Ever since young, Asuna always liked the snow.

There was something about it that just drew her to it.

However, she never had the chance to play in the snow, for her mother always locked her inside to study.

"A respectable young lady does not engage in such childish pastimes."

Was all her mother ever said when she asked.

*Scrunch**Scrunch*

Trekking through the snow covered roads of the frozen island «Rein», the girl known as Asuna took in a deep breath of cold air before exhaling, marvelling at the white cloud that appeared.

After her meeting with the Dual Blade known as Kirito, Asuna decided that she would take the time to explore the world for a bit, before dedicating her efforts in helping to clear the game.

Wanting to fulfil her childhood dream, she decided to go to the frozen island of Rein, which is said to be a winter wonderland, or so the penguin at the dock said.

Oh sure, the ride had cost eight hundred Mesos, but she had enough money after Kirito was kind enough to offer some of his Mesos to her after she made a promise to keep fighting.

The ride was a little foggy, but that was ok, she never experienced being in a fog before.

During the ride, she had asked the penguin more about the frozen island.

Apparently, a great warrior was cursed there long ago, causing him to freeze to death. Over time, the curse has spread to the rest of the island, causing the entire island to freeze up.

The only inhabitants on the island was the many penguins living there, and a girl known as «Lillin», who was part of a clan living there until quite recently when they decided to pack up and leave the island for the warmer parts of Maple.

After arriving on the island, she bade the penguin farewell and made her way towards the town on the centre of the island.

There was a few monsters along the way, but they were rather weak and slow, being only at level 4 at the max, while she was at level 6, more than enough to handle them alone.

Since the island was so cold, the only plants that grew there was bamboo and fir pine. So it was not surprising to see the entire town built mostly from bamboo.

Upon meeting the cyan haired girl, Lilin had offered her a thick fur coat after seeing that she was shivering in the cold.

After making small chat with her, Asuna discovered that she has been living on the island on her own ever since she was six, after her elder brother and cousin left the island while she had stubbornly stayed behind waiting for something to happen.

When Asuna asked what she was waiting for, she suddenly changed the subject and invited Asuna to stay in her home for the night.

Asuna accepted the invitation, wondering if this was some sort of a quest but judging from the lack of question mark, before she decided it's just normal for Lilin to invite any players to her home for the night.


After spending the night in the warm home next to a fire, Asuna decided to explore the island the next day. Returning the coat back to Lilin, the cyan haired had refused and told her to keep it for herself. Not wanting to be rude, despite knowing that the girl was a «NPC», Asuna kept the coat and trekked further north into the island.

Before setting off, Lilin had warned Asuna to return before the sun sets, for blizzards occurs at night at the northern part of the island. After bidding Lilin farewell, Asuna started trekking into the north, having fixed her mind on enjoying her little holiday for the time being.

Taking in the beauty of the scenery before her, she trekked deeper into the north. Stepping into the snow, she started doing things she was never allowed to do back in the real world. Making snow angels, burying herself in the snow and making snowmen.

Having so much fun, she did not notice as time flew by, eventually evening came. As the sun began to set, Asuna sat at the top of a hill, erupted by the reddish-orange light shining through the frozen forest, making them glitter like jewels.

Snow started falling, the moment the sun disappeared over the horizon. Asuna suddenly remembered Lilin's warning about the blizzard and started making her way back. However, it was too dark to see anything.

As the wind started picking up, more snow started falling, causing the white snow to further obscure her vision. She now wished that she had listened to Lilin and returned earlier. At this rate, she is going to die in this blizzard.

Teeth chattering, she could see that her red «HP Bar» was dropping, slowly but surely. Judging from the rate it is dropping, it seems that she only has ten minutes before she dies. Collapsing onto the ground, she accepted her fate.

"Sorry Kirito-san, I couldn't keep our promise…"

"Over here….hello you there…"

Oh great, now she is hearing ghosts, she must be losing her mind.

"OVER HERE YOU BITCH!"

Did someone just called her a bitch?

Suddenly gaining strength, Asuna stood up and started stomping towards the source of the voice, her anger fuelling her throughout the way.

"OVER HERE ARAN! HEY ARAN, WHERE ARE YOU!"

As the voice got louder and louder, she could make out a faint golden glow through the snow, glowing brighter as she got closer.

"IT'S YOUR OLD BUDDY CALLING! OH ARAN!"

Stomping into a cave, she saw a huge polearm stuck into a block of ice. With incarnate designs all over the axe part of the weapon, a sharp edge that seem to be able to cleave through anything, it was a truly impressive weapon to look at.

What was more impressive was that the weapon was giving off a golden glow and the source of the voice seems to be coming from it.

However, Asuna cared for none of these things. All she cared was teaching the owner of the voice a lesson for calling her a bitch.

"Hey, there you are! Wait who are you? I never seen you befor…AHHHH WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STAPH!"

Picking up the surprisingly light polearm, she started slamming it onto the walls of the ice cave, the message «Immortal Object» popping up everywhere.

"THAT WAS FOR CALLING ME A BITCH! TAKE THIS AND THAT AND SOME OF THESE."

"WAIT I'M SORRY PUT ME DOWN! AHHH! OW! OOF! STAPH!"

Eventually, Asuna lost her anger and dropped the polearm onto the ground. Everything was silent for a moment, before the polearm decided to ask.

"Hey, who are you? I have never seen you before."

Looking towards the polearm, Asuna decided to answer it.

"My name is Asuna, what bout you?"

The polearm started glowing brighter, before a golden energy flowed out from it, taking a shape of a boy with a ponytail, the sprit looked into Asuna's eyes and answered.

"I am Maha, the Spirit of the Polearm."