Upon stepping out of the tenth floor, the restraint I felt within the barrier vanished as we found ourselves on the eleventh floor of the Labyrinth.

The Clans led the way forward to realize what I had already knew and why I thought the labyrinth was off in the first place. The eleventh floor was the same as it was on the ninth floor, free of conflict simply because of its location near a safe zone. However, on the floors ahead the strange mana essence grew stronger and yet empty at the same time.

“Xiao, where almost to the twelfth floor. How’s it looking up ahead?” Lyra asked as she looked back at me from her position near the front of the group.

My Amber gaze glanced forward. "It seems I’m a bit thrown off by an increase of Mana essence. I suggest we keep our guard up," I said to sum up my thoughts in the quickest way possible.

“That ability of yours isn’t working? That is unusual but maybe the Mana has grown thick enough to interfere with your ability to sense anything,” she replied making sense of it even if that wasn’t completely the case. Regardless of the strange Mana limiting my senses. I was still capable of detecting any threat toward me just not in the same manner.

“Something like that. I’m sure if I’m close enough I can still use it,” I remarked which left her to acknowledge my answer as she carried on through the Labyrinth.

I could tell even Reiner was tense assuming he was in a similar situation I was. Lilith in the other handheld onto the back of my shirt looking every bit on high alert with a scowl on her face.

Regardless, We continued toward the unknowns ahead.

It wasn't long before the Clans reached the fifteenth floor without so much as a single encounter. Of course, that led them to question that with chatter amongst each other.

“It’s hard to believe we’re just progressing through the late floors without any trouble especially after the early floors were swarming with mana beasts, we might not even need a week at this rate to conquer the thirtieth floor” A member from clan Aerith chirped with disbelief.

Almost all of them agreed with that statement and caused Eto to puff his chest out with pride, "I wouldn’t be surprised if we scared them all off." He said as he laughed at the thought.

However, I found it odd that there was no signs of anything other than us and yet the Mana Essence smothering our surroundings was enough to somehow counter my abilities to sense the presence of any being or creature.

"What the hell is this. I can’t even concentrate right now,” Reiner growled from my side with a hand on his head to calm his irritation. I was quite aware why he couldn't focus.

“It’s the Mana Essence, it seems the skill I taught you is considerably debuffed by it. Do you remember your cultivation sessions? If you can calm down and not sense it, the Mana will eventually balance itself out. In other words, the ability will sense almost nothing… not that it matters considering it’s basically useless in our current situation, but at least you’ll be able to focus enough if we happen to run into trouble," I remarked as we walked along but Reiner did click his tongue in return.

"Heh. So, it’s like poison... what a pain.” He said and despite his frustration, it was all he had to do as he realized after taking a moment to try. “Oi, the hell? I feel blind right now… I haven’t felt this since before I met you,” Reiner growled clearly not amused by his now impaired senses.

“It will be alright, just like then. I will be there to protect you, I'm sure you already know that.” I said as he reminded me of our first few months together before he went under my lessons.

Reiner did grow an unusual smirk, "Heh. I do… just like old times I guess,” He replied with his usual growl as he came to terms with it all.

Still, we continued through the fifteenth floor in record time even the sixteenth floor was nothing more than a walk in the park. It wasn’t long before we had passed the halfway point and the clans had let their guard down thinking the floor would be the same as the others.

Regardless, I remained watching with the usual flat expression resting on my face. It was clear something was off here.

“What a joke…” Grayson scoffed before continuing. “The last corridor to the seventeenth floor is just up ahead. This labyrinth is turning out to be easier than anyone thought,” he said as he walked ahead of the group and led the way into the corridor.

However, when my boot stepped forward into the corridor my amber gaze glanced down or rather underneath me.

Even with my ability to sense any presence debuffed, my Esoteric Restriction’s were more than capable of marking any possible threat, albeit in a smaller radius due to my current situation but still it was more than enough.

The clans didn’t hesitate to continue until I spoke up in my usual flat tone, "If you take another step, you might be sorry, there is something blocking our way to the seventeenth floor." I said as two of the Clans glanced over at me stopping as I recommended.

Lyra of course took it upon herself to ask the obvious, "What are you saying? I don’t see anything in sight,” she replied and looked to Grayson and his Clan who kept walking as if they had no intention of listening to my advice.

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“The cursed trash is just trying to stay relevant, there is nothing here," he sneered as he continued forward with a glare on his face.

However, that was exactly what I was expecting them to say, “its underneath us…” I said before the ground ahead of us erupted upward in dirt and debris as something shot out of the floor.

Grayson was the first to react and stumble to a safer distance, "What the hell!?," he yelled in alarm after getting a front row seat to the large creature that burrowed itself back into the floor.

Regardless, Clan Naria and their Grayson were now aware of what I had tried to warn them about.

"… There’s only one Mana Beast that burrows underground like that. A Dune Wrym,” Eto remarked with a noticeable amount of amusement as he looked excited to grab the spear from his back. “In Treviri we even consider them strong, I wonder what one from a labyrinth will be like?" He added before a fanged smirk rested on his face. “A hunt finally starts." He exclaimed with a chuckle and seemed to know something we didn't. “Just so you all know, this Dune Wrym isn’t hiding it’s already hunting us. Funny thing is us beastmen have hunted thousands of these Dune Wyrm’s, the sands and strength of earth belong to beastmen.”

Lyra listened to his bragging as she looked at the area where the Dune Wrym emerged from, "So you are saying you know how to kill it?" She asked as the two clans braced themselves for battle while Eto laughed in return.

"That's right, I’ll force it above ground where you’ll all do enough damage to kill it, but I hate to say it, who knows how long it has been here and when in a Dune Wyrm’s nest they tear up the ground underneath the earth to create a trap that collapses within itself. We need to hunt it before that happens," Eto said ready and eager to take the spotlight.

The other members of Clan Kemonozu and Clan Aerith seemed to be on the same page as Lyra and her members readied themselves. "Alright, I understand.”

Of course, Clan Naria’s Grayson scoffed with his irrelevant input. “If beastmen hunt these in Treviri… I’m completely sure Clan Naria will end this quickly,” He sneered before his hand reached for the hilt of his sword.

Regardless of their exchange I glanced to my members who looked to be ready to act at any moment, “Get ready.” I said flatly ready for things to begin.

Eto’s fanged grin only widened as he twirled his spear in his hands. “You’re all about to find out how strong beastmen really are.” He stated taking the lead for the fight. “…Get out of there already… Earth Rupture,” he said as the butt of his spear struck the ground in front of him and instantly caused a tremor that shook the floor with a shockwave forward.

The spikes of earth shot from the ground seconds after and forced the Dune Wyrm to surface with a roar as it took the full impact of Eto’s attack.

Its large earthy body was a disgusting sight of corrosive slime covering a serpent-like body and a powerful gaping mouth lined with sharp fangs.

“There you are, the first try is always good luck,” Eto laughed before his smirk shifted to everyone else. “Now is our chance, my clan and I will keep it from going underground.” He said with the usual grin before the members of Clan Kemonozu rushed toward the Dune Wyrm alongside him.

Lyra and her members unleashed a volley of arrows and spells, targeting the vulnerable spots on the creature causing it to screech in pain as it attempted to burrow underground again while it threw its body around to attack.

However, it seemed Eto and his members had that covered. My momentary glance to my members practically said it all.

We moved forward.

Lilith of course remained with Clan Aerith to block any attacks that would get in our way while the rest of us joined the Kemonozu’s as they did their best to keep the Dune Wyrm from burrowing underground.

“Reiner. We’ll focus on shedding its layer of slime before getting close, with Clan Naria it shouldn’t be difficult,” I said noticing Grayson and his members handling the battle exactly how everyone expected.

Regardless their mindless display of power wasn’t wasted in this situation as they pummeled the Dune Wrym with barrages and slashes of flame that burned the creature’s layer of slime causing it to screech in pain.

“Hah! You’ve all seemed to figure out we need to take the layer of slime off before getting to the flesh and core of the beast. Stripping it bare with Earthen spells is how we usually do it, but flames are the easiest way,” Eto shouted from the front while him and his clan continued to strike and dodge the Dune Wyrm's attacks while it attempted anything to burrow underground again.

Still, the members of Clan Kemonozu held the Dune Wyrm’s attention long enough to rid the layer of slime that was entirely burned off at this point.

That was the moment everyone’s attacks seemed to intensify but it was also when the creature begun its frenzy, it roared in fury and attacked with a speed and power that plowed through the ground as it attempted to shake itself free.

The battle itself was completely in our hands and I observed everything as I directed my group and where ever I could to eliminate the Dune Wyrm.

When all was said and done, Eto’s fanged grin couldn't have been bigger as he stood on top of the Dune Wyrm's corpse, "Ahahaha. that was the most fun I’ve had since coming down here.” He proclaimed while his clan cheered for him. The other Clans also seemed satisfied with the outcome as they too were proud of their performance.

Although that wasn’t just the end of it. It wasn’t even a moment after the clans praised themselves as myself and a few others felt the sixteenth floor of the labyrinth rumble, anyone who missed that was quickly alerted by the loud audible crack that erupted from the ground.

“This sneaky worm… It looks like this Dune Wrym already tore apart the ground underneath us… it just needed to break the supports by causing enough vibrations for the floor to give away.” Eto explained as the floors crack began to widen and everyone realized their situation.

“What!? Are you saying we’re about to fall right onto the seventeenth floor! How are we supposed to survive a fall like that? we need to move,” Lyra said quite worried, but she only took one step before the ground rumbled ready to open up beneath us, which instantly caused her to stop in her tracks.

It was quite obvious that we had no way out at this point, "Eto, we’re all pretty spread out, but you and your members encase yourselves and as many as possible in solid earth. I’ll take care of the rest," I said flatly managing to get Eto's attention as if he were surprised, I could use such a basic element.

His grin only widened. "Hah. You keep surprising me Xiao. That’s probably not a good thing for you,” He remarked before him, and his clan did as they were told.

I didn't say anything in return as I waited for the inevitable to happen and just before it did Lilith gasped from her position in clan Aerith’s members. “… Kazu…” she said in shock as her hand reached out toward me, almost as if there was something very wrong awaiting us.

In a split moment Eto, his clan and I encased the groups of everyone into solid earthen cages before the final crack ushered in the collapse of the floor around us.

The final thing I saw before everything and everyone was dragged into the darkness was Lilith's concerned expression.