Shin stood by the cabin door, arms crossed, glaring at his younger sister, Hana. The snowstorm outside was fierce, but Hana ignored the gloves he held out to her.

Shin: "You're not going out there without these."

Hana groaned, pouting as she reluctantly took the gloves from him.

Hana: "Come on, Shin! It's not that cold! I'll be fine without them."

Shin knelt in front of her, tugging the gloves over her fingers, perhaps a bit more forcefully than necessary. His expression hardened as he spoke.

Shin: "Hana, you need to listen. You can't just run around like nothing's wrong. Wear the gloves."

Hana's protest died on her lips as she caught sight of Shin's stern gaze.

Hana: "You're always worrying, Shin. You act like I'm going to get hurt or something."

Shin adjusted her gloves, then stood to grab her scarf from the hook by the door. He wrapped it around her neck, making sure it was secure.

Shin: "You need to stop being so reckless. You're not going out there without being prepared."

Hana's voice softened as she tugged at the scarf.

Hana: "I just miss how things used to be."

Shin's gaze softened for just a moment before he masked his emotions again.

Shin: "I know. But right now, we have to keep moving forward. Now, let's go."

As soon as they stepped outside, Hana darted off, her laughter filling the cold air. Shin watched her, his steps slow and measured. He followed her with his eyes, always on guard.

Hana: "Come on, Shin! You're too slow!"

Her playful tone made Shin's lips twitch slightly, though he maintained his stern demeanor.

Shin (thinking): "She's always like this... carefree. It's like she doesn't understand how dangerous the world can be."

Shin: "Not a chance, Hana. I'm right behind you."

Hana glanced back, giggling as she stuck her tongue out at him before sprinting further ahead. Shin quickened his pace but never let his guard down, his mind constantly scanning for threats.

Just as she turned to look back at him again, her foot slipped on a patch of ice. Her eyes widened as she stumbled forward, arms flailing.

Hana: "Shin!"

Shin reacted immediately, sprinting forward and catching her just before she hit the ground. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her upright.

Shin: "I told you to be careful. You could've really hurt yourself."

Hana's cheeks flushed from both the cold and embarrassment.

Hana: "I-I'm fine. I wasn't paying attention."

Shin sighed, loosening his grip but keeping his eyes on her.

Shin: "You need to pay attention, Hana. You can't be reckless anymore. I can't always be there to catch you."

Hana lowered her gaze, her voice quieter now.

Hana: "I'm sorry, Shin... I didn't mean to make you worry."

Shin stepped back, giving her space, but his voice remained firm.

Shin: "I know you didn't. But you have to understand... You can't keep taking risks like this."

Hana bit her lip and nodded slowly.

Hana: "I get it. I'll be more careful. Let's build a snowman instead, okay?"

They worked together, gathering snow and packing it tightly to form the body of the snowman. Hana's laughter filled the air as she shaped the snow, while Shin remained quiet, his eyes still scanning their surroundings.

Hana: "Frosty needs a scarf!"

Shin stepped back, watching as she tied a vibrant red scarf around the snowman's neck. He crossed his arms, nodding slightly.

Shin: "There. It's done."

Hana stepped back, admiring their creation with a wide grin.

Hana: "We did it! He looks great, doesn't he?"

Shin glanced at her, a faint smile playing at his lips.

Shin: "Yeah... we did good."

Hana looked up at him, her expression softening.

Hana: "You're not going to say something mean, are you? You always tease me when we finish something."

Shin chuckled lowly, shaking his head.

Shin: "Not this time. You did well, Hana. But don't get used to it. I'm only going easy on you because it's winter."

Hana laughed, nudging him playfully.

Hana: "I knew you had a soft spot!"

Shin brushed snow off his gloves and turned toward the forest.

Shin: "Stay here. I'll go get some branches for the snowman's arms."

Hana: "Okay! But don't take too long. Frosty needs arms!"

Shin nodded, walking into the forest. The quietness of the woods surrounded him as he moved deeper into the trees. His thoughts drifted.

Shin (thinking): "She never thinks about what could go wrong... I've told her over and over—she needs to be more careful. But she always rushes ahead, like the world can't touch her."

The cold bit into his skin, seeping through his coat and gloves. It was harsher than he had expected, the kind of cold that clings to your bones.

Shin (thinking): "This winter's worse than the last. If it gets colder, we'll have trouble getting enough food. How much longer can we hold out like this?"

He bent down to pick up a few fallen branches, shaking the snow off them. His thoughts lingered on Hana.

Shin (thinking): "If I wasn't here... how would she manage? She's smart, but she's reckless. This world... it's unforgiving. One wrong step, and everything could fall apart."

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As he stood up, he scanned the forest around him before turning back toward the clearing. His thoughts still churned.

Shin (thinking): "What happens when I'm not around? She needs to take this seriously. If something happens to her, I—"

A sound cut through his thoughts—Hana's voice, distant but trembling.

Hana (voice trembling): "Shin..."

Shin froze. His heart pounded in his chest as the branches slipped from his hands. There was something wrong in her voice.

Shin: "Hana?"

Another scream, louder and more panicked this time—

Hana (screaming): "Shin!"

Shin's breath caught in his throat, dread pooling in his stomach.

Shin (thinking): "Something's wrong."

Shin (yelling): "Hana!"

He sprinted toward the clearing, snow kicking up around his boots as his legs moved faster than his mind. Another scream, full of terror.

Hana (screaming, in terror): "Shin!"

Shin's foot caught on an unseen root buried under the snow. His body hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. Pain shot up his side, but he forced himself back to his feet.

Shin (frantic): "Hana!"

His vision blurred for a moment as panic clawed at him. But before he could reach her, everything went black.

Shin jolted awake in the back of the horse cart, the cold air biting against his skin. He grumbled, feeling the weight of his katana pressing against his side.

Mira: "Captain! Time to wake up! Hey, Captain Shin!"

Her voice pierced the cold morning air. Shin sighed, rubbing his eyes as he swung his legs out of the cart. He didn't even need to look to know the soldiers were standing outside, waiting for him. As his boots hit the snow-covered ground, they straightened up.

Soldiers (in unison): "Hello, White Captain Shin!"

Shin's eyes flicked toward them briefly. He nodded curtly without saying a word. His silver eyes swept over the group, his cold, indifferent demeanor keeping them at a distance. Adjusting his katana, he overheard the soldiers whispering among themselves.

Soldier 1 (whispering): "Look at him... the White Captain. His presence is overwhelming."

Soldier 2 (nodding): "He's like a ghost. You can feel the weight of his power just standing near him."

Shin ignored the murmurs as he walked past, his gaze fixed ahead. Mira caught up with him, walking beside him as they left the soldiers behind.

Mira: "We should've brought the soldiers, Captain. It's safer with a team."

Shin's eyes narrowed, his tone icy.

Shin: "They'll just slow me down."

Mira frowned, stepping closer, her voice more assertive now.

Mira: "I know you can handle it, Captain, but we need to protect you. That's my duty."

Shin didn't respond. He quickened his pace, not wanting to argue further.

Shin: "Fine. Just you."

They descended into the forest, their movements silent and precise. The lair of the thieves lay just beyond the ridge, a small, hidden collection of huts tucked away among the trees. The cold air pressed around them, but Shin didn't falter.

They reached the ridge and looked down over the clearing. From here, the lair seemed insignificant—barely a threat.

Mira: "We should wait and assess how many are down there."

Shin glanced at her briefly, his silver eyes cold and unbothered.

Shin: "I'll handle them. No need to wait."

Mira frowned but didn't argue. Instead, she tightened her grip on her blade and prepared to follow his lead.

Shin: "Stay back if you're worried."

Without another word, Shin moved in. The thieves, oblivious to the danger approaching, milled about the huts. By the time they noticed him, it was too late. The first thief lunged at him, a rusty sword raised high. Shin cut him down with a single stroke, blood spraying across the snow.

The second thief charged, but Shin sidestepped, slicing through the man's arm. The limb fell to the ground, and the thief's scream filled the night air. Blood pooled around him as Shin moved forward without hesitation.

Suddenly, a massive figure emerged from one of the huts—a brute with a bloodstained axe in hand. His eyes locked onto Shin, a sadistic grin spreading across his face.

Brute: "You think you can take me, boy?"

Shin's eyes narrowed.

Shin: "Try it."

The brute charged, his axe swinging down with brutal force. But Shin was faster. He moved with blinding speed, his katana cutting through the brute's side. Blood poured from the gash, but the brute hardly flinched, laughing as he swung again.

Shin weaved between the strikes, his movements precise and deadly. With one swift motion, he severed the brute's arm at the elbow. The axe clattered to the ground, and the brute stared at the stump in disbelief before Shin finished him with a clean slice across the throat.

As the brute's body collapsed, blood pooling in the snow, Mira stepped forward, wiping her blade clean.

Mira: "We're not done yet, Captain."

Shin didn't respond, his eyes scanning the area for any remaining threats. The smell of blood filled the air, mixing with the cold wind.

But the battle wasn't over. More figures emerged from the shadows—faster, more skilled. Shin's eyes narrowed.

Shin (thinking): "They're not just thieves... they're assassins."

The metallic scent of blood and the sound of clashing steel echoed through the darkened forest. Mira's breathing became heavier with each kill, her katana dripping with blood. The ground beneath them was littered with bodies, but more assassins kept coming, their movements swift and calculated.

Shin moved with his usual precision, his katana slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. His expression remained cold, emotionless, but deep inside, a wave of sickness was creeping over him. He ignored it, his focus sharp as he dispatched another assassin with a clean strike. Still, he could feel the strain building in his body.

Beside him, Mira was panting, her swings becoming more labored. She'd cut down more than her fair share of enemies, her blade flashing as it deflected an incoming strike before she countered with a brutal slash. Another assassin fell at her feet, but her breath caught, her grip on her weapon tightening.

Mira (panting): "Captain... there's no end to them..."

Shin didn't respond at first, his katana cleaving through the chest of yet another assassin. Blood sprayed across the snow, staining it a dark red.

His movements were as smooth as ever, but he wasn't invincible. The sickness bubbling within him gnawed at his concentration, forcing him to push harder. He briefly glanced at Mira out of the corner of his eye.

Shin (thinking): "I'm not tired, but this... sickness... it's slowing me down."

Mira, meanwhile, was visibly exhausted, her breaths ragged. She raised her katana to block another assassin's attack, but her arms trembled from the effort. With a grunt, she deflected the blade and countered, slicing through her opponent's abdomen, but it was clear she was reaching her limit.

Another assassin lunged at her from the side, and though Mira managed to parry the strike, her movements were slower now. She killed the attacker with a desperate slash, but the exhaustion was taking its toll. She'd been fighting for what felt like hours, her muscles burning with fatigue.

Mira killed two more assassins, her body moving on instinct, but then—

She faltered.

A mistake. Her footing slipped, and in that brief moment, an assassin closed in, his blade aimed directly at her. Mira's eyes widened as she realized the danger too late.

Shin's eyes flickered toward her, his body moving before he even thought. He leapt forward, cutting down the assassin before they could strike Mira, but the danger was far from over. The assassins were relentless, their movements coordinated and precise.

Mira (gasping, breathless): "They're too skilled... no end to them..."

Mira stumbled back, just barely deflecting another attack, but the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming her. Sweat dripped down her face as she forced herself to keep going, but another mistake was inevitable if she kept pushing.

Shin could feel the sickness creeping up his spine, but he pushed through it. His katana hummed in his grip as energy began to build around him. He narrowed his eyes, his voice low as he spoke through gritted teeth.

Shin (thinking): "Enough of this."

His katana flashed as he moved with deadly precision, cutting down assassin after assassin, but there was no end in sight. The sickness gnawed at him, a subtle weakness in his normally flawless form. But he couldn't stop now.

Mira, panting and struggling to keep up, looked at the swarm of assassins closing in.

Before she could react, a dagger sliced across her side. Mira stumbled, blood dripping from the wound. Shin's eyes flickered, his cold composure cracking for the first time.

Shin (thinking): "Not again..."

His katana hummed louder, energy surging around him. The ground beneath him trembled as he unleashed his special technique. The air rippled violently, and in an instant, an explosion of energy erupted from his blade. Trees were uprooted, the ground was torn apart, and hundreds of assassins were obliterated, their bodies scattering like leaves in the wind.

When the dust settled, the once-dense forest was half-destroyed, and the ground was littered with the remains of 200-300 assassins.

Mira, slumped against a tree, managed a weak smile through the pain.

Mira (smiling weakly): "Captain... you're not human..."

Shin's heart raced. He didn't respond, fear creeping into his chest. He rushed over to Mira, kneeling beside her. The blood continued to seep from her wound.

Shin (thinking): "Not again..."

He lifted her carefully and rushed to the carriage, his mind swirling with emotions he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years. As his feet pounded against the ground, his thoughts raced.

Shin (thinking): "I won't let this happen again. I'm still not strong enough."

The weight of his failure pressed on his chest, a reminder of how much he still lacked. He pushed forward, faster, ignoring the cold air stinging his face.

Shin (thinking): "No matter what... I have to get stronger."

Shin (yelling): "Where's the doctor?!"

A nervous soldier pointed to a trembling doctor. The doctor stepped forward, hands shaking as he stared at Shin's cold, piercing gaze.

Doctor: "I-I'm the doctor..."

Shin lowered Mira gently, his voice dangerously low.

Shin: "Heal her. Now."

The doctor quickly tended to Mira's wound, his hands trembling under Shin's intense presence. As the bleeding slowed, Mira stirred, her voice barely audible.

Mira (unconscious, muttering): "Captain, you actually have a really soft heart..."

Shin's eyes hardened, ignoring her words as he clenched his fists, feeling the familiar wave of bitterness rise within him.

Shin (thinking, bitter): "I swore I wouldn't use it... but I had no choice."

End of Chapter