[Notice, dungeon processing is complete!]
Shin didn't completely understand the female voice in his head, but he didn't think it was something to worry about.
『Cool…』
Shin turned and made his way back towards the door of the boss room.
Tap…! Tap…!
His footsteps echoed in the vast chamber.
Aqua walked closely behind him.
"Do you have any idea how to get us out of here yet?"
She looked very worried as she asked.
Shin glanced at her.
"Don't worry. I've got it under control."
"You do?"
He shrugged, not especially bothered. "Maybe."
When they arrived at the massive stone door covered in grotesque, blood-stained skulls, Shin stopped and took his hand out of his pocket.
He pressed his palm against the rough surface.
[Accessing…]
[Door #1, Floor #10…]
[Successful…]
Blue tron lines surged from his hand, enveloping the door and weaving intricate geometric patterns across its surface.
With a resounding rumble, the stone door slowly opened, revealing the passage beyond.
Aqua let out a relieved sigh. Finally, we can get out of here," she murmured.
Shin glanced around the labyrinthine walls and peered up at the high ceiling, contemplating their next move.
Aqua's voice interrupted the silence.
"It's going to be a long journey out of this labyrinth, isn't it? And there's a chance we might get lost along the way."
She spoke with her usual concern.
"I'm not so sure about that…" Shin calmly replied.
"What'd you mean?" Aqua raised an eyebrow.
There was no response from him.
『Uh, voice…』
[Yes, master?]
『So, is there any other way out of here? Like some kind of shortcut or something?』
[Indeed, the spatial backdoor.]
『Go on.』
[It is a hidden or secret passage that allows individuals to bypass or escape from the labyrinth's challenging pathways. According to the design of the Sila Labyrinth, it might only become accessible at specific times or require remote activation, making it a challenge to discover when and how it can be used.]
『So is there a way a around that too…?』
[Affirmative, I have calculated where the backdoor will appear next.]
[Channel #24, Floor #10]
All of a sudden, Shin could see the entire layout of the Sila Labyrinth. It was incredibly complex, but he understood it perfectly.
『Cool.』
Shin waved for her to follow him as he walked ahead with confidence.
After a few minutes, Aqua started to doubt if they were on the right path. "Do you even know where you're going?" she asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.
Shin turned to look at her and said, "I guess we'll find out soon enough."
Before long, they reached a room with a huge door, and the space around it glowed with a swirling blue portal.
"What's that?" Aqua whispered, almost to herself.
She didn't really expect an answer, but then Shin's calm voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"It's a backdoor. And our ticket out of this dungeon…"
"WAIT, REALLY──?!"
Aqua's eyes widened with disbelief.
Shin nodded and kept his gaze firm.
"I think so."
He moved closer to the strange door.
The young man walked ahead confidently while Aqua stayed close behind, looking around to assess if they were safe.
"Are you sure this is safe?" she asked, feeling uncertain.
Shin looked back at her with a plain stare. "We won't know until we get there."
Without saying anything more, Shin walked through the tall door, leaving Aqua alone in the room. She hesitated for a moment, but her trust in Shin encouraged her to follow him. When they stepped out on the other side, Aqua looked around at her new surroundings.
They were in a forest.
"It looks like we're in a… forest?"
Shin nodded in agreement.
"Let's see where this path goes."
He took the lead again.
Aqua walked beside him.
"I hope we find a city or town soon…"
She looked down at her torn and bloodstained robe.
"Urgh~ I really need a change of clothes…"
Shin glanced at Aqua and added, "And preferably something with better chest support," giving a casual look at her figure.
Aqua's face turned red with embarrassment, and she quickly crossed her arms over her chest.
"What──?!"
She exclaimed, shocked by Shin's boldness.
Shin kept walking casually, not looking back at her. "You don't need to cover up. I won't look."
"O-, Okay…"
Aqua hesitantly lowered her arms, feeling a bit more at ease around him. She fell back into step behind him, enjoying the calmness of the forest around them.
The lack of monsters nearby made them feel a little safer, but Shin's mind was elsewhere.
"I wish Kazuto was here."
He tapped his chin as he looked around.
Aqua smiled at the thought.
"He knows everything about this game, from the maps to the towns and cities."
For some reason, she thought Kazuto would have had a solid plan that could help everyone survive, even against a floor boss like Xalgun.
A nod from Shin. "Mhm, basically."
━ ━ ━ ━
Some minutes later…
As they walked down the seemingly endless path, Aqua's eyes widened when they suddenly saw a busy border town.
"Wow, it's a huge town!"
She was feeling both relieved and excited.
Shin looked decently surprised and raised an eyebrow.
"We arrived here sooner than I thought."
It was none other than Silverhaven, the border town where they left from somewhere near Miyoloris, the central continent. This town was located on the edge of Myrridia, which is often called the Mystic Continent.
It was a safe zone where players could relax, trade, and interact with NPCs without the threat of PvP combat.
Nestled on the edge of Myrridia, Silverhaven stood as the first line of defense, a place that combined beauty and strength. It was an important connection between Myrridia and everything around it.
Silverhaven was the key to Myrridia's heart, Celestria.
It was located at the crossroads of the towering Frigid Mountains to the north, the magical Empyrean Numa to the east, and the treacherous Deadlands to the south.
"Hm…"
Shin rubbed his chin.
"This is definitely not the Central Continent."
Unable to hold back her excitement, Aqua dashed ahead, turning to call out to Shin.
"Come on, Shin! We're already wasting time!"
She shouted, nearly bouncing with excitement.
Shin, keeping his usual calm, let out a slow yawn.
"Alright, alright…"
He stretched out slowly, then put his hands back in his pockets. He walked after her at an easy pace as they made their way deeper into the bustling town.
As they approached the gates of Silverhaven, a group of heavily armed guards stood ready, their spears aimed directly at Aqua. The sudden hostility surprised her, and she let out a small squeak.
"What's an elf doing here?!"
The first knight shouted while eyeing her slender yet curvy figure with suspicion.
Also doubtful, his partner added, "What's your purpose?!"
The guards' behavior wasn't surprising at all.
Myrridia and Miyoloris were very different when it came to their inhabitants.
Myrridia was known for its amazing magical creatures like sprites, dryads, selkies, and gargoyles, while Miyoloris had more ordinary races like humans, elves, dwarves, and gnomes.
So, it made sense that the guards would be suspicious of an elf wandering into Myrridian territory. They were just being cautious, which was understandable.
The guards at the gates were hybrids, meaning they could live in both Myrridia and Miyoloris thanks to something called the [Unity Accord]. This law allowed hybrids from both continents to choose where they wanted to live. It aimed to promote inclusivity, unity, and peaceful coexistence between the two lands.
"I… I-, uh, we…"
Aqua was at a loss for words.
She stood still, not sure how to respond to the intimidating guards.
Just as she was about to open her mouth and speak again, Shin stepped forward.
Knight 2 quickly pointed his spear at Shin.
Unfazed, Shin stayed calm and didn't flinch at all.
"Can we please be allowed to enter?"
He asked casually, raising his arms in a relaxed manner.
Looking unmoved, Knight 2 simply shook his head.
"No, you cannot."
Shin's expression remained passive. "Err, please?"
"NO! That doesn't make it any better!" Knight 2 snapped.
Then, a sudden realization hit Knight 1.
He leaned in.
"What if they're one of those so-called… [Players]?"
Knight 2 nodded. "Y-, You might be right…"
He hesitated for a moment, thinking it over, then pulled his spear back and secured it on his back.
"Alright. I'll let Lord Silverhaven know you've arrived."
Knight 1 quickly collected himself and turned to Aqua.
"You and your friend are still under our watch!"
He pointed his spear at her again.
Aqua flinched.
"Y-, Yes, I understand…"
She was worried that these [NPCs] might go crazy and just attack them. There was a big difference between fighting in a game and in real life. Considering their current situation, she wasn't eager to take any risks, hoping they could just restart if things went wrong.
Before long, Knight 2 vanished into the town.
Shin turned to Knight 1.
"We'll just go sit over there then…"
He spoke calmly, pointing towards a huge tree stump a few meters away.
The knight was still very careful around them. You could see it in the way he held his defensive stance firmly and kept a tight grip on his spear.
"Do what you want, as long as it's not within my city."
"Your city, sure…" Shin shook his head.
"What'd you say?!" Knight 1 raised his voice a bit.
"Whatever…"
Shin let out a bored yawn.
"Come on Aqua, let's take a breather."
The young man quietly walked away.
However, there was something bothering Aqua.
『These NPCs are showing a lot more emotions than they should… is that normal?』
"Aqua?" Shin called again.
She snapped out of it. "C-, Coming!"
With a quick look back at the guards, Aqua followed Shin to the tree stump.
Once they were seated, she swiped her finger through the air, and her menu board appeared in front of her. She browsed through the options until she found her friends list.
Shin's curiosity got the best of him, and he leaned over to see Aqua's screen.
"Are you trying to contact Kazuto and the others?"
"Yeah…" she nodded.
Shin gaze at the blue skies.
"I figured you'd have done that before now."
"I didn't really have the chance and…" Aqua paused.
Her friends list was completely empty.
All 34 friends she had in the game were gone.
"Ugh, figures this would happen."
Aqua sighed and covered her face with her hand.
Finally, the gates swung open.
Lord Silverhaven stepped out.
He was dressed in a black and white noble outfit and wore a cape. He had a small black mustache and long silver hair.
Always loyal, Knight 2 followed closely behind with his eyes focused on the ground as they walked.
Knight 2 quickly bent a knee to his superior.
Lord Silverhaven looked around the area.
"We've had so many of these players flock to our gates that I've lost count."
The man sounded frustrated and tired.
"Knight, where are the individuals I requested?"
Knight 2 pointed to where Shin and Aqua were sitting, and they both quickly got to their feet. Aqua moved gracefully and reached Lord Silverhaven first, while Shin followed behind at a more relaxed pace.
They stood before the lord.
"So, you two are players…" Lord Silverhaven stated.
Aqua was confused but nodded hesitantly.
It was the way these [NPCs] referred to them as [Players]. All NPCs knew this, but this time it felt like they were treating it as some sort of special title.
Lord Silverhaven's eyes then shifted to Shin. "And you both seek entrance to my border town?"
Shin and Aqua shared a quick look.
"Yes, that's correct."
They answered together.
Lord Silverhaven was too tired to say more.
"I've already confirmed that you are players. But there's still a fee of two silver coins per person before you may pass through the gates."
Aqua smiled very brightly and eagerly.5
"Oh, we can certainly pay that!"
She replied without hesitation.
Suddenly, Knight 1 interjected. "My Lord, are you implying that we're allowing Miyoloris purebloods to enter Myrridia?"
Lord Silverhaven scratched his head as he thought, clearly considering his response before he spoke.
"Believe it or not, the order came directly from Queen Elowen just a few hours ago. She's decreed that any player, regardless of status or race, should be granted entry to Silverhaven."
"I-, I see…"
Knight 1 stammered, still in shock and trying to wrap his head around the strange turn of events.
Shin opened his mouth and asked.
"Is there a specific place where players are gathering?"
The lord shrugged and nonchalantly spoke. "That's not really my problem, figure it out yourself."
"Fair enough…" Shin replied.
The two had finally made it out of the Sila Labyrinth and they were now in the Mystic Continent.
Next destination, the border town of Celestria, Silverhaven.