A day later, the fight was still raging on while Tsugukuni and Frost tried climbing up a mountain to reach the Forbidden Forest. The ascent was arduous, and the air grew thinner with each step.
"Welp, this is my life now," Tsugukuni muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Frost gave him a sidelong glance. "Yeah, and why do you always make up words?"
Tsugukuni grinned, despite the fatigue etched on his face. "Wynaut?"
"Good point," Frost replied with a smirk.
As they continued their climb, they stumbled upon a giant wall with a bell symbol engraved on it. The stone structure was ancient, covered in vines and moss.
"What could this mean?" Frost wondered aloud, tracing the symbol with her fingers.
"I know! It means... something," Tsugukuni said, scratching his head. "I dunno, I was hoping it would come to me."
Frost sighed disapprovingly as Tsugukuni attempted to freeze the wall and break it, but once again, he struggled to control his powers. Frustrated, he resorted to using his brute strength to break through the wall.
They stepped into a beautiful forest filled with unique plants and animals. The trees were tall and luminescent, their leaves shimmering with an ethereal glow. Exotic birds with vibrant plumage flitted between the branches, and the air was filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal calls.
"It's like we stepped into another world... like one where my life isn't hell," Tsugukuni said.
Frost looked over at him with a worried expression. "Yeah, let's just find that Phoenix. We don't have time to waste; we don't want to keep our friends waiting."
"You're right, Frost. Let's do it. If we can even locate the Phoenix... I wonder how fast we can kill it."
Frost looked at Tsugukuni with a shocked expression. "Are you fucking joking right now? Are you... even educated?"
"Huh?" Tsugukuni looked at Frost with a confused expression.
"Phoenixes are among the strongest and most durable of supernatural creatures. They are quite powerful and almost impossible to kill. In human form, a Phoenix can incinerate anyone or anything with a single touch."
Tsugukuni looked shocked and rightfully angered. "You are telling me that if we don't convince the damn thing to rip out a feather, this is basically a suicide mission?"
"I thought you knew. You actually thought we could kill a damn Phoenix?"
Frost's fear and worry increased, realizing that if he hadn't confronted Tsugukuni about this, he would have most likely attacked it when they encountered it.
"It's not my fault for assuming. I was isolated and raised in a forgotten clan! I wasn't taught anything besides swordsmanship and training my body and mind!"
"Clearly, you didn't train your mind," Frost said, rolling his eyes sarcastically.
"That's it, you little-!" Tsugukuni jumped onto Frost, and they started wrestling like children arguing over toys. They pulled at each other's hair and rolled around a bit before the ground beneath them collapsed.
Frost and Tsugukuni got up in a tunnel with glowing runes on the walls. "Well, this might be your first, but trust me, I've been in this situation dozens of times. The old 'walking through an abandoned tunnel to a mystical power' thing is getting repetitive."
Frost brushed the dirt off his clothes and sighed. "Tsugukuni, your knack for getting us into these messes is almost impressive."
Tsugukuni laughed, standing up and dusting himself off. "Hey, it keeps things interesting. Now, which way do we go?"
YOU ARE READING
Mezameru: Demons Arise
AdventureA boy born "unlucky" in a japanese clan How will he survive and reach his destiny To save the world from its corruption?
