Jazmel and Baek stepped off the final step, and through a corridor that felt like a portal. People in groups and teams had all gone their own ways, getting off the stairwell at different intervals. But Baek and Jazmel followed the entire path and made it all the way to the bottom of the stairs.

  Baek explained that the spirit tree probably provided them with the path as the quest had been given to them. the spirit tree seemed in tune with the system and so it was favouring them in terms of providing a path down its trunk and levels, all the way to the roots.

  This was the first floor though and Jazmel who was not unfamiliar with the creations of domains and expansion parts. But this floor was like a domain entirely. It was huge, bigger than the entire domain of his stronghold. It was eerily quiet and dark; it was as if it was nighttime and Jazmel was walking along in the middle of it.

  His keen eyes lit his path, and the glimmer of ambient Mana was like little pollen lights that flittered about him and Baek.

  The first thing he noticed were the ancient obelisks erected in odd places; he wondered if they were in some sort of ritual array. But the obelisks were devoid of Mana, the lack of Mana in them made Jazmel wonder if they had died, it was an uncomfortable sight for him. he traced his hand along the closest one and it did nothing, didn’t even try to leech Mana from him.

  He peered up to see how high they went and at a guess, it was easily fifteen ft tall. He glanced away trying to see if he could figure out in which direction to go when his eye caught Mana at the top of one of the obelisks, he glanced at it and in the dark a creature was picking its way down. Trying to ambush them from above. But Jazmel could see it quite clearly; as clear as day and as he watched descend slowly and carefully. He himself drew his sword Furyu slowly and tensed as the creature approached.

  Just as it was about to leap and reveal itself, Jazmel acted first.

  Sundering Raven!

  He struck first, his strike hitting the dark where he assumed the creature’s body was. But soon finding out it was in fact the body of the monster. It screeched and Jazmel saw that aside from its body of shadow and darkness, its face was a white mime mask. It didn’t move and yet he could feel and hear the wails of pain and discomfort. He stabbed into the mask and the monster died instantly.

  DING!

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  TIER III HUNGER MASK KILLED! An urge more than a corporeal creature, it hungers for all it cannot have. Light, life, and warmth. It draws its victims into is being for all those things and drains them immediately. Be careful of this creature!

  EXP ACCRUED!

  That one had died from shattering its mask, he made to turn and tell Baek. But he was already acting, his sword glistened like a star and the creatures rushed forward. Drunk on the light, but Baek used it to draw them in, lull them into their lust before shattering their masks as they came close. He moved with the elegance of a heron, a leaf upon the wind. He was so graceful and dangerous, his sword skimmed through the masks as he struck here and there. Before long, he was standing surrounded by masks, the black shadow bodies seemed to disappear when the masks were broken.

  “that might be the first time I have seen you actually fight.” He said and Baek seemed coy or shy.

  “I have never needed to actually involve myself, but now that you are a master tier too. I think the labyrinth will act as if we are travelling as a pair and now the quality of monsters and beasts will match our strengths.” Baek told him.

  Just as they were speaking, the shattered masks began to form up and form one giant mask. The shadows swirled and whirled about until the body of one large hunger mask stood before them. Jazmel prepared to fight it, but Baek swung his blade and smote its ruin.

  Heron’s edge!

  A dazzling white slash broke the mask and sliced clean through the body before it could form properly, and when it crashed apart and fell again. It died a true death now.

  But as it laid there, the giant mask that had formed began to disperse and the pale white mask, became white sand which dispersed; into the obelisks!

  The obelisks awoke, they thrummed with ancient activity and the Mana choked free from whatever slumber it had been in. Jazmel watched as each obelisk winked into life and the flickering Mana grew in abundance until it was a shining beacon of life.

  DING!

  YOU AWOKE THE SPIRIT OBELISK ARRAY OF DIVINITY!

  THE STARS WITHIN THE LABYRINTH WILL SING YOUR FEATS!!

  THE SPIRIT TREE WELCOMES YOU AND THANKS YOU FOR FREEING THE ARRAY!

  …

  WHILE WITHIN THE SPIRIT TREE, YOUR STAMINA WILL RECOVER QUICKER!

  WHILE WITHIN THE SPIRIT TREE, YOUR MANA WILL LAST LONGER!

  …

  EXP ACCRUED!!

  “Well I didn’t expect you to end it so quick.” Jazmel said to Baek who was still clutching his sword.

  “I merged a skill and opened a skill token a while ago, I thought it a good time to test my skills.” Baek said, something felt different and Jazmel honestly liked it, Baek seemed unrestrained and more honest. It was as if he was an ambitious seeker again and not just a retainer protecting his young master.

  Jazmel turned back to the array and watched it churn out Mana in a more focused way, it felt refreshing. To him, it felt like he was atop a mountain and breathing in fresh air. But the Mana was growing more intense and then the array spat out a portal, a gate that Jazmel assumed was to the next floor.

  “Let’s move on.” Jazmel said and he and Baek moved forward.