The Northern Snow Mountains Are Way Too Harsh for Me (1)
Snow piled up thick. Up to my waist, making things seriously troublesome. While everyone else strode ahead on their long legs, I was the only one sinking deep into it with every step.
“Puhaha, if Yufir topples over like this, we might never find her!”
Vina laughed, pointing at me with only my upper body poking out of the snowdrift.
Iri, who’d normally charge ahead alone, paused and glanced back with a smirk.
“Y-you guys! You’re matching my speed just to tease me!”
I threw my arms up and yelled, but no one flinched. This tiny body and childish voice commanded zero authority.
Swallowing my humiliation, I pressed on. We had to reach the mountainside midpoint.
The lead group had vanished from sight ages ago.
“How far have we come?”
Vina shrugged at my question—she had no idea—and Iri peered upward.
“About 70 percent. At this pace, Yufir, you’ll make it in under twenty minutes.”
“Awesome……”
Weaving an aura ring didn’t magically turn me into a hero who could crumple mountains or hoist boulders one-handed. It just let me hold more mana, supercharging my body through circulation—less fatigue buildup, faster recovery. So I could push harder without crashing as quick.
Even so, this snow mountain was brutally tough!
“Still, it’s a huge relief that Yufir can weave rings now.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
It happened a month back. Fresh off a mission, I bragged about my rings right away. They gawked at the unusual color but congratulated me all the same. Deep down, they were probably just glad I wasn’t lagging behind anymore.
“And she came back super close with Iri……”
Vina crossed her arms, squinting suspiciously at me and Iri.
“What’s the word… feels like my best-friend spot’s in jeopardy. Never imagined Iri’d give me this vibe.”
“W-what’re you talking about? It’s not like that.”
Iri scratched her cheek with an awkward, bashful grin.
Truth was, her sticking back here instead of running with the leads was a massive shift—so Vina’s jealousy made sense.
“Mmm, Iri and I are war buddies who literally saved each other’s lives once! Can’t be helped!”
Without one another, we’d be dead. That alone demolished any walls between us.
But did that set off Vina’s alarms?
“Yup, total crisis. My spot’s at risk.”
Suddenly—whoosh!—Vina lunged and scooped me into a hug.
“Eep, c-can’t… breathe……”
“No way I’m handing you over to Iri.”
“Y-yeah… you keep me.”
Trapped in this accidental love triangle(?), I wriggled desperately for air against Vina’s chest.
Bickering over silly nonsense like that, we hit the midpoint in no time.
“A bit late, chickadee.”
“S-sorry!”
“Catch your breath. We’re heading back down.”
“Yes ma’am!”
During the break, I slumped against a tree, panting slowly. Even the lead-group peers were drenched in sweat despite the biting cold—steam billowing from their bodies everywhere.
The only ones without a hint of exhaustion? Iri and Elvin, naturally.
Elvin stood out most, though. Not even winded, no sweat at all. He teetered on a cliff edge with a panoramic view, gazing down at the snow mountains like he’d come home.
“Elvin’s from the north, right? That rumor?”
Vina nodded. “Not a rumor—it’s real. Overheard he came down from up there to the eastern academy for some reason… stayed top of the class ever since.”
“Whoa……”
Elite. Super elite.
Iri trudged over and stared the same way.
“Even I get stiff in this cold, but Elvin? Zero issues. Gotta be used to it.”
“So here, he’s……”
“We’ll see, but yeah—he’s got the edge.”
“Oh……”
If Iri was saying it, Elvin’s cold tolerance was on another level from the rest of us.
“Rested up?”
The Black Rose Instructor prowled our group, checking each trainee.
“Wanna rest more… ugh.”
Tardy me hauled myself up anyway—no complaints allowed.
“Then back to the temporary barracks—move out!”
Crack! Her words barely ended when a thunderous roar shook the air.
We all jolted, whipping around.
Rumble rumble……
A tree toppled. And charging from that direction—our peer, face drained white—sprinted toward us.
“B-bear! Run!”
Crashing through the fallen timber: a massive brown bear.
It reared up, roaring with savage fangs and claws aimed right at us.
“GRRRAAAHHH!”
That thing was magic beast-sized. A fierce beast… honestly, unarmed, it outclassed your average low-grade magic beast in danger.
“What the hell?!”
“Shit, we’ve got nothing!”
“Everyone—run!”
No weapons on training trainees.
Weapons might’ve helped, but barehanded? Suicide.
“Fall back.”
The Black Rose Instructor rolled her shoulders, loosening up.
“Barracks now. I’ve got this.”
Most peers bolted downhill at her order.
I scrambled up to follow—then Iri veered the opposite way.
“Beasts in rough terrain like this? Insane vitality and aggression. Basically magic beasts.”
Iri retied her hair.
“I-Iri?”
“One this deep means it’s starved bad. Can’t leave the instructor solo.”
“But……”
I reached to stop her—missed. My feet glued to the spot.
Unarmed, I had nothing to lean on. No way I could stand shoulder-to-shoulder yet.
“It’s okay, Yufir.”
Vina rested gentle hands on my shoulders.
“She’ll be fine.”
“Yeah……”
Then—thud, thud—another peer planted himself before the bear.
“Instructor, count me in.”
“You kids……”
Elvin joined Iri’s side.
His vibe was… off. Unflappable? Emotionless? Eerily serene.
“Command that unclear? Lining up like something big’s up?”
The pair ignored the instructor.
“Disobey and it’s demerits, idiots.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
Iri clenched her fists as aura crept up them. Elvin drew a deep breath and advanced.
“I know these mountains best.”
Whoosh……!
A bluish aura bloomed around Elvin.
“Its front paws are extra long and strong. Stay low, burrow in.”
“GRRRAAAHHH!”
The bear swiped.
Raw power plus those lengthy paws and razor claws. One hit would shred us.
Elvin ducked like he’d trip, closed to point-blank, and drove a fist into its chest.
Thwack!
A single blue ring wrapped his hand. Flesh compressed visibly under the blow—Elvin packed serious force.
Rumble. The bear skidded back from the impact.
“Hoh.”
The instructor leaped in next, landing atop the stumbling bear. She hooked her fingers and slammed down.
Boom!
Its head cratered the ground; the earth shuddered.
Two rings gleamed on her hand.
“Hup!”
Iri joined, jabbing an elbow into the rising beast.
One 1-ring, two 2-rings. Ganging up like that, the bear couldn’t counter—bones snapping, blood spewing everywhere.
“Grrrrr……”
The bear staggered back.
No one chased it off—instructor, Iri, Elvin.
“Gulp.”
Dazed, I swallowed hard.
Maybe the real scary part wasn’t the bear… but them?
“Vina……”
“Yeah.”
“We just gotta stay off their bad side?”
“Same thought.”
As the dust settled, we waited for Iri’s return.
“Instructor.”
But Elvin stepped up to the Black Rose Instructor, face grave.
“What? You helped, sure—but demerits are locked in.”
“That’s fine.”
He stared off into the distance.
“There’s… a place I wanna stop by.”
“Hm. The northern kid, right?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
The instructor shook her head coldly.
“Can’t let you break off solo. Back to barracks—now.”
“……”
Elvin nodded and descended toward the temporary barracks. His back looked kinda lonely.
Vina and I traded quiet shrugs.
Gobble gobble. Exhausted and ravenous, I wolfed down the meager soup and bread like it was a feast.
Then we crashed in our tents.
“Ugh……”
Cold. Shivering so bad—could I even sleep?
“Yufir.”
“Hm……?”
“Quit sleeping and wake up.”
“Wasn’t asleep?”
Vina shot me a look like what are you on about?
“Says the deep-sleeping lump.”
“No way… it’s morning already?”
I bolted upright. But no—not morning; everyone else still out cold.
“What’s wrong?”
“Elvin’s gone……”
“What?”
Vina pointed. Clear signs someone had gotten up and bailed. Pretty sure that spot was Elvin’s.
“No way.”
“Yeah. Remember that place he wanted to hit?”
I nodded.
“Looks like he actually went.”
“Busted = disaster, right?”
“Pretty much……”
I freaked, leaping to my feet.
“Group punishment for sure—and Elvin’ll get disciplined too?”
Slipping out sans orders? Borderline desertion.
Knowing that, I sprang up.
“L-let’s go drag him back.”
“Yufir, but if we get caught……”
“I know.”
I tugged Vina’s hem lightly.
“Feels wrong leaving him solo.”
Afternoon Elvin had seemed… unsteady.
“You two… aware of the risks?”
Iri stirred from the corner, eyeing us.
Vina and I swapped glances. Synced up. Gearing to go.
“Let’s track him.”
“Haa.”
Iri sighed huge.
“No funny business—just snag Elvin and bail.”
“Got it.”
And Iri tailed us. Her presence alone felt reassuring—worry dialed down a notch.
Outside the tent: utter blackness. Only camp lights pierced it. Up high, a bone-white moon and yellow stars asserted themselves.
Snap—Vina flicked her fingers, conjuring a small light orb.
“Footprints.”
Vina took point.
“Let’s move.”
We pushed max speed, chasing Elvin’s trail.