Want something sweet?

Galantos Snow Mountain stood as a stark white monument above the village.

Its slopes were blanketed in snow year-round. Only the southern base thawed briefly during summer. But it was now November, and even that small patch was frozen over.

Bitter winds swept through the mountain, carrying fine snowflakes like sand over a beach. Even on a clear day, footsteps disappeared in minutes. Climbing or descending became a perilous challenge, especially when time was of the essence.

The higher one went, the deeper the snow and the fiercer the winds. A single misstep could lead to a fall, followed by a silent burial beneath the snow. One mistake, and the mountain would claim another life.

Yet in the face of such conditions, Jenny trudged forward.

She scanned the frozen landscape, searching for the one thing that could save her father.

Despite the heavy coat and fur-lined hat shielding her from the wind, her cheeks were red with cold, her breath coming in labored puffs.

"Divotian… Divotian… white, bell-shaped flowers," she whispered to herself, repeating the description like a mantra. It wasn't just to stay focused—it was her anchor.

If she could find the herb, Dad could get better. If Dad recovered, Mom wouldn't have to carry the burden alone. And her brother wouldn't have to cry where no one could see him.

Children often act with pure purpose, untouched by the weight of consequences. They believe their sincerity will carry them through.

Jennyy was one of those children. She just wanted to bring her family back to the way it used to be.

And behind her, chasing after her tracks through the snow, was her younger brother Hunter—following a similar resolve in his heart.

Dad is sick. That means I have to help. I have to protect Mom and Sis. I have to make everything okay.

The mountain was a dangerous place, and Jenny couldn't face it alone.

Two small figures, staggering and swaying, made their way through the blinding white, searching for a miracle.

"I found it!" Jenny's eyes sparkled with hope.

Nestled beneath a small outcrop of stone, a patch of deep green leaves peeked out from the frost. Hanging from them were delicate white blossoms—shaped like tiny bells—swaying gently in the freezing wind.

Even surrounded by cold and snow, the flowers stood vibrant and alive.

Jenny hurried forward and stumbled, falling face-first into the snow. But she didn't mind. She didn't even try to stand up. Crawling forward on all fours, she carefully brushed aside the powdery snow and unearthed the herb, roots and all.

She gathered each flower tenderly, placing them inside her coat like she was cradling her father's life.

When she finally stood up, her legs wobbled beneath her. Exhaustion had set in, but she was determined to bring the herbs home.

"Sis!"

The voice echoed faintly in her ears. Jenny blinked, unsure if she was hearing things. Her limbs ached, her breath was shallow—maybe it was a hallucination.

But then she saw him.

A shivering figure, bundled in mismatched layers, his nose red and leaking, eyes full of worry.

Hunter.

"Hunter?! What are you doing here?" she cried, stunned.

"Of course I came for you!" he said proudly, despite sniffling. "Mom said the mountain's dangerous. I had to protect my big sister."

Jenny wasn't sure whether to be angry or laugh. She was the one who snuck up the mountain in the first place, so did she really have the right to scold her brother?

"Idiot... I found the herb. Let's go back and save Dad."

"Sis... Sister..." Hunter's eyes widened in fear as he looked behind her.

"What's wrong?" Jenny turned around, and her entire body froze.

Standing behind her was a massive creature, the size of a bear, with the face of a rabbit and glowing red eyes.

"Labon..."

The beast raised its clawed limbs, ready to strike. Labon hunted by either killing, stunning, or mauling its prey in a single blow.

Hunter threw himself forward and pushed Jenny out of the way, but Labon's claw still clipped him. His coat tore open as he tumbled across the snow, rolling several meters.

Spots of blood dotted the white ground.

"Hunter!"

Jenny dropped to the snow, completely ignoring Labon, and scrambled toward her brother on all fours.

But as she drew closer, she noticed something even more terrifying.

Behind Hunter... was another pack of wolf monsters.

Her lips trembled. Her face turned pale.

It was over.

"Ha—" The Labon let out a warning growl, but three wolves lunged straight at him without hesitation.

Jenny stared in shock. The wolves weren't going after her or her brother. They attacked Labon directly. One of them even had two heads.

Two normal Murk Wolves latched onto Labon's arms, biting deep, while the twin-headed Murk Wolf leapt up, slammed its claws onto the beast's shoulders, and tore into its ears with synchronized fangs.

One of the wolves was knocked aside, but Labon crashed to the ground, bleeding and defeated.

Jenny edged closer to Hunter, but before she could reach him, more Labons emerged from the snowy ridge.

Jenny clenched her eyes shut, expecting the worst.

But the pain never came.

When she opened her eyes, a tall figure was standing in front of her.

A man, his arm transformed into a monstrous shape, was shielding her, gripping one of the 's claws mid-swing.

"You alright?" His voice was deep, calm, and powerful, like someone who had faced danger a hundred times before. It was the voice of someone she could trust.

Before she could answer, another voice called out from behind her.

"This isn't good. The boy's injured and bleeding fast. You handle the beasts—I'll stabilize him!" The tone was gentler, more composed.

"Their numbers are a bit annoying but... fighting like this is manly!"

Jenny turned just in time to see Elfman throw a Labon—yes, throw it—off the mountain path like it weighed nothing at all.

"Brambleback!"

"Red Buff! That girl too... never mind. You as well, Red Buff!"

Rhodes raised his pendant once more. A soft red glow surrounded Hunter's small body, and the bleeding from his wounds began to slow, the worst of the damage fading as the light pulsed gently.

Then the same warm light enveloped Jenny. She didn't understand exactly what was happening, but the heat washed over her like a comforting embrace.

"The healing effect of Red buff works surprisingly well on injuries like these," Rhodes noted aloud.

He hadn't expected the magic to provide warmth too, but now wasn't the time to dwell on that. Every second counted. Without hesitation, he pointed forward and gave the order.

"Brambleback, charge!"

The massive tree beast roared and lunged into the fray, swiping its heavy limbs through the oncoming pack. Three Labons were sent flying like rag dolls, skidding across the snow with force that left deep trails behind them.

Some of the creatures that had taken hits from Elfman still twitched, slowly pushing themselves upright.

But those struck by the Brambleback didn't move again. Their limbs spasmed once, then went still.

It looked like the Brambleback had barely tried. But the damage was no joke.

Even so, Rhodes quickly dispelled the summon and returned it to the rift.

That thing burned through mana way too fast, and right now he needed to conserve as much as he could in case Hunter's condition took a turn for the worse.

As the summoned Murk Wolves and Elfman tangled with the rest of the Labons, Rhodes knelt beside the injured child. He dug into his backpack, pulling out bandages and medicine, and got to work dressing the wound.

He turned to Jenny with a calm, reassuring voice.

"You're Jenny and Hunter, right? Don't be scared. We're mages from Fairy Tail. Your mother sent us here to bring you home."

Hunter's bleeding had stopped. His breathing was steady again, and it looked like he just needed to rest.

"You were very brave, both of you. You did well. We'll be back at the village soon."

Rhodes wrapped Hunter gently in a clean, padded coat to protect him from the cold. Then, after checking his temperature, he turned to Jenny and gave her a small smile.

He reached into his bag again and pulled out a wrapped piece of chocolate.

"Hey. Want something sweet?"