Falling into the Inferius, the man had his head buried in a snow-covered surface. He managed to rise and spat the snow out of his mouth. In front of him, he saw a dimension consumed by intense cold, yet it did not shake him.
"I just wanted to enjoy the night..."
He muttered to himself.
The man then stood up, looked back, and saw the exit portal of that dimension. He refused to return, as he knew the Renkai Creatures could escape through it. He began walking through the Snow Inferius, searching for the Core that would close the portal.
Despite the ground covered in snow, the man moved quickly, as if he had experience in places like that. His eyes caught sight of Renkai Creatures and Demon Hunters fighting each other. They were low-class hunters. Two men used weapons to try to fight the demons, while the woman in the group acted as support, serving as a healer.
Since that Inferius was also low-class, the demons were not so powerful, although they still posed a danger to beginner hunters. One of the men fought with his sword against a demon that advanced aggressively toward him.
"Hit him already, Alex!"
Shouted his companion, almost desperately, trying to keep up with the Renkai Creature's speed.
"I'm trying, Tokimo!"
Replied Alex, equally distressed, firing common arrows at the surrounding demons.
Mary, the group's healer, was bandaging Alex from behind. It was nothing otherworldly, only preventing future infections, but still effective. She tried to run toward Tokimo, but the Renkai Creature fighting him suddenly turned toward her, leaping over the snow to attack her with claws and fangs.
"Ahhhh!"
"Mary!!"
Tokimo tried to strike the demon with his sword, but failed. Alex would not be able to fire in time. It would have been certain death for Mary.
Suddenly, the demon that was leaping at her was struck in the head by a precise shot, straight through the brain. The creature's body trembled as if it were being electrocuted, and part of its skull began to crumble into ashes, burning from within.
Alex and Tokimo looked to the side, as did Mary, trying to see who had saved her. It was a man with long hair and an eyepatch. He advanced at high speed against the remaining Renkai Creatures. He jumped, flipped in the air, and fired multiple shots in all directions.
The hunters watched, astonished, as the demons fell dead, hit by bullets that made them convulse. They stepped back to avoid being struck as well. When the man landed on the ground, the demons around were already dead. However, one of them still moved and advanced from behind the man to attack him.
"Watch out!"
Shouted Mary, extending her hand.
As a reflex, the man spun his body and delivered a spinning punch to the Renkai Creature's face with his mechanical arm, sending it flying. The blow crushed the demon's skull.
Alex, Mary, and Tokimo, simple hunters just beginning their careers, were stunned and impressed. It might not have been the greatest display of power they would see in their lives, but it was still incredible to them.
"My God..."
Murmured Mary, shocked.
She ran to the man, who still had his back turned, observing the small massacre he had caused. She hugged him from behind, in tears.
"Thank you, sir. I... I thought I was going to die..."
The man turned and looked at the healer with a neutral expression, however, he moved as if trying to escape her grasp. Then, with his mechanical hand flexing, he placed it on the girl's head.
"... It was nothing."
The crying quieted for a moment, but her clothes were still damp with tears.
"Don't worry, she's just scared."
Said Alex with a friendly smile, placing a hand on his companion's back.
"Seriously, thank you very much for the help."
Added Tokimo, approaching.
Mary lifted her face, curious. She touched the man's face and felt the cold surface of his skin.
"We need to wear heavy clothes to endure this cold. How can you withstand it? And... what is that?"
She tried to touch his eyepatch, but the man held her hand and pulled it away.
"I'm already used to this cold. The eyepatch... is not important."
"Mary, behave. He just saved you."
Said Tokimo, placing a hand on her shoulder in a friendly way.
"Yes, sorry."
The girl replied, wiping her tears.
The group took a deep breath, preparing to continue exploring the Snow Inferius, but the man intervened.
"Go back home, train, and return when you are truly ready."
He said in a firm voice.
The hunters felt a chill. They nodded respectfully and began to move away.
When he turned to continue his search for the Inferius Core, he felt a touch on his shoulder. Looking, he saw Mary in front of him, trembling from cold and nervousness. She might have had more questions, but hesitated to ask them.
"Sir, what are you going to do here alone? And also... what is your name? I would like to tell my mother the name of the one who saved me today."
"..."
The man remained silent for long seconds, but soon answered.
"I will close this dimension alone, 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 the group of hunters, her friends and companions.
The man, now identified as Slady, kept his lips closed. He turned and faced the vast path ahead, observing the creatures he would still have to face to reach the Core and close that Snow Inferius. Then he began to walk alone through that cold and frozen dimension.