A week later
This is not easy, I take back what I said before.
Hilda, what did you expect? Even if 23 people with cars drove all around earth for a week non-stop, they wouldn't be able to explore all of it, you know?
Yes but, this is so annoying even with the skill I bought.
Mapping(rare)
Lets you memorise the exact path you took, making it impossible to forget the path unless caused by other forms of interference.
It cost 1000, but at least we haven't gotten lost so far.
Yea.
Mom! Clone died!
Again? Fine, fine, I got it.
Hilda takes the food box out of her inventory, pulling out a random snack, for Jamine due to an agreement they made.
There, now go make another clone and investigate another path.
Ok!
It's not fair that she gets snacks while I don't.
Stop complaining, she does 20 times the work you do.
Because she has a great skill!! But you're just being petty with me!
Too bad, life ain't fair.
You owe me a skill after this!
Fine, let's keep looking first…
Somewhere at a faraway mansion.
The angered marquess slams his hand on the table, angered at the fact that the object he worked so hard to steal was stolen along with his daughter being injured.
As he leans on his office table, his hands still clenched into a fist on the table, he hears the door open up despite hearing nobody knock.
Who dares to come in without knocking!
He stands up, further angered by the unknown individual before his anger dissipates, replaced by confusion as he notices the person's identity.
Marquess Kotley, what has gotten you so angry?
D-duke Lialet, why are you here? I don't believe it's time for our scheduled meeting yet.
I heard rumors that somebody's carriage was attacked and that item was stolen.
What do you mean by rumor? You just planted some spies. He thinks while pulling out the chair opposite from his seat, gesturing for the duke to sit down, not showing any dissatisfaction on his face.
So, marquess, how do you intend to settle this?
I intend to attack the person to retrieve the item. The marquess sits back down, careful not to let his dissatisfaction show in his voice.
Oh? You've found the perpetrator?
Yes, it's a group of 4 with only 1 person's identity revealed so far.
So, you're going to attack the 1 person?
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
They went into hiding, but I found another one of the attackers. They were climbers of the towers invited by the guide and are currently in the maze of the giants. Their species are called humans, similar to us but weaker.
Indeed, our species is called Suvan.
He isn't somebody we who reside on the 10th can mess with.
It matters not, the guide will most likely not interfere just like all the previous species wars before, so just attack.
Very well.
It was my plan to attack, I was already going to do so anyways, why is this bastard interfering? He mentally cusses at the duke before opening the door for the duke to leave.
You better make sure that you do this right.
Of course.
I'll see myself out in that case.
Very well.
The marquess galares at the duke as he turns around heading to the front door with the marquess waiting for him to leave before locking his office door.
Whoever dares mess with me, I'll make sure to end you.
Back in the maze.
Hilda's body is full of adrenaline with Shila being pulled quickly as Jamine is left as a smudge on the ground, having been sent to one of her clones then into the system due to the distance.
Hilda, hurry up! It's catching up!
It's hard running from level 200, let alone multiple! Especially ones with actual skills!
Just go! Or we'll both say goodbye for real!
Shila keeps using her debuff magic to reduce the stats of the monsters chasing them and using field magic to speed Hilda up.
Shila, is there any chance of winning if I fight them?
Let me check, don't stop running.
Race:Leaping spider
Bloodline:The mother(3 percent)
Level:230
Stats:
(275 S) (275 E) (275 A) (99 M)
Nope, no way you're gonna win, especially since there's around a dozen.
Haha, if I live through this, I promise you a skill.
That's just saying you have faith that we will die!
Yep!
Hilda keeps running, using her teleportation skill without a care for her mana and sending a wave of sword qi every once in a while to slow them, despite it not doing much.
Eventually, after an hour and complete depletion of her mana, she finally loses them, tracing back and noticing they made a nest, blocking the path back.
That's troublesome, but at least we are alive.
So?
So what?
Skill!
Right… look, you're smarter than Jamine so… no, not worth trying to think of an excuse to lie with.
You better pay up! Or I'll go get their attention!
You wouldn't.
Shila pouts, knowing that if Hilda dies, she herself is also gone so she can't do anything.
But I'll still get you a skill, since I feel bad now.
Yay!! Finally!!
But only skills that'll help with the maze, I'll get you another once we hit the 21th floor and get out of here.
Ok! Then can you get me… the homing skill?
Why?
It'll make my leech not miss as often, especially when leeching multiple opponents!
Ok, but how will you use it in the maze?
I can use it on Jamine! Since we're connected somewhat thanks to you, I can use it on Jamines clones so even if her clones find the exit, if she forgets, we can go!
Ok then, I'll just try it, go get the skill then. Wait, does it work for sword qi and Aman?
Yea, but sword qi and mana get weaker the longer they are not in contact with you.
I'm aware, but will it work?
I guess, but if you need homing, it would probably have gotten too weak or dissipated already.
Doesn't matter, just get it for the both of us.
Sure?
Homing(epic)
Redirects your shots towards the opponent, if momentum reaches 0, the skill will accelerate the object shot out, canceling the skill used on the object, causing it to fly in a straight line.
(Cost:2500)
Oh, 5000 points, gone like that…
Stop being so cheap!
It doesn't even matter, you already bought it anyway.
Exactly! Now let me get Jamine out of the system real quick.
Shila sticks an arm into her own body, causing the part she stuck her arm into to chase small waves to appear in her body, away from the spot her arm entered as she pulls Jamine out of her body.
That's disturbing, can't you just teleport her out?
It's not as fun.
Fun?
Why else would I do it?
No clue.
Mom, snack!
Oh yea.
Hilda gives Jamine another snack, passing one to Shila as well due to Shila clearly being unsatisfied before her face brightens up at the sight of the snack.
Why am I even giving you two snacks? Shila, you didn't get killed, Jamine, you don't even feel pain.
So what? Jamine where suffered through a traumatic experience, didn't you Jamine?
Not reall-
Say yes.
Y-yes? Jamine stuttered, not due to her being bad at speaking but due to not wanting to be pulled out from Shila's body again or any forms of retail action.
Then what about you Shila, why do you deserve any?
Because I do, now let's go.
You just can't think of a proper excuse.
So what? Just go!!
Alright alright.
A couple hours later, as Hilda keeps searching, with Jamine and Shila with her and her mana and sword qi nearly maxed, she encounters a group of people in the maze.
Who are they? I don't recognise them.
Probably citizens of the 10th floor.
They can travel through floors?
Yea, though only up to the 30th floor, and remember, they can't level up from killing monsters, they need to either grow older or train themselves.
So, they should know the way to the next floor?
I assume so.
Right, I'll go ask them then.
Hilda goes up to them as they notice her, drawing their weapons.
Wait, calm down, I just want to ask for directions to the next floor.
Hilda puts her hand up, showing that she has no intentions to fight as one of them holds a picture up, comparing her appearance with it, confusing her.
Yea boss, that's her.
Huh?
The guy holding the picture up swings his sword at her, causing a big cut to appear without her even being able to see, let alone react to the attack.
What?
Shit! Shila starts debuffing then, pulling Hilda away immediately.
Hilda, you're too way carefree! You idiot!