<3rd PoV>

"Now then let me make you feel. The true feeling of dread." Nozomi said with hatred. But Yamikage still looked as nonchalant at this threat. He seemed to not belief what Nozomi just said and believing it's just a bluff. Nozomi's anger rose seeing this and she immediately attacked him.

Nozomi instantly disappeared from all of their sights. Yamikage widened his eyes at this and raised his vigilance. Nozomi then appeared behind Yamikage but he noticed it too soon and Nozomi immediately cancelled her attack and dissappeared once again.

This time Nozomi appeared next to him but with quite a distance.

"[Icicle Shot]!" In an instant before Yamikage could react three sharp icicles were shot towards him. Only by his instinct Yamikage was able to dodge the icicles by a centimeter. 

"[Shadow Spikes]" Spikes made out of shadow shot out from the ground towards Nozomi but she had disappeared once again and the shadow spikes hit the [Nature's Protection] cage. 

"AAAHHHH" One of the runaways shouted in fear. But.. nothing happened. The spikes hit the cage but it didn't got scratched even a single bit. Even if the cage looked like it's made out of wood but it's durability and strength is unbelievable. Yamikage was shocked but he didn't let his guard down.

Once again Nozomi suddenly appeared but instead from behind he appeared from the front. Nozomi then threw a punch at Yamikage. Yamikage was a very cautious man so he immediately try to evade the punch. But suddenly a kick was delivered in the middle of the punch startling Yamikage. As a result he did not have enough time to dodge the kick.

*BANG* 

The kick connected to Yamikage as he was sent flying by it. He got shot back by the kick as he hit multiple trees behind him. But despite all of that he did not looked that injured. Only when he tried to stood up he coughed up blood staining the ground.

But Yamikage still kept his composure and calm. He took out his bow and draws it. But he didn't took out any arrow out.

"[Create an arrow filled with darkness, Materialisation]" Suddenly an arrow made with pure darkness shot towards Nozomi in such high speed that a shockwave was made. Nozomi easily dodged the arrow but when she looked back at the arrow it suddenly turned back and re-target her. Nozomi widened her eyes and immediately create a solution.

"[Ice Wall] [Ice Wall] [Ice Wall]" Nozomi consecutively caster three Ice wall in such high speed. 

*CRACK* *CRACK*

Yet those aren't enough to stop the arrow. The arrow's power is completely increased because of it's speed and momentum. Nozomi immediately used the Ice Wall as just time buyer to make another new spell. She then came out with an idea and immediately executed it.

"[Grow and Protect us from the danger, Ironwood Barrier]!" I clapped my palms together and suddenly woods started to grow from the ground creating a powerful barrier to block the arrow. 

*SHATTER* *SHATTER* *SHATTER*

Then right after the barrier was completed the Ice Walls were immediately destroyed into pieces and the arrow immediately hit the wood barrier. But despite it being a barrier made our of wood the arrow could not pierce it and was stopped. Yamikage was shocked seeing one of his powerful spell got blocked by a barrier made out of wood.

Of course the barrier is not made out of normal wood. Instead it was made from a special type of wood called Ironwood. This wood was much stronger than normal wood and with the enchancement from Nozomi's 'Nature Energy' the wood became even stronger than most steel.

But Yamikage did not got shocked for long as he immediately prepared another spell to attack once more. This time he took out a normal arrow from his quiver and draw his bow. But of course he won't shoot a normal arrow at an enemy this strong so he casted his spell.

"[Release a Surge of Darkness, Dark Spread]" He shot the arrow towards Nozomi. The arrow enhanced by his spell flew towards Nozomi but the speed is much less compared to the last one. So Nozomi did not worry much, but when the arrow hit the wood barrier it suddenly releases a surge of darkness that covered the area of their battlefield. Nozomi widened her eyes and looked over to the 'Nature's Protection' cage to see if the spell hit the but it did not reach them.

'*Sigh* Good thing it did not reach them' Nozomi silently released a relieved sigh. But when she was about to do a counter attack suddenly..

"[Restrain their shadows, Shadow Bind]!" Nozomi suddenly can't move. Her whole body was basically paralysed.

'What's happening?!' Nozomi thought while trying her best to move. But her effort failed and she remained still. It seemed like Yamikage tried to bind her movement so he could move freely. But because he used so many spells already, his magic is running really low. So he could only launch a couple more spells.

"[Barrage My Enemies and Fill Them With Despair, Rain of Darkness]!" Yamikage used one of his powerful spell. Raindrops made out of darkness appeared all around Nozomi. Aster and the others watched this scene in horror. Aster wanted to help Nozomi but she knew she would only be a burden. 

But Nozomi did not seemed that scared. Instead she looked at the pitch black raindrops with stars on her eyes. Yamikage looked surprised at her reaction but still quickly launched his spell. All of the pitch black raindrops launched themselves towards Nozomi.

Despite that, her expressions didn't changed at all and suddenly her body was enveloped in Nature Energy making her looked like glowing a green aura. The pitch black raindrops hit Nozomi in full force, the impact created so much force that the ground began to crack and the dust started to rise blocking everyones vision.

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<Inside the 'Nature's Protection' cage>

"*cough *cough* What happened?" One of the goat demi-humans asked. The hawk demi-human focused his eye on Nozomi and Yamikage's direction.

"T- That little girl is taking them head on?!" The hawk demi-human exclaimed in shocked. After all he has seen what that spell is capable of. He then caught a glimpse of some green energy flowing around because of the impact.

"T- That is 'Nature Energy'?!" He saw an incredible coating of Nature Energy all around Nozomi's whole body.

"Unbelievable.. Not only is she a rare 'Winter Fox', she also has one of the rarest affinity.. 'Nature'."  Aster added her comment. The demi-humans except the hawk looked confused. 

"Not only that she also could cast multiple spells without chanting in high speed.." Aster added making the hawk demi-human widened his eyes in surprise.

"What is a 'Winter Fox'?" One of the male wolf demi-human asked in confusion.

The hawk demi-human inspect the little foxgirl Nozomi further and confirmed Aster's comment about Nozomi's race.

"Winter Fox is a sub species from a normal fox demi human. They were regarded as the 'Spirits of Winter' because of their abillity. They instead of having a normal orange colored fur, instead they have a white colored fur" Aster explained to the demi-humans.

"But if it's only that doesnt mean they are a 'Snow Fox'?" One of the goat demi-human asked. Then before Aster could speak up the hawk demi-human answered.

"The differences between a 'Snow Fox' and 'Winter Fox' could be clearly seen by their fur shade and tip of the tails and ears. A 'Snow Fox' fur is pure white, while a 'Winter Fox' fur has a little shade of icy blue with the tip of their tail and ears are colored icy blue." The hawk demi-human explained his knowledge about 'Winter Fox' while sitting down.

"But.. what makes them so special?" Now one of the wolf demi-human asked. She tilted her head in confusion while asking her question.

"The specialty in 'Winter Fox' is their innate affinity for a high element. The 'Winter', which is a very strong element.." The hawk demi-human explained to the her.

"But they were hunted down to the point of almost extinction because of their rare trait.." "The 'Winter Heart' isn't it?" 

The hawk demi-human explanation was cut by Aster. The hawk demi-human nodded at her explanation. 

"'The 'Winter Heart'?!"' They except Aster and the hawk demi-human exclaimed in disbelief. 

"They are from 'Winter Foxes'?!" The male wolf demi-human was shocked. He gritted his teeth in anger when he knew the 'Winter Hearts' he saw inside the carriage that brought him here.

"The 'Winter Heart' is a very high risk high reward item. With the ability to grant a high level affinity of Ice to low Winter." The hawk demi human explained with a complicated expression on his face.

"But.. when it failed, the 'Winter Heart' will froze you entire 

*BOOM* *BOOM*

All of them heard explosions from Nozomi's direction. They looked surprised when they see what happened. They saw the state she was in ans could not help to feel guilty. But they didn't have a chance to say anything because suddenly the sky began turning dark. All of them looked up to see what is blocking the sun. Then something dropped to one of the goat demi-humans nose.

"Snow..?" It suddenly started snowing out of nowhere. The temperatures started to drop at an alarming rate while more and more snow started fall down from the sky. All of them were surprised but the hawk demi-human has a concerned look on his face. He looked towards the battlefield. 

"It's starting.. the true power of the 'Winter Heart'." The hawk demi-human said with a nervous face.

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<Back to the battlefield> <Nozomi's PoV>

'Interesting...' I thought while examining the countless pure black object that is shaped like a water or raindrops. 

'I could tell that they are made from darkness. But it's very interesting that they are very vicious and dangerous!' I continue to examine the pure black object while disregarding the danger around me. I looked at it closely from my unmoving position. I could tell that the energy inside it was chaotic to say the least.

Suddenly though, the countless raindrops rained down on me in high speed. Because even I could feel the danger from them I fully clad myself in my 'Nature Energy' to block them. Their impact were huge but because I'm being held by the shadows I stood still. But as a result the ground cracked and dust started to rise up.

"*cough* *cough* I hate dust..." I really hated dust back on earth because I really hate pollutions. That's why when I'm here the air that I breath in was much much more fresh. But I let the dust blocked everyone's vision so the guy cannot attack recklessly.

The raindrops were constantly pouring down on me. But even then they could not penetrate my 'Nature Energy'. They didn't even graze my skin. But then something unexpected happens.

*BOOM* *BOOM*

The raindrops started exploding. The explosion was small enough but the quantity of the explosion combined with the impact starting to gave an effect. The shockwave of the countless small explosion started to bypass my 'Nature Energy' and gave countless impact towards me. Little by little more and more wounds started to appear on me. The impact also started to got even stronger because my focus is breaking. I still did not fully mastered my abillity yet.

"Argh!" I kept getting assaulted like this for a few minutes until there are no more raindrops. The dust finally went away and all of them could see what happened. I still standing with countless wounds and blood flowing all over my body. My white hair and fur are stained with blood. I was tired and in pain but the shadow was still forcing me to stand.

"*pant* *pant* Incredible that you could still stand...but this is where it ends" I painfully raised my head to look at the man in front of me. He was sweating heavily with the sign of extreme exhaustion. He was drawing his bow towards me ready to shoot it anytime. The arrow itself was a normal arrow but the tip of it was completely clad in an immense amount of darkness. At that moment I was suddenly filled with despair.

'Is this really where it ends?' I started to panic at the situation. I was clearly very careless. I underestimated this world because of that I got into this situation.

'What a stupid move. I'm still too inexperienced!' I ridiculed myself about my carelessness. It's because I never have a fight in my whole past life. I never knew anything about it. Other than watching anime and reading manga, I never saw any fight or fight myself.

'Ah, Is this where my fate will end?' I then started to think about it once again. 

'Am I really fated to always die in the most pathetic way? From sickness, from my stupidity?' My heart was filled with anger to myself. I died without accomplishing anything worth in my past life. I can't even pay them back. And now I was given another chance and I will die like this?! 

'No! I will never die like this! The end of my fate? I'm fated to die...?' My thought abruptly stopped because I realised something, I then started to laughing out loud startling the guy in front of me.

"Whats so funny?!" He thought I was mocking him but I didn't care. I kept laughing and laughing without stopping.

'I was never 'fated', I write my own fate! And so I will write my own fate so I wouldn't die here.' The guy in front of me was gritting his teeth so hard his vein on his forehead was about to pop.

"HAHAHAHAHA" I kept laughing without a care about him.

"You will die and this is your response?! What's so funny about dying?!" He shouted in anger. Hearing his question I started to calm myself down.

"Funny? I never said it was funny.." I looked at him straight in the eyes. A sad smile formed on my face.

"Do you ever feel death?." I asked him a simple question. He raised his eyebrows but nodded anyway. 

"You know... I've felt death multiple times. Heck, I've even died once!" I said while laughing again. He stared at me seeing me as an insane person.

"It was a painful experience..." I remembered about how I get over my fear when I first heard about my illness. It was painful to know that you will die in a painful way without you could do anything about it. It was painful seeing your loved ones trying their best at finding a cure but you died to early. It was hard to relieve myself when I knew she was studying too hard that she got sick. It was hard to fully forgive and forget about those pain. But I made it through. Then I remembered about the feeling I had when I died and was reborn here. How I was livid at me got turned into a girl. Yet I accepted it so fast.

"But never once have I give up.." I remembered the day when the news about my illness getting worse and worse each passing day.

"Because I truly believe in something.." Suddenly I felt a huge turmoil inside my heart. My heart started slowing down, my body temperature started to drastically go down. My left eye started to glow a radiant light. But rather than beautiful it seemed cold. He visibly shivered when he looked onto my eyes. 

But the changes is not only on my body, but also the surroundings. The sky turned dark like something is blocking the sun. Snow then started to fall down from the sky one by one.

"We carve our own fate and path..." It started to snow even harder. The leaves from the trees around us started to freeze. The whole forest climate suddenly changed.

"And.. YOU WILL NEVER BE THE ONE WHO BECAME MY END!" The rage inside me suddenly blow out. He looked shocked at my sudden emotional change. The snow suddenly all raged following my own rage. The winds started to blow furiously carrying the snow with them.

"And so I will defeat you here!" I said with confidence. He looked at me with a mocking gaze. 

"And how can you do that? Just accept your fate..." He said with a simple tone. I heard his tone and became even angrier. The winds began to blow even more furiously. It even made him starting to have a hard time.

"Enough. I will end this now." He finally releases the arrow. The tip of it was condensed with so much darkness it absorbs every single light reflected to it making it look like pure darkness. But I didn't even panic, I only took a deep breath. While inhaling I could feel the coldness of the air, the comfortable feeling of snow dropping down on my skin, the breeze from the violent wind around us. When I exhaled, I could feel my breath became condensed, I could feel the warm of my breath. Then the world suddenly moved slowly. I looked at the arrow calmly when it was right in front of me. I then calmly chanted..

"[Domain Expansion: Eternal Winter]" 

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(A/N: So sorry for the long delay as I got offline school now so I probably will have less time to upload chapters:). Also check out my other novels such in my profile! Have a nice one!)

(Author Notice: Tomorrow I will also release another chapter)