Jyuzou's eyes widened, and Jeffy raised his eyebrows. Morio stood up. "W-We did it!" Jyuzou uttered. "We killed a d-demon!" Jyuzou yelled out. "WE KILLED A DEMON! WE PASSED! WE PASSED!" he happily ran up to Jeffy, and the two hugged.

"No, you were right!" Jeffy spoke, looking at Jyuzou's face. "You're way darn cooler than you seem, shuckle seeds!" he pointed, and Jyuzou smiled.

Atomu sighed in relief, sitting down on the snow again.

"Morio!" Jyuzou shouted, running up to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. Morio slapped his hand and moved back, turning towards him. "Morio?"

"No." Morio covered his hand. "I didn't do anything!" he raised his voice.

"It doesn't matter! We all passed!" Jeffy answered, raising both hands

"I don't care if I've passed!" he pushed the Morian away, and Jeffy almost tumbled, caught by Jyuzou. "I d-didn't kill the damn demon!" his voice broke down. "That means nothing!"

Atomu furrowed his eyebrows, breathing out.

"Argh." Morio walked through the snow, and fell to the ground, before getting up again. "I still have the time! I'm going to kill one myself to settle this!" he pointed back to the others before marching forward.

Jyuzou looked down, grinding his teeth. Morio tripped again, and some of the blood that came out of the wounds on his face stained the snow.

"Morio, stop it!" Jyuzou yelled out, putting both of his hands on his head. "Why do you keep acting like this?"

Morio breathed through his teeth, glancing up, and seeing the sun rising above the sky. "No... no!" he punched the snow. "NO! I NEED TO KILL A DEMON! IT MEANS NOTHING OTHERWISE! IT'D BE ALL BE FOR NOTHING!" he shouted through weeps.

Jyuzou breathed out, while Morio continued his tantrum. He passed by the Morian, covering his face, while Jeffy and Atomu looked at each other and quickly followed suit. Morio soon stood up again, and salty tears rolled down his cheeks. He put his hands where the emblem was, and squeezed tightly.

***

As the sun illuminated the path they strolled, they slowly reached the exit of the Tukman Woods. Atomu stopped for a moment, finding Chyuuichi and promptly waking him up. The Mirillian exploded with joy, once he learnt that all of them passed and that he didn't need to do anything. They encountered Zuimu again, and like earlier, she didn't say much.

Jeffy began asking questions, wondering where she went during the time they fought against the demon, but she only kept nodding, closing her eyes from time to time, and grinning, even if you couldn't see her grin. When the trees grew shorter, they encountered Ambrosia, who sat on the ground and turned to the others with a strange smile, but without a word, they got up, and much like Morio, remained silent.

The white-haired Morian kept a rather large distance between himself and the others until they stepped onto a familiar bridge and the town of Magna welcomed them once more.

However, some conflicts that weren't resolved back then stayed in the forest.

Isak scratched his shoulder, walking around.

"Good job." Lisbeth's voice sounded, and he immediately turned, alerted. She floated above the ground, and Leopold stood next to her, scratching his hands.

"Ghh..." Isak made a strange noise. "Sarcasm, or what?"

"No, I mean it this time. I think what you two did was a rather inventive notion. Grabbing onto the lives of people who'd surely become amazing Demonears, and then trying to escort them to Shi Hon himself. You were right, from what Leopold told me. It'd be a waste letting someone like those Morians or that Paladian that stabbed you just die." Lisbeth put her hands on her hip.

"Of course!" Isak raised his voice, chuckling. "Strong people see strength, right, Leopold?" he turned to him, bumping his shoulder, and Leopold gave him a hesitant thumbs-up.

"I guess it's on me that I didn't see through that the Demonears would head into the Tukman Woods, where everyone else hid. I tell you, Tabus was close to just going in for the kill." she put her hands behind her back. "As for the other demons, they followed my orders to remain calm, and by extension, your observation, dear Isak."

"Tsk." Isak folded his arms.

"Let us wait, then." Lisbeth gazed at Magna, after floating up above the trees.

***

"Seven... there's only seven?" Ella asked, seeing the few who stepped into the main square.

"Jeez louise." Elton was shocked, putting one of his swords back in its sheath and rubbing his forehead.

Ambrosia slowly looked up, before seeing Rowan on their horse, who quickly stepped off with a concerned expression. The other Tributal simply smiled, while taking a few steps towards their Chicho.

"D-Did you pass?" Rowan quickly asked.

"Yeah," they answered. "I still have a long way to go, though."

Rowan shook their head, before glancing at Atomu and Chyuuichi.

"Shin," Jeffy muttered, playing around with his hands. "Oh, Shin!"

Morio looked down at the stone-cold ground, and Jyuzou seemed to ignore him at any cost.

"SEVEN?! This is what happens when you let Kashmir do all the work!" Eryk yelled out, and Kashmir loudly sighed, standing on the same pedestal as the day before. He looked at Eryk's throne. "Where are the others, huh, you asshole? Do you still think that this was such a good idea?"

"Out of a hundred participants, fifteen went into the forest, and only seven came out alive." Zenon stepped forth, putting his hands behind his back. "With such measly, numbers, I have no right thinking you lot have been avoiding encounters at any cost. I can see it in your eyes, your bodies and your faces. Terrified, but knowledgable. I've decided." he closed his eyes.

Ambrosia turned, blinking a few times, and Morio still stared at the ground.

"All seven of you have passed the Demonear exam," he announced.

Chyuuichi smiled and looked at Atomu, who glanced at him for a moment. He turned back to Kashmir and jumped up in excitement.

"Everyone else knew the risk, and it's their bravery that meant taking part in the challenge." Kashmir continued. "The dead are as noble as those who came out alive."

"Fucking apple," Eryk whispered. "Lamon, poison him. He's killing my people!"

"I will not do that," Lamon spoke, tired.

"Step forward, please, put down the weapons you had, if they're still with you, and accept your pledge," Kashmir announced, and six of them quickly stood together, with Chyuuichi first in line. Ambrosia joined the others, hesitantly stuffing something into their sheath.

"What's your name, young one?" Kashmir asked.

"Chyuuichi Gamma!" Chyuuichi spoke, and Kashmir took out his club, putting it on Chyuuichi's left shoulder, then his right, and then near his heart.

"Chyuuichi," Kashmir muttered. "From this day on, you'll be bringing good fortune to those in need."

"The capino stole all my fortune," Chyuuichi said.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Chyuuichi walked to the side.

"Alright, next person, please." Kashmir looked up.

"I shouldn't be here," Morio whispered, and Jeffy looked back at him.

"What are you talking about, Morio?" Jeffy raised an eyebrow. "You passed, and so did I!"

"I didn't." he shook his head. "I don't deserve this title," Morio uttered. "I'm... worthless."

"Morio..!" Jeffy put his hands on Morio's shoulders and shook him up a bit. "What about Mama, then?!"

"She'd be disappointed," Morio spoke through his teeth, closing his eyes.

"No, no. She's not here, is she? She's in Mistwick, you'll still have all the time in the world to prove your darn self!" Jeffy said. "Now, no one's expecting anything of you!"

Morio slowly glanced at him.

"You're fine just the way you are, and it doesn't make you any less cool!" Jeffy clenched his fist, grinning.

"Your name?" Kashmir's voice sounded, and Jeffy immediately turned around, almost frightened.

"Jeffy Luffio!" Jeffy spoke up, putting a hand above his forehead. Morio stuffed his palms into his pockets, clenching his jaw.

***

When the ceremony ended, the seven were instructed to go to Elton's hut, near the bridge in Kyrkogarde, far from the cemetery. The guards, as well as the Tributals working for Eryk, were told to clean everything up, and Lamon helped the king back to his palace. Kashmir disappeared amongst the crowd, later to be found at the Midcity Bar, talking to Ella.

All in all, the atmosphere looming in the air was a bit heavy. Normally, a finished Demonear test would be followed by large applause, and great joy from the ones who passed, with big drinking parties at the bar, and even outside, since there wouldn't be enough place to house everyone present. This time, it left a bad taste in everyone's mouths, as if they were expecting the sourness of the Bullion seed, only to be greeted with a Shato one.

It wasn't what everyone was expecting. The few families of the late participants soon came to Kashmir, asking about their children, only to receive a harsh answer. They knew the consequences of the test, and going into the Tukman Woods, they signed a non-existing contract. If they couldn't fight off the demons, they'd die. Still, they demanded compensation, amidst the storm of tears thrown his way, yet Kashmir didn't seem to be affected by their pleas.

Yells and doubts about Demonears rose, as they always did at this time of year, and when things calmed down, the seven started going in and out of Elton's hut, with new weapons in their hands.

First came Jeffy, with what appeared to be a long pickaxe, called an elshuim, which were tools that Erans first used when climbing over the Whiteburn Mountains, to reach the hidden town. Elton simply called it Frost, and it looked like it had white ice particles around its sharper parts. Next was Chyuuichi, carrying a big scythe in his hands, and much like Jeffy, it seemed very icy as well. He named it Morgana, even though Elton used a different word.

Afterwards, it was Jyuzou's turn, and he came bearing a spear called the Great Kowitzer. Then, Ambrosia came out, carrying two ropes, with blunt, black orbs at the end, shining brightly. Elton called them the Lines Two. Zuimu followed with a three-pronged spear, which Jeffy called a massive fork, yet its name was Purple Warfare.

Then, came Atomu's turn. He hesitantly opened the door, greeted with a warm orange light, and a soothing brown colour all over the walls and the ceiling. There was a big fireplace, surrounded by massive bricks, and an anvil, next to a basket full of weapons. Elton sat on a chair near all of his equipment, and rubbed some of the sweat off his forehead, before spotting Atomu and smiling. "Come, sit down right here."

"O-Okay," Atomu muttered, clumsily moving below a hammock that served as Elton's bed and in between all the other pieces of armour thrown onto the floor. He sat down on a chair in front of a small barrier, separating him and the forger. He looked at Elton's short black hair and big arms, which seldom swang at the anvil.

"I already told you what weapon would suit you best." Elton nodded.

"Did, um... did you look in the eyes of the others too?" Atomu scratched the back of his head.

"There are some things that just come with a feeling." he chuckled. "...and does a wizard ever reveal their tricks?" he winked.

"N-No, but I can assume that a wizard is nothing more than a Demonear too. Sometimes, maybe even a Tributal, but who knows about them, right?" Atomu asked, and Elton chuckled.

"A big, great sword, eh?" Elton looked at his equipment. "I already have something that will fit you quite well, then." he stood up, and walked over to the basket, grabbing its grip and hesitating for a moment.

Atomu swang back and forth.

"It isn't, however, a sword that I forged myself," Elton spoke. "It's something I've found in a temple, travelling through Malikan a few years back." he took a massive blade out of its sheath, and the lights bounced off its iron parts. It had many red elements to it and a design that repeated right towards the top. When Elton held it, it was bigger than him. "It's heavy, but in the right hands, I'm sure it will seem as light as a feather." he carefully placed it on the pedestal between the two. "Knrhum's Blade. It now belongs to you, my friend."