-Emilia Merwin's point of view.
It will be because I have in front of me a mana beast with incredible energy coming out of its body that Emilia could not move.
Mana beasts.
A race different from monsters.
A race that is possible to tame, however, it is also difficult to do so.
In retrospect, it is better to kill them than to tame them.
However, being very strong races, it is recommended to tame and breed them to bring their power up to the level of a Grade 1.
There will be difficulties.
However, the result of breeding a mana beast and turning its power into a Grade 1 on a large scale has its benefits.
It's as if you raise a mouse, feed it mana, and in the future, it becomes a larger mouse with incredible mana.
Being a companion to a mana beast is the dream of many.
However, these beasts are really hard to tame.
While some you can control with overwhelming force, others are different.
Large golden wings that exuded majesty, a hawk-like head with a thin beak that seemed to be able to pierce through anything, the lion-like body with a tail that danced while moving freely, and large claws on all four legs of the mana beast.
Why does it look like that, is it because of its size, which is twice the size of a grizzly bear, or because of its incredible beauty?
Emilia looked at the majestic mana beast.
Though it was large and its figure dazzling, almost divine, before her eyes.
This mana beast, Emilia knew its breed.
However, this breed of mana beast was hard to see and find.
However...
They are not usually very impulsive.
This race of mana beast was usually lazy and sluggish; however, in simple terms, it is a mana beast capable of reaching the power level of a Grade 1.
At first they are Grade 9 or 8, but their power growth is overwhelmingly fast.
It could be said that this mana beast could reach Grade 1 in four years, at an incredible speed until it fully mastered its power.
Emilia, who had this incredible mana beast in front of her, wanted to get closer.
However, her body did not respond.
The mana of the mana beast was so incredible that it was even coming out of its body like boiling water vapor.
The beast's body and fur rippled in the wind around it, while its huge wings danced in the breeze.
Its eyes glowed wanting to touch this mana beast, but it was impossible to move.
The mana was overwhelming.
The mana coming out of the mana beast's body was unbelievable.
Waves of mana and waves of energy as if it was in an ocean.
Such was the amount of mana it gave off.
However, Emilia bit her lips, clenched her fists and let her own mana flow all over her body.
He made the impossible possible.
Soon he took a step.
"Closer..."
He took another step and slowly approached the mana beast.
The mana beast was on the ground, eyes closed, resting quietly on the soft tall grass.
However, Emilia did not stop and continued until she was about two meters away.
The closer she got, the more overwhelming the mana became.
How was it possible to see a mana beast of this caliber in a Grade 9 Dungeon?
At first glance, the mana beast appeared to be Grade 7, but that was only superficial.
In reality, it was a young Grade 9 mana beast, and the amount of mana must have had some reason.
He reached out his hand.
However, the mana beast opened its eyes and roared loudly.
Grrrrraaaarghh-KKRRRRAAAA!!!!
Emilia, unperturbed, kept some distance from the mana beast.
As the beast stood up on its four legs, it looked at Emilia, while the mana beast's mana calmed down slightly.
Even so, the mana beast backed up a few steps, as did Emilia, who kept her eyes open for any false moves.
Soon, Emilia spoke calmly, trying not to provoke the mana beast in front of her.
"Hello, don't be scared."
She raised both hands as she waved them, trying to make the mana beast believe that she didn't want to fight or cause trouble.
"I'm not here to bother you."
His voice echoed softly, like an echo reaching the mana beast's ears.
He seemed unperturbed, but....
Grrrrraaaarghh-KKRRRRAAAA!!!
This time its roar was softer than before.
Soon, a smile appeared on Emilia's face.
"Looks like he trusts me, for now."
Not quite, though, the mana beast seemed calmer than before it woke up.
Still, Emilia kept her guard up.
A mana beast is not always to be trusted.
If you let your guard down, it can attack you from behind at any moment.
Emilia took another step.
The mana beast stared at Emilia.
Its hawk-like head gave the feeling that it could attack at any moment, however, Emilia persisted and took another step closer.
Grrrrraaaarghh-KKRRRRRRAAAA!!!!
"No, wait..."
"I don't want to hurt you."
Even though she was talking to him as if the mana beast was a human, deep down it seemed like she was understanding.
Mana beasts are also known for their intelligence.
However, because of that they are also very wary of any threat or species that approaches them.
Still, Emilia took another step closer.
Soon she was less than a meter away from the mana beast.
The mana was calmer.
Apparently, the mana beast didn't seem to be very angry.
Without further ado, Emilia reached out her hand and it was then....
"Gentle."
She stroked the mana beast's head.
But...
Grrrrraaaarghh-KKRRRRRRAAAA!!!!
She backed up a few steps as she looked at the mana beast in front of her.
Still, she kept her cool and persisted even more, approaching with determined and careful steps.
Emilia again reached out her hand.
However, the mana beast's foreleg lifted up and then....
"Eh..."
Emilia, who closed her eyes expecting some attack, was surprised when the beast raised its paw, just like a dog does.
"Hehe."
She smiled at what happened and realized that the mana beast seemed to trust her more.
However, she kept her guard up.
Still, she patted the head while holding the paw.
***
-Scene change.
-Freddy Siegfried's point of view.
Freddy, who ended up wandering, had finally made it out of the maze on his own.
However, this took longer than expected.
Still, he had entered the forest, where a dense fog stretched along.
No matter what, Freddy waited for no one.
For he planned to find where the chief was and then wait for the rest.
Finding the elemental stone was a challenge.
One that he needed the help of the others to find it.
While the others fought the boss, he would try to find the secret room where the elemental stone was kept.
In the best case scenario, he would find it.
However, if it didn't happen, then he would join the rest and they would kill the dungeon boss to get out. It was as simple as that.
Although it was somewhat absurd, his sole purpose was to find the elemental stone and overcome his current strength.
In terms of mastering his affinities, he was behind the others.
However, in a matter of power, he was on par with them.
If he mastered his affinities and reached the second circle, it was only a matter of time before he was the second strongest of the first year.
However, finding the secret room where the elemental stone was located would be a difficult challenge.
He would have to go through the dungeon boss and still find the secret room.
He was determined to find the elemental stone, though.
It didn't matter how.
"I will find it and become stronger."
He had one goal in mind.
To reach the pinnacle of the ninth circle and surpass that power.
To surpass his father, who was one of the strongest mages in the world.
To surpass the leaders of the mage towers.
It was a path to surpass all the powerful wizards in the world.
A long-term goal that would take a long time.
However, he didn't know what to do after accomplishing his goal.
What would he do next?
"I'll see once I accomplish it," was his answer.
He didn't know yet if he would really surpass all the wizards.
Soon he reached deeper into the forest, as the fog grew thicker.
However, he realized that something was strange.
"The fog has mental attacks, but there's something else."
He noticed it the moment he stopped moving forward.
He looked around and then saw a tree that strangely seemed to be the same as always.
"Damn it... This is an infinite loop."
He realized that even though he was walking, he ended up in the same place as always.
Freddy marked the tree and memorized its shape.
After doing so, he decided to walk.
"If it's an infinite loop, I'll see the same tree again as before."
After walking a bit, he noticed it.
"..."
"Hehe."
He chuckled to himself as he saw the same tree as before. Its figure and features were identical.
Freddy, who noticed the loop, frowned.
"This will take a long time."
***
-Scene change.
-Grey Elaris's point of view.
Grey was still in the maze.
No matter how much he found the right path, the maze moved him to another place just when the exit was right in front of him.
It was a loop from which the maze prevented him from getting out.
However, when Grey saw the structure constantly changing as he found the exit, he knew something was wrong.
It was as if the dungeon boss wouldn't let him out of the maze.
Because he realized that the others had left the maze and he couldn't afford to let the rest out.
Therefore, the Dungeon boss thought to keep those who were still inside trapped as long as possible.
Meanwhile, those in the forest with the fog were receiving mental attacks and could not advance due to the infinite loop in the center of the forest.
The Dungeon boss was smart.
Grey admitted as much.
"You're smart."
He was.
He seemed to have everything under control.
However, the only variable was Asher.
The strongest of them all.
However, Grey, who was unaware of the effects of the fog, was unaware of what happened with the mental attacks on Asher.
That's why he was confident.
An unshakable confidence, knowing that they would soon kill the Dungeon boss.
However...
"Will the others really be all right?"
"Although the Dungeon boss is smart and seems to have everything planned out, it's possible that there's something wrong."
He wasn't sure.
If he wanted to know, he had to get out of the maze.
However, the Dungeon boss was preventing him from doing so.
He had to get out of the maze or find someone who was still inside.
But who?
Who would still be in this labyrinth?
He did not know.
But it was possible that there was someone wandering around.
Then...
Everything changed and Grey was taken to another part of the maze.
Burst.
Mana and spells were flying through the air, destroying what appeared to be Wraiths fighting someone.
Soon he saw the figure of someone, and Grey opened his eyes.
Because he thought he wouldn't find anyone and would have to do all the work by himself.
However, Grey watched Julian fighting the Wraith.
He raised his hand and clenched his fist.
Rumble.
The ground shook.
A spell from Grey caused the Wraiths to explode as thorns emerged from the ground, digging into their bodies.
Julian was not surprised when he spoke.
"Thank you, Grey."
For he knew whose magic that was, the only one with the affinity of "Earth" capable of altering the ground and distorting it in such a way....