《Aric, the Time Necromancer》 Unexpected Allies, Unexpected Attack Year 790 of the Vaathi Lunar Calendar Continent of Naas Ancient Dungeon: The Great Labyrinth of Naas First Floor of the Labyrinth A young man was shouting at the top of his lungs to everyone passing by. ¡ª I''m looking for members to take on the fifth-floor boss! ¡ª he yelled loudly. The other hunters ignored him, thinking he was crazy. ¡ª Fifth floor? The reconnaissance team hasn¡¯t even made it past the fourth floor, and this lunatic thinks he can reach the fifth floor and defeat the boss? What an idiot ¡ª they muttered as they walked away. No one seemed to believe this young adventurer. He had been waiting for days to find strong allies, but no one seemed willing to team up with him. ¡ª Hey, kid, lying is for children. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re past that ¡ª said a tall man approaching him. When he pulled back his hood, it was clear he was a High Orc. ¡ª If you can truly reach the fifth floor, you can count me in, but I¡¯ll need proof that you¡¯re telling the truth. ¡ª What are you? A druid? Or a shaman? ¡ª Aric asked curiously. ¡ª Well, how can I prove my words, Mr. Orc? ¡ª I¡¯m a shaman, and not just any shaman. I can see that there¡¯s something special about you. ¡ª This orc bore the blessing of the Lord of Orcs, with golden eyes as proof of this blessing. ¡ª Ah, a shamanic orc. I was thinking of assembling a more aggressive team. Honestly, the fourth-floor boss requires a lot of attack power ¡ª Aric said, playing hard to get. ¡ª No wonder you can¡¯t find a team. No one would trust someone who can¡¯t anticipate the situation, you know? The reconnaissance team also has a shaman ¡ª the orc pointed out. ¡ª And even with their shaman, they haven¡¯t defeated the boss ¡ª Aric replied angrily. ¡ª Anyway ¡ª the shaman said, a little exasperated ¡ª with my power as a shaman, One Voice, One Truth, I can tell if you¡¯re lying. If you¡¯re truthful, I¡¯ll join you. You just need to make your statements once my shamanic power is active. Aric agreed to undergo the shaman¡¯s test, who activated his power. ¡ª I know how to defeat the fourth-floor boss, and I know how to reach the fifth-floor boss ¡ª Aric said under the shaman¡¯s power. The shaman¡¯s ability activated, and the truth was revealed. From Aric¡¯s mouth emerged a white and purple light that settled into the shaman¡¯s hands. ¡ª You¡¯re not lying, kid ¡ª said the shaman, astonished. ¡ª It¡¯s decided then; you can count on me. Now having a shaman on his team, Aric felt a bit more confident. ¡ª My name is Serpensq¡¯i ¡ª said the shaman. ¡ª I¡¯ll return to the surface to resupply. I suppose you can wait for me for a couple of hours. ¡ª I still need to recruit at least three more people, so I¡¯ll be here for a few more hours.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Without delay, the shaman left and was soon intercepted by a woman. ¡ª That boy says he¡¯ll take on the fifth floor. Did you use your ability to confirm it? ¡ª she asked from behind. ¡ª I¡¯d be interested in joining his group if you confirmed his words. ¡ª Why are you coming to me? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to verify it yourself? ¡ª the shaman asked back. ¡ª Anyway, he was telling the truth. He¡¯s a good kid, a bit naive but a good kid. Don¡¯t waste time; talk to him before someone more observant than you makes the first move. After that, Serpensq¡¯i continued on his way, and the woman turned back. From a distance, she observed Aric, who was once again shouting. ¡ª I''m looking for members to take on the fifth-floor boss! ¡ª he shouted, looking at the adventurers who passed by ignoring him. The woman decided to approach him, but a small group of women beat her to it. ¡ª Boy, I saw you talking to that High Orc. I saw him use his power on you, so I assume he won¡¯t be joining your group since he left ¡ª assumed the group leader. Aric looked at them. Their items were top-notch and exuded a strong aura of power. ¡ª He went to the surface to resupply. Yes, he used his ability and confirmed I was telling the truth ¡ª he replied. ¡ª We¡¯ll set off as soon as he returns. ¡ª I¡¯m Lucien ¡ª said the woman. ¡ª Elemental mage specializing in water. This is Kaenia, a spirit mage specializing in illusions, and this is Danndra, a divine mage specializing in first-rate physical support magic. ¡ª Wow! ¡ª Aric exclaimed. ¡ª Your group is pretty strong as it is. Are you in? ¡ª Not so fast, kid. We want half the loot ¡ª said Lucien. ¡ª And we¡¯ll keep the items dropped by the fourth-floor boss. Also, I want to know what kind of... ¡ª Hey, you lot! ¡ª the girl who had been interrupted by the group approached as Lucien spoke. Her large, shiny silver armor and the emblem of the dragon-slaying family imposed authority wherever they were seen. Her red hair and blue eyes couldn¡¯t overshadow the redness of her cheeks. This woman had great difficulty socializing and, as the youngest of the dragon-slaying family, carried a great weight of expectations on her shoulders. Moreover, the Ozz Family, as renowned as they were, had a reputation for being violent lunatics, bloodthirsty and lovers of destruction. ¡ª A dragon slayer ¡ª Kaenia said, surprised. ¡ª Take it easy, Lucien. ¡ª I¡¯ll join your party ¡ª she said, her cheeks flushed. ¡ª My name is Lysandra Ozz. I¡¯m a warrior specializing in combat against dragons, reptiles, and flying monsters. I believe these girls are trying to take advantage of you. ¡ª Oh, now that you see the golden goose, you want it for yourself? ¡ª Lucien scolded her, threateningly. ¡ª Why do you say we¡¯re taking advantage of him? He and his shaman make two; we¡¯re three. Splitting half the loot and keeping the fifth-floor items is more than fair. ¡ª Ladies, calm down ¡ª Aric said, standing up. ¡ª Neither the loot nor the items matter much to me. They¡¯ll be divided according to each member¡¯s contribution level. Now, we have a human warrior, myself as a human spellblade specializing in summoning, the elven mage Lucien for offense, the two hybrid support mages, and the shaman. I think we have a chance against these bosses. After calming the argument, the group sat down and formed a circle, beginning to talk. A couple of hours later, Serpensq¡¯i returned to the Great Labyrinth of Naas. ¡ª I see the group grew in my absence ¡ª Serpens said as he approached the crowd. ¡ª I recognize a few faces. ¡ª That¡¯s right. She¡¯s Lysandra, our warrior. She¡¯s Lucien, our offensive mage. Those two sisters over there are Kaenia and Danndra, offering support magic. And I¡¯m a spellblade. ¡ª I¡¯m Serpent Walking in the Sky, but you can call me Serpens ¡ª said the orc, introducing himself. ¡ª I¡¯m a High Orc shaman specializing in curses and soul enchantments. I also know a lot about ancient scripts. As the group introduced themselves, there was a loud rumble followed by a slight tremor throughout the first floor of the labyrinth. ¡°Attention all adventurers on floors 1 and 2, immediate support is requested. A wave of monsters similar to the third-floor boss is heading toward the second floor. We believe they intend to exit the labyrinth¡­¡± All the groups seemed alarmed. This was high-level magic, and only Sulfias, the mage from the reconnaissance team, could use group telepathy at this level. Every group seemed worried except for Aric. He was calm. ¡ª Well, it¡¯s great you came back so quickly, Serpens. Now we can begin right away An enemy beyond reason
After finishing their preparations, the group set off for the second floor of the labyrinth, with Aric and Lysandra at the front, the support mages in the middle, and Lucien and Serpensq¡¯i closing the circle. They had a powerful and balanced formation. As soon as they entered the second floor, monsters began attacking them, but their strong formation allowed them to keep advancing. The secondary groups took care of stabilizing the entrance to the first floor, enabling them to move forward. They occasionally encountered weak monsters, but as they approached the third floor, they started facing boss-level creatures. One, in particular, forced them to stop¡ªthe one supposedly in charge of the third floor. "What is this monster doing here?" Lucien asked. "Isn''t this the third-floor boss?" "And that''s not all, Lucien," Serpensq¡¯i pointed out. "It has company." Behind the monster, two more of the same level stood menacingly. "What''s going on here?" Lysandra asked, confused and afraid. "Why are there more than one?" "First, let''s make these weaklings eat dirt. We can ask questions later," Aric said, drawing his sword from its sheath and activating the magical circuit on his left hand. "Omnem detrus athev darpas creatus sig leavres," he began to chant while walking straight toward the monsters. "Kaenia, support magic on Lysandra. Dannal, illusion magic¡ªcreate copies of Aric," Serpensq¡¯i commanded. "Lysandra, cover Aric''s back. Lucien, high-level destruction magic¡ªideally, a fire sword if you know it." "Hey! That spell takes a long time!" Lucien complained. "Besides, I¡¯m a water mage, not fire! We''ve barely been a team for a day, and you''re already overworking me¡ªdamn it! I''m taking all the loot from these monsters!" "You''re wasting valuable time complaining," Serpensq¡¯i replied. "Do it before we''re at the noose''s end." As Lysandra struggled to keep up with Aric, he faced all three monsters simultaneously. Thanks to Dannal¡¯s illusion magic and the confidence of having Lysandra guarding his back, he fought at his best. "Lysandra! Give me some time!" he suddenly shouted. Without hesitation, she took the lead in the offensive. While she covered him, Aric stepped back, breathing heavily. Once he managed to steady his breath, he began summoning his creatures. "Spiritus elementalis, accipe vocem meam, surge ex tenebris, manifesta potentiam tuam," he chanted with deep concentration. A trickle of blood dripped from his nose. Serpensq¡¯i, watching everything unfold, immediately cast a body blessing to strengthen Aric¡¯s soul. He knew it was unusual for a High Human to possess affinity with both magic and swordplay, as well as summoning abilities. This boy had completely caught his attention. Aric felt the blessing and looked at the shaman with gratitude. After regaining his breath, he lunged forward alongside his summoned creatures, fiercely attacking one of the bosses. Lysandra held her ground, buying Aric time, but she was injured during the battle.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Aric managed to take down one of the monsters by overwhelming them with his elemental summons, but he was also struck down and thrown far away by one of the remaining enemies. Meanwhile, Lucien had been focusing, continuously chanting an incantation -Ignis potentissimus, elementum purum et igneum, creator et destructor, Per vim et potentiam flammae primordialis, quae exardescit in corde universi, Te invoco, spiritus ignis, qui es princeps in regno flammae, Accende flammam tuam ardentem, et fiat incendium magnificum, Ut consumat hostem meum et purget malum a nostris viis. Ignis, ex tua potentia surgat flamma haec, Quae urat et calet, quae purgat et renovat, Flamma ardescat inimicis meis, et dissipetur obscuritas, Ut luce et calore tuo, omnia mala dissolvantur. Spiritus ignis, audi vocem meam et esto mihi auxilio, In hoc momento magnae necessitatis, qua gladius ignis est mihi fidus amicus, Te invoco, te laudo, te honoro, spiritus ignis, qui dominaris elementorum, Per flammam tuam, fiat iustitia et victoria mea. ?Gladius Ignis Elfi Solis! A powerful sphere of light materialized above the monsters, causing them to leap backward, but it was not enough, as within a fraction of a second, dozens of flaming swords shot out from the sphere of light, gravely wounding all the monsters. Aric and Lysandra got up from the ground and, in a final effort, finished off the weakened monsters. They disintegrated, each dropping a ring. These looked similar but emitted a unique aura. Aric approached the spot where he had defeated the first boss, and unlike the other two, it had dropped a two-handed axe. "Pick up the items," he said suspiciously. "We''ll evaluate them once everything is over." Lysandra collected the rings, while Kaena and Dannal tended to Lucien, who had overexerted himself by casting a spell of an element he had no affinity with. Serpensq¡¯i approached Aric and shared his impressions. "This has never happened before in all my time raiding dungeons. This anomaly has never occurred," he said, looking at Aric, who was crouching, observing the axe. "It''s clear that something else is happening," he responded without turning. "Once the girls are ready, we''ll move towards the entrance to the third floor." After a while, making sure everyone was in good condition, they continued advancing. Aric kept the two-handed axe and they stored the rings to investigate them later. As they approached the entrance to the third floor, they began to see adventurer corpses more frequently. The air strongly smelled of blood and death. From a distance, they could hear the sounds of a battle. They quickened their pace, and upon reaching the battlefield, they encountered the reconnaissance team. Sulfias, the Ash mage, who was in the last line, noticed them and quickly gave instructions to support the offensive. Aric couldn''t help but notice she was injured and looked back at Serpensq¡¯i for a blessing. Then he moved forward with Lysandra to offer support to the front line. What they saw left them in shock: more than ten bosses similar to the ones they had trouble defeating. The reconnaissance mages no longer had enough Aether to cast high-level spells, and the empty potions nearby showed they were running out of options. "They''re the only ones who have made it this far," said one of the warriors, Valerian, an A++ grade adventurer. Blood was dripping down his ribs as he knelt, holding his sword. After coughing a little, he stood up again. "We still have a chance. We must hold them here until the Order of the High Dark Elves arrives." Aric gripped his axe and activated the circuit in his left hand. Lysandra took a deep breath, and they looked at the monsters from below. "We''ll stop them then," Aric said. "Lysandra, cover the other flank." Goribhia, the specialized combatant from the reconnaissance team, was facing three monsters simultaneously. While dodging their attacks with agility, she was landing strategic blows to wear them down and overwhelm them. Lysandra joined the fight, and in a short time, the tide began to turn. On the other side, Valerian, the warrior, was trying to hold off three monsters with Aric, while Lucien held back the other monsters with his spells and the support mages healed the other reconnaissance mages. Suddenly, they heard a loud crash that left them frozen. The boss monsters stopped and backed away, kneeling, leaving a corridor between them. A great roar resonated through the place, paralyzing both groups. What they saw left them frozen: a huge monster with a single eye and many cavities in its face. Sharp, bifurcated blades extended from its back. The figure of a colossal creature, floating in the air and emitting a stench of death and danger, appeared before them, looking down on them with its single eye. A strange sound came from its mouth: A diabolical laugh that they would never forget. The First Everyone stared at the monster in astonishment. After a few seconds, Sulfias came to her senses and ordered everyone to regroup. All the monsters that had been kneeling stood behind the large boss. ¡ªInferior beings ¡ªsaid the creature, surprising everyone¡ª. Step aside or die. ¡ªCan this being talk? ¡ªAric wondered to himself¡ª. Who are you? What do you want? The great boss looked at Aric and attacked him with one of its lancets. Aric quickly stepped back, but even so, the mere brush of the lancet wounded one of his legs. ¡ªI am "The First" ¡ªthe creature replied¡ª. There is no need for further conversation, as all of you will die. The First began its attack, launching strong and fast strikes with its lancets. Sulfias commanded the groups alongside Serpensq¡¯i. The fight against the previous bosses had exhausted everyone, but they had no choice but to keep fighting. She asked the mages to cast a lightning spell. Lucien prepared to cast a large-scale spell along with the offensive mages from the reconnaissance corps. They all recited in unison: ¡ªEx nubibus, sub tumultuosa tempestate, Vocamus potentiam, vis potentis caeli, Fulmen divinum, ignem caelestem, Et concordiam inter elementa, ut fiat voluntas nostra, Sub caelis tonitruis resonantibus, Et fulguris lucem radiantem. ?Dominus Fulminis! As the mages prepared their lightning spell, Serpensq¡¯i healed Aric¡¯s leg and cast a curse on him, granting him temporary immunity at the cost of receiving the rebound damage two hours later. With this, Aric was good as new and ready to face the boss. Lysandra also asked for the curse, to which Serpensq¡¯i agreed. Valerian and Goribhia took the left flank; Lysandra and Aric took the right. Once everyone was in position, Lucien and the mages launched the offensive with the group spell ¡°Lord of Thunder.¡± After casting it, Lucien and one of the other two mages kneeled, coughing. Sulfias quickly healed them and asked them to cast the spell again. Meanwhile, Goribhia launched herself into the attack with her greatsword, leaping fiercely toward the monster, while Valerian circled it, searching for a weak point. ¡ªO spiritus ventorum, benedictionem vestram mihi concedite, ut hostem meum qui ultra terram est attingam. ?Donum Caeli! ¡ªrecited Aric, and instantly, he became much lighter, and two semi-transparent, glowing wings sprouted from his back. Lysandra didn¡¯t fall behind and used her familiar power, dragon blood. Her face became sharper, and her body was covered in scales. Her eyes turned from blue to red, and her pupil became slit instead of round. A halo enveloped her body, and with one leap, she joined Aric. Together, they launched a strong attack on The First, who was stunned from the damage of ¡°Lord of Thunder.¡± Valerian discovered a silver orb on its back, which he attacked with great force. The First groaned in pain and became enraged, but the blow was so powerful that it lost altitude and appeared clearly weakened. ¡ªFall back! ¡ªSulfias shouted¡ª. Mages, cast the spell! ¡ª?Dominus Fulminis! ¡ªthe mages shouted in unison with Lucien, who fell to the ground with a pale face. ¡ªMiss Sulfias, I am a water mage, I can¡¯t keep casting spells from other elements, my body is rejecting the aether ¡ªhe groaned, writhing in pain. Sulfias healed him quickly, but the pain didn¡¯t fully go away. The First, who was taking a lot of damage, as Valerian continued to attack the orb until it fractured, revealing a white amalgamation, noticed that its vital point was exposed. The First screamed, pushing everyone away with a great wave of energy. It retreated to the bosses that were kneeling behind it and began devouring them one by one. They, trembling and unable to resist, didn¡¯t even groan as they were consumed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Realizing that The First was recovering, Sulfias wanted to end it all with an attack. ¡ªWe will cast Fire Sword! ¡ªhe shouted to the mages, who were exhausted and coughing up blood¡ª. Quickly, begin reciting! Valerian quickly got up and ran toward the weak point of The First, which was regenerating slowly. ¡ªFollow me! ¡ªshouted Valerian¡ª. We must finish him off now! Goribhia, Lysandra, and Aric got up and launched into the attack. Serpensq¡¯i also lunged, taking the two-handed axe that Aric had left for safekeeping. They all ran toward The First, but it unleashed the shockwave again as it finished devouring the other bosses. Once it had swallowed them all, it turned toward its enemies, only to see in front of it a sphere of light, which exploded in various directions, impacting the labyrinth''s structure and also injuring The First. The damage was greater than they expected, as part of the structure above it fell on top, causing it to lose altitude. In that moment, they began attacking the orb again, its weak point, but it had fully regenerated and new tissue was starting to form a protective layer around it. The monster regained its composure and attacked everyone. Only Valerian, the strongest of the group, managed to withstand the attack. The entire group fell into despair. Aric cursed his weakness and looked at his team. Lysandra, kneeling and supporting herself on her sword, stared at the monster. She got up and helped Goribhia to her feet. The monster continued its onslaught with colossal attacks, when suddenly a flash of light pierced the place, striking directly in its eye. Sulfias, who was quick enough to see it, turned to see who had cast the spell. Flying toward the monster, she managed to spot Ulric, the Prince of the High Dark Elves, one of the most powerful beings of the Continent of Naas. ¡ªI arrived as quickly as I could. You all held on well ¡ªhe said loudly, with much gratitude. His white hair flowed in all directions, and his dark skin had flashes of light swirling around his face. His multicolored eyes focused on the monster, and he prepared his attack. ¡ªO magnum mysterium, qui nobis intellectum dedisti, qui te ipse intrinsece et extrinsece experiris, es initium et finis, qui mortem cum vita in infinitum connectis, omnes memorias custodis et omnes fabulas creas, o domine realitatis, concede mihi partem virtutis tuae ad malum mundi delendum, pro pace et prosperitate in hoc regno promittam. ?Domine Benevolentiae! ¡ªhe shouted, and a purple sphere that absorbed the light appeared before him, spinning on its axis, and shot forward toward The First¡ª. GET OUT OF THERE! Everyone backed away upon hearing Ulric''s shout, and the sphere struck the monster directly. Only Valerian, who knew the weak point, stayed behind the monster. The impact of Lord of Benevolence also hit him, wounding him in the face, but he remained firm, and when the orb became visible again, he threw his sword, which pierced its defense. The First, which had been resisting Ulric¡¯s attack, let out a cry of agony and stopped resisting, retreating toward the wall by the door. When it collided with it, a great explosion occurred. The force of the explosion made the entire team stagger. Once the dust settled, they saw The First, which was slowly fading. Its only eye was fixed on Aric; its mouth tried to say something, but its throat was destroyed. As it gasped for breath, Valerian wasted no time and finished destroying The First''s orb. Upon destroying it, it vanished completely. This monster dropped a single item, despite having devoured several boss monsters: A leaf with ancient writing. Ulric took the leaf and couldn¡¯t understand what it said. Serpensq¡¯i approached upon seeing the item it had dropped and asked the prince to let him see it. Upon glancing at it briefly, he recognized some characters. ¡ªI know this writing ¡ªhe said, surprised¡ª. I can''t fully understand it at a glance, but I could decipher the content in a couple of days. ¡ªYou are a High Orc ¡ªUlric assumed¡ª. It¡¯s very strange to meet a scholar of your level in a place like this. ¡ªThat¡¯s right, Your Majesty ¡ªhe nodded¡ª. My name is Serpensq¡¯i. ¡ªWhat can you tell me about this text? ¡ªUlric asked¡ª. I imagine there¡¯s something you can decipher right away. ¡ªHere, this character ¡ªSerpensq¡¯i pointed¡ª. I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ve seen something similar in some manuscripts from the era of the demon reign, before the Great War. ¡ªAnd what do you think it means? ¡ªUlric pressed him. ¡ªThis character means ¡°The End¡± ¡ªhe said somberly¡ª, and this other one means ¡°liberation¡± or something related to ¡°breaking a chain.¡± And this character means ¡°enchantment.¡± I don''t have my reading tools here to provide more information, but if you give me a few more days, I could... ¡ªDon''t worry ¡ªthe prince interrupted¡ª. With what you''ve told me, I already have enough information. Contact me when you¡¯ve deciphered the entire text. Ulric handed Serpensq¡¯i a ¡°Communication Bracelet for Distance¡± and took off. He glanced briefly at Aric before flying away at high speed. After everyone involved had been healed, they gathered to decide their next move. Under the curse of Serpensq¡¯i, Aric and Lysandra would receive the rebound of the accumulated damage from the fight against The First, so they were prepared to attend to them as soon as the curse dissipated. They agreed to return to the first floor and conduct a registry of the deceased in collaboration with the Naas Guild. The request Aric woke up in pain on a stretcher, with Lysandra on the neighboring stretcher. He tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain in his ribs. ¡ªYou shouldn''t move so soon, leader ¡ªsaid Lucien, who was sitting in a chair reading a book. ¡ªAre you alright, Lucien? ¡ªAric asked, lying back with a groan¡ª. How are the girls and Serpensq¡¯i? ¡ªI''m fine, and the girls are fine too. The orc is at an inn nearby, he hasn¡¯t left in these three days. He just said to let him know when you wake up ¡ªshe said, closing her book and lowering her feet from Aric''s stretcher¡ª. You still want to go after the boss on the fifth floor, don¡¯t you? ¡ªYes, I still want to do it ¡ªhe said with a determined expression¡ª. Could one of the girls come here and heal my wounds? ¡ªThat can''t be done, because Serpensq¡¯i''s curse prevents healing of the target until a week after the rebound is triggered. So, you''ll have to stay here and suffer for at least four more days ¡ªshe said, standing up. Then she coughed a bit and held her stomach¡ª. I think this rest will be good for everyone. Using elements I''m not used to affected me more than I thought. Other than that, Lysandra hasn''t woken up yet. The damage she took was a bit more severe than yours. We just have to wait for this week to pass, then we can heal them and continue with the raid. We''re lucky we helped the reconnaissance team; they''re covering all the recovery expenses, and we have plenty of food and places to rest. Anyway, I''ll go tell Serpensq¡¯i you woke up. After Lucien left, Aric stayed thinking about what they had gone through, a great enemy that posed a threat to many people and took many lives appeared so unexpectedly. He tried to understand what was happening to anticipate it, but it was beyond his foresight. ¡ªYou''re probably wondering what caused this incident ¡ªsaid someone, surprising Aric¡ª. It won''t be long before you figure it out. After saying that, the person sat on Aric''s stretcher, giving him their back. ¡ªWho are you? Do you know me? ¡ªAric asked, a little uneasy¡ª. How do you know what I¡¯m thinking? ¡ªThe Naas labyrinth is a dangerous place. There''s a reason no one has been able to go beyond the sixth floor in over 100 years ¡ªthe mysterious figure began to explain¡ª. That reason is directly related to The First. I imagine you know this, but I¡¯ll say it anyway. That monster was not normal, it didn¡¯t belong in the labyrinth. There¡¯s no logical reason or explanation for it to be there. It was a levitating monster, a descendant of the extinct cyclopes. Its venomous lancets could indicate a blessing from the Scorpion King of the Wastelands, but... how could such a creature go unnoticed and cross the vast sea to reach the Naas labyrinth? Aric looked at him, suspended in thought, realizing everything the mysterious figure was telling him. ¡ªEven if it had crossed by land, the high orcs would have stopped it, or your people in Alkias would have annihilated it. You¡¯re strong, but there are many stronger humans than you. Even the prince of the dark elves had little trouble defeating it, ¡ªhe said while putting his hands in his pockets¡ª. How do you think a creature from the Wastelands made it to the depths of the fourth floor? ¡ªI don¡¯t know, maybe with teleportation magic? ¡ªhe wondered¡ª. But if it had had that magic, it would have escaped when Ulric launched his attack. ¡ªExactly. And on top of that, the sheet of paper... ¡ªHow do you know that? ¡ªAric asked, agitated¡ª. Were you spying on us? ¡ªIt dropped a single sheet of paper that conveniently leaves many clues for you, especially for Ulric, ¡ªthe mysterious figure commented¡ª. This creature... ¡°The First¡± is also explicitly saying that it is the first, so we can assume that more will come. ¡ªWere you in the labyrinth? ¡ªAric continued asking, his breath quickening¡ª. If you knew so much about the monster, why didn¡¯t you help us? ¡ªYou¡¯ll find out eventually, ¡ªsaid the mysterious figure as he stood up from the bed¡ª. By the way, those rings the bosses dropped, you should give them to the support mages; it¡¯ll improve their performance. ¡ªAs if I could trust someone I just met, ¡ªAric groaned. ¡ªAh, sure, that''s no problem, Aric, since you''ve known me for a long time, ¡ªhe said as he left. Meanwhile, in the war room of the Naas Guild, Sulfias and the other leaders gathered to assess the situation and plan their next move. The guild leader, an old elf named Thandor, listened carefully to Sulfias¡¯s report.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡ªWe¡¯ve never faced anything like The First, ¡ªSulfias said¡ª. Its appearance was completely unexpected and much more dangerous than we had imagined. Thandor nodded, his wrinkled face showing concern. ¡ªThe fact that The First had that ancient script suggests that there is something deeper at play here. We need to know what that text said. ¡ªThere¡¯s still no news from the high orc, ¡ªSulfias replied¡ª. We must wait for him to decipher the text. ¡ªWhat will we do in the meantime with the labyrinth? Ulric hasn¡¯t stopped insisting that he should be in control of the kingdom, not the guild. He claims that he had to come himself to clean up the mess, ¡ªcomplained Thandor¡ª. Anyway, it¡¯s true. If he hadn¡¯t appeared, who knows how many high-level warriors would have lost their way that day. ¡ªThere¡¯s something that doesn¡¯t let me fully trust Ulric, ¡ªrevealed Kardeniam, who had remained silent throughout the meeting¡ª. More than 100 years ago, in Alkias, a monster tried to escape the dungeon. The inhabitants of the village near the dungeon were massacred, and help took so long to arrive that it was impossible to stop the disaster. That monster was a... ¡ªKardeniam, ¡ªThandor interrupted¡ª. You may be older than this elf, but you need to control what you say. I will not tolerate high-level information leaks in a meeting like this. ¡ªBut Thandor, this must be related, ¡ªinsisted the old Kardeniam¡ª. We can¡¯t let things happen again. ¡ªPerhaps you¡¯ve been my advisor for too long, ¡ªThandor stated¡ª. We will continue with the meeting after you and I speak privately. Sulfias and Valerian left the room together, leaving Thandor and Kardeniam alone. After leaving the facility, they began to converse. ¡ªThere¡¯s something strange about all this, Sulfias, ¡ªcommented Valerian¡ª. That monster, its characteristics were totally incongruent with the ecosystem of the labyrinth. It¡¯s not normal for such a monster to appear, and the number of boss monsters that appeared. ¡ªIt¡¯s true, my dear friend, ¡ªSulfias nodded¡ª. Something tells me that Thandor is hiding something. Kardeniam was about to reveal something that Thandor didn¡¯t want us to know. For now, let¡¯s wait for things to calm down and see what resolution Lord Thandor reaches. Don¡¯t forget where the loyalty of the reconnaissance unit lies. Elsewhere, specifically at the inn where Serpensq¡¯i was staying, we see many leaves on the floor and on the wall a mural with many notes, a copy of the leaf The First dropped, and threads connecting with other writings. ¡ªLiberation Spell, ¡ªSerpensq¡¯i read¡ª, and this is the strangest part... time magic. Serpensq¡¯i was observing the sheets and placing them on his board to organize his thoughts. Suddenly, he approached one of the characters on the sheet and fell to the ground, searching through his notes until he found an old book. He opened it and began flipping through it quickly, comparing the characters, and sat on the bed. He breathed in and started taking notes. After a while, he had deciphered the text. It would correspond to a spell to annul another spell, an annulment. This spell had to be at least a high-level one, like the ones documented in the records of the Great War. And what kind of spell would they be trying to annul with such force? Serpensq¡¯i didn¡¯t waste any time and contacted Ulric, who, satisfied with the situation, asked him to inform Thandor and the others. Meanwhile, Aric was reflecting on his encounter with the mysterious figure when, suddenly, Lysandra regained consciousness. ¡ªUh, ¡ªshe complained as she tried to sit up¡ª. I¡¯ll never let anyone curse me again. ¡ªAt least we¡¯re alive, ¡ªAric replied¡ª. We have four more days until they can heal us completely. ¡ªI suspected as much, ¡ªshe sighed, reclining back again¡ª. How are the others? ¡ªEveryone¡¯s fine, ¡ªhe responded¡ª. Once we¡¯re healed, we¡¯ll return to the labyrinth to continue the raid. Are you still in? ¡ª... ¡ªAfter thinking for a moment, she decided¡ª. Yes, we had a strange start, but maybe if we manage to get through the fifth floor and get ahead of the Reconnaissance Corps, my family might start taking me seriously... sorry, I shouldn¡¯t be talking about this. ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll surely get even further, ¡ªAric reassured her. After a while, Lucien returned with Serpensq¡¯i. They had taken longer because they stopped by the war room to give their report, and they had news for the injured. ¡ªAric, Lysandra, it¡¯s good to see you awake, ¡ªhe said, greeting them¡ª. How do you feel? ¡ªLike crap, ¡ªAric replied¡ª. We have to deal with this for four more days. Don¡¯t you have any blessing that could make us sleep through it? ¡ªHahaha, ¡ªthe orc laughed¡ª. Unfortunately, the curse I placed on you involves an ¡°unbreakable contract¡± that can¡¯t be broken. I can¡¯t use any other curses or blessings on you after the damage rebound. ¡ªThat sucks, ¡ªLysandra complained. ¡ªTell me about it, ¡ªLucien complained¡ª. This reckless fool made me use an element opposite to mine, and then that heartless woman forced us to use another extra element. Lucien didn¡¯t notice, but behind him, the heartless woman stood, her expression grim. ¡ªI don¡¯t understand how someone like her can be the leader of the Reconnaissance Corps, ¡ªLucien continued grumbling while everyone stared at her in terror¡ª. Her mages must be going through hell because of her. I hope I never have to obey her orders again. A heavy silence fell in the hospital. Lucien, noticing no one was saying anything and seeing their pale faces, grew alarmed. Feeling a tingle on his back, he mechanically turned around. ¡ªFor a dark elf, you sure have a sharp tongue, ¡ªSulfias said with a forced smile. He pushed Lucien aside and sat on Aric¡¯s bed¡ª. I bring a request from the guild leader for your group. Old Thandor heard about your performance during the emergency. You were the only group that made it to the Reconnaissance Corps and not only that, but you were of great help in combat. ¡ªThat¡¯s something anyone should do in a situation like that, ¡ªAric replied, a bit embarrassed. ¡ªWell, apparently you¡¯re not just anyone, ¡ªSulfias retorted¡ª, so this request isn¡¯t only from the guild leader, but also from the Reconnaissance Corps. Please, join the Reconnaissance Corps! A Problematic Solution It has been 4 days since Sulfias'' request to our team. Aric was training with his training axe in the guild¡¯s training hall. Valerian watched him from the shadow of the trees. "The movements of this boy are quite crude, but there¡¯s something inhuman in his flexibility," he thought to himself. ¡ªHey, kid¡ªhe shouted, approaching¡ª. Wouldn''t you like to warm up with me? ¡ªMr. Valerian¡ªsaid Aric, standing up¡ª, that would be great. Valerian smiled at him with a slight hint of distrust and moved closer. ¡ªThere should be training weapons in the storage¡ªhe said, taking position while putting on light armor from the armor rack. He took one for Aric and handed it to him when Aric brought him a sword¡ª. Put this on, kid. Both prepared themselves, and suddenly, Aric charged with the training axe, head-on and directly, attacking Valerian. He smoothly deflected the attack, causing Aric to miss, but with the momentum, he twisted like an animal to launch a second strike, which was also deflected, but forced Valerian to take a step back. Aric, seizing the opportunity, struck again with his feet, which were at the height of Valerian¡¯s face. Valerian used the retreat to lengthen the distance between them, but Aric, already recovered, cut the distance again, only to be met with a powerful frontal strike that fell from the sky, leaving a large bump on his head. ¡ªYou two!¡ªshouted Sulfias¡ª. We¡¯ll have a meeting, stop your little game and come to the main hall. Valerian and Aric, who had gotten excited with the fight, had to quickly cool down and obey Sulfias. On the way to the hall, Valerian said to Aric: ¡ªKid, your attacks are tenacious and risky¡ªhe began while walking¡ª. You¡¯re strong enough to cause problems for an A++ rank even though you''re only A rank. For me, it''s reliable to have someone like you by my side, but you''re too careless. You need to refine your movements more; otherwise, one of these days you''ll end up without a limb. ¡ªThank you, Mr. Valerian¡ªAric replied¡ª. It¡¯s an honor to work with you. ¡ªAre you listening to me, brat?¡ªValerian scolded him, mockingly annoyed. Upon arriving at the hall, the Reconnaissance Corps was gathered, along with Aric¡¯s team. ¡ªGreat¡ªsaid Sulfias¡ª. Now that we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s start the meeting. During the meeting, they discussed the formation and strategies they would use to face the boss of the fourth floor and asked Aric to tell them how to defeat the boss of the fifth floor. Aric, who had heard stories about this boss, shared the monster''s possible weaknesses, and the Reconnaissance Corps mentioned the weaknesses of the fourth floor boss. Once the meeting was over and the preparations were made, the reconnaissance team headed to the labyrinth. Lucien, who had tried to stay as far away as possible from Sulfias, was discouraged. ¡ªWhy the long face, Lucien?¡ªSulfias asked, wrapping his arm around Lucien¡¯s neck¡ª. You¡¯d better get used to the other elements; if not, you¡¯ll crash into a barrier you won¡¯t be able to overcome. Lucien bristled and nodded in embarrassment. Upon arriving at the labyrinth, they easily traversed the first three floors. The confrontation with the boss of the fourth floor was particularly easy. A spell of ice followed by a lightning spell was enough to weaken it. Valerian and Aric continued to weaken the boss with powerful synchronized attacks. Their combination was powerful. Gobhiria and Lysandra delivered the final blow, reinforced with Kaenia¡¯s support magic. The monster dropped a large blood gem, a highly prized item by shamans. Serpensq¡¯i stared at it with his mouth agape, his entire face and eyes drooling. Sulfias took the gem and handed it to the carriers in the rear, then winked at the orc. After regrouping, the group continued to search for the entrance to the 5th floor. From this point on, the labyrinth became more complex with many dead-end corridors and dangerous traps that kept them on high alert throughout the journey. They decided to send Aric and Valerian to search for the correct path. The two ventured down the labyrinth¡¯s halls in search of the entrance to the 5th floor. While exploring, Aric spotted a silhouette in the distance. ¡ªMr. Valerian¡ªhe whispered¡ª, there¡¯s an anthropomorphic shape nearby. ¡ªYou have sharp senses, kid¡ªValerian replied, recalling a moment of an angry Sulfias: "Don¡¯t even think about getting into combat"¡ª. Let¡¯s avoid engaging in combat, young Aric. They continued a little more stealthily and, beside a corridor, found a large hole in the wall. Valerian approached to inspect it and told Aric to wait there. Using an ability called ¡°Predator¡¯s Eyes,¡± which allowed him to see in the dark and detect life forms by sensing heat, he entered the hole''s darkness. ¡ªI¡¯ll be back in 5 minutes¡ªhe said¡ª, if I¡¯m not back by then, go get help. Aric nodded and, like a guard dog, stayed where Valerian had told him. Shortly after he left, a figure appeared in front of Aric, whom he immediately recognized. It was the mysterious person who had been with him in the hospital. ¡ªYou¡¯re too calm, young Aric¡ªhe greeted¡ª, why don¡¯t you go on the defensive with me? ¡ªIf you had wanted to hurt me, you could¡¯ve done so in the hospital¡ªAric responded¡ª. Besides, I had already recognized you, I suspected you¡¯d come to see me as soon as you had the chance. So, what do you want?A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡ªThe entrance to the 5th floor isn¡¯t here, Aric¡ªhe revealed, leaving Aric stunned¡ª. On the first floor, there¡¯s a small empty room. If you look carefully at the walls, you¡¯ll find a plate that, when pressed, will reveal an altar. ¡ªAre you messing with me?¡ªAric asked¡ª. How do you know that? And why are you telling me this? ¡ªDon¡¯t twist your braid so much, kid¡ªhe calmed him¡ª. You need to put the blood stone there. I must go, your babysitter is about to return. After saying that, he walked away until vanishing into the air. Soon after, Valerian returned to Aric. ¡ªThere¡¯s nothing there, just rubble and cobwebs¡ªhe said, disappointed¡ª. Let¡¯s continue exploring, the entrance must be nearby. ¡ªMr. Valerian, could you trust me?¡ªAric asked¡ª. I think I know how to get to the 5th floor. Valerian looked at him in astonishment and placed his hands on his shoulders. ¡ªI¡¯ll trust you, kid. I want to see what you¡¯re capable of¡ªhe said, looking him in the eyes (non-homo moment). ¡ªWe need to go back to the first floor. There¡¯s a mechanism in the small room they use as a storage¡ªAric told him¡ª. We need to find that mechanism. Without wasting time, Valerian and Aric returned to the main group. Valerian took Sulfias aside to tell him in private and avoid the rest of the group''s suspicions. Sulfias studied Aric carefully and approached him. ¡ªThis time we''ll do it your way, young man ¡ªhe said, approaching his face. Aric immediately blushed¡ª. Stay alert, we''ll follow your lead. Aric nodded, and they returned to the 1st Floor. Upon entering the old warehouse, the group positioned themselves outside the room. Aric asked Sulfias for the blood gem and began searching for the pressure plate in the walls. Valerian and Sulfias stayed with him while the rest of the group prepared their equipment. During the search, Lucien and Lysandra entered the room, curious about what Aric was doing. Suddenly, Aric found the plate, and when he pressed it, the door that connected to the first floor slammed shut, trapping the group. ¡ªWow! ¡ªexclaimed Valerian¡ª. I didn¡¯t expect that. ¡ªMe neither ¡ªAric followed¡ª. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Valerian, I¡¯ve put us in a dangerous situation. While the boys were talking, a tile on the floor began to move, alerting everyone. A statue began to rise from the empty space until it fully emerged, a female statue with her hands raised as if offering something to the sky. Aric took the blood gem and placed it between his hands, gripping it tightly. Immediately after that, the statue¡¯s eyes began to glow, and it began to sing a melody. The door to the 5th floor opened in front of the statue. Sulfias, who could not afford to be surprised, noticed the flow of the blood gem. ¡ªIf my guess is correct, we don¡¯t have much time to do this. We¡¯ll have to challenge the boss just the three of us ¡ªshe said decisively¡ª. Young Aric, if it weren¡¯t for you, we would have never discovered the entrance. There are a few things that worry me, but we need to take care of what¡¯s important now. Lysandra and Lucien cursed their curiosity. Valerian, who was watching them, tried to encourage them and gave them confidence by telling them their support would be essential to defeat the boss of the 5th floor. ¡ªI¡¯ve heard a few stories about this boss. When we defeat it, the 5th floor will change location and the labyrinth will begin a new ¡°cycle.¡± This boss is the reason why maps don¡¯t work in this dungeon. The last cycle happened less than five years ago, but the adventurers who defeated the boss never returned. Lucien tensed at Aric¡¯s story, and Sulfias comforted her by hugging her. ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, Lucien, I¡¯ll protect you ¡ªshe whispered in her ear. ¡ªLeader, please ¡ªValerian stopped him¡ª, let¡¯s stay alert. After passing through narrow stairs, they arrived at the 5th floor. It was something unreal. What had seemed like a huge labyrinth in the past had turned into a beautiful meadow, immense and vast, a flat land where it would be hard to hide. ¡ªThe boss must have regenerated a couple of years ago, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in its best condition right now ¡ªspeculated Aric¡ª. It will be difficult for it to ambush us, but it will be difficult for us to ambush it. ¡ªWe must prepare for the confrontation at any moment ¡ªconcluded Sulfias. The group of adventurers cautiously advanced through the beautiful meadow of the 5th floor. Suddenly, the ground shook and the Basiligon* majestically emerged in front of them. Without attacking, the creature watched them with its sharp eyes and its basilisk serpent tail waved threateningly. ¡ªWhat is that? ¡ªLucien exclaimed alarmed¡ª. Is it a chimera? ¡ªIt¡¯s a Basiligon ¡ªSulfias responded¡ª. I never thought I¡¯d see one in my life. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not aggressive. ¡ªYou won¡¯t pass without proving your intelligence. Solve my riddles, and only then will you be able to continue your path ¡ªthe Basiligon roared¡ª. Failing means facing my wrath. ¡ªThat was pretty aggressive, in my opinion ¡ªAric complained. The group, keeping their guard up, prepared to listen to the majestic beast. The Basiligon planted its rooster-like front legs into the ground and the meadow began to darken, simulating the passage of time. ¡ªI can be long or short; I can be fast or slow; I can be betrayed but never caught ¡ªit said, approaching the group¡ª. What am I? ¡ªIt¡¯s time ¡ªValerian said confidently¡ª. No doubt. The Basiligon nodded, and the surroundings returned to normal. The beast twisted its porcupine-like back, and sharp spines rose, casting shadows in strange shapes. ¡ªThe bigger I am, the less you see. What am I? ¡ªit asked, approaching Valerian. ¡ªA shadow? ¡ªmurmured Lysandra, frowning. ¡ªNo, that doesn¡¯t make sense ¡ªLucien replied, scratching his head. ¡ªThe darkness? ¡ªAric wondered aloud. ¡ªYes, that makes more sense ¡ªValerian nodded¡ª. Darkness expands and makes us see less. The Basiligon nodded, and the shadows disappeared. The Basiligon extended its basilisk snake tail and drew a winding path in the air. ¡ªA man wants to reach the castle, but to get there, he must cross a path with three doors: one of fire, another full of assassins, and the last one with lions that haven¡¯t eaten in three months. Which one should he choose to survive? ¡ªit asked, sitting in front of the group. ¡ªDefinitely not the one with fire ¡ªsaid Lysandra, shaking her head. ¡ªThe one with assassins isn¡¯t a good choice either ¡ªadded Aric, thinking. ¡ªThe door with the lions ¡ªValerian concluded, confidently¡ª. If they haven¡¯t eaten in three months, they¡¯ll be dead. The Basiligon smiled in approval. ¡ªIt takes me a moment to be made, a life to destroy me, but sometimes I am all of life. What am I? ¡ªit asked, eyeing the group. ¡ªHope? ¡ªsuggested Kaenia¡ª. It could be the only thing that keeps us alive. ¡ªBut what if it¡¯s not hope? ¡ªasked Sulfias¡ª. What else can destroy a life but be life itself? ¡ªLove ¡ªsaid Aric, after a pause¡ª. Love can be all of life and destroy a life too. The Basiligon finally bowed its head, showing respect. ¡ªYou¡¯ve proven yourselves worthy so far, but there¡¯s one last challenge. I often pass by, but you¡¯ll never stop to observe. What am I? ¡ªit said, standing up and looking threatening. ¡ªAn opportunity ¡ªsaid Valerian, without hesitation¡ª. The answer is an opportunity. ¡ªNo, wait ¡ªinterrupted Aric¡ª. What if it¡¯s something more abstract? Like... death. ¡ªThat¡¯s too dark, but it could be true ¡ªmurmured Lucien. ¡ªNo, it has to be something we don¡¯t always observe ¡ªKaenia reflected¡ª. It could be... the present. We never stop to observe the present moment. With this answer, the Basiligon bowed, allowing the group to move forward. ¡ªYou have proven your worth. Pass, and may your path be clear. But remember, intelligence and courage must go hand in hand ¡ªit said, as a door rose behind it. Beyond the truth ¡ªWait ¡ªsaid Aric¡ª, something doesn''t add up. The Basiligon looked at Aric in surprise. The group looked at each other confused and turned their gazes back to Aric. ¡ªThe previous group had to face this beast. Assuming they answered all the questions correctly, something must have gone wrong after that ¡ªAric deduced, confident. ¡ªTime, Darkness, Dead Lions ¡ªin this case "Death"¡ª, Love, and The Present. There must be a hidden connection in all of this, something we''re overlooking. The beast looked at Aric with satisfaction, who was contemplating this hidden riddle. ¡ªTime is what allows us to be alive, darkness is merely the absence of light, death is just a step in life, love is a state that living beings experience, and the present is what holds this experience together ¡ªAric said, standing confidently before the Basiligon¡ª. The hidden answer is Experience. Everything is connected with our lived experiences and the way we experience being alive. ¡ªSplendid, young one! ¡ªthe Basiligon congratulated him¡ª. You have uncovered the true riddle. As proof of your high intellect, I will grant you my blessing. Come closer without fear. Aric nodded and approached the Basiligon, who puffed out its chest and released a breath over Aric''s entire body. A mist covered him and began to orbit around him, entering through every one of his pores. ¡ªIn addition to the blessing, I have given you a special gift ¡ªthe Basiligon told him as it withdrew¡ª. You will discover it when it is needed. I will take this opportunity to tell you that the door that was previously closed is now open again. ¡ªThank you, great beast ¡ªAric thanked after receiving his blessings. ¡ªYou deserve this, young warrior, for seeing beyond the truth ¡ªit concluded, looking at our young man with respect. After saying that, the beast ran off without leaving a trace. ¡ªWe should go back to the first floor ¡ªsaid Sulfias¡ª. The others must be worried. ¡ªYou heard the leader ¡ªsaid Valerian¡ª. Let''s go. After we regroup, we''ll head towards the sixth floor. ¡ªAric ¡ªsaid Sulfias, approaching the young man¡ª. This boss wasn''t the one you had told us about before. I imagine that took you by surprise too. ¡ªThat''s right, boss. There was supposed to be some sort of minotaur, or at least that''s what I heard in the rumors ¡ªAric replied. ¡ªWe must inform the guild leader about this too ¡ªsaid Sulfias¡ª. Something very strange is happening in this labyrinth. After returning to the first floor, the team took the bloodstone from the altar. It was almost completely consumed. The door to the first floor opened, and they were able to leave the small room. Once outside, their group members were on guard by the door. Gobhiria was the first to stand up. ¡ªLeader ¡ªshe spoke relieved to Sulfias¡ª, what happened in there? ¡ªWe cleared the fifth floor ¡ªSulfias responded. The other adventurers nearby who overheard became excited. ¡ªDid you hear that? ¡ªthey murmured¡ª. The reconnaissance team cleared the fifth floor, that''s incredible. More murmurs around. ¡ªAren''t you hurt? ¡ªKaenia asked¡ª. How did you defeat the boss? ¡ªLet''s talk about this in the guild hall. There are too many ears here. Aric, you will come with us this time. ¡ªAs you command, boss ¡ªAric nodded obediently¡ª. Serpensq¡¯i, return to the inn. I''ll meet with you when I finish my business. Serpensq¡¯i looked at him and nodded silently. When Sulfias passed near him, she handed him the blood gem. His face, which had initially been happy, turned to astonishment and finally to unease. ¡ªI need you to study the condition of this gem ¡ªhe asked the orc¡ª. I¡¯m sorry to ask you such troublesome things. ¡ªNot at all, leader ¡ªSerpensq¡¯i replied¡ª. No problem, after all, you¡¯re my leader. ¡ªWhat a charming orc ¡ªshe said with laughter and flirtatious looks¡ª. Young Aric, if I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯re in the specialization season. Naas¡¯ center is usually very crowded during these periods, but since you¡¯re backed by the reconnaissance corps, you should be able to specialize earlier than expected. ¡ªLeader, I really appreciate your support ¡ªAric said with a slight bow¡ª. I¡¯m still not very sure which path I should take. ¡ªIf you''re having doubts choosing your specialization, we¡¯ll go to a friend who will help reveal your latent potential. That way, you won¡¯t waste years figuring out what you''re most attuned to ¡ªshe said simply and casually¡ª. Lucien, you and your friends will also take the specialization, but before that, we¡¯ll have some training sessions.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Lucien¡¯s face turned pale, but she knew Sulfias only wanted to help her improve, so, reluctantly, she accepted her fate. ¡ªMiss Lysandra, you, as a dragon slayer, who carries a direct line of dragon blood, will need some additional elements for your specialization ¡ªSulfias told her while orbiting her like a satellite. ¡ªI¡¯d like to specialize in the Bloodline itself ¡ªLysandra said, very confident in her decision. ¡ªDo you understand that, the purer the Bloodline, the less human you will be? ¡ªSulfias saw a hint of hesitation in Lysandra¡¯s expression. Her certainty was just a facade¡ª. I think you need more time to make your decision. As your leader, I forbid you from taking the specialization until you prove your determination to me. Lysandra looked down, caught, and clenched her fists in frustration. ¡ªCalm down, Lys. I know you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders. It would be unwise to act based on that ¡ªAric said, trying to calm her¡ª. Leader, is it possible for Lysandra to accompany us to her acquaintance? ¡ªYou have a kind heart, Aric. Fine ¡ªSulfias nodded¡ª. Lys, go clear your head. Aric and I will report the situation. After that, we¡¯ll come for you at the inn. After giving all the instructions, the group dispersed in their designated directions. Sulfias, Valerian, and Aric headed to the Naas guild¡¯s war room, where Thandor and Kardeniam were discussing various matters. ¡ªThe leader of the reconnaissance corps greets you ¡ªSulfias said elegantly. ¡ªForget the formalities, Sulfias. I see you brought one of the newbies. Who¡¯s this little one? ¡ªasked Thandor, curious. ¡ªThis is Aric, a High Human. He knows how to use a sword, an axe, and has great affinity with magic. He was the key to overcoming the fifth floor ¡ªshe said proudly. ¡ªHo... hello, noble elders ¡ªAric said nervously in front of the guild leaders. ¡ªYou can relax, kid. So, a High Human? I imagine you haven¡¯t been long in the Naas capital ¡ªThandor said while stroking his beard¡ª. So, how did you manage to overcome the fifth floor? Aric looked at Sulfias, who smiled and signaled for him to respond. While the group sat down, Aric told the story, omitting the details about the mysterious man who had given him the clues. What he didn¡¯t know was that Kardeniam was carrying an item with a passive ability that prevented people in the area from lying or omitting information. When the item began to glow, Thandor shifted his gaze toward it and released an immense pressure on Aric, who trembled and instinctively took a defensive stance, reaching for the sword¡¯s hilt. However, before he could reach it, Sulfias released an even greater pressure on Thandor. On the first floor of the guild, regular adventurers felt the immense pressure and weakened; some fainted, others vomited while kneeling, and most couldn¡¯t withstand the clash of such tremendous forces. ¡ªMiss Sulfias! ¡ªValerian shouted, a bit uncomfortable. Despite being able to resist the energy clash, it still affected him¡ª. Please stop! ¡ªThis little weakling! ¡ªThandor roared¡ª. Dare you lie in front of these elders?! ¡ªI¡¯m sorry, venerables! ¡ªAric yelled, protected by Sulfias¡¯ aura¡ª. There are things I can¡¯t reveal! Nothing I said is a lie! The item stopped glowing, indicating that Aric wasn¡¯t lying in his statement. Thandor and Sulfias stopped their clash of energies. ¡ªSo, that¡¯s how things are ¡ªThandor said with a relaxed tone¡ª. Ha, ha, ha! Alright, kid, let¡¯s put the misunderstanding behind us. So, in short, in your homeland, a person born with the gift of clairvoyance told you that you had to face a minotaur and pointed out its weak spot. ¡ªMore or less. He was very specific in telling me that I needed to bring a group of people with me and tell them that I knew how to defeat the boss on the fifth floor ¡ªAric said, trying to remember the clairvoyant but only managing to recall a caricatured face covered with a hood¡ª. He told me the minotaur would appear on the fifth floor and that I should ¡°see beyond the truth.¡± Aric stayed thinking while that phrase repeated in his thoughts. ¡ªMmm... I think I''m starting to understand ¡ªSulfias said, meditatively¡ª. Wasn''t that exactly what the Great Beast told you? ¡ªThat''s true, young Aric ¡ªValerian said, joining the conversation¡ª. After giving you the blessings, she told you that you deserved them for "seeing beyond the truth." ¡ªI understand now. If we had tried to advance to the sixth floor after the Basiligon riddles, it probably would have changed into a high-level Minotaur, which we would have had to fight to the death ¡ªSulfias concluded¡ª. It makes the most sense to me. ¡ªWell, now that the key to passing the sixth floor has been revealed, only the reconnaissance corps will be able to pass. It won''t be long before the method becomes known to many. If no one is able to solve the Basiligon riddles, I''m afraid we will lose many young prospects ¡ªKardeniam reflected¡ª. Thandor, I think we should make a public announcement. ¡ªYou''re right, old friend. We can''t afford such a great loss at the hands of that powerful beast. Now we know why no team has returned with the method after so many failed attempts ¡ªThandor quickly responded to Kardeniam¡ª. I understand that the specialization season is about to begin, in a couple of days we will seal the entrance to the labyrinth until the season ends. ¡ªAs you command, Great Elder ¡ªSulfias replied with a bow. ¡ªYou clever little rascal! Don''t come with your formalities after being so rebellious with me ¡ªThandor said begrudgingly¡ª. Aaahh... ¡ªhe sighed¡ª. I don''t know why I bother, you''ve always been this way with you and that boy Valerian. At least he knows how to behave... For the reconnaissance corps, the mission will be different. Since the seal we will use is bidirectional, you will have to stay inside the labyrinth for the entire week it is sealed. This time, since it''s an unofficial request, the guild will cover all food expenses, and we will have everything ready for the closure. You can begin your additional preparations. ¡ªAs you command, Great Elder ¡ªValerian said¡ª. Let''s go, kid. ¡ªAh, one more thing ¡ªThandor interrupted, getting up from his seat¡ª. Young Aric, Sulfias mentioned you have a good affinity with magic. ¡ªThat''s right, Great Elder ¡ªAric replied, a little unsure. ¡ªCome closer, kid. This elder will share a little of his wisdom with you ¡ªhe said, raising his hands toward Aric. An immense pressure crushed Aric, who tried to resist it. However, unable to, he had to kneel. His nose and ears began to bleed. ¡ªHey, crazy old man! Are you trying to kill the kid? ¡ªSulfias yelled¡ª. What kind of power are you giving him? ¡ªI''m fine! ¡ªAric shouted, coughing up blood. ¡ªOf course not! ¡ªexclaimed Valerian¡ª. Great Elder, if this continues, the kid will end up seriously injured! ¡ªHe hasn''t asked me to stop ¡ªKardeniam intervened. Sulfias, anxious, lunged at Thandor to stop him, but was repelled by Kardeniam. ¡ªDon''t you trust the next generations? ¡ªKardeniam yelled at her, creating a powerful barrier around Aric and Thandor, preventing any interference. ¡ªThandor! ¡ªSulfias yelled¡ª. Stop! ¡ªI''m fine! ¡ªAric shouted again. With great difficulty, he got back on his feet. Resisting the immense pressure exerted by Thandor''s power transfer, he received the elder''s energy. Seconds later, the transfer was completed. Aric, barely standing, lost his balance in front of Thandor. ¡ªHoho... this young man is more resilient than he seems ¡ªsaid the elder, holding the staggering boy¡ª. I think you''re fit enough to be my apprentice. ¡ªIn your dreams, you crazy old man! You as his master would probably end up killing him! ¡ªSulfias shouted, pulling Aric away from him¡ª. We''d better leave. Valerian helped Aric walk. Feeling the support, the young man relaxed so much that he lost consciousness. ¡ªTwo days ¡ªThandor concluded¡ª. Give him two days with me and let him make a decision for himself. Without responding, the trio left the war room only to find curious stares from the regular adventurers. They quickly left the guild headquarters and headed for the inn. The Grand Master
As Sulfias and her group walked towards the inn, Aric, who could barely walk, asked them to stop for a moment. Everything appeared blurry, and he could hardly understand what the others were saying. ¡ªThat crazy old man ¡ªspat Sulfias¡ª look at what they¡¯ve done to my boy. ¡ªIt¡¯s true that Thandor went too far this time, leader ¡ªValerian replied, sighing¡ª, but that just proves the tremendous potential of the boy. ¡ªI hope his team doesn¡¯t turn against us for bringing him like this ¡ªshe said, worried, as she rubbed Aric¡¯s back. ¡ªYou¡¯re right, his group joined us, and two of them ended up in the hospital, and that mage Lucien... ¡ªValerian began. ¡ªAh, damn it, you¡¯re driving me crazy ¡ªSulfias said angrily¡ª. Are you comparing me to that old man? ¡ªLeader, you are the leader, but to accomplish your goals, sometimes you can... how should I say it... be too brutal ¡ªValerian timidly criticized her. ¡ªYou¡¯re comparing me to the old man! ¡ªshe scolded, rubbing Aric''s back harder, who was still unconscious¡ª. Hmmm, anyway, what I¡¯m doing for Lucien is something she will thank me for later. ¡ªThen Aric will also thank the Great Elder in the future ¡ªValerian concluded¡ª. Let¡¯s leave it at that, Sulfias, when the old man gets an idea in his head, there¡¯s no getting it out; and it only gets worse with age. ¡ªLeader ¡ªAric murmured¡ª, I¡¯m starting to feel a bit better, let¡¯s go back to the inn. And so they resumed their journey. It wasn¡¯t long before they spotted Lysandra standing by the door. ¡ªWhere are the mages? ¡ªSulfias asked¡ª. It¡¯s time to go to my contact. ¡ªLeader, I¡¯ve already made a decision! ¡ªLysandra said determinedly; this time her face reflected her resolve¡ª. I don¡¯t want to take the pureblood path! What I really want is to sign a contract with a dragon. ¡ªWell, you¡¯ve said it ¡ªSulfias replied, stroking her hair. Lys couldn¡¯t help but blush¡ª. Now go and give the instructions to the others so they can prepare. While Lysandra followed Sulfias¡¯s order, the latter headed to Serpensqi¡¯s chambers, where he was reading some old books on bloodstones. They talked for a while without going too deep. Sulfias explained that they would stay inside the labyrinth for a week and needed to prepare for the specialization early, to which Serpens agreed naturally and casually. After agreeing and exchanging information, Serpens promised to wait for them at the designated location for specialization. Sulfias left the inn and met up with the others. Valerian had already explained what happened with Aric, and they were all informed. Once everyone was ready, they headed toward the outskirts of the capital. Sulfias positioned herself under a bridge and recited a spatial magic spell. A door materialized on a beam of the bridge and, after a few seconds, opened, revealing a completely different location. ¡ªWhoaa ¡ªKaenia said, amazed¡ª. This is tenth-grade spatial magic, ¡°Door of Desire.¡± ¡ªFor an illusion mage, it¡¯s surprising that you know these types of spells ¡ªSulfias complimented her¡ª. Alright, everyone inside. One by one, they entered through the door. Finally, Sulfias closed it from the inside, and it disappeared without a trace. ¡ªWelcome to the self-proclaimed ¡°magical world¡± ¡ªSulfias introduced¡ª. Don¡¯t stray from me at any moment. If you see a powerful fox, don¡¯t approach it or talk to it. It¡¯s an extremely powerful creature, and it¡¯s not someone I want to make enemies with. ¡ªDoes your contact live here? ¡ªValerian asked¡ª. Why had you never shown me this place? ¡ªDon¡¯t be annoying, Valerian ¡ªSulfias told him, shushing him¡ª. This is just one of my many tricks up my sleeve. ¡ªLeader, you¡¯re incredible ¡ªLucien said, admiring her¡ª. This place has a very high concentration of pure aether. ¡ªI¡¯m glad you noticed ¡ªSulfias replied¡ª. You¡¯re becoming more and more likely to be my apprentice, young lady. Lucien turned pale with fear and stepped back. Valerian, seeing her change expression, gave her a few pats on the back in support. After walking for a few minutes, they reached a large tree with an ancient, wrinkled face, which appeared to be dozing. ¡ªOh Primordial Forest Being ¡ªexclaimed Sulfias¡ª, I have come in search of your guidance. Awaken from your sleep and share with us your wisdom. ¡ªHo ho ¡ªthe ancient tree laughed gently¡ª, but if it isn¡¯t little Sulfias. This time you¡¯ve brought some young promises. ¡ªIndeed, great master ¡ªsaid Sulfias bowing, which seemed more like adoration than respect. The others, having been caught by surprise, were observed by the great master. ¡ªThis girl ¡ªhe said, looking at Lucien¡ª, I can see that the mana in her body is in chaos. If you push her a bit more, she could become attuned to all the elements. Lucien was surprised and blushed. ¡ªWe are grateful for your guidance, great master ¡ªSulfias bowed, pushing Lucien''s head down. ¡ªThis great knight has a truly big heart! ¡ªhe said, looking at Valerian¡ª. For you, I only have one piece of advice, brave warrior: ¡°Cum tempus torqueri videris, nullam vitam servas, hoc solum res aggravabit et cor tuum nigeriabit.¡± ¡ªThank you very much for your wisdom ¡ªValerian thanked, bowing, impressed by the harshness of the advice. ¡ªThis girl ¡ªhe said, looking at Kaenia¡ª, has a great affinity with illusions. She will need to compensate for her illusions by developing spatial affinity. ¡ªThank you for your guidance, great master ¡ªKaenia said, happy to discover her latent potential. ¡ªYou, young lady ¡ªhe said, looking at Dandra, who was very nervous¡ª, your heart is noble, and that makes you attuned to support magic, but the twists of fate will test the nobility of your heart. You must master defensive magic. Only by protecting yourself will you be able to protect others. ¡ªGreat master, thank you for your guidance ¡ªDandra said, a little frustrated. ¡ªYou need to raise your voice, girl ¡ªsaid the great elder¡ª. You will cry blood and vomit magic, but you must learn how to use and turn that defense towards attack. Sulfias approached Dandra and pushed her head down. ¡ªThank the great master from the heart, girl! ¡ªshe silently warned her¡ª. The great master has given you an invaluable piece of advice. ¡ª...Thank you, great master! ¡ªshe thanked strongly, now satisfied with the great tree''s guidance. ¡ªYoung one ¡ªhe finally said, looking at Aric¡ª, within you there are three forces fighting for supremacy. Two of them are seeds battling for nutrients to grow. If a great sage guides you, both seeds will germinate, but once they have, there will be no turning back. The gifts they have given you are hard chains, from which you will never be able to free yourself. ¡ªGreat Master, what kind of seeds are these? ¡ªAric asked doubtfully. ¡ªYou carry a seed of death and a seed of life ¡ªthe great master explained¡ª. The seed of death, when it germinates, will unleash the latent potential inside you. I assume an elderly sage planted this seed in you after seeing a small glimpse of affinity, the power to make your enemies¡¯ strength your own. ¡ªIt¡¯s a magic that was banned decades ago ¡ªcommented Sulfias¡ª. Old Thandor and a few other elders know about it, and it¡¯s not something that can be acquired by other means. ¡ªAs my dear Sulfias says, boy ¡ªthe great master affirmed¡ª, if you were not naturally attuned to it, ¡°the authority of the world¡± would impose a silence that would nullify any attempt to learn this forbidden knowledge. The seed of life is a blessing in every way; it will protect your heart from the inherent evil of the dark seed. ¡ªThe Basiligon mentioned that he had given me two blessings. If one is the seed of life, and the great elder gave me the seed of death, what is the third blessing? ¡ªAric asked. ¡ªSo you¡¯ve faced that kind of beast? ¡ªthe elder commented, surprised¡ª. That you¡¯re still in one piece is a clear indicator of your intelligence. Surprisingly, I can¡¯t see beyond that. If it is a blessing, it must still be in a pre-manifestation state. Once you have integrated your two blessings, you will surely understand what that cunning beast planted in you.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡ªThank you very much for your wisdom, great master ¡ªAric said, deeply grateful. ¡ªThank you very much, great master ¡ªSulfias said¡ª. Come on, guys, let¡¯s leave the great master in peace. ¡ªYou can come whenever you like, little Sulfias ¡ªhe said, finishing with a gentle laugh. His eyes closed, and his face relaxed once again, indicating that his being had fallen into a deep state of sleep and meditation. The group retraced their steps and passed through the door again. While discussing their impressions of the great master, they arrived at the specialization hall where Serpensqi, who no longer needed specialization, was waiting for them. ¡ªLucien, Kaenia, and Dandra ¡ªSulfias said¡ª, you will enter with me and advance to specialization. Valerian, take Aric to old Thandor. ¡ªUnderstood, leader ¡ªValerian responded in obedience¡ª. Come on, boy, I¡¯ll explain everything on the way. During the journey to the guild, which was located between the suburb and the specialization zone, Valerian explained to Aric that Thandor wanted to take him as an apprentice and pass on his knowledge. He also warned him that Thandor was a very powerful mage and had trained both Sulfias and himself. However, in Valerian''s case, Thandor had only focused on training his endurance and teaching him advanced techniques to maximize his physical strength with the least amount of energy possible. Valerian didn¡¯t manage to finish telling him about the tortures they endured in their youth with Sulfias when they arrived at the guild. ¡ªWell, Aric ¡ªValerian said¡ª, Thandor asked Sulfias to keep you with him for two days. After that, you will need to make a decision. It goes without saying that in about five more days we will return to the labyrinth to explore the sixth floor. ¡ªThank you, Valerian ¡ªAric responded confidently¡ª. The great elder is truly someone powerful. I cannot refuse his request to be his apprentice. I will surely become very strong under his tutelage. Aric said goodbye to Valerian and entered the guild. He went up to the second floor and knocked on Thandor¡¯s office door. ¡ªCome in, boy ¡ªsaid the great elder, happy to receive him¡ª. The fact that you''re here says it all. I was expecting you. Go on, leave your axe here, and if you can take off your clothes from the waist up, even better. Thandor got up from his seat holding a black dagger. Aric was startled at first, but decided to trust his new master and obey without protest. Thandor showed him a stretcher in the room next to his office, and Aric lay down semi-naked on it. ¡ªIt¡¯s good that you''re so calm ¡ªcommented Thandor cheerfully while holding the dagger in his hand, which startled Aric again¡ª. What I¡¯m going to do now is create a contract scar on your chest. This will allow the blessing I placed on you to be released and begin awakening your dormant potential. Aric accepted and prepared for the operation to begin. Thandor bathed the black dagger with a viscous, purple magic that fully soaked the blade. Then, gently sliding the dagger around Aric¡¯s neck, he recited an incantation to engrave the contract scar. ¡ªCum benedictione autoritatis mundi, ego, tu magister, excito in te antiquam potestatem torquendi leges vitae et mortis. Haec vulnera te separant a viventibus, et haec cicatrix te separant ab mortuis. Hic terminat tua vita, hic terminat tua mors. Nunc nihil es, nunc nemo es. At the end of the incantation, the scar on Aric''s neck turned purple. From the center, a line extended toward his chest forming a spiral, indicating that the ritual had been successfully completed. ¡ªMaster, did everything go well? ¡ªAric asked, unsure as he felt no change in his body. ¡ªIt did, boy ¡ªThandor said proudly as he opened a portal beside the cot and, grabbing Aric by the neck, threw him through it¡ª. You have more than a full day to return ¡ªhe added with a smile. ¡ªMaasteerrrr! ¡ªAric screamed as he fell through the portal to an unknown place¡ª. My weapooooons! ¡ªOops ¡ªThandor said¡ª. I suppose this dagger should be enough for you ¡ªhe commented as he dropped the dagger through the portal. Aric, who was already on the ground, narrowly dodged the dagger as it plunged a few centimeters below his groin. ¡ªThis master of mine is really going to make things hard for me ¡ªAric assumed frustrated¡ª. Well, what''s done is done... or neck in my case. He touched the purple scar and observed with difficulty the spiral tattoo that had been etched onto his chest. As he picked up the ceremonial dagger, a strange vision appeared in his field of view: a kind of bluish screen manifested in front of him.
The requirements have been met! Updating user data... Transfer complete! ... Calculating user level... Level detected... ERROR... Level incompatibility detected... Resetting user level... Updating new user data...
¡ªHoly shit! ¡ªshouted Aric¡ª. This thing almost scared me to death. Suddenly, he thought of the basiligon and remembered its words: ¡ªHmm, could this be its blessing? ¡ªhe said thoughtfully as he brought his hand closer to the vision in front of him¡ª I have my doubts... The Great Master mentioned it would manifest once the other two blessings are regulated... how suspicious. Ding Ding Ding!
A mission has been detected! Transferring data... Updating... Mission 0000001
  • Kill a living being Time remaining: 04:20 min Reward: 1 Soul Storage Slot Penalty for failure: -10 affinity points with your master.
¡ªWaos ¡ªsaid Aric contemplatively¡ª. This is not what I expected... wait ... I CAN''T FAIL! ¡ªAric shouted¡ª. If I lose affinity with my master, I''ll be lost. Aric, desperate, searched for a beast or an animal to kill. As time passed and nothing appeared, he felt his life flash before his eyes when a small white rabbit appeared in front of him. "Time remaining: 20 sec" ¡ªI''m sorry, little bunny ¡ªAric shouted, swiftly attacking the rabbit, but it dodged at the last second. "Time remaining: 8 sec" Aric twisted wildly to change direction, catching the rabbit off guard and making it hesitate on where to move. Taking advantage of the situation, Aric threw the dagger with all his strength. "Time remaining: 1 sec"
"UPDATE" "Mission 0000001: COMPLETED" You have obtained the reward: 1 Soul Storage Slot
¡ªPhew, I thought I wouldn''t make it ¡ªhe said, relaxing.
Mission 0000002: Register a soul in the Soul Storage Slot Time remaining: 10 seconds Reward: Active skill "Soul Summoning" Penalty for failure: -1 Soul Storage Slot
¡ªWhat is this? Another mission right away? ¡ªsaid Aric, surprised. ¡ªThis must be a joke ¡ªshouted Aric¡ª. You''re forcing me to register the rabbit. "Time remaining: 05 seconds" Aric gave up and registered the rabbit''s soul in the Soul Storage Slot.
"UPDATE" "Mission 0000002: COMPLETED" You have obtained the active skill: Soul Summoning
¡ªYou don''t need to give me the mission, okay? ¡ªhe spoke to the window, anticipating what was coming¡ª. I''ll summon it myself.
A NEW MISSION HAS BEEN SENT BY THE SYSTEM
¡ªAHHHHH! ¡ªcomplained Aric¡ª. This window is pissing me off.
System Mission (EX) Use your active skill Reward: +5 Soul Storage Slots Penalty for failure: -10 Affinity Points with "The Authority of the World" Time remaining: 05 seconds
¡ªSoul Summoning! ¡ªshouted Aric, using his skill, and from his hand, a small orb shot out and embedded itself in the rabbit¡¯s forehead. The orb absorbed all the animal¡¯s skin, flesh, and organs, leaving only its bones. The undead creature stood up and approached Aric.
¡°UPDATE¡± ¡°System mission completed¡± Reward: (+5) Soul Storage Slots
System: Error... Reinitializing... $#$$%/.../&%!:;;... System: ...error... !¡°#$!¡°####¡°... ........Reward restricted until reaching 50 Affinity Points with the Master....... ¡ªHaha ¡ªsaid Aric, somewhat concerned¡ª. Window, what is my current affinity with my master? ¡°...¡±
Individual Status Window Master Thandor Level: ??? Rank: ??? Current Status: Happy to have a new apprentice Affinity with the apprentice: 0 Innate stats, percentage stats, skills, titles, and halos cannot be viewed as the target''s level is brutally higher than the user''s.
¡ªThat makes a lot of sense ¡ªsaid Aric¡ª. Well, what about my rabbit?
Name: Conej¨ªn
Level: 1 Rank: 1 Current Status: And then I died... But I survived! Affinity with Master: -1 Skills: None Learning Orb: 1 (Basic)
Aric thought to himself that the rabbit was just a simple wild animal. Now that it was his first summon, there was nothing more to do. He had to wait for his master''s teaching system to grant him a new mission. For the rest of the day, Aric spent his time searching for stronger beasts to have at his disposal and looking for a place to rest. Window-shopping in the Naas Forest While Aric walked alongside Conej¨ªn, he spotted a small, slimy, round creature in the distance. ¡ª Little window ¡ªsaid Aric¡ª What is that creature? System: Updating information... System: Obtaining permission from world authority... System: ..... System: Permission granted.
Status Window Name: Slime Level: 1 Status: Normal Current Status: Eating, eating, eating Rank: 1 Wild living being Abilities: Absorption 1 Learning Orbs: ???
¡ª What do you think? ¡ª said Aric ¡ª Alright, Conej¨ªn, it''s time to test your powers! Aric commanded the small Conej¨ªn to attack the slime, but when it charged, nothing happened. After a while, Aric got tired of waiting and decided to stab the slime directly, but the dagger just slipped off the slime''s body. ¡ª Ahh, this is frustrating ¡ªhe complained¡ª Alright, let''s leave this little troublemaker alone. Aric and Conej¨ªn continued on their way, and the little slime, in its curious nature, followed them from a safe distance. As they walked, Aric heard a loud beastly cry nearby. They approached and saw two huge beasts fighting each other.
Mission: 0000003 Objective: Wait for the beasts to be weakened and kill them. Reward: +2 soul slots Penalty for failure: -10 intelligence points Time remaining: Indefinite
¡ª That''s it, little window ¡ªsaid Aric happily¡ª I had been waiting for this! ¡ª Excellent, if I manage to defeat these beasts, I¡¯ll get a huge boost to my attack power ¡ªhe said, while petting Conej¨ªn. Aric observed the beasts: a four-armed gorilla was fighting a solar bear. ¡ª In my lands, this kind of beast would be considered very rare ¡ªAric said to Conej¨ªn¡ª now I¡¯ll show you how I finish off these two fools. When both beasts were weakened, Aric prepared to execute his ambush. Charging his dagger with basic thunder magic and enhancing his feet with boosting magic, he attacked quickly, killing both beasts in one strike.
Mission 0000003: COMPLETED You have earned the reward: +2 soul slots You have increased your understanding of life and death. You have leveled up. Your affinity with your master increased by 5 points.
¡ª Register ¡ªsaid Aric, pointing at the gorilla and then the solar bear¡ª Register... So, when I level up, my affinity with my master increases. Similarly, the orbs came out of his hand and embedded themselves in the foreheads of the deceased beasts, leaving them as skeletons. ¡ª Soul summoning ¡ªsaid Aric, using his ability.
Ability denied User''s level is lower than the summoned soul''s level.
The orbs glowed, absorbing even the skeletons of the beasts, and levitated, returning to Aric''s hand, embedding themselves in his palm. ¡ª So this is how it works, huh? ¡ªsaid Aric, a bit frustrated but accepting the reality¡ª Come on, Conej¨ªn, for now, you''ll be my only companion.
Individual Status Window Conejin Level: 1 Rank: 1 Current Status: Confused from not being hungry Affinity with master: 5 Abilities: Charge Learning Orb: 1
¡ªWow, Conej¨ªn! ¡ªexclaimed Aric happily while petting Conej¨ªn¡ªYou got a skill!
Mission 0000004 Objective: Naturally teach Conej¨ªn a skill. Reward: 1 medium-level learning orb Penalty for failure: -5 affinity points with Conej¨ªn Time remaining: 1 hour
¡ª Eh? Another mission? ¡ªsaid Aric. ¡ª Hmm, this little Conej¨ªn... what skill could I teach him? ¡ªhe wondered to himself¡ª How about a flying kick? Or something like a super jump? Aric got excited about the idea and began teaching Conej¨ªn to jump higher. Intuitively, Conej¨ªn used the energy contained in the orb on his forehead to enhance his jump. After half an hour, the jumps Conej¨ªn made were quite high, but the little window didn¡¯t recognize them as a skill, so Aric decided to teach him how to land with force, boosting one of his paws. There were only 2 or 3 minutes left when the mission was completed.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Mission 0000004 COMPLETED Naturally teach Conej¨ªn a skill. You have obtained a medium-level learning orb Conej¨ªn¡¯s affinity with the user has increased by 10 points.
Individual Status Window Conej¨ªn Level: 1 Rank: 1 Current Status: Developing his understanding of the summoning orb Affinity with master: 15 Abilities: Charge I, jump and strong strike I Learning Orb: Basic learning orb: 1 Intermediate learning orb: 1
Aric was surprised that it was the rabbit who kept the learning orb, but he didn¡¯t have time to ask the window about it, as the fierce strike of a fighter monkey tried to ambush him. Aric dodged it with just his instinctive reflexes. Conej¨ªn made the jump and strong hit, but it was dodged by the Fighter Monkey. This left him with an opening for a few seconds, which Aric quickly exploited to finish him off, stabbing his neck with the dagger. The monkey resisted for a moment and then stopped moving.
You have leveled up You have obtained a soul storage slot
Individual Status Window Aric Level: 3 Titles: Disciple of Thandor Descripcion: leveling up exponentially increases your affinity with the dark seed Current Status: Hungry Affinity with the dark seed: 15 Active Skills: Soul invocation I, basic physical enhancement I, basic elemental weapon enchantment I Pasive Skills: Flexible Body I Learning Orb: 0
¡ª Register ¡ª said Aric, pointing at the Fighter Monkey. After the process, he tried to summon it. ¡ª Summon. The fighter monkey didn¡¯t seem to be that high-level, so Aric managed to summon it.
Individual Status Window Fighter Monkey Level: 2 Current Status: Wants to keep fighting Affinity with the master: 10 Active Skills: Stealth, Back Attack, Low Blow, Taunt Learning Orb: 1
Individual Status Window Conej¨ªn Level: 2 Rank: 1 Current Status: Wants to keep fighting Affinity with the master: 20 Active Skills: Charge, Jump and Strong Hit, Intimidation Learning Orb: 2
¡ª Excellent! ¡ª said Aric, satisfied. ¡ª Conej¨ªn is improving quickly, he even has a new mental skill, and the Fighter Monkey also has good skills for the assassin route. Suddenly, Aric felt a strong pressure from within the forest. He instinctively hid as he felt the pressure increase, and what he saw left him pale. A huge lizard, so powerful that its mana was visible, leaking through its pores, poisoning everything around it. Aric entered a state of panic, unable to move or flee. Not even The First emitted such an intense pressure as this giant lizard. In addition to having six legs, its two heads looked individually around. Aric came to his senses and tried to check the information on the giant lizard.
Individual Status Window Great Lizard Lord Titles: Walking Abomination, Forest Deep Aberration, King of Lizards, Apprentice of %$#?.--430? Level: !##$?#?!$!%$?? Rank: !%$!#$?=$%? Current Status: ?#$#$%=$?"#$¡± Affinity with the master: ?!? Skills: ?#"!#?!?"#?!?#?%?$&!?%? Due to the level difference, it is not possible to view most of the target¡¯s information
¡ª Holy shit! ¡ª whispered Aric. ¡ª What is this creature from the Deep Forest doing so far from its habitat? Is it that powerful and the apprentice of another creature? It must have a high intelligence attribute. ¡ª Well, yes, kid ¡ª said someone next to Aric. ¡ª Its intelligence attribute is higher than its strength attribute and even its level. ¡ª Really? ¡ª Aric asked naturally. His state of shock temporarily prevented him from realizing someone was beside him. ¡ª It¡¯s you again... how embarrassing for you to see me in such a pitiful state every time we meet. ¡ª This time, you¡¯ve accepted the encounter naturally ¡ª the mysterious one commented. ¡ª I was just passing near the forest when I felt a disturbance in the space... So, do you have a sponsor now? ¡ª Yes... The great elder Thandor took me as his disciple. Do you know him? ¡ª Aric asked, feeling a bit more at ease. ¡ª Everyone knows Thandor ¡ª he said somewhat ominously. ¡ª He¡¯s one of the last necromancers on this continent. ¡ª What is the Authority of the World? ¡ª Aric asked, seizing the opportunity. ¡ª Earlier, I got a reward for completing a mission, but the window... ¡ª Aric ¡ª he interrupted him. ¡ª You must never mention information about your window to others. ¡ª Don¡¯t others have it? ¡ª Aric asked. ¡ª I¡¯m taking a bit of a risk telling you this, but no, kid, the status window you have is a stigma ¡ª he couldn¡¯t continue speaking as a sharp pain pierced his head. It was no different for Aric, who flinched from an immense pressure that made his nose and ears bleed. ¡ª The Authority of the World is penalizing us for sharing related information ¡ª the mysterious one complained. ¡ª We should leave that for another time. ¡ª By the way, thanks for the blood gem hint, if it weren¡¯t for you we wouldn¡¯t have been able to clear the fifth floor so quickly ¡ª Aric said, wiping the blood away. ¡ª It¡¯s not something you can decipher with your level of intelligence ¡ª he said dismissively. ¡ª Good to see you recognize my talent for once... Anyway, being a necromancer isn¡¯t so bad, right? You¡¯ll never truly be alone. ¡ª By the way ¡ª Aric said, pausing the conversation. ¡ª Who the hell are you? I¡¯ve tried using the window on you, but it doesn¡¯t respond. ¡ª Well, how to put it ¡ª the mysterious one said, thinking. ¡ª You can call me "Prime". ¡ª Well, Prime, thanks for your help and the information you¡¯ve given me so far ¡ª Aric thanked him sincerely. ¡ª However, there¡¯s this whole mysterious aura about you... There are a few things I¡¯d like to ask... ¡ª Well, well, well ¡ª Prime interrupted him. ¡ª I guess it¡¯s time for me to go. I have more important matters to attend to in this forest than answering your questions. Besides, I can assume Thandor expects you to surpass his expectations... Everyone knows that old crazy man has very high expectations. Without saying anything more or responding, Prime left just as he arrived, out of nowhere, leaving Aric alone again. Now, having calmed his fear of the Lizard Lord, Aric decided to circle the forest to avoid drawing its attention. With the 4 summons he had captured, Aric felt content and at peace. It wasn¡¯t until an unexpected window appeared that made him swallow and filled his body with terror.
Mission 0000005 Objective: Kill the Lizard Lord of the Deep Forest Reward:
  • Level up 10 levels
  • 100 Master affinity points
  • 20 Soul storage slots
  • 2 Basic-level learning orbs
  • 3 Intermediate-level learning orbs
  • 2 Advanced-level learning orbs
  • 2 Random passive skills
  • 1 Random higher-grade active skill of the "Necromancer" class
Penalty for failure: Death Time remaining: 23 hrs and 59 min System Notice: This mission is unavoidable
The Great Lord Lizard... or the Devious Gecko? ¡ªYou must be joking... ¡ªsaid Aric as his face turned pale. Conej¨ªn looked at him with concern; it took him a long time to accept his fate and come back to his senses. ¡ªI suppose the idea that I can''t defeat him is something I need to get out of my head ¡ªAric said thoughtfully. Aric spent most of the day clearing his mind of the great terror that the Lizard Lord had sown. In a meditative, almost trance-like state, Aric brushed against clarity with his fingertips, only to be interrupted by the sudden appearance of the little window.
YOU HAVE OBTAINED A NEW SKILL:
Clarity I Description: You can see beyond the obvious. Passive: Keeps your mind calm in troublesome situations. Active: Nullifies mind control abilities and illusions. Your understanding of life and death has increased by 2.
¡ªI can feel it. That Great Lizard Lord is not an invincible being. It¡¯s probably quite intelligent, but it must have some weakness, ¡ªhe began to think. The passive ability Clarity was a great help in facing this challenge. Aric began his preparations. He hunted other wild beasts to level up and piled the meat in one place to lure the lizard, mixing it with poisonous plants that he placed among the corpses. With this effort, Aric gained several levels and managed to summon the Solar Bear and the Four-Armed Gorilla.
Status Window: Solar Bear Status Window: Four-Armed Gorilla
Level: 5 Current Status: Certain he would have won Affinity with Master: 1 Skills: Profane Mark I, Black Sun I, Sun Worshiper I, Solar Blessing II Learning Orbs: 0
Level: 5 Current Status: Annoyed because you interrupted its fight Affinity with Master: 0 Skills: Primal Will I, Myriad of Fists I, Face-to-Face Combat II Learning Orbs: 0
With that addition to his strength, Aric began to see the confrontation with the Lizard Lord as achievable, but before that, he decided to use the learning orbs he had available. ¡ªUse learning orbs ¡ªsaid Aric, waiting for the little window to appear.
Conejin Fighting Monkey
Learning Orbs: 2 Available Skills: Coat Strengthening I Bone Armor I Latent Power I Withered Bite I Learning Orbs: 1 Available Skills: Necrotic Fist I Unholy Reflex I Submission I War Cry I
Aric selected the Bone Armor and Withered Bite for Conej¨ªn, and for the Monkey, he chose the Necrotic Fist. The last two abilities inflict the "Necrosis" status on those hit, gradually draining their life over time. ¡ªIt''s a shame that the gorilla and the bear don¡¯t have learning orbs. For now, the four-armed gorilla will be Octis, and the solar bear will be Lumen. Now that I have a slightly more balanced team, I need to get used to the combinations ¡ªhe said, calmly assessing the situation¡ª. I have about 8 hours left before the time limit expires. Aric tested various combinations until he found the best setup. Once he was ready and fully recovered, he began tracking the Great Lizard Lord. When he got close to it, he shuddered again, but the Clarity passive ability helped him stay calm. They placed all the poisoned corpses they had found on the ground and waited for the Lizard Lord to sniff them out and devour them. Hidden, they observed the creature. Standing before the imposing figure of the Great Lizard Lord, Aric felt the overwhelming weight of the beast. Its size¡ªfive times larger than any of his summons¡ªmade it seem invincible. However, there was no room for doubt. Once the monster finished devouring the corpses, Aric sprang into action. ¡ªOctis, Lumen, get ready to keep it busy. Conej¨ªn, Monkey, you¡¯ll weaken it from the flanks. I... will do my part. Aric took a deep breath as his summons advanced according to his orders. Lumen, the Solar Bear, charged first, allowing his Solar Blessing to cover his body with a dim but protective glow. Beside him, Octis, the Four-Armed Gorilla, roared furiously, his fists clenching tightly, preparing to unleash his Myriad of Fists. The Lizard Lord let out a deafening roar with its two heads, shaking the ground beneath them. Its eyes, filled with primal rage, locked onto the approaching summons, dividing its attention. ¡ªNow! Conej¨ªn, to the flanks. Monkey, attack when you see an opening! ¡ªhe commanded.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Conej¨ªn, with his Bone Armor, moved with surprising speed, searching for vulnerable points while dodging the lizard¡¯s massive strikes. His Withered Bite connected with the monster¡¯s side, leaving a black mark that began to slowly spread across its scales. The Brawling Monkey wasted no time jumping into action. He leaped onto the lizard¡¯s tail, using his Necrotic Fist to strike hard at the base of its spine. The combination of necrotic attacks started draining the beast¡¯s vitality, but it was still far from giving up. Lumen and Octis kept up the pressure at the front. Octis launched a barrage of punches; his Face-to-Face Combat allowed him to match the creature¡¯s strength, though only for brief moments. Lumen, on the other hand, activated Black Sun, a dark flash that struck the Lizard Lord, momentarily blinding it. Forced into a defensive move, the beast used a mind-control ability, inducing the "Blindness" status on the entire team. Aric saw his opportunity. Using his Clarity ability, he nullified the illusions and mind-control effects that the Great Lizard Lord was attempting to unleash, leaving it completely defenseless. Trusting his Temporary Elemental Weapon Enchantment, he imbued his dagger with fire and, with an agile motion, lunged toward a weak spot on the lizard¡¯s neck. The battle dragged on, but the strategy was working. The Necrosis effect weakened the Lizard Lord with every passing second. Its once swift and precise movements were becoming slower and more clumsy. Finally, after a devastating blow from Octis and a second Withered Bite from Conej¨ªn, the Lizard Lord collapsed to the ground. Aric, panting and with trembling hands, delivered the final strike with his dagger, ending the creature¡¯s life. Silence filled the forest. The summons gathered around Aric, exhausted but filled with euphoria. ¡ªWe did it... We did it... ¡ªAric murmured, feeling that he was beginning to master the power of the dark seed.
Mission 0000005: COMPLETED
You have leveled up 10 times.
  • 100 affinity points with your master.
  • 20 additional soul storage slots.
You have obtained:
  • 2 Basic-level Learning Orbs.
  • 3 Intermediate-level Learning Orbs.
  • 1 Advanced-level Learning Orb.
  • 2 Random Passive Abilities.
  • 1 Random High-rank Active Skill of the "Necromancer" class.
Level-up rewards are being deducted, this process may take some time.
¡ªIncredible, this is a huge power boost! ¡ªexclaimed Aric, tired but pleased¡ª. Alright, it''s time to register the Great Lord Lizard. Aric proceeded to register the creature. Error: Entity several levels above the summoner Retrying: Requesting authorization from the World Authority Error: Authorization denied Retrying: The World Authority requests a trade Consume 20 storage spaces to register? ¡ªHoly shit! ¡ªAric exclaimed in shock¡ª. The 20 spaces I just got¡­ I have to use them all just to register this lizard? Aric considered his options, tempted by the idea. The sheer magnitude of the creature''s power was undeniable, and the cost seemed justified. ¡ªI guess it''s worth it. Consume! ¡ªhe declared firmly. And so, Aric obtained the Great Lord Lizard as a new summon.
You have been granted a skill: Binding Restriction Passive I: Slightly reduces mana consumption when performing a summoning. Passive II: Prevents you from summoning any registered creature that is stronger than you. Active: Allows you to nullify "Passive II" at the cost of losing 5 soul storage spaces. Note: This is a skill granted by the World Authority. It is irrevocable and non-transferable, and it cannot be neutralized by other abilities.
¡ªSo that''s how it works, huh? ¡ªAric seemed frustrated¡ª. Fine, I still got plenty of great rewards. Let''s see what skills I can acquire. Aric was about to check the rest of his rewards when a teleportation circle appeared beneath his feet. In the blink of an eye, he found himself back in Thandor''s office. ¡ªAric! My boy! ¡ªThandor exclaimed with a satisfied expression¡ª. You''ve exceeded my expectations by far! ¡ªMasteeeeeer! ¡ªAric shouted¡ª. Give me food, pleaaaase! Aric had been so focused on leveling up and completing missions that he had completely neglected his own nourishment. Laughing heartily, Thandor ordered one of his assistants to prepare some food for him. ¡ªYou did a great job out there, kid ¡ªThandor praised him¡ª. Now, let me see your summons. ¡ªOf course, Master ¡ªAric replied obediently¡ª. Come out, guys! And so, he summoned Conej¨ªn and the rest of the gang. ¡ªOh, this rabbit ¡ªThandor remarked in surprise¡ª. You might not have noticed because its horn hadn''t grown yet, but this is a narwhal rabbit. They''re quite rare here in Naas. Let''s see the others... A Warrior Monkey, huh? This bad boy is an excellent tank. I wonder why it''s split between the tank and assassin paths. ¡ªI wonder that too, Master. When I defeated it, it already had most of the skills you see now ¡ªAric said, realizing he had made a fatal mistake. But it seemed like Thandor overlooked it, confirming Aric¡¯s suspicions¡ªhe could also see the status window. That meant the World Authority must be keeping an eye on him as well. ¡ªAnd these two colossals¡­ They have impressive strength for being only level 6. As they level up, their skill paths will become more specialized. Try to avoid giving them abilities that stray from what you want them to become ¡ªThandor advised. ¡ªThank you, Master. I have one more summon, but it''s several levels stronger than me, so I can''t summon it yet ¡ªAric admitted apologetically. ¡ªNo worries, kid ¡ªThandor reassured him¡ª. Anyway, it''s about time you head out for your class specialization. You were an elemental warrior before, right? Using swords, axes, elemental contracts, and reinforcement skills for weapons and your body. ¡ªThat''s right, Master ¡ªAric said as he sat down and was attended to by one of Thandor''s assistants¡ª. I¡¯ll specialize as a necromancer, and please continue to share your knowledge with me. ¡ªHa ha ha! You have a good eye, kid ¡ªThandor said, relaxed as Aric ate¡ª. Once you finish your meal, you''ll head to the specialization center and choose that path. After that, you¡¯ll meet up with the rest of your team outside the labyrinth. By the time you arrive, I¡¯ll be there. Eat at ease; I have some matters to attend to. I recommend preparing everything you need for the stay in the labyrinth ahead.