Sword Hero's Regret (Part 1)
Kai stared at his palms, his fingers twitching as he tried to grasp the last remnants of the cold that had seeped into his bones only moments ago.
The chill had completely vanished.
He could still feel the sting of the ice that had battered his body earlier, but now it was no more than a memory.
His skin was warm, despite the cold flecks of snow that continued to hit his face and shoulders, falling in soft, rhythmic bursts.
His eyes were sharp as they scanned the surroundings, focused and intense. The monster's body —at least what had remained of it — was gone, reduced to nothing but an icy silhouette on the ground.
All that lingered were the jagged edges of frost that were scattered across the ground, a reminder of the battle he'd just fought. The victory had been hard-earned, but it was the next task that held his full attention now.
He shifted his gaze to the portal.