Chapter 363: End of the Labyrinth (2)

“The final gateway… it’s this grand?”

Even Lennok was speechless at the sight stretching out below the bridge.

Considering the significance of this labyrinth to Jindun Jaigys Ethernor, he wouldn’t have simply filled it with useless stone statues for mere decoration.

I thought he was a Transcendent who reached the pinnacle as a barrier wizard, but did he also have such profound expertise in golem creation?

The answer to the questions that instantly flooded his mind came from elsewhere.

“It’s not Jaigys himself, but a posthumous work left by a certain black wizard close to him.”

The motorbike sped rapidly, dodging battles erupting everywhere. Beside it, a woman with a chillingly calm expression spoke casually, matching its speed.

Recognizing her face, Evelyn Marcia frowned.

“Maiya…!”

“You’ve heard of the March of a Thousand Demons of the military city Yorta, right? The plan to capture all spirits and ghosts in this world to build a bridge to ascension. While the direction is different, those are byproducts of that project.”

Lennok and Evelyn Marcia simultaneously unleashed their magic, but Maiya waved her hand, unconcerned by their reactions.

As she lightly rotated her magic, the heads of the superhumans rushing towards the three from all directions exploded with astonishing ease.

Pop-pop-pop-pop!!

A handiwork so swift it was barely visible, yet utterly brutal.

But Maiya paid not a shred of attention to the deaths she had caused.

“Though their original purpose is now fulfilled, it would be quite a headache if those things fell into the wrong hands. This space is effectively a warehouse for Jindun’s legacy, after all.”

After Maiya said that, she subtly turned her head towards the furball perched on her shoulder.

‘Is this how I should say it?’

[That’s enough.]

The Doctor spoke, using the tattered furball’s mouth.

[The appearance of the final gateway is excessively different from what I knew. At this point, we need to borrow strength from others.]

‘Damn it, I don’t like it, but…’

Maiya said that, then quickly turned her head back to Lennok.

“Anyway, what do you think? If you Watchers prioritize peace, wouldn’t my proposal pique your interest a little?”

“…”

In the silence, only the roar of the motorbike engine echoed.

Vroom vroom vroom!!!

Speeding effortlessly past a hundred kilometers per hour. Maiya opened her mouth, matching their speed solely on her own two feet.

“If you help me, I’ll help you enter the deepest part of the labyrinth. It wouldn’t be a bad deal for either of us.”

If she simply lured them with a shared goal, there was a high chance they wouldn’t agree.

So, Maiya deflected, making it seem as if she was more interested in the artifacts than the Ascendant themselves, and framed it as being for a greater cause to gain their cooperation.

It was an improvisation stemming from the Doctor’s idea, but it was an impeccable excuse.

Even at this moment, new entrants were continuously arriving on the colossal bridge that merged into one, with battles erupting everywhere.

“Stop them! Don’t let them get ahead!”

“Just kill them! We need to cut them off before they can deploy their Domains!”

“Damn it, too late! They’re being pulled in!”

“Aaaargh!!”

Kugagagagagaga!!!

In the chaotic melee where 5th and 6th-level superhumans were entangled in battle, brilliant flashes of magical light erupted across the bridge whenever the rare 7th-level Archmage-level practitioners unleashed their power.

Among them, a wizard, prepared for death, deployed their Domain [자성영역].

As another otherworldly landscape, a projection of their Mind Imprint [심상각인], appeared within the labyrinth, the battlefield’s atmosphere began to reorient around it.

Everyone present instinctively knew that the end was in sight, beyond the third gateway at the end of this bridge.

After all, if they reached the gateway first, there would be no need to listen to her proposal.

Just as Lennok was about to ignore Maiya’s words and twist the throttle once more.

A man’s perfectly clear voice came from behind him.

“You, rider, step down for a moment and let’s talk.”

Kwoooong!!!

An immense pressure pressed down on the entire bridge, forcing the motorbike to a halt.

At the same time, a magnificent violet barrier rose before them, blocking everything around and pulling it backward.

“…!!”

Lennok frowned at the sight of the motorbike, unable to move forward properly and starting to deform.

Even as the wheels spun frantically at this moment, the speed wasn’t just reduced; it was almost unable to advance at all.

But that wasn’t merely due to the intensity of the gravity; it was because the surrounding space was gradually warping under its influence.

The violet barrier pressing down on the bridge distorted space, preventing any forward movement.

A state where one could interfere with space as a result. The opponent was undoubtedly a monster who had grasped the key to transcend the pinnacle of Archmage-level power.

As if fully aware of Lennok’s thoughts, a leisurely voice echoed from behind.

“In such a magnificent ruin, it’s ill-mannered to be dragging a motorbike around, young man. Don’t you agree?”

“Gravity-type, and Archmage-level or higher…”

Evelyn Marcia turned her head, cold sweat beading.

She too instinctively understood the level of mastery the omnipresent pressure had reached.

“This is not an opponent we can ignore.”

“…”

As Lennok remained silent, the voice addressed Maiya, who was beside him.

“It’s been a while, Elder Sister. Have you been well?”

“Ballak…”

Maiya’s eyes turned cold.

“I heard you recently reached a new level, but I didn’t expect you to appear so soon. I thought you’d only make a move after confirming Jindun’s death. You must be in quite a hurry, aren’t you?”

“Aren’t you in just as much of a hurry, Elder Sister?”

Thud!

Appearing with that leisurely reply was a middle-aged man with a portly physique, seemingly completely unrelated to exercise.

Running a hand over his bluish chin, unshaven, and picking his teeth with the other hand, his appearance was disturbingly out of place with the fierce atmosphere of the labyrinth.

He had such a relaxed demeanor that he seemed oblivious even if a blade were thrust into his plump belly right next to him.

However, the sight of over a dozen corpses floating behind him completely overturned that impression.

The grotesque sight of limp corpses, as if hanged, floating like decorations behind his back. A handiwork so cruel it was utterly detached from ordinary human sensibilities.

The man merely chuckled, unconcerned by the fearful gazes directed at him.

“If Jindun were in his right mind, he wouldn’t have left beings like us alone. It seems you, Elder Sister, know this but still wish to enter The Cradle [요람].”

“…”

“Well, I think I roughly understand the situation, but it doesn’t really matter. For my personal reasons, I must prevent those two from getting ahead. Here, I expect you to follow my will.”

The man called Ballak fixed Lennok with a sharp gaze.

“Especially you, wizard, judging by Elder Sister’s attitude, you seem to possess quite decent skill. Do not act rashly. So that I don’t have to kill you.”

Ballak’s words were a blatant warning to Lennok. Lennok subtly frowned, and seeing this, Maiya let out a soft laugh.

“Honestly, you wouldn’t listen to me before… Well, figure it out yourself then.”

Just as Maiya was about to pass them by and move ahead.

“Where are you going, Elder Sister? You also need to listen to me for a moment.”

Kugugugugung!!

A thick violet barrier instantly blocked Maiya’s path.

Maiya’s eyes, as she sharply turned her head back, turned icy.

“You insolent bastard… Aren’t you going to remove this right now?”

“I won’t.”

“Are you saying you want to fight before even passing the gateway? It seems you’ve already forgotten who was your senior in Machina [마키나].”

“Being older doesn’t necessarily make one a senior.”

The man retorted, not intimidated in the slightest by Maiya’s sharp gaze.

“One must act like a senior to be treated as such, Executor?”

“…”

“Your words, Elder Sister, who fled to the mortal world after the construction of the Ascension Gate [승천문] failed, don’t resonate with me much.”

“…You’ve grown quite fearless since I last saw you, Ballak.”

Maiya took a step forward and replied with an impassive expression.

“There was no one who could carelessly utter those words in front of me.”

“Much time has passed.”

The man called Ballak replied indifferently, crossing his arms.

“Enough time to forget the might of a retired relic.”

Kugugugugugu!!

With those words, the pressure pressing down on everything intensified, and a violet wave erupted from the man, slamming down on a vast area nearly tens of meters wide.

As the light of the rotating, distorted elliptical wave intensified, the endlessly amplified gravity began to slowly bend even the massive bridge.

A colossal gravity field encompassing an area of over a hundred meters.

The immense gravitational flow, centered on Ballak, pulling and rotating everything around it, instantly quelled all nearby battles and resistance.

“Ugh…!!”

An overwhelmingly powerful collection of gravitational force, effectively leashing the necks of Lennok and Evelyn Marcia, as well as all rivals struggling to advance midway across the bridge.

The surrounding scenery strangely warped, and the entire field of vision twisted.

It wasn’t merely bending light and sight; it was a level where one could influence space itself solely through the power of gravity manipulation.

Without the aid of shields and common magic, it would have been difficult to even breathe properly.

Only then did Evelyn Marcia, recognizing the identity of the man called Ballak, let out a faint murmur.

“Ballak O’Edon. So the monster leading the vanguard of the Force has arrived at this labyrinth…”

“Someone you know?”

Lennok, who was well-versed in the affairs of Pandemonium [판데모니엄] and Vulcan [불칸] but still ignorant about the continental situation, asked.

“He’s a gravity-type superhuman, a monster who reportedly reached level 8 recently. I heard he joined the Superpower Awakening Force [이능개화전단] right after reaching the pinnacle, but I didn’t expect him to be active already…”

Evelyn Marcia whispered with a small sigh.

“Because of his powerful and unique abilities, he used to dedicate himself to superpower research in Machina [마키나], and it seems he became acquainted with Maiya during that process.”

Creaak, creaak…!!

Forcibly pushing up her sagging shoulders and neck, Evelyn Marcia fixed the two men with a sharp gaze.

“This is the first time I’ve actually seen his face, so I was slow to recognize him. I heard he had a gloomy and reclusive disposition, but to think he had a personality like this…”

“If Ballak is such a formidable practitioner, then it’s actually for the best.”

Lennok immediately drew upon his magic and replied.

“While the two of them are clashing, we can seize the opportunity to escape…”

[I have a better plan than that, are you interested in hearing it?]

“…!!”

Startled by the voice suddenly echoing from below her belly, Evelyn Marcia slammed her fist down.

[Squeak!!]

“Wh-what was that?”

“The furball…”

[G-gently…]

The one convulsing and crying out in pain was the furball that was always clinging to Maiya’s shoulder.

Evelyn Marcia muttered with a dumbfounded expression, even amidst this serious situation.

“Wait, this thing talks…?”

[Ugh… it is clearly a living creature with nerves and senses. I am merely synchronizing my consciousness with this friend right now, but it feels everything.]

The somewhat subdued voice of a middle-aged man. But Lennok, upon hearing those words, calmly lowered his gaze instead.

“I thought Maiya was talking to someone earlier, turns out it was you. Are you trying to gain our cooperation?”

[You’re quick-witted. Just like the wizard favored by the Lighthouse Keeper.]

A single remark implying a detailed understanding of his identity and circumstances.

Evelyn Marcia’s expression turned cold, but Lennok paid no mind and instead stared intently at the furball.

“Synchronizing consciousness perfectly with this creature in a labyrinth where all external communication is severed… You’re no ordinary spellcaster either.”

[Otherwise, why would I think of walking into Jindun’s Hanghasa Labyrinth in my right mind?]

The furball, rolling over to meet Lennok’s gaze, transmitted its voice in a serious tone.

[More importantly, I haven’t received an answer yet.]

“…”

[The proposal is the same as what Maiya offered earlier: to gain access to the labyrinth’s third gateway and prevent the artifacts from falling into the wrong hands. On that premise, I will let the two of you enter The Cradle of Jindun first.]

“The Cradle, you say…”

[It wouldn’t be a bad offer for the Watchers either, would it? As you pursue seemingly impossible ideals, your good intentions can be trusted. I merely thought it more rational to ask you two rather than monsters blinded by greed.]

Words flowed smoothly, as if prerecorded in the furball.

[This is the final gateway. Since Ballak O’Edon has already stepped forward, other monsters might make their move at any time. I would appreciate it if you could make a decision as soon as possible.]

The true intentions, that he had no interest in the outcome sought by the Eyes of Blue , nor their goodwill and sincerity, nor any intention of making the same offer to other Watchers, were not revealed in his voice at all.

Among them, only these two possessed both the suitable temperament and abilities to be helpful.

Even Ballak, the gravity-type superhuman currently impeding Maiya, could be dealt with without much difficulty with the help of a wizard and an archer.

This plan was only possible because Maiya and the Doctor had never officially revealed their affiliation with Pandemonium.

It was a proposal made possible by Maiya’s meticulous approach, as she had never revealed her true identity despite having joined Pandemonium some time ago.

A proposal, clearly mixed with the Doctor’s personal preference, to achieve their goal by borrowing the hands of the Watchers, who saw them as adversaries and enemies.

But Lennok, pushing against the downward-pressing gravity by raising his magic and adding a shield, shook his head.

“The offer itself isn’t bad… but I’ll decline.”

[Why?]

“Your affiliation with Pandemonium doesn’t bother me, but the fact that you’re hiding your identity makes it hard to trust you.”

[…What?]

At the completely unexpected answer, the furball faltered.