Chapter 211 - Message (Thank you for your support, James!)

The elves in the area were getting ready to have their dinner. Some of them were lazing around while others were looking at the pot with the food being cooked. All of a sudden, they felt a strong breeze passing through the area and the sound of a whoosh. 

The flames under the pot trembled for a moment, but they soon returned to normal. Some of them looked around for a moment, but they didn’t notice anything odd, so they returned to their usual activities.

Meanwhile, Glacien and I took a peek out of the labyrinth and looked around. The plan had been a success… using Shadow Step with the leap effects of the boots. We could move a certain distance and we would appear a few centimeters above the air if we kicked the ground hard enough. At that moment, the effects of the boots would work and then we would cross a larger distance. While it wasn’t instantaneous as Shadow Step, we could cover a bit more than two times the same distance.

“Good work, girl. Now, let’s do what we need to do here.”

I whispered and Glacien remained silent. Unlike me, she wasn’t taking any chances. We also had to keep fighting silently since we didn’t know if people were inside. I didn’t notice anyone leaving the labyrinth in several hours.

In any case, it didn’t take long for us to find the first monster… The creature emerged from the walls like a golem. It was a giant stone spider. The creature’s legs were composed of dark stone across their surface. Compact and angular in shape, their segmented legs resemble sharp stone blades, grinding ominously as they move. Instead of typical spider eyes, glowing gemstone-like orbs pierce the darkness, adding an eerie aura to their appearance. 

When still, the stone spider looked almost indistinguishable from rubble or carvings, a perfect camouflage in the labyrinth. The contrast between their rugged, inorganic design and their predatory, lifelike behavior creates a chilling encounter for adventurers, blending the maze’s environmental hazards with a deadly, animated threat., or so it was written in the alchemy book on the side of the part that says that their poison can restore stamina if they are mixed with lesser chimera poison and then purified by kobold fur… it was a rather dubious process.

You received 08 experience points.

Regardless, the creature died after getting hit in the head by several wind shurikens. They didn’t have a physical shape or any real weight, so they didn’t make any noise as they cut the head of the monster.

I couldn’t leave the body behind, so I took the poison from the fangs of the beast and stored it in a bottle and threw the body in another magic bag… I wonder if I could use them to smash my enemies if I let them fall from a certain height. Their bodies were heavy thanks to the stone arms, after all. 

We began to move again and I couldn’t help but wonder when I would have the chance to use a guild. The stones of the monsters seemed useful. Perhaps they could be carved into something interesting. Still, given that I am no longer interested in hiding my face, this was probably impossible.

‘As I keep leveling up Shadow Step, eventually, no one will be able to stop me from entering a dungeon or a labyrinth, unless they have some sort of magic barrier. Well, I guess I will be fine as long as there are no rivers, lakes or an ocean nearby for people to try to drown me inside them.’

While I was thinking about that, Glacien suddenly bit my shirt and then pulled me to the wall. In the next moment, I put a mana core on my amulet and on the amulet that she had on her neck. It didn’t take long before I was able to hear some footsteps.

A group of elves approached in silence and crossed the corridor. They looked quite exhausted and not very excited by the fact that they finally could leave the labyrinth. They were so on the edge that they never noticed half a meter away from them.

‘This works for me, but why do I have a bad feeling about this?’

I made sure not to leave any traces behind of our steps or fights, so I wondered why I felt like that… I didn’t let the feeling bother me for long and then turned around to the next area, but then I turned around again and began to tail those guys.

‘Let’s hope that I am not wasting my time here…’

The group didn’t talk even once on the way back to the exit of the labyrinth and soon I understood why. They sighed and soon began to take out all the materials from their magic bags and the guards outside began to split everything. In the end, they only were returned one fifth of what they had brought.

The group left without saying a single thing… I could only think that they had a lesser rank in the Elven society. Come to think of it, Clarice mentioned the ranks, but I didn’t notice any division until now.

Still, if the elder of the area was an asshole enough to hire that annoying elf, he would be an asshole enough to tax his people this much. 

‘I never thought that elves that are so long lived would worry too much about attaining wealth… is this guy just different from the others or is he planning something?’

People with shorter lifespans often prioritize wealth because it represents security, comfort, and a tangible measure of success within their limited time. The urgency to make the most of life leads to a focus on material gain, as it can provide immediate satisfaction and leave a lasting legacy for loved ones. Scarcity of time amplifies the importance of achieving visible milestones, with wealth often serving as a symbol of accomplishment and a means to access opportunities or luxuries that might otherwise remain unattainable. 

In contrast, individuals with longer lifespans tend to ignore wealth, as their broader time horizons allow them to explore pursuits beyond material gain. Over time, the novelty of wealth diminishes, and its limitations in providing lasting fulfillment become apparent. They may shift focus to intangible values such as personal growth, relationships, and intellectual or spiritual pursuits, which hold more enduring significance. Having the luxury of abundant time fosters a more patient and reflective approach to life, where the accumulation of experiences and wisdom outweighs the transient satisfaction of material possessions. At least this made sense in my head.

‘I don’t think that the elders of this area would have any connections with the humans or with the dwarves, but now I can’t discard any possibility.’

I decided to return in a hurry to the labyrinth and then clear it as soon as possible… it would be troublesome if that group had defeated the bosses. That would make me have to wait for a full day. Still, worrying about it wouldn’t help. A couple of minutes later, I reached the end of the first floor and soon got a new opportunity. Sort of.

You completed a trial. Please choose between the classes: Spearman, Enchanter, and Toxic Assassin (Thief, Poison Crafter, and Ranger)

I wondered why I didn’t get this option when I got the Thief class… I already had the other two classes, so this was all making my head hurt. Was it because I was reaching some sort of milestone? Maybe it was because this new class could only be granted in this kind of a labyrinth. Regardless, I made my choice… I wasn’t going to keep running away anymore. I had to face my demons.

You obtained the Toxic Assassin class.

You improved the Magic parameter.

You unlocked the Aptitude: Toxic Mastery.

You unlocked the skill: Toxic Strike.

You unlocked the skill: Venom Cloud.

Toxic Mastery: Gain 1 point of experience for every second an enemy is affected by your poisons or toxins. The amount increases according to the damage caused.

Venom Strike: Infuse your weapon with a potent poison that deals damage over time equal to half your strength and magic combined. Poison lasts for 10 seconds.
Cost: 10 mana. This effect can stack when used in a succession.

Toxic Cloud: Release a poisonous gas in a small radius around you, dealing damage equal to your magic power per second to all enemies caught within. Enemies affected are slowed by 20% for 5 seconds after leaving the cloud. Cost: 30 Mana.

‘I am trying to become an elemental archer, but it looks like I am destined to become a poisonous one… the only problem is that I didn’t hear anything about a poison affinity parameter.’

I didn’t need that considering how my blood was deadly, in a way that no antidote would be able to fight against it. In any case, I decided to head to the next floor since Glacien was itching to fight. It was hard to imagine that more people would be so late and deep in the labyrinth and I could trust her instincts too, so I decided to hurry up.

… …

Ayla was returning to the labyrinth where the dark Elves lived after she confirmed that Regulus disappeared and had left the area. She kept a calm expression as she moved, but soon her heart began to race when she saw signs of torches ahead. It was impossible to miss the light that they offered to the forest so late at night.

Ayla knew very well that the other dark elves wouldn’t be stupid enough to use torches outside and in front of their labyrinth, so there was only one explanation… people that shouldn’t be there were nearby.

Using one of her skills, Ayla mixed with the darkness and then began to move toward the area where the suspicious individuals were… and soon enough, she confirmed that they were heading in the direction she came from. 

The group was made of several elves carrying silver bows and a single swordsman in the middle of them. They were following the traces of the bike that Regulus had left before.

‘They had come too fast… it looks like Renna isn’t as trustworthy as our leader expected. That or something else must have happened…’

Ayla could tell that Regulus wanted the alchemist class in that labyrinth, but he will have to reach the thirtieth floor to get that class. It was hard to imagine that he would pull off before he finds himself surrounded at the entrance of the labyrinth.

When they disappeared in the distance, Ayla returned to the Insectoids labyrinth, but soon she stopped when a silhouette emerged from it. It was their leader, showing a serious expression on his face and with a piece of paper in his hand…