In the royal viewing box, the king’s smile widened, his eyes shaking with amazement. He leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of his seat. "Incredible... absolutely incredible," he murmured, his voice filled with awe. Beside him, Prince Art smiled gently, his expression one of quiet admiration. Even he, who had seen countless battles and trials, couldn’t believe what had just unfolded.

Gundrik, the former General and Mixarnt’s mentor, was in awe, his usual boisterous laughter replaced by stunned silence. The other former generals shared his disbelief. Even Xavier, the ever-logical and calculating former General, was at a loss for words. "This... this is illogical," he muttered, his sharp mind struggling to process the outcome. Mixarnt’s trump card—his unyielding determination and teamwork with Rosalind—had turned the tide of the battle in a way no one could have predicted.

"Yes!" Sunshine exclaimed, her golden flame eyes glowing with pride and joy. She couldn’t contain her excitement, her usual stern demeanor melting away as she celebrated Mixarnt’s victory. Althea, equally thrilled, hugged Sunshine tightly, jumping up and down in sheer happiness. "They did it! They actually did it!" Althea cheered, her voice filled with relief and admiration.

Former General Lancelot grinned, a single bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. He hadn’t expected Mixarnt to pull off such a feat, but he couldn’t help but feel proud. "That boy... he’s full of surprises," Lancelot said, his voice tinged with admiration. "I knew he had potential, but this... this is something else."

"Gahahaha! That’s my prodigy over there!" Gundrik boomed, his laughter echoing through the viewing box. His chest swelled with pride as he pointed at the screen where Mixarnt lay on the ground, exhausted but grinning from ear to ear.

Rosalinda, Rosalind’s grandmother, visibly relaxed, her earlier worry replaced by a soft smile. "Fufu, he does have a knack for saving someone," she said, her voice warm with gratitude. She couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of relief and appreciation for Mixarnt, who had once again come to her granddaughter’s aid.

Former General Theron, ever the pragmatist, shook his head in disbelief. "Seriously... that boy is beyond reckless. Just look at him, now lying on the ground with a grin despite his exhaustion and inmjury," he said, though there was a hint of admiration in his tone.

Lusaric, on the other hand, was fired up. "Damn, that kid makes my blood boil! I wanna fight him too!" he said, his grin wide and eager. 

Leoric laughed, clapping Lusaric on the back. "Easy now, Lusaric, hahaha! Let the boy rest. He’s earned it."

Amidst the celebration, Lyandra remained stoic, her expression unreadable. She had wished for Mixarnt to fail after his earlier comments about the knights, and his victory did little to endear him to her. To her, Mixarnt’s actions were hypocritical—an aspiring knight saving someone in the Aether Knight trials went against the harsh realities of the world she believed in. She crossed her arms, her cold gaze fixed on the screen.

Amon, ever the calm and composed advisor, chuckled good-naturedly as he watched the king, and the former generals laugh and chat happily. The queen, who had been visibly worried earlier, now wore a soft, relieved smile. "It seems the younger generation is full of surprises," she said, her voice gentle.

As the cheers from the colosseum continued to echo, Mixarnt and Rosalind lay on the ground, their bodies exhausted but their spirits unbroken. They had done the impossible—defeated a General and earned the right to make a wish from the king and queen. And as the kingdom celebrated their victory, one thing was clear: Mixarnt and Rosalind had etched their names into the history of Aetherlight, proving that even the most insurmountable challenges could be overcome with courage, determination, and teamwork.

In the colosseum, Moonlight—now transformed back into General Eclipse—smiled warmly beneath her mask, her Lunar eyes glowing softly. She couldn’t help but blush as she remembered Mixarnt’s promise to wish for her freedom from the forced marriage. "I will need to pamper him for this," she murmured fondly, her heart swelling with gratitude and affection. Mixarnt had gone above and beyond, not just for her sake but for everyone who believed in him.

As the sun began to rise, signaling the start of a new day, Gawain received a magical message from the other administrators. The remaining participants had gathered 500 points, and with Mixarnt and Rosalind’s victory over Kalavan, the second trial was effectively over. "I see. Then let’s conclude the second round," Gawain announced, his voice carrying across the arena. "Honestly, this is the fastest second round in the history of Aetherlight. Just a day and a half, no, it didn't even reach noon and it’s already done."

"Mixarnt... Later, once you are free... Come visit the Rosaria noble house... I want to talk with you... And... give you something." Rosalind said with a small blush just looking at the sky.

"Sure! Though I wanna sleep for a few days after this hehe." Mixarnt said exhausted but grinning.

Meanwhile, Knight Captain Lazarus and Knight Vice Captain Sasa arrived on the scene along with their men, their presence a welcome relief for Mixarnt and Rosalind. Lazarus clicked his tongue in annoyance as he surveyed the area. "Tsk, you’ve gotta be kidding me. There are too many dead participants again. Stupid brats, why did they have to attack General Kalavan?" he muttered, clearly frustrated as he scratched his head.

Sasa, ever the calm one, pointed toward Mixarnt and Rosalind, who were lying on the ground, exhausted but alive. "Captain, over there," she said, taking a casual drag from her cigarette.

Lazarus sighed and approached the two. "Hey, you lot, check the whole area for other survivors. Sasa, come with me. Let’s greet the two kids who miraculously beat General Kalavan."

As they reached the two, Rosalind looked up, her voice calm but curious. "Cleric knights? But the second trial is still ongoing. Why are you going to heal us? We didn’t lose or forfeit."

Sasa smiled lazily. "Don’t worry about it. General Gawain hasn’t announced it yet, but the second trial is over. The remaining participants already gathered 500 points, and you two won the special event against Kalavan."

Lazarus knelt beside Mixarnt, his expression a mix of exasperation and concern. "Hey, kid, you’re reckless, you idiot. Your body’s a mess. Normal healing won’t even fix you completely. Your muscles reached their limit, and some are torn, no, MOST of your muscles are torn! You’ve got internal injuries, too! ... sigh, I’ll apply first aid, heal you with my magic, and bring you to the infirmary. It’s better if Saint Isolde takes a look at you."

Mixarnt grinned weakly, his voice barely audible. "Haha... t-thanks... my body hurts so much I can’t even move." he said as he closed his eyes and sleep.

Just as Lazarus was about to begin healing, an explosion of eerie energy erupted behind him. Kalavan, seething with anger, had begun summoning his Demon Slayer Sword, the ground shaking under the force of his rage. "DEMON SLAYER SWORD!" he roared, the weapon flying into his hand from a far-off distance. "I WON’T LOSE! YOU BRAT!" his eyes white, it was clear that he was unconscious.

Lazarus and Sasa’s eyes widened in alarm. The match was over, but Kalavan, driven by instinct and battle frenzy, was unaware. Before anyone could react, Kalavan charged at terrifying speed, his sword aimed straight at Mixarnt and Rosalind.

But just as it seemed all hope was lost, three figures appeared in a flash. Sunshine and Eclipse materialized on either side of Kalavan, their swords pointed at his neck, while Gawain intercepted his attack, redirecting the powerful blow to the side. The force of the redirected strike created a shockwave that tore through the forest.

"Kalavan, the match is over," Sunshine said, her voice cold and commanding.

Eclipse sighed, her Lunar eyes glowing with a mix of relief and annoyance. "Kalavan, the match has been over for minutes. You lost."

Kalavan blinked, his rage dissipating as he slowly regained his senses. "W-wait, what? Why am I—" He lowered his sword, realizing his mistake. "I’m sorry, General Eclipse, General Sunshine. It was my instincts—a skill I’ve developed from fighting demons called Red Rampage." He said before looking at the unconscious Mixarnt and Rosalind who is just amazed to see Eclipse up-close and personal. "I acknowledge my loss. Rosalind, Mixarnt, you beat me, you damn brats," he said, a wide grin spreading across his face.

The audience in the colosseum and across Aetherlight erupted into cheers, their voices echoing with admiration and relief.

Gawain stepped forward, his voice booming. "With that, I announce, as a moderator, that the second knight trial is over!"

As the cheers continued, Sunshine and Eclipse exchanged a glance, their expressions softening. Mixarnt and Rosalind had done the impossible, and in doing so, they had proven that even the fiercest challenges could be overcome with courage, determination, and teamwork. For Mixarnt, it was another step closer to his goal—and for Eclipse, it was a reminder of why she had come to care for him so deeply.

Somewhere in the mountains,

Rise, Mitchel and Razen who are camping and just woke up were surprised, it hasn't been two days but the trial was over. 

"Looks like everyone reached 500 pts huh?" Rise said with a grin. 

"Tch, who cares, at least I wouldn't need to camp." Razen said.

"Well, let's get going." Mitchel the oldest of the three said as they started packing.  

On another part of the forest, Ewan, Mara, Lina, and Tessa, the four commoners along with the other nobles who had been grinding were so happy because they are part of the participants who passed after gaining 500 pts.