The raid to conquer the eastern lands continued without pause. City after city fell under the systematic advance of the East Horizon guild's forces, with Alexander Vane, Kuroda Haruki, and Vanya Aether leading the charge. The combination of flux-enhanced technology, disciplined warriors, and the newly deployed magical shield towers was slowly carving out safe zones in the middle East. Yet everyone knew the true heart of the nightmare lay much deeper in the easternmost plains, where the monsters grew far stronger and the very sky seemed broken.
On the other side of the scene, in those easternmost plains, the class of monsters was way too high to handle for ordinary forces. B-rank monsters roamed as if they were the common wildlife here. Only two people stood completely unafraid in this deadly territory, though both knew that a single mistake in movement or judgment would mean certain death.
Those two were Kurana Alexanderia and Shogun Kurogami.
The purple-tinted sky and the reddish, cracked soil of the plains were enough to scare away even the bravest souls. Cracks of spatial instability split the heavens like jagged wounds, from which monsters continued to emerge slowly and relentlessly. Yet the pair pressed on, determined to uncover the reason behind this endless invasion.
Shogun Kurogami jumped down to a lower level of the broken terrain to continue their journey. Kurana followed closely, moving with practiced caution alongside him. To many, Kurogami was like a son to Kurana. Ever since Kurogami was a child, Kurana had always been there, making the critical decisions because Kurogami, despite his raw, overwhelming power, was not skilled at strategic choices. Together, they formed a perfect balance one the mind, the other the unstoppable force.
"We have been traveling for so much time, yet we can't find any clue for how to close the portal," Kurana said, his voice steady but carrying the weariness of months spent in this hostile land.
After some time had passed, the two men arrived at the ruins of what once had been a vehicle showroom. They picked out a durable quad bike that could handle the rough, monster-infested terrain for further travel into the easternmost regions.
Kurana entered the ruined showroom dragging the massive carcass of a dead icy behemoth behind him. The creature was enormous, its thick white-blue fur matted with frost and blood from the earlier battle. They set to work butchering it with efficient, practiced movements.
Kurogami used his powerful hands to tear open the thick hide, revealing layers of dense, insulating fat and rich red meat beneath. Kurana worked methodically with a sharp blade, carving away large portions of meat while separating the valuable organs and bones. The air filled with the metallic scent of blood and the faint, crisp smell of lingering ice magic that still clung to the behemoth's body. They carefully cut long strips of meat suitable for cooking and set aside the thickest parts of the hide for later use. Blood stained their hands and sleeves, but neither man paid it any mind survival in the East had long since stripped away such sensitivities.
Soon they had built a small, controlled fire using debris from the showroom. The meat sizzled over the flames, releasing a savory aroma that momentarily cut through the oppressive atmosphere of the plains. As they ate, the two discussed their next steps.
"We will next move to 37° north from here. We may find something reliable there," Kurana said between bites.
"Whatever you say," Kurogami answered simply, his trust in Kurana absolute.
They finished the meal, the warm meat providing much-needed strength and heat against the growing cold. Afterward, Kurogami turned his attention to the behemoth's thick, luxurious hide. With careful, deliberate cuts, he began crafting two sturdy furry cloaks. He first scraped away remaining fat and tissue from the inner side of the hide using a sharpened piece of metal, making the material more flexible. Then he divided the hide into two large sections, trimming them to suitable lengths for cloaks that would cover a man's body from shoulders to knees.
Using strong threads pulled from the behemoth's own sinew and reinforced with thin strips of durable leather from the creature's tougher sections, Kurogami stitched the cloaks together. He added hoods fashioned from the thickest fur around the neck area for maximum protection against the biting winds. The outer side retained the icy behemoth's natural white-blue fur, which still carried faint traces of its elemental power and offered excellent insulation. The inner lining he left soft against the skin. The finished cloaks were heavy, durable, and beautifully crafted — worthy garments for surviving the freezing conditions of the deeper East.
One cloak was for Kurana, the other for himself. They put them on immediately, feeling the immediate warmth and protection against the constantly decreasing temperature in this region.
With renewed strength and better protection, the two continued their dangerous journey deeper into the unknown, searching for answers that could change the fate of the entire planet.