Alternate Liberation

The howling wind echoed through the icy tunnel behind Akira as he carefully made his way along the hidden path the Valkyrie had pointed out. Each step left faint cracks on the fragile ice beneath him, the biting cold seeping through the air and chilling him to the bone. Even with his temperature-regulating suit, the frigid environment seemed to pierce right through him.

"What kind of world is this…?" he murmured, gripping the twin swords strapped to his back.

The swords, once a childhood fantasy, now felt heavier—not from their weight, but from the reality that they were tools of survival in this unfamiliar world.

The path narrowed, and the faint glow from the crystals embedded in the stone walls began to fade, plunging the tunnel into near-total darkness. Akira stopped, reaching into his gear for a portable lantern. The light revealed deep claw marks scarring the stone walls, evidence of something dangerous that had passed through.

"It looks like something big was here…" he whispered.

Suddenly, a strange sound echoed through the tunnel—a low growl mixed with the sharp scraping of claws on ice.

Akira froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He crouched low, instinctively reaching for the twin swords on his back. His eyes scanned the path ahead, and a shadowy figure began to emerge from the dim light.

"What… is that?" he whispered as the figure moved closer. Finally, it stepped into view—a wolf with dark brown fur and glowing red eyes, burning like embers in the dark.

The creature's growl rumbled through the air, and Akira found himself instinctively stepping back. There was no choice but to face it head-on.

The wolf lunged forward with incredible speed. Akira gritted his teeth and raised the black sword in his left hand to block. The clash of claws against steel reverberated through the tunnel, the impact sending a jolt through his arm. He quickly swung the white sword in his right hand in retaliation, but the wolf dodged nimbly, circling back for another attack.

Its claws swiped dangerously close to his face, barely missing.

"This isn't a game anymore…" he muttered, his hands trembling slightly as he held the swords. But he forced himself to stand his ground.

The wolf's growls ignited his survival instincts. Akira tried to recall the training his mother had given him. Dodging the wolf's attacks, he countered with a swift spin, deflecting its claws with the black sword.

"Star Blade…" he whispered, as memories of a technique he had once imagined as a child resurfaced.

He moved with purpose, slashing in precise arcs that formed the shape of a five-pointed star. The intersecting lines of his strikes created a pattern that seemed to trap the wolf within.

When the wolf lunged again, it couldn't evade this time. The clash of steel and flesh rang out, and the white sword emitted a brilliant light as it struck true.

The wolf collapsed to the ground, letting out one final growl before its body dissolved into black ashes, scattered by the cold wind.

Akira stood there, panting heavily, the twin swords in his hands still glowing faintly. A whirlwind of emotions churned within him—fear, confusion, guilt over taking a life for the first time, but also a strange exhilaration that he couldn't fully explain.

"So this is… real combat," he murmured, staring at the dark ashes left behind.

Lifting his gaze, he noticed two more wolves standing in the distance. Their glowing red eyes locked onto him, unrelenting.

"It's not over yet, is it…" he said, bracing himself for the next attack.

The wolves began to move, their growls reverberating through the tunnel. Akira's body tensed, and he tightened his grip on the swords.

"I have to survive… I have to protect this world."

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward to face the approaching enemies. Though his heart trembled with fear, determination blazed in his eyes.

This wasn't a game anymore. This was real—and he had to fight to live.