With cheering shouts, all the adventurers began to move forward into the forest.
As everyone stepped into the forest, multiple magic squares oozing sinister black aura appeared beneath them suddenly, including Ewaan's group and the S-rank overseers.
Before anyone could react, the squares abruptly teleported and materialized them inside a well-structured and stretched-out cave with many separate paths.
Shocked, Ewaan's eyes darted around the cave, his mind reeling with confusion.
The sudden change left him disoriented, as he uttered in shock, "What... happened just now!?" It rang out in sync with another, and that was none other than one of the S-rank overseer, Lucien.
He turned to look towards Lucien, only to realize they were the only ones here in this mysterious cave, separated from everyone else.
Ewaan's gaze shifted back toward the cave, the gravity of their situation weighing heavily on him. The absence of Ayaka, Ayami, and Maya left a hollow feeling in his chest.
Panic surged through him, and without a second thought, Ewaan sprinted down one of the many paths branching out from their location.
His eyes darted around, searching desperately for any sign of his companions. He turned corner after corner, but each tunnel he explored was empty, devoid of any trace of the others, just oozing black aura from every corner.
Suddenly, Lucien appeared behind him, sprinting to catch up. "Calm down, fellow adventurer," he urged, his voice steady but firm. "We need to assess our situation first and figure out what's going on!"
Ewaan slowed to a stop, surprised by Lucien's speed that matched his full force. He turned to face Lucien, the reality of their predicament settling in. "You're right, but we need to hurry, we're not the only ones to get dragged here. We have to find them, as soon as possible."
Lucien nodded, his expression serious but composed. "We will," he assured, placing a reassuring hand on Ewaan's shoulder. "But we need to think clearly. Rushing blindly will only get us into more trouble. Let's figure out where we are and what we're dealing with first."
Ewaan took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of worry and fear inside him. "Alright," he said finally. "Let's start by understanding this cave. There has to be some clue about what happened and where everyone else might be."
Lucien spoke, "Judging by the size of this cave and the numerous paths branching out, there's only one possibility..." He paused, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Ewaan quickly caught on, "A Labyrinth!"
Lucien glanced at Ewaan, impressed by his quick assessment. "That's right, but we need to figure out what kind of Labyrinth we're dealing with. Different labyrinths have different attributes, and some of our companions might be at a disadvantage."
Ewaan, his impatience barely concealed, responded, "Then we need to be quick. There's no time to waste. Let's pick up the pace."
Lucien nodded, taking the lead. Ewaan followed closely behind, his eyes scanning their surroundings, ready for anything. They moved swiftly, their steps echoing through the cavernous corridors.
Suddenly, eerie figures emerged from the shadows. They were human-shaped but completely black, emanating a sinister aura. Their features were indistinguishable, except for their wide, menacing grins.
Lucien's eyes widened in shock. "Shadow Demons??" he exclaimed.
The creatures advanced, their movements fluid and unnaturally fast.
Ewaan straightened his right hand and softly uttered, "‹SHADOW BLADE›." Immediately, a longsword, shrouded in darkness, formed and appeared in his hand. "Stay sharp!" he shouted.
Lucien's expression turned serious. Clenching his fist, he called upon his power, "[Whispers Of The Breeze, Strike With Force]," he muttered, forming semi-transparent air around his fists with a green hue. "[GALE STRIKE]." He punched through the air, and the Shadow Demons blew up quickly.
Lucien briefly glanced at Ewaan, noticing his Shadow Blade. "Darkness magic won't work against these demons. Stay back; I'll handle this!"
But as quickly as the demons were destroyed, they reformed from the surrounding black aura, replacing their fallen comrades.
Lucien, frustration evident in his voice, said, "These creatures are formidable. We need to be careful."
Despite his best efforts, the Gale Strikes seemed ineffective as the demons continued to reappear. Ewaan, realizing the futility of magic, dismissed his Shadow Blade. He formed fists and lunged forward.
"What are you doing!?" Lucien shouted, but Ewaan ignored him, delivering a powerful punch.
To their surprise, the demon didn't reform. Lucien watched as Ewaan continued to strike down the demons bare-handed.
Without stopping his assault, Ewaan replied, "Non-magical attacks seems to be effective on them!"
One shadow demon managed to launch a successful strike, "These things are fast!" Ewaan grunted, barely dodging a swipe aimed at his head.
"And relentless," Lucien added, narrowly avoiding a clawed hand that reached for his throat.
Seeing the effectiveness of Ewaan's physical attacks, Lucien adapted quickly. He dismissed his Gale Strikes and engaged the demons with raw physical strength.
The demons lunged at them simultaneously. Together, they fought side by side, each punches and kick destroying the demons without them reforming.
Their movements synchronized as they fended off the dark entities. The air filled with grunts of Ewaan, Lucien and the eerie hisses of the demons.
As they continued to battle, Ewaan noticed a pattern in the demons' attacks. "They're coordinating their movements,"
Lucien nodded, understanding instantly. "I'll create an opening. Be ready to strike."
With a swift, calculated maneuver, Lucien feigned a retreat, drawing several demons toward him. Ewaan seized the opportunity, lunging forward and delivering a powerful blow that cleaved through the group.
The Shadow Demons shrieked and dissolved into shadows, vanishing into the darkness from whence they came.
Ewaan stood firm while Lucien breathing heavily, they stood back to back, scanning their surroundings for any remaining threats. The cave fell silent once more.
Lucien, catching his breath, looked at Ewaan with newfound respect. "That was impressive. Your instincts were spot on."
Ewaan nodded, his expression serious but relieved. "We need to stay sharp and keep moving. There's no telling what else this labyrinth has in store for us."
Lucien agreed, his resolve firm. "Right. Let's find our companions and get the hell out of here."
°°°
As they walked further, the tense atmosphere was palpable. To lighten the mood, Lucien spoke, breaking the awkward silence. "By the way, with those impressive deduction skills and reflexes, you must be a B-rank adventurer, right? Since you came for the A-rank advancement trial."
Ewaan, who was in the lead, turned to look at him. He stared at Lucien for a moment before answering, "No, I'm actually an E-rank."
Lucien, taken aback, frowned in shock. "Huh? You're joking, right? Uh... What about your magic then? You used Darkness magic before, are you from the Sorcerers Association who came out of seclusion to explore the outside world?"
– Sorcerers' Association? So there's a guild managed solely by mages, huh? I guess you learn something new every day. Wait... did he say seclusion?
Ewaan pondered for a moment before saying, "I gained my magic just a month ago. It was also on the same day that I joined the adventurers guild. So yes, that's why I'm still an E-rank."
"No way..." Lucien exclaimed, genuinely shocked. "How did you manage to refine your abilities in such a way in a short period of time?"
Ewaan shrugged, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Let's just say I've had some... unique experiences. But let's focus on getting out of this labyrinth first."
Lucien shook his head in amazement but didn't press further. "Alright, E-rank or not, you've got the skills of a seasoned adventurer. Let's keep moving."
Ewaan nodded, his eyes scanning the dark corridors ahead. The labyrinth seemed endless, each turn leading to more uncertainty.
As they continued, the eerie silence of the cave was occasionally broken by distant echoes and the faint rustling of unseen creatures. The air was thick with anticipation, every shadow a potential threat.
Lucien, trying to maintain a lighter tone, added, "You know, if we make it out of here, I'm buying you a drink. I need to hear more about these 'unique experiences' of yours."
Ewaan frowned in confusion. "You're saying it like we'll die in this shithole! Come on, you're an S-rank, how can you be so—"
He stopped, not because he hesitated but because of the unexpected sight before them. A doorless path loomed ahead, looking like an exit but not the one they had hoped for. Instead, it was something, far more...
"As I thought!" Lucien spoke, his voice tinged with frustration. "This labyrinth was fishy from the very beginning!
Ewaan turned, and seeing his curiosity, Lucien begun explaining, "First of all, those Shadow Demons we fought, didn't dropped any crystal cores. Secondly, we only got swarmed by these low-level monsters so far, which is usually uncommon for a labyrinth of this caliber. You meet all sorts and powerful monsters and clearing out all of them will instantly teleport you back to where you came from."
He sighed. Continuing, "But, judging by this passage in front of us... It seems, this is a floor-type labyrinth. And we need to clear the final floor Master to get out!"
••• ••• •••