Chapter Nineteen:
"Fangs in the Frost"
The trail snaked downward, the air carrying the faint scent of pine and earth dampened by snowmelt. Yumi adjusted her pack, her twin tails curling reflexively against the cold as the group descended. The towering peaks behind them were shrouded in mist, leaving only jagged outlines against the pale sky. Each step took them closer to the Yama-Okami’s camp, a place spoken of with both reverence and caution.
Masashi, their guide and leader of the Okami warriors, led the way with the quiet confidence of someone who knew the land intimately. His silver-streaked mane blended with the snow, and his sharp amber eyes scanned the horizon, ever watchful.
“How far now?” Rai asked, her voice cutting through the rhythmic crunch of boots on snow. Her war fan hung at her side, a polished and deadly extension of her instincts.
“Not far,” Masashi replied. “We’ll reach the camp by sundown if the weather holds.”
Ayako, the eldest warrior, spoke next, her voice calm but edged with authority. “Once we reach the camp, you’ll see what remains of our people. The Yama-Okami are not what they once were. Our numbers have dwindled, but our resolve remains unbroken.”
“And after the camp?” Yumi asked, her voice steady despite the cold biting at her ears.
Masashi glanced back, his expression unreadable. “After the camp, we make for the temple. That is where the answers to the failing barrier await us. But first, you must understand what’s at stake.”
The group continued in silence, the weight of his words settling over them like the snowflakes drifting through the air. Finally, Kenji, one of the younger warriors, broke the quiet with a wry chuckle. “Masashi always did enjoy dramatic pauses.”
Masashi’s sharp glance silenced him. “This isn’t drama, Kenji. It’s history. The alliances we’re forging now have not existed in centuries. Kitsune, Nekomijin, Humans, and now… Players.” His tone shifted, tinged with both bitterness and hope. “To stand together again is no small feat.”
Rai’s brow furrowed as she fell into step beside Ayako. “What about this temple you spoke of? Is it truly a place of power?”
Ayako nodded. “Deep in the mountains lies a sanctuary we call Tsuki-no-Mai, the Dance of the Moon. It is said to hold the remnants of an ancient bond—a Player and an Okami who defied their fates through their forbidden love. Their devotion to one another transcended the barriers of their worlds, forging the first protective barrier through their unity and sacrifice. Their sacrifice binds the magic that still lingers there.”
“And now that barrier is failing,” Yumi said softly.
“Yes,” Ayako replied. “If we are to stop the collapse, we must reach the temple and uncover what lies within.”
Kenji’s chuckle returned, though it carried a nervous edge. “And here I thought mountain treks would be the hardest part.”
The tension broke slightly as Ayako allowed a rare smile. “The mountains are merely the beginning, young one.”
The tranquil descent was shattered by a deep, resonant clicking, a sound that seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere. Yumi froze mid-step, her fox ears twitching as the noise grew louder. The hairs on her twin tails stood on end, her instincts screaming of danger. From the shadows of the pines ahead, glints of chitinous black began to emerge—dozens of massive legs skittering into view.
“Tsuchigumo,” Masashi growled, his voice a sharp contrast to the eerie quiet that followed. The Yama-Okami leader unsheathed his twin blades, their steel gleaming under the weak sunlight. “Stay together and stay sharp. These spider-beasts are relentless.”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
As the first Tsuchigumo lunged from the shadows, Yumi’s HUD flared to life. Enemy markers highlighted the arachnids in vibrant red, their weak points glowing faintly at their leg joints. A quick glance revealed combat data scrolling across her peripheral vision: Tsuchigumo – Threat Level: Moderate. Weakness: Fire.
“Got it,” Yumi muttered, leaping back as her daggers flashed. A burst of foxfire erupted from the blades, striking the creature’s front legs. The Tsuchigumo recoiled with a shrill, unnatural screech, and her HUD displayed a satisfying – -12 HP above its head.
Rai’s war fan snapped open with a metallic clang, and her HUD updated her positioning data. A small map highlighted her as the center of a circular zone, showing the range of her Cyclone Step ability. She spun gracefully, unleashing a slicing gust of wind that sent the nearest spider sprawling. A notification blinked: Critical Hit! -25 HP.
“Yumi, left flank!” Rai shouted, her voice steady despite the chaos. Her HUD glimmered faintly, the cooldown timer for her Tempest Dance ticking down in the corner.
“On it!” Yumi darted to the side, hurling a Foxfire Orb into a cluster of advancing Tsuchigumo. The explosion of blue flames illuminated the battlefield, scattering the smaller spiders and creating a brief reprieve. Her HUD flashed again: Area Damage – 3 Enemies Defeated. As the flames subsided, Yumi conjured an illusion clone at the edge of the fray. The decoy flickered and drew the attention of several beasts, their confusion tagged with status effects**.**
Masashi charged forward with a roar, his blades flashing in deadly arcs. Unlike the Players, his movements bore no trace of a HUD’s assistance. Each strike was guided purely by instinct and precision, yet his lethality was undeniable. His twin blades carved through exoskeletons, his strikes marked by flashes of green blood that stained the snow.
Ayako fought beside him, her spear sweeping wide to keep the spiders at bay. Her HUD-free combat style mirrored Masashi’s, her calm efficiency cutting through the chaos. Despite their lack of visual aids, the Yama-Okami warriors moved with the same precision Players relied on from their mechanics.
Kenji darted in and out of the melee, his short blade flashing as he delivered quick strikes before retreating.
The Tsuchigumo retaliated with brutal precision. One massive spider lunged at Rai, its mandibles clashing inches from her face. Her HUD blared a warning: Dodge Now! She twisted away, her war fan slicing upward in a graceful arc. The steel edge caught the creature’s eye cluster, blinding it as it reeled back. [Blinded].
Yumi unleashed a Foxfire Storm, blue flames erupting in a cascading wave that engulfed the advancing spiders. The air crackled with heat as the magical fire seared through exoskeletons, reducing some of the smaller beasts to ash. Her HUD chimed: Wave Cleared. SP Regen Active. But the reprieve was short-lived as more Tsuchigumo skittered from the treeline, their numbers seemingly endless.
“Masashi!” Ayako called out, her spear embedded in one of the creatures. “We’re getting overrun!”
Masashi’s eyes darted to a nearby ridge. “Fall back to the outcrop!” he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. “We’ll make our stand there.”
The group began a controlled retreat, Yumi and Rai covering the rear. Yumi’s illusions distracted the spiders, drawing them into traps of fire and false images. Her HUD tracked each decoy’s status, showing a countdown timer for their duration. Rai moved with fluid precision, her war fan creating gusts of wind that sent the creatures tumbling back. Her HUD displayed diminishing health bars as her attacks landed true.
As they reached the outcrop, a new threat emerged. From the shadows of the forest, an enormous Tsuchigumo crawled into view. Its body was twice the size of the others, its legs tipped with gleaming, razor-sharp claws. The air around it shimmered with a faint, unnatural light, and Yumi’s HUD flashed a warning: Alpha Detected – Threat Level: High. Special Ability: Venomous Burst.
“An alpha,” Masashi muttered, tightening his grip on his blades. “Take it down, now!”
Rai surged forward, her war fan spinning in a dazzling display. She unleashed a Tempest Dance, creating a whirlwind of slashes and wind that enveloped the alpha. The beast screeched, anchoring itself with its massive legs as it weathered the assault. Rai’s HUD showed the damage numbers climbing: -30 HP, -28 HP, -35 HP.
“Yumi, now!” Rai called out.
Yumi nodded, her hands glowing with foxfire as she conjured a blinding orb of light. She hurled it at the alpha, the explosion stunning the creature and leaving it vulnerable. [Stunned]. Masashi and Ayako seized the opportunity, their weapons striking in unison. Steel met chitin with a sickening crunch as the alpha let out a final, guttural screech before collapsing into the snow. Yumi’s HUD flashed: Boss Defeated – +100 XP.
The remaining Tsuchigumo hesitated, their confidence shattered. Masashi stepped forward, his blades raised high. “Begone!” he roared, his voice echoing through the mountains.
The spiders scattered, retreating into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared. Silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by the labored breaths of the warriors. Yumi lowered her daggers, her hands trembling from the exertion.
“Is everyone alright?” Rai asked, her eyes scanning the group.
“We’re fine,” Masashi replied, though his expression betrayed the weight of their narrow victory. “But this is only the beginning. The mountains hold far worse than Tsuchigumo."
As the sun dipped lower, the first signs of the camp appeared—wisps of smoke curling upward, the faint hum of activity, and the rhythmic beat of drums echoing through the valley. Yumi’s heart quickened as they approached, her senses attuned to every sound and scent. The camp was nestled within a natural hollow, protected by towering cliffs on three sides. Fires burned low in carefully arranged circles, their light illuminating not just the faces of warriors and elders, but also children darting between tents and artisans honing their craft, their presence a testament to the resilience of the Yama-Okami.
Masashi halted at the edge of the camp, turning to face the group. Rest tonight, for tomorrow we plan the next steps. The path ahead will not be easy, but together, we have a chance.”
Yumi looked to Rai, whose war fan gleamed faintly in the firelight. For the first time, she saw not just determination in her companion’s eyes but something deeper—a quiet resolve born from the battles they had faced.
The group stepped into the camp, the weight of the journey thus far settling over them. Whatever awaited them in the temple and beyond, they would face it together.