Stranded in a blizzard atop a treacherous ridge, badly injured, and quickly bleeding out, Ishikura knows he is about to die. But before he does, he decides to unburden his soul by telling his companion Asai a dark secret that has been weighing on him for years. No sooner do the words cross Ishikura's lips, however, than Asai stumbles upon the shelter they'd been searching for—only to realize his friend's confession has changed everything—and the brutal elements may no longer be the deadliest threat around.

By Nobuyuki Fukumoto.