Chereads / Protect the Young Master! / Chapter 9 - The Labyrinth (4)

Chapter 9 - The Labyrinth (4)

Wang Jun now realized that he was not the only human from Earth transported to this world. He didn't know how many others there were, but for now, he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind temporarily. His priority was to find a way out of this place.

 

Even though this labyrinth had just formed, with their current strength, they couldn't hope to reach the labyrinth lord, let alone escape alive.

 

The hunters, who had been victims, were now awakened. Draven, upon hearing his chieftain suggest retreat, felt a sense of disappointment—not in the chieftain, but in himself. He realized that he was too weak. When the chieftain had chosen him, he had been confident in his strength and experience, believing he could help lead the tribe. As he received his newfound strength, his confidence had only grown.

 

Now he realized that he was powerless in the face of true strength. He sighed and glanced at his sword.

 

Wang Jun, of course, remained oblivious to Draven's thoughts. Even if he had known, there was little he could have done about it. He had never been one to offer comfort or advice about life to anyone.

 

As they were about to leave, a voice echoed in the surroundings.

 

"Ah, a human dared to wander into my realm uninvited. Well, since you've already trespassed upon my domain, why not make the most of it and linger a while longer? After all, it's not every day I get visitors, especially ones bold enough to stumble into my labyrinth."

 

Then a white light enveloped them, causing them to disappear from their original location and reappear in another place.

 

They found themselves in a throne room, where a young man sat on the throne. Though he appeared human, he had grey wings on his back and a crown atop his head. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that the crown seemed to float above his head rather than rest upon it.

 

Surprised, Wang Jun gripped his sword tightly.

 

---

 

Name: Child of the Sun

 

Race/Species: Spirit

 

Age: 15

 

Health: 500/500

 

Strength: 23

 

Dexterity: 20

 

Constitution: 30

 

Will: 15

 

Intelligence: 17

 

Mana: 100

 

Skills:

 

Flower of Dominion (Passive): Grants absolute control over the labyrinth and fauna.

 

Verdant Regeneration (Passive): Regenerate by merging with nearby plant life, healing wounds at an accelerated rate. 

 

Labyrinth Creation (Level 2): Can create monsters, traps, and structures within the labyrinth.

 

Pollen Manipulation (Level 4): Release clouds of pollen imbued with various effects such as illusions, hallucinations, and allergies.

 

Chlorokinesis (Level 5): Can communicate with and command plant life.

 

---

 

"Damn..." Wang Jun cursed inwardly. He knew that death was finally knocking on his door. This young man differed completely from the two boss monsters they had fought before. He was a high-level boss monster. Judging by his status, Wang Jun concluded that this young man was the labyrinth lord.

 

"We are trying to just survive-" Wang Jun started.

 

"Humans," the young man interrupted, as he took a sip of wine before continuing, "Always preachin' about survival, but ain't that just the pot callin' the kettle black?"

 

Narrowing his eyes, Wang Jun was about to say something when the Draven interrupted him once again.

 

"Listen here, fancy pants. We ain't all cut from the same cloth. Some of us just wanna make it outta this mess in one piece. No harm, no foul. So, why don't you spare us the theatrics and let us mosey on outta here?" Draven retorted.

 

Wang Jun frown at Draven. He couldn't understand what he meant, but he stayed silent.

 

The young man quirked his eyebrow. "Ah, but aren't you and your ilk the ones who stumbled into my domain uninvited? Seems to me like you humans have a knack for trespassing where you don't belong."

 

"Maybe so, but-"

 

Wang Jun patted Draven's shoulder. Despite Draven being his ally, Wang Jun couldn't ignore the fact that the young man's words were right. He quickly stopped Draven before he could inadvertently offend the labyrinth lord.

 

"We know we are the wrong here, and I apologize-" Wang Jun just started when he interrupted once again.

 

"You know I don't like killing."

 

When the young man's words fell, silence fell as he and Wang Jun stared at each other.

 

"You never gonna ask why?"

 

Wang Jun was speechless, but he still followed the young man's words, "Why?"

 

"I don't usually share my story, but since you're the first one I've had a proper conversation with, I suppose I'll make an exception," the young man, his voice carrying a hint of arrogance, began. "My children, they see me as some sort of god, you know? Every time I try to talk to them or tell them about my past, they end up in tears. Strange, isn't it?"

He paused for a moment as if lost in thought, before continuing with a playful smirk. "Anyway, let's get back to the point. Once upon a time, I was just a lowly flower, the first of my kind to gain sentience. Quite the trailblazer, if I do say so myself. I protected my siblings from the likes of King Bees, those pesky life-force suckers. Thanks to my newfound abilities, we managed to survive."

 

"But peace never seems to last, does it? Along came an old lady who decided to uproot us and plant us on a cliff. I tried everything to stop her, but it was no use. I watched helplessly as my siblings withered away, their pain echoing in my mind.

 "I questioned everything; you know? Why were we cursed with such weakness? Why couldn't we have been born human? I blamed the sun, the moon, the whole world, but strangely, I couldn't bring myself to blame the old lady. She didn't know any better."

 

The young man's gaze softened as he spoke of the old lady, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "She had good intentions, I suppose. She wanted us to bloom like sunflowers. Ignorance can be a cruel thing, though. Her warm smile as she watered us was like sunshine... but underneath it all, we were slowly dying."