The icy wind cut like blades. The snow fell with an unnatural fury, twisted, as if the very sky were weeping for what was about to happen.
The group had advanced to the deepest part of the White Forest, a place where silence is law and the echo of footsteps is lost in the immensity of the storm.
Kogorō, suspended like a spiritual whisper beside them, frowned.
—The storm… it's growing stronger… —he said with a gravity that numbed the soul—. This isn't normal.
The blizzard roared, burying everything under a white shroud. It was impossible to see more than a few meters ahead. Then they saw it.
A shadow.
A colossal figure.
A giant of rotten flesh, ears as sharp as bone blades, wielding an axe of frozen runes that seemed to hold centuries of hatred.
With a deep, ancient roar, the colossus raised its weapon and unleashed a swing so brutal that even the wind seemed to flee from its path.
The blade of the axe tore through the ground, sweeping snow as if it were water, and a line of giant trees fell in a single instant, like paper.
—Jump! —shouted Saria.
The group dove to the side just before the blow struck the ground. The crash shook the earth like thunder. Jiro, staggering, stood up after being pushed by Ardan. He looked at the massive frozen fissure stretching to the other side of the forest.
—We have to defeat it to get out of here —said Jiro, gritting his teeth, spear in hand.
—Is there no other way? —asked Kogorō, though his voice held resignation more than hope.
Then, Ardan leapt into the white sky, his scarlet horns flashing with fury. In the palm of his hand glowed a spiritual kanji: 「天」 —"Heaven". From his hand emerged countless golden spiritual chains, launching like living serpents at the giant.
—I'll distract him! Find a way to escape! —Ardan shouted with determination.
—What are you saying, Ardan?! We're not leaving you behind! —Jiro hurled his body forward, his spear releasing crimson flames that danced like living fire around him.
The young man aimed straight at the giant's chest, where the snowy armor was cracked and frozen. The spear struck with a red explosion, but with an infernal roar, the colossus broke the chains like paper.
One blow was enough to send both Jiro and Ardan flying, their bodies crashing into the trunks of the snowy trees.
—Jiro! Ardan! —Saria screamed desperately.
She extended her hands, and from them burst two clouds of pink fire, warm and fluffy like burning cotton. They floated to soften her friends' fall.
—Are you okay?
Both nodded, panting.
—My chains… they were useless… —murmured Ardan, incredulous.
Suddenly, the titan vanished into the mist. Jiro looked up and saw it: two gigantic feet descending from the white sky.
—Duck! —he shouted, grabbing Saria and Ardan. His spear, the Higetsu no Yari, extended and launched them out of the way.
The impact shook the ground. A wave of snow rose into the air, engulfing everything.
—It can't be… —Jiro said, panting—. It's too fast...
—And it clearly intends to kill us —responded Kogorō grimly.
Ardan fired bursts of spiritual energy in the form of light arrows. The explosions kicked up more snow, but the giant was unfazed. It was Saria who focused, the pink fire spiraling between her palms.
—Now you'll see…! —she shouted.
She formed a giant fireball, with eyes and fangs made of flame. The creature emerged: a pink fox that ran swiftly and crashed into the giant. The explosion was brutal. The entire forest trembled.
—That... that must've stopped it... —Saria gasped.
—I didn't know you could do that... —Jiro said, surprised.
But the smoke cleared.
And there it was.
Behind them.
—WHEN DID IT GET THERE!? —shouted Kogorō.
The axe came down. Ardan, desperate, raised a blue spiritual barrier, vast as the sky. The giant's blow shook it like glass about to shatter.
—I CAN'T… HOLD IT… —Ardan shouted, straining, his body trembling.
The Higetsu no Yari began to glow, vibrating with crimson energy. But it was too late.
The barrier shattered into a thousand pieces.
The blow sent them all flying. Blood. Pain. Snow stained red.
Jiro landed on his back, his eyes dim.
—No... no...
Kogorō floated closer, weakly.
—Jiro… GET UP! If I use more energy… I'll disappear… I need you now!
Jiro trembled. He looked at his fallen friends. The snow fell like frozen tears. He stood up with difficulty, his breath broken.
—I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'll take care of this…
He took his spear. Stepped forward.
The giant brought down its axe with fury. Jiro blocked it, crimson sparks exploding between them.
—I WON'T ALLOW IT!
The undead surrounded the field in silence, as if witnessing a tragedy in progress.
Jiro kicked the giant's jaw, stunning it for a second. He took the chance to strike with a burning slash from his spear.
The colossus's arm fell.
—I'LL FINISH YOU! —Jiro shouted, his crimson eyes turning dark like dried blood.
Kogorō looked at him with fear.
—What's happening to him…?
Jiro charged, the spear pierced the giant's chest. His body burned in red fire. He was a vengeful god within the storm.
But the giant grabbed him with one hand.
—AAAAH! —Jiro screamed, crushed.
He was hurled against a tree. He went through it like paper. Fell.
Blood poured from his forehead. He crawled, leaving a red trail in the snow.
—I can't… stop… now…
Kogorō reached his side.
—Jiro…
—I have to… make that big guy… rest in peace.
The storm still roared like a hungry beast over the frozen battlefield. Snowflakes sharp as shards of glass spun violently, lashing at Jiro's exposed flesh as he charged toward the elven giant without looking back. His steps were heavy, but resolute. Kogorō, the spirit that accompanied him, floated behind with anguish in his translucent eyes.
The elven giant, with his only remaining arm, raised his rune-covered axe, as large as a temple gate. The other arm, severed by Jiro's crimson spear moments earlier, hung uselessly, still frozen by the storm's curse.
Yet the creature did not seem to yield. His hollow eyes, hidden in deep black caverns, opened wider than usual, as if something within him still struggled to awaken.
Jiro screamed and lunged. The Higetsu no Yari, glowing and vibrant, spun in his hands with the precision of a deadly dance. Steel clashed against the rune metal of the giant's axe, sparks exploding in the snow. The wind howled each time a strike missed. Every blow echoed like a sacred chant, bouncing off the ice-covered hills.
But for every strike Jiro landed, another grazed him. His coat was beginning to give in. Clean cuts appeared, exposing his skin. The frost crept into every crack like a silent poison. The giant roared and swung his broken spear like an extension of his arm, and with a rising slash, tore across Jiro's shoulder. A thick red spray burst into the air.
—JIROOOO, NOOO! —cried Kogorō, his spectral voice ripping with despair.
Jiro staggered, taking a few steps back. His breathing was erratic, as if his chest no longer remembered how to breathe. Warm blood ran down his arm, staining the snow beneath his feet.
All around him, the undead warriors remained motionless, seated like broken statues, watching without soul, without judgment... without life.
The giant lifted his weapon once more, determined to crush Jiro's existence for good. But before it could fall, Kogorō, like a whirl of light and shadow, wrapped around his companion's body and pulled him to the side.
Jiro, gasping, looked at his bloodied hand, touching the wound. His vision began to blur. The world turned into a white specter, as if it were fading away.
—Stay away from him! —shouted a familiar voice.
Saria and Ardan, the Hachigane siblings, stood tall with burning resolve. A surge of spiritual energy radiated from Ardan, while Saria conjured an enchanted fire, crackling with red and orange magic. The flames and symbols danced together, forming a barrier in front of the giant just before it could strike again.
—What are you doing...? —Jiro said, his voice hoarse— You should've stayed... where you were...
—And miss the show while you get your butt handed to you? Hmm... hard pass —Ardan replied, trying to sound nonchalant, though his fists trembled with tension.
Jiro looked up. Inside the giant's open chest wound, he saw it. A heart. Frosted, frozen... but beating.
A dead man shouldn't beat. A dead man shouldn't have memories. Shouldn't feel. Shouldn't fight as if something within him begged to be set free.
But that heart still pulsed, as if silently screaming.
All the undead they had faced before had nothing like that. Their bodies were shells, slaves to a cursed will. But this one... this one was different. What if... he wasn't entirely dead? What if that heart was the last spark of a soul trapped in the prison of eternal ice?
—There must be frozen memories... —Jiro murmured— I have to... warm it...
And without another thought, he leapt out of the barrier.
—What are you doing, Jiro?! Where are you going?! —Ardan shouted.
—I'm going to free him —Jiro answered determinedly.
The giant roared and lifted his leg like a tower. He tried to crush him, but Jiro was faster. He ran up its foot, its calf, climbing like lightning. With every step, the cold gnawed at his muscles. But he didn't stop.
—Yari... I'm gonna need your help for this one... —Jiro whispered to his spear.
The Higetsu no Yari vibrated. A faint red glow lit up its engravings as it answered his call. Jiro, in one final leap, launched himself straight into the giant's chest cavity, where the heart beat, and the crimson spear extended, as if alive, and stabbed directly into it.
The giant's roar was beastly. A sound not just from the body, but from the soul.
But in that moment, the giant also tore away the mana coat that protected Jiro. The young warrior felt the storm's curse touch him, naked and wild, freezing his bones instantly. Ice began to form in layers on his skin, as if his body was being claimed by death itself.
—JIRO, HE HAS NO COAT! —Saria cried.
—Jiro, get out of there! You're going to freeze! —Kogorō pleaded, his eyes almost crying, though he had no tears to give.
Jiro, gasping, teeth chattering, pressed his fists against the giant's chest.
—No, Kogorō... I've come this far... —he said— I can't leave him like this! I have to warm his heart!
And as he screamed that, the Higetsu no Yari burst into crimson flames. Pure fire, born from the soul, not from mana. It was the fire of compassion, of sacrifice, of someone fighting not to destroy, but to liberate.
The ice began to crack.
But so did Jiro's body.
His skin split like porcelain, his lips turned purple, his breath weakening. And still, he held the spear, drawing closer to the giant's heart. The flames didn't just surround him—they consumed him too.
And then...
Everything went dark.
The storm turned into silence.
The roar turned into an echo.
The world became empty.
And in that emptiness... a heart beat.
A heart that, for the first time in centuries, no longer beat alone.
Darkness. A world without edges or horizons. A place where the void seemed to devour even memories.
There stood Jiro Kamimizu... floating, or maybe walking. He didn't know. He couldn't tell the ground from the sky. Only... the void. The nothingness.
—Where am I...? —his voice whispered, breaking the eternal silence like a stone in an endless lake.
At that moment, a small red flame lit in his left hand. It flickered softly, like a heart beating for the first time.
—At least this... might help me —said Jiro with a faint smile, though his voice trembled inside.
And so, in the midst of absolute gloom, he began to walk.
His steps splashed invisible drops of water. Each footstep echoed like a distant sound in an endless cavern. It was as if the darkness itself was alive... as if it breathed with him.
Suddenly, in front of him, appeared a gigantic iron door, half-open. From within, echoes of agonizing screams and the sound of chains clashing against metal slipped through.
A shiver ran down his spine.
—...Wait —he said with resolve—. I'll go help you.
He entered without hesitation.
The air was denser inside. With every step, he felt something watching him. And then, he saw it...
A giant elf. Chained from head to toe. His body looked intact, but his spirit... was broken.
His eyes, lifeless. His presence, ancient. His pointed ears drooped under the weight of eternity.
Jiro recognized him instantly.
—It's you... I finally found you.
The elf opened his eyes in surprise and murmured in a hoarse voice:
—There's a reason you were able to enter... into what little remains of my consciousness, boy...
He spoke like a warrior who had forgotten how to live.
—Anyway... you better leave —the elf continued—. End me... or you'll end up frozen... —his voice sounded hollow, hopeless.
But Jiro shook his head, the flame still alive in his hand.
—I won't leave you. The beat of your heart called out to me. You're strong... you've survived even without a soul.
The elf shook the chains in fury and shouted with force:
—YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!
The echo of his roar expanded like an invisible wave in that dark world.
Jiro remained silent, feeling the pain in those words.
—My story is over, boy —the elf said through gritted teeth—. All the power you had... and you still didn't kill me. You should've done it.
—I'm dead... —he went on, his voice fading—. I fought, protected, forged... and in the end, some idiot froze me and used my body like a puppet. I don't even understand why my heart kept beating...
His eyes grew cloudy.
—My soul... the Hail King stole it. He robbed me of my will.
Jiro clenched his fist, and the flame grew brighter.
—That's not true... he didn't take everything from you.
The elf looked at him.
—And how would you know...? You don't know what I've lived through these past 150 years...
—You're right —Jiro replied—. I don't. I don't know your pain, nor the darkness you've endured. But I do know one thing: I'm here to understand it. To fight for you.
He stepped closer. The flame in his hand cast light into the giant's eyes.
—Maybe you believe your story is over... that there's nothing left to tell. But only you decide that. Each of us is the author of our own story. Only we decide how it ends.
—I'm just a traveler... who dreams of being a hero. And for some reason, I feel like I owe something to the world. I don't know why, but... I want to help those who need it most.
The elf fell silent. He looked at him with amazement... and then, with a coarse laugh.
—You're weird, kid. I barely know you... and already you're annoying.
—I didn't expect that response —Jiro muttered, shrinking a little.
The elf laughed heartily, as if he hadn't in centuries.
—But at least you have an unbreakable spirit. To me... that's what matters.
His voice became more serene.
—It feels good to talk to someone. Maybe... I needed it. It's been 150 years without anyone listening... except my empty shell.
—That's a good thing —said Jiro softly.
Then he stepped closer. He placed the flame over the elf's chest, right where his heart was beating.
—It's time for you to be free. You've suffered enough...
—You... you're going to free me? —asked the elf in disbelief.
—Yes. That's why I came.
The red flame sank into his chest... deep, warm, alive. The chains began to melt, as if the metal itself cried with relief.
And in that instant... the world changed.
The darkness vanished. The void was replaced by endless fields, luminous trees, and flowers blooming like newborn hope. A vegetal paradise arose from death.
The elf fell to his knees, breathing as if being reborn.
—You... you've freed me...
He bowed to Jiro, placing his hand on the ground.
—As a warrior, it's an honor... to thank you, boy. You changed my consciousness. You freed my soul from hell. Now... I can rest in peace with my brothers.
Jiro nodded gently.
In the blink of an eye... he returned to reality.
Kogorō, Saria, and Ardan were staring at him. Their eyes shone with awe and fear.
That furious undead elf who had attacked them earlier... now lay still. His decaying flesh slowly disintegrated, and soft flowers began to grow on his bleached bones, as if life itself wanted to make peace with death.
The frozen ground, for the first time, showed a warm spot.
The other undead warriors... met the same fate. They lay in peace.
—They've finally returned to the path of their stories —said Jiro, gazing at the horizon—. They've been freed...
Somewhere in the beyond, the warriors embraced, laughed, and walked together toward peace. Together at last.
But then...
—Jiro, look! —shouted Kogorō, pointing at him.
Jiro looked down.
His mana cloak was disintegrating. His skin was covered in frost. He felt the cold piercing his bones.
—Heh... well... what can you do... —he smiled—. At least... I'm glad I helped... one last time...
And with a serene peace in his gaze, Jiro Kamimizu was consumed by ice.
His body became a frozen statue. Firm, silent, and... radiant.
—...Jiro Kamimizu... —Ardan whispered with a broken voice.