There was something serene about the snow-covered mountains, a stillness that stretched across the frozen landscape like a thick blanket. I trudged through the knee-deep snow, my breath fogging up in front of me with every exhale. Beside me, Akuma grumbled under his breath, his cheeks flushed from the cold.

"This is stupid," he muttered, his red skin stark against the white backdrop. "Why does Izumi-sensei always make us hike to his house in the dead of winter?"

"Maybe he's testing us," I replied, my voice muffled by the scarf I'd wrapped around my face. "Or maybe he just likes watching us suffer."

Akuma shot me a glare, his dark red hair whipping in the icy wind. "I'm already freezing my ass off, Y/N. Don't make me kill you too."

I snickered, knowing he didn't mean it. Beside us, Fukuhara trudged along silently, his katana strapped securely to his back. His brown hair was covered in a light dusting of snow, and his face was calm, almost peaceful. Koyasu, the blue-glowing spirit, floated along without any trouble at all, his feet hovering just above the snow. It always pissed Akuma off how Koyasu never had to struggle with mundane things like trudging through snow.

"Cheer up, Akuma," Koyasu said in his usual lazy drawl. "Think of it as training. You know, for when we have to face something even worse."

"Or when Izumi-sensei decides to throw us into another Outer God hunt," Soseki added quietly, his pitch-black form blending into the shadows cast by the snow-laden trees.

"Right, because that's what I need," Akuma grumbled. "Another death wish mission against some cosmic freak."

I chuckled. "Hey, those 'freaks' are good for practice."

"Practice, he says," Akuma shot back, shaking his head. "You're insane."

"Probably," I replied, grinning beneath my scarf. "But at least I'm having fun."

We finally reached Izumi-sensei's house—a humble, wooden cabin nestled between two large snow-covered pines. Smoke billowed from the chimney, and the scent of fresh miso soup wafted through the air. I felt my stomach growl at the smell, and my pace quickened.

Izumi-sensei stood at the entrance, his conical straw hat dusted with snow. His long brown hair fell over his shoulders, and his hazel eyes held that calm, unreadable expression he always wore. He nodded as we approached, his kimono swaying gently in the wind.

"Good," he said in that soft but firm tone of his. "You've made it without freezing to death. That's a start."

Akuma rolled his eyes. "Barely."

Izumi chuckled, his breath visible in the cold air. "Come inside. Warm up and eat. We have much to discuss."

We piled into the small, cozy cabin, shaking off the snow and finding places to sit near the fire. Izumi-sensei's home was simple—a low table, a few tatami mats, a couple of shelves with scrolls and books, and a fire pit in the middle that kept the place warm. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough for us.

Izumi set out bowls of hot miso soup, and I didn't waste a second before digging in. The warmth spread through my body, chasing away the cold that had settled into my bones. The others did the same, and for a moment, the only sound was the quiet slurping of soup and the crackling of the fire.

After a few minutes, Izumi cleared his throat, catching our attention. "I've received word from Puti Zushi," he said. "He's sending his student, Sun Wukong, to join us for a mission."

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"Sun Wukong?" Fukuhara asked, raising an eyebrow. "The Monkey one from China?"

"The very same," Izumi replied, nodding. "There have been reports of an Outerversal Entity appearing near the eastern mountains. It's a powerful one. We'll need all the help we can get."

"Great," Akuma muttered. "Just what we need—another monkey running around."

I laughed. "Come on, Akuma. You know Wukong's fun. And he's not a bad fighter."

"He's reckless," Soseki said softly, his black eyes narrowing. "But effective."

Koyasu snorted. "As long as he doesn't wreck the place, I don't care."

We spent the next few hours warming up and preparing our gear. I kept Inochi close, her presence a steady hum at my side. Sensei said we'd head out in the morning, giving us time to rest and plan. The snow outside was still falling heavily, and the wind howled like a hungry beast.

Later that night, as the fire burned low and most of the others had dozed off, I heard the familiar sound of Wukong's laughter echoing through the snowy woods. Moments later, a small figure on a cloud descended into the clearing, his laughter growing louder as he got closer.

Wukong hopped off his Nimbus Cloud with a grin, his monkey tail swishing behind him. His orange-gold eyes were bright, and his long, messy brown hair whipped around him as he landed. He wore his usual red scarf and white-and-gold robe, looking like he'd just come from another adventure.

"Yo!" he called out, his grin widening as he spotted us. "You guys start the party without me?"

"Wukong," I greeted, standing up and giving him a nod. "Good timing."

He trotted over, his steps light and quick. "Yeah, I figured you'd need my help again. Heard there's a big one causing trouble."

"That's right," Izumi-sensei said, stepping forward. "It's been terrorizing villages near the eastern mountains. We'll head out at first light."

Wukong's grin didn't waver. "Sounds like fun. Haven't had a good fight in a while."

"Just don't destroy the mountains this time," Akuma muttered from his spot by the fire.

Wukong laughed. "No promises!"

The next morning, we set off into the snow-covered wilderness, Wukong leading the way on his cloud while the rest of us trudged behind. He was in high spirits, as always, showing off his staff, Ryuji Jingu Bang, spinning it around like it weighed nothing despite its massive weight.

"You guys really should try flying sometime," he called down to us, grinning. "Makes these trips a lot easier."

"Keep it up, and I'll knock you off that cloud," Akuma shot back.

"Love you too, Demon Prince!" Wukong teased, his laughter echoing through the mountains.

It took hours of trekking through the snow, but eventually, we reached the eastern mountains. The wind was fierce here, whipping through the trees like a wild beast. I could feel the air humming with a strange energy—the kind that usually meant something otherworldly was nearby.

"Stay sharp," Izumi-sensei said quietly, his eyes scanning the trees. "It's close."

We moved in a tight formation, the snow crunching underfoot. Suddenly, Wukong's eyes flashed with his Golden Pupils. "There," he said, pointing with his staff. "It's hiding in that cave."

We followed his gaze and saw it—a dark, gaping maw of a cave, shadows writhing within like a nest of snakes. I could feel the entity's presence, a cold, hungry void that seemed to swallow all light.

"Ready?" Izumi-sensei asked.

We nodded, drawing our weapons. Wukong grinned, his staff poised and ready. "Let's give it a warm welcome."

We charged forward, and the creature lunged out of the cave—a massive, grotesque thing that defied description, all writhing tendrils and gnashing teeth, like a nightmare brought to life.

Wukong moved first, darting around it with blinding speed, his staff striking with the force of a mountain. I followed close behind, Inochi slicing through its flesh, the blade singing with every cut. Akuma, Fukuhara, Koyasu, and Soseki joined the fray, their movements fluid and practiced, each strike calculated to bring the beast down.

The fight was intense, the entity lashing out with its tendrils, trying to grab and crush us. But we were relentless, driving it back into the cave, inch by inch.

"Grow!" Wukong shouted, and his form expanded into a massive gorilla, his eyes blazing with power. He grabbed the entity by one of its limbs and tore it clean off, throwing it to the ground with a deafening roar.

I grinned, feeling the rush of battle surge through me. "Let's finish this!"

With a final coordinated assault, we struck, our weapons tearing into the creature's core. It let out a hideous scream, its form collapsing in on itself, dissolving into nothingness.

As the dust settled, Wukong shrank back to his usual size, his grin as wide as ever. "Well, that was fun!"

Akuma wiped some ichor off his blade, grumbling. "Yeah, fun for you maybe."

I laughed, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie with my friends, my brothers-in-arms. We'd faced monsters, demons, and gods together, and we'd come out on top.