Chapter 42: The Fifth Passage


    With each passing second, a relentless onught took ce as multiple Nightmare Beasts met their demise. However, a disheartening truth unfolded before them—the fallen creatures were swiftly reced by even stronger Nightmares.


    It was as though the maze possessed a self-regting mechanism, where the death of Nightmare Beasts only served to amplify the challenges faced by the yers. As the seconds ticked away, an incessant influx of higher level Nightmare Beasts attacked.


    The realization dawned upon Raven that there seemed to be no end to this nightmarish ordeal. So far, killing the beasts had proven rtively manageable, as they posed no significant threat. Yet, with the emergence of Higher Level Nightmare Beasts, the tide began to turn against him as it became harder to kill them.


    The inevitable truth loomed in his mind: it was merely a matter of time before these creatures surpassed his own strength. This very reason was what made the Nightmare Beasts so troublesome and formidable.


    Fortunately, the appearance of Higher Level Nightmare Beasts also helped Raven''s rapid growth in his own abilities. He kept leveling up even faster.


    With each sessful kill, the gap between his level and that of the Nightmare Beasts diminished.


    Still, he harbored uncertainty about how long he could endure if he were forced to rely heavily on Mana. Only the Nameless Sword instilled in him a sense of confidence that he could eventually escape this treacherousbyrinth.


    Meanwhile, Julien and the others relied on their skills and used Mana in a relentless effort to keep pace.


    The intensified onught of Nightmare Beasts, brought forth by Raven''s presence, targeted not only him but also Julien and hispanions. Only through their unwavering teamwork did they manage to forge ahead.


    "Arash, there''s no escape! You''re heading towards a dead end!" Julien''s powerful voice resonated through the maze, reaching Raven''s ears from afar.


    "The maze routes have changed! There''s no way out! You''ll only stumble into a trap that even I''m uncertain if I can face! Turn back and retreat before it''s toote!"


    Raven heard Julien''s words, yet whether they were mere bluffs or the maze had indeed altered its pathways, he could not ascertain.


    Nheless, time was a luxury he did not possess. Without responding to Julien, he pressed onward, venturing deeper into thebyrinth.


    Even though Raven wasn''t in his Puppet Master Avatar and couldn''t control Elia with force, his bond with her remained unbroken.


    Elia knew that Raven was her master, even if he was in a different Avatar momentarily. She listened to his instructions out of her own volition without any forceful restrictions that usually forced her to listen to her Master''smand.


    Moreover, she tapped into Raven''s Mana Reserves and asionally killed Nightmare Beasts herself.


    [Level +1]


    The notification resounded in Raven''s mind, apanied by the appearance of the System Screen. However, amidst the other notifications, an additional one caught his attention.


    [Puppet Master Avatar Level +1]


    Even though he wasn''t in his alternate Avatar, he was gaining experience in that as well. Initially, he was surprised why that was the case. But he soon understood that it was because of Elia.


    His Puppet Master Avatar wasn''t being used. However, it still remained in existence. The Nightmare Beasts that Elia killed gave her some Experience Points. However, the rest of the Experience Points from her kills were going to his other avatar.


    This realization filled him with great surprise. Slowly, he was learning more and more about his Split Avatars.


    Thanks to Elia, he could still foster the growth of his other Avatar, seizing this invaluable opportunity. Though he exterminated the majority of the Nightmares, he intentionally left a few wounded, allowing Elia to kill them and channel the experience gained to his other Avatar.


    After enduring an unrelenting horde of Nightmare Beasts, Raven finally reached the passage''s end.


    Observing the path diverge into five routes, he murmured to himself, "He wasn''t bluffing."


    When Julien and him had initially ventured into this area, there were merely two paths to choose from, and Raven had been aware of the correct one. However, the current scenario presented a stark contrast—three additional paths had emerged, indicating a knowledge possessed by Julien and the other Guild Members.


    transformative shift within the maze.


    The amalgamation of routes rendered the task of discerning the correct path arduously difficult, especially without the advanced knowledge possessed by Julien and the other Guild Members.


    Raven nced back, a thought shing through his mind. In the end, he shook his head and swiftly dismissed the notion.


    He dropped the idea of going back to knock Julien out and bring him forcefully as a hostage and guide, mostly because Julien wasn''t alone.


    Moreover, such a n entailed significant risks andplications. With a decisive swing of his sword, Raven cleaved the Nightmare Beasts that encircled him, preventing others from taking their ce.


    Determined, he selected one of the five paths and stepped forward.


    At that moment, he could only rely on his instincts and hope for favorable oues.


    Out of the five paths, he selected thest one, not knowing where it was going to lead him. He understood that even if he erred and faced death, it would be a consequence of his own actions. He adamantly refused to retreat and be a mere puppet under someone else''s control.


    Prepared to confront more rushing Nightmare Beasts, Raven advanced into the fifth passage. However, to his astonishment, all the Nightmare Beasts halted at the entrance, as if unable or unwilling to enter.


    The reason behind their sudden change in demeanor remained unclear. It was unclear if it stemmed from an inherent inability to ess the path or from an overwhelming fear of something hiding in the passage that eclipsed their usual animosity toward Raven.


    Inside the passage, Raven furrowed his brow, casting a nce back at the screeching Nightmare Beasts, their eyes aze with bloodlust. Yet, they refrained from pursuing him further.


    Raven grew quite curious behind their reason. From the limited knowledge he had about the Nightmare Beasts, thanks to Julien, two possibilities surfaced in his mind.


    The first possibility was that the fifth path was the right path. It led to the exit and it was the safe zone.


    Meanwhile the second possibility was much worse. It meant that this was the worst path that he could''ve selected and that there was something there that could even scare these crazy ghostly beings.


    Irrespective of the underlying secret, only one path remained to uncover the truth.


    Raven averted his gaze from the Nightmare Beasts ignoring their frenzied cries echoing through the air. He fixed his attention on the dimly lit, ominously silent path before him.