The battle between sisters had ended with Lyra’s overwhelming victory, and Cryssa had finally earned permission to leave the territory. But before she could depart, there was still something Frostina needed to do.

  Frostina had to join the Starlace Order through the official tests to motivate other players, proving that even a player could enter a renowned NPC knight order like the Starlace Order.

  After all, they would need every capable hand they could get in the future.

  While Cryssa was content to let the former mercenaries handle tasks like maintaining public safety and patrolling roads, she didn’t want to risk the native people on dangerous missions, like hunting down powerful monsters. The world’s native population had already been decimated by the catastrophic events that had occurred before the players arrived, and Cryssa wanted to prevent further casualties as much as possible.

  That was why she hoped to recruit as many players as she could. And Frostina was meant to be the spearhead of that effort, like a symbolic leader who would inspire other players to follow.

  A few days ago, Frostina had passed the first test in front of a large crowd, including many of the first-beta players who had flocked to watch. Today, she would face the second test and become the first player to officially join the Starlace Order.

  Or at least, that had been the plan.

  Frostina screamed internally, her black eyes twitching as she spotted Silica standing calmly among the other applicants.

  Cryssa’s calm voice echoed in her mind.

  (“Ah, you went to bed early last night, so you missed it. I got a report that Silica passed the first test yesterday. Barely, but she did it.”)

  After failing on the first day, Silica kept her distance from the arena, not bothering to register again, until yesterday. Out of nowhere, she signed up and completed the test, lighting up the crystal tablets within the one-minute time limit.

  To be exact, she had completed it in precisely one minute, down to the final second.

  Frostina was only doing this to prove that players could join the Starlace Order too. She didn’t actually need to join herself, not when she and Cryssa shared the same body.

  (“She might fail the second test, you know?”)

  Frostina’s eyes flickered around the arena before she let out a quiet, mental sigh.

  The number of applicants who had passed the first test had already exceeded expectations.

  Excluding Frostina and Silica, there were a hundred mercenaries who had made it through. Among them were four A-rank mercenaries and ninety-six B-ranks, veterans who had fought in Stelluna’s defense during the catastrophe.

  Their reason for joining the tests was painfully clear.

  In this ruined world, mercenaries were no longer needed.

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  Outside of Stelluna, there were no nobles left to hire them, assuming any were even still alive.

  To make matters worse, players had swept up every odd job and dangerous request, leaving the mercenaries with no way to earn a living.

  So, they adapted.

  If they could no longer survive as mercenaries, they would aim to join Stelluna’s knight order, the Starlace Order.

  This was also why Cryssa had opened recruitment to all genders, not only to bring in more players but to give the mercenaries a place to belong and a way to continue living.

  “Silence!”

  A sharp shout cut through the rising chatter around the arena, pulling the gathered players and mercenaries to attention. Today’s judge, Reina, clad in Starlace Order armor with a crest pinned to her shoulder, swept her gaze across the applicants assembled near the arena’s edge.

  “Today, the second test of the Starlace Order will begin. I will explain the conditions now.”

  She snapped her fingers.

  ““Huh?””

  In the blink of an eye, all of the applicants vanished from the arena floor, leaving behind only a ripple of blue light where they had once stood.

  Gasps and murmurs rippled through the spectators as cold air drifted across the silent arena. Then, a shimmering projection screen unfolded in the air above the arena, displaying a bird’s-eye view of the test for the waiting audience.

  The applicants found themselves scattered across a vast, twisting maze of frost-covered walls. Each of them felt a small weight press against their chest, a frost-like badge now affixed to their armor, pulsing softly with a pale blue light.

  The judge’s voice echoed across the illusion realm, reaching every corner of the maze and the ears of every participant.

  “This second test will take place within this illusion realm.”

  The screen displayed the conditions: Each frost badge was filled with mana that would gradually drain over time. If the mana or aura within a badge ran out or if the badge was lost, the participant would be immediately disqualified.

  “To pass this test, you must carry at least two badges filled with mana or aura when the test ends.”

  A hush fell across the audience as the implication settled in.

  The applicants would have to fight each other to pass, while maintaining the energy within the badge.

  And the judge confirmed it without hesitation.

  “You may use any means necessary to acquire a second badge.”

  A ripple of unease ran through the applicants. The words “any means” made the implication clear.

  But the judge continued, her voice calm.

  “You will not die within this illusion realm, even if your head is severed. However, the pain will remain.”

  Silica let out a slow breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. For players, death penalties means losing levels or gear, and it was far worse than the pain, especially when their pain settings could be adjusted to manageable levels. Though as a pro, Silica kept her pain settings high for immersion, but even she felt relief knowing there would be no real loss if things went wrong.

  “The time limit for this test is eight hours,” the judge announced.

  This test was designed to filter out casual players, ensuring only those with long playtimes on weekends would have a chance to join the Starlace Order.

  “The test will begin… now!”

  The moment the words left her lips, Silica moved.

  Her body flickered as she activated her stealth skill, slipping into the shadows as she sprinted down the nearest corridor, her boots barely making a sound on the frost-glazed floor.

  she thought.

  Meanwhile, Frostina stood calmly in her starting point, her obsidian eyes half-lidded as she exhaled softly. A faint pulse of mana spread from her body, threading itself through the corridors like fine strands of ice.

  Once she located a quiet corner of the maze, she began walking leisurely, her boots tapping softly against the frost-slick stone.

  (“Coward.”)

  Cryssa’s voice echoed dryly in her mind.

  Frostina shot back, her lips twitching in faint annoyance.

  Despite Cryssa’s teasing, Frostina stuck to her plan, weaving through the maze while avoiding any path that led toward mana signatures or noise.

  Time passed in the hush of cold corridors until Frostina rounded a corner, stepping into a wide intersection.

  ““Ow…””

  She collided head-on with something solid and invisible, and both figures tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

  A flicker of light rippled across the figure, dispelling the stealth.

  Frostina blinked, and her obsidian eyes met another pair.

  “Silica?!” Frostina blurted out.

  “Frostina?!” Silica echoed.

  The top human players of Dream Land Online stared at each other in shock, breath misting in the cold air of the illusion realm.

  They had crossed paths for the first time, exactly when neither of them wanted to be seen.