SWOOSH―!
The enormous sphere was cleaved apart by their honed blades.
“I am… your competitor.”
The girl sitting on the ground could not understand their actions. Joshua explained.
“No. We are comrades-in-arms.”
Her heart pounded violently. Her silver hair streamed in the aftershock. Conviction was etched into her fragile heart.
“So this is… chivalry.”
“Hold on tight.”
Joshua lifted the girl, whom he had briefly set down, onto his back and safely crossed the finish line.
“…Thank you.”
The two boys answered with bright smiles, as though they had merely done what was natural.
“That was impressive, fledglings.”
Another instructor named Light, who had been watching them, applauded the two boys. He was the very mage who had deliberately launched the enormous sphere.
“Each cohort usually has one or two people who take up the sword. They all fail to keep pace with the mages and eventually abandon it, but I think I may be able to place some hope in you two.”
After delivering his remarks without waiting for a reply, the man turned away. A sword hung from his waist as well.
‘…Does he use both magic and the sword?’
Attempts to walk both paths had been common even a hundred years ago, but no one had ever succeeded.
Nevertheless, this was an age in which even a swordsman had no choice but to learn magic.
“With the fledgling who just arrived, that makes forty. That is everyone. Gather around.”
As Joshua swallowed his bitterness, Instructor Yukail’s voice rang out. He had joined them after bringing up the rear.
The examination was about to begin in earnest.
“Starting today, you must survive on this harsh snowy mountain for seven days. However, none of you weaklings will be able to endure it alone. Form teams whose members will share life and death together. You may negotiate freely, but each team may have no more than five members. Hurry!”
“Yes, Instructor!”
The applicants began moving busily before he had even finished speaking.
MURMUR―
As expected, applicants hoping to form teams crowded around the girl who had used Teleportation Magic, the fire-wielding boy, and the ice-wielding girl, all of whom had displayed exceptional ability during the obstacle race.
“As expected, no one is interested in us.”
“Haha… We are swordsmen, so it cannot be helped.”
The elf boy scratched the back of his head as he answered.
They could not simply stand there in the cold, so they moved around diligently in search of teammates.
“If I joined your team, you would obviously do nothing but hold me back.”
Naturally, every response they received was cold.
‘…There is no other choice. I will have to endure the examination with the elf boy.’
Just as Joshua was beginning to give up, a large boy tapped him on the shoulder.
“Are you looking for teammates? In that case, I will graciously join you.”
“Oh, truly?”
“I happen to be a Healing Mage. If I am to make proper use of my abilities, it is better for me to work with Close-Range Classes like you.”
The muscular boy clenched his fist as he spoke.
“Of course! Let’s do our best together!”
The elf boy welcomed him enthusiastically.
After finally acquiring their first teammate, they continued trying to recruit others, but the cold treatment remained unchanged.
Just as Joshua was beginning to grow weary, his eyes accidentally met those of a girl.
It lasted only a moment, yet Joshua found himself walking toward her as though entranced.
“Are you not looking for a team?”
“…No.”
Beneath a tree apart from everyone else sat a girl who gazed endlessly at the snow with empty eyes.
She looked like a lost lamb, so Joshua extended his hand toward her.
“Then join our team. I will ensure that you pass the examination.”
After deliberating for a long while, the girl finally took Joshua’s outstretched hand and rose to her feet.
“…I’ll trust you.”
Joshua did not yet know that this decision would prevent a catastrophe of unspeakable evil.
“We only need one more person. I suppose… no one else will join us.”
“Four people will be sufficient, elf boy.”
Just as they were about to finalize the team while suppressing their lingering disappointment, the final piece of the puzzle approached them on her own.
“Could you allow me to join your team as well? I want to repay the debt I owe you for saving me.”
It was the ice-wielding girl who had received invitations from countless teams.
“We merely did what we ought to have done. I would prefer that you not consider it a debt.”
“…Even so, please allow me to join you. I truly want to take this examination by your side.”
She had collapsed in the bitter cold, yet she had found the resolve to rise again.
Joshua admired her determination.
“We would be glad to have you. I look forward to working with you.”
With that, the team that would face the seven-day examination together was complete.
When Joshua looked around, the other children also appeared to have nearly finished forming their teams.
“Each team will begin the examination at a different location. Every team will also be given one Armband. A team that collects three Armbands will pass immediately. Conversely, if your Armband is taken, every member of your team will be eliminated.”
Yukail added that they were forbidden from killing or seriously injuring other applicants while attempting to seize their Armbands.
“What I am distributing now is a Magic Artifact supplied by the Magic Tower. If you shatter this Crystal Orb, an instructor will immediately come to rescue you. Use it only in an emergency. Naturally, using it will also eliminate you from the examination.”
This was one of the benefits brought about by the advancement of magic.
A hundred years ago, many children had died because such devices did not exist.
Before long, the applicants dispersed throughout the Anton Mountain Range under the instructors’ guidance.
‘Demons frequently invaded this place in the past, but they said it has been safe since the Demon King’s death.’
Joshua’s team began the examination in a clearing halfway up the mountain.
“Since our fates will be bound together from this moment onward, let us begin by introducing ourselves. My name is Joshua.”
“Joshua… That is the same name as that knight, isn’t it?”
The elf boy asked with shining eyes.
“You could say that. What is your name?”
“I’m Galev. My family name is Noah.”
The muscular boy spoke next.
“I am Alvan. You may call me Van for convenience.”
“My name is Heria. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
The ice-wielding girl also introduced herself.
“…My name is Lunae. My family name is Philia.”
Finally, the solitary girl revealed her name as well. As soon as the introductions ended, Alvan took the Armband from his pocket.
“Should we first decide who will wear this? That person will serve as our Team Leader.”
“Our Team Leader….”
Galev glanced meaningfully at Joshua. Heria did the same.
Joshua naturally raised his hand.
“May I take the position? I will ensure that everyone works together harmoniously.”
“…To be honest, I would like the position myself. Still, I will trust you for now.”
Alvan swallowed his disappointment and handed over the Armband.
“Thank you for placing your trust in me.”
Before they took any action in earnest, Joshua established a course of action.
“First, we need to build a shelter from the cold. We also need food for tonight. Therefore, I suggest that we temporarily divide into two groups.”
Since both were essential for survival, no one disagreed or objected.
“Does anyone have experience with either hunting or building a shelter?”
“…I have caught plenty of small animals.”
Lunae volunteered for the hunting group.
“It is a warrior’s duty to protect a delicate maiden. I will go as well.”
When Alvan raised his hand, the remaining members naturally became the shelter-building group.
“The hunting group should leave marks on the trees as you travel. Getting lost would be disastrous.”
“What will we do if the other teams see them?”
“Isolation on a snowy mountain is a far greater danger, Alvan. If you encounter another team, send us a signal with magic.”
The majestic wilderness posed a greater threat than the inexperienced applicants.
“Understood. We will leave X-shaped marks as we go. If Lunae and I do not return by sunset, come to support us.”
“Very well. Be careful.”
After the hunting group departed, the shelter-building group began gathering materials.
“Mana, explode.”
BOOM―
Heria first used magic to create a crack in a small tree.
The swordsmen then broke it down with brute strength and used their swords to trim away the smaller branches.
They worked swiftly, and before long, they had amassed a large pile of wood.
“This should be enough. Let us return to the clearing and build the shelter.”
The construction proceeded without difficulty.
They drove notched logs firmly into the ground, placed the trimmed branches closely across them, and covered the structure with snow.
“Freeze.”
Heria hardened the snow as the finishing touch, completing a simple but sturdy shelter.
“It is much warmer in here! Where did you learn how to build something like this?”
Galev asked.
“One naturally learns such things through life.”
After all, spending nearly a year fighting demons while surviving in snowy mountains tended to teach a person many things.
“…That is truly impressive.”
Heria could not conceal her astonishment either.
‘You will learn it as well once you serve in a Knight Order.’
After starting a fire by rubbing dry branches together, they waited warmly for the hunting group.
However, the two had not returned even as the sun began to sink beyond the ridge.
“Should we not go and look for them now, Joshua?”
Heria paced anxiously. Galev nodded in agreement.
“Yes, we should move. However, one person must remain here in case they return.”
“I will go. Having a mage with you will allow us to respond more flexibly to any situation. Please understand that I am not disparaging either of your abilities.”
The two swordsmen accepted her logical reasoning.
“Then, as the Team Leader, I will go as well. We will leave O-shaped marks as we travel, so if the other two return, please tell them where we went.”
“All right. Be careful.”
Leaving Galev’s farewell behind, Joshua and Heria followed the X-shaped marks.
Darkness had already begun to settle over the forest.
The sleet that had begun falling at sunset had turned into heavy snow. Their visibility was steadily worsening.
“Heria, you have used a great deal of mana. Are you all right?”
“Yes. My body recovers quickly in cold environments.”
That was what allowed her to continue the examination even after suffering Mana Exhaustion.
Some members of Joshua’s family had possessed similar constitutions.
‘She can also use the Ice Element. Could she be of Galahad’s bloodline?’
When Joshua stared intently at her features, the girl’s pale cheeks turned red.
“Forgive me for staring.”
“Ah… It is all right.”
Despite her cold exterior, she was surprisingly shy.
Or perhaps that was only natural for a girl her age.
“Joshua, there are no more marks. But….”
When they looked around, they found the area covered in congealed bloodstains.
Heria bit her lip firmly as she tried to drive away the grim thoughts entering her mind.
“There is animal fur here as well, so the blood may not belong to a person. Let us follow the trail a little farther.”
“…All right.”
The two searched the area by following the blood that remained in scattered droplets.
ROOOAR―
A powerful beastly cry suddenly struck their ears.
“Heria.”
“I heard it as well.”
After tracing the sound to its source, they discovered Alvan and Lunae standing with their backs against a cliff.
And the creature confronting them was—
‘This is disastrous.’
It was the strongest creature in the North, a Man-Eating Bear.
Perhaps because Lunae had struck it with magic, the beast was limping on its right foreleg.
“You two! We are here!”
Heria’s shout failed to reach them through the raging blizzard.
“Haa… Haa….”
Blood flowed from Lunae’s side and leg.
“S-Save me. Where is the Crystal Orb? Did I drop it? Are we going to die here? Ah… Mother.”
Alvan had fallen into such a state of panic that he could not even use the Healing Magic he had claimed as his specialty.
Amid it all, the bear, which was as large as a house, charged toward Lunae.
‘I must protect both of them.’
Before the thought had even fully formed, Joshua instinctively drew his sword and kicked off the ground.