Two beings rush to the center, ready to clash their superlative ‘punch’ against each other. The shadow hound dragged out its clawed hand, and George raised his right arm that had been encased by cannon-sized bulk of ice. 

Instantaneously, they are already at each other’s faces. Both had fist readied in the air, directly at each other. A full-front confrontation, this is a test of might.

Because he was much smaller, George managed to barely evade the swing of the shadow hound’s claws. Then, used said clawed hand as a leverage to hike over, and delivered a magnificent blow at the side muzzle of the shadow monstrosity.

The blow sent the shadow hound flying to the back and hit a few unsuspecting trees on the way. The impact of the punch caused the surrounding area to momentarily be blown away.

Even Aiden felt his hair and bang sweep back for a split second as he held onto one of the ice walls. The thick cold wall biting into his finger tip. Is this still a dream, when he could feel everything so clearly?

George didn’t let the shadow hound regain its footing and immediately pounced on it. Then, proceeded to arrange the shadow beast’s face with his bulk of ice arm.

Punching and punching till the bulky ice chipped off little by little. Hitting everywhere his mini iceberg could smash, while the shadow hound laid bare to the ground.

“Die..! You..! Piece..! Of..! Shit..! Argh!! Die..! Fucking die..!! Bastard!!” Letting out a battle cried as he did so, “D̴̗̂̒į̵̜̪̣̻̻͛͜ḙ̷͕̳͌̔̿̂̄̽ͅ.̴̰̅̀̉̈́͋͂.̷̢̘̼̤̈́!̴͔͂̅͋̈́̏̀͜͝ ̶̟͕͚͇̠͎̂̃̐͛͛Y̶̖̰̺̮̭͔̎̈́o̷̰̥̼̘͖͋̈́̓͌͝u̴͉͓̤̮̳̯̿͋̐͗̂͝ͅ ̸̨̯͔̼̲̀̉b̸̢͈͚̗̗̲̮̈́̄̑̑͗͌͝i̶͍͉͎̘̜̿t̵͓͓̀͒̽̅̓c̸͈̤̱̬̅̂͂̋̃h̷̡͇̥̝̻̩̙̄̓́.̷̨̧͙͍̻̳̍.̶̺̙̟͓̣̭͗͒͌̕!̶̨̩̞̰̹̗̥͒ ̵͍͎̙̔̃͜͝ͅD̴̡̛͈͍̳̣̳̩̈́ī̷͕̻͖̑͊̕ę̴̺̩̦̹̚.̴̡̱̯̈́̒̀̅̂́̚.̷̲͖̈́͋̆͂̈́̚!̸̠̺̮̰̖̈́͝”

‘I should run away now..’ Aiden considered the thought in concern, squinting at the man brutally punching the shadow monster over and over again while yelling something that sounded disturbing.

The bulk of ice encasing the arm suddenly disintegrates.

“Eh?” George looked dumbfounded at his fist. “Why did it–“

The bulk of ice on the arm then crumbled down into million crystal dust after all the battering, making the brown haired man contemplate yet again about his now chained power level.

“This is ridiculous!!” growled George, hitting the last of the ice dust, which had already gone, onto the shadow beast’s battered face. His now bare hand though, stayed there as he lamented in frustration. Everything was momentarily invisible to him, but said hand.

‘How did I become this.. this weak?!’

The shadow hound took the opportunity to swipe off the distraught man with its clawed hand that had suddenly become wider.

George was thrown to the side, but managed to bounce back quickly.

The shadow hound then started to spit small ashen black fires from its mouth toward its persisting target. The ashen black fires reminded George of a certain frizzy haired bastard owned black fires, albeit the latter was much darker and potent.

And because he used to be subjected to that in the past, George managed to avoid all the ashen spitfires coming his way. Infact, it just made him become angrier to be reminded of it.

Some of the ashen flames finally hit him by the shoulder, marred some part of the light hoodie fabric that he wore. But it was intentional as George was dashed over the shadow hound; the ashen fire was shrugged off like it was nothing.

To him, it was nothing more than a whit of fire that occasionally sparked from a bonfire. A pesky dust to a being who is surrounded by snow storms his whole life.

[Blizzard Fairies] appeared to form several thin steps of staircase under George’s feet towards the shadow hound. As the brown haired man hiked the stairs, ice crystallized from his biceps to the tip of his fingers, turning his fingers and nails into strong sharp claws.

The shadow hound expected the confrontation, and waited for the brown haired man with his mouth wide open, ready to spit a larger ashen ball of fire.

“You weak ass shit!” bellowed George, as leaped from the final step toward the shadow hound with his barred ice claws.

The shadow hound wasn’t fast enough to evade and got double slashed by the clawed ice at its snout. The fire it’s about to spit, abandon inside its muzzle as the hound shakes its head in agony.

Though, no blood came out from it, except for residue black smoke and dusty ashes that followed after the slash.

George fell down with style, and immediately lunged toward the shadow beast.

“Fight me head on, you musty mutt!!” He then proceeded to grab the shadow hound by the arm, and hauled him over the ground. “Gahh..!!”

Aiden was shook by that move, of all that had happened. The other man is like half the size of the shadowy monster, but he could just wrestle its ass over.

‘He is definitely.. definitely not a normal human..!’ Reasoned the alerted ravenette. With all that had happened, it’s stupid for him to still question it.

Infact, Aiden wanted to record it. He wanted to record all that had happened! He needs to record all that has happened as proof for his sanity!

But unfortunately his smartphone had shut down when he got thrown down earlier, and the ravenette was too frantic to turn it on again. He just couldn’t take his eyes away from the battle scene before him.

The ravenette also considered calling for help; warden, police or Articus. But his mind decided against it, as there is no way someone would believe him. Also, he’s unsure and mostly apprehensive whether to tell anyone about that new student called, George Snow.

Because that new student is really really really not a normal human.

Aiden’s eyes couldn’t get any wider as he stared intensely at the fight.

The icy elemental magic of the brown haired man, coupled with his raw strength was something coming straight out of anime or comic book. It’s something that can only be seen in fiction or fantasy stories.

Something just like in his curse of dreams!

But somehow.. somehow Aiden felt a sense of familiarity with it, with the man and his icy power, equal with his icy demeanour. There is something bubbling deep inside him, something–

“EeeEeeeEEeee..!!”

The screech of the shadow hound caught Aiden off guard. He focused at the battle scene again; now seeing how the enraged shadow beast was trying to swat the brown haired man with its sharp clawed paw that had become wider than before.

George managed to barely evade it; as big as the shadow hound is, it’s quite slower in action. Without a second loss, he then slapped the shadow hound with icy water that materialized out of thin air by the swipe of his hand.

The icy water hit the shadow hound square in its muzzle then instantly crystallized into ice, stunning it for a moment.

At the same time, George charged up one of his range attack skills, as he somersaulted a distance away from the shadow hound. He was upside down in the air when both his palms were inches from each other.

The seconds the shadow hound released from the freeze, hundreds of tiny diamond-like icicles already surrounded its entire being, glinting in the shine from the sun.

It captivated Aiden; his wide eyes reflected the glimmering colours of the hundreds of diamonds spinning slowly in the air.

The glittering sparkles from the clear icicles created a captivating multi-colour rainbow of coruscate, before closing in unto the shadow beast by the closing of George’s palms together.

The hundred icicles stabbed the shadow hound all over its murky body, causing an explosion of ashes and soots to spill all over from the ‘stabbed’ orifice. The outburst sent everything flying; smokes and dust accumulated in the area of the abandoned open field.

Aiden hid behind the ice wall to evade the blast. But soon found himself peeking out again.

The ravenette briefly saw his supposed classmate flying in the air because of the blast, but the man had summoned something like a blizzard of vine earlier, which had caught one of his legs from flying backward further.

The [Blizzard Fairies] formed a vine-like grip unto George’s leg, then proceeded to swing their ice demon lord around, high up in the air, before launching him straight on top where the shadow hound stood.

The smoke and ashes disperse as the shadow hound comes face to face with George with his icy clawed hands clasped together.

George then swung the bottom of his clasped fists on top of the shadow hound’s head. The blow caused the shadow beast to hit its chin straight to the ground, breaking the dirt floor into craters.

The icy man dropped next to it, and immediately called forth his [Blizzard Fairies] to chain down the shadow monster to the ground where it laid bare.

The blizzard of snow wrapped around the shadow hound in an ‘X-cross’ chain over its body, then binding it to the earth. Though, the shadow beast didn’t seem to struggle nor fight it, as the earlier knock down still shook it to its core.

This however didn’t stop George as he quickly jumped over, and unleashes his slaughter over the shadow being under him. His ice clawed hand slice and carve up the shadow hound over and over again.

o

o

o

Over and over.

o

o

o

It went on for some time.

o

o

o

Aiden was getting anxious by the seconds.

o

o

o

Even George started to doubt himself.

o

o

o

No matter how many times he slices the shadow hound, its dark murky body will just piece itself up. There was nothing came out of it, except ashen smoke, dust, and more smoke. Then, the supposed wounds he inflicted would only close up without a second notice.

It’s literally like slicing a smoke. A shadow. A shadowy smoke that shaped like a hound.

George gritted his teeth.

Though, he didn’t stop until the shine of the ruby within the shadow beast’s eyes socket dimmed into dull gray.

After some time of slicing and cutting the shadow beast, George then stopped his onslaught. A few of his ice claws were already chipped, and most of them already broken off.

But what really made him fully stop was because.. he was out of breath. Both his physical and magical energy is draining.

“Damn.. this limiter..” George heaved a frustrated sigh, grabbing the crystal pendant. But instead of attempting to pull it off again, he focuses his inner energy toward the jewellery to ping his feline-eared peer.

To be frank, George would rather die in a fire than call any of his so-called peers. But this one particular bastard is different. He needs to call him.

‘I need him to..’

“Sno-Snow!!”

The object of his reasoning called out to him, stumbling out behind one of the previously erected ice walls. His face was full of shock and frightfulness.

And if there was any worriedness on that fetching face, George was pretty sure it was not directed at him.

By that small stilled moment, the shadow hound who was laying pulp on the ground suddenly twitches its swaying shadow ears.

Then, the dulled grey of its eyes glinted its ruby shine. A crimson brighter than before.

The size of the shadow hound then suddenly doubled down in half, becoming two meters in height. Before standing with its four legs, like a hound; a large hound with a pair of gleaming red eyes and two sets of razor sharp fangs.

“What the–!”

“Snow, look out!”

When George sensed it, the shadow hound had already planted his four feet hard on the ground behind him.

The brown haired man is able to sidestep away from the now reformed shadow hound.

The shadow hound growled at him with new vigour, blaring its razor sharp teeth where the two front fangs had become prominent.

 “Oh, wow.. Now you really do be looking like a mutt from the underworld.” George smirked, though sweats were already pouring on the side of his face.

The only thing keeping his head afloat is his own body’s built-in cooling system, but even then the heat of the fight was starting to get to him.

No, it already got to him. The Overlord of the North did not think he could continue to pursue this fight further. Especially when it seems like there is no end to that shadowy monstrosity’s vitality.

‘No matter how many times I beat down this mutt, it will just regrow a new pair. This whole thing is pointless from the start!’ Despite that, the brown haired man held a steady face as he assessed the reformed shadow hound.

But in a flash, the said reformed shadow hound disappeared from his sight.

George was greatly taken aback by this. He didn’t even have time to regain his composure as he searched his surroundings in haste; the shadow hound movement was all over the place, jumping all over the open field and broken trees.

CLAANG..!!

The loud clanging sound emitted as George deflected the shadow hound’s deathly unguis with his own remaining ice claws. Some of his ice claws even chipped off completely by that clash.

Without a second waste, the shadow hound continues to circling the brown haired man, and then delivering sneak pounce over and over again. 

In its smaller hound-like form, the shadow hound’s movement was much quicker and agile. Even George had a hard time keeping up, something that he won’t have a problem if it was not because of that stupid limiter.

“Ah, shit! I can’t deal with creatures like this!” George sighed loudly in exasperation. His temperament was about to become beyond aggravation with each passing of the fight.

If it really can be called a ‘fight’, when he mostly just blocks, and ward off the quick attacks without so much of a counter. The attacks even ripped some parts of his clothes, mostly the hoodie he wore, which had become tattered at this point.

George smashed his teeth harshly, baring his own fangs, as the shadow hound almost came close to mauling him to death. Most of his ice claws had completely gone, just like his depleting energy. Generating a new set of ice claws will just completely drain it to the bottom of the barrel.

With the way things are going right now, he might be at the losing end.

Speed had always been not his thing. It is even worse because of the curse of that limiter. And he already at his–

“EeeeeeEeeEeeeee~!” The shadow hound finally stopped its swift movement, and was growling at George, the same elk-like sound like earlier, albeit more hollowing. It reminds him of the screeching sound he sometimes heard in the chaos of winter in his homeland.

‘Great, now I’m being homesick..’ George thought sarcastically. But just like how he couldn’t stop the nature of the winter tempest, he also couldn’t stop his old memories from blaring hailstorms all over his mind.

A hooded clad woman emerged amidst the heavy blowing snow and the chilling winds. The battering gusts were shoving her clothes to the side, till the hood adorned her head to take off toward the winds.

Partial parts of her face though, were still clouded by the white hails around them. It stands in contrast to her skin tone and hue of her rosy cheeks.

The image shattered into million fragments as the shadow hound lunged forward, bringing the brown haired man back from the illustration of one of his dearest memories.

“Gah-! You son of a–” The brown haired man yelled as the shadow hound mounded over him.

George struggled to push the shadow beast off. He’s tired. He’s already too tired. His focus had shifted to grapple, and hold off the hound’s head from biting down on him.

The shadow hound snarled at the brown haired man below him. Its mouth emitted a black dusky breath that caused said man to cough.

But amidst the smoke and grappling, George couldn’t help but stare directly at the shadow hound’s ruby eyes. At that time, it shined more to him than the danger of the razor sharp teeth.

That pair of ruby eyes.. those brightly crimson gemstones, reminded him of something.

It definitely reminded him of something.

Something.. that is a certain memory.

Memories during that time.

The time that he had been trying so hard to repress.

“Oi! Stop that, you evil dog..!”

Aiden appeared all of a sudden beside the whole scuffle. The ravenette was holding a chunk of ice shard he found lying on the ground, and was shakily but vigorously hitting the shadow hound with it.

Both George and the shadow hound gaped at him.

“Fight me next, you–!”

The raven haired man did not need to pursue further, as the shadow hound went straight to him with an opened razor mouth.

“Ahh! I can’t actually fight–!” yelped Aiden as the aggro suddenly shifted towards him. 

The ravenette was not quick enough on his feet, and immediately came face to face with the glint of the razor-like fangs.

But before the shadow hound could close its fangs over the ravenette’s head, an arm was blocking the way, causing the shadow hound to bite on it instead.

Aiden’s eyes widened as he saw George, like a bolt from the blue, appearing infront of him by the side. That man’s muscular arm was the one that blocked the sharp fangs.

“Sno-Snow!”

The gray eyes become dilated when seeing how the shadow hound bites down the arm, causing blood to spill over the man’s hoodie.

“Snow..!!” Aiden wailed as he saw the frowned yet calm face of the man who saved him, whose arm was dyed red from shielding him.

Then said arm suddenly burst in size, unhinged the shadow hound’s jaw. Tearing the fabric around it, the skin ashen as the texture of ice creeped on the arm like an integument.

The transformed arm didn’t look human; it resembles more of an arm of a monster with its elongated glaze claws. A monster with its elongated glaze claws, who used to be feared as an artic demonic beast.

The shadow hound immediately tries to let it go, struggling to lodge its fangs out of the transformed arm.

George used this to bring the shadow hound muzzle over his other duke. His fist hit the ruby eyes of the shadowy beast, causing it to flicker a bit.

But George didn’t think much of it, as he then hauled the monster to the other side of the forest, by swinging his still bitten arm. The shadow hound was able to let go of the ice beast arm as it was forcibly flung to a nearby tree.

But instead of continuing the rumble, the shadow monster used the distance opportunity to run away from there, escaping hastily into the thicker part of the forest.

George also didn’t bother to chase after it. Just giving the shadow monster a long hard stare as his arm burst back to normal, though it is now back to being bloodied because of the bitten wound.

His other hand had also shed the remaining claws. Infact everything had calmed down after that.

Well, except the storm that still welled over the ravenette, a normal human being of this world, who just witnessed everything that goes down between a supernatural entity from another world with a shadow beast from who no where.

“Yo-your arm!” called out Aiden, who scurried over to the brown haired man’s side.

Aiden’s face twisted in deep concern as he stared at the bloodied arm. Blood gushing out from the puncture mark left by the hound. It looks really horrendous that the ravenette felt nauseous just by seeing it. He could not even imagine the pain of the bearer.

The bearer himself however, seems to be uncaring of his injury. Instead, he looked strangely calm, albeit a deep frown marred his face. His auburn eyes were still hard on the trail left behind by the shadow monster.

“Snow, we need to get you help–!”

Before Aiden could finish, several thin crystallized ice sheets sprouted around the brown haired man’s injured arm and enclosed it, stopping the blood.

“Thi-thi-this..! Ho-how?!” Aiden spluttered, before calming himself down. He should not have been this shocked after what had happened.

Gulping inwardly, the ravenette slowly asked, “Who.. are you? Who are you actually?”

Everything didn’t make sense. Aiden didn’t know whether this was a reality or a dream.

George didn’t answer, though. Instead, he hauled the ravenette over, this time in a bridal carry.

“He-hey! Put me down! Wha-What are you–?!” squeaked the smaller man, whose immediate response was to struggle against the close contact.

Aiden stopped when George put his face near him. It’s really close that the ravenette could feel the cold breath of the other.

‘He’s so.. cold. Like an ice prince.’ though Aiden, absentmindedly.

George held the ravenette in place and stared at his eyes. In turn, Aiden also stared at the brown haired man’s eyes.

Clear grey eyes staring straight towards fiery auburn ones.

Though Aiden’s face heated up the more he ‘clashing’ over the other stare. Why are they having a staring contest right now?

✧

✦

✧

But before it came close to one minute, George broke it.

The brown haired man looked over to the side, while straightening his form. Aiden could only blink in confusion on the whole ordeal.

As if on cue, emerged Len or Lelang from the other side of the forest.

The black haired man immediately looked flabbergasted with what had occurred on that open field, which had now looked like a barren battle field, with residue of black smoke, melting ice and broken trees around.

His eyes then widened even more when he saw George.. carrying the tour guy over to him.

Then, seeing the state of the brown haired man just caused him to be more alarmed. Len was like, what are you doing? What had happened? Eventhough he didn’t expressed it verbally.

While Aiden just panicked. Suddenly he recalled seeing black flames, fire wing, then the new students-

“Wait–! What are you–?!“

Aiden is just about to run his mouth, but a hand on his head causes him to shut down immediately. He vaguely heard the two people talking.