The icy wind howled, kicking up snow clouds over the slopes of Hakujaku Resort.
Skiers flooded the popular resort, enjoying the festive atmosphere of the year-end holidays.
But that peace was about to be shattered.
“Shota, we have a missing person!”
The urgent voice over the radio made veteran ski patrol officer Shota Fujii tighten his grip on his poles.
According to the report, a man in his thirties had started his descent from the summit, only to disappear into the blizzard.
Shota and his younger teammate Yamazaki immediately launched a search. But the skier’s tracks had already been erased by the fierce wind, leaving behind nothing but an endless white void.
At over 2,000 meters in altitude, getting lost in a snowstorm could be fatal.
“Which course was he skiing on?”
“The northern end of A-course, but he might have veered off the trail.”
“Veered off…?”
Shota’s brow twitched.
“Could it be that place…?”
A memory surfaced—an avalanche accident from ten years ago.
Beyond the official trails of Hakujaku Resort lay an off-limits zone known as Ghost Valley.
Several skiers had vanished there over the years. Though the area was strictly forbidden, thrill-seekers were drawn by online rumors calling it the “Phantom Powder Zone.”
Through the blinding snow, Shota and Yamazaki pressed on.
Finally, they spotted faint traces of ski tracks.
Following the path, they came upon a collapsed skier, partially hidden behind a fallen tree.
“We found him!”
Shota rushed to his side. The man was shivering violently, his breath ragged as he mumbled,
“Help me… He called me… He’s in that valley…”
Shota’s stomach clenched.
“Who called you?”
The man trembled but didn’t answer—then fell unconscious.
Back at the resort, the patrol team uncovered shocking details.
The missing skier had been visiting the slopes frequently over the past month.
And most astonishingly—he was the older brother of a skier who had died in the avalanche ten years ago.
Shota exhaled, his breath turning to mist in the freezing air.
“So that’s it…”
The man had come searching for his lost brother, unable to let go of the past.
After he was safely rescued, the truth behind the tragedy resurfaced.
The younger brother had attempted an unauthorized off-piste descent with friends—only to be buried in an avalanche.
But the surviving brother had never been able to accept it.
Drawn by the legend of Ghost Valley, he had returned, hoping—perhaps—to find a trace of his brother’s spirit.
Shota knew something had to change.
He proposed to the resort management to reinforce security measures and seal off Ghost Valley permanently, preventing further tragedies.
As the snow fell gently on the silent slopes, Shota fastened his skis and looked toward the mountains.
Beneath the pristine snow, past scars remained hidden.
But those who lived now had the duty to protect the future.
And so, through the whirling snow, he skied down toward a new day at the resort.
