With the plan gradually finalized, Stark, who had been feeling very anxious, finally felt at ease.
The date for this year’s dwarven Coming-of-Age Ceremony was set for three days later, so he had to temporarily set aside his research to begin making the necessary preparations.
Starlight’s earlier suggestion had given Stark some inspiration. Although he couldn’t secure another large mining machine as a base, it wasn't a problem for him to rush the construction of a set of power armor.
Thus, with everyone’s help, the small laboratory once again became a scene of bustling activity.
...
At dawn three days later, the group arrived as scheduled at the assembly point outside the northern exit of Cinder City. By the time they arrived, many young dwarves had already gathered there.
About two hundred dwarves were participating in this Coming-of-Age Ceremony, but just as Maela had expected, almost everyone had already formed their own action squads.
The appearance of Starlight and the others immediately made them the focus of attention. Given their height, they stood head and shoulders above the crowd of dwarves.
Their arrival also sparked whispers among the surrounding crowd.
Some questioned their identities, others spoke of Stark’s disregard for tradition, and some even loudly berated him.
After all, Starlight and his companions’ active performance during the defense of Cinder City was obvious to all. Bringing such a formidable lineup to a mere Coming-of-Age Ceremony seemed like massive overkill.
Stark was currently wearing a set of shimmering silver armor. With every step he took, it emitted a rhythmic hum, creating a sharp contrast with his weapon-wielding kin.
Just then, an old dwarf with a long beard stepped forward and blocked their path.
“Stark Iron-Heart!” He slammed his long-handled battle axe heavily onto the ground. “How can you bring outsiders to participate in the trial? This is a desecration of our ancestors!”
Before Stark could explain, Maela stepped forward and shielded them. “Elder, the rules explicitly state that we can choose our own teammates, with the only restriction being age. Furthermore, these two elf friends will not be participating; they are logistics personnel I specifically invited. Do you need to confirm this with the Patriarch?”
“You... you sharp-tongued girl!”
The old dwarf’s face turned red with anger. Just as he was about to lose his temper, the horn for assembly suddenly echoed through the valley.
Everyone participating in the operation immediately turned their gaze toward the temporary podium constructed not far away.
Patriarch Iron-Heart appeared, wearing ancestral ceremonial battle armor. He stepped heavily onto the high platform made of obsidian, the Blazing War Patterns on his armor shimmering with a dark red light.
He raised his forging hammer and struck the floor of the platform. The crisp sound caused the surrounding ice crystals to rattle and fall.
“Listen up, you lads!” His booming voice echoed through the valley. “Do you know why the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is held in such a godforsaken place?”
“Because a true dwarf should be tempered between ice and fire! The mere frost of the Northlands is no reason to block your path!”
“Remember! A true dwarf never relies solely on brute force—but on this!” Patriarch Iron-Heart thundered, pounding his steel-clad chest as his voice grew even more fervent.
“Seven thousand years ago, our ancestors conquered the wilderness of the Northlands! They spread the glory of Ignis, the Fire God, across the entire land!”
“And now, it is your turn! Advance bravely, children! The time has come to prove that you are not inferior to your ancestors!”
As he spoke, he swung his war hammer violently. Scorching battle qi erupted from the hammer’s head, sweeping toward the other end of the snow-covered valley.
The intense heat met the ice, instantly creating a massive cloud of steam. When the mist cleared, a small path had appeared in everyone’s sight.
“Go, brave children! The time has come to prove yourselves! When you return in triumph, I will be waiting here with the finest ale!”
With a burst of heroic laughter, Patriarch Iron-Heart leaped down from the podium.
The young dwarves all raised their weapons high, letting out a synchronized war cry as they resolutely followed the path melted through the snow and marched into the tundra.
“Wow, I didn't expect a dwarven Coming-of-Age Ceremony to be so hot-blooded. It makes me want to shout along with them,” Po Kong said, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he watched the young dwarves depart in formation.
Starlight adjusted his clothes with a light smile, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward Moen. “It’s also my first time witnessing such a ceremony. It truly is stirring.”
Moen was helping Xia Duo adjust her bowstring and looked up just then. The morning light cast a golden glow over her flaxen hair, making the gentle smile on her face look exceptionally tender. “My sister and I will be watching you from the rear. I hope we won't need to step in this time~”
“Don’t worry, sister. I’ve always felt you were making too much of a fuss. This is just a Coming-of-Age Ceremony; who would send their own juniors to their deaths?” Xia Duo said dismissively, casually slinging her longbow over her back.
Hearing this, Maela laughed and pushed the group forward. “Let’s go! If you dawdle any longer, you’ll be in last place!”
“Alright, then... let’s move out!”
As the visor of Stark’s power armor snapped shut with a click, the group followed the main body of the expedition.
...
The destination of this trial was the Perpetual Frost Plains, located eight hundred and thirty kilometers north of Cinder City. According to the maps drawn by the dwarves, even with non-stop travel, it would take several days of trekking through the extreme cold to reach the edge.
Fortunately, the continuous heavy snow from a few days ago had temporarily stopped, so they didn't have to push forward through harsh weather.
However, a new problem surfaced after the heavy snow—the snow depth had reached the level of Starlight’s chest, and for the dwarves, it was almost over their heads.
Trekking through this white labyrinth required immense physical strength for every step.
To deal with this, most dwarven teams chose to bring sleds and skis, while a few used magical items for travel.
But Starlight’s group had no such concerns.
Maela snapped her fingers nimbly, using her magic to summon a massive crystal sled large enough for four people. Not only that, she thoughtfully condensed handrails and seats for everyone.
“Wind’s Elegy.”
Starlight chanted softly, and azure wind elements immediately formed rotating vortices at the bottom of the sled. Once the four of them were steadily seated, the entire sled shot forward like an arrow from a bow, carving an elegant trail across the snow.
“Wahoo—!” Po Kong cheered excitedly as he watched the long wave of snow kicked up by the wind elements behind them. “This is way better than a regular sled!”
Stark, however, gripped the handrails tightly, his face turning pale under his armor visor. “Isn't this speed... a bit too fast!?”
“Don’t worry. Traveling across the open snow plains is safe most of the time. You weren't even afraid when we were underground; why are you worrying now?” Starlight laughed, looking at the tense Stark.
“Back then I was running for my life, so I didn't notice much. Now it’s different... Whoa!!” Stark tried to argue, only to find himself suddenly airborne.
A rock hidden by the snow caused the sled to bounce violently, tracing an exaggerated parabola in the air. It flew for several seconds before it finally began to descend.
“Don’t worry! It’s fine!”
Maela laughed loudly, maneuvering the crystal sled through two rotations in the air before regaining its balance.
The sled landed heavily on the snow, splashing a wave of white ten meters high, yet it continued to speed forward steadily.
Under the control of Starlight and Maela’s magic, the four of them overtook all the other teams in an instant, taking the lead at the very front.
“Charge! Stark, just passing isn't enough; we have to take first place!”
“I know that, but can you please slow down a little!!!!”
...
Rate on N.U.
