Orcus Labyrinth, Deep in the Abyss

Leo opened his eyes but the bright light forced him to close them.

'Am I still in a dream?'

[Quest completed: Clear Orcus Labyrinth]

Difficulty: SS

Rewards obtained: 1x [Skill Evolution Coupon], 50000SP

He rubbed his eyes with one hand, his other hand was enveloped in something warm.

He looked around to find himself laying on a soft bed covered by a fluffy blanket. He uncovered the blanket to see Yue sleeping peacefully while clinging on his arm. They were both naked.

He breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her closer.

'Thank god she is alive. Jen, where is this?'

(This is inside the gate you saw behind the hydra.)

His eyes opened wide in realization.

'How did we survive?'

He couldn't remember anything after he saw Yue getting hit by the aurora beam. A gentle wind touched his cheeks, making him relaxed. He caressed the soft cushion.

'Is this heaven? Status'

[Status]

Name: Leo Evans

Title: [Behemoth Killer] [Cruel Hunter]

Race: Human-Monster Hybrid, ??

Age: 17

Level: 65

Class: Berserker

Strength: 2300

Vitality: 2700

Defense: 2850

Agility: 2100

Magic: 5500 (Sealed)

Magic Defense: 5500

[Skills]

.....

[Innate Abilities]

[Spirit Language] (S)

[Avenger] (SSS)

Berserk (Active skill)

Wrath Aura (Active Skill)

Effects: Increases Strength, Healing

Demon's Wrath (Sealed) (Active skill): ??

Effects: Increase stats by 9x, Unlocks [??] skill, ??

'Demon's Wrath? And what's that ?? in my race?'

(It's a part of your innate skill. As for your race I don't know.)

'Forget it, I'll know when the time comes right? How did we survive? Did I kill the hydra with that skill?'

(Ask Yue for details.)

He shook her gently. "Yue, wake up... Yue…"

"Ahn! Leo… be gentle…" she muttered and clung tighter.

He shook his head and flicked her forehead.

She released him hastily and rubbed her forehead with teary eyes.

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"Leo!"

She stared at him blankly for a moment then leaped into his chest. Her skin gave him a warm sensation and a sweet aroma tickled his nose.

She sobbed quietly in his chest, he brushed her hair gently.

"I'm sorry for worrying you. So can you stop crying already?"

"You… nearly died…" she said and hugged him harder.

'This girl... Jen, how much SP do I have now?'

(145000SP)

'Finally, I can buy [Mana Crafting] and [All Elemental Affinity]'

He breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could get much stronger.

'I won't let anyone die, not again.'

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His head started throbbing, memories of [Mana Crafting] were being imprinted in his mind. He felt like he was crafting things for years.

"Huh!?"

Yue looked up with a worried face, her eyes red from crying.

"It's nothing. What happened after you… got hurt?"

"You… killed the Hydra... in one punch."

"Really?"

She nodded her head cutely. "Nn."

He couldn't believe it, defeating that monster with one punch.

"What happened after that?"

"The gate opened and I carried you here."

He patted her head with a smile. "Thanks…"

Her eyes curved into a crescent as her face formed a soft smile.

"Why are we naked then?"

She licked her lips. "You were dirty… So I cleaned you up."

He shook his head. "You really are one horny vampire princess."

"Fufu."

"Let's check this place out."

Yue pulled out some clothes she found exploring this place. The clothes fit him nicely.

He looked at Yue who was dressed in a single shirt. It fitted her body tightly, emphasizing her modest breasts. She looked charming, despite her young body.

'Seriously, this girl won't leave a chance to seduce me.'

"You look beautiful."

He took the head of Vampire princess puffing her chest proudly and exited the bedroom.

The scene outside really shocked him.

Warm sunlight covered every part of the room, a giant conical structure hung up high above the ceiling with a dazzling orb that was responsible for the light. The sunlight felt really warm without any artificial feeling in it.

'Interesting.'

"...It looks like a moon at night."

"Amazing."

He heard water falling at a distance, looking back he saw a waterfall in the back side of the stadium-sized room. Water fell through a hole in the ceiling and followed the river below into a cavern on the wall.

Looking closer, there were some fish in the river. A small farm located near the river with a barn being next to the farm. The room was filled with green with trees scattered all over the place.

It looked like a luxurious resort in his eyes. He shook his head and decided to check the closest place here. A building that looked like it was carved out of white limestone illuminated by another one of the artificial sun hung up on the ceiling. It gave a neat and clean appearance

The duo still hadn't adapted to the light here after living in darkness for so long.

"...I investigated it earlier, most of the doors were locked."

"I see."

They entered the building warily, it never hurt to be too cautious.

A thick carpet laid near a fireplace, a living room filled with sofas, furniture, even a kitchen, and a bathroom. Everything still looked clean, even after not used for who knows how long.

Leo and Yue continued deeper into the house. After a while they stood outside again, greeted by an oval-shaped door. It led them to a place like a backyard with a lion statue.

He poured mana into the magic circle next to the statue. Hot water gushed of the lion's half-opened maw.

"It's a bath now. It's been a while since we took one."

"Let's take one together…"

"Later..."

The duo made their way to the second floor and found a library and a workshop. But everything was locked, so they went up to the third floor and stared at the single door.

"Let's go."

Leo said and pushed open the door. An eight meters long magic circle inlaid on the floor, even Yue was stunned at its complexity.

His eyes stopped on a figure sitting on a chair next to the magic circle. Only bones left from the decayed corpse inside a black and gold without a single speck of dust on it. It looked more like a decoration than a real corpse.

Seated in a relaxed posture, its hollow eyes stared down at its own figure as if the person died this way. The skeleton and the magic circle were the only things in the room.

"It looks suspicious, what do you think?" he asked Yue, who was far more experienced in magic than him.

'Analyze'

[??]

??

'Jen, what is this?'

(Your current [Analyze] can't scan it.)

'Is that circle safe?'

(...Yes.)

"I'll try that magic circle, be ready for anything," he said and walked over to the magic circle.

"Be careful."

He stepped in the magic circle, nothing happened. When he reached the middle, bright yellow light filled the entire room.

He closed his eyes and felt something invading his mind, memories of his time in the abyss flashed from the time he fell to him killing hydra in one punch.

The magic circle glow died down a little and the light dimmed. He opened his eyes to see a black figure standing in front.

He quickly drew his sword from inventory. But the figure just stood there so he tried to analyze but it didn't work. It began to speak.

"I congratulate you on overcoming my trial. My name is Oscar Orcus. I am the man who created this labyrinth. I suppose to the world I am known as a Maverick."

"By the way, don't ask any questions. This is nothing more than a recording, so I cannot answer any queries you may have. I wanted to tell those who made it this far why it was that we, who learned the truth of the world, chose to fight against the gods... so I decided to leave a message. I want you to know… that though we were mavericks, we were truly not rebels."

They listened to the man who spoke shocking truths one after another.

After the Age of the Gods, the world was engulfed in a never-ending war. A group called The Liberators, direct descendants of a god, rose up to stop the war. Their leader had learned the true intentions of the gods by a coincidence. The gods were just playing a grand game of chess with the world.

But before Liberators could start the war, the gods manipulated the sentient races to regard Liberators as the ones trying to destroy the world.

Being branded as traitors the Liberators chose to escape rather than fight. As a result, they were killed one by one. The last most powerful seven of them realized they couldn't fight back now, they scattered all over the world and created Seven Great Labyrinths as their base. They created a series of trials, for someone who might be able to stop the mad gods and fulfill their wish.

"I don't have any intention of forcing my own dreams of god's demise on you. I simply wanted you to know what it was we fought, and died, for… As a reward for hearing me out. I shall grant you my strength. How you use it is entirely up to you. I can only pray you won't use it for evil. Thank you for listening to the end. May the 'blessings' of the Gods never reach you."

Oscar figure vanished after it finished talking.

Leo felt something entering his mind. It was a numb feeling rather than pain. The magic circle stopped glowing.

['Creation Magic' Ancient Magic acquired]

[Creation Magic] (Ancient Magic)

Allows the user to interfere with any inorganic material and grants the ability to shape or transform them in any way.

"Yeah!" Leo nearly jumped in excitement. "I can make my equipment now. With [Craftsman] and [Creation Magic] I'm unstoppable!"

His eyes shone brightly in excitement. Both skills eliminated other's weaknesses. With [Mana Crafting] he could grant skills to any object and [Creation Magic] could create any type of ore.

He looked at Yue smiling gently and smiled awkwardly.

"You should try it too. It's a magic from the Age of Gods."

"Huh!?"

She was stunned to hear it but she composed herself quickly and walked in the magic circle.

"I congratulate you…"

The message played again, Yue turner back and asked, "What will we do now?"

A vicious smile appeared on his face. "I have one more reason to kill that shitty god. What about you?"

"I'll go where Leo goes."

He already expected to hear it. "Let's bury him. He deserves a proper burial at least," he said while pointing at the skeleton.

The light of the magic circle faded.

"Nn. I learned the magic, even though I can't make any artifacts," she said in a gloomy voice.

He patted her head. "Leave creating artifacts to me."

"Nn."