"I am not you..." The distorted figure's movements stiffened, its words cutting off abruptly.
Its body dissipated like sand scattered by the wind, gradually fading away as if it had never appeared, leaving only a small slime in its place.
Viola blinked her small eyes, looking around somewhat bewildered, then looked at Arthur, as if asking what had happened.
Arthur gazed at the last remaining weak flame in the lantern, half-kneeling on the ground.
"I am very sorry, Lady Viola, I... failed the trial."
Before Viola could say anything, the last wisp of flame in the lantern gently flickered once, then extinguished completely. The world once again plunged into a pure darkness so thick you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face.
Arthur could hear no sound, see nothing, not even perceive whether his feet were standing on solid ground. He only felt his body continuously falling in the endless void of this dream...
Although this feeling of weightlessness was exceptionally intense, a tidal wave of drowsiness surged from deep within his heart, attempting to completely drown him in this pitch-black abyss.
Arthur vaguely realized that if he gave up resisting and fell into a deep sleep like this, his consciousness would be forever lost here, and everything would truly be over.
Yet from the abyss below, countless pitch-black thorns grew out wildly. They coiled around his limbs and torso, binding him even tighter.
Sharp barbs mercilessly pierced his illusory flesh, bringing real, intense pain. Blood seeped from the wounds, staining the thorns and also his gradually transparent body red.
Is this how it ends...
He still tilted his head back, his gaze fixed on the long-invisible space above. The determination in his eyes had not faded in the slightest.
The black thorns coiled tighter and tighter, more and more, almost completely enveloping him.
They scraped against his body, his illusory flesh peeling away to reveal pale bones beneath. In the end, he reverted to a scarred, skeletal form.
Even though the faint blue soulfire in his empty eye sockets had been reignited, under the increasing entanglement of black thorns, it too was gradually obscured.
His body was sinking.
His consciousness was drowning.
The darkness was like the heaviest coffin lid, about to close shut. Just as the last shred of hope seemed about to be extinguished, he suddenly saw light.
It was a strand of silver light, like moonlight piercing through thick clouds, soft yet resolute, spilling down from above.
The moment it approached him, those ferocious black thorns seemed to encounter a natural enemy, emitting silent shrieks as they scattered in retreat.
Arthur instinctively reached out and caught that strand of silver radiance.
Looking down, lying in his palm was a slightly worn silver-edged badge.
At the center of the badge, a frost wolf and crossed swords were carved—precisely the emblem of the Arevalo family.
This was a badge representing the honor of a Frost Wolf Knight.
It was the one Alice had gifted him months ago, in the swamp.
Immediately after, he saw pitch-black feathers falling one by one from above, gently landing at his feet.
These feathers did not dissipate but gathered together to form a stable platform, lifting him up and halting his descent.
Finally, a round, green slime landed. The moment it touched the boundless darkness below, a circle of vibrant green light, centered on it, rapidly expanded outward like ripples on water.
Wherever the green light passed, the darkness melted away like ice and snow, and tender green grass broke through the soil, spreading swiftly.
In an instant, Arthur found himself standing on a vast, lush green grassland.
Above was a sky as clear and blue as if washed clean, with a few fluffy white clouds drifting leisurely by. A breeze brushed past, the distant horizon rolling softly, carrying the fragrance of grass and wildflowers.
And in the center of the grassland grew a lush, enormous oak tree.
He didn't understand what was happening. He clearly hadn't passed the trial, the lantern had gone out, so why... was he here?
Just then, a green slime appeared, hopping over to him—it was Viola.
"Because there was never any trial to begin with."
"What do you mean?" Arthur was somewhat confused.
Viola snorted. "I mean, from the very start, there was no such thing as a trial of nature."
"Arthur, you have long possessed something more precious than any trial itself—a knight's humility, honesty, compassion, integrity, love for life, and a heart that protects... and this meaningful journey."
"These qualities, this experience, are the true source of your strength, the foundation of your soul."
She paused, her voice softening. "Try to relax, knight. The answer has actually been in your heart all along."
"I... I'll try..."
Arthur attempted to take a step, walking toward the massive oak tree at the center of the grassland.
The grass beneath his feet was soft and resilient, the air filled with a refreshing scent that relaxed his mood.
He finally stopped before the oak tree, leaned back against its rough trunk, and slowly sat down.
He gently placed the slime in his arms on the grass beside him, then lifted his head to gaze at the azure sky that seemed capable of washing away all worries.
The chaotic, anxious thoughts in his heart gradually disappeared like thin mist scattered by a clear breeze, replaced by an unprecedented sense of peace.
So quiet.
So beautiful.
He didn't know how long he sat there quietly; time seemed to lose all meaning here. He opened his palm and once again stared blankly at the silver badge and the pitch-black feather in his hand.
A thought entirely different from before arose in his heart.
Life and death... are both part of nature's cycle, like two sides of a coin.
Perhaps, nature... has been with him all along.
It is not some distant, unattainable ideal, but every step he has walked, every experience he has had, every person he has protected.
He had been too fixated on pursuing the symbolic meaning of 'nature' on the surface, neglecting the journey itself.
What he wanted to become was not some aloof, lofty natural envoy holding a sacred branch—that wasn't him.
His strength stemmed from the path of knighthood, from his undead body, and also from death.
Using death to punish death, using protection to oppose destruction, guarding the nature and order he recognized at the boundary between life and death... this was the true path he was meant to walk.
The moment this realization flashed through his mind, he noticed that emerald green sprouts had, at some unknown time, quietly twined around his exposed ribs. They gently brushed against his empty chest cavity, giving him a ticklish sensation.
There, a pure white and tender yellow sunblossom, which was also his heart, truly existed.
Arthur gently touched the sprout with his fingertip, a faint joy for new life blossoming in his heart.
So... this was his rebirth.
...
The heavy gray mist was pierced by a rapier, revealing Galvin's figure blocking with his sword.
Although he looked rather disheveled now, with several new scratches on his armor and his breathing somewhat ragged, his eyes shone with a bright light.
He had seen it.
Finally, he had clearly seen Lide's sword.
And he had genuinely blocked it.
From the other side, Lide's figure holding the rapier slowly emerged from the gray mist. He sighed softly, "Galvin, I still underestimated you."
"I retract my earlier assessment. Your path has long been beneath your feet. Just like Arthur, you merely lacked an opportunity to fully embrace it."
"Less talk, more action!" Galvin was no longer obsessed with the concept of the Extraordinary or any trial. Only pure fighting spirit remained in his eyes.
He now had only one thought: to defeat the powerful opponent before him.
His figure charged forward again, like a gray eagle spreading its wings, parting the gray mist as he swung his two-handed sword down at Lide.
[Gray Eagle Slash]
"Clang! Clang! Clang!!!"
Within the gray mist, sparks flew everywhere. The sound of clashing metal was as dense as rain. Two figures darted through at high speed. The intensity of their battle made Glenn, hiding behind, watch with bated breath, his heart pounding wildly.
"Arthur, are you feeling better..." He was about to turn around to check on Arthur, who had been silent all along, when he was shocked to discover that Arthur had already stood up at some point.
Arthur turned his head to look at Glenn, his soulfire burning steadily. "Thank you for your concern. I am fine."
With that, he strode forward, walking toward the two fiercely battling figures within the gray mist.
"Strange..." Glenn scratched his messy hair, watching Arthur's back, feeling something was off.
Why did he feel... Arthur seemed somewhat different from before?
But he couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what was different.
Galvin was forced back by Lide, gasping for breath as he retreated a few steps. Catching sight of Arthur approaching, he hurriedly asked, "How about it? Did you gain any insights?"
Arthur nodded, his words concise. "Gained a great deal."
Lide's gaze also fell upon Arthur, shifting from initial, calm scrutiny to gradually growing solemnity.
"You succeeded?"
"Captain Lide, thank you." Arthur's flickering soulfire calmly met his gaze. "But it is time for us to leave."
"His Majesty is waiting for us."
Lide did not reply. With a flick of his wrist, the rapier in his hand suddenly erupted with dazzling silver radiance, transforming into a silver comet that shot straight toward Arthur's heart.
However, in the next instant, no one clearly saw what specific action Arthur took.
They only saw that the menacing silver comet seemed to crash into an invisible wall, spinning off its trajectory and flying out, skewing into the ground several meters away. The light on the sword rapidly dimmed.
Looking back at Arthur, he still maintained a raised hand posture, now gripping a knight's longsword ablaze with fire.
Different from before, the color of this flame resembled withered autumn leaves, tinged with a deep, dark red hue, exuding an aura of decay and decline.
It seemed like the antithesis of holy radiance, the flame of life's end returning to stillness.
But strangely, the first impression this flame gave was not one of evil or fear.
Because, like its master, it was calm, restrained, as if adhering to ancient oaths of protection and order.
This was a death-fire born for protection.
The one who wielded this sword was a Death Knight who fought for protection.
Instantly, the scene fell silent, with only the gray mist flowing soundlessly.
After a long while, Lide finally spoke, his tone complex.
"Go. I am no match for you."
"Thank you." Arthur sheathed his knight's sword and gave Lide a solemn knight's salute.
It was at this moment that Galvin finally snapped completely back to reality. He looked at Arthur, his gaze growing complex.
"We can leave?!" Glenn exclaimed ecstatically, running out from his hiding spot.
"Wait." Lide suddenly called out to the three who were preparing to leave.
Glenn jumped in fright and hid behind Arthur again, peeking out with half his head. "C-Captain Lide, is there something else?"
Lide ignored him, simply beckoning toward the gray mist beside him, his tone gentle. "Anna, come out."
The young female knight they had seen before timidly walked out from the gray mist. Without a word, she stood beside Lide, head bowed, not daring to look at Arthur and Galvin.
Lide reached out and gently patted her head, his movements carrying a paternal affection. "Anna is the hope of the Fifth Legion, and also the future hope of the Kingdom. Take her with you when you leave."
Arthur said nothing, merely nodding.
Even Galvin surprisingly did not voice any objection. He just gave Anna a cold glance, his tone still harsh.
"We're leaving now. If she can keep up, fine. If not, forget it. We don't have time to babysit dead weight."
Anna bit her lip tightly, her hands twisting together anxiously. She looked up at Lide, her eyes filled with reluctance and hesitation. "Teacher, I want to stay here, with you..."
Lide smiled gently, the smile seeming to shed many burdens. "Learn well from Teacher Arthur and Teacher Galvin. They are true knights. When I have time, I will come see you."
"Really?" Anna's eyes lit up slightly, relaxing a little.
"Really. When spring returns and flowers bloom next year, I want to go back to the Northern Territory to see. You can come with me."
Lide ruffled her wine-red short hair, his voice soft. "Go on."
"Mhm, goodbye, teacher!" Anna nodded vigorously, then jogged over to stand behind Galvin. In her nervousness, she nearly bumped into him and hurriedly whispered, "Sorry."
Galvin had no interest in arguing with a little girl. His mind was now completely filled with Arthur's casual, effortless sword strike from earlier and the insights he had captured during his own battle.
"Miss Anna, over here, over here." Glenn, however, was quite enthusiastic, waving to her, trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Mr. Galvin is just like that. Don't mind his sour face. He's actually not bad at heart, a good person."
"I-Is that so..." Anna responded softly, still unable to resist looking back repeatedly at Lide, who remained alone on the spot.
Lide said nothing more, just stood there quietly, gently waving to her.
Only after watching Anna's figure completely disappear into the depths of the gray mist with the other three, no longer visible, did Lide slowly turn around.
He walked alone with steady steps in the opposite direction, leaving behind only a solitary figure gradually swallowed by the gray mist.