Winter

Three months had passed since Adam first stepped into the training grounds of Bai Village. His body, once stiff and unfamiliar, now moved with fluid confidence.

The clumsy swings of a beginner had given way to coordinated drills, and his stamina—built from endless repetitions and early mornings—had significantly improved.

But change didn't stop with his body.

Outside, the first snow of winter had begun to fall. It wasn't the chaotic blizzard Adam remembered from Earth, but a silent, steady curtain of white.

The roofs of Bai Village were dusted with a thin veil of snow, the fields were blanketed in frost, and the air had turned sharp and biting. Smoke curled from every chimney, and villagers wrapped themselves in layers of fur and wool.

Inside the training grounds, however, the cold was no excuse for rest.

Adam exhaled into his hands, watching his breath form clouds in the air as he sat on a wooden bench, his sword resting beside him. Around him, a few others were still practicing, stomping through the thin snow and throwing punches or forms into the chilled morning light. But the large groups usually occupying the traning ground were far smaller now, less than half their original size. Only their group of trainees was still unchanged.

Zhao Yun jogged over, cheeks flushed red from exertion. "You're spacing out again," he grinned, knocking his shoulder against Adam's. "Worried about them?"

Adam blinked. "Them?"

"The hunting party," Zhao Yun clarified, stretching his arms. "You've been doing that all week, staring at the treeline like you're expecting them to walk out with fresh meat and glory."

Adam sighed. "It's not that."

Zhao Yun raised a brow. "Then?"

Adam hesitated before speaking. "It's just… I thought winter would be a chance for me to test my ability against real opponents with the hunting party. Its such a shame us trainees aren't allowed to join them."

Zhao Yun tilted his head. "Well yeah, of course not. We are still too weak to face the real beasts in the forst. You must be at least a tier three martial artist to have a real chance of surviving let alone hunting. As we are now, we'll only be a burden rather than help."

"I know…" Adam rubbed his neck. "It's just that—"

"You want to know if you've really gotten stronger." Zhao Yun said as put his hand on Adam's shoulder. "You are being a bit impatient don't you think? Let's take it slow and work harder so we are selected next winter."

Adam didn't respond, but Zhao Yun's words hit too close to the truth. He didn't need recognition, he didn't even crave battle—but something deep inside him needed to confirm the reality of what happened that night. The dark energy he absorbed when he killed the wolf. Whether it was an accident or part of something deeper.

He had already tried to test his ability by volunteering at the village butchery. By killing chickens and cattle, he did manage to absorb some dark energy—but it was so little that he could barely notice any changes in his body. It wasn't even one-thousandth of what he had absorbed when he killed the wolf.

Zhao Yun sitting down beside him, pulled his scarf up to his nose. "I get it, I'm just as frustrated as you are. When are we going to become martial artist!" He suddenly shouted.

Adam frowned. "Speaking of that… Lin Yao hasn't been around much lately."

"Yeah," Zhao Yun scratched his head. "Didn't Old Bai tell you? She moved up to the older group two weeks ago."

That caught Adam off guard. "Already?"

"She's a Tier 3," Zhao Yun said casually, as though it were the weather.

Adam blinked. "What?!"

Zhao Yun nodded. "Yeah. Heard it from Instructor Lin himself. Apparently, she reached Tier 3 some time ago, but her father kept her in our group to build foundation and humility."

Adam didn't say anything.

Zhao Yun leaned forward, smirking. "You like her or something?"

"No," Adam said quickly, maybe a bit too quickly.

Zhao Yun just laughed, and the sound echoed into the snow-filled silence.

---

The rest of the day passed with quiet monotony. Adam practiced his sword drills alone. With fewer students, space was more abundant, but the liveliness of the training ground had diminished.

Even the instructors were more scattered, many of them had joined the hunting party, tasked with providing food, others were constantly scooting the nearby woods ensuring the village's safety from hungry beasts.

By evening, Adam returned to his newly built hut on the village's edge. It was small—just one room with a cot, a stone hearth, and a wooden rack for his sword. He lit the fire, hung up his cloak, and sat in silence for a while.

Then, as he often did now, he placed his palm over his chest and focused.

The darkness inside him was still there. Not growing—but not gone either. It coiled like a quiet ember waiting to ignite. He wondered again… what was it really? A blessing? A curse? A weapon?

He shook the thoughts away and turned toward his sword. He had chosen it two months ago. After much trial and error, he had finally made some progress. He even started feeling as if the sword was like an extension of his body at times.

---

The next morning brought colder winds and deeper snow.

Training continued regardless. The few trainees that remained now received more personalized instruction, and Adam found himself progressing faster than he had the first few months.

The instructors praised his posture, his focus, and above all, his perseverance. Not because he was the strongest or fastest… but because he never missed a session or gave up half way.

Still, something was missing.

That evening, Adam stayed behind after training, practicing sword swings long after the others had gone home. The snow had stopped, and the sky was painted in hues of purple and orange. He moved slowly at first, going through the basic forms, then faster, sharper.

One... two... parry... twist... step... cut.

He repeated the motions again and again, until sweat steamed off his back despite the cold.

"Still here?"

The voice caught him off guard. He turned to find Lin Yao standing near the edge of the training ground, dressed in heavier gear than usual. A long blade was strapped to her back, and her expression was unreadable.

"Lin Yao?" he said, startled. "You're back?"

"Only for tonight. My father needed to restock some supplies, so I returned with him."

Adam lowered his sword. "It's… good to see you."

She studied him for a moment before walking closer. "Your form is better."

"I've been practicing," he said, trying not to sound flustered. "Though without someone to compare to, it's hard to know."

She smirked faintly. "You still hesitate at the end of your follow-through. That hesitation would get you killed in a real fight."

Adam sighed. "Noted."

There was a pause. Snow crunched under her boots as she stepped beside him.

"You've changed," she said.

"I would be disappointed if I didn't after three months of training." He joked.

"I don't mean your body," she said, glancing at him. "I mean your eyes. They're sharper compared to when I first met you. My first impression of you was that of someone...lost, yes that's the word."

He looked away. "Maybe I am."

She nodded quietly. Then after a moment, she turned to leave.

"Lin Yao," he said, voice stopping her.

She turned back slightly.

"What's it like?" he asked. "Fighting a real monster?"

She didn't answer immediately. Her gaze drifted toward the forest.

"It's terrifying," she said honestly. "The first time I saw one, I froze. It wasn't just the size or the speed, it was the killing intent. The moment you feel it, your body knows it's prey."

Adam swallowed.

"But," she added, "it's also where you find out who you really are."

Then she walked away.

---

That night, Adam lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The fire crackled softly beside him. The sword rested at his side, a silent companion.

He remembered Lin Yao's words.

It's also where you find out who you really are.

And he wondered, not for the first time, who he was becoming.

He could still feel the darkness inside him—calm, for now. But winter would not last forever.

Time will pass and next winter will arrive. For now he just needed to train even harder to be ready by then.

The hunting party wasn't just an opportunity to challenge himself, but also an opportunity to take a glimpse at who he was.