Exiting the forest proved trivial after the fog lifted. Ryoma and the others trounced through the remaining foliage with haste and a slight spite in their step due to their trials. Although they understood the tribulations as coming from the gods, they did little to hide their displeasure at being tested so.

Regardless of their demeanor, however, they arrived at the base of the mountain nevertheless. “That’s quite a climb.” Tetsuo said. “I’m not sure how long it will take to traverse this obstacle.” Himiko shook her head and said, “You mustn’t dishearten yourself so suddenly. We haven’t even started our ascent. Come now, let us steel ourselves and be off.”

And so, the quartet started their climb up the mountain. For hours, they advanced slowly but surely around the range, finding the easiest methods of continuing upward as opposed to attempting to move more vertically.

Then, from seemingly nowhere, harsh winds began cutting down the mountainside, and the sun disappeared behind a thick cloud cover. Snow and hail rushed down from the heavens, pelting Ryoma and his companions. “We need to hurry,” he said, “or else we’ll never make it through this oncoming storm.” The others agreed and hastened themselves more and more.

Eventually, the quartet found themselves at a small plateau not too far from the apex of the range. The four gasped at the contents they found there; strewn about the spot of tundra were a multitude of corpses, perfectly preserved in the ice. “By the gods!” Himiko exclaimed. Tetsuo turned back, not wishing to see the poor common folk left void of their dreams of glory. Ryoma simply stared, unsure of how to process the tragedy before him.

Yuki, however, wasn’t as phased by the scene; of course, he was perturbed at the sight of death, yet the method in which they died didn’t bother him as much. Having been infused with the ice ofuda, he felt at one with the element, even in such a macabre sense. In fact, he realized that the current weather situation hadn’t dragged on his body at all; his physiology was seemingly now immune to the cold. That led to an idea.

“You all need to turn back.” Yuki said. “It has become too dangerous for mere humans to contend with; make your way back down the mountain. I’ll go alone.” Ryoma quickly said, “Hold a moment, Yuki, it’s too dangerous for you to go without reinforcements. We need to stick together.” Right after finishing his statement, however, another horrid gale beat down upon them, and Ryoma relented. “Very well,” he said, “we’ll retreat for now. Good luck, friend.”

With that exchange, the trio of humans huddled together and exited the area, leaving Yuki alone. After watching his friends depart, he turned back and began making his way around the frozen remains until he reached the far side of the plateau. Facing him was a sheer incline that would’ve been impossible for someone to climb without the proper equipment.

Yuki smiled, however, and plunged his claws into the icy wall. Steadily, he moved up the wall one arm’s length at a time. He continued his trek for what seemed like a mile upward. Eventually, though, he ran out of ice to pierce. He smiled, content that he’d finally reached the summit.

Atop the tallest mountain stood a miniscule shrine with a tiny hatch on the front. Atop that sat a shadowy figure that Yuki couldn’t quite make out. He wondered what type of creature aside from himself could survive up there. In the middle of his contemplation, the creature squawked so loudly that it nearly caused the kappa to fall backward. “What on earth?” He asked aloud.

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The mystery creature lifted off from the shrine and swooped over Yuki’s head, trails of snow and wind in quick pursuit. Yuki looked up and noticed the figure’s features up close. It was indeed a bird, yet it possessed glowing red eyes, and had three feet connected to its body. Yuki gasped once he recognized his foe.

“You’re Yatagarasu, a guiding god!” Yuki exclaimed. Instead of answering, Yatagarasu dropped down and clawed at him. The winds whipped toward the kappa, yet failed to affect him in any significant manner. Yuki instead feared for his well-being facing down a triad of fearsome talons.

Yuki fell to the ground to avoid Yatagarasu’s attack. The bird just barely swooped by his head. His body trembled in a way not dissimilar to how those who’d frozen earlier on the mountain had. Terror engulfed his very being.

Reflecting on that fact, Yuki lamented about being a coward. His whole journey to the world of mankind was plagued with fear: fear of the humans he encountered like Koichi; fear of his fellow demons like Orochi; and now, fear from the wrath of the gods like Yatagarasu.

But then, something else came to mind. Yuki thought of Ryoma, the first friend he’d made. Himiko, too, with her kind and gentle nature, who was willing to help a complete stranger and demon. And even Tetsuo, who may have judged him too harshly at first, but grew to be a true confidant in the end. The truth was, he cared for each of them deeply. And to further the issue, they needed him now more than ever.

With that in mind, Yuki rose to his feet once more. Fear be damned, it was time to help his friends! “Come on, Yatagarasu!” He exclaimed. The three-legged bird answered with a deafening squawk and lifted itself high into the wintry sky again. This time, however, Yuki planted his webbed feet and prepared to hold his ground.

Yatagarasu dove like a true bird of prey and extended its talons. Yuki, though, refused to budge again. He inhaled as big a gulp of cold air as he could manage and, right when his foe craned it middle foot up to claw at his face, spewed out a blast of freezing wind. It instantly merged Yatagarasu’s foot with its underbelly in an icy sheen, rendering it useless. Yuki’s own claws clashed with his opponent’s left and right feet which caused the beast to recoil ever so slightly.

Since Yuki was firmly planted on the ground, his own body refused to move from the clash. Taking advantage of that fact, he reached out and grabbed Yatagarasu’s free feet and swung the bird down to the ground near the shrine. Not missing a beat, he placed his palms down to the soft snow beneath him and, harnessing the power of his ofuda, manipulated the ice into a litany of spears. They continued to manifest further across the summit until reaching Yatagarasu. Before the bird could lift itself from the ground, the spears skewered it from below.

The light left Yatagarasu’s eyes, and in an instant, the bird dissipated, leaving only black plumage to sway in the cold wind. Then, the shrine’s hatch opened. Yuki rushed to see its contents. Reaching the wooden structure, he found an identical ofuda to the one he had absorbed save for a yellow string tied around it instead of a blue string that his talisman possessed. Either way, he felt elated by the discovery.

Lower on the mountain, the trio of humans noticed that the weather began to subside, so they decided to advance further up and meet their kappa companion back at the plateau. Climbing up yet again, they found their way back to the deceased explorers. There, Yuki sat grinning widely.

“Yuki!” Ryoma yelled. “Were you successful in your mission?” In lieu of answering, Yuki simply held up his newfound treasure. The others gasped. Ryoma ran to him and collected the ofuda from his hand. “This is incredible, Yuki!” He exclaimed. “Thank you so much, dear friend!” Yuki merely continued smiling and said, “Oh, it was nothing, really.”