Two hours later, the group crossed the last ridge, and the northerners’ camp finally came into view — smoke curling from the forges, the sound of axes and laughter breaking through the cold morning air.

The recruits stumbled in behind Ludger, their breaths heavy clouds of white vapor. The snow crunched beneath their boots, half-melted by the sheer body heat they were throwing off.

They had made it.

Barely.

Derrin was still on his feet, jaw clenched, pushing through the exhaustion like a soldier used to long marches. Mira looked pale but steady, her breath rhythmic and controlled — endurance from her hunter training.

Rhea was sweating so much it had frozen into a thin frost layer along her hairline, but she was still grinning like she’d just won a brawl.

The real victims were the mages.

Taron and Callen looked one step away from collapsing, their cloaks drenched and stiffening from the cold as sweat turned to frost. Their faces were flushed, eyes glassy, but somehow — somehow — they hadn’t fallen.

Ludger stopped at the edge of the camp and turned, crossing his arms. He was breathing evenly, not a hint of strain on him despite running thirty miles through snow and uneven terrain.

He raised an eyebrow. “Still alive?”

Taron tried to answer but only managed a wheeze that sounded like a dying kettle. Callen gave a slow nod, muttering something about never running again as long as he lived.

“Good,” Ludger said, smirking faintly. “That means you’re still useful.”

The recruits stared at him like they couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious. He was both.

“The labyrinth’s another mile north,” he continued, voice calm. “If you can’t handle a warm-up like this, you’ll freeze to death before you reach the entrance. Endurance matters up here — magic or no magic.”

Rhea straightened, panting but smiling. “You call that a warm-up?”

Ludger tilted his head, amused. “Compared to what’s waiting inside? Yeah.”

Mira looked over her shoulder at the horizon, where the labyrinth’s icy spires gleamed faintly in the distance. “Then we’ve got a lot to learn.”

“That’s why you’re here,” Ludger said simply. “Rest ten minutes. Hydrate, breathe, don’t die. We move again soon.”

As the recruits sat down, gasping and rubbing warmth back into their arms, Ludger turned toward the campfires ahead — Kharnek’s men were already watching the newcomers with curious grins.

The kids had survived the first leg of the test. Barely. Now the real one would begin.

After the recruits had a few minutes to catch their breath, they finally started to look around—and froze again.

The northern camp wasn’t just large; it was intimidating. There were plenty of houses and other stone buildings, there were massive tents made from stitched animal hides formed a ring around a central bonfire as well, and the air was thick with smoke, sweat, and the clang of steel. Dozens of northerners milled about, sharpening weapons or hauling froststeel. Every single one of them looked like they could crush a tree trunk with their bare hands.

The newcomers went quiet, eyes darting between the hulking figures around them.

Derrin swallowed hard. “Are… all of them that tall?”

Rhea muttered under her breath, “No wonder the Empire never took this place.”

Even Mira, who usually kept her cool, shifted uneasily when one of the northern warriors walked by—his shadow swallowing her entirely.

Ludger noticed, of course. “Relax,” he said without looking back. “They’re not as scary as they look. Well… most of them.”

The words didn’t seem to help much. The mages, Taron and Callen, practically shrank behind Rhea the moment a group of northerners burst into laughter near the bonfire, their voices deep enough to rattle teeth.

Then a familiar booming laugh rolled through the camp—louder, warmer, and twice as dangerous.

Kharnek.

The chieftain’s towering frame appeared through the haze, bare-armed despite the cold, his chest crossed with leather straps and iron ornaments. He walked straight toward Ludger, grinning from ear to ear.

“By the spirits,” he barked, voice carrying across the entire camp. “Why are you acting more commanding than Darnell today, boy? You’ve got these little ones shaking like rabbits!”

The recruits straightened immediately, their shoulders locking into place under the chieftain’s booming presence.

Ludger didn’t flinch. He just crossed his arms and looked up at the massive man. “I’m working for my guild right now. Can’t exactly act soft in front of recruits, can I?”

Kharnek laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that could’ve passed for thunder. “Ha! Fair enough. Always working, this one. Even your father never made the soldiers this nervous.”

“Guess I’m just more efficient,” Ludger said dryly.

The chieftain grinned, clapping him on the shoulder hard enough to rattle his bones. “That you are. Oh—and did you like the surprise back home?”

Ludger blinked, caught off guard. “...Wait. How do you know about that?”

Kharnek chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “Darnell came by a few days after you visited the town. Couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

Ludger sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Remind me to hit him for that later.”

“Go easy on him,” Kharnek said with a grin.

That earned a faint smirk from Ludger, though he quickly looked away before the recruits could see it. “He’s lucky I’m in a good mood.”

“Good!” Kharnek boomed, then turned his attention to the recruits, his grin widening. “So these are your new warriors, eh? Tiny, but I’ve seen smaller men fight like demons up here. Let’s see if they’ve got any of your fire.”

The recruits froze under his gaze, and Ludger just sighed. “Don’t scare them before we even reach the labyrinth, Kharnek.”

The northerner laughed again, his voice echoing through the frostbitten air. “No promises!”

The recruits exchanged uneasy glances. Between Ludger’s sharp tone and Kharnek’s booming presence, they weren’t sure which one was scarier — the calm commander or the giant who called him boy.

When the ten minutes were up, Ludger clapped his hands once, the sharp sound cutting through the wind.

“Break’s over,” he said. “On your feet.”

The recruits obeyed immediately. Their exhaustion showed — shoulders stiff, breath ragged — but they didn’t complain. Derrin adjusted his spear, Mira checked her bowstring, and Rhea cracked her knuckles with a grin that didn’t quite hide how sore she was.

Meanwhile, Taron, the red-haired mage, dropped to one knee and began drawing faint blue symbols in the air with his fingertip. The runes glowed softly before sinking into the metal and leather of the group’s gear.

A faint warmth spread from the markings — subtle, but enough that the recruits visibly relaxed as the cold lost its bite.

Ludger noticed immediately. “...You just warded their armor against the cold?”

Taron nodded, looking slightly sheepish. “Yes, sir. It’s temporary. Just basic environmental runes — warmth retention, minor insulation. It should last a few hours.”

Ludger crouched slightly to get a closer look at the markings, his eyes narrowing in interest. The lines were rough, but functional — solid foundation, minimal wasted mana. Amazing for his age, he thought.

“You know many runes like that?” Ludger asked, voice calm but curious.

Taron shook his head. “Only the basics. My teacher specialized in alchemy, not advanced runework. I’ve been experimenting on my own.”

Ludger hummed thoughtfully, straightening. “Still… that’s good work.”

He watched as Taron’s hands moved again, engraving the last rune across his own gloves. The faint shimmer of mana caught the sunlight, and Ludger could feel the shift in ambient temperature just from standing nearby.

Runic enhancement, he thought, eyes narrowing slightly. If I could learn that…

It wasn’t just about the warmth. Runic magic was a hybrid art — part inscription, part enchantment, part mana modulation. It could augment his earth manipulation, make his barriers or projectiles more efficient, even compress mana for control.

He crossed his arms, filing the thought away. “Not bad, Taron. Might need you to teach me a few of those sometime.”

The boy blinked, clearly startled. “Teach you, sir?”

Ludger smirked faintly. “Why not? I learn fast.”

Yvar, who had been standing nearby taking notes, chuckled. “Careful, young one. If he asks for lessons, you’ll end up the student before the day’s over.”

Taron flushed, half-flattered, half-terrified.

Ludger just shrugged. “Maybe. But a runic mage class would be useful.” He turned toward the recruits. “Alright. Warm gear, runes active, spirits up. Time to move.”

The group tightened formation as he led them north again. Behind him, Taron glanced at his glowing gloves, then back at Ludger’s retreating figure — wondering what exactly he’d just gotten himself into.

Ludger had been exploring the first zone of the labyrinth for a while, so he probably could cover for them just fine. Still, he used his free points just to be sure to cover his bases.

Name: Ludger

Level: 52 (2,450 / 5,300)

Current Job: Cook (Lv 35 – 620 / 3,500)

Current Class: Pugilist (Lv 46 – 1,300 / 4,700)

Health: 2,930 / 2,930

Mana: 6,780 / 6,780

Stamina: 4,150 / 4,150

Strength: 393

Dexterity: 306

Intelligence: 596

Vitality: 293

Wisdom: 678

Endurance: 415

Luck: 150

Classes & Skills

Pugilist Lv 46 (+2 STR, +2 VIT / level)

Skills: [Hard Fists Lv 45]

[Iron Guard Lv 27]

[Quick Fists Lv 12]

[Straight Cannon Lv 03]

[Quick Kicks Lv 03]

[Bone Breaker Lv 01]

[Bodyslam Lv 01]

[Headbutt Lv 01]

[Shatter Palm Lv 01]

[Pressure Jab Lv 01](A high-speed focused strike that targets pressure points, temporarily reducing enemy Strength and Dexterity. Cost: 50 stamina)

Swordsman Lv 36 (+2 STR, +2 DEX / level)

Skills:[Basic Swordplay Lv 32]

[Parry Lv 15]

[Quick Thrust Lv 13]

[Counter Stance Lv 03]

[Guard Break Lv 21]

[Counter Swing Lv 01]

[Cross Slash Lv 01]

[Sword Dance Lv 01](A flowing offensive stance that increases attack speed and evasion for a short duration.)

Sage Lv 49 (+2 INT, +4 WIS / level)

Skills: Mana Bolt Lv 25]

[Mana Wall Lv 06]

[Spiritual Core Lv 57]

[Meditation Lv 31]

[Mana Armor Lv 01]

[Mana Arrow Lv 01]

[Arcane Arrow Lv 01]

[Mana Spear Lv 01]

[Arcane Focus Lv 01](Temporarily doubles mana regeneration and reduces spell cooldowns for a short duration. Can’t move during its duration. The level of the skill determines the duration of the effect without a break.)

[Astral Veil Lv 01]( Creates a translucent mana barrier that reflects a small portion of incoming magic.)

Druid Lv 39 (+3 INT, +3 WIS / level)

Skills:

[Healing Touch Lv 56]

[Root Snare Lv 01]

[Herbal Whisper Lv 01]

[Plant Growth Lv 11]

[Verdant Shield Lv 01]

[Nature’s Breath Lv 11]

[Life Bloom Lv 11]

[Prison of Vines Lv 01]

Geomancer Lv 49 (+6 INT, +3 WIS / level)

Skills: [Earth Manipulation Lv 65]

[Stone Grip Lv 42]

[Quicksand Lv 14]

[Seismic Sense Lv 14]

[Mineral Skin Lv 01]

[Terra Burst Lv 01]

[Gaia’s Grasp Lv 01]

[Rock Spike Lv 01](Launches a series of jagged stone spikes from below enemies. Cost: 50 mana)

[Continental Shield Lv 01]( Summons a dome of stone around the caster, resistant to both physical and magic damage. Cost: 500 mana)

[Earthen Surge Lv 01](Temporarily enhances Strength and Defense based on INT for all allies touching the ground. Cost: 10 mana per second.)

Berserker Lv 16 (+6 STR, +4 VIT, +2 END / level)

Skills: [Rage Flow Lv. 21]

[Blood Rush Lv. 1](Temporarily boosts Strength and Speed while consuming the user’s Health by the same value of the skill per minute..)

[Crimson Howl Lv. 1](An enraged roar that increases allies’ attack and terrifies nearby enemies. Cost: 100 stamina)

[Frenzy Guard Lv. 1](Reduces incoming damage when under Rage effects by the same level of the skill. Consumes ten points of stamina per second.)

Those were the class and jobs that got some levels, Ludger felt a bit troubled by the fact that he was ignoring some of them, but it couldn’t be helped.

When they finally reached the frost-choked entrance of the labyrinth, the recruits slowed to a stop. The cave mouth loomed before them — jagged ice walls glittering like crystal fangs, mist curling outward as if the labyrinth itself was breathing. The closer they got, the more the temperature dropped, until every exhale came out as a cloud of white.

The recruits hesitated at the threshold. Derrin rubbed his gloved hands together, eyeing the swirling frost ahead. “So… are we going in alone?”

Ludger stopped just short of the entrance, glancing back at them. “Yes,” he said flatly. “Each of you will fight as a party.”

That earned him five simultaneous looks of disbelief.

“Alone?” Mira asked. “You mean—alone alone?”

Ludger nodded once. “That’s the idea. You’ll handle your own encounters, but I’ll be nearby. If something goes wrong, I’ll cover for you. And if you get hurt, I’ll heal you before you bleed out.”

The recruits exchanged uneasy glances. Callen swallowed audibly, looking into the icy darkness. “...That’s reassuring and terrifying at the same time.”

Ludger’s tone didn’t soften. “Good. That means you’re awake.”

Taron frowned. “Isn’t that a little risky for a first run?”

“Risk is part of the job,” Ludger said. “And if you’re worried, relax—” he stepped forward, resting a hand on the frosted wall, his voice calm, almost casual. “I can solo the first zone of this labyrinth without breaking a sweat.”

That caught them off guard. Rhea blinked. “...Wait, seriously?”

Ludger’s lips curved in a faint smirk. “Seriously.”

The tension broke immediately. The recruits let out small laughs — nervous, but relieved. Even Callen straightened, muttering something about how it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“If he can handle this place alone, then with his backup, we’ll be fine,” Derrin said, half to himself.

“Yeah,” Rhea agreed, punching her palm. “This is just training. Can’t be that bad.”

Ludger turned toward the entrance again, his smirk lingering for half a second before fading. His eyes adjusted to the faint blue glow within — where the walls shimmered like glass and the air carried the low hum of mana.

“Let’s move,” he said quietly.

The recruits followed him into the labyrinth, confidence slowly returning. They had no idea what awaited them beyond the frostlight — nor how quickly their faith in “not that bad” would shatter.

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