The following days blurred together as the group continued their arduous trek toward the Mountains. The closer they got to them, the more powerful the monsters became. Ever since they left the sacred territory, the situation drastically changed. They found themselves battling hordes of cursed creatures that had adapted to coldness and were very good at utilizing their environment. And in most situations, the pair of sisters found themselves heavily relying on Storm Rider’s divine flame to heal their wounds and burn their enemies mercilessly.

  She was the powerhouse of the group who handled enemies that could fly and creatures that were too powerful for an ascender on her Second Gate and someone who was in her beginner state of cultivation.

  As they continued to fight, Luna was also getting a hang of her forged weapon. She hadn’t used its fire absorption ability since they hadn’t faced a fire-breathing adversary, yet. When she first summoned it, Len was shocked to see that she could summon a forged weapon just like an ascender. But as she promised, Len chose to keep her questions to herself until the end of the subjugation.

  Speaking of Lena, her powers had come in handy since she joined the group. The blizzard was now weaker with her around. She willed it without any effort. Her power growth was extraordinary even for someone of who’s domain was similar to the ruler of the seas.

  This dark world had accepted her as its temporary ruler. Which was good because they now had better visibility and could see their attackers.

  After a couple more hours, Luna looked up and smiled faintly. It was a hopeful smile because the range light ahead no longer seemed unreachable. The mountains too were now larger, meaning they were getting closer…

  They continued walking for more hours, only taking a few stops to feed on rations of monster meat and rest. Now that they were dangerous parts, each of them slept between one-hour shifts to avoid overstaying and getting the attention of hungry cursed creatures.

  After another five days—according to Storm Rider—the group finally arrived at the rocky entrance that served as the entry point to the dark snow-covered mountains.

  The dark landmarks loomed over them like ancient sentinels, casting massive shadows since the sun of this level was dim and weak. Luna felt a cold shiver climb up her spine as an ominous feeling suddenly gripped her.

  The mountains were like jagged teeth biting into the sky, their peaks lost in the perpetual twilight of this strange realm.

  The small group climbed up. Luna was careful not to slip in the snow they walked upwards. The air kept getting thinner. She slowed down her breathing rate to avoid getting any hypoxia. In front of her, Len was doing her best to hold back the winds here while Storm Rider looked for a path through the mountains.

  After reaching the middle part of the mountain, they discovered a man-made path. It was carved into the mountainside, winding its way through the rocky terrain. The path was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, and it snaked precariously along the edge of a sheer cliff.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The snow had partially covered it, making it even more treacherous. The air here was even thinner and Luna could hear the distant howls of creatures echoing through the mountain valleys. She could almost feel their presence too.

  The path, though narrow, was clearly ancient. Its surface was worn smooth and the remnants of old carvings and runes could be seen etched into the rocks.

  The people of Neptune must have constructed it hundreds of years ago, perhaps to support transportation through the mountains or to connect distant villages.

  Luna glanced at Storm Rider, whose face was as impassive as ever. The Fire Keeper seemed unaffected by the cold or the menacing atmosphere. Her eyes were sharp, scanning their surroundings with the vigilance of a seasoned warrior.

  Len, on the other hand, was visibly tense, her muscles coiled and ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.

  “We need to move quickly,” Storm Rider said, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “This path is dangerous. We don’t want to linger here any longer than necessary. The cursed creatures here are a headache.”

  With that, they followed the smooth path, leading them into deeper parts. Of course, Storm Rider led the way as she was the only person who knew where this path was heading exactly. While Lena protected their rear as the second strongest.

  “You know, for someone who’s over five hundred years old. I expected you to be a bit more mature.” Luna whispered to the Fire Keeper.

  “Mature about what? She uses zenshi. They control her.”

  “Who?”

  “The beings who run both worlds. Zenshi is very powerful and the fact that its wielders are incorruptible makes it even more dangerous.”

  For the first time since they met a month ago, Luna could hear the urgency in Storm Rider’s voice. Her face remained emotionless.

  “I’m sorry but I don’t trust your sister. They told me about the current world and I assumed that’s how weak ascenders are.” She continued. “But your sister….she’s…different in a terrifying way. I can feel the influence she has on this world. Its…”

  “….I don’t even have a word to describe what is happening. I don’t like it.”

  Luna understood Storm Rider’s concern about this. Zenshi opposed life. That alone was enough to worry a few people who weren’t familiar with the new world.

  Before the tower, Luna’s zenshi mastery was at level two and she was halfway to level three because she constantly spent days meditating and training herself. One needed to achieve five levels of Mastery to gain more authority over their Gates and Aura in general.

  Luna was no ascender so she couldn’t map out the experience. But she was aware of the big difference between every level. A level two was way more powerful than a level one. And a level five was stronger than all of them combined.

  ‘Len must’ve made it to Level Three then.’

  “It's this tower.” Luna suddenly recalled her previous experiences. While on the first floor, many humans changed under the environment. Those who were overexposed to it and had the dormant divinity had experienced a reawakening of sorts. “The blood tower is changing everyone who dares to enter it. The weak die helplessly. While those with strong will continue to grow stronger.”

  “That’s what is happening to me, isn’t it?” Luna thought that adding herself as an example might somehow affect Storm’s judgment.“I’m sure my sister wouldn’t let some beings control her. No matter how powerful they are.”

  Storm Rider remained skeptical, of course. She gave no reaction. Her eyes remained as cold as ice. Nothing could change her mind.

  “You’re still so young. Things change, Lunaris. Sometimes you need to accept that anything is possible. Your sister is blessed with so much potential. But that potential is no longer hers….”

  Storm Rider suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing as she sensed something amiss. In an instant, a wave of seriousness washed down on her and a flame javelin appeared in her hand. She swiftly assumed a battle stance, her body tensed and ready.

  Seeing her quick reaction, Luna and Len didn’t hesitate to summon their forged weapons. The familiar weight and power of the artifacts bringing them a semblance of reassurance amidst the growing tension.

  ‘What the hell is going on?!’

  What followed next was unexpected….

  The mountains first trembled, and a low rumble seemed to come from the very core of this floor. Loose stones and snow cascaded down the cliffs, echoing through the narrow pass.

  Luna's heart pounded as she tried to steady herself against the shaking ground.

  And then, out of nowhere, a crushing force slammed into them. It was as if the very air had turned solid, pressing down on them with a weight that felt like it could shatter bones.

  The black walls around them splintered and cracked under the pressure, fragments of stone flying through the air.

  Luna felt her soul leave her body as she uttered one curse while gritting her teeth.

  “Crap….”

  This…she recognized this Aura too well since she had been hit by it multiple times.

  The warmonger was nearby.