[Snow Peak Mountains, Northern Continent]

Located at one of the most dangerous death climbing mountain ranges in the northern continent, a group of six people are currently traversing its surface as they occasionally engaged in combat against demonic beast in the slope of the mountain. To be exact the moment this said group arrived at one of the checkpoint in the mountain which was marked by Gabriel, they were immediately attacked by demonic beast on all side, resulting into a unavoidable battle to ensue.

In particular there are three reasons why snow peak mountains are categorized as one of the three most dangerous death climbing area in the northern continent. First is that the path across the mountain range is too obscured by the snow and too dangerous due to its slippery ice. If one doesn't have proper equipment to cross the mountain range, one could find himself dead or fall into the range chasm the moment one miss a step.

Second is that the mountain range is home to various monsters bigger than the size of a regular human. Due to not having the system of Kingdom and more of a democratic value which puts commoners in the continent as the same position as a ruler, such common trait as army and adventurers doesn't even exist in the area. Of course when speaking of its own democratic value, the democracy in the northern continent is not like the developed democracy in the modern earth. If one have to compare it, then its basically the same during the days of early society.

What's more since the mountain range is rumored to be a home of various monsters, the group then expected it to be roaming with monsters they have never seen before. However the moment they stepped into the mountain till their way to the suspected source of the demonic beast, the group haven't been able to see at least one of the so called northern monster's. Through that they soon concluded that the demonic beast in the area must have usurped the original dwellers of the mountain range, thus the absence of monster and presence of demonic beast.

Third reason is that the snow peak mountain has the same concept of mount Everest back on earth.  Like the farther up towards the peak a person is, the lower is the atmosphere density become. Also the longer a person stays in the mountain range, the more it one would be affected by its temperature which would result to a freezing death.

Due to that snow peak mountain is one of the three most dangerous death climbing mountain range in the northern continent alongside the dragon's mount and the Runic Mountain.

As for the group itself, its is officially made up of Asagi(Mirror Avatar), Ariel, Uriel, Amos, Leon, and Irish. As the six of them slowly approached the suspected target place for the source of the demonic beast based on Gabriel's assumption, the more they were attacked by demonic beast in large quantity. However even though the demonic beast contains an overwhelming number, the group on the other hand contains quality and massive attack power, due to that no matter how many enemy they faces, they were able to get rid of them in a moments notice.

At first they were skeptical whether the suspected area was a correct target for the source core, but the more they linger around the suspected area in the snow peak mountain, the more intense and ferocious the demonic beast that are attacking them. According to the philosophy of earth "an area that is most likely hiding something is much more crowded, than an area that doesn't have a single person in it". Like the term of hiding in plain  sight.

After all if something important is near the area, its is most like that many people would be guarding it. Thus the more they linger, the more they were assured that the place was it. Plus based on the topography of the area, the source core would be somewhere around the mountain range or somewhere hidden ins surface level.

After Killing their 150th demonic beast, Ariel slowly wipes away the blood from her short sword as she glanced back towards Asagi who was also seemingly covered in the blood of the demonic beast she killed. Of course that goes the same for the other people aside from Amos who stayed in far behind the group and only attacked in a ranged manner.

"Looks like were trekking the right path" said by Ariel

Hearing her words, Asagi then breath out a mouthful of air as she then glanced back towards Amos.

"Anything on your foresight? anything whether about finding the core is somewhere around the slope or under the ground?"

"Don't ask me questions I've already answered you dolt! No matter how many times you ask, all i only see in my foresight is the silhouette of the core... as for the matter where it is hidden, that i cant answer"

At Amos words, Uriel then interjected in.

"Looks like there is some kind of magic which prevent clairvoyance ability to find the core"

"You mean a security type magic?" asks by Asagi

"No a type of space-time interference magic... after all clairvoyance uses the joint concept of both space and time element in order to enact the term foresight... By interfering its process, one could actually prevent anyone from seeing the future they so desire..."

"I see... like hijacking a confidential transmission of the government" commented by Asagi

While they were discussing such things, Irish then suddenly came out from Amos shadow as she startled everyone aside from Amos due to her entrance. But not minding the reaction of Asagi and the archangels, Irish then quickly kneeled on one knee as she reported her findings.

"Your majesty! I've found a suspicious cave far north from here, i suspect that such place might be our target since its emitting a dangerous aura"

Hearing her report, Amos then placed a hand below his chin as he pondered for a bit before replying back.

"I see... that might indeed be our suspicious target location, however didn't i told you to drop the honorifics?"

"... I'm sorry... its just something out of habit"

"Is that so? Then your pardoned"

After that he then faced the rest of the group as Amos confirmed the decision of Asagi as the leader of this odd group of people. Of course the reason why this group is odd is because this group consist of two archangel, a queen of a kingdom, a former emperor, a combatant who likes to lurk within the shadow, and a really tough meat shield. if this group cant be called an odd one, then no one can.

"Looks like we found it"

"A cave eh?" asks by Uriel in an intriguing tone

"If it is a cave, then  it would be hard for us to swing a big weapon inside it" said by Ariel

Upon hearing her comment, everyone then  turned towards Leon as he was the only person in the group who have a huge weapon in its arsenal. However Uriel is also mindful of his own circumstances as he looked at his own longsword which would also likely hinder his performance in an indoor battle.

Seeing everyone's eyes staring at him, Leon simply scratched the back of his head as he replied.

"I'll be careful"

With that everyone then headed over towards the cave that Irish has found. Alo0ng the way often encounter demonic beast lying in wait in certain ambush area, but since they weren't that numerous compared to when they first arrived, they were then able to take care of it as they quickly killed off any hostile enemy as they move forward.

Soon after the group then finally arrived before the entrance of the cave. After checking everyone's status, the group then entered the cave in a certain formation which would sure fire protect the important people among them. To be specific as a tanker Leon himself was at the front of the group which is followed behind by both Ariel and Uriel, behind them were both Asagi and Amos who are capable of ranged magic and Irish as the rearguard protecting their back.

Entering the cave in a 1-2-2-1 formation, they then slowly examined the place as they were careful enough not to trigger any hidden trap by the enemy. However since this speaking towards the demonic beast who had literally to small to none intelligence, it was hard for them to even imagine such a group could even install traps for their attackers.

Nevertheless the more they walk inside the cave, the more darker it became. Soon after they complete lost their sight in their pathway, Asagi then performed a spell called "Helios" to produce a small sun in the size of her palm and lead the whole group forward while illuminating the surroundings. Due to her spell the group encountered no trouble as they move forward.

However there no such thing as an easy path within a cave inside a mountain. Throughout their walk, they encountered split ways multiple times inside the cave. Counting on how many split ways they encountered, one could even describe it like a structure similar to an ant nest. Luckily for them Irish herself also specialize in scouting obstruct places, thus whenever they encountered such scenario, they would be able to find their right path and know whether the path their taking is a dead end or not.

After for what seems like an hour and a half of walking and not encountering any demonic beast along the way, the group then finally arrived at the end of the tunnel as they were met with a sight of a huge dome comparable in size to a football field. Of course the dome itself isn't as simple as anyone thinks, in fact the dome itself has tons to blue crystals lingering all over the place like some kind of decorations.

Since this crystals glow in dark places, they were all astounded by the sight of the place to the point that they were all flabbergasted by its beauty. In fact even Amos himself was astounded as he count help but be shock to see a treasure he never acquire during his reign in the empire. But if the heavens allows it, then Amos himself would gladly claim such place as his own.

However their amazement was short lived as they suddenly notice the figure of an unidentified being at the end of their sight. To be specific the moment they all laid their eyes towards a specific direction on the right, they then saw a horned White demon crouching in a position one can call sit.

The moment the white demon notice their presence it then stood up to a full 486 cm tall and 4.80 meters in length, completely towering above an average human height. With its features of hollowed black eye socket, two long horns on its forehead, sharp teeth, white pale complexion,  body mass similar to a malnutritioned person, and spine spike along it back till its pelvis, the white demon itself feels like a monster that were straight out ripped out of a horror movie back on earth.

Nevertheless with its symbolic two horns on its forehead, its species such as a demon was quite obvious at first sight.

The moment both sides took notice of each other, the white demon quickly breaths out a bright white flame from its mouth and directed it towards its specific target. The moment such a monster did so, Leon the quickly dove in front of Amos as he raised his big shield in front of him and protected the former emperor.

"Watch out!"

Tanking that hot white flames from the white demon, Leon then assured Amos that no one could bypass him and target Amos as long as he was around. In order to prove that, Leon toughen out the white flames of the white demon as he amplified his mana unto his shield to prevent it from breaking apart and melting from the heat the fire was exuding.

In fact the fire itself wasn't a joke at all. If one can say a red fire was hot, then the white flames are on a whole another level of hotness, in fact with its temperature alone, the surrounding area near the group started to melt due to the heat of the fire, including the clothes that they were wearing no matter if its metal or not. Thankfully the only thing that was holding everything together and prevent them from melting was Ariel's rune law of transmigration which rejuvenates the concept and atoms of the surrounding into a whole new self like being reborn.

However the due to Ariel's insufficient understanding of her own rune law, her rejuvenation cant even outmatched the pace on which the area was melting, nevertheless she was able to slow it down to an incredible degree.

This time as if mocking Leon's will to protect Amos, the white demon suddenly appeared before the shield of Leon and struck it up with a straight hook which blew him away alongside Amos who was behind him. In just one move, the white demon blew away both Leon who was hailed for his defense and Amos to the point that they crashed to the domes wall as hard at it can get.

The moment they realized that both Leon and Amos were blown away, they were then alerted by the sudden shift of the table as Asagi warned everyone.

"Spread out!"

At her words all Angel popped out their wings as they flew away, while Irish herself dived straight into Asagi's shadow. But before Asagi could fly away far from the white demon, the demon itself stretched out its hand and caught Asagi in its grip before it slams her down to the ground.

"Gah!"

In that moment as if the time had stopped, everyone was shocked by the sudden events that unfolded before them.

***ReadatWebnovel***