Chapter 1060 - ........................
After the East and the West, which was also a combat-oriented trial despite being the artisan faction, it was natural to assume the remaining two would be the same. [Sage Folkana] had said he couldn't measure martial prowess himself, meaning the trials sought the power to open a path through various situations. That was our working assumption.
However, the North was the most unpredictable. [Saintess Milfie], the original leader of the free-spirited North faction, Nortalia, was a complete mystery, especially after Folkana's vague comments.
"Is it going to be a treasure hunt?"
"...While fighting?"
"Maybe a game where many targets spawn and we have to find the correct one."
"Digging it out of a giant monster... that would overlap with the West's theme."
After our rest, we stood before her. No single prediction felt right for the North. The shadow of the slender woman continued to sway and dance, as if she were humming a cheerful song.
"...Saintess. A Saintess, huh... she's a good match for Sayaka."
"Sayaka-san?"
"In terms of being impossible to read."
"Ah..."
The two men talked about their saintly acquaintance. Then, the girls prepared.
"Sora, I'm counting on you."
"Yes. Leave it to me!"
With MP unlocked, Sora could finally use the magic swords from her [Cradle]. They were ready for battle.
"...Good luck..."
Nia stayed in the back with the knight, having done her part. We all took a breath.
"Are you ready?"
"""Anytime."""
We crossed the line.
We braced ourselves for whatever would happen. Ten seconds. Twenty. Thirty.
"...?"
"Huh?"
Nothing happened. She just continued to sway and dance.
"What is..."
Tora-kichi was about to finish his thought when we all suddenly felt a chill that made our hair stand on end. Our consciousness snapped into top gear.
A childish yet innocent laugh seemed to brush against my ear, and the woman's shadow vanished without a trace. Silence fell.
Then...
""""...Ugh!""""
We all kicked the ground and scattered, barely escaping with our lives. What appeared where we had been was not the slender woman, but a massive black beast. It was a giant wolf, over four meters tall, with blood-red eyes that glared at us as it growled from the Abyss.
"...Hey."
"...Why is that here?"
Tora-kichi, wielding his black 十文字 spear, muttered. The wolf's tail split into three, forming a cross-like shape.
...!
It let out a roar that seemed to split the world open. I knew this monster. Even though I had never met it, it was famous in the history of Arcadia. Only one person had ever encountered it.
"It's been a long time, you mutt!"
It was the [Rivelmet Wolf], a phantom unique monster with only one recorded sighting in history. The battle with the legend was now beginning.
*
...A scene from the far past...
"If I ordered a [Rusty Onyx], you'd probably just go and get it."
"Rusty... what?"
"A drop item from the [Rivelmet Wolf], a phantom unique monster."
"...First, the encounter is the problem."
"By the way, it only appeared once, about a year ago."
"Can you suggest a more realistic goal?"
*