The hunter, half-crouched and trying not to make a sound of stepping on the snow, quietly moved behind a rock.

Grabbing at the rocks and holding his body down, the hunter poked his head out slightly and peered down the hillside.

In the snow, only a brown body made a slight movement in the distance.

A reindeer, and very large...... The hunter looked excitedly at the hounds and sleds behind him, which were still empty: he didn't expect to have a harvest just after he went out hunting.

Ever since Lord Mace heard the analysis from Nadia, the entire city has been busy stockpiling supplies...... We hunters have been busy lately - but thanks to this, we've made a lot of extra money. With this in mind, the hunter untied his longbow from his back and continued to observe the moving reindeer. At such a distance, he didn't want to risk his prey escaping to shoot arrows.

It's been three weeks since Lord Mace announced that the city was on alert...... In the first week, the hunter himself did not believe the alarmism of the Bachelor - there used to be occasional snowless days, but only a few times in the last six months. That doesn't say anything at all.

However...... Looking at the clear sky, the hunter felt a wave of anxiety in his heart: it had been sixteen days—all snowless days lately.

Sixteen days without snow in the Land of Permafrost - the snow that had sheltered the Children of Ice and the Frozen Lands for thousands of years seemed to have slept like the Ice Dragon God. The lack of snow in sight made everyone's hearts panic.

Winter's Breath is really coming...... Everyone seems to be convinced of this—and although there is a heartfelt hope that Maestro Nadia's prophecy is wrong, we all know very well that it is all a sign of the coming of the cold Grim Reaper.

The dragon god will not wake up again...... Maybe no one can stop the spread of black ice,

The hunter has always been in a pessimistic mood when he thinks—he knows that this will not help solve the problem, but he cannot stop himself from thinking about it.

This last snow-free day of several weeks will be our last chance to prepare for Winter's Breath: once Winter's Breath comes, hunger and cold will fall on everyone's head.

In order to survive in the dark and bitter cold for an unknown amount of time, people are trying to store everything they can find.

The first thing to consider is the food...... Large vats of cured meat, salted fish. Bags of onions, potatoes, beans, wheat, mushrooms...... Everyone's ice cellar is filled with these things grown from hot spring farms and greenhouses in the suburbs.

Also indispensable are ...... Heating supplies. The hunter sighed secretly: I wonder what kind of cold the Breath of Winter will bring, if it is the temperature that can freeze the flames, as it is rumored, then no amount of charcoal and hot springs can resist it.

As for weapons...... The hunter shook his head: Neverwinter hadn't been attacked by war in years. Once you are attacked fiercely, how long can you resist it?

I don't know how long the last snowless day will be, so I have to hunt as much as I can...... The hunter fell to one knee and drew an arrow from the quiver behind him with his right hand: the deer was getting closer and closer, and he was ready to shoot it.

I wonder if my four-month-old daughter will survive the coming winter...... He put the heavy wooden arrow (the arrows used by the hunters of Winterfell that can be subjected to less air resistance on windy days, preventing the bow from deflecting too much from its trajectory) and aimed it at the deer: well, wait for it to get a little closer...... Once I get to about 150 meters, I will never miss.

However, instead of as the hunter had envisioned, the deer suddenly stopped and began to run in a northwesterly direction.

The hunter, completely unaware of this, hurriedly shot an arrow at the deer's back, and the arrow lost momentum and fell into the snow.

Damn, what's going on? The hunter eagerly jumped down the slope and sat back on the sled: "Bobby, Aliu, chase the deer!"

Two strong snowland dogs galloped and chased in the direction of the deer's escape.

Pulling the reins, the hunter's brain raced: Could it be that the deer had spotted me...... No, it can't be. I won't be found out by it, right?!

So, what scared it...... The hunter looked at the ice fields around him.

Glacier wolves, snow bears, and locats (a burly, long-haired beast) were impossible - the hunters didn't even see them.

"Run faster, Bobbi, Aliu!" the hunter spotted a small spot moving in the distance—it was undoubtedly the fleeing prey.

This won't let you escape...... The hunter snickered with joy when he had found it, and once again took out an arrow and put it on the string.

Lifting himself slightly, the hunter pulled his bowstring and aimed it at the reindeer, which was getting closer.

The surroundings are surprisingly peaceful...... Calculating the effective range without wind interference, the hunter, who felt that it was close enough, released an arrow.

Just as the hunter expected, the prey fell in response. The two clever dogs consciously slowed down, and the sleigh stopped next to the reindeer.

What a big dick...... Putting the bow back behind him, the hunter jumped off the sled.

With great difficulty dragging it to the sleigh, the hunter pulled out the arrow stuck in the reindeer, and when he saw that it was not broken, he put it back in his quiver.

Feeling that something was not right from the beginning, the hunter who sat back in the sleigh looked around suspiciously: it was too quiet...... Why is there no wind today?

Maybe I've been too nervous lately...... The hunter, who thought of the reindeer's strange behavior, felt a little uneasy: maybe he should have ended the hunt early today and left the snowy mountains.

Thinking so, the hunter tugged at the reins: "Bobbi, Aliu! ”

The two dogs turned their heads and ran in the direction they had been commuting. However, just after running 100 meters, both dogs stopped.

"What's the matter, old fellow, run?!" said the hunter, looking up at Poppy and Aliu: he was surprised to see that the two dogs were shivering.

"What scared you?" the hunter shudde: the reindeer had fled in fright.

No matter how much they scolded, neither sled dog would move a single step. However, just as the hunter was about to jump off the sled, the two dogs suddenly turned around and began to run wildly. The hunter, who had almost fallen off the sled, held the reins tightly.

As soon as he wanted to shout loudly, a cold cold air suddenly hit, and the surrounding area was quickly enveloped in dim space.

Looking at the sky that had darkened in an instant, the hunter trembled at the sudden upheaval. A violent cold wind suddenly hangs up, and the blizzard arrives without warning.

Is it quiet before the blizzard...... Hunter tightened his coat in the unusually cold: But it couldn't be! He had never seen a blizzard like this......

Winter's Breath - A terrifying thought came to the hunter's mind, and he shuddered and looked around.

What are they running away from? The hunter gripped the reins and looked back, the impact of the snow making it difficult for him to open his eyes.

In the extreme darkness, the hunter could not see the scene behind the sleigh at all. However, there was a clear and faint "click" sound coming from all around. The rear of the sled is especially clear.

What's going on...... Grasping the hood, which was constantly blown by the wind, the hunter propped himself up on the sleigh and looked back: the strange sound was getting closer.

Suddenly, the sleigh fell to the ground to the sound of a dog's scream. The hunter, who had been thrown a meter away, climbed up in pain, and the bodies of the two dogs, still twitching, were in front of them: their slowly frozen bodies were gradually eroded and festered by the black markings.

Stepping back in horror, the hunter watching the ground finally realized the source of the approaching sound: black ice.

Black-blue, smoky ice struck from all sides, enveloping the sleigh. The hunter drew his dagger in desperation.

In the dark corridor, a hooded girl extinguished the lantern in her hand.

As if she had lost her soul, the dazed girl moved tirelessly.

In front of me, there was only the bright light in the depths of the hallway......

Dark purple glow...... The light from the door at the end of the hallway......

There are still seventeen years and two hundred and fourteen days left at the end of the world.

The breath of winter has come......

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Chapter 1: Winter's Breath Section A: The Prelude to Winter (End)