The remaining three hundred applicants all returned to the coliseum, where they were met by Administrator Gaia standing in front of the coliseum's large mechanical doors.

Gaia’s demeanor seemed pleasant, and she spoke in a calm tone. However, a sense of seriousness was still easily discernible. “I will now begin to explain today's trial,” she announced.

As she spoke, the large mechanical doors began to open. However, the familiar interior of the coliseum had been replaced by something entirely different, catching the applicants off guard. What stood before them now was a large, poorly lit passageway made of reddish-brown clay.

Gaia continued, explaining the specifics of the trial. “All applicants will break off into teams of their choosing. Thereafter, you will take turns navigating your way through this labyrinth. In order to pass, all team members must exit the labyrinth.”

Upon hearing this, the applicants began forming their groups. Whatever criteria each group used to select its members was of no consequence to the alliance members, as they were already a unified team.

Gaia then appeared to choose one of the newly formed groups at random. Stepping aside from the entrance, she gestured for the chosen group to enter. Without hesitation, the selected group of Ascended entered the labyrinth. Time passed before Gaia selected another group to follow.

The alliance members huddled together to devise a strategy. Curie had a thoughtful expression as she gazed into the poorly lit clay hallway. She addressed the group, saying, “We need to come up with a rudimentary strategy based on all the information we currently have.”

Alexander, maintaining his stoic expression, spoke in agreement with Curie’s concerns. “It’s highly likely there will be traps within the labyrinth, so we’ll need a method to detect them.”

Sandro sighed exaggeratedly before adding, “It’s also highly unlikely that we’ll find the exit by simply navigating the labyrinth normally.”

Coraline was the next to speak. “From the looks of it, there won’t be much light in the labyrinth either, which might make navigation difficult for you guys.” Even though the Ascended had superior senses, that didn’t automatically grant them the ability to see in the dark. While their heightened senses could compensate for the lack of light to some degree, it would still pose a significant hindrance.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Lioness then spoke in a tone that sounded both concerned and annoyed. “Not to mention, while the passageway seems spacious enough for us to walk as a group, if we have to fight something, it might be difficult to do so in such close quarters.”

In a sheepish tone, Jackson responded to Lioness’s concern. “Although I don’t know how durable the walls are, if things get too dicey, maybe I can just smash a wall down.”

Curie spoke again, her tone analytical. “It’s unfortunate there’s no announcement for which groups succeed or fail. The administrator calls up teams at random intervals while giving no indication of who passed and who didn’t.” She rubbed her forehead in frustration before continuing, “Which means I have no way of determining how long it might take to complete this trial.”

Taking a moment to refocus, Curie addressed the group with renewed determination. “The best approach is to move in a formation that maximizes our abilities and keeps us coordinated. Furthermore, once we’re inside, we need to figure out a way to find the exit as quickly as possible to minimize risk.”

...

After some more waiting, the alliance members were finally called upon to undertake the trial.

They entered in the formation devised by Curie. Alexander and Coraline took the front, followed by Lioness. Curie and Sandro were positioned in the middle of the group, while Jackson, with Ebony perched on his shoulder, took the rear.

As the group made their way halfway down the clay passageway, dense fog began to roll in, seemingly out of nowhere.

Everyone tensed, preparing for something to lunge at them, but nothing did. The accumulating fog only made it harder for them to see. That was why Coraline and Ebony were positioned at the front and back—they were the only two capable of seeing in both darkness and conditions like this, making them key to navigation.

The group grew more uneasy when they realized they could no longer see the labyrinth's entrance. The fog obscured it completely, and it even felt as though it had vanished, leaving them with the unsettling sense that there was no turning back.

They pressed on through the winding passageway until they reached a central chamber that split off into multiple directions.

With little information to guide them, they chose a path at random. Their objective was to clear the different pathways as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Curie used her Soul Incantation to map the labyrinth.

They encountered many dead ends.

As the group stood before one of these dead ends, something peculiar happened. Rumbling echoed in the distance, and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble lightly.

None of them could discern what was happening—none except for Sandro, who pieced it together through his Thought Process.

Sighing in annoyance he wanted but couldn't think of anything creative enough, he addressed Curie. “The labyrinth is deforming and reforming itself into a different configuration.”

Curie gritted her teeth in frustration as she began thinking analytically about how to solve this problem.