Chapter 179: Maze 3

Rumble

A tremor rang throughout the maze.

It was very faint but everybody felt it.

While the people were talking to each other in case another Triple Fusion Beast was attacking a different part of the maze.

Hansoo frowned.

'He came huh.'

A tremendous destructive force that even made the ground tremble.

There was only one thing that could show off such a might without the Satellite Fortress that would've been near here.

'...It's the Judge.'

A warrior of the Higher Race that filled the gap between the Satellite Fortresses.

Hansoo mumbled as he felt the extremely faint vibration ringing throughout the walls of the maze.

They were called the Higher Race as a group but every individual had their differences in power.

The best out of the ones who were talented in controlling mana would receive the honor of being able to control a Satellite Fortress and would either assume the position of a Defender, Harvester or a Judge.

Their physical capabilities didn't need to be that good since they had the Satellite Fortress.

On the other hand, the ones who are superior physically would act as Warriors.

Along with weapons that weren't needed in the frontier where the Satellite Fortresses were at.

'This should be... Akion.'

No matter how good their physical abilities were, there was still a limit.

Since their physical bodies shouldn't be superior to that of the Triple Fusion Beast.

Which meant that there was only one way for them to have destroyed the door.

A weapon that symbolized the wrath of the heavens.

Akion.

Every attack from it was like the heaven's rage.

Since might was almost equal to the assault of the Satellite Fortress though there existed a slight delay.

Hansoo got closer to the walls of the Maze and put his ears on the wall.

Tuututung

Tutututung

Extremely faint vibrations.

Numerous tens of these could be felt through the Maze's wall.

Hurried-sounding footsteps.

It could only be one of two things.

Either they were people trapped inside the Maze after running here for safety like those behind him right now.

Or Hunting Dogs the Judge had released.

'I guess I'll need to hurry.'

Hansoo treated his injuries and then started to tap the wall.

Tongtongtongtong

Tongtongtong

'What the hell is he doing this time...'

While Karhal was shrugging his shoulders at Hansoo.

Merelin, who had been inspecting the closed door, made an expression full of despair.

'I can't open this. No matter what."

A door that was shut closed.

Traces of Triple Fusion Beasts.

A dark tunnel.

'No. I cannot stay trapped here.'

She had never even imagined that she would die in a place like this.

Her skills had been recognized and she had been promised many things.

<your trait seems very precious to us. take this... and come to this place in the beginning... green zone. it wouldn't be hard. you would need to get through the green road if everything was the way it was supposed to be but your trait is too precious so we can't shove you in a place like that. i cannot tell you a lot of things because of secrecy issues but just know that for now. since the inspector will tell you everything you need to know. if you follow the inspector... meitron will treat you very well.>

'Damn...not hard!? They dare play with me?'

Merelin clenched onto an item within her hand.

A small stone that the captain of the guard in her village, Epon, had given her.

Epon told her.

That if she held onto this then the Satellite Fortress will come and carry her away.

She didn't believe it at first but she had to believe it after seeing Epon talk to Dakidus, the Harvester.

Since it was the first time she had seen the Harvester having a long conversation with anybody.

And because of this she hadn't really cared about her followers this time around.

Since she was just going to move to the area where she would get onto the Satellite Fortress and get out.

But what was this.

The Inspector who was supposed to come was nowhere to be seen and she had been trapped within this damned nest by the beasts that she couldn't even communicate to.

She had never even imagined of such a scene like this.

'Damn! Damnit!'

She wanted to smash apart everything near her but instead she suppressed her anger and calmed down.

Since a dumb act like that wouldn't help her in any way.

She had to stay calm.

'Calm down. I'm in a much better position than others.'

Merelin started to breath in and out.

She didn't know where the forces of the captain of the guards, Epon, or the Arukons were but if she found strong guys such as them then she would be able to stay alive.

The other side was too serious for all of this to be a joke.

There should be a mistake somewhere she just needed to get out of here and fix it.

And thoughts such as this made her feel at ease.

Since she didn't need to go through the entire Green Road where beasts such as the one she had seen a while ago swarmed around in.

'Just focus on one thing. I just need to find those guys.'

She started to become much more lucid as a clear goal was set.

Merelin calmed down and looked at the three in front of her.

She had glared them in rage but like the other woman had said, it wasn't the time to fight.

And she didn't have any confidence to beat them if they fought here.

'Especially that guy...'

Merelin gulped down her saliva as she watched the man who was inspecting the surrounding area while tapping the strange looking walls.

'I've never seen something like that before. Did he learn a special skill or something?'

A man who had taken the beam that destroyed everything with his own body.

She had seen a lot of strong people before.

The leader of her village was quite strong as well and she had also seen people who were often called geniuses.

But she had never seen the man in front of her before.

'No wait. Have I?'

Merelin shook her head after thinking about the past.

That wasn't the important part.

The important part was being with someone strong as him would be beneficial in many ways.

Being together with someone strong was always beneficial.

'I have to survive no matter what...Until I meet them.'

Merelin spoke out after finishing her thoughts.

"You're going deeper?"

As Hansoo nodded at her question, Merelin pondered for a bit and asked again.

"May I ask for what reason you are going in deeper?"

"I don't think we're that close to tell you such things."

Karhal suddenly spat out.

'Damned bastard.'

But as Hansoo didn't respond, it seems he had the same mindset as Karhal.

Merelin glanced at Karhal and then spoke to Hansoo.

"Could we follow as well?"

"Huh? Merelin?"

The people behind her were shocked.

What was she saying.

They should be trying to get out of this damned place, for them to go in deeper.

Merelin shook her head as she spoke.

"I don't think we should be focused in going out for now. We should be focused on surviving. And there's no guarantee that we would be able to go out even if we separate."

They had one of two choices.

Do everything they can do get out.

Or go along with the three other.

But there was no guarantee that they, who had no idea about anything in this place or the right direction to take, would be able to find the exit.

"Well...Yeah I guess it'll be better to go with them then."

One person nodded.

Those three wouldn't be heading to their deaths anyway.

They should have plenty of confidence if they were going in deeper.

And more than everything else, the man who was busily moving around from here to there seemed very reliable.

'Yeah. Surviving is better than going out.'

She had forgotten about the most important thing because she had been shocked by the fact that she had been trapped.

"Tsk. We don't plan on being a charity."

Karhal clicked his tongue but didn't refute it.

Since the small help was still help in the end.

Karhal didn't show it but he had been quite nervous from the claw marks of the Triple Fusion Beast upon the walls.

'Damn...I hope we can move away from this place quickly.'

At that moment.

Rumble

A wall that Hansoo had touched rumbled as it opened up.

At the same time a tunnel with a diameter of about 5m opened up.

It wasn't small but it was too small for a Triple Fusion Beast to go through.

"Ohhh!"

"Oh my!"

Everyone exclaimed out as they saw the tunnel.

They hadn't spoken it out loud but they were all nervous from being trapped in a place like this.

The triple Fusion Beast would not be able to get through a tunnel of that size no matter what.

Smiles appeared on the people's faces as they could dodge away from the factor that gave them the most fear.

'Yeah. It's better to go with someone who at least knows a few things...Than staying by ourselves and remaining clueless.'

Of course they didn't know what the three were thinking inside their mind but the fact that they didn't try to leave them behind with lies made them feel much more at ease.

'If they had ulterior motives then they would've probably sent us out in the front.'

While the people were standing up after clutching onto their wounds which they had taken emergency care of.

Hansoo spoke towards Ekidu and Karhal.

"Let's go"

"Can we follow as well?"

Hansoo nodded at Merelin who was confirming it again just in case.

Since these people had been trapped because of him bringing the Triple Fusion Beast here.

It might've been different if they hadn't been trapped along with him but since they were already here, there was no reason for him to stop them.

"But I cannot guarantee your life."

"Of course! Hahaha! Isn't that the way it's supposed to be!"

As if an existence which they could rely on had appeared within the darkness, a Hunter who was clutching onto his arm laughed out loudly.

They wouldn't have asked to join if they weren't going to contribute their share.

No, they wouldn't even have come out from the village.

"People who are like that have remained in the Farmer level for quite some time! Haha! You need to proceed with your own strength!"

"..."

While Merelin was frowning at the Hunter's words as if it was provoking her in some way, Hansoo nodded as he spoke.

"Then let's go. Run."

The moment he finished speaking.

Hoooook!

Hansoo started to quickly run off.

And the people started to follow after seeing this.

'His speed is... Followable. Does he not have an Acceleration type skill?'

The people made expressions of relief.

If that Hansoo had used an Acceleration-type skill along with his monstrous body then they wouldn't have been able to even dream about following him but his running speed was quite manageable.

Hunters, Ekidu and Karhal used their skills as they followed Hansoo.

'Good.'

Merelin, who had been thinking that they had escaped the imminent danger for now, suddenly remembered something.

'Look at me, I forgot about it.'

She then took out the small black stone in her hands and then carefully tied it onto a string.

Then she tied it between the neck and her armor where it could be easily seen.

Clang

The small black rock that the captain of the guards, Epon, had given her shined on her neck.

'This is good.'

Even if she could not figure out who was supposed to help her, they would realize it after seeing this.

'Yeah. They have given me the offer because I was precious... They shouldn't just leave me be. I hope I can meet them as soon as possible.'

She thought that this strange place might be their headquarters but it didn't seem that way..

It was smaller than before but the tunnel they were running through was still a bit too large.

As if it wasn't a tunnel the humans went through.

A complete darkness.

A tunnel that spread into the distance and into the unknown.

The Great Jungle where anything could pop out was a problem as well but a place like this also made one suppress their breath.

Merelin, who was praying in order to get out of this nerve-wracking situation as soon as possible, smiled as she looked at Hansoo.

A man who was dispersing her nervousness.

'Quite reliable isn't he. Please be good to us. Who knows? I might even ask that Inspector to take you along with me.'

That Karhal guy ahead of her was quite strong as well but there were people like him around if she searched.

But that Hansoo guy was special.

With his strength, even Epon's group would want to rope him in.

Since they seemed to like inviting people into their group and expanding their strength.

If she asked then they might even allow it.

'I hope they can find me quickly.'

If not then she needed to try a bit harder.

Try harder in order to find them instead.

Merelin finished her thoughts as she chased behind Hansoo.