Converging Paths

…

Back in the maze, Joseph finished the day’s exploration, scratching dead ends off with neat markers while checking every wall for hidden passages. Before sleep, he spent ten minutes sending out what he now dubbed sound baits—tiny, pebble-sized spheres infused with a trace of spirit and magic, their detonation set with Mana-Spirit Shockwave. Each one burst with a sharp crack in the distance, a warning net for any prowling minotaur-like orc.

Sure enough, a guttural roar rose, footsteps hammering closer. Calmly following his new system, he loosed an arrow charged with just one-fifth of his mana instead of one-third. The shot tore through the beast’s thick neck with lethal precision.

Level 16 > 17

Satisfied, Joseph carved out the heart, roasted it, and ate in grim silence before reviewing his fairly standard gains.

The next morning he decided to push harder, keeping a steady jog instead of his usual careful walk. His boots whispered against the stone, muffled by his passive skills and spirit coating—never truly silent, but quiet enough. With breaks between stretches, the new pace nearly doubled his progress. He dined on dried rations that night, then slept.

The pattern repeated. Jog, check walls, mark dead ends, cast sound baits, kill orcs when they came. By the third day he found only one of the towering beasts—another clean heart, another level.

Name: Joseph

Class: Spirit Ranger [E+] (+3 Spirit, +2 Dexterity, +2 Agility, +1 Magic)

Title: Survivor of the Unsurvivable, One Who Consumes Enemies' Hearts

Level: 17 > 18

Vitality: 5
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 45 > 49
Agility: 45 > 49
Magic: 41 > 43
Spirit: 40 > 43

Available Stat Points: 5 > 0

Active Skills: Channel Spirits (D), Spirit Sight (D), Magic-Spirit Communion (D), Condensed Fireball (E), Concrete Creation (F), Bursting Shot (F), Piercing Shot (E), Mana-Spirit Shockwave (E)

Passive Skills: Survivor (D), Spirits' Affection (E), Exploit Weak Point (E), Mana Control (E), Concealed Presence (E), Silent Steps (E), Focused Hearing (F)

Piercing Shot (E): Slight increase to an arrow’s piercing power using mana.

Dismissing the skill improvement and lying down, frustration gnawed at him.

‘Damn maze. Dead end after dead end. I’ve backtracked half the distance I’d made. If I’m lucky, I’ll find the exit tomorrow. If I’m unlucky, I’ll have to go all the way back to the start and take the other path. Just thinking about it makes me want to bash my head in.’

He sighed heavily.

‘What a depressing thought. Forget it—just sleep.’

...

Elsewhere, Han and his companions had already entered the labyrinth.

“Brother Han, the markings say those two paths are dead ends. The arrow points this way,” Che said, eyes faintly glowing with some sort of skill.

Nodding, Han followed with Logan in tow. His thoughts darkened.

'Markings. I’ve never seen them in the maze before. In my last life, we wasted weeks blundering through, circling the same halls, all under Ming’s command. None of us thought to mark anything down.

Yet here—clean, careful arrows etched with mana. Whoever left these knows what they’re doing. Skilled control too—stronger than mine, and more precise. A natural talent, like Che? …or something else entirely?'

For once, gratitude stirred.

'Well, whoever, or whatever it is, they’ve made our path easy. We just follow, avoiding the dead ends. If not for them, we’d be wandering around aimlessly for possibly weeks.'

They had already found one of the hulking corpses Joseph left behind, which meant fewer dangers on their trail. Han shuddered as memories resurfaced of his previous life—how, under Ming’s control, he had sent those deemed useless as bait whenever the monster caught their scent. The thought hardened his resolve.

In just thirteen hours, they had covered over half of Joseph’s marked paths. But as they camped, faint sounds pricked their ears. At first, they thought it a stomach growl. Yet it continued, faint but steady, for ten minutes. Too long, too rhythmic.

Without hesitation, they broke camp and rushed forward, Logan hoisting Che onto his back to cover more ground. Even when the sound ceased, they pressed on, convinced someone was ahead in combat.

A branching corridor loomed. Only one path was marked. Their hearts pounded; Joseph’s trail was fresh—they were close.

They rested briefly, nerves sharp, then continued. Hours later, the sounds came again—explosions this time, nearer and louder. Ten minutes of thunder, then silence just like before.

Weapons drawn, they advanced. Logan took point, shield raised and eyes focused. Che hung back, mana pooled at her staff’s tip ready to attack. Turning the corner, they froze.

A fire burned on the floor thirty meters ahead.

They crept closer. The chamber seemed empty. But unseen above, clinging to the dark ceiling, Joseph watched in silence—arrow nocked, bowstring drawn, every muscle poised to strike.