[Scarlett PoV]
We have been walking through this labyrinth for nearly an hour, but for some reason, we keep ending up back in the same spot every 20 minutes. Brian is leading the way; I'm starting to think he has no talent for navigation.
"Brian... we've reached this red spider-patterned door three times now," Ariel said, seemingly unable to bear going in circles any longer.
"Ughhh... alright, let's retrace our steps," Brian said, touching his chin and pretending to think. "On the first trip, we took the right path at the first fork, left at the second, and went straight at the final intersection."
With that route, the three of us ended up right back at this spider door. On the second attempt, we took different paths at every turn, yet we achieved the same result.
"And on the third trip, we went straight at every intersection," Brian noted. "But why do we always get the same result? Just aimlessly spinning around in a place like this!"
His words were logical; we should have arrived somewhere else by changing routes. Yet, why did we always end up back at this spider-patterned door?
We had an advantage in traveling with two people capable of activating light magic—Ariel and Brian. However, even after using magic for so long, Brian showed absolutely no signs of fatigue or Mana Exhaustion.
I suppose this is one of the abilities of the Codex he possesses.
Brian sighed and began walking again. "Let's head back in. Standing around won't get us anywhere," he urged.
I looked at Ariel's expression; she seemed quite exhausted from all the walking. This was only natural, considering Ariel isn't a Knight student like Brian and me, who possess physical conditions superior to a Priestess like her.
"Brian," I called out.
The blonde man turned around, a look of surprise on his face. It seemed this was the first time he had heard my voice since becoming his partner for this second stage exam.
"W-what is it, Scarlett?" Brian asked, appearing strangely nervous.
"We need to rest for a bit. Ariel looks exhausted," I told him.
"A-ah, no. I can still walk," Ariel protested, but her body couldn't deceive anyone here.
Brian took a close look at Ariel; she was sweating profusely, her legs were trembling slightly, and her gaze seemed unfocused.
"I-I'm sorry, Ariel," Brian said, looking regretful. "I didn't notice your condition."
"Don't worry about it, Brian," Ariel said, trying to smile. "I think we can rest just before the first intersection."
"Alright then."
Seeing Ariel's persistence, we continued. Not long after, we reached the first fork. There were three different paths to choose from.
"Okay, we can rest here for a moment," Brian said, handing a waterskin to Ariel. "Recover your strength with this, Ariel."
"Thank you, Brian."
Leaving the two of them to talk, I wandered around the area to figure out where we were going wrong. I suddenly noticed several animal carvings on the labyrinth walls. There were three: a Dog, a Bird, and a Wolf.
I wasn't sure of the purpose behind these carvings. Were they merely decorations?
"..."
Something happened. Suddenly, the three carvings moved, shifting into a different formation.
What does this mean...?
The original formation of Dog, Bird, and Wolf had now changed entirely into carvings of Dogs. Could this be the reason we always encountered the same place despite taking different routes?
***
[Raul PoV]
After an hour of navigating the labyrinth, I finally found a door with a carved spider image. It seemed we had reached the illusion section.
This part of the labyrinth was constructed by an illusionist from the Kuwalid Kingdom. Anyone passing through must memorize the formations of the carvings on the walls before each intersection if they want to escape.
"Raul, why did you stop?" Valeria asked.
"It's nothing. Let's head in."
We pushed the door open and began our entry. The labyrinth was about 15 meters wide and 20 meters high. However, after the illusion area, it would become much more spacious and darker than usual. The monsters dwelling here are accustomed to hunting prey in the dark; it would be very difficult to fight them if the battle dragged on.
Before long, I saw a carving of three animals on the wall: Dog, Bird, and Wolf. This was a magic formation disguised by the labyrinth's creator to mislead intruders. These carvings were like an annoying puzzle for players entering this area for the first time.
"Raul, why are you stopping again?" Valeria asked, confused.
"We're stopping here for a while, Valeria," I answered.
We had to wait for the wall carvings to change into a specific position for the illusion in this area to vanish. For those who pass through before the carvings align correctly, they will only find themselves back at the spider-patterned door, trapped in an endless loop.
"Huh? Why? Is there something strange about these carvings?" Valeria asked suspiciously.
I didn't answer, letting her see for herself what was about to happen.
"..."
Valeria's expression shifted as she saw the carvings on the labyrinth wall change. This time, the formation was Bird, Wolf, then Dog.
"What does this mean...?" Valeria muttered. "Raul, do you know what's actually happening here?"
"It's a disguised magic formation programmed to change at specific intervals," I told her.
I proceeded to explain the illusion magic stored within the formation and why it was placed there.
"I see..." Valeria murmured.
Suddenly, she glared at me and stepped closer. I was forced to step back until my back hit the wall. Her face drew closer until I could smell her scent.
"Raul, tell me the truth," Valeria said seriously. "How do you know all this? It's impossible for information from a broker or library books alone to give you this level of detail."
Ughhh... why am I such a big-mouth when it comes to the game I created? I need to be more careful from now on. In this world, information is more expensive than anything.
I saw the carvings change again. This time, the formation was Dog, Dog, and Dog.
"Hey, let's talk about this later, okay?" I said, trying to change the subject. "We need to get through this section while the formation is correct and the illusion magic is inactive."
Valeria didn't break her sharp gaze. Then, she took a step back, pouted, and started walking ahead of me.
"What a troublesome woman..." I muttered. Her curiosity about everything was starting to backfire on me.
We continued for nearly an hour to pass the third intersection. After exiting the illusion area, we entered a vast, dimly lit space. There was almost no light here; our visibility was limited to two or three meters.
"Raul, should we use light magic?" Valeria asked.
Light magic, huh? It was true that many dangerous monsters lurked here, and being able to see would keep them from approaching. However, this area was the largest we had encountered. It would be dangerous if Valeria ran out of mana halfway through and couldn't defend herself during an attack. That's why it's vital for Knights to train all their senses for moments like this.
I wanted to face those monsters now while Valeria was still fresh and had plenty of mana. But fighting while protecting her would be difficult here. A pitch-black place like this is a weakness for mages like Valeria, especially those who haven't mastered detection or illumination magic.
"Valeria, use illumination magic now," I commanded.
"Alright."
I'd rather fight near the exit, even without Valeria's help. At least we could easily escape if things went south.
"Jade Light..."
A green light emerged, illuminating the entire area. I saw several monsters crawling on the walls scurry into the ground, vanishing in an instant.
"Ughhh... there really are quite a lot of monsters here," Valeria noted. "What do we do if my magic goes out, Raul?"
"I have a plan for that," I replied. "Roughly how long can you maintain this light without hitting Mana Exhaustion?"
"Emm... about an hour or so."
"And how long is your mana regeneration rate to use level two magic or below?" I asked.
Valeria touched her chin, thinking. "I'm not sure... maybe around 10 to 15 minutes."
I see.
I could activate Night Vision magic to fight the monsters later, but my mana capacity only allowed it to last for about 10 minutes.
We continued our journey, the monsters we encountered fleeing from Valeria's light. Among them, I spotted a Phantom Dweller—a humanoid monster with a rat's head and long, sharp claws. It would be a nightmare if more than five of them were in the area.
Let's hope there aren't too many of them around.
As we walked deeper into the pitch-black labyrinth, the sounds of monsters following from a distance made me slightly nervous. Valeria seemed the same; she was clearly afraid they would attack the moment her light disappeared.
After nearly an hour, Valeria's light began to fade. Sweat poured from her skin, a sign of her exhaustion. The path began to narrow to just 5 meters wide, indicating we weren't far from the exit.
"Valeria, how are you holding up?" I asked.
"Don't worry, my magic can last another five minutes," she answered softly.
I had to be ready. The moment the light vanished, these monsters would surely swarm us.
"Valeria, I want you to run straight ahead without looking back or stopping, no matter what happens," I ordered.
"Alright, but what about you, Raul?"
"Don't worry about me," I said casually. "Once you find a door, open it and wait for me for about 10 minutes, understood?"
Valeria simply nodded. It seemed her poor opinion of me had shifted after five days of this exam together.
After five minutes, the light in Valeria's hand flickered and finally vanished entirely.
—Nyieeet...!
The monster sounds grew clear the moment the light died.
"Run, now!"
"I understand!"
Valeria started running as fast as she could. Activating Night Vision, I turned and saw five Phantom Dwellers racing toward me. Their mouths were open, revealing horrific sharp teeth, and an irritating screeching sound filled the air as they scraped their claws against the walls.
"Now... Come here, you pieces of sh*t."
I prepared to fight, but I didn't draw my sword; there wasn't enough room to use it effectively. A dagger would have been easier.
—Cyaaatt!
One leaped, aiming its claws at me. I stepped aside, evading the attack easily. However, the monster immediately turned to chase Valeria.
—Nyieeet!
The monster shrieked as I grabbed its tail firmly and hurled it back, causing it to collide with another monster. Another stepped forward, swiping with both claws. Activating Temper magic on both hands, I waited for a wide swing to deliver a swift counter.
The monster lunged with a thrust, leaving its defense slightly open. I dodged to the right and landed a quick right hook to its temple.
—Crack!
The sound of bone snapping echoed as its head slammed hard against the wall. The monster went limp and lost consciousness.
Two monsters advanced simultaneously, seemingly losing the confidence to attack one by one. The one on my right lunged; I dodged left and pushed its elbow, causing it to stab its own comrade.
—Crack!
Grabbing its neck from behind, I locked it firmly until its neck snapped. Turning around, I saw the remaining two monsters charging. They attacked in turns, but that was no problem. Noticing one monster had its legs spread wide, I delivered a powerful kick straight to its hanging stones.
—Aaughhh...!
It collapsed, clutching its freshly crushed nuts. Its partner rushed me, but I swiftly drew my sword and severed its hand. The monster backed away in agony, but my blade soon claimed its head, ending its life quickly.
I had easily defeated the five.
—Nyieett...!
—Nyieett...!
—Nyieett...!
I heard the sounds coming from up ahead.
"You've got to be kidding me...?" I muttered in disbelief at the sheer number of them running toward me. Eight, nine, ten... no, there were nearly 20 of them!
And my Night Vision was about to run out.
***
[Valeria PoV]
Nearly ten minutes had passed since I left Raul behind. I was now standing in front of the labyrinth exit. Upon opening the door, I was shocked to find we were high up in the mountains on a 30-degree slope.
We were still at an altitude of 500 to 700 meters; we would have to descend this steep terrain to continue. Turning back, I heard footsteps from inside. Raul was sprinting toward me at incredible speed.
"Valeria! Get ready to jump!" Raul shouted.
"W-what do you mean jump!?" There was no way I was jumping from this height.
Soon, I understood why. Behind him was a literal swarm of monsters.
"Kyaa!"
Raul scooped me up, carrying me bridal-style, and leaped out of the labyrinth. I clung to his neck to keep from falling. His hands held my shoulders and legs tightly. We landed relatively smoothly, and Raul began sprinting down the steep mountainside.
"Hey, are they still following us!?"
Looking over his shoulder, I saw the swarm jumping after us. They were scurrying down the mountain on all fours with terrifying speed. At this rate, they would catch us.
"Yes! 10 monsters are closing in fast!" I told him.
"Alright, let go and blast them with magic!" he ordered. "I can't fight while carrying you like this!"
"Okay!"
"Tell me when you're ready!"
Gathering mana in my right hand, I tried to track the monsters' positions.
"I'm ready!"
The moment he heard my signal, Raul jumped and spun to face the monsters so I could get a better aim.
'Triple Fire Ball!'
Three fireballs manifested and shot toward the monsters. Two hit their marks, but one missed as the target dodged. Raul spun back around and landed with some difficulty. I clung to his neck again as he struggled to maintain his footing.
—Nyieett!
—Nyieett!
"Raul, four of them are closing in on both our sides!"
Because of the previous maneuver, our speed had slowed, allowing the others to catch up. I activated earth magic to trip the two monsters on the right, causing them to tumble and fall.
—Nyieett!
Two monsters on the left leaped to attack. Raul maneuvered to evade. I heard him groan in pain; one of them had managed to gash his leg.
"Raul, you—"
"I'm fine, just focus on taking them down, Valeria."
Looking back, there were still six monsters following. I had to take them all out at once.
"Raul, throw me forward and a bit higher," I suggested.
"Are you sure?" the black-haired man asked hesitantly.
"You'll catch me, won't you?" I replied with a smile.
"Alright, give me the signal."
I gathered a much larger amount of mana this time. I felt this would be the last spell I could fire today. I had spent quite a bit of mana during the hours of using light magic in the labyrinth.
"Raul... I'm ready."
Raul threw me high into the air. I aimed my right palm at the group of monsters.
'Sparkling Fire!'
Six fireballs shot toward the monsters, but two managed to dodge and leaped to attack me in mid-air. By twisting my body, I managed to avoid strikes to my vital organs, but they succeeded in slashing one of my legs and arms.
An incredible stinging sensation surged through me, but I had to hold on and fire this final spell. Raul caught me perfectly, and the two monsters landed right in front of us.
"Teach them a lesson, Valeria..." Raul whispered in my ear.
The ticklish whisper made me smile as I aimed my left hand at the pair. Two fireballs sped toward them. Their bodies ignited, and they began rolling uncontrollably.
I had defeated the monsters again... a sense of satisfaction filled my heart.
Raul suddenly braked to slow down as we reached the bottom. However, due to the momentum, he lost his balance and fell.
—Crash!
Raul twisted his body to protect me from the impact with the ground. I was on top of him again, just like when we defeated those two Crickets on the fourth day.
My heart pounded, my body was drenched in sweat, and I was panting heavily from the insane stunt I had just pulled with this man. My hand touched his chest; I could feel his heartbeat now that he wasn't wearing his academy uniform. His neck was slick with sweat from the fight.
Lifting my head, I looked at his expressionless face. A few strands of my hair fell across his face. His hollow black eyes were like an abyss ready to swallow me at any moment. I touched his cheeks with both hands, and his expression shifted.
"Hey, Raul..."
Why was fighting with him always this exhilarating? Why didn't I feel this way when fighting with anyone else? Fighting alongside him always made me feel like I was growing, gaining more experience.
"Once again, that was a very exhilarating fight," I told him with a smile. "Let's do it again sometime, okay?"
He didn't answer, simply turning his face away.