Meeting the Snow Girl?!

"How is it?"

"What do you mean, how is it?"

"Do you like the power?"

Power.

The power Master was referring to was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠probably my Awakened ability. That was the only thing he would ever refer to as 'power.'

"I think it's great! When I first Awakened, I was a little scared... but now, I'm really glad ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I did!"

I meant it.

If I hadn't Awakened, what would I be doing right now?

Probably nothing productive. I'd likely be rotting away in a tiny one-room studio, just killing time.

Compared to that, now I've met new people like Grandfather Yong-su, Uncle Jong-woo, and Sister Se-eun.

I've even made a lot of money, and I have precious friends like Jeolmi, Bombe, and Hwindungi.

I think I've gotten used to this body, too. Though it's true I'm still a bit bewildered by it sometimes...

If there was any downside, it would be that I turned into a girl.

It was hard to call becoming younger a downside. After all, no amount of money could buy youth like this.

Losing my original male gender was the only real drawback... but strangely, I didn't feel much about it now.

Was it the effect of the Childlike Mind skill?

Either way, I didn't feel like I had lost much. It wasn't like I had a girlfriend or anyone I liked in my past life anyway.

Mm-hmm.

"Hoho... That is a relief."

"What is?"

"That you have accepted the power so well..."

Did some people reject their own power?

It was hard to fully understand what Master meant, but he seemed satisfied that I appreciated my ability.

"Now, stay still for a moment."

Master slowly raised his hand. At first, I thought he was going to pat my head.

Huh?

But contrary to my expectations, he pressed his thumb gently against my forehead. It didn't hurt, but it felt incredibly strange.

It was like the refreshing sensation I felt whenever he patted my head, but amplified. It rushed in, passing beyond refreshing and turning into a freezing chill inside my mind.

Was this really okay?

"Master...?"

Master let out a very heavy sigh.

With a groan that sounded like he was suppressing pain, his body trembled as he nodded.

"Go and have a conversation."

"A conversation?"

Flash—

My vision instantly turned pitch black, and my consciousness faded.

"Gasp!"

He said it was a gift, but what is this...?!

I was with Master just a second ago, and now I've suddenly been thrown into this pitch-black space. I think I fainted, but...

But how is my consciousness so clear?

This is pretty weird.

Usually, when you faint or fall asleep, you're supposed to feel hazy.

Anyway... floating all alone in this completely black void was starting to get scary. It felt like a ghost could pop out at any second.

Just what did Master send me here to talk to?

A conversation...? With who?

Master definitely said it was a gift.

He could be a bit harsh, but Master was still ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my master. He really did train me, and he patted my head with his warm hands.

I didn't think he would do anything bad to me...

"I didn't expect to meet you like this."

"Hwah!"

While I was worrying, a voice echoed from somewhere beyond.

Strangely, even though it sounded distant and quiet, it was so clear it felt like someone was whispering right into my ear.

Startled, my shoulders flinched and my eyes widened. Who was there? I stared into the darkness, but seeing no one only made me more confused.

"Who are you...?"

"Who do you think?"

A soft voice.

A voice anyone would describe as beautiful.

...And at the same time, a familiar one.

Wait, it sounds like my voice...?

It sounded like the voice I might have once I matured a bit. The tone and the way she ended her sentences in a polite register made it feel even more like mine.

If so...!

"Are... are you the Snow Girl? The Snow Girl I saw in the Tower?"

"What a clever child."

Whoosh—

A cold wind swept over me from the darkness.

It wasn't just a cold breeze. It was the kind of gust that hits you when you open the front door in the dead of winter while the snow is piling up outside.

The faint scent of flowers and fresh water tickled my nose.

"How are you talking to me...?"

"...The descendant of Bihyeongrang pushed himself too hard."

I had heard about Bihyeongrang from Master. He said all of his abilities came from him...

Did that mean Master pushed his limits just to connect the Snow Girl and me?

"Um... but why did Master want me to meet you, Lady Snow Girl?"

"You have met a good person. He surely did this because he wants you to grow strong."

"To grow?"

Of course, I had wanted to see the Snow Girl again.

By mimicking the Snow Girl I saw in the Tower, I had learned how to control my abilities. I figured she would help me understand my power better.

She had given me the Seolan skill, after all.

"So, am I going to learn techniques from you?"

"No. Our time to speak will soon come to an end."

Then how was I supposed to grow...?

"...What is your name?"

"Shiro. I'm called Shiro now."

"You even took my name. Good. It means you share that much of a destiny with me."

"Um... to be honest, I still don't really understand what that means. I heard a bit about it from Master, and it was the same when I met General Nami... but it felt like they stopped talking right before the important part."

"I do not know who General Nami is... but you must have been very curious."

Ah, of course the Snow Girl wouldn't know General Nami.

"Very well, I shall explain it to you. That is likely what the descendant of Bihyeongrang wanted."

"Whoa..."

"Shiro, I am... a person from a world that has already perished."

"Huh?"

What did that mean?

If her world perished, how was she talking to me right now?

And what was the entity I met in the Tower?

"The master of a world that could not withstand the invasion of the otherworld. That was me."

"The master of a world?"

"The strongest existence in a collapsed, forgotten... vanished dimension. Such an existence is called the master of a world."

"B-but what does it mean for a dimension to collapse?"

The voice paused for a moment.

After a brief silence... a fierce chill brushed past my body, and a massive face materialized from beyond the dark void.

The Snow Girl.

Her face, just as I had seen it in the Tower, appeared as a giant, hazy, translucent image, looking down at me.

"A world whose innate power has run dry is forced to invade other worlds. By winning the conflict, they can seize the power of that world to sustain their own for longer."

"S-so the enemies coming out of the Gates are doing all this to save their own worlds?"

"Essentially, yes. They are pitiful existences. When that moment comes... the will of their world brainwashes even the most peaceful beings to invade the otherworld."

Suddenly, things started to make sense.

Like the Bombe Rangers, and the bosses of the other Gates.

They had all shown an almost unnatural hostility toward us.

When I knew nothing, I just thought it was because they were Gate monsters... but now I understood that they were all brainwashed to attack us.

"Then... Lady Snow Girl's world..."

"Yes. It fell. An enemy far too powerful invaded us."

"...T-then how did I meet you in the Tower, and how are we talking right now?"

The giant Snow Girl's eyes turned toward me. Because she appeared like a faint mist, I couldn't see them clearly... but they were definitely the same eyes as mine.

Seolan.

She was the original owner of that power. It felt as though a blizzard, far deeper and denser than mine, was swirling within her eyes.

"The masters of defeated worlds. The masters of forgotten worlds each leave behind their will and pass it on to a successor. Just like the relationship between you and me."

"...Does that mean all the classes Awakened people have used to belong to other masters?"

"I do not know exactly what explanation you received... but yes, that is correct."

"B-but Master said... there are people born with a special destiny called the Beyond Heaven. What is that?"

"Passing one's will to a successor is no easy task. An existence with power transcending worlds must find someone born with the exact same fate, a similar destiny, to pass it on. And... among them, there are those who are too identical, like you and me."

"And the more identical they are, the stronger they inherit the original master's power...!"

"Exactly."

She smiled gently.

So many things were starting to fall into place.

From General Nami's words to Master's explanations.

"Normally, unless one realizes these truths on their own, no other existence can speak of them. The laws of the universe interfere."

Ah, so that was why lightning struck behind General Nami when he tried to tell me...

"Shiro, it is time to part."

"Already?"

"If you wish to meet me again, climb the Tower, Shiro. The Tower... is a place that prepares a stage using our destinies."

"...I-I understand. B-but! Then...!"

Honestly, there were so many more things I wanted to ask.

I didn't originally have a body like this. Did my body change because my destiny was so similar to hers, transforming as I inherited her will?

Then what on earth was I supposed to do from now on?

...Was the world I lived in safe?

But hearing that it was time to say goodbye made me panic. I wanted to ask at least one more thing...!

"Do not rush. We shall meet again, in the Tower—"

Because I tried to force the questions out too quickly, the words caught in my throat.

Without being able to ask a single thing—

My consciousness faded once more.

"Gasp!"

As I bolted upright, system messages filled my vision.

Master must have stayed by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my side the entire time I was out, as he was looking down at me with a calm smile.

"Did you have a good talk?"

"M-Master! You see, I met the Snow Girl, and...!"

"Shh."

Master placed his index finger over my lips, silencing me.

"Lest lightning strike."

"...!"

Right, I wasn't supposed to talk about it.

I nodded slowly to show I understood, and Master nodded back, pulling his finger away.

The sun was already beginning to set in the sky.

It had been early afternoon when I sat on the flat rock with Master, but so much time had already passed. Ugh, I was starving.

"...To be honest, I'm not really sure. I heard so many things, but in the end, I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

Still, I had to say what was on my mind.

Destiny, the survival of the world.

It was all too grand and confusing. All I wanted was to be a successful hunter, make tons of money, and eat delicious food.

"You don't need to know right now. In time, you'll naturally find what you want to do."

Master patted my head, telling me not to worry.

Somehow, he felt weaker than before. It felt like his hand had grown even more withered.

"Master, you seem a bit—"

Growwlll—

"..."

"You're hungry, aren't you? Let's go down."

Master slowly stood up and reached out his hand. I took it and nodded. I really was hungry.

As we walked back to the training room, a strange feeling washed over me. To be honest, I hadn't spent that much time with Master.

Our training was always sparring, and we hadn't really shared many emotional moments.

But maybe it was because I kept calling him Master.

It feels kind of comforting.

It was just a feeling like that.