“…….”
Step. Step.
A white-haired woman radiating an icy aura throughout her body.
The branch director of the Tree Japan Division, Beta-ranked administrator Yukina.
She was walking alone in the middle of the Jukai Forest.
“This is strange.”
With every step she took, the cold she exuded turned the ground pure white. Around her, hundreds of yokai were already frozen solid.
Tap!
As she snapped her fingers, the ice statues shattered all at once.
“No matter how I think about it, something’s off.”
Yukina had been here in Aokigahara Forest just a month ago. She had received information suggesting that this place might be the source of the recent surge of supernatural occurrences across Japan.
Even for someone of her Beta rank, entering a demon-infested area alone was highly dangerous, so she had prepared thoroughly before setting out on her scouting mission.
However, upon arriving, Aokigahara Forest had been eerily quiet, contrary to her expectations.
She had sensed a strong presence deep within, but its estimated rank was somewhere between high Gamma and barely reaching Beta.
Another presence was felt on the outskirts, slightly weaker than the one inside.
While there was no shortage of yokai, most of them were weak and insignificant—nothing she couldn’t handle on her own.
Thus, she proceeded with her exploration and eventually encountered two formidable entities.
Monster of Unmatched Strength (Kairikunanshin) and Three-Headed Serpent Tanjin.
Although there had been some minor skirmishes, no full-blown battle had taken place.
Her purpose in coming here was merely a preliminary survey for a large-scale mission. There was no need to take unnecessary risks.
Even back then, Yukina had already analyzed them.
Even if both of them had attacked her at full strength, she hadn’t thought for a moment that she would lose.
So she simply froze the surrounding area as a warning and left the forest.
But now…
“What is this overwhelming presence?”
The energy she sensed now was incomparably greater than before.
Even the number of lower-ranked yokai had increased dramatically.
At least three times? No, maybe four times as many.
Did something happen to the forest?
Previously, the average creatures here had been at most Epsilon rank, with Delta rank being the upper limit.
Now, most of the yokai seemed to be at least Delta rank, and she even encountered some that could be classified as Gamma.
This isn’t good. Something has definitely changed in the forest. I need to return as soon as possible and report this information.
Because she was more familiar with this forest than anyone, she had entered deep without hesitation.
But now, she was starting to feel a sense of danger.
Her veteran instincts, honed from surviving countless battlefields, were kicking in.
Making a swift decision, Yukina immediately took action.
Crrrrack!
The ground beneath her feet froze entirely, and an ice-crafted board emerged at her feet.
Whooosh!
Yukina shot forward at an incredible speed.
The wind roared so violently around her that her ears were hurt.
I need to go even faster.
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, she increased her speed even more.
The ice on the ground slowly lifted into the air, forming a path of frozen surfaces wherever she moved.
Despite this, her expression remained grim.
Even after accelerating further, the presence chasing her had not changed in the slightest.
They’re emitting far stronger energy than before. What the hell happened while I was away?
Two entities were pursuing Yukina.
Most likely Kairikunanshin and Tanjin.
For some reason, the demonic aura they exuded was way more powerful than before.
Even though she was fleeing at full speed, they were gradually closing in on her.
That alone showed how dire the situation was.
At this rate, they would catch up in no time.
Making a quick decision, Yukina shifted into combat mode.
Rather than wasting energy running away, she instinctively knew that fighting with all her strength would give her a higher chance of survival.
Jumping high into the air, she unleashed a barrage of ice projectiles in every direction.
Shaaah!
Blades of ice, formed in midair, rained down across the battlefield.
The grotesquely large trees surrounding her were obliterated in an instant.
And then, finally, her pursuers revealed themselves.
A pale-skinned man exuding an eerie aura and an enormous serpent with three heads and three tails.
[The same human woman from before. This is our land. Who gave you permission to step foot here?]
[How delicious you look.]
Yukina looked at them with a cold gaze.
“You vermin. Gaining a bit of power and suddenly you think you’re something?”
[How dare a mere human…!]
Tanjin lifted his heads and spewed thick poisonous fog.
But with a mere wave of her hand, Yukina froze it solid.
As she landed, twin ice swords materialized in her grip.
Slash!
Two of Tanjin’s heads were severed in an instant.
Schlurp!
Yet, from the cut surfaces, new heads rapidly regrew.
[Hahaha! Did you really think something like that could kill the great Tanjin?!]
The moment she realized her opponent possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities, snowflake-shaped ice crystals began to descend from the sky.
“Snow Blossom.”
[W-What is this?!]
As the ice flowers bloomed, Tanjin’s body began freezing over at an alarming rate.
Panicking, he shouted desperately.
[H-Help me! Leader of the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of Hundred Demons)!]
Kairikunanshin, who had been waiting, stomped the ground.
His movement seemed like a child’s playful steps, yet also like a shrine maiden’s sacred dance.
Yukina, momentarily puzzled by the bizarre action, attempted to counter.
But before she could react, darkness consumed her vision, and all her senses faded away.
It felt as though she were falling into an abyss.
—Mom! Mom! Why did you abandon me? Why did you leave me behind?!
—Honey… I can’t live without you. My death… It’s all your fault. Yui is dead, too. You killed her.
The voices of her husband and daughter echoed in her head.
She knew these voices weren’t real.
And yet, some part of her wished she could hear them just a little longer.
However…
If she gave in, she would never be able to return to them.
That’s why Yukina gathered every ounce of her strength and unleashed her ultimate technique.
“Permafrost.”
Even in this moment, with all her senses cut off, she could still activate this power with absolute precision.
Boom!
Shaaah!
Crackkkkk!
A burst of icy energy erupted from Yukina’s entire body, engulfing the surroundings. Slowly, her senses returned. Opening her eyes and scanning the area, she saw that both Three-Headed Tanjin and Kairikunanshin were frozen solid.
Just in case, she squeezed out every last bit of remaining strength and reinforced the ice trapping them. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Yukina collapsed, breathing heavily.
“Haa… Haa… Damn, those damn yokai bastards…”
Though she was completely drained, she had managed to take down two Beta-class entities. In the end, the outcome was in her favor.
“The old geezer and that slit-eyed bastard will be thrilled.”
Just as Yukina tried to stand—
Stab!
A massive blade pierced straight through her back.
“Ghhk!”
Coughing up a mouthful of blood, she turned around in shock.
A towering yokai, easily over six meters tall. Its face was entirely red, five horns extended from its head, and four glowing eyes gleamed menacingly.
The entity was none other than Shuten-doji, the so-called King of Oni (demons).
“…I didn’t sense anything at all…”
Before she could finish speaking, Shuten-doji yanked his sword out and slashed—
“Ah… No—”
Squelch!
Yukina’s body was severed cleanly in two.
[Pathetic creatures.]
As Shuten-doji spoke, Kairikunanshin and Tanjin shattered the ice that had encased them and emerged.
[…You couldn’t even handle a mere human?]
[We could have handled it ourselves without your interference.]
[Y-Yes, that’s right!]
Clicking his tongue in irritation, Shuten-doji pulled out a gourd from his robe and took a long swig.
[Tch. Watching you two work makes me want to drink.]
[…Isn’t that just an excuse for you to drink whenever you want?]
[Silence.]
Shuten-doji barked before turning away and disappearing. Left behind, Kairikunanshin and Tanjin exchanged glances before approaching Yukina’s bisected corpse.
[Hmph. Now that I look at her, more than half of her blood is mixed with yokai.]
[Sniff sniff… That’s right. Judging by the scent, she must be a half-blood—born from the union of a spirit and a human.]
A twisted grin stretched across Kairikunanshin’s face as he gazed down at Yukina’s corpse.
[Heh heh… Surely you wouldn’t want to die like this, would you? Born incomplete, and now dying incomplete… This time, why not try living as a whole?]
“……”
[What? You want to return to the world you came from? Hahahaha! What a funny question. Well… Who knows? If you do as I say, maybe that day will come someday.]
Taeseong finished recalling the memory and frowned, cursing under his breath.
“The world is full of bastards that deserve to be killed.”
Even though he had harbored ill feelings toward Yukina, learning the truth left a bitter taste in his mouth.
She, too, had been caught up in a dimensional shift, just like him. And more than anything, she had desperately wanted to return to her family.
Even someone like Lee Taeseong, who was often called cold-hearted, couldn’t help but feel sympathy after witnessing her memories.
Because he understood her feelings better than anyone.
But what could he do?
He had already killed her.
Feeling sorry was one thing, but work was work. No matter the reason, if she had been revived by the yokai and turned into a monster that attacked her own allies, then he had no choice but to cut her down without hesitation.
Hesitation born of sympathy would only lead to more deaths.
That’s why he didn’t regret his actions.
He only found them unfortunate.
‘I’ll make good use of your abilities. And though your end was tragic, I appreciate that you looked after Sooah. So if there’s an afterlife, I pray that you’ll reunite with your family there.’
Taeseong debated whether to burn Yukina’s corpse right then and there but eventually decided otherwise.
He picked up her severed head, pressed it against the cut on her body, and then froze her entire form.
Then, opening a subspace, he stored her frozen remains inside.
He wasn’t sure if she would have wanted it, but rather than letting her body burn away in this wretched forest, he figured it would be better to at least give her a proper burial—however small it might be.
And it would also give Sooah a chance to say goodbye.
“What… What did you just do?”
“Don’t mind it.”
“That power just now… That was the same ability Administrator Yukina used, wasn’t it?”
“You’re talking nonsense. I’ve always had ice abilities. I just never had a reason to use them until now.”
“……”
Mid-sentence, Taeseong suddenly turned his head.
From the direction he was looking, an overwhelming yokai presence surged forth—so powerful that even Yato, a Gamma-class, could feel it.
“Th-That’s…!”
“Get ready.”
“Huh?”
“The hunt begins.”
