Falling into the Inférius, the man landed headfirst into a snow-covered surface. He managed to lift himself up and spat out some of the snow that had entered his mouth. In front of him stretched a dimension filled with snow and ice, with an intense cold that, surprisingly, did not bother him.
"I just wanted to enjoy the night..."
He murmured to himself.
The man then stood up, looked back, and saw the exit portal of that dimension. He refused to return, knowing that Renkai Creatures could escape through it. He began walking through the Frozen Inférius, searching for the Core that would close the portal.
Despite the snow-covered ground, the man moved quickly, as if experienced in such places. His eyes caught sight of Renkai Creatures and Demon Hunters battling each other. They were low-class hunters. Two men used weapons to fight the demons, while the woman in the group acted as support, serving as a healer.
Since that Inférius was also low-class, the demons weren't particularly strong, though they still posed danger to beginner hunters. One of the men was fighting a demon head-on, struggling to block its aggressive attacks.
"Hit it already, Alex!"
shouted his companion, nearly desperate as he tried to keep up with the Renkai Creature's speed.
"I'm trying, Tokimo!"
Alex answered, equally tense, shooting ordinary arrows toward the demons around them.
Mary, the group's healer, was bandaging Alex from behind. It wasn't magical healing, but it was still effective. She tried to run toward Tokimo to tend to him, but the Renkai Creature that was fighting the young man suddenly turned toward her, leaping across the snow to attack with claws and fangs.
"Ahhhh!"
"Mary!!"
Tokimo tried to strike the demon with his sword but missed. Alex wouldn't be able to shoot in time. Mary was surely doomed.
Suddenly, the demon leaping at her was hit in the head by a precise shot, straight through the brain. The creature's body twitched violently, as if electrocuted, and part of its skull began to burn from the inside, turning to ash.
Alex and Tokimo looked to the side, as did Mary, searching for the one who had saved her. It was a man with long hair and an eyepatch. He was charging at high speed toward the other Renkai Creatures. He leaped, flipped in the air, and fired multiple shots in every direction.
The hunters watched, astonished, as the demons fell dead, struck by bullets that electrocuted and burned their bodies. They backed away slightly to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. When the man landed, the demons around him were already dead. However, one of them still moved and lunged at him from behind.
"Watch out!"
Mary screamed, reaching out her hand.
Reacting instantly, the man spun around and delivered a spinning punch to the Renkai Creature's face with his mechanical arm, launching it far away. The strike crushed the demon's skull.
Alex, Mary, and Tokimo, simple novice hunters, stood in awe and admiration. It might not have been the greatest display of power they would ever see, but it was still astonishing to them.
"My God..."
Mary murmured, shocked.
She ran toward the man, who still had his back turned, observing the small massacre he had caused. She hugged him from behind, nearly crying, relieved to be alive.
"Thank you, sir. I... I thought I was going to die..."
The man turned within the hug, looking at the healer with a neutral expression, somewhat uncomfortable with the sudden gesture, but not rejecting it. He placed a hand on the girl's head.
"Hm, it was nothing."
Mary seemed to calm down at his touch, sobbing softly against his chest.
"Don't worry, she's just scared."
Said Alex with a friendly smile, placing a hand on his teammate's back.
"Seriously, thank you so much for the help."
Tokimo added, stepping closer.
Mary lifted her gaze, curious. She touched the man's face and felt the cold surface of his skin.
"We have to wear heavy clothes to withstand this cold. How can you endure it so easily? And... what's this?"
She tried to touch his eyepatch, but the man caught her hand and gently moved it away.
"I'm used to this cold. The eyepatch... it's not important."
"Mary, behave yourself. He just saved you."
Tokimo said, resting his hand kindly on her shoulder.
"Yes, sorry."
She replied, wiping her tears.
The group took a deep breath, preparing to continue exploring the Frozen Inférius, but the man intervened.
"Go back home, train, and return when you're truly ready,"
He said in a firm, emotionless tone.
The hunters felt a chill, not just from the cold, but from his authoritative presence. They nodded respectfully and began to leave.
As he turned to continue his search for the Inférius Core, he felt a touch on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw Mary before him, trembling from cold and nerves. She seemed to have more questions but hesitated.
"Sir, what will you do here alone? And also... what's your name? I'd like to tell my mother the name of the one who saved me today."
"..."
The man paused for a few seconds before answering calmly, without emotion.
"I'll close this dimension on my own, don't worry. And my name... you can call me Slady."
"Thank you for saving me, Slady."
She smiled, nodding in gratitude, and returned to her group of hunters, her friends and comrades.
The man, now identified as Slady, remained silent. He turned and looked at the vast path ahead, watching the creatures he would still have to face to reach the Core and close that Frozen Inférius. He then began walking alone through that cold, icy dimension.