Shin clenched his fists tightly, feeling the rush of adrenaline surging through him. "Don't be pathetic, Shin," he thought, scolding himself sharply as he focused on the looming challenge ahead. The second part of the trial was coming, and he knew he needed to be ready for whatever awaited them.
Before the trial began, an array of weapons appeared in the nearby cabins: longswords, warhammers, daggers, and more. The students quickly moved to arm themselves. Shin picked up a longsword, its weight familiar in his hand. Lloyd grabbed his warhammer despite the ache in his arm from the earlier fight, gritting his teeth to endure the pain. The rest of the students selected their weapons, each choosing what suited them best.
Suddenly, a new cabinet appeared, revealing rows of Frostcloaks thick, elegant winter garments clearly meant for snowy environments.
"It's a jacket," Shin thought, studying the cloak's design.
"It must be for a cold environment," George remarked, his voice calm but thoughtful.
"Yeah, we're probably going to face different monsters now," Jack added, his tone tinged with unease.
The group quickly donned the Frostcloaks.
"It fits perfectly," Shin said, adjusting the cloak around his shoulders.
The others nodded in agreement.
"They probably used some kind of magic to make it fit everyone," Jason observed, seated on the ground as he pulled the hood over his head.
A loud chime interrupted their preparation, signaling the end of the timer. A mechanical voice boomed:
"Students surviving: 299. Students disqualified: 30."
"Dang, that's tough," Arze muttered, shaking his head.
The Frostcloak is a finely crafted winter garment designed to endure the harshest cold while exuding an air of medieval elegance. This heavy cloak is made from thick, insulated wool or leather, providing unmatched warmth and durability. The hood and sleeves are lined with luxurious animal fur, typically from wolves or foxes, offering both added insulation and a touch of wild beauty.
The hood's fur trim extends to frame the wearer's face, shielding against biting winds, while the fur-lined sleeves ensure the arms remain protected and flexible in freezing conditions. The cloak features intricate embroidery along its hem, depicting frost patterns or noble sigils, and is fastened at the neck with a sturdy bronze clasp, often shaped like a snowflake or wolf's head.
Whether worn by a warrior traversing icy mountains or a noble attending a winter feast, the Frostcloak is both a functional and stately piece of attire, symbolizing strength and resilience in the face of winter's wrath.
After a minute, a portal leading to a frigid, icy environment appeared before the students. One by one, they stepped through. Lloyd, Jack, George, Shin, and Rayden decided to team up, forming a tight-knit group.
The moment they crossed the portal, the atmosphere changed drastically. The cold hit them like a hammer, sharp and biting.
"It's freezing in here. Good thing they gave us these," George said, adjusting his Frostcloak.
"Yeah, I've heard this Frostcloak is a new model," Jack added, brushing off the snow accumulating on his sleeve.
"We got the drip!" Shin said with a grin.
"Drip?" Lloyd asked, tilting his head in confusion.
Shin laughed awkwardly. "Don't mind it... haha..." he muttered, realizing his mistake. "They don't know slang here. I forgot this is medieval," he thought, shaking his head.
The team surveyed their surroundings. The terrain was eerily similar to the forest from the first trial, except now it was blanketed in snow. Ice-covered trees stretched out in all directions, their branches groaning under the weight of frost.
Before they could advance, a blood-curdling scream rang out.
"HELP!"
The voice came from a nearby student, his skin scratched raw, blood oozing from the wounds. His cries sent a chill down everyone's spine. A student wearing glasses pointed at the scene, his voice trembling.
"I-it's White Azure!" he yelled.
The students' eyes widened in terror. George's voice rose above the panic.
"EVERYONE, LISTEN UP! MAKE SURE YOUR SKIN DOESN'T COME INTO CONTACT WITH WHITE AZURE!"
The warning sent everyone into a frenzy. Students began frantically wiping their Frostcloaks, ensuring no trace of the substance clung to them.
"Hey, Jack, what's White Azure?" Shin asked, his voice low but urgent.
"It's a toxin," Jack explained. "If it touches your skin, it'll drive you insane. You'll scratch yourself raw, tearing your own flesh until you..." Jack trailed off, glancing at the screaming student.
The infected student staggered toward a group, his voice weak and stuttering. "P-please... h-help me..." he whimpered, blood dripping from his torn skin.
One of the students kicked at him desperately. "F-fuck, get off me!" he screamed, but it was too late. The infected student clawed at his leg, leaving deep scratches.
"F-fuck, it's burning! It's burning!" the boy howled, falling to the ground as he began clawing at his own flesh.
A figure emerged from the shadows a tall boy with crimson eyes and a bo staff gripped tightly in his hands. Without hesitation, he swung the staff, striking the infected student in the back with brutal force, knocking him unconscious.
He turned to the rest of the group, his voice cold and commanding. "If any of you get infected, just kill yourself. If you don't, I'll do it for you."
His crimson eyes glared at the crowd, daring anyone to challenge him. The students averted their gazes, murmuring among themselves.
"Why the hell is that half-demon bastard here?" one whispered.
"Shit, it's him again. Don't mess with him," another muttered.
Shin overheard their hushed voices and turned to George. "Who is he?" he asked.
George's tone was cold, almost reverent. "He's him. The child of prophecy."
Shin frowned, sensing the weight behind George's words. "But what's his name?"
George's gaze hardened as he replied. "Gorrath."
Shin glanced back at the crimson-eyed figure. "Even here, they're glazing ," he thought, his curiosity growing.
"Gorrath? That's an odd name," Shin thought, his eyes narrowing as he studied the half-demon. "I've heard he's a half-demon, but he doesn't look like one at all. Pale skin, crimson eyes, and... he's handsome as hell?!"
Shin couldn't believe that someone so striking could have demon blood running through their veins. Before he could dwell on it further, the student Gorrath had knocked unconscious started to stir.
"You half-demon bastard! Do you think you're special?!" the infected student roared, lunging at Gorrath in blind rage.
But Gorrath moved faster than anyone could anticipate. In one fluid motion, he grabbed a nearby student and used him as a shield.
"W-what?! Let go!" the unfortunate student screamed, thrashing in panic as the White Azure latched onto his exposed skin.
"AGHHHHH!" he shrieked, his face contorting in agony as the toxin spread rapidly, turning his skin raw.
Shin stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat. "What the hell is this festival?!" he thought, his face twisted in a mix of fear and disbelief.
"Everyone, RUN!" Gorrath's commanding voice rang out, snapping the group out of their daze.
Chaos erupted as students scattered in all directions, their panicked screams echoing through the snowy forest. Gorrath darted toward Shin's group, following them as they sprinted away. After what felt like an eternity of running, they finally stopped, their breaths heavy in the frigid air.
"Hey, George, who's this?" Gorrath asked, his crimson eyes locking onto Shin with an intense gaze.
George quickly stepped forward, pulling Shin slightly behind him. "He's a transfer just arrived two months ago," George replied, his tone serious.
Gorrath's piercing expression softened almost immediately. His lips curled into a gentle smile as he approached Shin, patting him on the head. "I see. Nice to meet you, Shin. I'm Gorrath~," he said warmly, his voice unnervingly kind.
Shin blinked in surprise, unsure how to respond. Meanwhile, Rayden stood off to the side, his face contorting in discomfort.
"What the hell? They're making Shin look like some kind of princess," Rayden muttered under his breath, crossing his arms in frustration.
The group continued their trek through the snowy forest, their senses heightened after the earlier chaos. The icy silence was broken only by the crunch of snow beneath their boots.
George suddenly froze, pointing toward a suspicious pile of White Azure up ahead. "Hey, Lloyd, take a look at that," he said, his voice low and cautious.
Lloyd stepped forward, narrowing his eyes as a faint red aura began to radiate from them.
[Trait Activated: Sight of Aura]
Lloyd's vision sharpened, detecting an ominous energy emanating from the pile of White Azure. His eyes widened in alarm.
"EVERYONE, GET READY! IT'S ALIVE!" he shouted.
Weapons were drawn in an instant. The group gripped their blades tightly, their determination etched onto their faces. Shin felt the weight of his longsword in his hands, his adrenaline surging.
This time, he wouldn't falter.