boreas froze.
Then he turned forward again and ran.
Harder.
Faster.
No hesitation.
No looking back.
Ahead of them, far through the trees, the tower.
And behind them—
Snow exploded. Trees shattered. A massive shape rose once more from the chaos.
It was the Frosthowl.
Then suddenly.
The darkness thinned, night fading into gray as a pale morning light seeped through the fog.
Behind snow and broken trees slowly came into view, the forest revealed under a cold, unforgiving dawn.
One moment the world was swallowed in black and only the torch Si Hon was holding— the next, pale gray light tore through the forest like a curtain being ripped open!
Snow is still everywhere. Fog clung low to the ground, thick and drifting, but visibility stretched farther now— trees, slopes, broken ground all there.
Si Hon blinked hard, eyes burning.
The Frosthowl was still behind them.
Still close.
The system window snapped into focus again.
「Distance to Target: 231M」
"…Still not far enough," he muttered.
He scanned the forest ahead— and then the ground.
Something moved.
Not one thing.
Many.
The snow ahead of them shifted.
Then—
POP.
A grotesque head burst up from the ground, skin dark and slick-looking, eyes too large, mouth opening unnaturally wide.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
AND ANOTHER.
They erupted everywhere.
The system window glitched violently, then updated.
UPDATE
「MOLE-RATS
Estimated number: 139 → 516
Threat: HOSTILE」
Si Hon's brain swirled.
"…What?" he muttered.
Another head popped out— then six— seven and more— then dozens.
Bodies followed, clawing their way out of the snow, furless, skin sagging and warped like it didn't quite fit their frames.
They moved wrong. But still fast. Scrambling. Swarming.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!?!" Si Hon screamed. "ISN'T IT SLIGHTLY?! WHY DID IT TURN HOSTILE?!"
The answer came immediately.
A familiar window slid open beside his vision, smug as ever.
「～(´ε｀ )
Tsk, tsk, tsk, Si Hon.
Hint:
The thing you're holding is wrapped in mole-rat skin soaked in its black blood.
The scent is strong.
Meaning— every mole-rat that smells it will become hostile to you.
And since you were running all night…
many of them already caught the scent.
And they didn't surface before because— it was dark. They can't see well at night.
Now it's day.
ಠ_ಠ Well…
Good luck, Si Hon.
I've given hints whenever I could.
This time— figure it out yourself.」
Si Hon's blood ran cold.
"…You've got to be fucking kidding me."
He glanced back.
The ground behind them was alive.
Hundreds of black, warped bodies poured out of the snow, scrambling over each other, shrieking, chasing the scent— his scent.
Ahead of them, the tower.
Behind them, the Frosthowl.
And behind them but below them, a tide of mole-rats.
Si Hon sucked in a sharp breath, clutching still sleeping Hana tighter.
"WOAHOHOHO, we're so surrounded."
And the monsters were only getting closer.
Si Hon knew it was time to focus. No more distance. No more pretending. From here on, he had to be real to himself.