《Heart of Labyrinth》 When Earth Became a Labyrinth "While the weak dream about getting stronger, the strong play their games, twisting and consuming the weak..." ... A pale, frail-looking young man with dark circles under his eyes sat squeezed into one of the cramped seats on a crowded train. His rough hands clutched his phone as he scrolled through the latest updates on the News of Utopia. [August 4, 2036 Edward Burdy: Scientists have analyzed the mysterious radiation from the blue sun but found no explanation in the past week for its color shift or reverse rotation. Documented events: July 29: The sun began to slowly alter its rotation. July 30: The sun stopped moving for five hours and gradually turned green. July 31: The green hue shifted to turquoise, and the sun started rotating in the opposite direction. August 1: The turquoise glow faded, and the sun continued its reverse rotation slower. August 2: A light blue tint emerged, and the rotation returned to normal speed. August 3: The sun shines brighter, and its rotation remains steady." Experts suspect these bizarre events are linked to residual radiation from nuclear weapons used before the peace era. They''re working on solutions while monitoring developments.] After skimming the article, the young man stuffed his phone into his pocket. Like everyone else on Earth, Jack had been massaging his temples more often lately. The blue sun''s rays weren''t just strange-they triggered headaches in nearly everyone. Jack rummaged through his bag and pulled out a packet of painkillers. Popping two tablets, he washed them down with a swig of water. "Tsk, these never help," he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice as the throbbing in his head refused to let up. Around him, the uneasy murmurs of passengers filled the train. The tension was palpable everyone seemed on edge. The train rattled along its tracks while the sun blazed brighter outside, reaching its peak in the sky. For a moment, it felt like time itself had slowed. Then, as if someone flipped a switch, the headaches vanished. Jack blinked, stunned. "What the... did the pills work?" he murmured, glancing around. The other passengers looked just as confused as him. He turned to an elderly woman sitting nearby and tapped her shoulder gently. "Excuse me, ma''am. Did your headache just... go away?" She hesitated before replying, "Yes, yours too?" Jack nodded, but his relief was tinged with unease.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Something didn''t feel right. Before he could dwell on it, the train shook violently. "!!!" The floor beneath him trembled as passengers screamed. Some were thrown to the ground, others fainted outright. Through the window, Jack saw massive stone walls erupting from the earth, rising like jagged teeth. "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm¡ª" a garbled announcement crackled through the speakers before cutting out. The train began to slow, but the growing wall ahead showed no signs of stopping. The collision was inevitable. The impact was brutal. Jack''s head slammed into the seat in front of him. Dazed and bleeding, he struggled to stay conscious. ... Groaning, he wiped blood and drool from his face with a shaky hand. That''s when he noticed something strange flickering, holographic screen floating in front of him. "What... the hell is this?" he muttered, squinting at the glowing text: [The mighty Creature of Healing is interested in you. Do you want to join the Healer class? Yes / No Warning: If you refuse, you won''t be able to join another class!] Jack stared at the screen, trying to make sense of what was happening. Was this some kind of hallucination? His head throbbed, but he could feel the urgency in the choice before him. "...Yes," he whispered finally. [Congratulations! You are now part of the Healer class. To view your runes, tap your temple.] Before he could follow the instructions, another loud bang echoed through the train. ... [The mighty Creature of Explosion is interested in you. Do you want to join the Explosion class?] Yes / No Warning: If you refuse, you won''t be able to join another class!] "Of course," a cold, mocking voice giggled. [Congratulations! You are now part of the Explosion class. To view your runes, tap your temple.] She smirked and tapped her temple, summoning her stats: [Name: Rose Veldran Age: 27 Class: Explosion Rank: F+ Abilities: Force Push A small, localized explosion that pushes or injures nearby enemies. 0/100 Fragments] Rose''s grin twisted into something dark, her eyes gleaming with madness. ... Without warning, a deafening explosion ripped through the cabin. The train door was torn off its hinges and hurled like a missile. Jack saw it coming straight toward the elderly woman he''d spoken to earlier. Instinct took over. He threw himself between the door and the woman, shielding her with his body. The impact was bone-crushing. Jack crumpled to the floor, his vision swimming as pain wracked his body. Blood poured from his wounds, pooling around him as he gasped for air. Somehow, his trembling hand found its way to his temple. [Name: Jack Aston Age: 17 Class: Healer Rank: E- Abilities: Healing of the Righteous - A weak healing ability that soothes light wounds in pure souls, harms corrupted ones and has a long cooldown. 0/100 Fragments] Desperate, Jack whispered, "Healing of the Righteous." A pale yellow aura enveloped him, seeping into his injuries. His broken bones knit together, his torn flesh mended itself, and even the dark circles under his eyes faded away. "I... I''m alive," Jack breathed, tears streaming down his face. But his relief was short-lived. A menacing presence loomed behind him. Dark eyes burned with malice, and a shadowy figure stepped forward. Jack''s heart sank as he realized his fight was far from over. Hope in the heart of the survivors Jack''s back tensed as he felt the weight of two dark, ominous eyes staring at him from behind. Time seemed to stretch painfully, each second dragging like an eternity. A shiver ran through him, goosebumps prickling his skin, as he slowly tilted his head up and turned it slightly to the right. In front of him stood a wounded woman wearing beige pants and a white shirt. Her deep, dark purple eyes locked onto him menacingly, drilling into his soul. Before she could speak, Jack blurted out in fear, "What... what do you want from me?" The woman''s voice was harsh and unforgiving. "Someone like you," she snapped. "Heal me, or I''ll kill you." Terrified, Jack flinched. Her icy tone made his right arm move instinctively toward her. "Healing of the Righteous!" he called out, his voice trembling. He watched as the golden aura flowed from his skin toward the menacing woman. But as soon as the healing energy touched her, it shifted, morphing into a sinister black-and-red aura that engulfed her. "What are you doing?!" she demanded, her voice trembling as her body weakened. "I... I''m sorry! I don''t know!" Jack shouted back, panic rising in his chest. The woman shut her left eye tightly, clutching her chest as though thousands of needles were piercing her heart. "ARGH!" As she groaned in agony, the pitch-black aura twisted around her neck, tightening like a noose. "You''ll pay for this!" she screamed, foam gathering at the corners of her mouth as she raised her palm toward Jack. "Porce pu--" "Slash!" Before she could finish her words, a tall, slender man with dark red hair and glasses decapitated her in a flash, the blade moving so swiftly that not a single drop of blood spilled at first. Her head separated cleanly from her body, tilting to the side as it fell with a soft thud into a growing pool of her blood.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Plop," the sound echoed as her head hit the floor. Jack felt bile rising in his throat, but he managed to swallow it down. He turned his terrified gaze toward the man who had just saved him. Jack studied the stranger carefully, mentally noting every detail: dark red hair, glasses, red eyes, a white coat, and black jeans. The mysterious man with red hair scanned the train before finally standing still. "My name is Daryl Harrington," he said calmly. "I''m from the Heart Citadel. We were on a reconnaissance mission and happened to stumble upon you. We saw the woman go berserk and had to intervene." The few survivors, including Jack, nodded nervously, a faint glimmer of hope flickering amidst their fear. "Can you also explain why there''s suddenly a hologram floating around?" an older man in a bloodstained navy suit shouted, his voice a mix of confusion and desperation. The other survivors exchanged uneasy glances, looking back and forth between Daryl and the older man. "Yeah! Mine says something about a powerful healing entity being interested in me!" added a young blonde woman in a pink blouse and blue joggers, her tone filled with both curiosity and fear. Jack glanced at her curiously, a single thought crossing his mind: Are there other healers too? "Don''t panic," Daryl said firmly, commanding everyone''s attention. "We don''t have all the answers yet, but we''ve observed that many people are manifesting similar abilities, tailored to their personalities." At that moment, another figure entered the train. "Boss, no signs of more beasts nearby," the newcomer, a young woman, reported. Daryl''s expression tightened. "Good. We need to move quickly before more show up," he said, his voice laced with urgency. "Beasts?" the passengers whispered, their voices trembling as dread settled over them. "Survivors, get ready for a short trip," Daryl commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. The passengers obediently rose to their feet, stiff with fear. A few minutes later, the last of the survivors exited the train and were greeted by a shocking sight. "Holy crap," Jack muttered, his jaw dropping and his eyes widening in disbelief. Towering stone walls surrounded them, massive and imposing, rivaling the height of the Eiffel Tower. "How did this turn from a futuristic city into a giant labyrinth?" Jack wondered aloud. Everywhere he looked, enormous stone walls rose into the sky, forming a maze that stretched endlessly in every direction. Behind them, the train rested at the end of a dead-end track. Jack turned around, spotting several paths they could take. Daryl''s sharp eyes swept over the group of survivors, assessing each one of them before motioning them forward. And so, their journey began. Welcome to Heart Citadel The group of survivors and heroes consisted of 14 people. As they walked through the long, rocky maze-like paths, Daryl began explaining the so-called "System" to everyone. That strange hologram was referred to as the "System" because that''s what people called it in a bunch of clich¨¦ web novels. "The System is only granted to people younger than 40, give or take," Daryl began. When he explained this, the older survivors looked visibly disappointed, some even a little broken. Daryl continued, "According to our records, there are over 30 of these powerful creatures." "For example, there''s the Creature of War, the Creature of Explosion, and the Creature of the Undead." "And what about the other 27?" Negan, one of the younger survivors, called out. "I forgot their names," Daryl admitted honestly, smiling awkwardly with both eyes closed for a second. "Ah, got it," Negan muttered and turned away. Huff-huff, Daryl faked a cough to get everyone''s attention again. "Anyway, like I was saying¡ªbased on our records and observations, people are granted personalized abilities. For example, healers who used to be surgeons get unique healing powers that allow them to repair organs and stuff like that." "And the most important thing: the fragments." "Fragments?" Jack piped up, almost tripping over a tree root. "Oh, you mean that weird counter at the bottom? 0/100 Fragments, right?" "Exactly," Daryl nodded. "You earn fragments by killing beasts or other monsters. When you absorb the glowing fragments they drop, your inner essence grows stronger." "But there wasn''t anything about essence mentioned in our System?" Mira, wearing her signature pink blouse, asked with a confused look. "Yeah, we were confused too at first," Daryl admitted. "But if you overuse your abilities, you''ll pass out. That''s when we realized essence was involved. You feel it when you absorb fragments, or when your essence regenerates after using a power." "And what happens when we hit 100 fragments?" Mira asked again, curiosity lighting up her eyes. "No clue," Daryl replied, gazing off into the distance. About 40 minutes later, the group came across several paths leading downward into the ground. Daryl explained that these were entrances to a dungeon¡ªmuch more dangerous than the surface of the Earth, or rather, the giant, circular maze they were stuck in.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. They kept moving, step after step until they reached a massive, flat dead end. But it wasn''t empty¡ªthere were small, makeshift tents scattered around, along with wooden signs. The first sign they noticed read: Welcome to Heart Citadel. Some of the survivors let out relieved sighs, while others wept openly with joy. To Jack, it felt like he was witnessing the birth of a new village. But deep down, he couldn''t help feeling disappointed¡ªdisappointed that he was stuck in the healer class instead of being a fighter. "If only I''d had these healing abilities back then..." Jack thought to himself, his chest tightening as he exhaled heavily. "Alright, we''ve arrived. Set up a tent and then report to the mayor," Daryl announced, before letting the group disperse. Most of the survivors paired off into twos or threes, using the opportunity to get to know each other better. Only Jack stayed on his own. Despite everything he''d done¡ªlike saving that elderly woman earlier¡ªhe received no recognition. Not even a simple "thank you." "What am I even expecting?" Jack muttered, shrugging his shoulders as he walked toward the main tent to borrow a tent and check in with the mayor of this small citadel. ... "Name and age?" asked a man with long blond hair and a dirty blue robe. "Jack Aston, 17 years old," Jack answered, meeting the man''s brown eyes. "Alright, Jack. You can call me Spencer," the man said with a grin before his face shifted into a more neutral, professional expression. "So, what''s your ability? Or wait¡ªlet''s start with your class." Jack hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I''m a healer." "Interesting¡­ Hmm, healers are in high demand right now," Spencer said, nodding as if impressed. "In demand? Aren''t there enough healers?" Jack asked, tilting his head. "In demand?" Spencer repeated with a dry chuckle. "The opposite. We have plenty of healers. But we''ve got even more injured people¡ªsome barely clinging to life." The mood turned heavy for a moment, an uncomfortable silence filling the air. But Spencer, clearly used to breaking such tension, quickly moved on. "Anyway, thanks for being honest. Oh, here." Spencer handed over a bundle of tent materials, lifting it with both hands before placing it in Jack''s arms. As Jack accepted the heavy load, he nearly dropped it, the weight catching him off guard. He barely managed to steady himself before leaving the large tent, offering Spencer a faint smile of gratitude. Carrying the bundle, Jack trudged toward the cluster of other tents, scanning for a free spot where he could set up his own. "Over here!" a voice suddenly called out. Jack turned toward the sound and saw someone waving at him from one of the nearby tents. Realizing they were talking to him, Jack walked over, curious to see what was going on. Allies or Gay? "Am I bothering you?" "No, it''s all good, you''re not bothering me." When Jack heard a familiar voice calling his name, he turned around and immediately recognized who it was. It was Negan. Negan was one of the survivors of the train. They hadn''t had any proper conversations yet, which left Jack a bit confused¡ªwhy was he suddenly getting so much attention from him? "I feel a little awkward saying this, but... your move on the train impressed me," Negan said, getting straight to the point. "While everyone else, me included, was totally in shock, you were the only one who saved the old lady." Jack took a moment to check Negan out¡ªdark green hair, a sharp dark suit, a white shirt, and a narrow black tie. "Interesting style," Jack thought while processing Negan''s words. Jack nervously scratched the back of his neck, a habit that made his discomfort obvious. At the same time, he was wondering, "Is he being serious, or does he want something from me?" "Uh, thanks," Jack said after a pause, forcing a smile. "But... do you want something from me?" he asked, cutting to the chase. Negan grinned and pointed to an empty spot nearby. "I wanted to show you this spot. We''d be neighbors, by the way." "Neighbors?" Jack repeated, a bit skeptical, while Negan laughed and made eye contact. Internally, Jack started to wonder: "Is he just trying to be friends... or is he gay?" "Well, thanks anyway," Jack finally said, his tone a little suspicious. After their strange conversation, Jack started setting up his tent¡ªwithout much success. The tarp kept slipping, and the poles wouldn''t stay in place. Negan, who had already finished setting up his tent, leaned casually against a rock wall and watched Jack with an amused smile. "So, you never went camping with your dad?" Negan asked, chuckling. The question hit Jack like a punch. For a moment, he froze, and a mix of anger and sadness flared up inside him. "And what''s it to you?" he shot back, his voice suddenly sounding threatening. Negan swallowed and paused. The easygoing vibe between them shifted in seconds. "Hey, sorry, I didn''t mean anything by it," he quickly apologized, raising his hands in a calming gesture. Jack took a deep breath and shook his head. "It''s fine. You just hit a sore spot. Forget it."If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Negan nodded slowly, deciding not to press further. He was curious, but he respected Jack''s boundaries and let it go. Before night completely fell, Jack finally managed to finish setting up his tent. Sweating, he crawled inside, zipped it up, and collapsed onto the cold floor. "It''s so cramped in here," he muttered to himself. He grabbed his makeshift pillow¡ªmade of wolf leather and crow feathers¡ªand placed it under his head. He pulled the leather blanket tightly around him to escape the cold. But as soon as Jack closed his eyes, the memories came rushing back. The bloody bodies of the people who had died on the train flashed before his mind''s eye. Voices echoed in his head: "Why didn''t you protect me?" "Why didn''t you save me?" "My son, wh-" Jack snapped his eyes open when the image of his sick mother appeared in his thoughts. Trembling, he sat up in the corner of the tent, curled his legs up to his chest, and held them tightly. ... The next morning, Jack opened his eyes¡ªand saw a face right in front of him. A face with a cheeky smile and barely any facial hair. Green eyes stared back at him. "Morning!" Negan called cheerfully. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!" Jack screamed, startled, and quickly backed away. Negan laughed. "Sorry, man! Spencer told me to wake you up. But seriously, you sleep like an angel!" Jack stared at him, remembering the thought he''d had the night before. "Wait, are you¡­?" Jack stopped himself, bit his lip, and changed the sentence. "I''ll be out in a sec. But please, get out of my tent." "Got it, boss," Negan said with a grin, crawling out of the tent, while Jack shook his head in annoyance. "Don''t call me boss," Jack muttered, feeling irritated. "You''re a healer, right?" Negan asked, now curious. "Yeah, why? I thought you could see everything from your seat on the train," Jack replied in a neutral tone. "Still holding that against me? I was in shock and would''ve never survived that door crash," Negan admitted with an embarrassed look. "Also, I noticed this dark red aura around that crazy woman who was hurting people." "My ability can heal others... and hurt them," Jack said with a grin. "Whoa, man. Are you one of the powerful creatures?" Negan asked, clearly not serious. "And what about you?" Jack asked, a bit annoyed, before yawning. "Me? I can temporarily turn into a zombie." Jack watched him, impressed by what he said. While Jack was just a regular healer, his counterpart was a walking-dead guy. Jack changed his mind about Negan: "Maybe he''s not gay. Maybe he''s into necrophilia." ... *Author''s Note: Hey everyone, I just want to say thank you so much for your support and interest in Heart of Labyrinth! It means a lot to me that you''re all part of this journey. If you''re enjoying the story, I''d appreciate it if you could add it to your collection and leave an honest review. Your feedback is super valuable and helps improve the novel! If you want to learn more about the story or just chat with me, feel free to join my Discord server. The link is in my Webnovel profile. Thanks again for everything and happy reading!* ... As the two young men arrived at the main tent, their eyes locked on the mayor. Spencer turned to them, stroking his thin, three-day-old beard with a smile. "Good morning," he greeted them with his deep voice. "Morning, boss." "Good morning, chief!" they replied. "Haha, please call me Spencer, not a boss or chief," Spencer said with good posture. "I''ve sent you here to give you a mission."