The winter snow crunched under my boots and the wind howled, whipping my hair as I took a swig from my gourd. My guandao rested on my shoulder, ever reliable servant that it was, and I panned my gaze on the forest below, scanning for my quarry as my eyes passed a multitude of monsters and lesser creatures. There wasn't any shame in that! Being a simple animal meant that you'd feed the world with your givings, though a few managed to surpass the fate life had given them.

  Not many, but my eyes had been blessed with the sight plenty enough, and would likely see a couple more before I'd eventually be brought low.

  I chuckled, wouldn't that be a blessing? No more responsibilities to shackle me to this place, no more idiots to correct and prodigies to watch fall. The mountain ranges proved a dangerous home, but any good clan was built on the need for violence so that we might grow.

  Not everyone was cut from the same cloth though, and plenty broke under the intensity of training, or met their end to a simple beast due to lacking instincts or willful carelessness. Plenty of deaths, but it birthed many who'd walk through the halls of the strong, so it was a worthy sacrifice.

  I stopped at the top of the mountain and sat in lotus position, resting my weapon on my lap as I waited and watched. My brows raised when I saw a thing of antlers and ontological flaws, walking on two legs as a dribbling maw donated saliva to the snow. It stood at perhaps eight feet, and had a helmet of bone covering its equine face, with the only holes being for the eyes and antlers.

  Strange, that was the third wendigo this winter, though it was young compared to the others. Poor Jia was being run ragged having to hunt the things down, but it wasn't my responsibility so I ignored it, continuing to search for the thing I'd come here for.

  Eventually the sound of crunching snow returned, just from behind me, and I waited for a short while until a young lad collapsed to his knees next to me, guandao clattering down with his fall.

  I took a sip from my gourd and then offered it to the boy, he snatched it from my hands and drunk greedy. I let out a snort. "You embarrass yourself, Dodon. What member of the Crescent Sword would allow their master to witness such a pathetic sight? Let alone from a light hike like this."

  Dodon kept drinking and ignored his venerated master, the pale red-haired boy seemingly uncaring for the potential consequences. Good, I'd taught him well if he wasn't a kisser of ass. Eventually he finished and let out a grand exhale.

  "You're insane, Master Koh," the boy said as he sat on the snow. "I am not so far along my slaughter that my body can consider this anything light. We sprinted atop a fucking mountain!"

  I hummed. "Perhaps I should have you be the one to hunt the Jojakim? I'm sure that'd give you enough Essence to at least meet the standards of a disciple of mine."

  Dodon paled. "Forgiveness master, but I am not suicidal, kindly do not send this humble Dodon to death."

  "No bravery!" I laughed. "But alright, I'll be merciful on this day, no need to fret."

  Dodon let out a sigh of relief and I continued my mirth. He gave me an annoyed look but didn't comment, looking down at the land below just as I had before his interrupting. His eyes scanned the jungle. Despite his insistence that he hadn't absorbed enough Essence, his eyes were more than capable of making out what wandered under the canopy. I took another merry sip of my gourd, after snatching it off the ground.

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  "Master?"

  "Hmm?"

  "Am I seeing things, or is that a wendigo?" Dodon said.

  I gave the boy a smile. "It is indeed, we'll have to report it to the clan once we return, but for now we'll leave it alone. Let it feast on the other monsters prowling the mountain range."

  "Shouldn't we get going then?" the boy said. "Surely news of a wendigo is more important than our paltry hunt."

  "Tell that to Mira," I grumbled.

  He pursed his lips. "You try too hard to get into her robes, master. There are plenty of beautiful women in the clan that'd be eager to warm your bed."

  "Ah, but you see my astute disciple, none of them would be her," I said.

  He let out a sigh but didn't comment. I smiled at that. Good lad. It was never wise to criticize your master's tastes after all. I learned that lesson long ago myself, though I wouldn't teach it to the boy in the same way that my own master managed.

  I had no plans on having him challenge me to a duel after all, such a thing would be so very droll.

  "So boy, do you see it?" I took another swig.

  He looked at me with a raised brow. "Why are you asking me?"

  "Call it a test of skill."

  "I don't know," he shrugged. "the only notable monsters I see are the boars, a couple oni, and an orakara."

  "Hmmm, shame, try looking over there." I pointed slightly to my left.

  He nodded and observed, but after a few minutes he shook his head. "Nothing."

  "We'll have to work on that," I said as I got up and tossed my gourd to the boy. "Take care of that for me, won't you?"

  "Master? What are you—"

  And then I jumped, the rest of his words cut off by the rushing wind. My smile could split the sea as I fell, robes and hair whipping in a concert of gravity.

  Then—

  I slammed against a slant on the mountain, and pumped power into my legs before I launched in another leap, letting loose a chorus of mad laughter at the exhilaration. I hadn't gone mountain jumping in a while! I'd forgotten how freeing the pastime was. Again, I slammed against the side of the mountain, but this time instead of leaping, I started to run down the mountain as the rush overtook me.

  Blood pumped beautiful adrenaline as I started dodging trees that rested on the side of the mountain while maintaining my speed, I navigated a little to the left as I ran through the arboreal madness. Plenty of animals scurried in a panic at the sound of my arrival, but I paid them no heed, continuing my dash until, eventually—

  I slammed down onto the forest floor, a large smile cutting across my face as I let out a loud string of laughs to echoe throughout the forest. Something rustled in the bushes beside me, and a large thing of lupine persuasion pounced—

  I brought down my guandao in one strike, cutting the cerberus in two.

  I scoffed, then prepared my body, and dashed through the forest to my target, so many fools tried to block my path and I rewarded them with death. Blood coated the edge of my blade and was absorbed by the azure metal.

  Then.

  My target.

  Lesser eyes wouldn't be capable of seeing a Jojakim. Despite their strength, they were primarily ambush predators. But I wasn't in possession of something lesser. I brought my guandao up high, then brought it down, swift as lighting.

  There was a blur of motion as something of five limbs avoided the crashing death, the tree it was clinging too was cut diagonally, a loud booming sound to accompany the slash.

  Then, a fist appeared next to my head, and it took all the speed I could muster to avoid the blow, bringing my blade up from down below to try and cut the foolish monkey. It twisted using a thick tail to help it accomplish strange motions before delivering a kick I had to block.

  My feet created furrows in the dirt as I was pushed to the side, and before I could respond the monkey had delivered a series of five blows, each I had to parry or dodge. Our battle raged, making a beautiful song for all the forest denizens to delight in.

  I was so engrossed in the battle that my ears almost missed the sound of a tail cutting air behind me. I took a step to the side, and a furless monkey of bulging muscles crashed down where I was, cratering the ground and turning to glare at me.

  I couldn't help but smile.