Wow, sure hope some MONSTERS don’t come.

Tomoe paused.

Wait, was that… sarcasm?

She’s never used that before. Serious 24/7.

It actually feels… kind of nice. A bit of a way to let loose. She halted that trail of thought, though it was possibly worth exploring later, including how the fusion affected her in other ways.

Isirith had cried herself to sleep.

There was an actual puddle of water pooled around her head. It seems she is not so pain tolerant. That’s an issue that needs to be addressed soon, and very much so. Tomoe still frowned however, crying was a waste of water.

With nothing to do until she woke up, she decided on meditating over practice. Better not to exert herself. Once she was done, she would scout the area ahead. Not being able to understand the warning she was told, especially about the ice, bothered her.

Inhale.

…

Exhale.

Her gauntlet’s fingers touched the other hand’s. She aligned her thumbs slightly above the fingers, though they didn’t brush against each other. A steady calm flowed through her.

It wasn’t a calm about the situation, or being safe. It was a calm of knowing yourself, knowing your limits, and knowing how to use your body correctly. It was a calm that seemed to warm her from the inside. The frosty chill from before almost seemed to vanish as her focus continued, the warm glow growing to a sharp blaze. And yet, it didn’t harm her, it just moved throughout her.

Her mind was completely zoned in on the task. Sense of time waded away, the flame growing only brighter. It heated and heated until it no longer felt safe. Yet, there was no pulling back, only more fuel was added.

Finally opening her eyes, Tomoe took off her helm, and against a wall, vomited for a little bit.

Tomoe didn’t know how much time passed, but it usually took fifteen minutes or so. Using the exercise, she increased her body temperature and blood flow. It not only heated her body up to resist the terrible ‘weather’, but also helped her fight off any illness she got. In a sense, she gave herself a fake fever.

It wasn’t a surefire method, but a good one. She felt satisfaction at seeing multicolored spots in what was thrown out of her body. The loss of impurities in her lungs and body would improve her abilities, thinking ability, and the body’s ability to fight illness. There was likely just a bit left, but it would be used by the cells in her body to fight off unfamiliar infections.

At least, she hoped. She lost some memories, it was possible some of her studies became warped as well. Bacterial resistance was not something to be played around with. She isn’t a professional on the study of vaccines and the like.

Tomoe let her blood boil a bit more, a dangerous temperature considering how little water she had. Thankfully, there is an entire cave of it next to her.

Letting it simmer for a bit, Tomoe was satisfied with the after effect. Hopefully while she was out she would find food and kindling as well. Her blood returned to a nice (approximately) 37 degrees celsius. Being able to adjust body temperature was one of the main reasons she learned meditation. It was a bit hard to understand unless you were the one meditating. More of a feeling.

Tomoe set out her supplies.

Fighting with a sword is terrible for claustrophobic areas, while the spear excelled. This was flipped in the opposite situation. Not only that, but she wouldn’t need all her armor, as mobility could be a key factor in a place that isn’t a war field. She would eat a small portion of her rations before she left, as her stomach was craving sustenance.

After a bit of food and thought, she decided on taking her bow, Yatagarasu, and quiver, as well as her wakizashi Orochi. Taking off most of her armor, she was left with her samurai gauntlets, spaulders, greaves, and sabatons. Tomoe wanted to prioritize dexterity, so she put armor only on the limbs that would be closest to the action, as well as spaulders, due to their surprising utility in deflecting blows, melee or ranged.

After some stretches, she felt lighter than a feather. It had been such a long time since the weighty metal had been taken off, the feeling of freedom was redeeming. Perhaps, when she got the chance, she could do this more often.

With a final look towards the sleeping woman with a rather undignified position, she set off for the ice and snow.

…

Tolerance and resistance are two different things.

Tolerance is how much you can take of something, while resistance is how much of something doesn’t affect you. This is a truth Tomoe has always known, but the unnatural chill here just might be worse than the snowy mountains she fought on so long ago.

Every breath exited with a puff, the flimsy clothing not doing much to deter the numbness. Her body could definitely take much more than this, but feeling like you’re constantly running a fever is unpleasant, egged on by the frosty air touching her warm skin. All in all, not a favored experience.

And this is why she had developed a tolerance.

Willpower is an amazing thing.

Exhaling again, she stood on the border between ice and cave floor.

The problem was that she couldn’t understand the translation of her companion, and with what she’s seen, it wouldn’t astonish her if she meant the floor would try to eat her. So, it was time to get to testing.

Taking the tip of one of her arrows, Tomoe tapped the ice. It had no noticeable effect, but after tapping the tip of the arrow she had a sneaking suspicion on what it might be. Though a bit undignified, she spit on the ground.

Looking at the result, she nodded her head, having confirmed her theory.

Thankfully, her boots were rather fuzzy, especially after being dried and cleaned. It would take a while for her to get cold feet, even with chilled metal touching her boots.

With small regret about not having a helmet that was lined with fur, she crossed the border.

It was big. Bigger than she thought. Perhaps several times the space of Himeji Castle, though it might just be because there were no walls. It seemingly housed several similar biomes, such as ice, frozen lake, and a miniature snowstorm. It didn’t show on her face, but Tomoe was full of wonder. Never before had she seen something so… magical.

She shook the starstruck mindset out as she looked for her next destination. Looking about the expanse with a squint she could see 6 openings. Two were on the floor, with one being placed on the wall to the farthest right, a trek over the lake, while the other was the previously mentioned one that gave bad vibes in the center, white tendrils still flipping outward. One was in the ceiling with no way to access it, while another had a ramp leading up into it on the fourth floor of the room, leading upward. There was the opening she came from, on the second floor, and the final one straight across from her. The way to get there was a curved bridge of ice, just barely wide enough for one person, going on for a mile or two and over the ominous pit. No handrails either…

The left was a miniaturized hailstorm, snowstorm, and blizzard. Though she couldn’t see through it, there was likely to be more ways out of the cave through there. Tomoe frowned, a bit of the magic taken away as she thought more about it.

There is no way this is formed normally. The placing of the biomes looks organized, the room looks to have traps that entice real people, the perfectly shaped cave openings. It can't be natural, something intelligent did this. Once again, Tomoe brushed off that issue for later. If something that powerful noticed her, she would be dead anyway.

As she stepped out of the exit that would lead whoever entered too her encampment she noticed the nicely shaped platform going out in almost exactly 5 meters in all directions. Very unnatural. To her left, the floor had a ramp that went downwards, though lacked the ability to go back up. To her right a craggy wall of rock blocked her view of the room partially, leading to what was likely the third floor. Other than the bridge which curved up to the third floor before curving down again, she noticed the other parts of the second floor. Though she couldn’t see all of it clearly, it looked as if the first floor was the only floor to have complete footing. All the rest had holes and entire sections just completely gone, which allowed her to get a view of the upper and lower areas in the first place.

Tomoe hooked onto the ledges as she looked as far as she could from where she was. It seems what she gave was not a proper description. It would be better to call them the first floor, fourth floor, seventh floor, and tenth floor. The fall would not be forgiving.

Unsheathing Orochi, she nicked at the ice. Cold, but flakey. With a nod she worked her hands with the skill of a sculptor, making grips and hold for herself as she went down. Using her abs of what can only be described as steel, she did the whole process upside down. It would be hard to create more holds when you have to reach below your feet after all.

Chk, Chk, Chk. A repetitive process, but one boasting positive results. In less than half an hour, she reached the bottom. The cold was at least good for one thing, she wouldn’t have to feel sore for a while.

She climbed down to the right, and was greeted with a snow-covered plain, sporting a few rocks of light black fitted wearing majestic blue veins from out of the ground. It carried a constant minor snow, clouds snug in a crack of the ceiling above the tenth floor. Unfortunately, her understanding in advanced weather phenomena was lacking enough to understand how it continually came down without evaporation sending the water back up.

Tomoe shifted a handful of the powder, smelling and feeling it. It truly was like the real thing, even in taste. However, it was bad to consume snow in its raw form, as it should be melted first. Consuming it while as a solid is not the same for the body as drinking it.

Taking her water pouch, she chugged the last of it, saturating her cracked lips. The snow could now be put within the container, and eventually melted through contact with her skin. Though it was a bit cold at first, Tomoe still kept it inside her clothing as the exploration continued.

There wasn’t much diversity for what each biome contained, the main attraction being the change in weather and structure of the entire cavern. However, that also meant that whatever creatures lurked here she couldn’t see. At least, if there is life here, and though she couldn’t confirm it Tomoe’s gut feeling told her there was.

Truth be told, after the experience with the eels, she’s been kicking the snow away to reveal the floor, and using an arrow to test ahead of her. Snow eels… ugh.

Now was one of those times she would have liked different color armor.

She stuck out like a sore thumb.

As soon as she got near a stone pillar, she tested it to see if it was a monster. Poking it doing nothing, she started the climb. It would be better to stick out in a high place than a low one.

Taking her sash used for her pants, with a flick of the wrist it went around the strange concretion. Catching the other end her ascent began.

Once you got the hang of it, climbing like this wasn’t so hard, especially when you aren’t in armor. There didn’t seem to be any major wind for this area, so it wasn’t too bad.

The top of it was more like a small perch than a peak, a pack of snow slated on the top.

She poked it to make sure it was safe.

Snow eels…

While one might call it PTSD, she was just being careful. Even if it was, she would never admit it.

Sitting in a crouch, her eyes surveyed the land. If there was some form of creature here, it was perfectly camouflaged to the environment. Tomoe looked up. Perhaps an ambush from the ceiling? She remembered something about ice bats.

The quick scouting turning into a failure, she slid down the stone, which was surprisingly easy. The slant was just steep enough. For a bit of self-fulfillment, she even did a flip. One of which she aced. Seems that the work put into ninjutsu wasn’t too much of a waste.

A tingle went down her spine. Without hesitation her bow was drawn, and she rolled to the side.

Tomoe’s subconscious once again saved her.

Two black specks, smaller than any normal eye, and without pupil, stared at where she just was. Intelligence flowed through the beads.

Tomoe could feel it, it was waiting for her. Waiting for her to drop her guard, to feel like she was safe. It waited at the base of the structure, aimed for the moment she landed. She bit her lip with grim determination, blood drawn. It would not happen a second time.

The rest of its body was as white as the powder from above, the pigmentation exact. You could not tell it apart from its surroundings, except the terrifying constant glare.

And then, it was gone.

No, it’s closing its eyes.

A third eyelid, the color of the rest of its body. It was practically invisibility. From the positioning of the eyes she saw earlier, the size of it is a good amount larger than a bear. Firing an arrow, she hoped it would be distracted by the pain too much to hear the crunching of snow underfoot.

With a quick look back, she couldn’t even see the shot anymore. The thing had turned partially to block the view of the injury, most likely tilted so the blood wouldn’t reveal its position on the snow. This was more than simply clever. Whatever it is, it’s very aware. Possibly at a human level.

It left no visible trail in the snow, nor made sound. Tomoe grumbled, likely padding on its feet. Hurriedly, she continued running.

She seemed to be doing a lot of moving these days. Tomoe remembered having tea leaves, perhaps she could make some tea when she got back. Parch her hunger a bit.

Her legs, dragged by the white, kept moving. The powder snuck into her clogs, becoming water and drenching her underneath.

An impact sent a mighty ache throughout her entire being.

She heard several cracks, ricocheting off the barrier that is her ribcage.

Tomoe was a ragdoll. Her world spun over and over as it flipped back and forth. Shards of bone dug further into her as reality started to come into place again. Blood coagulated within her throat, forcing a horse cough to release it. The giant snow bear was fast, really fast, and perhaps stronger than a normal bear as well. Her entire life was pain right now.

Two black eyes were right in front of her face. A ring of white banding around near the center. As if from a horror. The mouth opened wider than her head, the fleshy red inside being the only other color in the terror of ice and frost.

With a crippled torso, she forced her muscles to shatter as a superhuman blow hammered into the monster’s nose, a shriek of agony rippling across the arctic tundra.

Tomoe tried moving it again. The arm still worked fine, but there was definitely internal bleeding and some torn off muscle. There is a reason there are limiters on the human body, it doesn’t appreciate people trying to hurt themselves all the time.

Rolling on her good side, she used her constant momentum to thrust onto her legs. The super-bear wiped its nose on the fluff, eliminating the means of detection. Spitting out a glob of blood, she nocked another arrow.

She inhaled and exhaled, the arrow sliding to the internal rhythm of her lungs.

It didn’t use sound to hunt her. Though not stormy, the noise from the other areas would have bleached it out. Vibrations are out, it found her while she wasn’t moving on the ground. She clicked her tongue. Heat sensing. Not going to be able to run.

Making a new plan on the fly, her foot rammed the snow, making a flurry of soft dust in front of her. Mid-air, her arrow pierced its hide. Her determination swelled from within.

Tomoe used the snow she spat in earlier as a marker, using her blood as the marking. Some of it landed earlier than the rest, triggering her ire. The beast seemed to have used the same side that was wounded earlier to block, so the only thing she did was damage it further. The grim intellect memorized what she did, it would be sure not to fall for the ploy again. Meanwhile, Tomoe still hadn’t gained a way of detecting her foe.

Another arrow was loaded. Twenty meters.

Her grip tightened around the projectile, drawing it back. Fifteen meters.

She waited for the moment. Ten meters.

A small puff of steam, ever so slightly visible, came from alarmingly close. Pinpoint accuracy. The iron shaft blitzed straight into its muzzle.

A ghastly wail sung through as the whistle of the weapon stopped. The fur and skin, while hard, could not take an almost point-blank shot of 264 feet per second with no wind deviation. It went in deep, only the fletching sticking out in a morbid fashion. It sunk low as if to insult with injury, and seemed to miss the brain.

A hiss of unbridled anger arose from the bear, and with it carried an animalistic resolve. It unhinged its jaw to unbelievable proportions, the slightly pink flesh arising into view once more.

The back of its tongue muscle flexed and moved. Almost instantaneously, an icicle made its appearance.

Not having time, Tomoe repositioned herself while free-falling spine-first.

The crystal launched at high velocity. Purely on instinct, her gauntlet edged slightly below the tip, altering its course to her shoulder. The guttural bombardment followed the groove of her spaulders, creating an amazing feat of complete deflection. Fingers pressed down behind her head, her elbows bent before releasing the tension, Tomoe’s body performed an acrobatic flip backwards.

Her shuffling away sped as did the rate of fire towards her increase. Every time she dodged out of the way with minimal movement or replotted its course. The tingling flesh of her broken ribs made her frown, but it was easily overcome with willpower. A willpower she had trained as soon as her time as a babe was over. She had no time to even think about how it stored this much ammunition within whatever pocket it was pulled out of.

Five meters.

It flew across the ground. That was the illusion.

It somehow maintained steadfast accuracy as it charged at blinding speed. Tomoe tsked, the aerial weaponry being a trying task enough.

Three meters.

Using her swift hands and constant motion, her bow Yatagarasu switched with Orochi. Straining herself into a ducking position despite her tender torso, she waited. She recalled the country of Spain, and their matadors. Though it was going to be a not so accurate representation, it would have to do.

Tomoe could only ready herself.

The slightly discolored nose could finally be viewed, the scene of it shifting now visible to her naked eye.

She waited.

The blood, drippy and thick, could be followed even in the process of its hardening due to the elements. The light reflecting off the metal tip of the arrow embedded in its side could be perceived moving upward as the heaving body changed how it was shined on.

The squirming steam billowing from the mouth flowed out of its maw, each and every trail of it seen. The very sense of imminent death could be seen. The fluid of red as it dropped, in every fraction of a second could be seen.

Now!

It was a river. As if her body merely flowed around the animal rather than resisted. If people saw, they would have been sure she was hit, and merely slid past. Her wakizashi, combining the strength of her own arm and the speed and force of the less tactical fiend, slipped into the skin, slicing the flesh all the way through the torso and to the end. The length twice the size of a black bear was opened to the unsavory conditions. Her trail of crimson ended at the leg, halfway into its meat before leaving.

Not knowing what happened for a second, the creature’s brain tried to process the split second of the action. The weight, evenly distributed even to the wounded leg, caused it to fall over directly onto the permafrost floor. Even when it panicked and attempted to stand once more, it failed. The creature flailed like a maniac.

She tested it earlier with her spit. What Isirith meant was that the floor was cold enough to instantly freeze liquid and bare skin. The beast would be immobile if a big enough wound froze against the solid surface. With a vicious roar, the bear tore off chunks of its own self to kill the prey who harmed it so.

Tomoe’s eyes narrowed. As predicted.

One meter.

As the monster lurched upward, the armored leg of the ronin slammed into the soft underbelly. The hulking mass heaved into the air before sliding against the floor as it landed again.

Zero.

If the biomes were separated, then so were its inhabitants. It was simple, there had to be a reason why the creatures were kept inside their respective zones.

The body was halfway into the next territory. The ice formed hills and even a mountain with small dens of snow here and there, the weather perfectly clear yet the surroundings somehow quite dark. Tomoe’s gamble paid off, evidenced by the fact the bear started to flip out even more than when she diced it apart.

It took less than five seconds before the half of the bleeding bear laying upon the next area was gone except for fur. Five seconds.

A large frown crossed her face as she watched it happen.

Ice eels…