Adam's daily routine had become a blur of training and self-improvement. He decided to check his stats, something he hadn't done in a while.
__________________________________________
Host Name: Adam Bek
Host Level: 3
Experience: 60/500
Attributes:
* Strength: 14
* Agility: 17
* Intelligence: 14
* Endurance: 10
* Luck: 3
Unassigned stat points: 3
Host Health: 600/600
Host Mana: 450/450
Skills:
* Kinetic Enigma
* Default: Learning
* Cure
* Mana Eyes
* Prediction
Inventory:
* Umbra's Fang
* Unknown Fragment
Quests:
* Reach Maze Core (Ongoing)
* Maze Survivor (Ongoing)
_________________________________________
Noticing his level had increased to 3, Adam closed the stat window and retired for the night.
The next morning, the bell outside Adam's room jolted him awake with its incessant buzzing.
Adam had grown accustomed to waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. He quickly dressed in his Second String attire.
The slave neckband still encircled his neck, a mandatory requirement for Second and First String trainees. Adam wondered why Zero String and trainers were exempt.
As he exited his room, Adam met Eli and Arin, who were waiting for Kaide.
"Morning," Eli said, nodding.
Arin smiled. "Ready for another day?"
Adam returned the greeting, his eyes scanning the area for Kaide.
Eli's bright smile greeted him. "You're early today."
Arin echoed her warmth with a gentle smile.
Adam replied with a casual "Yeahhh..." before heading to the cafeteria.
Eli and Arin joined him shortly, but Adam was already engrossed in a book from the library.
The cafeteria's ambient chatter filled the air until another bell pierced the atmosphere: "Buzzz buzzzz."
This signal marked the start of Maze Survival Training.
Adam closed his book, focusing on the impending challenge.
In the training area, four Second String members assembled: Adam, Eli, Arin, and Kaide.
Trainer Zara stood before them, an air of authority surrounding him.
"Follow me," Zara instructed, his voice firm.
With a swift gesture, Zara teleported the quartet into the maze.
The familiar sensation of displacement settled, and Adam's surroundings transformed into the labyrinthine maze.
Eli, Arin, and Kaide stood beside him, their determination palpable.
Zara's voice echoed through the maze, "Your objective: survive for 2 hours. The maze will adapt to your skills. Begin."
The training had commenced
As Adam adapted to the maze, his skill activated:
[Analyzing the skill... Please wait]
The familiar sensation of the maze's energies resonated with Adam.
He found himself in a new, unfamiliar section of the labyrinth.
Zara's voice echoed through the maze, "The rules remain the same: survive for 4 hours or attempt to escape."
With that, Zara vanished.
Eli turned to Adam, her eyes inviting. "You should walk with us."
Arin nodded in agreement. "Yes, Adam, Eli's right."
Kaide remained silent, his pride preventing him from speaking up.
Adam hesitated, weighing his options.
Should he join them?
"No," Adam said firmly.
Clearing his throat, he continued, "Let me go my own way, and you go yours."
Without waiting for a response, Adam departed.
Eli watched him leave, unable to intervene.
Arin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Let him go... He's just like that."
Eli nodded, and the trio continued on their own path.
Kaide followed, his eyes casting occasional glances in Adam's direction.
Adam, now alone, focused on his survival.
[Host Skill Active: Kinetic Enigma]
Adam's thoughts turned to strategy. How would he survive the maze's challenges this time?
As Adam ventured deeper into the cave, he activated his skills.
[Host Skill Active: Mana Eyes]
With Mana Eyes, Adam navigated the shifting walls and newly formed paths with ease, covering significant distance in a short time.
However, upon turning a corner, Adam's confidence faltered.
Before him stood a familiar maze wall, but something was off.
To the naked eye, the wall appeared ordinary, yet Adam's Mana Eyes revealed a startling truth:
Mana was leaking everywhere.
The walls, floor, and even air seemed to be hemorrhaging magical energy.
Adam's instincts screamed warning. "This can't be natural. Is it a trap or something more?"
To mitigate the uncertainty, Adam employed his Prediction skill.
[Host Skill Active: Prediction]
Adam's mind raced with probabilities and outcomes. The skill painted a complex picture:
Danger lurked ahead, but the source remained unclear.
The mana leaks might be a diversion or a deliberate design.
A hidden threat or unseen mechanism awaited.
Adam's thoughts accelerated. "How do I proceed?"
With Prediction guiding him, Adam cautiously advanced.
Every step carefully considered.
Every breath deliberately taken.
The maze held its secrets, but Adam's skills would uncover them.
Adam's Prediction skill revealed a 2-second glimpse of the future:
The floor ahead would vanish, replaced by a trench filled with molten lava.
Returning to the present, Adam's shock deepened.
He understood why mana was leaking from the walls and floor.
"A trench with lava, just a short distance away?"
Adam faced a critical decision:
Option 1: Rely on Prediction to navigate, but risk depleting his mana.
Option 2: Utilize Mana Eyes, which consumed less mana but struggled with the omnipresent leaks.
Adam chose Mana Eyes, hoping to find a hidden path.
[Host Skill Active: Mana Eyes]
With renewed clarity, Adam discerned:
The first half of the path showed no mana leaks.
Beyond that, leaks erupted, signaling the trench's location.
Adam recalled his Prediction-revealed future.
He examined the floor, searching for inconsistencies.
"This can't be the real floor... It's an illusion."
Adam's gaze lifted to the walls, wary of hidden traps.
Mana Eyes guided him, but Adam's instincts remained on high alert.
Adam's plan had hit a dead end. Mana Eyes couldn't penetrate the illusions.
Every path seemed treacherous, with walls and floor potentially deceptive.
Only one solution remained: his Prediction skill.
Before relying on it, Adam checked his mana reserves.
[Host Mana Point - 435/450]
"I have plenty of mana," Adam reassured himself.
With confidence, Adam reactivated his Prediction skill.
[Host Skill Active: Prediction]
A 3-second glimpse of the future revealed:
Moving left would send Adam plummeting into the trench.
Back in the present, Adam swiftly reactivated Prediction.
[Host Skill Active: Prediction]
Another glimpse of the future:
Approaching the right wall would trigger its disappearance, revealing a new path.
Adam's eyes locked onto the right wall, his mind racing.
"Trust the Prediction skill," he told himself.
With newfound determination, Adam stepped toward the right wall.
The old wall vanished, replaced by a fresh pathway.
Adam's heart pounded as he proceeded, Prediction guiding him through the maze's treacherous illusions.