A few hours earlier, Alarac’s fate had taken a dark turn. After his humiliating defeat at the hands of Mixarnt and Misa, he dragged his battered body through the snowy forest, his mana completely drained and half his body frozen from Misa’s ice magic. The cold was biting, and the night was growing darker and more unforgiving. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuckkk!!!" Alarac cursed, his voice a mix of anger and desperation. His mind was consumed with thoughts of revenge, especially against Mixarnt. "I’ll kill those bastards! Especially that kid!" he swore under his breath.

But his plans for vengeance were cut short when he heard heavy footsteps crunching in the snow behind him. He turned, his heart pounding, and saw a group of Yetis and frost golems emerging from the shadows. Their eyes glowed with a predatory gleam as they circled him, their roars echoing through the forest. "H-hiiiiii!!!" Alarac squealed in terror, his bravado crumbling. "G-get away from me! H-help! Anyone—" Before he could finish, one of the frost golems swung its massive arm, sending him flying. His body crashed through multiple trees before landing in a broken heap, blood spilling from his mouth and his joints shattered.

"H-herlp... ulk..." Alarac gurgled, choking on his own blood. A Yeti lumbered toward him, its massive hand raised high. Without mercy, it brought its fist down on Alarac’s body, again and again, the sound of bones crunching filling the air. The other Yetis cheered, their roars mingling with Alarac’s agonized screams. By the time the monsters were done, the area was a gruesome scene of scattered blood and broken flesh.

Later, a group of Cleric Knights arrived at the site. The captain, Lazarus, surveyed the scene with a grim expression. "I know the monsters in Glacier Mountain are brutal, but this... this isn’t normal," he muttered, his voice heavy with unease.

The vice captain, Sasa, lit a cigarette and took a long drag, her face unreadable. "Looks like casualties will pile up despite our efforts, huh?" she said with a sigh, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

Lazarus nodded, his jaw tight. "Still, this is the Knight Trials. If they can’t survive such harsh conditions, they won’t fit as Aether Knights." His words were cold but pragmatic. Just then, a Yeti emerged from the snow behind him, having hidden itself beneath the icy surface. But before it could attack, Lazarus spun around, his blade flashing in a single, precise strike. The Yeti fell dead, its body collapsing into the snow.

"Tch, just ’cause we’re Cleric Knights doesn’t mean we’re weak," Lazarus said, flicking the blood off his blade.

Sasa smirked, stubbing out her cigarette. "Alright, men, let’s move out and check the other places blinking red on the map," she ordered. The magical map they carried displayed areas in red, indicating participants in dire need of help. The armlets each participant wore served as tracers, allowing the Cleric Knights to monitor their conditions and respond accordingly.

------------------

"Oh look! This must be the Orb that Former General Lancelot mentioned!" exclaimed Rise Lohengrin Goldcrest, the 12-year-old son of General Percival. He was just a year older than Mixarnt and carried himself with confidence.

"Tch. Can’t believe you beat me here," grumbled Razen Valebrand, a tomboy who was often mistaken for a handsome young man rather than a girl. At 14 years old, she was the daughter of General Kalavan and had a competitive streak.

"Can you two quit the chatter?" sighed Mitchel Warbane, the 16-year-old daughter of General Lamorak. As the oldest of the three, she was noticeably more composed. "Sigh... You guys are annoying. Let’s just move on, I want to rest."

A few hours after the trio vanished upon touching the orb, another man arrived—a 28-year-old warrior named Aaron. Without hesitation, he touched the orb and disappeared.

Later, a group of nobles—Erenesto, Kleto, Ratrat, and their followers—also arrived, successfully passing the test.

As they made their way inside the cave, Kleto smirked. "What do you think those four are up to?"

Ratrat chuckled. "Heh, probably gatekeeping."

Erenesto remained silent, but in his mind, gatekeeping was a waste of time. Without a word, he strode forward. "I'll go ahead," he announced.

"Sure, we'll be right behind you," said Micky, his trusted friend. As Erenesto turned back to look at Micky and the others who followed him, he smiled fondly before disappearing into the orb’s light.

"Haha, that Erenesto is always so serious. Hey, Micky, why not just ditch him and follow us instead?" Kleto teased with a grin.

Micky laughed. "Sorry, but you guys already have plenty of followers. Besides, I like Erenesto’s personality more than yours."

With that, Micky and the others touched the orb, vanishing as well, leaving Kleto, Ratrat, and their men behind.

"Hah, whatever. I don’t need someone like him. Let’s go, gang." Kleto scoffed as they moved forward.

----------------

Near the cave entrance, three nobles stood on guard: Aurelian, Adrian, and Caelum.

"We’re finally here!" Ewan said excitedly to Tessa, Mara, and Lina. The four friends cheered as they approached, eager to enter—only to be stopped by an invisible barrier.

While Tessa, Lina, and Mara passed through effortlessly, Ewan was left behind.

"What? Ewan, what’s wrong?" Mara asked, concerned.

Ewan hesitated. "I... I can’t seem to pass through."

A sharp laugh echoed through the air. "Haha! Of course, you can’t," sneered Caelum, his arms crossed as he looked at the four. "Only those who are qualified may pass. Though I must admit, it’s rare for three commoners to have this much mana, haha." His tone carried both amusement and arrogance.

Lina stepped forward, worry evident in her face. "So, our friend can’t enter?"

"That’s right," Adrian said coldly, his expression unreadable. "Your friend is as good as dead."

His harsh words struck hard, but instead of anger, the three girls immediately dropped to their knees in front of the nobles. Seeing them, Ewan followed suit without hesitation.

"Please, my lords, allow our friend to enter!" Mara pleaded, desperation clear in her voice. "He may not have enough mana, but he’s a good man! Without him, we wouldn’t have made it this far!"

Lina and Tessa joined in, their voices trembling but determined.

"Please, my lord, let him in! I promise he won’t get in your way!" Lina begged, her hands clasped as if in prayer.

Caelum was caught off guard. He had expected anger or defiance, yet what he saw was genuine humility and loyalty. He studied them for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter—this time, not out of mockery, but out of amusement.

"What do you say, Aurelian, Adrian?" Caelum asked, turning to his companions with a smirk. Despite his sarcastic tone, there was a hint of willingness in his gaze.

Aurelian, who had been silent until now, shrugged. "I suppose there’s no harm in letting him through. He won’t last long anyway."

Adrian, ever the cold one, gave a small nod. "Fine. But if he dies, it’s on you three." His eyes pierced through the kneeling commoners.

Caelum clapped his hands together. "Well, there you have it! Your friend can come along. Consider this a rare act of mercy from us nobles." His tone still carried superiority, but the edge of cruelty was gone.

"Thank you, my lords! Thank you!" The four friends bowed lower, their relief obvious.

As Ewan stepped forward, the barrier vanished, allowing him entry. He turned to his friends, his eyes filled with determination.

"I won’t let you down," he vowed quietly.

Caelum waved a dismissive hand. "Don’t make us regret this," he warned, though there was a trace of amusement in his voice. "Now, move along."

As the four ventured deeper into the cave, Rosalind, standing at the peak of the mountain, descended gracefully.

She approached the three nobles, her cold blue eyes watching them carefully.

"I wasn’t expecting you three to allow commoners to enter," she remarked, crossing her arms.

She had witnessed their previous brutality—blocking weaker commoners from passing and forcing them back down the mountain, only for those commoners to be slaughtered by roaming monsters.

Caelum simply grinned. "Haha, we aren’t heartless. They just entertained us. Mind your own business, Rosalind." Despite his playful tone, his eyes were serious.

Rosalind scoffed. "Hmph." Without another word, she leaped back to the mountain’s peak, her blue rose aura shielding her from the cold, as she continued to observe the trials below.

---------------

Meanwhile, Kara’s group was on a mission of their own. Having recovered from their earlier ordeal, they were now focused on finding the Holy Grail, a key requirement to pass the Knight Trials. "We need to keep moving," Kara said, her voice firm as she led the way. "The grail won’t find itself."

Misa, still shaken but determined, nodded. "We’ve come this far. We can’t give up now."

Poppy, Jenna, and Nessa followed closely; their resolve strengthened by their recent brush with death. They knew the trials were far from over, and the Glacier Mountain held many more dangers. But with Mixarnt’s help, they felt a renewed sense of purpose.

---------------

As for Mixarnt, he was facing his own challenge. After recovering from his near-fatal encounter with the cold, he found himself standing opposite Former General Lancelot, one of the most formidable figures in the Aether Knights. The general’s presence was intimidating, his armor gleaming even in the dim light of the mountain.

"You’ve made quite a name for yourself, kid," Lancelot said, his voice calm but laced with authority. "But let’s see if you can back it up."

Mixarnt grinned, his wooden sword resting on his shoulder. "I don’t plan on losing, General."

The two clashed, their battle a blur of speed and skill. Mixarnt’s Enigma Enhancement allowed him to keep up with Lancelot’s immense strength, but the general’s experience and precision were unmatched. Sparks flew as their weapons met, the sound echoing through the mountains.

As the fight raged on, Mixarnt couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement. This was what he had trained for—this was the challenge he had been waiting for. And win or lose, he was determined to give it his all.

Back in the snowy forest, the Cleric Knights continued their search, their map blinking with more red signals. The Knight Trials were far from over, and the mountain’s dangers were only growing. But for those who could endure, the rewards would be worth it. For now, survival was the only goal.