Chapter 100

At those words, Han Seoa and Choi Dain, who were nearby, also wavered, but they didn’t voice any questions.

It was because they still couldn’t accurately read my intentions.

In that subtle atmosphere, Xiao Chen shot a sharp glance at Woo Kibeom beside her.

“This story is different from what I heard.”

“…It must be a lie to get out of the situation. You know too, sister, that this damn labyrinth is no ordinary space, right?”

That was certainly the general judgment. But coincidentally, I roughly knew a way to escape this place.

So, based on that information, I had no choice but to coax Xiao Chen well.

“This place is a testing ground created by someone with a clear purpose. To select specific individuals who meet the conditions.”

“What exactly is that?”

“I don’t know that yet either.”

“……”

“But what is certain is that the selection tasks are hidden here and there, and you must complete them one by one to escape this place.”

It was too unwavering to be dismissed as a simple lie. Moreover, at this level, it wasn’t just empty talk but a fairly detailed explanation.

At that, not only Xiao Chen but even Woo Kibeom, who had been trapped here for a long time, began to make a ‘could it be?’ expression.

“So, you can complete it?”

“At least I’m confident. However, I’ll need the cooperation of my comrades for that.”

In short, it was a request: I’ll somehow get you out of here, so don’t mess with us and damage our strength.

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Chen nodded, perhaps judging it wasn’t just nonsense.

“Fine.”

“…Sister!”

“But if there’s no significant progress after a week, I’ll come find you myself and take my due then.”

Xiao Chen had leeway.

It was an action taken because she knew that neither we here now nor the 1st-Rank Exorcist Yoo Taejin were a match for her.

“…Thank you.”

Thus, we barely escaped the crisis and were able to return to the ruins area, the base of Yoo Taejin’s group.

However, we now unintentionally had a one-week time limit imposed.

“…Oppa, will you be okay?”

“Yeah. No problem.”

But I pulled up the corners of my mouth and smiled. Because everything had already been calculated in my head.

‘It’s actually better this way.’

Now that a kind of coercive force named Xiao Chen has appeared, Yoo Taejin’s group will also have to act in earnest to escape the labyrinth, no matter what.

Then, isn’t it just a matter of moving these members to clear the labyrinth within a week and taking only the reward?

‘As a bonus, if possible, Xiao Chen should bury her bones here.’

Of course, she won’t go down easily either, but I am a kind of irregular who knows the entire truth of this labyrinth.

At least within this Black Forest, even she, a Special-Rank Exorcist, cannot get ahead of me.

‘Since the situation has been created, it would be foolish to just let the opportunity pass.’

I declare it here and now.

One week later. She will forever regret today’s events, which allowed me to act freely.

To Yoo Taejin’s group, who had returned from their search, we conveyed everything that had happened during the day.

“That’s a big problem. Woo Kibeom’s group, who broke the agreement, and a powerful ally on top of that.”

“Damn it, I’ll just—! Are you hurt anywhere?”

“…Yeah, uncle. I’m fine. Thanks to the kids.”

At Choi Dain’s words, Jang Hansoo and Choi Taekil stared at me with eyes that found it hard to believe.

“This punk really fought Woo Kibeom on equal footing? That can’t be? I hate to admit it, but that bastard is truly skilled.”

“…Honestly, it’s hard to imagine, but since it’s the word of someone who saw it firsthand, it can’t be entirely false.”

And, before we knew it, the topic moved to the next agenda. In fact, this is where the important part begins.

“Her power will be beyond whatever you imagine. If she targets us, literally everyone here would be as good as dead.”

“…Even so, isn’t that too definitive?”

“Tsk. Nonsense not worth seeing. You were so scared you couldn’t make a proper judgment. You don’t even know the leader’s true strength in the first place.”

Jang Hansoo and Choi Taekil showed slight displeasure and expressed negative opinions, but I, who possess the Appraisal function, can make a much more accurate judgment than simply guessing with my eyes.

No matter how excellent an Exorcist Yoo Taejin is, if he were to fight Xiao Chen, it’s clear he wouldn’t last even five minutes.

“I know her identity.”

“What?”

“She is Xiao Chen, a member of the internationally wanted organization Night School. In terms of skill, she’s Special-Rank. Do you have the confidence to face her?”

“S, Special-Rank?”

At those words, everyone’s expressions hardened. They finally realized the situation was no ordinary matter.

Amid everyone’s silence, the leader Yoo Taejin, who had been quietly sitting, spoke.

“If it’s Xiao Chen, I’ve heard of her too. She is indeed an Exorcist of Special-Rank level.”

“Damn, hell, then she’s not someone we can handle…?”

Choi Taekil seemed completely stunned. Well, a Special-Rank Exorcist. An existence so rare it’s hard to even see one outside.

Seeing that reaction, Yoo Taejin let out a heavy sigh.

“I understand the situation. It’s certainly a crisis. But it seems we haven’t heard the most important story.”

How we managed to get away from such a Xiao Chen would be puzzling.

In response, anticipating the reaction that would soon burst out, I conveyed the earlier facts to the group as they were.

“…Isn’t this guy crazy? Why did you boast like that to a Special-Rank?”

“Uncle, it was an unavoidable situation. Otherwise, she would have already taken us hostage to lure out the leader.”

“No, well, that’s true but…”

Choi Taekil scratched his head nervously as if he couldn’t find a way out at all.

With this, the circumstances were roughly explained.

Then, without further delay, I finally brought out the true main point.

“It’s not a boast. There really is a way out.”

“…What on earth do you mean?”

“Of course, it will be an extremely arduous task, but it’s not necessarily impossible.”

“Kangyoon, is that really true?”

Towards Yoo Taejin, who was looking at me with a serious expression, I nodded quietly.

“…Hey, this isn’t something you can joke about. You know, right? We’ve wandered for seven years in this damn labyrinth without even a landmark. And yet, we couldn’t find a single clue.”

Choi Taekil’s voice was desperate. It was no wonder, as they were the ones who had staked their lives to escape this place more than anyone.

In response, I began to reveal part of the information I possessed.

“I’ve read all the materials you investigated and organized. It seems you’ve already guessed that this place is a massive Barrier intentionally created by someone.”

“Yeah. I figured that out while looking around inside. I saw unidentified structures and places touched by human hands with my own eyes.”

“Then let me tell you. To explain precisely, the one who created this Great Barrier, like a labyrinth, is an Ancient Witch.”

The expressions of Choi Taekil and Jang Hansoo who heard that became strange. Well, a witch? It was such an abrupt statement.

“What, there might have been a time when witches actually existed, but their line was cut off long ago, wasn’t it?”

It wasn’t a wrong statement. However, Witch Verdi, who created the four regions of this Eternal Labyrinth, succeeded in creating a Great Barrier that would be maintained forever even after her death. And she applied it directly to the Eternal Labyrinth.

In the atmosphere of not understanding, unexpectedly, supporting fire came from Yoo Taejin.

“…It’s probably true. I wasn’t sure so I didn’t bring it up, but I also speculated that in a corner of my mind. At least in the ruins at the deepest part, their methods were clearly visible.”

It was quite unexpected. As expected of a 1st-Rank Exorcist, it seemed he possessed some knowledge about witches, who are almost forgotten in modern times.

“…If the leader says so, we have no choice but to believe it.”

“Then, assuming that witch created this place, what exactly do we have to do and how?”

“We must obtain the qualification. The qualification to inherit the witch’s knowledge hidden here.”

To be precise, this Eternal Labyrinth is a kind of selection ground created by Witch Verdi to find a successor to inherit her knowledge.

The method was truly nasty, but in gaming terms, it meant a place like a dungeon where you can obtain a rare opportunity.

“…It’s a somewhat bewildering story, but it makes sense.”

The unidentified structures inside the Black Forest and the mysterious spaces that seem to have some hidden meaning.

If all of this is like a test for selection, the nuance roughly fits.

“…Even so, hasn’t anything changed? We just didn’t know the intention, but we were guessing that we had to achieve something through those things.”

Jang Hansoo’s words were valid.

However, that’s why I deliberately took the time to find it. An object secretly hidden here that could convince everyone without forcing an explanation.

Thump.

“If you see this, you’ll understand quickly. It’s the witch’s diary. The clues to obtain the qualification were contained here.”

“…Is that really true?”

By presenting this, the source of my knowledge also becomes entirely clear.

Yoo Taejin, who caught the old book I took out from my bosom and threw, opened it in front of everyone and began reading the contents.

And as he read, his expression changed moment by moment.

“…This, it seems undoubtedly correct.”

“Damn it, it’s real! Such a thing existed here? How on earth did you find this?”

Choi Taekil was flustered but couldn’t hide his joy. It was understandable, as he had finally found a clue to escape in a situation where he had almost given up and let go of everything.

However, the expressions of the group who seriously examined all the contents were not good, even as a mere formality.

“…This is a great achievement. Thanks to Kangyoon, the situation has progressed in an instant. The contents written here are surely all true.”

But.

“Frankly, I’ll ask for your opinion. Do you really think such a thing is possible with the current members?”

That was the problem.

Why exactly is the Eternal Labyrinth considered an impossible-to-conquer maze?

It’s because the process of gaining the witch’s recognition is too difficult and too unreasonable.

Of course, the members gathered here were sufficiently capable of being called masters of reversal, but frankly, it was lacking.

In fact, the combat power of the protagonist’s party that conquered the Guilty Labyrinth, the southern region of the Eternal Labyrinth, in Series 4 included one Special-Rank and three 1st-Ranks.

Compared to that, we are shabby like a lamp before the sun.

However, despite that, I declared without the slightest hesitation.

“Yes. It’s possible.”

Everyone present looked at me with incomprehensible faces, but my thoughts hadn’t changed.

Because this place was none other than the ‘Black Forest.’

And the ‘Black Forest’ was the only place among the four regions of the Eternal Labyrinth that I was in charge of developing.