Shirayuki, the little ice monster, trotted up to me, looking as innocent as a lamb. She tilted her head up with those big, curious eyes, and before I could stop myself, I gently patted her on the head. She leaned into it, and I couldn't help but smile. It was like I was hugging a cute, fluffy snowball.
But just as I was about to return the affection, I felt my feet begin to freeze. Slowly, the icy grip crept up my legs. Oh great, I thought. Just what I need—frozen feet.
System notification: The Lord of Copy Paste says: "Whoa, you're hugging monsters now? Can't even get through one trial without getting all cozy with the enemy. Someone's got issues."
"Shut up, system," I grumbled, trying to ignore the mocking tone.
I glanced down at the little monster, who was still looking up at me with those innocent eyes. I smiled. Yeah, no way I'm getting caught in this trap.
Before she could even react, I grabbed her, and with a quick motion, I slammed her into the ground with a German suplex—face first into the dirt. The sound of the impact echoed through the forest, and I stood above her, looking down with a grin.
"Guess you didn't see that one coming," I said, brushing my hands off like I had just completed a casual task. Shirayuki blinked up at me, disoriented but unharmed.
System notification: The Lord of Copy Paste says: "What the hell, man? That's a monster you're suplexing, not a wrestling buddy!"
I chuckled and stepped back, hands on my hips. "Hey, you mess with me, you get suplexed. That's how it goes."
"Silence," I muttered to the system, annoyed by its constant commentary.
Shirayuki, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as entertained. She floated in the air, eyes narrowed in anger, her tiny face pouting like a kid who'd been scolded. It was adorable and terrifying at the same time.
With a flick of her hand, a sharp, glistening ice javelins formed, the frosty weapon crackling in the air. Oh shit, I thought, realizing too late that I had probably pushed her a little too far.
"Guess we're doing this the hard way, huh?" I said under my breath, bracing myself.
As Shirayuki gently lowered her hand, I felt a shift in the air—like winter had taken a personal grudge against me.
In the next second, ice javelins rained down like angry snow gods on steroids.
"Seriously?!" I shouted, diving to the side as the first few spears stabbed into the ground with a hiss of frost.
I twisted and rolled, dodging one after another—but they were too many. A few grazed my arms and legs, and where they touched, cold exploded across my skin, forming creeping layers of ice that started to freeze over the wounds.
"Okay, that's new—and I hate it!" I yelled, narrowly avoiding another hail of frozen death. "Note to self: don't hug random monster girls next time!"
One more javelin shot past my cheek, and I gritted my teeth. Every graze slowed me down just a little more, the chill biting into my muscles.
"I gotta end this fast," I muttered, shaking off the frost forming on my shoulders.
As I ducked under another icy spear, I snarled, "Alright, enough of this snowflake nonsense."
Colossus Form: Activate.
My muscles bulged like angry mountains, stone-hard and thrumming with power. I tensed my legs and shot forward like a missile, the wind howling behind me.
"Let's see how you like this—Ragnarok Reel Lariat!" I roared, swinging my arm wide and catching her right at the throat.
"Nn~!" she let out—a soft, surprised moan.
I froze mid-spin, brain short-circuiting.
"Wait—did she just—?"
But my momentum didn't care. I completed the move, spinning and launching her like a frozen ragdoll straight into the mountain wall with a loud BOOM.
System Notification: The Lord of Copy Paste says: You really made her moan mid-lariat? That's disgusting, man. Disgusting.
"I didn't mean to!" I snapped. "Shut up for now—I'm in the middle of violence!"
The ice and dust settled. From the cracked wall of the mountain, Shirayuki stood up, brushing off snow like it was just a mild inconvenience. She coughed—cutely, somehow—then glared at me with teary, pissed-off eyes.
"Don't look at me like I'm the villain!" I shouted, pointing accusingly. "You started this!"
She didn't respond. Just slowly raised her tiny hands again, her lips pouting like she was trying very hard not to cry… or murder me.
I narrowed my eyes. "Another ice javelin, huh? Alright, bring it on—"
But then the ground rumbled.
"…wait."
Cracks spiraled out beneath her feet as a faint, eerie blue glow pulsed from the earth. Snow whipped upward in a whirlwind, and a circular symbol lit up beneath her.
"Is that a summoning circle?" I muttered, stepping back.
System Notification: The Lord of Copy Paste says: Wow, you really pissed her off. Congrats. She's about to call her big brother, probably an ice dragon or some ridiculous anime pet. Better get your flex on, Colossus Boy.
"…Oh. It's a summoning."
I sighed and cracked my neck. "Of course it is. Because why wouldn't the second rare monster be a magical loli with a goddamn raid boss button?"
System Notification: Shirayuki is summoning a Unique Monster (Tier 2): Glacivalkyrie.
I blinked hard. "Wait... Unique monster? With a tier?"
My brain short-circuited for a second. "Ain't this supposed to be rare monsters only? Where the hell did tiers come from?!"
This was new. This was not in the manual. Not in the patch notes. Not even in that one sketchy forum thread I totally didn't read at 3 a.m.
"This is my first time seeing a unique monster with a tier… what the hell is this power creep?"
The ground rumbled as a glowing frost portal cracked open behind Shirayuki. From inside, a tall, armored figure stepped out—ice-covered wings, frost-bladed spear, and eyes like winter itself.
I stared up. "Bro… she summoned a Glacivalkyrie? What's next, the Queen of Ice Waifus?"
System Notification – Lord of Copy Paste: Congrats, you've unlocked WTF difficulty. No refunds.
"…I hate this hunt."
The icy portal pulsed once more before fully tearing open. From the frost-lit rift stepped a towering figure—graceful and terrifying. A tall woman clad in glacial armor with flowing silver hair, and a spear that hummed with deadly cold.
She looked like she ate dragons for breakfast and froze them for lunch.
Then… Shirayuki floated into the air, her cheeks puffed in righteous anger, and pointed at me with her tiny hand.
"He… bad guy…!" she said in a trembling voice.
"Wait, what?" I blinked.
"He…hug…me…" she stammered with the innocence of a betrayed toddler.
"Well, yeah, but you—"
"…and then… he slammed me!!" Her voice cracked like shattering ice. "Mama!!" she cried, eyes misty.
My jaw dropped. "M-Mama?!"
The Glacivalkyrie turned to me slowly, her glowing blue eyes narrowing in icy rage. The air grew still—too still.
She looked me over like a cockroach that stole her daughter's ice cream.
System Notification – Lord of Copy Paste: Damn bro. You suplexed someone's kid and now her mom's gonna suplex your soul. You deserve this.
"Oh come on!" I yelled. "She hugged me first!"
The Valkyrie raised her spear, the temperature dropping ten degrees in a heartbeat.
"…I think I need a bigger potion."
The Glacivalkyrie charged at me, spear aimed directly. I dodged sideways, but she spun her spear quickly, releasing ice that followed me relentlessly.
I activated Colossus Form, my body growing heavy with power as I dashed forward, smashing through the ice that threatened to freeze me in place. The Valkyrie swung her spear with deadly precision, but I twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade. However, I wasn't fast enough to dodge the butt of her spear—it slammed into my face, sending me tumbling back with a grunt.
I planted my feet, skidding to a stop just before the edge of the icy field. She spun through the air like a whirlwind, landing smoothly back into her stance, her icy gaze locked onto me. The air around us crackled with tension, and I could feel the weight of the battle pressing in. This wasn't going to be easy.
I glanced at Shirayuki, noticing the summoning circle still glowing beneath her, pulsating with energy. So that's it, I thought. She's maintaining the circle, fueling this fight. My grip tightened as I dropped into a low stance, preparing to dash. The Valkyrie, sensing my movement, pointed her spear straight at me, her eyes burning with intent. The tension thickened, the air crackling between us, both of us waiting for the slightest opening.
I took a deep breath. This was it. Time to finish this.
I tensed every muscle, every fiber of my body, then exploded into a dash. The Valkyrie mirrored my movement, her spear spinning like a blur, aimed directly at me. A grin tugged at my lips. Got you.
In a heartbeat, I blinked behind her, my movements faster than her eyes could follow. She spun around, but I was already gone, dashing straight for Shirayuki.
"Too bad," I muttered, my voice low but steady. "I would've liked to fight you longer, but I'm on a mission."
The moment those words left my mouth, I leaped toward the Shirayuki, intent on ending this quickly.
As I sprinted toward the Shirayuki, she stared at me, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and confusion. I smirked, my grin sharp and predatory, and in an instant, I dropped into a dramatic hug pose, as if I was about to embrace her.
She froze, her small form tensing, and I could see her panic grow. "You little liar," I muttered under my breath, before launching myself at her. The Valkyrie below glanced up, realizing what I was about to do, but it was too late.
With a swift motion, I caught the Shirayuki midair, gripping her tightly as if she were nothing more than a toy. I took one look at the Valkyrie's stunned expression and jumped, throwing her down with a powerful slam. The ground beneath us shook violently as I drove her into it, my grip still firm as I stood over her, a dark satisfaction in my eyes.
I watched as the Shirayuki's form slowly faded, its essence fading away like mist in the wind. The Valkyrie, seeing her "daughter" fall, let out a guttural scream, her voice full of rage and sorrow. "Nooooo!" she cried, her grief palpable.
She charged toward me, her spear aimed with deadly precision, but I was ready. Before she could strike, there was a flicker—her body wavered, and with one final glance at the lifeless Shirayuki, she vanished, leaving nothing behind but the echo of her despair.
I stood there, breathing heavily, watching the spot where she once was, unsure whether it was over.
"Guess that's it," I muttered, my voice quiet as I glanced at the fading remnants of the once peaceful forest. The Valkyrie was gone, and with her, the last remnants of the creature she'd called a daughter.
(Correction He's still in the mountains)
System notification: Rare monster defeated (2/5)
I glanced at the notification, the reality of the fight sinking in. That was two down, but there were still three more to go. Each one stronger, and with even more to prove. I wasn't about to get complacent—this was only the beginning.
I exhaled, my mind shifting back to the mission. Time to keep moving.
I used the pendant again, the familiar hum of energy vibrating through my fingers as I activated it. The world around me blurred for a split second, and when I opened my eyes again, I found myself on Jeju Island.
The air was different here, salty with a hint of fresh earth, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore filled my ears. The landscape was vibrant—lush greenery surrounded me, palm trees swayed in the breeze, and the sunlight shone down in a way that felt almost magical.
But something about this place felt oddly familiar, like I had been here before, though I couldn't place why. I paused for a moment, scanning the area, trying to figure out what was going on.
As I stepped forward, something shifted in the air. My senses sharpened, and I felt... a presence. My gaze moved slowly across the horizon, and my heart skipped a beat as I spotted her.
Zeyna?