The Frozen Shelter

The wolf bastards… Had they caught the scent of the wounded? They looked even more vicious than the pack charging from the front. There was no time to hesitate. Thinking itself had become a luxury.

“Hup…”

Yoo Seolah took a deep, steadying breath. She crouched low, then sprang forward like a coiled spring. In that instant, her savage claws tore through the fierce blizzard that had blinded her vision. A single streak of blue light slammed violently into the center of the oncoming wolf pack.

The ground shattered with a deafening crack. Ice crystals erupted skyward as if reacting to the explosion. They were stained a vivid red. An opening. She would never miss it. One more. Just one more!

Three-pronged slashes tore through the rising crystals. Stomach, head, shoulder blade, gallbladder—sharp strikes that pierced vital points in an instant. Her small hands moved like razor-edged blades. Crimson liquid—whose blood, she no longer knew—spattered across the snow, and blood-red ice crystals scattered across the ground.

The Baukalaks that had been thrown upward by the impact were instantly reduced to chunks of meat. The wet, heavy sounds of them dropping to the side echoed—thud, thump.

“I drew their attention, so now if I just…”

But it wasn’t over. The one that looked like the pack leader charged straight at her. Its razor-sharp fangs raked a long gash across her forearm.

“Khhhhhhhhh…”

Normally she wouldn’t have taken even a scratch from trash like this. But her body felt unbearably heavy. She bit down hard on her lip.

‘Fucking annoying. A worthless mob like you.’

She had only used her ability for a short time, yet she already felt like she was going to collapse. Her vision blurred. She couldn’t even tell whose blood was flowing through her anymore. She barely managed to dodge the creature’s ferocious assault, but when she lifted her head, it seemed the pack gnashing their teeth had only grown larger.

“Goddamn wolf bastards, seriously…”

—Grrrrr! Grrraaah!!!

The leader howled. At once, the entire pack flattened themselves against the ground. They were about to charge all at once. A war of attrition would be completely disadvantageous. She had to conserve her stamina. In that case, the most efficient target was the leader.

“Damn it… I have to go first…”

Yoo Seolah steadied her staggering body. She pressed one palm to the ground. Blood flowed from her arm, but she paid it no mind. Then she bent her knees slightly, though they felt ready to buckle at any moment.

“System.”

She gathered the fingers of her other hand into a fine point. The long, sharp claws gleamed with a chilling light. She had to end this in a single strike, no matter what.

“…Hup… Combat module…”

Blood welled up in her mouth. If she used any more power, her body wouldn’t hold.

The attack points analyzed by the System appeared in her vision. The area with the highest calculated instant-kill probability was the lower abdomen. It felt suspicious, but she had to trust it.

She lowered her stance and focused entirely on the leader. The moment it planted its feet and leapt, Yoo Seolah moved one step faster in perfect sync with the signal. What she saw was the creature raising both front paws high in the air. It clearly hadn’t expected her to close in first. She could feel its momentary panic. She didn’t miss it.

She twisted her body in the opposite direction, kicked off the ground, and shot upward again. This time, the creature’s thick arms left its belly completely exposed and defenseless. The sharp claws that had previously sliced through an entire pack of Baukalaks gathered into a single point, forming a small spear. The white dot designated by the combat module appeared clearly in her sight.

The leader hurriedly tried to lower its front paws to protect itself, but it was too late. Her fingertips had already touched its hide.

“…Die, you wolf bastard.”

Yoo Seolah’s hand pierced straight through the leader’s flesh. Even as its body was torn apart, it lunged with its razor fangs. Savage. Ferocious.

“I said die!!!”

She violently yanked her hand free, then grabbed the leader’s head. Pouring every ounce of strength in her body into the motion—

Once again, cold crystals scattered across the frozen ground. In the center of the deeply gouged crater that proved how fierce the battle had been, only one figure remained—fox ears drooping limply as she twisted and writhed in pain.

“Haa… haa… hup… haaaa…”

Yoo Seolah’s plan had succeeded. She had successfully drawn the Baukalaks’ attention.

—Grrrrrrrrr…

—Krrrrr…

But the wolf pack that had sensed danger began circling and surrounding her. Not a single one charged first. She had thought they would fear her now that their leader was dead. Yet that hopeful assumption had gone in the completely opposite direction.

The pack slowly tightened their encirclement. They approached with deliberate slowness, like butchers sharpening a dull blade. Yes—they were simply waiting. They knew. They knew their prey was already at her limit, gasping for breath.

“Haa… haa… ha… hup…”

It felt like she was sprinting at full speed toward a bad ending. The ragged breathing that signaled the approaching conclusion was far from pleasant. That was why Yoo Seolah wanted to stop walking toward that ending. Because it had become too much. Yes… it was too much now…

Support. She needed support…

With trembling hands, she reached for the communicator in her ear. But before she could speak, a transmission came through.

“—CL 52-41 sector. The enemy is circling around the front-line ability user team. Requesting firing coordinates.”

An unexpected situation reached her ears. She simply panted heavily and looked behind her. Though it was a deep crater, it was also a hill, so she could see the ability user team’s battle at a glance. A pack of Baukalaks had already drawn a wide arc and was sneaking behind them. It was quiet. Stealthy. Seeing them crouched low and moving swiftly on all fours, she was speechless.

We’re the ones supposed to be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠executing a plan. Yet both front and rear… we’re being tactically overwhelmed by monsters.

“—Team leader, requesting firing coordinates.”

The only helpful support she could give was a single moment.

—Grrrrrrrrrrrrr…

—Grr! Grr!!

The pack surrounding her no longer seemed willing to wait. She had to choose. The most efficient tactical decision in this moment. The portal, the ability user team. The portal, or the still-powerful Team 1. The portal… No… Still, the front line… But if they lost the portal, everything would be pointless, wouldn’t it? Damn it… Damn it… Goddamn it… So annoying… I don’t know, I don’t know anymore…

Suddenly, among the wolves circling her, the largest one crouched as if preparing to pounce. The surrounding wolves began to howl. Hunting time. The prelude signaling the start of the hunt.

Yoo Seolah stopped thinking and raised her trembling arm again. She had no idea when the circling wolves would charge. But… something was wrong.

“Eh… ah…?”

Her ability wasn’t responding at all. The sharp claws, the thick fur that had protected her wounds—everything had vanished.

“Ha… of all times…?”

Her chest ached. The wound from the recent battle had filled with blood, but the freezing cold pierced her flesh and froze it solid again.

“Ah, uuuugh…”

This was the limit. The breathing that signaled the end grew rougher. At this moment, there was no teammate to help her, no ability left to protect herself. She didn’t want to imagine it, but it came to her naturally. Being bitten, feeling pain. Being torn apart, screaming. Bleeding, and then… and then…

“…Ah, ah, no… I don’t want this… I d-don’t want…”

It was hopeless. She wanted to run, but her legs refused to move no matter how hard she tried. Terror gripped her ankles. Soon, an indescribable fear crawled up her thighs. That fear seized both of her legs—the ones that had somehow endured until now. And then, as if devouring her, it began to chew. One bite. Two bites. Rough, merciless.

The pain without pain spread through her entire body. Yoo Seolah could endure no longer.

“I said I don’t want this…”

Thud.

The sound of powerless flesh hitting the ground. It was the sound of an exhausted fox collapsing onto the cold floor. But she still didn’t realize it. So she moved her hand to her ear as if praying to some nameless god.

“…Sy-System… Current location…”

Death comes for everyone, but not yet, she told herself. Perhaps that was why she nodded at the sincere voice rising from within her heart.

‘The Special Operations Team’s support is still available, right?’

“Y-yeah… Yeah. Yeah. That’s right, that’s right.”

‘But if the Baukalaks that went around behind them launch a surprise attack on the formation, the whole team could be wiped out?’

“It’s scary…”

‘Scary? You’re only scared of dying yourself?’

‘You damn fox bitch.’

“Shut up, you fuck!!”

Yoo Seolah screamed inwardly. She wanted to prove that voice wrong. That was how desperate she was. The team—the team was strong, wasn’t it? They were all relying on each other and fighting together. So why was it only her who had to suffer ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like this? Just her. Just her alone was struggling to the death here!! Alone, being alone was too much anymore!!!!

“Special Operations Team!! Co-Cold Line, Cold Line 52-38 sector!!!”

The moment she shouted, the wolf pack that had sensed their prey’s terror leapt into the crater. Dark shadows slowly began to cover her face. An unbearable ending flashed through her mind. Yoo Seolah curled up tightly, clutching her head. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she bit down on her blood-stained lips and screamed.

“…S-Support fire on my position!!!!”

“—52-38 target confirmed.”

At the same time as her desperate cry, red laser points rapidly converged around her from the glacial cliff above.

“—Good luck.”

The instant the transmission ended, the glowing target markers from vertical, lateral, and forward angles trembled.

The 25mm large-caliber Redeye rounds ignored the silencers, roaring with massive explosions as they scraped along the barrels. Four more shots followed.

“Ah, ah… Hurry… Hurry…”

But it was too slow. A Baukalak that had closed in right in front of her bared its fangs and claws. Even though she was clutching her head, she could feel their hot breath.

“N-No… I don’t want this… I don’t…”

Crunch. Squish. She felt something sharp stab into her thigh, shoulder, and lower abdomen.

“…Ah?”

Crack. A crushing sound came from her right arm, the one shielding her face.

“Ah, uuuuuugh… Khhhhhhhhh…”

But she couldn’t move. It was ultra-long-range sniping. If the timing was off, she could be hit by the incoming rounds. Suddenly, she thought of that fox-like bitch. This sight… She had always watched from afar…

“..Aaaaaagh… Fuck… ing…”

One by one, each shot struck a vital point with perfect accuracy. In Yoo Seolah’s blurred vision, she saw the wolves bounce away as if struck by a hammer. The pack was already dying. Another group of Baukalaks trampled over the corpses and charged in. But Yoo Seolah, who knew the ammunition’s performance, crouched as low as possible to avoid the explosions.

[25mm Redeye. 416 Barrett] rounds caused an oxidation reaction the moment they embedded in flesh. Then they generated extreme heat and pressure before detonating. The wolves now glowing red and moaning in agony would soon become victims of that blast. She couldn’t predict ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠how powerful the explosion would be, but worrying about the blast radius in this urgent moment was a luxury. So she simply lowered her body even more.

But in her defenseless position, one wolf sank its teeth into her ankle.

“Fuck…”

With that short curse, the surroundings were swallowed by a deafening roar.

Blood sprayed everywhere. Chunks of flesh flew in a sickening spectacle. Her ears rang and her vision blurred, but she didn’t care. What washed over her was a single thread of relief.

“Haa… haa… hup…”

She looked around in disbelief. The Special Operations Team—supporters who could only handle trash mobs—had done quite well. The nightmarish creatures had vanished in an instant. The other wolves nearby had been cleanly oxidized when the one embedded with bullets exploded. Five entire packs had been wiped out in just three seconds.

“…Haa, hup… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I’m alive… hup…”

Crack……………Crrrrrrrrrack…… Crackle……………Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrack……….

“…Hup, haa… Again… what now…?”

But the moment of relief was brief. A tremendous sound suddenly erupted from the ice floor. It wasn’t from the recent explosion. Something deeper, a far greater vibration. The ground was gradually being swallowed into a black hole below. The crevasse she had seen earlier had spread deeply—very deeply—encircling both the portal and Team 1.

“Wh-What? Don’t tell me… it’s already chased us all the way here…?”

“…System… hup, huuuup… Shut down…”

The System was no longer helpful. Instead, it only seemed to announce an anxious ending. It was that thing. The giant blue wolf that had driven Team 1 all the way here. Deep within the abyss, she could see its demonic yellow eyes gleaming.

“Ah, hup, haa…”

It felt like her breath had stopped. She couldn’t see clearly, but even from afar she could guess its size. The heads of the creatures that had emerged from the crevasse—their upper jaws seemed to touch the sky, their lower jaws the ground. Fenrir turned its eyes this way and that, searching for something. Its gaze eventually locked onto one point. It was right in front of her. It would clearly come for her soon. The creature had left a hunting mark on the fox’s chest. The closer it came, the more she felt her wounds freezing colder and colder.

“The… the portal… where’s the portal…?”

Yoo Seolah urgently turned her gaze toward the portal device. The control panel had moved slightly backward.

“…That means…”

She felt the space twist.

“P-Portal opening!! Transmission power is weak!! Ah, hup… The wind… Team 1!!! You must withdraw immediately!!!”

The portal control had succeeded. Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness. She was alive. She could survive… She moved. She stood up. She had to go. She clutched her freezing chest. But her legs gave out and she fell. She crawled. Just a little more. Just a little farther…

She heard footsteps in her ear. It seemed someone had seen her. She lifted her head. Then she waved her trembling hand with great effort.

“I’m… I’m… I’m here……”

They were responding. She could see her teammates running toward her. But a chill ran down her spine. Behind them, Fenrir was charging in complete silence. The ground didn’t even shake. Nor did it howl. It simply fixed its yellow eyes on her and ran. All she could hear was the sound of wind being violently cut.

A hunt so silent it gave her goosebumps. Still, the ending seemed like a happy one. No matter how fast that giant wolf was, she would be faster at throwing herself into the portal. A faint smile leaked from her blue, bloodless lips.

“H-Here… hup… Please… help me……”

“You fucking bitch!!! Shut up!!”

Huh?

“Haa… H-Haa… Guys……?”

One. Two.

“Help… hup, uuuuuuuugh……”

Everyone, faces pale with terror, vanished into the portal in front of her. After she had struggled so desperately from behind, not a single person looked at her. Another loud ringing filled her ears.

“Uuuuuuuugh…… Uuugh……”

She tried to steady her shallow breathing. But her vision was blurry. Though her body barely obeyed, she forced herself up again. Damn it. The giant blue-furred creature was getting closer and closer.

“Haa… I have to… go… huuuup……”

To the portal. She had to get to the portal… Her voice grew smaller and smaller. Silent fangs loomed before her eyes.

“I have to… go…”

She bit down hard on her lip. A little blood trickled out. Clinging to her fading consciousness, she ran forward. Again and again.

“I’m… I’m almost there… almost……”

An unfamiliar loneliness washed over her. No one was looking after her. Just like… that fox-like bitch… had done to me…

“Ha… No… They were just in a hurry……”

“Uuuugh…… Hurry, hurry……”

“It’s right there… right in front now……”

The portal’s transmission power was visibly weakening. There was no time. Yoo Seolah threw her staggering body toward the portal.

‘Please… before the portal closes……’

But something was wrong. The moment she threw herself forward, the surroundings became like a night covered in deep darkness. The sun was clearly in the sky… So she turned her head slightly to the side. Gleaming yellow eyes shone right beside her. They were larger than she was.

“Ah, ah… ah… Wh-When… did you get this close……”

There was no sound, but she felt it. Fenrir opened its mouth. As if this really was the end, Yoo Seolah—who had thrown herself toward the portal—kept her eyes tightly shut, simply wishing for luck to come to her, simply praying to survive. That was all her wish seemed to be.

The only thing echoing in her heart was a single, desperate cry filled with earnest longing.

Please. Please… Please…… Just once…. Just once, please……