It was the greatest slumber Sieg had ever had — a stomach full of delicious meals and a memory he had just recently made, one he knew he would carry into the next day.

  Yawn!

  The sun's rays were visible from the entrance of the cave, and the bonfire was still burning somehow, Mister Knight must've stoked and rekindled it.

  But this morning was unlike any other morning he had felt here in this cave, something was missing.

  "Mister Knight?!" Sieg shouted, but his voice only echoed off the walls.

  As he regained his senses while stretching, he saw a white letter right next to his bed.

  Another letter.

  I'm starting to dislike letters.

  Despite his reservations, he took it and leaned against the wall of the cave right next to his bed. Upon opening it, the contents read as:

  ---

  Sieg—

  Have you realized that the storm outside waned with each improvement you made upon yourself? From here on, you walk your own path and do not turn away from those who may one day walk it with you.

  My lessons are not meant to confine you. Grow beyond them, so your future battles may bend in your favor.

  But I did not leave you without a present, have I? On the chair, a gift awaits you; on the table, a meal awaits you; and up ahead, my will is with you.

  You failed once, though perfection was not what I expected of you. And yet, despite that, you have impressed me… twice.

  First, for your extraordinary perseverance. Even in death, you knew your intention. You are no longer a boy, for you have taken your first step toward becoming the son your mother would be proud of.

  It is up to you to continue walking that path.

  Second, despite how unreasonable my training may have been, you never once complained. Your endurance deserves its due praise. You did what needed to be done, and you never shattered before my commands.

  Sieg, our time together was short, yet you left a profound impression on me as well. For that, I grant you the right to call my name twice — and by doing so, you will summon me.

  Whenever the world stands against you, when victory seems beyond reach, speak my name those two times… and I shall answer.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  So then—

  Go, and ascend. You have already proven yourself, and I am confident that failure is no longer possible for you.

  I, Ark, am proud to have you as my candidate and my student.

  ---

  Sieg was alone in the cave, no soul was present to judge him for what he was about to do, save for the unseen gazes and the morals of those who could see him all the same.

  But that did not matter.

  With the letter clutched to his chest, tears fell from his eyes. This time, it was neither weakness nor sadness that willed them.

  It was the quiet, newfound strength of a slum boy achieving something for the very first time, and that alone was enough to make him cry.

  Sieg slipped the letter into the pocket of his pants, and he didn't dare utter a single word. First, he reached for the meal Mister Knight had left behind, yet it was nothing like what he expected.

  "Mister Knight… you really are something else." After all, it was a single slice of cake with the words "18" and "Happy Birthday."

  "You could've celebrated it with me, you bastard," Sieg murmured with a smile. Before entering the trial, it had been his special day, one he had already forgotten. But this… this was the best gift he had ever received.

  He ate the cake quietly. He imagined what it might feel like to celebrate with others someday — but that was for the future him to worry about.

  Then there was one more thing to check, the gift Mister Knight had mentioned. Sieg could easily see it, wrapped in a thick brown cloth.

  He remembered that his longsword had recently broken. Was this the sword Mister Knight spoke of? His gift?

  Well… its shape certainly looked like one.

  Sieg held it and meticulously removed its wrappings. Shortly after, it revealed a black leather scabbard, but first, he noticed the dark hilt, the silver pommel etched with faint, intricate lines, and a practical crossguard which was standard to most longswords.

  Without wasting any time, Sieg unsheathed it to reveal a flawless ivory blade, yet something about its fuller intrigued him.

  Faint runes were carved along it, but it was too subtle to make out clearly.

  ---

  ? [Name: Cryostalgia]

  ? An impressively durable longsword capable of unleashing a [Permafrost Slash], powered by the wielder's spell power, and it affects Sanity with each use.

  ? Note: If spell power is 0 or Sanity is 0, either modifier is treated as 1.

  ? Note: It is more than just a sword.

  ---

  Sieg's left eye twitched. "I can't even use it properly as I have zero spell power." Yet he was grateful for the gift and handled it with care.

  It is more than just a sword…

  Sieg thought about it, he interpreted it as the sword being the symbol of his experienced mentorship with Mister Knight, but that was him assuming meaning into something so vague.

  There was nothing left now but to move forward — to face the rest of the trial.

  "I guess it's time." He took a quick bath, ate the fruits left on the table, drank deeply from his flask, stretched his limbs, and then wore thick winter clothing.

  Though faint images of his training, and of Mister Knight's words, replayed in the corners of the cave, like shadows that refused to fade from his memory.

  "I won't let you down." He slung a sack over his shoulder, packed with fruits and water, and secured Cryostalgia's scabbard at his left hip.

  He felt… different. Stronger. Like a warrior. He wished for a mirror, if only to see the confidence now buried into his face.

  Sieg was Ready, he stepped toward the cave's entrance. The sunlight hit his shoulders, and the world outside opened before him: colossal statues of two chained hands stretching skyward, silently witnesses to his inevitable ascend.

  Before moving on, Sieg looked back one last time, bowing to show his respect. The boy, no longer just a boy, was ready to meet the ascension trial.

  "Thank you," he whispered.

  ? [Calibration Phase 2 — Completed.]

  ? [Congratulations. You have changed, and soon you will be ready to face your next tribulation.]

  ? [Mister Knight is proud of you.]

  Chapter End.