Is this really a Game?!

The team barely had time to react before they were suddenly transported to a new location. The surroundings shifted, and the crystalline structure and glowing forest faded away, replaced by an imposing, mountainous terrain. The sky was a swirling tempest of dark clouds, and the air crackled with energy.

Ding!

[ Fourth Elite Trial: The Mountain of Trials ]

[ Objective: Reach the summit and retrieve the Flame of Ascendance. Success condition: Retrieve the flame and return. Failure condition: All members are incapacitated or unable to reach the summit. ]

Reign and the others quickly gathered their bearings. The previous challenges they had completed, while challenging, now seemed like a prelude, a mere test of their ability to work together. The real challenge lay ahead, and they could all feel the gravity of it.

The elven woman's voice echoed through the air once more, carrying a tone of both encouragement and warning. "The Mountain of Trials will test every aspect of your being—strength, intelligence, agility, and most importantly, your unity."

"That is not all, however, as you are not the only team present in this trial."

"All teams who have been transported over here have the same goal, to retrieve the flame."

"The terrain itself will fight against you, the monsters present here will try to stop you, and the other teams will do everything in their power to pass the trial."

"Good luck."

The team exchanged wary glances. They knew the stakes had just been raised considerably. Reign took a deep breath, centering himself before addressing the group.

"We've got this," he said firmly. "We have already gone through something similar in the past anyway."

"Let's move," Shadow added, his eyes scanning the terrain. "We need to keep our eyes open for any potential threats—both from the environment and the other teams."

The Heaven's Hooligans began their ascent up the Mountain of Trials, each step forward filled with determination and resolve. The terrain was treacherous, with jagged rocks and steep cliffs, but their combined skills and unity allowed them to navigate the path with relative ease.

As they climbed, the weather grew more severe. Gale-force winds whipped around them, and the temperature dropped sharply. The swirling storm above seemed to intensify, the dark clouds roiling with menacing energy.

"Watch your step," Mia cautioned as they made their way across a narrow ledge. "One slip, and it's a long way down."

Greenie, leading the way, nodded. His massive frame provided a shield against the worst of the wind, giving the others some cover as they carefully followed. Tank took up the rear, ensuring no one fell behind.

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the mountains, followed by the appearance of a massive, ice-covered beast. It towered over the team, its eyes glowing with a fierce, predatory hunger.

"We've got company!" Reign shouted, drawing his swords.

Wolf and Tank immediately moved to the front, their weapons ready to engage the creature. Mia and Laura prepared their spells, while Beast readied his bow. Shadow and Aelrinder positioned themselves for a coordinated attack.

The beast lunged forward, its massive claws swiping through the air with lethal intent. Wolf intercepted the blow with his greatsword, sparks flying as metal clashed against ice. Tank moved in, his shield absorbing the brunt of the beast's attacks, allowing Greenie to land powerful blows with his hammer.

Mia's frost magic enveloped the creature, slowing its movements and giving Laura an opening to unleash a barrage of demonic energy blasts. Beast's arrows struck true, hitting the beast's vulnerable spots with pinpoint accuracy.

Mia's frost, however, lasted for only a brief moment.

The monster was capable of using frost as well, and because of that, it was incredibly difficult for Mia to properly slow it down with her ability. Still, it was enough to do so for a second or so to give the others a chance to attack it.

"Stay focused!" Reign called out. "It's just a Tier VI monster, but one wrong move and it could send you flying down!"

The team worked in perfect harmony, their attacks synchronized and relentless. Despite the creature's formidable strength, they were able to make quick work of it.

With a final, coordinated assault, they brought the beast to its knees. Reign's swords flashed as he delivered the finishing blow, the creature collapsing in a heap of ice and snow.

As they continued their ascent, the weather grew even more hostile. The winds howled with increasing ferocity, and the snow turned into a blinding blizzard. Visibility was reduced to mere feet, and the temperature dropped even further.

"Stick close!" Shadow shouted over the howling wind. "We can't afford to get separated!"

The team huddled together, Wolf's flames providing the warmth they needed while they quickly took out a rope that they tied around themselves so that the powerful wind wouldn't be able to send them flying away. They moved slowly and carefully, their eyes straining to see through the blizzard.

After what felt like hours, they finally emerged from the worst of the storm. The path ahead opened up into a wide plateau, and in the distance, they could see the summit of the mountain. A faint, glowing light marked their destination—the Flame of Ascendance.

"We're almost there," Mia said, her voice filled with determination. "Just a little further."

But as they moved forward, they saw movement on the plateau. Several other teams had also made it this far, and it was clear that a confrontation was inevitable.

"Looks like we've got company," Wolf muttered, tightening his grip on his greatsword.

"Slowly now, we don't necessarily need to fight against anyone right now, the flame is the goal of us all, the main battle will take place at the top, or when one team manages to get the flame, which will cause the other teams to all focus on taking the team down before they return to the bottom of the mountain."

The teams eyed each other warily as they moved closer to the summit. The tension was palpable, each group ready to defend their claim to the Flame of Ascendance.

Suddenly, a team broke from the standoff and attacked another team that was standing right next to them. They struck quickly, without any signs of doing so beforehand.

The sudden attack threw the other teams into chaos. Reign and the Heaven's Hooligans quickly assessed the situation, their instincts honed from countless battles.

"We need to stay out of this for now," Reign instructed. "Let them weaken each other."

The team nodded in agreement. They maintained their distance, watching as the initial clash escalated into a full-blown brawl. The sound of weapons clashing and spells exploding filled the air, adding to the already tense atmosphere.

Reign kept a keen eye on the skirmish, noting the strengths and weaknesses of the other teams. He could see the desperation in their attacks, each group fighting not just for the flame, but for survival. It was clear that only the strongest and most united would make it to the summit.

As the battle raged on, Reign spotted an opening. "Now's our chance," he said, signaling his team to move forward. "We go around the edges and make our way to the summit while they're distracted."

"If they see us making our way up, they will definitely attack us and try to stop us."

With swift and silent movements, the Heaven's Hooligans skirted the edge of the plateau, avoiding the main conflict. They encountered a few stray combatants, but their coordinated attacks quickly dispatched them.

The path to the summit was steep and treacherous, but they pressed on, their goal in sight. The Flame of Ascendance glowed brighter as they drew closer, its light a beacon of hope and determination.

Some monsters appeared, however, barring their way up.

Flying monsters assaulted them from time to time, trying to pick them off. Mountain trolls appeared, doing their best to smash them to pieces, and more.

The worst was the last monster that appeared.

A large snake that had made its home inside the mountain appeared, its huge head staring down at Reign and the others who grit their teeth upon seeing it.

It was also a Tier VI monster, but one of great power, probably a mini-boss or even a boss-ranked monster.

The giant snake's scales shimmered with an ominous, iridescent glow, and its eyes gleamed with an unsettling intelligence. Its tongue flicked out, tasting the air, and it hissed, a sound that reverberated off the mountain walls and sent chills down the spines of the Heaven's Hooligans.

"We need to take this thing down quickly," Reign said, his voice steady. "Remember, our goal is the summit. We can't afford to get bogged down here."

The team spread out, forming a semicircle around the snake. Wolf and Tank took the frontline, their weapons at the ready to intercept the snake's attacks. Mia and Laura prepared their spells, while Beast readied his bow. Shadow and Aelrinder moved to the sides, looking for openings to strike. Jin stayed back, his calm demeanor masking the focus and strategy he was ready to employ.

The snake lunged at them with lightning speed, its fangs bared. Wolf's greatsword clashed with the snake's fangs, sparks flying as he parried the attack. Tank moved in, using his shield to block the snake's tail as it whipped around, trying to catch them off guard.

"Watch out for its venom!" Shadow warned, dodging a spray of toxic green liquid that the snake spat at him. The venom sizzled as it hit the ground, melting the rocks where it landed.

The battle had just begun, and they were all quickly made aware that the snake was indeed a boss-ranked monster.