The past week had been quite fruitful for Axel. He had been working out nonstop to raise his stats, as well as practicing with Sylva to master her morphing ability and their glitch synergy. The first time they used the glitch synergy, Axel got carried away by the shared power, which caused the synergy to become unstable. As a result, both Axel and Sylva were paralyzed for a couple of hours before recovering.
There had also been a few instances of adventurers invading his labyrinth, but they were quickly dispatched by the monster trio. Through these encounters, Axel acquired several pieces of armor suitable for him and some extra weapons from the rewards. With an abundance of energy points at his disposal, Axel discovered that for every thousand points, he could create a new room for his labyrinth. So, after repelling invaders, he would create a room and populate it with monsters.
"Whew, damn, it's already slowing down." After a workout session, Axel cursed, noticing his growth was tapering off. The notifications for stat gains had become less frequent. Today, none appeared despite a full day of exercise.
"Now that my growth is slowing and the labyrinth can handle itself, I guess it's time to go out." Axel examined his reflection in the mirror. Nearly two weeks of intense workouts had transformed his lean frame into a slender, fit body with visible abs and pecs, and well-defined muscle lines. His progress was remarkable, and he joked that he could win a bodybuilding competition with his current physique.
"System, how does the labyrinth operate when I'm gone?" Axel inquired, wanting to ensure everything would be fine in his absence.
[Worry not, Master Axel. The labyrinth will continue to operate in your absence. You can remotely control everything using the sigil you earned from the initiation trial. In case of any urgent matters, you can expend energy from the core to teleport back immediately.]
"Oh, right, the sigil. I almost forgot about it." Axel retrieved the sigil from his storage ring, where it had been sitting for some time. Holding it, he felt a connection to his labyrinth, reassured that he could manage any issues even from afar.
Axel began preparing supplies for his first journey outside the labyrinth: food, water, clothes, and camping gear. Once everything was ready, he had Sylva morph into a dagger for discretion. Her unique appearance could draw unwanted attention in public, something Axel wanted to avoid after his experiences selling his uncle's loot on the black market.
"Alright, disguise... check. Supplies... check. Sylva... check! Are you excited, Sylva? It's our first time out in this world." Axel, touching the Sylva-morphed dagger, felt a surge of excitement. Coming from a world of science, he had always fantasized about a realm of magic and adventure. Now, prepared to step into the wild, he looked forward to experiencing Aetherium's culture, life, and the journey to becoming stronger.
'SIIIL!' Sylva's cheerful response resonated with Axel's excitement. He stepped onto the teleportation circle, and with a whoosh, he was transported outside, ready to embark on countless adventures in a world of wonder.