Chapter 273 On both sides of the labyrinth?
White Labyrinth Exploration Arc.
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(POV: Akashic Records)
After registering in Obsidia, "Fanatio's party" had officially embarked on their quest to clear the dungeon gate and earn their well-deserved payment.
Currently, they were standing in a dense forest located south of Argentia, their eyes fixed on a foreboding black dungeon gate. The appearance alone showed how tough it'd be, its swirling blue vortex resembling a portal to another realm.
Dungeon gates could pop up anywhere, at anytime.
The colors the gate's frame would be, was what was used to determine how dangerous a dungeon they'd be sent to.
"So, do we get going?" Garret's voice broke the silence.
Ress nervously rubbed his palms together, his anxiety evident. "I gotta admit, I'm feeling a bit nervous."
Genevieve, displaying her calm and collected demeanor, reassured Ress. "Clearing a black gate dungeon may seem daunting, but there's no need to get worked up. We've trained for this."
"Eh?"
"At least I have," Genevieve added.
Ress sighed. "Shit, that doesn't help one bit..."
"What I'm trying to say is that there's no need to be nervous. We're in a party after all..."
Ress chuckled softly. "I suppose you're right."
Fanatio crossed her arms and walked purposefully forward. "Enough chatter. Let's focus on the task at hand."
Garret clenched his fist determinedly. "Sounds good. Let's do this."
One by one, they stepped into the portal, instantly transported to the heart of the labyrinth. The sight that greeted them was astonishing - an intricate network of pipelines stretched far beyond what their eyes could perceive.
It was a dizzying maze.
Garret turned to Genevieve, his trust in her unwavering.
"Hey, Genevieve, mind casting that light spell...?"
"Hm?" Genevieve raised an eyebrow.
"Yunno, the one you used back at the Vanryr Cave? It's pretty dark in here."
"Oh, gotcha."
Genevieve nodded, her fingers poised to weave the intricate magic formula.
「Radiate」 (Rank E)
With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a small orb of brilliant light.
The orb hovered just ahead of them, illuminating the path and dispelling the darkness.
Fanatio walked alongside Genevieve.
"Must be nice," said Fanatio.
With such a vague statement, Genevieve was left confused. "Huh?"
Fanatio sighed, she didn't like repeating herself. "It must be nice being a Magic Knight class. Your abilities are truly remarkable."
Genevieve smiled modestly. "I guess, being a Magic Knight does have its perks. But in the end, we all have our strengths in this party."
"I suppose you're right," Fanatio nodded slowly.
Garret, ready for action, tightened his grip on his sword hilt.
His mind was focused, his senses heightened.
Since his loss against Black and then feeling useless against Valeriazar, he'd been doing his best to improve. Naturally, he wasn't talented nor was he blessed with enormous magical power, however, he focused on his better aspects — hard-working.
I can't fall behind this time, he thought to himself.
For a moment he looked at Genevieve and Fanatio's back view.
From his perspective, they did way better than him in their encounter with Valeriazar.
"I can't get left behind..."
...
Meanwhile,
The group had made their way into the labyrinth.
Gromek turned to Ophelia.
"Ophelia, could you keep your [Magic Detect] active?" Grome requested.
Realizing that his own magical abilities were limited, he sought Ophelia's assistance in detecting any potential threats lurking within the labyrinth.
Ophelia nodded in understanding and then directed her attention to Lumiere. "Lumiere, activate your [Magic Detect], it has a wider range than mine," she instructed, her tone gentle yet firm.
Then, Lumiere turned to the hovering Stellaria.
"Psst, Stellaria..."
"Mm, yeah?"
"Could you keep your [Spatial Detect] skill active? It'll sc—".
With a brief yawn, Stellaria interjected lazily, "Sure, I'll use it to scan for both magical and non-magical threats."
Stellaria's nonchalant attitude mirrored her carefree nature, but her abilities were invaluable to the group.
In truth, they were always invaluable.
"Great," Lumiere said, giving Stellaria a thankful smile.
He turned to Grome and Ophelia and commented, "We're all set then."
Taking charge, Ophelia strode past Lumiere and Grome, her confidence evident in every step. She informed the group, consisting of both students and teachers, "For safety, I'll lead the way."
Observing the group's progress from the rear, Luna rubbed her chin thoughtfully and questioned aloud, "It's strange that we've been walking for almost ten minutes and haven't encountered any traps or monsters."
Aidan raised an eyebrow and chimed in, "Shouldn't that be a good thing? Maybe we lucked out this time."
Lumila adjusted her spectacles constantly as she spoke, in her flat toned voice, "No, that's never a good thing."
"Yeah, it's as if something's deliberately waiting or manipulating us," said Anastasia.
Ruri hugged herself, feeling slight chills. "Yeah, I don't feel comfortable."
Grome silenced the apprehensive murmurs among the group. "Pipe down, everyone. There's nothing to worry about," he reassured them.
All the students nodded.
"Right," Grome said confidently.
In a rush, he stepped forward and leaned in towards Ophelia. "Right?"
Ophelia let out a weary sigh, her gaze focused on the elaborate designs adorning the stone walls surrounding them. "Honestly, Grome, besides these flashy designs, it seems like a rather basic labyrinth so far," she replied, partly frustrated. "But..."
Grome leaned in further, his curiosity piqued. "But what?" he urged, eager for any indications of what lay ahead.
Ophelia looked around cautiously before continuing.
"There's something odd about these pipelines," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's strange to see them in a labyrinth."
Grome rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe they're some sort of channel, or contain a special type of liquid," he offered.
Ophelia shook her head, her eyes narrowed. "I've touched the pipelines, Grome," she revealed. "They're nothing more than rusty, empty conduits."
Grome furrowed his brow. "That's rather bothersome," he murmured. "We could always turn back now if you think it's too risky."
Ophelia shook her head defiantly. "No," she said firmly. "Turning back isn't an option, at least not yet."
Then, Ophelia smiled warmly as she glanced at Lumiere, but the moment their eyes met, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she quickly averted her gaze. Forcefully regaining her composure, she faced forward again.
"Hm...?" Lumiere uttered, cocking his head a bit.
The group pressed on, navigating through what appeared to be the most empty and uneventful labyrinth in history.
Aidan sighed as he walked. "One thing's for sure," he stated confidently, "there's nothing valuable to be found here."
Lance chuckled and leaned against a nearby wall, exuding an air of self-assurance. "My beauty is already enough to make every other thing invaluable," he quipped, causing Anastasia to roll her eyes.
"That's not even how the word works..." she said.
"I'm sorry, you must've mistaken me for someone who gives a darn," Lance chuckled as he replied.
Anastasia ignored him. Her sights went back to Aidan.
"So, what'd you say about there being nothing valuable here?"
Twirling a wavy strand of hair in her finger, Luna spoke. "If there was anything valuable here, then there'd have been traps or obstacles."
"Naturally," Lumila agreed calmly.
"And since there aren't any..." Anastasia?s left eye twitched.
Aidan nodded slowly, "This is practically a useless labyrinth..."
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