Ch.2:?????? labyrinth?????? (1)

  “We?????? can’t?????? relax,?????? if?????? the?????? monsters?????? don't?????? follow?????? that?????? means?????? there?????? is?????? something?????? more?????? dangerous?????? here.”

  “But?????? that?????? also?????? means?????? it?????? is?????? the?????? only?????? thing?????? here.”

  For?????? the?????? first?????? time?????? in?????? our?????? encounter,?????? the?????? weeb?????? spoke.

  “Good,?????? I?????? thought?????? you?????? might?????? have?????? been?????? mute?????? I?????? didn't?????? hear?????? you?????? the?????? whole?????? time.”

  “I?????? spoke?????? when?????? you?????? dragged?????? me?????? here?”

  “Oh?????? yeah,?????? you’re?????? welcome?????? for?????? that.”

  Ether?????? for?????? the?????? first?????? time?????? in?????? a?????? long?????? time?????? finally?????? smiled?????? but?????? this?????? was?????? not?????? a?????? simple?????? smile?????? but?????? rather?????? a?????? mischievous?????? grin.

  This?????? of?????? course?????? is?????? not?????? what?????? he?????? intended?????? but?????? years?????? of?????? suppressing?????? his?????? emotions?????? made?????? it?????? difficult?????? to?????? express?????? emotions?????? similar?????? to?????? a?????? newborn?????? child.

  “That's?????? not…?????? never?????? mind.?????? Why?????? did?????? you?????? drag?????? me?????? with?????? you?”

  “Two?????? reasons.?????? One,?????? you’re?????? a?????? fellow?????? human.”

  Finally,?????? away?????? from?????? prying?????? eyes,?????? Ether?????? was?????? comfortable?????? enough?????? to?????? take?????? off?????? the?????? hood?????? of?????? his?????? robe.

  “Second?????? I’m?????? smart?????? but?????? I'm?????? not?????? as…?????? ‘interested’?????? in?????? fantasy?????? and?????? I?????? was?????? hoping?????? you?????? would?????? know,?????? as?????? you?????? seem?????? like?????? someone?????? who?????? would?????? know?????? this?????? type?????? of?????? thing”??????

  “That’s?????? a?????? fancy?????? way?????? of?????? insulting?????? me”

  “Well?????? do?????? you?????? have?????? any?????? idea?????? what?????? is?????? going?????? on”

  “Give?????? me?????? a?????? second?????? to?????? think”?????? ??????

  A?????? few?????? moments?????? of?????? silence?????? passed?????? that?????? were?????? defining?????? to?????? Ether?????? as?????? it?????? left?????? him?????? alone?????? with?????? his?????? thoughts?????? some?????? far?????? darker?????? than?????? the?????? first,?????? thankful?????? it?????? was?????? interrupted.

  “The?????? only?????? thing?????? I?????? can?????? think?????? of?????? that’s?????? like?????? this?????? is?????? a?????? manhwa?????? where?????? they?????? were?????? isakaied?????? to?????? a?????? dungeon?????? where?????? when?????? they?????? beat?????? the?????? final?????? boss?????? they?????? go?????? to?????? an?????? actual?????? world.?????? But?????? that?????? dungeon?????? was?????? relatively?????? small?????? not,?????? you?????? know,?????? a?????? whole?????? world”

  “Stop,?????? keep?????? it?????? to?????? yourself?????? no?????? need?????? to?????? lore?????? dump?????? tell?????? me?????? how?????? they?????? escaped?????? and?????? survived”

  “They?????? found?????? an?????? area?????? in?????? the?????? dungeon?????? with?????? sunlight?????? farmed,?????? ate?????? monsters?????? I?????? think??????? Leveled?????? up,?????? got?????? classes,?????? and?????? were?????? vigilant?????? against?????? murderers,?????? oh?????? and?????? the?????? field?????? had?????? water.?????? As?????? for?????? how?????? they?????? escaped?????? I?????? said?????? it?????? earlier?????? they?????? killed?????? the?????? final?????? boss?????? I?????? don't?????? know?????? what?????? that?????? would?????? be?????? here?????? though”

  “So?????? they?????? got?????? lucky.?????? Okay,?????? do?????? you?????? know?????? what?????? this?????? labyrinth?????? is?”

  “Not?????? exactly?????? but?????? there's?????? only?????? one?????? that?????? comes?????? to?????? mind?????? the?????? one?????? with?????? the?????? Minotaur”

  This?????? whole?????? time?????? Silvia?????? had?????? been?????? silent?????? and?????? the?????? first?????? thing?????? that?????? came?????? out?????? of?????? her?????? mouth?????? was.

  “*yawn*?????? Ether”

  “Yeah”

  Ether?????? turned?????? around?????? and?????? saw?????? Silvia?????? beckoning?????? him?????? to?????? come?????? closer?????? so?????? he?????? did,?????? once?????? he?????? reached?????? her?????? he?????? got?????? on?????? one?????? knee?????? to?????? be?????? at?????? eye?????? level?????? out?????? of?????? habit.

  “What?????? is?????? it”

  In?????? a?????? moment?????? she?????? went?????? from?????? in?????? front?????? of?????? Ether?????? to?????? his?????? back?????? and?????? got?????? on?????? him.

  “?????? tired,?????? carry?????? me”

  With?????? a?????? defeated?????? sigh?????? he?????? spoke?????? in?????? a?????? similar?????? tone.

  “Fine”

  But?????? the?????? truth?????? is?????? she?????? weighed?????? a?????? ton?????? but?????? just?????? like?????? his?????? mother,?????? if?????? he?????? said?????? a?????? word?????? he’d?????? be?????? dead?????? in?????? an?????? instant,?????? if?????? he?????? was?????? lucky,?????? so?????? he?????? kept?????? his?????? mouth?????? shut.?????? She?????? seems?????? to?????? be?????? sleeping.?????? However,?????? she?????? was?????? unnaturally?????? still?????? if?????? one?????? saw?????? the?????? sight?????? the?????? creature?????? would?????? seem?????? dead.?????? The?????? only?????? reason?????? Ether?????? knew?????? she?????? was?????? alive?????? was?????? because?????? he?????? could?????? feel?????? her?????? heart?????? beating?????? with?????? his?????? back.

  “What?????? exactly?????? is?????? your?????? relationship?????? to?????? the?????? werewolf”

  “Honestly?????? I?????? don't?????? know?????? we?????? met?????? moments?????? ago.?????? Also,?????? she’s?????? blind?????? figured?????? you?????? should?????? know?????? because?????? we're?????? traveling?????? together”

  “Traveling?”

  “Yes,?????? unless?????? you?????? want?????? to?????? go?????? at?????? it?????? alone”

  It?????? looked?????? like?????? he?????? was?????? thinking?????? for?????? a?????? bit?????? before?????? responding.

  “You?????? make?????? a?????? good?????? point,?????? what?????? should?????? we?????? do?????? first?”

  “Find?????? a?????? place?????? to?????? sleep?????? hopefully?????? one?????? where?????? monsters?????? don’t?????? or?????? can’t?????? approach”

  “Shouldn’t?????? we?????? level?????? up?”

  “If?????? we?????? don’t?????? have?????? a?????? place?????? to?????? stay?????? and?????? rest?????? we?????? will?????? die.?????? No?????? matter?????? how?????? strong?????? you?????? are,?????? mental?????? endurance?????? can’t?????? be?????? substituted?????? I?????? know?????? from?????? experience.”

  “…?????? whatever,?????? where?????? should?????? we?????? go”

  “I'm?????? open?????? to?????? ideas”

  For?????? a?????? moment?????? the?????? weeb?????? looked?????? around?????? and?????? there?????? were?????? multiple?????? paths?????? one?????? of?????? which?????? was?????? where?????? we?????? came?????? from.?????? After?????? that?????? moment?????? he?????? stopped?????? in?????? front?????? of?????? one?????? path?????? leading?????? the?????? way?????? we?????? came.

  “This?????? way.”

  “Are?????? you?????? an?????? idiot??????? That’s?????? where?????? we?????? came?????? from”

  “Trust?????? me?????? I?????? got?????? a?????? good?????? feeling?????? we?????? missed?????? something”

  “…?????? give?????? me?????? a?????? reason?????? to”

  “If?????? I?????? remember?????? correctly?????? the?????? Labyrinth?????? of?????? the?????? Minotaur,?????? aka?????? the?????? Labyrinth?????? of?????? Daedalus?????? Changes?????? paths.?????? I?????? was?????? interested?????? in?????? the?????? subject?????? so?????? I?????? studied?????? to?????? see?????? if?????? I?????? could?????? figure?????? out?????? how?????? to?????? get?????? out?????? in?????? case?????? I?????? got?????? isekaied”

  “???…?????? you?????? realize?????? how?????? unlikely?????? that?????? is?????? right?”

  “Well?????? where?????? are?????? we?????? right?????? now?????? “

  “Give?????? me?????? something?????? more?????? than?????? trust?????? me”

  “Uhhh….wait?????? I?????? got?????? it?????? statues…?????? here?????? look?????? at?????? my?????? trait”

  When?????? he?????? spoke?????? he?????? flipped?????? his?????? status?????? window?????? showing?????? his?????? stats,?????? traits,?????? and?????? the?????? rest

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  ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????

  [terrible?????? only?????? useful?????? as?????? a?????? meat?????? shield]

  ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????

  (None?????? Why?????? would?????? they??????? Their?????? knowledge?????? and?????? traits?????? are?????? the?????? only?????? things?????? worth?????? talking?????? about?????? so?????? STOP?????? PAYING?????? ATTENTION?????? TO?????? THEM?????? and?????? worship?????? me?????? :)

  `you?????? stay?????? out?????? of?????? there?????? that?????? stuff’s?????? personal?????? don't?????? mess?????? with?????? it’

  In?????? a?????? moment?????? a?????? giant?????? headache?????? struck?????? like?????? a?????? migraine.??????

  (what?????? do?????? we?????? have?????? here)

  I?????? didn't?????? hear?????? it?????? but?????? thought?????? it?????? as?????? if?????? it?????? were?????? my?????? thoughts.

  ??????

  (RAM?????? (Recently?????? accessed?????? memories)?????? let’s?????? see?????? here)

  Again?????? I?????? thought?????? thoughts?????? that?????? were?????? not?????? mine?????? and?????? this?????? time?????? received?????? information?????? that?????? I?????? didn't?????? know.

  (Silvia,?????? hex?????? I?????? guess?????? you?????? do?????? remember,?????? maze,?????? Ra?????? (that's?????? not?????? me?????? I?????? don't?????? have?????? an?????? animal?????? head),?????? sister??????? What’s?????? that?????? about??????? Let's?????? see…)

  For?????? a?????? moment?????? the?????? headache?????? lessened?????? then?????? disappeared?????? altogether.

  `must?????? have?????? seen?????? a?????? bad?????? moment’

  `I?????? guess?????? this?????? thing?????? will?????? eventually?????? enter?????? my?????? head?????? again’

  After?????? that?????? weird?????? interaction?????? that?????? only?????? lasted?????? a?????? few?????? seconds,?????? Ether?????? reoriented?????? himself?????? to?????? the?????? real?????? conversation.

  “*sigh*?????? fine?????? we’ll?????? go?????? your?????? way”

  Before?????? they?????? started?????? moving?????? Ether?????? placed?????? the?????? small?????? daggers?????? he?????? stole?????? from?????? Hex?????? into?????? the?????? ground?????? as?????? a?????? landmark.

  “Well?????? don’t?????? fall?????? behind”

  With?????? that?????? said?????? he?????? started?????? running?????? down?????? the?????? path?????? and?????? Ether?????? followed?????? with?????? Silvia?????? sleeping?????? on?????? his?????? back.??????

  As?????? the?????? weeb?????? described?????? the?????? path?????? had?????? changed,?????? rights?????? are?????? lefts,?????? lefts?????? are?????? forwards,?????? and?????? forwards?????? are?????? right.??????

  Ether?????? wasn't?????? too?????? confident?????? in?????? Hex’s?????? approach?????? even?????? more?????? so?????? when?????? he?????? saw?????? a?????? familiar?????? sight,?????? the?????? dagger

  `may?????? pass?????? through?????? the?????? same?????? place?????? multiple?????? times?????? don’t?????? judge?????? yet’

  ?????? Then?????? he?????? saw?????? it?????? again,?????? and?????? again?????? he?????? had?????? to?????? say?????? something?????? there?????? is?????? no?????? way?????? this?????? was?????? the?????? right?????? path.

  “WAIT!!”??????

  Ether?????? shouted?????? as?????? he?????? stopped?????? even?????? with?????? this?????? Silvia?????? was?????? as?????? still?????? as?????? the?????? moment?????? she?????? slept.?????? To?????? elaborate?????? on?????? his?????? point?????? he?????? spoke?????? again??????

  “We?????? are?????? going?????? in?????? circles?????? we?????? passed?????? this?????? dagger?????? 3?????? times?????? now”

  “What????????? We?????? never?????? passed?????? that”

  “Yes?????? we?????? did”

  “Nu-uh”

  Hex,?????? clearly?????? not?????? wanting?????? to?????? admit?????? he?????? was?????? wrong,?????? shook?????? his?????? head?????? vigorously?????? from?????? side?????? to?????? side.

  “The?????? hell?????? you?????? mean?????? nu?????? uh”

  “No”??????

  Still?????? shaking?????? his?????? head?????? while?????? speaking

  “*sigh*?????? whatever?????? tell?????? me?????? if?????? you?????? know?????? this?????? maze?????? as?????? well?????? as?????? you?????? claim?????? following?????? the?????? path?????? to?????? get?????? out?????? of?????? here?????? would?????? we?????? ever?????? cross?????? the?????? same?????? place?????? more?????? than?????? once”

  “No”

  “Then?????? how?????? did?????? we?????? pass?????? this?????? place?????? multiple?????? times”

  “We?????? didn't”

  Not?????? being?????? able?????? to?????? accept?????? he’s?????? wrong?????? gives?????? Ether?????? the?????? want?????? nay?????? the?????? need?????? to?????? kill?????? him.?????? But?????? he?????? has?????? a?????? good?????? trait?????? that?????? should?????? get?????? them?????? out?????? of?????? here.?????? Taking?????? a?????? deep?????? breath?????? in?????? and?????? out?????? he?????? finally?????? responded

  “I…?????? Believe…?????? you?????? have?????? tunnel?????? vision?????? and?????? you?????? believe?????? you?????? are?????? correct?????? only?????? based?????? on?????? your?????? perspective?????? leading?????? to?????? this.?????? The?????? reason?????? for?????? your?????? information?????? being?????? wrong?????? is?????? that?????? the?????? labyrinth?????? here?????? is?????? different?????? from?????? the?????? one?????? you?????? studied.?????? I?????? can?????? assume?????? this?????? by…”

  “Stop?????? stop?????? I?????? get?????? it?????? your?????? right?????? I’m?????? wrong?????? just…?????? please,?????? don't?????? lecture?????? me?????? on?????? my?????? faults”

  `Then?????? how?????? will?????? you?????? improve’

  “So?????? I’m?????? wrong,?????? how?????? do?????? you?????? propose?????? we?????? get?????? out”

  “Give?????? me?????? a?????? minute?????? to?????? think”

  “???”

  `there?????? is?????? no?????? way?????? I?????? can?????? get?????? us?????? out?????? on?????? my?????? own.?????? And?????? with?????? the?????? walls?????? changing?????? there?????? is?????? no?????? way?????? I?????? can?????? follow?????? the?????? left?????? wall?????? eventually?????? it?????? will?????? be?????? mixed?????? unless?????? we’re?????? lucky.?????? Wait?????? that's?????? it’

  “Okay?????? Hex,?????? I?????? got?????? it?????? but?????? you?????? will?????? need?????? to?????? use?????? your?????? trait?????? to?????? its?????? extent”

  “Hex?”

  “Quick?????? name?????? for?????? you”

  “Oh…?????? that's?????? not?????? my?????? name?????? my?????? name?????? is?????? ($$&&!?,()),:,?&)…?????? wait?????? can?????? I?????? not?????? say?????? it?”

  Ether?????? assumed?????? he?????? was?????? trying?????? to?????? say?????? a?????? name?????? but?????? all?????? that?????? came?????? out?????? was?????? static,?????? incoherent?????? words,?????? and?????? gibberish.

  “I?????? guess?????? not??????? …anyways?????? your?????? abil…?????? I?????? mean?????? that?????? trait?????? lets?????? you?????? have?????? a?????? good?????? gut?????? feeling?????? right?”

  “Right”

  “Have?????? you?????? used?????? it?????? actively?”

  “No,?????? but?????? I?????? did?????? guess?????? you?????? were?????? human?????? because?????? of?????? a?????? gut?????? feeling…”

  “So?????? it?????? has?????? been?????? correct,?????? so?????? we?????? are?????? going?????? to?????? rely?????? on?????? that.?????? Do?????? the?????? same?????? thing?????? you?????? were?????? doing,?????? but,?????? this?????? time?????? only?????? follow?????? your?????? gut,?????? not?????? your?????? brain.?????? If?????? it?????? works?????? we’ll?????? be?????? out?????? and?????? we?????? can?????? start?????? this?????? adventure?????? correctly.”

  With?????? that?????? said?????? Ether?????? pulled?????? the?????? dagger?????? from?????? the?????? ground?????? and?????? the?????? newly?????? formed?????? party?????? advanced?????? to?????? what?????? they?????? hope?????? is?????? the?????? exit

  ————————————

  1,000,000?????? that’s?????? the?????? total?????? number?????? of?????? people?????? that?????? died?????? in?????? spawn.??????

  `I?????? feel?????? like?????? a?????? failure.?????? I?????? might?????? get?????? leniency?????? as?????? this?????? is?????? my?????? first?????? time?????? but?????? never?????? in?????? the?????? history?????? of?????? dungeon?????? managers?????? has?????? anyone?????? lost?????? this?????? many?????? in?????? one?????? day.?????? All?????? I?????? can?????? do?????? is?????? watch?????? and?????? pray,?????? But?????? I?????? doubt?????? that?????? any?????? God?????? could?????? hear?????? me.?????? Well?????? might?????? as?????? well?????? try’

  Chaos?????? the?????? lesser?????? deity?????? got?????? on?????? his?????? knees?????? before?????? taking?????? the?????? proper?????? praying?????? form?????? and?????? prayed

  “Dear?????? God?????? whichever?????? one?????? of?????? you?????? could?????? hear?????? me?????? I?????? need?????? help?????? or?????? guidance?????? no?????? matter?????? who?????? took?????? this?????? challenge?????? no?????? one?????? would?????? succeed?????? so?????? I?????? ask?????? for?????? help?????? in?????? this?????? endeavor?????? from?????? anyone?????? who?????? hears”

  “Chaos?????? is?????? that?????? you?????? what’s?????? wrong”??????

  The?????? voice?????? heard?????? was?????? one?????? he?????? knew?????? all?????? too?????? well,?????? Aurelya.?????? Chaos?????? quickly?????? canceled?????? his?????? prayer?????? and?????? stood?????? back?????? up.

  `figures?????? I?????? can't?????? reach?????? anyone?????? oh?????? well?????? I?????? guess?????? I'm?????? on?????? my?????? own.?????? Is?????? there?????? anything?????? I?????? could?????? do?????? to?????? help?????? them?’

  Chaos?????? searched?????? frantically?????? for?????? an?????? answer?????? mostly?????? with?????? his?????? cram?????? cards?????? likely?????? the?????? only?????? reason?????? he?????? got?????? a?????? degree.

  This?????? spell?????? was?????? normally?????? meant?????? to?????? be?????? used?????? to?????? protect?????? a?????? village?????? or?????? something?????? but?????? Chaos?????? had?????? the?????? idea?????? to?????? use?????? it?????? to?????? gather?????? survivors.

  `but?????? that?????? just?????? puts?????? them?????? together?????? not?????? solving?????? the?????? problem?????? and?????? it?????? could?????? also?????? lead?????? to?????? mass?????? murder?????? that’s?????? not?????? good’

  Chaos?????? continued?????? looking?????? until?????? he?????? remembered?????? the?????? domain?????? of?????? Chaos’s?????? unique?????? abilities.

  As?????? stated?????? when?????? he?????? learned?????? of?????? his?????? domain?????? it?????? implied?????? only?????? greater?????? deities?????? ones?????? with?????? names?????? could?????? do?????? this,?????? however,?????? since?????? he?????? is?????? the?????? first?????? of?????? chaos?????? there?????? is?????? no?????? knowing?????? whether?????? it’s?????? true?????? or?????? not?????? as?????? such?????? the?????? only?????? way?????? to?????? find?????? out?????? is?????? through?????? trial?????? and?????? error.??????

  Chaos?????? started?????? to?????? experiment?????? with?????? this?????? ability?????? he?????? couldn’t?????? remove?????? but?????? he?????? could?????? add?????? the?????? only?????? idea?????? he?????? had?????? was?????? to?????? make?????? safe?????? zones?????? to?????? save?????? as?????? many?????? people?????? as?????? he?????? could?????? all?????? for?????? his?????? promotion.