As the sun set and bathed the horizon in a warm red hue, Finnian and Elena's perseverance finally waned. Both girls tumbled from the mountain almost simultaneously, their faces pale with exhaustion. Two clouds emerged from the plaza, morphing into spectral hands that reached up to gently catch them and set them down safely on the ground below.

Time seemed to stretch and contract in the intensity of the first trial, passing swiftly and unnoticed in the heat of competition. As the moon climbed higher, no longer a mere crescent but a brilliant orb hanging in the sky, Rowan decided to surrender. He ultimately ranked sixth, only a few dozen steps behind Liam. Upon returning to the plaza, he immediately sought out the others, his eyes filled with regret.

"Finnian, Elena, you both did amazing," Rowan said, breathless. "I thought you'd give up much sooner. This mountain is insanely tough." He glanced at the two girls, who were catching their breath. Finnian merely nodded, while Elena's eyes shone with admiration. She now understood the immense challenge of making it into the top ten.

"Bill, you should have been in the top fifteen. But ending up twentieth… it is what it is. In the second round, you must give it your all. We four from the village must strive with everything we have!" Rowan addressed Little Fat Bill, who looked down, not saying a word.

"Now, let’s rest and wait for good news from Liam."

While some were giving up, others continued to persevere. Liam was among those who stubbornly pushed on. His body was drenched in sweat, and he trudged forward, each step a monumental effort. He was already breathless, stars dancing before his eyes from the overwhelming pressure.

As the stone steps grew steeper, Liam finally identified the source of his internal strain: Body Forging. Despite not consciously activating this arcane art, his body began to use it involuntarily. This technique, taught to him by his grandfather and kept secret for its dangerous origins, had never been revealed to anyone. Now, with his body uncontrollably employing it, Liam felt a surge of fear. He struggled to suppress it, his pace slowing under the dual pressures.

At the four hundred and twelfth step, Liam could go no further. The combined pressures were too much. "Grandfather, I can't go on... I've reached my limit..." he murmured, his body ready to collapse. He wondered if this performance was enough, if becoming an Arcanist, so near yet so far, would always be this arduous.

Then, a sudden realization struck him. "No, something’s different!" He forced himself to steady. When he had almost given in, he felt the pressure and Body Forging within him beginning to merge. "Yes, they're merging!" Without his conscious suppression, the two forces started to blend. Tentatively, he released more of the Body Forging, wary of being detected by the Arcanists around him. Fortunately, everyone was focused on the top contenders.

The mountain’s relentless pressure melded with the Body Forging, turning Liam's body into a crucible where the two forces collided and fused. With this fusion, Liam felt the pressure easing, allowing him to move without the previous crushing strain.

As dusk fell and the sky transitioned from the sun to the moon, Liam's position didn't draw much attention. People only glanced to see who was last. Sitting cross-legged on the four hundred and twelfth step, Liam seemed unchanged outwardly, but inside, the merging forces were transforming him.

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By the time the sun had fully set and the moon shone brightly, a significant shift occurred within Liam. The merging forces of the mountain’s pressure and his Body Forging finally dissipated into each other. Opening his eyes, a spark of excitement flashed within. He had succeeded, albeit imperfectly, but undeniably so.

As the night deepened, the oppressive weight of the mountain's pressure reached its zenith. Some participants began to halt, knowing that the final stage of the trial awaited them at dawn.

At that precise moment, the red-clad girl who had claimed second place shuddered, feeling the overwhelming pressure from the mountain peak intensify to a terrifying degree.

“Five hundred sixty-nine… five hundred… I can’t hold on anymore!” She collapsed, panting heavily as she gazed at the summit. Her previously fair face was now flushed with exertion.

“Second place is still good. As long as I don’t drop out of the top three, it’s not disgraceful! I’m the strongest in my family besides Caspian!” With labored breaths, she forced herself up a few more steps. When she reached the five hundred eighty-third step, she paused, casting a glance behind her. Her triumphant expression froze as she saw Liam, who had fallen to fifth place, moving!

The same realization dawned on the top four contenders, excluding Caspian. They all saw Liam advancing once more.

Simultaneously, a tumultuous uproar erupted from the plaza below. Everyone— the onlookers, the examining elders, the various disciples, and even the participants who had given up and were now resting with closed eyes—turned their attention to the mountain, holding their breath as they watched a single figure ascending rapidly.

Liam was on the move!

As he lifted his gaze to the moonlit sky, determination settled in Liam's eyes. He murmured, "Since I can’t suppress Body Forging, I might as well speed up and let the mountain’s pressure fully enter my body, eliminating any risk of leakage!"

With a fierce resolve, he lifted his right foot and stepped onto the four hundred and thirteenth step.

In that instant, Liam unleashed the full force of Body Forging within him, propelling himself at a speed he had never before achieved.

Liam charged up the mountain like a tiger through the forest, his speed creating a whirlwind in the moonlit night. The rapidity of his ascent left everyone, both on the mountain and in the plaza below, in stunned silence.

Four hundred thirty-two steps, four hundred sixty-three, four hundred ninety-four, five hundred eighteen, five hundred forty-one…

His pace was so swift that it seemed like a storm sweeping through, leaving the onlookers in awe.

Fourth place, third place!!

In a heartbeat, he surged into third place, then second, overtaking the red-clad girl, now becoming the second-place contender!

The girl stood frozen on the five hundred eighty-third step, staring in disbelief as Liam continued to move forward. She had anticipated the possibility of being overtaken but had never imagined it would happen so swiftly and overwhelmingly. In an instant, she was demoted to third place, without a chance to react or resist.

It wasn’t just her. All the other participants on the mountain, except for the first-place holder and Liam, were equally stunned. Their rankings shifted in an instant, leaving them feeling powerless, without even the will to fight back. All they could do was watch in shock and admiration.

As dawn approached and the moon began to fade, Caspian opened his eyes and glanced at the sky.

“Eight hundred ten steps, a bit better than before. But this should be my limit,” Caspian murmured, a confident smile playing on his lips.

“By now, there shouldn’t be many left on this mountain. Not counting myself, there should be no more than five. I wonder if anyone has reached the six hundredth step. Probably not!” Caspian thought, his expression filled with pride. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to look down and see who was left, intending to enjoy a moment of superiority.

His gaze was calm as he scanned the steps below. He was about to look away when he suddenly froze, focusing intently.

A figure was swiftly closing in, less than a hundred steps away from him.