As I walked through the labyrinth with Ophelia by my side, the sound of female laughter echoed through the walls.
It made me feel on edge and restless. Suddenly, the voice spoke up and taunted us, saying, "Show me your fear!"
I refused to back down. "I'm not afraid of you," I shouted back. "Just show us the way out of this maze, and we'll leave you alone."
The voice responded mischievously, "Oh, but that's no fun! I like it when my guests are afraid. It makes the game so much more amusing!"
I recognized the voice as a magic skill called [Telepathy], but I couldn't tell if it was an Integral or Additional Skill.
Ophelia finally spoke up, "We're not your guests, and we're certainly not afraid of you! Just tell us what you want and let us go!"
The laughter from the voice only increased, becoming slightly malevolent.
Ophelia and I were now on constant alert.
I decided to take charge and asked the voice the question on my mind.
"Are you the guardian of this labyrinth?" (Lumiere)
The voice responded with a laugh, "Guardian? Who needs a guardian in a place like this? I'm just a little… something extra!"
I was getting impatient.
"We don't have time for your games. Just show us the way out!" (Lumiere)
The voice laughed again and said, "Very well. I like your courage, Lumiere. I'll lead you out."
"(Hm? That really worked?)" (Lumiere)
I was taken aback and wondered if it was really that easy.
Even Ophelia was surprised.
But then the voice said, "Not so fast. Before I lead you out, you'll have to find me!"
Ophelia and I exchanged worried glances.
Finding someone in a labyrinth full of turns, dead ends, and monsters was almost impossible.
Nevertheless, I was determined to find the mysterious voice and get out of this place once and for all.
"Ophelia, we should team up," I said to Ophelia. "The maze is full of monsters and we're going to need all the help we can get."
She sighed.
"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. If we work together, our magic power should be able to hold out even with the antimagic rune. But the moment we exit this maze, we're no longer partners." (Ophelia)
I extended my hands and offered a temporary truce.
She sighed again and accepted my offer, reciprocating the handshake.
"Alright then, let's get going." (Ophelia)
Ophelia then used the Additional Skill she called [Matter Reorganization].
A rare metal on her armor was then transformed into a silver longsword with intricate designs.
I was surprised and asked if she used the Additional Skill: [Matter Conversion].
She scoffed. "That's for high ranking members of the Demon, Dragon and God clans. I just changed the shape of the material, not its properties. You're an idiot if you can't recall that."
I cleared my throat and apologized.
This was the first time I've ever felt stupid.
"I… sorry. I just haven't seen that skill before. It's pretty impressive." (Lumiere)
Ophelia smiled slightly. "Thank you. Now let's move. We have a voice to find."
She used a longsword, which would mean her class was either Mage or Swordsman, or even both.
...
As we walked through the maze, we suddenly came across a pack of [Fertens], black reptiles with iron-like scales and red eyes.
Iron... In other words they were a walking lump of resources.
Ophelia took a deep breath, clutching her silver longsword, and darted towards them.
I shouted after her, "Ophelia, wait!" But she was quick as a flash, striking them with a three-hit combo before I could even blink.
I was amazed by her speed and skill, but didn't have much time to appreciate it as the remaining [Fertens] came towards us.
"Ophelia step back now!" (Lumiere)
I focused and used one of my recent go-to spells, [Thunderclap Bullet], sending a powerful bolt of lightning crashing into them. The iron in their scales intensified the damage, turning them all to ashes.
My [Lightning Magic] was Rank C, but constantly using it would help level it up quickly.
Still, using mana here was much more difficult.
Ophelia had moved back just in time, as her armor would've definitely been drawn to the lightning and it could've been fatal.
Hence, the reason I told her to move back.
I told her that caring about teammates was important, and she looked at me indignantly. But I could sense that she was just putting up a front.
As we continued walking, she gruffly said, "Don't think too much of yourself, Lumiere. We still have to find that voice." And yet, I could tell that she was a bit swayed by my words, even if she refused to show it.
Time went by.
We moved deeper into the maze, and battled various low-ranking monsters.
I had to support Ophelia with my magic, but the antimagic rune was becoming more powerful, preventing me from using a substantial amount of power.
It was taking a toll on me, and I wasn't sure how much time had passed since we entered the maze.
I used different magic arts such as [Fire Magic], [Plant Magic], [Water Magic], and [Lightning Magic] to defeat our opponents.
Ophelia used her close-range attacks, and her physical strength proved to be more efficient than my magic.
Suddenly, a small Rank E serpent appeared, and I struggled to cast any significant magic.
Ophelia quickly took control and threw a small knife that pinned the serpent to the wall.
Breathing heavily, Ophelia turned to me. "Are you okay? You're not looking too good."
"I'm running low on magic power," I admitted, "and this antimagic rune is getting stronger. I can barely cast a spell now."
"Okay, let's take a break then," Ophelia said as she looked around. "This place is giving me the creeps, but it's better than passing out from exhaustion."
We rested on the filthy ground with our backs against the wall, and I tried to catch my breath.
Ophelia spoke up. "How far do you think we've gone?"
"Well, if I remember correctly we've turned at least twenty-three times and killed one hundred and thirty-eight monsters with five to seven monsters per turn," I replied. "We've probably walked roughly three miles."
Ophelia sighed. "We still have a long way to go. This maze is designed to be confusing, so it's hard to pinpoint our location."
"I know," I said, trying to think of a plan. "But we can't just sit here. We have to keep moving."
"You're right," Ophelia agreed. "Let's rest for a bit longer, and then we'll push on. We'll make it out of here. I just know it."
I stretched my arms and let out a yawn.
I was tired from all the walking we had done so far in the labyrinth.
Ophelia suddenly caught my attention, staring at me intently, causing me to feel a bit self-conscious.
"Is there something wrong?" I asked her, perplexed.
She pointed at my cheek and told me I had some dirt on it.
I reached out to wipe the dirt off with my sleeve, but Ophelia's outburst made me pause.
"What is it?" I asked her nervously.
"Stop!" she exclaimed. "You shouldn't wipe your face with your sleeve. How ignorant can you be?"
I scratched my jaw and chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I... I don't have a handkerchief," I admitted.
Ophelia let out a deep sigh and shook her head while holding her head in her hand.
"Here, take mine," she said as she handed me her handkerchief.
I was surprised by her kindness and collected the handkerchief gratefully.
"Thank you," I said, giving her a warm smile.
Ophelia blushed and looked away as she told me to wash the handkerchief and return it after we conquer the labyrinth.
I bowed my head appreciatively. "I will," I replied softly.