Chapter 1675 Victor [2]


    ??Augustactuallnded on his feet in an open space despite being swallowed by a wall.


    What he found was a secret corridor that ledhim deeper into the maze.


    Itwasn''tinfested with a single beast and wasactuallyquite different from the rest of thebyrinth.


    The walls were cleaner. It looked like somebody had been working to manage the space for many years.


    Augustdidn''thave time to admire it all. He dashed through the tight spacetryingto get as far away from Eris as possible.


    If he could vanish from her radar before returning to the maze,thenhis life would bea loteasier.


    ''It would be better if I could just use artifacts, butthere''sno wayI''mnot being watched right now.''


    The entire event was being televised. If a path like this was ced in thebyrinth, it would also be riddled with cameras that let them see whathewas doing.


    The path continued for quite a long time. There was a steep decline towards the beginning, whichmust''veput August underground. Otherwise, the amount of distancehe''dcovered was nonsensical.


    At the end of the path, it openedupinto a small room with two doors on the left and right.Against the back wall was a desk with a book and several stray pieces of paperon it, illuminated by a small methat restedon a side table nearby.


    There was nothing else present. August walked over and looked through the contents of the papers.


    Most of them were unintelligible scribbles thatdidn''tmean anything to August, but the diagrams they contained looked interesting.


    ''Hmm…''


    August furrowed his brows.


    He turned to the book and flipped through it, trying to see if it could give him anything.


    ''The same. Ican''ttell ifhishandwriting is bad orifit''swritten in apletely differentnguage.''


    Whatever it was, August decided to store the papers and the book in his spatial ring so he could go over themter.


    ''They might just be a whole bunch of nothing, but if they doend up showingme something magical…''


    That was all August could hope for.


    Since he was young,he''dloved research. A challenge presented to him like this was weed with open arms.


    Nevertheless, the roomdidn''thave anything else of note. August tried to see if there was anything in the walls oranyother hidden mechanisms that could take him into other hidden corridors.


    Unfortunately, his efforts were pointless.


    ''It''sdisappointing since this seems like a reward area, but I can keep my hopes up and assume that these pages are the reward…for now.''


    It was best for August to return to thebyrinth now that he wasa ways awayfrom where he left Eris.


    He chose the door on the right side, since that was the one that would give him more of an advantage. M


    At least, that was if his position was as he expected it to be, but that was something for him to worry about when he was back.


    ''Now, as long as Idon''trun into that crazy woman again…''


    August swung the door open.


    He was immediately back in the maze. It was probably somekind ofspatial magic.


    That part wasfine.


    The real problem was…


    "There''sactually no way."


    BOOM!


    August''sbody abruptly shot back and mmed into the adjacent wall.


    Darkness turned into a web that blocked his movements, and a suppressive aura locked onto him, making his mana sluggish.


    "Khhh…!"


    August gritted his teeth and red at the woman who had just entered the room.


    He really did a good job escaping. He thought he did, at least. He knew that anyone elsewouldn''thave been able to track him after he disappeared, but as he was learning now, this woman was different.


    "You''requite rude."


    Eris Noct closed the door behind her and nced at August.


    "Did you truly think you could escape?"


    It was a question that was posed more out of curiosity than gloating.


    "Imean, yeah. I thinkit''sweirder that you caught me."


    Since his fate was sealed anyway, August spoke freely.


    "Bold,"Eris replied, a small smile risingup her lips.


    "However, I am not as hostile to you as you believe."


    Shewasn''tlying. She may haveoriginally approachedhimwith hostile intentions, but now thatshe''dseenhimin action, her intent had changed.


    "Boy, how do you feel about working together?"


    August''seyes immediately widened.


    "What?"


    "You heard what I said."


    "Yeah, butalso,there''sno way you said what I think I just heard."


    "Idid."


    August''sexpression became even more stupefied.


    "You? Want to team up with me?"


    It justdidn''tmake any sense.


    But, with Eris nodding to confirm his thoughtsyetagain, he was forced to ept it.


    "Why…?"


    That was all he could ask.


    Aside from theirclearpower differences and the other factors that led to his confusion, August did have a previous perception of Holy n geniuses that…wasn''tthe best.


    Seeing how he was amoner, he only expected them to ever discriminate against him. For one to ask for his cooperation was not in his cards.


    Eris shrugged as if shecouldn''tunderstand his confusion at all.


    "The reason is simple. You have a good brain. I need the help of someone who has a good brain. The others were stupid, but since youactuallyhave worth, I want to form an alliance to challenge the central boss."


    Eris was strong enough. She wassmart enough as well, but"smart enough"wasn''tenough for a challenge like this.


    So why had she decided tocreate an alliancewith August instead of destroying him?


    It was precisely because of how fast he located a trap and activated it to distract her while he ran away. He was even able to create a way out of a situation that she thought was sure to entrap him.


    The fact that there were hidden corridors in the wall was something even shedidn''tknow.


    That led her to only a single conclusion.


    August had a better understanding of the maze than she did, and he wassmarterin exploiting it.


    Ina challenge where both brains and brawn were necessary, shecouldn''tjust push through everything alone.


    More importantly, the heir warsweren''tjust a stage for individuals to shine.


    There were times when geniuses would need to work together. At times becausetheycouldn''tdo things alone, andat timesbecausetheyneeded to show the crowd that they were benevolent or agreeable.


    Putting it clearly, Eris had no idea who August was. Shedidn''tbother to learn about her opponents in this round since none of the geniuses on her level were participating.


    But, even if she knew he was amoner, itwasn''tlike she cared.


    To enter this stage meant one was leagues aboveone''speers.


    Anyone who was herepeting had an ounce of her respect.They would only lose it if they proved to herthatthey were never worthy enough to stepfooton this holy stage.


    August had done the opposite. He had shown her why he, a mere 3rd ss,was able toarrive at a ce where nearly everyone was several lengths ahead of him in power.


    Matters of who the final winner would be or what came next could be handledter.


    Eris had seen the central boss with her own eyes,andshe knew thatshewasn''tenough to defeat it by herself.


    Gathering a team was out of the question, but if it was just a single genius who could fill in the ces where she wascking…


    Anyone in her positionwould''vemade the same decision.


    So, in her opinion,August''sconfusion and surprise werpletelyunjustified.