I had already planted two flags. However, the last one was difficult to locate. I heard that Lyena had assigned this task to Maurice. If it was truly Maurice, then I had to be careful.
Maurice was a mute character. He neither spoke nor listened to others. His main weapons were a golden gauntlet on his right hand, symbolizing the sun, and a silver gauntlet on his left, symbolizing the moon.
What made Maurice terrifying was his loyalty. Lyena, as the leader, was deeply respected by Maurice, and because of that, he acknowledged only Lyena as his commander.
When I finally located the flag base, it was beneath a fragile, ancient tree. It was far from the other bases, which explained the time it took to reach this place. I had to plant the final flag before Lyena and the others arrived.
But just as I took a single step forward, the needle began to sway left and right, indicating that the magnet was close to me.
Two gauntlets emerged from the snow, gold on the right, silver on the left, and the world itself seemed to bow in greeting. Maurice rose fully from the ground, his massive body standing still. He did not look around. He did not search. He did not chase.
His hair covered his eyes, leaving only his mouth visible. Despite the snowy battlefield, he wore thin clothing, yet steam rose from his body as if the cold could not affect him.
"I figured it out. With a body as heavy as yours, you wouldn't be thrown far from this base," I said as I pulled out my crossbow and fired immediately at his head.
Umbros was not here. If I made a single mistake, this would be the end.
With a flick of his hand, he deflected the dart like it was a small insect.
I retreated back into the forest, but he did not react at all. I did not have much time. Lyena and Edward would likely notice my absence soon, and once they recovered from the explosion, they would immediately plant their flags.
Because we never searched for our own bases, that gave me more time.
I took out the potions I bought from Misty. They were expensive, but they were all I could rely on now. I drank a Strength Potion and an Agility Potion. Each lasted only thirty seconds. I had to move fast.
Using the Mantle, I blended into the white snow and circled around Maurice.
I fired a dart at a distant branch to draw his attention, but Maurice remained there like a lifeless stone statue.
I was just about to plant the flag when my instincts screamed.
I dove downward.
BOOM.
The golden gauntlet slammed down, destroying the ancient tree in a single swing. Wooden fragments scattered like a rain of knives. Before I could get up, the silver hand followed, not to strike, but to restrain. The ground beneath me rippled as a small quake shattered the earth.
But when his hand lifted, Maurice did not see Leon's trace.
"Looking for me?"
I leapt sideways and kicked Maurice's head, but it felt like kicking a mountain rock.
Maurice tried to grab my leg, but I kicked his head again and jumped far away.
With the massive reach of Maurice's arms, there was no way I could pass him. The potion effects were also beginning to fade.
Maurice turned. For the first time, the eyes hidden behind his hair were directed straight at me.
He stepped forward.
With each step, the snow compressed. With each step, the distance vanished.
I could not fight. I could not break through. I could not run.
Even without words, I understood. He was sending me a clear message.
"You are not my equal." That was surely what Maurice meant.
I looked around, trying to devise a strategy while Maurice stood there, watching me without moving, as if confident that I could never get past him. By observing the situation, an idea finally formed.
"Alright. It looks like we really can't win against you," I raised my hands and slowly walked toward Maurice. "You win. I'm sure Lyena and Edward have already found all our bases by now."
Maurice seemed confused by my actions. But it was already too late.
I raised my crossbow and fired multiple shots, not at him, but behind him.
He moved.
Like the rising sun, his golden hand struck out violently. I did not run. I let myself be caught. My breath stopped as my body was lifted high. The world shrank beneath me. I fired once more, aiming for his face right in front of me.
But Maurice merely tilted his head slightly and avoided the shot as if it were nothing.
Maurice was about to attack again when a siren echoed throughout the arena, signaling the end of the Trial of Harmony.
With a puzzled expression, Maurice turned toward the base, only to find a flag tied to a dart embedded firmly in the base he was guarding.
"Sorry. I'm not strong enough for an epic battle with you… so if you could, please put me dow-ugh!!"
Maurice threw me far away. Luckily, there was soft snow where I landed, or my bones would have shattered against the hard ground.
Maurice walked away without looking back, clearly angry and disappointed that he failed to protect the base.
Until the very end, Maurice never used the true power of his gauntlets, showing that he had also underestimated me as an opponent. But that worked in my favor. I needed him to believe that victory was guaranteed.
"Sigh… that was way too close. If that dart had been even slightly off, I would've ended up as a pancake."
Without Umbros, my strength was practically nothing. Thankfully, she was there when I fought Diabolos. Otherwise, I might have been trapped in a loop forever.