Edward stared down the cliff where the white-furred beast had fallen. The echo of its roar still clung to the air, fading beneath the mountain's endless howl.

The faint shimmer of [Extraction Available] lingered in his mind even though the light had vanished, a strange pulse of energy that made his skin prickle with anticipation.

Could he really create a summon from a mana beast?

The question burned in his thoughts, refusing to quiet. But before he could even voice it, the wind carried another sound—a low, guttural growl rolling through the fog ahead, shaking loose tiny stones from the cliffside.

"Something's coming," one of the elven knights warned, his tone sharp, fingers tightening around his weapon.

Elarien's gaze snapped toward the sound, her posture shifting immediately into battle readiness. "Form up," she ordered, her voice cutting through the howl of the wind like steel.

Edward's hand went to his weapon.

Through the thick fog, shadows began to move—one, then two, then more. Figures emerged slowly from the white mist, their shapes monstrous and massive, each step leaving deep impressions in the snow-covered ground.

Not one… but three of them.

Each bore the same features as the fallen creature—white fur streaked with faint veins of blue light, eyes glowing crimson like burning coals. Their heavy steps shook loose snow from the cliffside, and with every breath, vapor hissed through jagged fangs, curling like smoke in the frigid air.

"Yellow-stage beasts," Elarien muttered under her breath.

Edward tensed. That explained the pressure in the air—the faint pull against his mana, the instinctive chill crawling down his spine. If these were yellow-stage, then even one could flatten a squad of trained fighters if caught unprepared.

"Lucky it's not white-stage," one of the elves whispered, though the fear in his voice betrayed the word "lucky."

"Spread out! Keep the high ground," Elarien commanded. The squad broke formation with practiced precision, moving across the narrow slope. Their blades shimmered faintly with mana as they took position along the curve of the path, muscles coiled, eyes scanning every shadow.

Edward stood near the center, summoning his own magic. Shadows pooled faintly at his feet—his summons responding to his call, twisting and writhing as if eager to act.

"Stay close to me," Elarien said without looking back.

The first bear roared and charged.

The ground shook as it barreled forward, claws gouging furrows into the frozen earth. Arrows and bolts of mana met it mid-run—crimson flashes and blue bursts of light exploding across its chest, but the beast barely slowed.

"Left flank!" someone shouted as another bear leaped onto the slope from above, snow and rock cascading behind it.

Edward raised his arm, and from the shadows beneath his cloak, dark tendrils surged outward. They shot into the snow, coiling upward as his shadow soldiers manifested—four of them, humanoid silhouettes wreathed in faint mist, each armed with a crude blade of darkness.

"Hold them!" he ordered, and they obeyed instantly.

The shadows lunged at the charging beast, their weapons slicing deep but leaving only shallow marks across its fur. The bear's paw swung, scattering them like smoke—but each one reformed seconds later, stabbing again.

Elarien moved past him in a blur, ice magic crackling in her wake. She drew a glyph through the air, and a line of frozen spikes erupted from the ground, catching one of the beasts mid-lunge. Its roar was deafening as ice shards tore into its limbs.

"Now!" she shouted.

The elves released another volley—arrows tipped with white light piercing the creature's chest and neck. Blood splattered the snow.

But the other two beasts were still moving.

Edward's shadows weren't enough to hold them both, and the second bear crashed through their line, heading straight for the mages behind.

Edward reacted without thinking. His blade flashed, cutting through the air, and tendrils of black mana spiraled from his weapon—twisting, shaping.

"Extraction," he whispered, not even sure what he was calling for.

The mark pulsed in his vision.

[Target Available: Mana Beast - Frosthide Ursan]

[Proceed with Extraction?]

He didn't hesitate. "Yes."

The world dimmed.

For a moment, the colors drained around him, everything turning shades of shadow and gray. The roars, the howling wind, even the shouting of his companions—all dulled, as if he'd been pulled somewhere between worlds.

Then, from the cliff below, he saw it—the faint, fading essence of the fallen bear rising like black mist. It swirled upward, threads of dark light drawn toward him, toward his outstretched hand.

A sharp pain pulsed through his veins, cold and biting, before the system's voice echoed in his mind again.

[Extraction Successful.]

[Shadowborn Frosthide]

A deep growl answered from behind him.

Edward turned in time to see the shadow of the fallen bear rise from the ground, its massive form composed of swirling black mist and faint blue embers where its eyes should be.

It looked… alive.

The creature lowered its head as if awaiting command.

"Go," Edward ordered.

The shadow bear surged forward, its paws leaving trails of darkness where they struck. It slammed into the nearest living beast with a thunderous crash. The impact sent snow and shards of rock flying in all directions, a deafening collision that echoed down the mountainside.

The two monsters clashed—white fur against black mist—biting, tearing, slamming into each other with earth-shaking force.

Elarien glanced his way briefly, eyes wide for only a second before turning back to her own opponent. "You really are full of surprises, human," she muttered under her breath.

Edward didn't answer. He could feel the link to the shadow bear pulsing through his core—every movement, every impact resonated faintly within him.

The elven knights pressed their advantage. Spells flew through the air—fire bolts, ice shards, and arrows imbued with nature mana. The confined mountain path turned into a storm of light and shadow.

Edward moved through it all, keeping pace with the flow of the battle. He swung his blade to deflect a claw strike that came too close, the force sending tremors through his arm.

The bear reared back, letting out a furious roar—but before it could bring its claws down again, the shadow bear intercepted, biting deep into its neck.

The creature screamed, thrashing wildly before collapsing onto the snow, its body twitching as the last remnants of life faded.

[Extraction Available]

Edward saw it again—those glowing words hovering above the dying beast.

He hesitated only a second before raising his hand once more.

"Extraction."

The darkness answered eagerly. The beast's mana essence peeled away like smoke and flowed into his shadow bear, strengthening the creature's form. Its body grew more defined, its outline darker, the faint glow of its eyes burning brighter.

The battle was turning.

The last of the three bears stood at the far end of the path, still snarling, but its steps faltered. Surrounded by elves, ice magic freezing its legs, and Edward's shadow beasts closing in, it finally roared one last time before collapsing under a barrage of arrows.

The echo of its fall faded into silence.

For a long moment, no one moved. Only the wind howled around them, scattering flakes of snow over the corpses of the beasts.

Edward let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His shadow bear stood still beside him, silent and massive, its breath misting faintly in the cold air.

Elarien lowered her weapon, her eyes studying the creature closely. "You extracted that," she said, her tone unreadable.

Edward nodded slowly. "Apparently."

Her lips parted slightly as if to question it, but she didn't. Instead, she gave a faint shake of her head and turned toward the others. "Gather the wounded. Check the supplies. We move when the weather clears."

The elves began to move again—some tending to minor injuries, others gathering their equipment, their hurried movements stirring loose snow into small whirlwinds around them.

Edward stayed still for a moment longer, watching the shadow bear fade slightly, its form flickering as if waiting for his will to sustain it.

It felt… different from his usual summons. Stronger, heavier—yet more alive, as though it carried the spirit of the mountain within it.

He dismissed it with a thought, and the creature dissolved into shadow, vanishing completely.

The mountain grew quiet once more.

Elarien approached him, her cloak rippling in the wind. "You realize what this means, don't you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Not really"

"That…" she said softly, "…the mountain won't let us go that easily. If yellow-stage beasts wander this low…"

She looked up toward the towering peaks above, where clouds churned like storm waves, dark and foreboding. "Then something worse waits higher up."

Edward followed her gaze. The mountains of Nightveil loomed above them, dark and endless.

"Then we'd better be ready," he said.

Elarien gave a single nod, eyes fixed on the swirling mist above. "Rest while you can, human. Tomorrow, we climb higher."

Edward exhaled, letting his gaze drift to the horizon. The cold bit at his skin, but beneath it, he could feel something else—anticipation, a spark of excitement that pulsed in rhythm with the mountain itself.

The mountain wasn't done testing them.

Not yet.

And neither was he.

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