Subra hovered his hand over the glowing selection window in front of him, his fingers twitching slightly. The interface pulsed faintly, as though waiting for his choice. He squinted at the options, considering them carefully. But after a moment, he pulled his hand back with a small shake of his head.
"Nah," he muttered, his voice low. "I don't think this is the best time to choose a skill. I'll wait till there are fewer people around. Besides, I need to create and cross-check my plans first." He glanced toward the towering maze walls in the distance. "Maze World," he decided aloud. "For now, I'll call it that—Maze World."
He reached for his pocket notebook, its smooth cover a welcome familiarity in this strange place. Flipping it open, he divided the pages into two sections. With a quiet mutter, he said, "Left to right for notes and key observations, right to left for personal thoughts and plans." Subra paused, pen hovering above the paper as he organized his thoughts. Then, he began to write, his pen flowing rapidly as he captured his initial thoughts.
Subra worked through the hours, moving between tasks—gathering information, speaking with other participants, and refining his plans. The day stretched on, the intensity of his focus leaving little room for anything else. As the golden-orange hue of dusk began to settle over the landscape, he finally found a moment of stillness beneath the shade of the same tree where he first began writing his thoughts. His notebook lay open on his lap, filled with the results of his observations and strategies. After a long day of research, he took a deep breath and began to write his final reflections, the fading light around him marking the end of a productive day.
The day had been long and revealing. Subra leaned back against the tree trunk, replaying the interactions he'd carefully orchestrated. His strategy had been simple—portray himself as weak, naive, and unthreatening. It worked. People spoke more openly to someone they didn't perceive as a competitor.
He smirked slightly at the memory of his earlier words. "Honestly," he'd said to a fellow participant, shrugging his shoulders in mock defeat, "I don't think I'll last long here. I'm just hoping to survive until something makes sense."
The man had nodded sympathetically, lowering his guard just enough to share what he knew.
Subra flipped to the left-hand side of his notebook, where his notes from the day were neatly organized:
• Everyone received the same equipment.
• Many participants have already left.
• Groups are forming to map the maze.
• Monsters have been encountered: wolf-human hybrids and lizard-human hybrids.
• A group retrieved a fire sword from a treasure chest after defeating three lizard-human monsters.
• The maze has not changed yet, despite the warning of constant shifts.
The final point gave him pause. The hooded figure's words echoed in his mind: "The maze is ever-changing."
Subra tapped his pen against the page thoughtfully. Maybe the changes are triggered by specific actions, he wrote. Or perhaps the figure exaggerated. Either way, I'll keep my guard up.
A part of him wanted to dismiss the idea that the maze could change at all, but his instincts kept urging him to stay alert. The lizard-human hybrids—he could barely shake the image of them. Those disgusting mixtures of scales, teeth, and human eyes were nothing short of terrifying. The people who came back from the maze seemed physically drained, their eyes wide with fear or disbelief. They spoke of the monsters as if they were nightmares come to life, impossible to fight unless you were part of a well-coordinated group. The fact that some had already left... maybe that wasn't a sign of weakness, but of wisdom. The longer I stay here, the more danger I'll be in.
But then there was the treasure chest. That fire sword... Subra couldn't help but feel a strange pull toward it. He'd only caught a glimpse of it, but even from the distance, it had been mesmerizing. The craftsmanship of the sword was unparalleled, the blade shining with an unnatural fire that felt alive. He wondered how the group had managed to retrieve it, considering how fierce the monsters guarding it had been. The chest disappeared before they could take it with them—odd, wasn't it? Was it part of the maze's ever-changing nature, or was it something else entirely?
Subra couldn't help but scribble the thought: Did the chest vanish because it was never meant to be taken? Or was there something more behind it? His mind raced with possibilities. It was clear the maze held more secrets than it let on, and he felt that eerie sense of unease settling in again. What if the maze was alive in its own way? What if it's watching us?
Subra sighed and closed his notebook. I'll keep my guard up, he wrote again, but this time the words felt heavier, as though the weight of what he didn't know was already pressing down on him.
Subra flipped to the right-hand side of his notebook, where his personal plans were meticulously detailed. Leaning back against a tree, he began reviewing them, silently narrating each step to himself, his mind sharp as he looked for any flaws.
Phase 1: Tool Crafting
"First things first," he thought, eyes scanning the first set of notes.
He had chosen the Wind Blade skill. Its cutting precision was perfect for crafting tools, and though not ideal as a weapon for him right now, it could still serve a dual purpose. The blade's weight and unwieldiness made it unsuitable for single-handed combat, but its unmatched sharpness would allow him to cut and shape wood with ease.
"I'll wait until night," he read, "when fewer people are around to notice." He had already scouted areas with minimal foot traffic earlier in the day and marked one secluded spot in his mind.
"Cutting trees in silence will be key," he noted. The plan was to harvest fallen branches and logs first, but if needed, the Wind Blade could cut through live wood quietly enough.
The tools he would craft were listed neatly beneath:
• Spears: "Three or four, just in case," he thought, tapping the page with his pen. Lightweight, versatile, and the easiest weapon to learn. Plus, he had some experience using them from his college martial arts club.
• Shield: Essential for defense against monsters or other participants.
• Climbing Tools: Sickle-like implements that could help him scale the maze walls quickly and safely.
"The tools need to be sturdy but simple to make. The Wind Blade should make shaping them easy," he mused.
Phase 2: Maze Exploration
"Once the tools are ready," Subra read, "I'll begin exploring the maze."
The plan was to climb the walls using his new climbing tools. From the top, he would have a vantage point to map out the surrounding area, noting paths, potential danger zones, and treasure chest locations.
"Avoiding monsters is critical," he reminded himself, his eyes narrowing. The wolf-human and lizard-human hybrids he'd heard about were dangerous, and any direct encounter with them could end in disaster. His scouting would focus on stealth and observation.
Phase 3: Treasure Chest Retrieval
Subra's lips twitched into a faint smile as he read the next section. This phase was ambitious but necessary.
"If I find a chest," he thought, "the plan is straightforward."
• Recruit Allies: He would approach a small group of people he had deemed trustworthy during his conversations today. By keeping his own skills and knowledge understated, he hoped to avoid suspicion and build rapport.
• Guide the Group: Subra would lead them near the treasure chest but stop short of revealing its exact location. "The chest will be my responsibility."
• Lure the Monsters: Using food from his rations, he would distract any guarding monsters, drawing them away from the chest. "This will buy me time to sneak in and grab the treasure."
• Attack if Needed: If the monsters didn't wander far enough, Subra planned to ambush them from above, using the maze walls to his advantage. His spears would allow for swift, precise strikes.
"And if I'm overwhelmed," he read, "I'll retreat." He tapped this part of the plan thoughtfully. The backup was clear—return to the group and regroup for another attempt. He also noted that, if victorious, searching the defeated monsters for anything useful could yield unexpected rewards.
Subra paused at the final lines of his notes, his brow furrowed.
"This is risky," he admitted to himself, "but I can't afford to sit back and do nothing."
Closing his notebook, Subra exhaled slowly, the plans solidified in his mind.
Subra leaned back; his eyes fixed on the notebook. The fire sword discovery intrigued him. A weapon like that could turn the tide in a fight, but it also made its holder a target. I'll keep an eye on them, he thought. If I play my cards right, I could take it without fighting at all.
He flipped through the notebook one last time and exhaled deeply. The golden light of the setting sun bathed the park, casting long shadows across the grass. Around him, the activity of the day had settled into a quiet hum. Some participants had already ventured into the maze, while others rested or whispered in hushed groups.
Subra's gaze drifted to the maze entrance nearest to him. The dark opening seemed to call out, daring him to step inside. But he wasn't ready yet.
He glanced down at his final journal entry for the day:
Closing the notebook with a snap, Subra stood, his resolve firm. The first step was complete. Now, the real work would begin.