Jobless Transmigration: I'm the only one who loves monsters.-Chapter 123: The Mountains True Secret.

Chapter 123: The Mountains True Secret.

By his group, of course, he meant the collection of individuals who had somehow become connected through the events of the first test.

Leo was present of course, as well as Adrian and his companions who had gathered in their own loose cluster, with Snow casting occasional suspicious glances at everyone who came too close.

And surprisingly, the stout old man who had trusted Lucuis with his pieces had also stayed behind with them, his weathered face revealing nothing of his thoughts about this decision.

The princess was present as well, standing apart from the rest as she had done since their arrival in this place. For a long moment she simply stood there, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Then, as if reaching some internal decision, she stole a brief glance in Lucuis’s direction. The moment their eyes met, her expression shifted into one of visible irritation, an annoyance that only grew more intense when he responded to her glance with a calm, infuriating smile that suggested he found her entirely amusing rather than threatening.

Without another word, or any form of acknowledgment towards the others or their shared journey through the first test, she turned and walked away from the group.

Rather than choosing to ascend into the sky as her magical abilities would certainly have allowed, or simply flying over the forest and the mountain and reaching the summit in a fraction of the time it would take those forced to climb, she instead began walking deeper into the forest, her footsteps carrying her along the same path that so many others had already taken.

The princess wasn’t a fool, she was well aware that flying to the top of the mountain mustn’t be simple. If she had believed such a thing, then her time here must’ve been surely wasted.

Lucuis watched her go for a moment, then turned his attention back to those who remained.

"I take it you have some kind of plan in mind, brother?" Leo walked up to him and spoke in a voice pitched low enough that only those nearby could hear. "Otherwise you would not have told us to wait behind while everyone else rushed off. You must have seen something, perhaps figured something out about this test that the others missed."

Leo’s words drew the attention of everyone in their loose group, all eyes turning to Lucuis as they waited to hear what he would say.

"That I do." Lucuis replied simply, his voice carrying the calm confidence of someone who had already thought through the challenges ahead and found a path through them.

Before anyone could ask for clarification, he glanced toward the stout old man who had stayed with them and offered a small nod of acknowledgment.

The old man returned the gesture, nodding back as if confirming some agreement that had been reached between them without words.

While Lucuis had not yet witnessed the man’s prowess or seen any demonstration of his abilities, something about the old man had convinced him that this individual would prove a valuable asset during the challenges ahead.

That was why, before the other examinees had arrived in this clearing, Lucuis had approached the old man and requested that he join their group for this stage of the examination.

A group coming together, pooling their strengths and watching each other’s backs, gave him a far greater assurance that they would be able to pass this test without fail, than any individual effort could possibly provide. The old man had agreed without much discussion, and now here they stood, ready to face the mountain together.

******

They quickly began to make their way through the forest, moving as a single unit rather than the scattered collection of individuals they had been just moments before.

Lucuis had made sure they formed what looked like a tactical formation, as if they were soldiers who needed to protect valuable assets while advancing through hostile territory, and to their credit, everyone had fallen into their assigned positions without much argument.

Gunter found himself situated in the middle of the formation alongside the girls, his nervous eyes darting toward every shadow and every rustling leaf as they pressed forward through the dense undergrowth. Amy walked close to him, her expression calm but alert, while Emma and Grey flanked the group’s center with visible vigilance that spoke to years of experience navigating dangerous situations.

Snow had positioned herself where she could keep an eye on Adrian at all times, her eyes never quite leaving his form no matter what else demanded her attention.

The outer perimeter was held by those best suited to handle any threats that might emerge from the forest’s depths. One of them being, Adrian, who didn’t seem bothered by his surroundings in the least.

His steps were light while his attention was divided between watching for danger and reassuring his protective companions with occasional glances.

Leo held his position, while Adrian seemed calm and collected, he was quiet and ready to strike at any given opportunity, his hand never straying far from the weapon at his hip.

The old man on the other hand, moved with surprising agility for someone his age, his weathered eyes scanning the tree line from time to time, And at the very front, leading them all through the tangled vegetation, Lucuis held the foremost position, his path taking them unerringly toward their goal as if he could sense the mountain’s presence through the dense canopy above.

Of course, a few members of their group had been less than pleased with this arrangement.

Grey, Snow, and Emma had all objected quite strongly to having Adrian placed in the vanguard where danger would find him first, their protective instincts flaring at the mere thought of their beloved walking into potential harm’s way.

But Adrian was able to reassure them with a few gentle words, although Lucuis had frowned when those words were accompanied by romantic touches, but he was able to remain calm since it didn’t go on for long.

After promising to be careful, safe, and to let them handle things if the situation grew too dangerous. They had let the matter rest, though they still shot unpleasant glances at Lucuis from time to time, clearly blaming him for suggesting this formation in the first place.

Lucuis was not bothered in the slightest by their hostility. He had faced far worse than displeased glances in his life, and a few dirty looks from these women who he’d once revived nothing but affection from, only made him feel a tad unpleasant but not by much.

He simply continued forward, leading them through the forest with unwavering focus, until eventually the trees began to thin and the ground began to rise and they emerged from the undergrowth to find themselves standing at the very base of the mountain itself.

It was even more imposing up close, its slopes rising sharply before them, covered in patches of hardy vegetation at this lower elevation before giving way to bare rock and eventually snow and ice as the altitude increased.

The summit remained hidden somewhere in those clouds above, invisible but undeniably present, waiting for those brave or foolish enough to attempt the climb.

Lucuis raised a hand, signaling for the others to wait, and then stepped forward with the old man at his side. The moment their feet touched the mountain’s slope, both men paused simultaneously.

The next moment, Their eyes met, and in that shared glance passed an understanding that needed no words to communicate. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"It looks like my premonition was correct after all." Lucuis spoke first, his voice carrying the tone of confirmation rather than surprise.

He had suspected something like this, that the mountain would not simply be a passive obstacle waiting to be conquered. Now he finally understood exactly what there current obstacle was.

The old man nodded slowly, his weathered face creasing into an expression of grim acknowledgment. "It would appear that this mountain truly is the examination in more ways than one."

"The moment we set our feet upon its slopes, that strange pressure emerged out of nowhere, didn’t it? pressing against us from all directions." He paused for a moment, stroking his beard.

"I am guessing that its purpose is to hinder all those who are trying to take the examination, and separate those who can handle such pressure from those who cannot." The Old man’s voice remained calm throughout.

Snow, who had been watching this exchange with growing impatience, finally spoke up from her position behind them. "But both of you seemed just fine just now. How could that little pressure be worthy of any attention at all? I barely felt anything worth mentioning."

"That is where you are wrong, young missy." The old man’s voice carried no offense at her dismissal, only the patient tone of someone about to explain something important.

He reached down and picked up a fallen stick from among the scattered debris at the mountain’s base, holding it up for everyone to see.