Arnold stared at the wall for a good while before he returned his attention to his tablet. Taking out a pen, he began to write on it as he slowly nodded, taking down notes and trying to solve the puzzle in front of him. Hours passed as he never moved, and after nearly half a day, he finally reached a satisfactory solution.
Raising the tablet, he pointed its camera toward the wall, and the magical scripts were recorded and translated according to the algorithm he had written. There were still a few minor flaws in the solution, but with repeated scans and a bigger data sample, those would quickly be hammered out.
Reading the clue and seeing the unclear outline of a path displayed on the tablet, he began to make his way down one of the long hallways while scanning all the walls for more clues along the way. After another hour or so, his data sample was sufficient, and he no longer had a need to collect more.
Summoning a mode of transportation, he got into the ball-shaped orb of metal and soon after shot down one of the hallways. Whenever he spotted signs of traps, he sent in a number of disposable drones to scout it out or clear a path while he entirely avoided any of the gatekeepers.
Like Jake, Arnold was also currently doing the Endless Labyrinth. However, his approach to solving it was far different from Jake’s. He actually did it the intended way.
At the beginning of every new Labyrinth Section, there would be a unique cipher to that specific section. Solving this cipher will allow you to decrypt and understand later clues that could be found on the walls throughout.
Arnold was quite good at this, and while each section did have a unique cipher, some elements did repeat, allowing him to slowly improve his methodology and speed. His void-related abilities had little value inside of this labyrinth, outside of some of the trap rooms. It had also been good when he could still fight the gatekeepers, but after reaching Labyrinth Section 95 or so, he had solidly reached his limit when it came to direct confrontations. Also, even if he could fight, they would take too long, making it more efficient to take another path altogether.
After passing section one hundred, the difficulty increased once more. Another layer was added, and the cipher jumped severalfold in difficulty. It took Arnold nearly a full week to solve it, but at least he managed to do so and complete the section in time.
He also did the next few, but he lost an attempt on section one-hundred and six and another on one-hundred and seven as he simply wasn’t fast enough. In fact, he only did these sections because he could spend one attempt solving the cipher and another actually navigating his way through the labyrinth.
Arnold lost his next attempt on one-hundred and eight, which he barely completed in time, even with the cipher being done on the first attempt. One-hundred and nine was even closer, but he had learned a bit and placed drones at any triggers to move around doors. His problem was that the range at which he could activate them was severely limited within the labyrinth due to the special mist. However, he could still use them when relatively close due to his void affinity having some ability to pierce the mist.
Alas, section one hundred and ten proved to be too much. The addition of more floors to the labyrinth marked a ridiculous increase in difficulty. Even if Arnold completed the cipher, he would barely have enough time to navigate the labyrinth. If he even had enough time. The man had no way of knowing how close he got to the exit as his final attempt was spent, Arnold failing to pass Labyrinth Section 110.
He was a bit disappointed. Not just because he had failed but because he would no longer be able to be presented with interesting ciphers to solve. Appearing in the white void, he did wonder how he did, with the system quickly providing him an answer.
Grand Achievement earned: Successfully completed Minaga’s Endless Labyrinth while performing exceptionally and near-perfectly consistently. With your sharp mind and deep insight, you navigated the labyrinth as a true savant, making full use of the clues supplied as you solved every puzzle put before you. Your speed, tenacity, and deep analytical abilities allowed you to perform exceptionally well, passing Labyrinth Section 109 successfully. A feat to be proud of. 82.201 Nevermore Points earned. Due to completing a Grand Achievement, you will receive a 20% multiplier of all Nevermore Points at the final calculation.
While he had performed worse – as seen by fewer Nevermore Points earned – Arnold had enjoyed the labyrinth far more than the Test of Character. Solving magical and mathematical puzzles was simply much more engaging than social problems that had too many annoying and illogical aspects to consider.
He had enjoyed the puzzles so much that he envied anyone yet to do the Challenge Dungeon and their ability to solve all those interesting ciphers for the first time while improving their analytical abilities. It was an invaluable experience he couldn’t imagine anyone not enjoying immensely.
----------------------------------------
“So people seriously just sit there and try to solve some damn math problem or whatever at the start of every Labyrinth Section?” Jake asked Minaga as he stared at the magical script in Labyrinth Section 215. No matter how much he stared at the damn thing, he didn’t get shit. He even wondered if it could even be solved or was just some stupid scribbles to fuck with people.
“That is indeed how you are supposed to do things,” Minaga answered. “Well, one of the ways to do things. There are many solutions to the same problem, and ultimately, the challenge is to navigate through the labyrinth within the given time. Some have certain scouting methods that still work, others use summoned creatures to assist them – even if that is limited severely – while some bloody arseholes use their overpowered Bloodline to cheese the entire thing.”
“Why do I feel like that was directed towards me? Nah, it couldn’t be. Anyway, I do wonder how someone like the Fallen King handles this place. He isn’t exactly the fastest, and I don’t think he has any scouting tools worth much,” Jake shared thoughtfully.
“I’m not going to randomly share stuff. It’s not gonna happen. I will not tell you how badly or well your party members are doing, especially not if my fellow Unique Lifeform is doing badly.”
“So he is doing badly, huh,” Jake nodded, not entirely surprised.
“I didn’t say he was.”
“You phrased it by putting emphasis on if he did badly. Not if he did well. I am guessing that means he is doing badly,” Jake very correctly pointed out.
“That is to the level of just being pure guesswork based on a very shaky foundation of nothing,” Minaga said in a rather deadpan tone.
“It doesn’t matter if I’m right. Which I am.”
Minaga stopped engaging with that conversational track as he remained quiet, Jake also enjoying the momentary silence. He had already napped and felt pretty well-rested, with the period of weakness from his boosting skill also gone. This was an entire day already “wasted,” and Jake knew he didn’t have any shot at beating the section.
But he still stayed to have one final moment of fun.
Standing up, Jake stretched as he looked upward. “Ready to feel catharsis as you see me get my ass kicked by a far more powerful B-grade?”
“Yeah… about that, one little piece of advice. Maybe you should reconsider doing that? While dying doesn’t lead to any physical demerits, you are still dying. There is a reason people don’t train too much in Challenge Dungeons with multiple lives. The mental toll dying has on the soul isn’t non-insignificant, and you may end up suffering for it,” Minaga said with what sounded like genuine concern.
“Says the Unique Lifeform who has had uncountable versions of yourself die,” Jake said with a smile as he got a bit more serious. “While I appreciate the concern, I am good. If I felt like there would be any true consequences, I wouldn’t go through with it, and no offense… I trust my own gut more on this matter than anyone else. Be they god or not.”
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“Fair enough. Then go ahead and enjoy dying a horrible death!” Minaga said with all his cheer back.
Jake didn’t have to be told twice and went to do just that. He casually made his way down a few dozen hallways before he finally reached a barrier. Curiously, he looked to see what kind of being would kill him and frowned a bit when he saw a human-looking figure standing on the other side.
[Silver Knight Gatekeeper – lvl ???]
It was a simple-looking knight, though Jake got the feeling there wasn’t any kind of enlightened being within that helmet. Instead, It was more like a golem or maybe a living armor kind of deal. The knight stood in front of the barrier it guarded with both hands resting atop the crossguards of its sword, patiently waiting for anyone to enter.
Without Jake’s instincts, he wouldn’t really have taken the knight for anything powerful. It looked like the kind of foe you could find in any grade, but its aura was unmistakable.
Here goes nothing, Jake smiled to himself as he placed a hand on the shimmering wall to enter the room. As he did so, the space expanded once more as an arena was created with Jake on one side and the knight on the other.
Jake shook his head as a bow appeared in his hand. Right as it did, the silver knight that had been standing entirely still slowly raised its head as silvery light filled its eyes. Its aura expanded as it grasped the sword and raised it right as Jake shot an arrow toward the B-grade while his sense of danger exploded with warning.
In the very next second, time slowed down. Jake hadn’t even been able to see the swing properly before Moment of the Primal Hunter triggered as a faint silvery line reminiscent of a thread floated in front of his head, slowly moving toward him.
Dodging to the side, Jake shot another arrow after his first one had already been annihilated by the first swing, having been cut in half mid-flight. Right as time returned to normal, Jake dove to the side as his danger sense warned him again. In a quite impressive display, Jake dodged five more attacks before the knight’s sword began to glow.
The B-grade held the sword with both hands and took a stance before it swung with its full might. Jake could only try and shake his head as he was very clear that there was no fucking way he was dodging that. A net of silvery strings of magic cut through the entire hall as Jake’s body was cut into hundreds of pieces instantaneously, marking his end of the road in Minaga’s Endless Labyrinth.
In the very next second, Jake opened his eyes again and found himself standing within a familiar white void. His heart was pounding, and sweat appeared on his brows, but he quickly calmed himself down as he muttered. “What level was that thing even…”
“Close to late-tier B-grade… and not even considered a weak variant,” Minaga answered. “Was it really worth you spending another full day for just a few seconds in front of a B-grade?”
“It totally was. Also, should you really still be talking after the dungeon is completed?”
“Technically, you are still in my Challenge Dungeon, so I can. Besides, it’s not like you can do anything about it.”
Jake knew it wasn’t worth trying to discuss such a thing with Minaga as he simply turned his attention to what else would come in this white void. Something that popped up only a few seconds later.
Grand Achievement earned: Successfully completed Minaga’s Endless Labyrinth above any measurable expectations. With unquestionable speed and no hesitation, you have relied on your instincts and powerful natural talents to overcome Minaga’s Endless Labyrinth with ease, conquering every section effortlessly. You only met the end of your journey far after the impossible had already been achieved, passing a ridiculous 214 Labyrinth Sections, long past where there was much more to earn. A near-irreplicable feat. 148.205 Nevermore Points earned. Due to completing a Grand Achievement, you will receive a 25% multiplier of all Nevermore Points at the final calculation.
In all honesty, Jake didn’t see anything that surprised him here. His ultimate goal had always been that 25% bonus, and he had earned that… well, probably quite a while ago. Jake wasn’t sure how many sections you had to pass to unlock it, but based on the amount of Nevermore Points he had earned, he had probably gone quite a bit beyond even the “impossible.” By at least fifty sections.
Jake had earned a lot more Nevermore Points than even when he had beaten Valdemar. In fact, looking at the number of points, Jake got a theory that the maximum one could ever get was 150.000, where getting that number was actually impossible unless you performed absolutely perfectly. Like… you would have to beat Valdemar without ever struggling while having all ten lives available, possibly even while never buying any equipment or recovery potions throughout.
Comparing his feat here to the Colosseum of Mortals didn’t really feel fair. Jake would say the Colosseum had been way fucking harder, but he reckoned most others in the multiverse would view getting this far in the labyrinth as far, far more difficult. Jake had only gotten this far because he was a cheat, and he knew it.
Either way, another 25% amplifier was nice to get under his belt. That meant he would get a 60% bonus from the Challenge Dungeons alone so far, with two to go. Looking at those numbers, Jake couldn’t help but have a thought…
Could I get a 100% amplifier overall?
If 20% was considered the normal “perfect score” for each Challenge Dungeon, so if he got 20%, that would pretty much make it a clean sweep. It was a hard goal to reach, especially after that horrible Test of Character that only gave him 10%, but he wanted to give it a shot, if not for anything else but his own sense of vanity.
Shaking his head, Jake noted that he hadn’t gotten any title despite being better here than the Colosseum. Probably because the title would have been of the same tier, so it just kept the old one. Considering that, Jake turned his attention to the final reward. After that Storybook Page from the Test of Character, Jake had high expectations… which made him unsure what to think as he received what looked like a small statue of Minaga, giving him a double thumbs up.
Reserving judgment, he Identified it.
[My Own Very Own Top-tier Minaga’s Labyrinth (Unique)] – Is that a dungeon in your pocket, or is it just me? Finally, a solution to missing the wondrous Minaga has been found, as you now have the opportunity to place your very own Minaga’s Labyrinth wherever your heart desires (conditions may apply). When placing the dungeon, you must choose a suitable location. The nature and design of the dungeon may be modified upon placement with advice from the Minaga clone within. This Minaga’s Labyrinth is of the top tier, allowing you to customize far more options while expanding the size of the dungeon significantly. As a top-tier Minaga’s Labyrinth, sections within the labyrinth can cross grades. Note that the dungeon must be maintained after placement, and should it run out of power, it will disappear forever. As a top-tier variant of Minaga’s Labyrinth, it does not have a built-in expiration date.
Requirements: Soulbound.
Jake, still standing within the white void and staring at the statue, couldn’t help but get a thought as he spoke out loud.
“Say… Minaga… this reward…” Jake muttered.
“Yeah, isn’t it great? It will allow you to-“
“Isn’t this just a way for you to stash more clones of yourself spread across the multiverse to solidify your own immortality? And how many damn clones does it take to include a clone in every single one of these?” Jake questioned. “Actually, scratch both those questions… will this even work in the ninety-third universe as you effectively bring a clone there using this?”
“Short answer? Yes, it does work. Long answer? I can’t bring the clone out of the dungeon, or it will go poof. Also, it isn’t the best way to hide clones. Artificial dungeons have a lifespan unless they are transformed into true worlds, which will naturally make it so they are no longer considered dungeons either. Of course, you can maintain a dungeon with skilled enough dungeon engineers. I doubt you have the staff required to fix this one… unless I myself come and fix it,” Minaga answered as he entirely needlessly lowered his voice as if whispering. “That is a hint that I will use this dungeon as an excuse to come visit once the universe fully opens up.”
“I had kind of expected you to be a recurring character in my life… but if I am being honest, I am not sure how to feel about this reward. It isn’t really as much a reward for a person, but their faction, assuming they have one,” Jake voiced his thoughts.
“Kind of? But not really. Even if you don’t have a faction, you could use this to get a Dungeon Pioneer title by being the first one to clear it or just design it to train yourself in some way. You could also just sell it to some major faction. Not gonna lie; most would pay top Credits for a Minaga’s Labyrinth. Especially a top-tier one like this. Other variants will disappear no matter how well you maintain them, but the top-tier one can technically be around forever, making it far more valuable. Also, as a final note, don’t you go around thinking these dungeons are given out easily. You need to have a damn-near-top performance to get one, as I can’t exactly make an infinite number,” Minaga said, really trying to talk up his reward.
“You are fully aware I am just going to give this to my resident City Lord and manager back on Earth and have her figure out what to use it for, right?” Jake said with a grin.
“Well, hopefully, she can appreciate good craftsmanship…”
“I could also just do as I usually do and forget it in my spatial storage forever and never let it see the light of day…”
“Ha ha, funny joke,” Minaga scoffed.
Jake just smiled as he prepared to leave the dungeon.
“Wait, you are joking, right… right? Why do I feel like you aren’t joking? Yeah, you must be joking, who would-“
Before the distressed Unique Lifeform could say more, Jake accepted the prompt to leave as he disappeared from the white void, a pocket dungeon that may or may not be forgotten forever richer.