White Devil Mountain by Hideyuki Kikuchi Read Free Book Online

ahead—black dots came into view, and D moved forward with slow, almost gliding actions. The instant it was at his feet, D’s right hand flashed into action.
    The unique snarl of a carnivore rang out, and bright blood scattered on the snow to D’s rear. Returning a sword devoid of even a drop of blood to its sheath, D turned around for a look.
    The foe he’d slain with a single blow, guided not by sight but by instinct, was slowly taking shape on the white snow. Its form, semitransparent like a jellyfish, had been cleft in two in a manner that could only be described as exquisite, but the beast didn’t have a single black spot on it. The black dots still lay scattered in front of D, undisturbed. They were to draw the attention of the creature’s prey, allowing it an opportunity to strike them from behind. This was something only a creature able to blend in with the snow could do, but the trick hadn’t trumped D’s superhuman senses.
    “By the way,” said the hoarse voice, “that snow panther wasn’t after us initially. Which means—”
    The beast’s target had been off to D’s right. Where the strange rocks were lined up.
    Silently, D began climbing the snowy trail.
    “Hey, are you just gonna ignore ’em? From the sound of the breathing, it’s a human!”
    D must’ve noticed that from the moment he first encountered the snow panther. But the young man was ready to ignore the person and move on.
    Chortling, the hoarse voice said, “I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t just like you. Just make sure you won’t regret this later, you hear?”
    “The doctor’s coming up behind us.”
    D extended his right hand. The wooden needles he’d hurled at the snow panther had struck the strange rock beside him. Four needles were clustered within a half inch of each other. Grabbing the lot and pulling them out, D took one of the needles and threw it again. It was aimed at the same rock the snow panther had been facing.
    There was a strident sound, and the needle split in two. That was followed by the clink of a sword returning to its sheath, and then a figure stepped out from behind the rock carrying something wrapped in a battered thermal cape.
    “Is that how you always say hello?”
    Taking her hand away from the sword on her back and using it to support the worn cape as she smiled at the young man was none other than the Huntress Lilia.
    The watchman for this route up the mountain had said no one had been there since daybreak. Lilia had undoubtedly gone over the gate before that.
    Before she could get another word out, D said, “The village doctor will be along shortly. Have her look at that kid.”
    The fighting female made a surprised face. “You knew it was a child? He’s got some scratches, so was it the smell of his blood that tipped you off, I wonder? After all, you’re a dham—”
    Lilia held her tongue. D had already turned his back to her. Flustered, she called after him, “You know, it’s great that you’re really focused on your job and all, but do you just intend to run off and leave the kid to the women? Huh?”
    Lilia put her right ear against the bundle in the cape.
    “And on top of everything, he seems to know you,” she said. “He keeps calling out, ‘Mr. D! Mr. D!’ ”
    D didn’t halt. He’d already covered more than thirty yards.
    “Give it up, sonny. I didn’t think he was as cold as all that. Though for a pro, that’s perfectly natural, I suppose.” Crinkling her brow, Lilia set the figure wrapped in the thermal cape down on the ground. “He threw that needle of his to mark your location, but I cut it down. If I leave you out here, they’ll be able to see you. Look! See those two down there? They’ll be here in another seven or eight minutes. If anything weird jumps you in the meantime, you’ll just have to chalk it up to piss-poor luck. I’m a pro, too.”
    And then, making a looping cruciform gesture that those in the western Frontier believed warded against bad