If someone were to ask what there was the most of on the third floor, Roland would likely blurt out, “Why is there water everywhere?”
Unlike the damp environment of the previous two floors, the third floor couldn’t even be called damp anymore. It would be more accurate to say that there was nothing there but water. Looking up, one could still see the ceiling of the cavern, but the empty sight easily gave the illusion that they had taken the wrong path.
“Do we count as having cleared the floor now?”
“You’ll know once you take out your Adventurer Certification. If it glows, the conquest is successful. If not, we aren’t done yet.”
Roland took out the ID card as Cameron suggested, but it didn’t emit even a glimmer of light.
“It looks like we have to keep going.”
Since there were no landmarks, the four of them had to use the circular stone pillars behind them as anchors to move forward. This way, they would at least know the general direction when returning. However, it didn’t take long before they reached the end.
As Royce turned his head to look around, he suddenly slammed face-first into an invisible wall, his nose turning bright red from the impact.
“What is this?” Roland reached out and touched the wall in front of her.
It felt like an enhanced version of a Magic Barrier. Not only was it completely formless, but its durability far surpassed any ordinary Magic Barrier. Even a shield-breaking spell might not be enough to shatter it.
If she could understand its operating principle, she might be able to replicate it. It would definitely have a miraculous effect in actual combat.
“It seems we’ve reached the end.” Cameron took out his pink ID card, and sure enough, the card was emitting a bright light. “Should we head back?”
Roland answered honestly, “Actually, I want to stay a bit longer to see if I can analyze this magic wall.”
“It won’t be easy. Besides, it’s been six months since the last rotation of the Labyrinth of Enid. It might rotate again at any moment.”
“All right.” Roland didn’t insist.
Lenora also walked up curiously to touch the magic wall, but the necklace around her neck suddenly emitted a burst of light. Immediately after, she was sucked inside, her body moving uncontrollably.
Roland reacted quickly and grabbed her hand, but she was also forcibly pulled inside.
In the blink of an eye, only the bewildered Royce and Cameron were left on the spot. Both of them made a sound as if their brains had short-circuited. “Huh?”
***
Inside the magic wall, the two of them were tossed roughly onto the ground. Fortunately, Roland escaped injury by landing on the cushion of Lenora’s bottom.
“What happened this time?” Lenora felt as if she were being targeted. From the moment they entered the Labyrinth of Enid until now, her luck had been terrible, as if someone couldn’t stand seeing her doing well.
Above her, Roland propped herself up and looked around. She spotted something peculiar floating in mid-air.
From its appearance, the object looked like an exquisitely crafted blue hourglass, except it was placed horizontally. The left side of the hourglass was about half-full of water, while the right side was completely full. Upon closer inspection, the hourglass was rotating counterclockwise at a slow pace.
‘Could that be the power source for the rotation of the Labyrinth of Enid?’ Roland unintentionally guessed the truth.
However, even if she knew the answer, the questions didn’t decrease. For instance, who created the hourglass, why was it left here, and could it be taken away and used?
Lenora also noticed the power source Roland mentioned. “Why does it look like it’s about to flip over?”
“The labyrinth must be about to rotate. We have to leave this place quickly.”
“Are we not going to take it?”
“No. We know nothing about it. Taking it might lead to unforeseen consequences.”
But just as the two turned to leave, the hourglass suddenly flipped upside down. Correspondingly, the entire labyrinth underwent a sudden tremor. Even the surface of the lake beneath their feet shook violently, giving the impression that the tranquility was about to be shattered.
“Run!”
Roland grabbed Lenora and prepared to run out, but the magic wall that had forcibly sucked them in was now completely sealed. No matter what they did, they couldn’t pass through. Roland even tried using magic, but the only result was singeing a few strands of her own hair.
Lenora collapsed to the ground in despair. “Are we going to die here? Drowned alive?”
“I don’t want to die!” Roland rushed toward the hourglass with a fierce look in her eyes.
Since there was no way back, she would stake everything on one throw!
She grabbed the hourglass with force, attempting to turn it back to its original position. But no matter how hard she pulled, the hourglass in her hands remained motionless.
“Come and help me, quickly!”
Lenora hurried over upon hearing the call. The two of them gripped the floating hourglass with four hands, straining until the veins on their foreheads bulged, but they still couldn’t budge it.
Right then, the necklace around Lenora’s neck glowed again. The hourglass, which had been impossible to move, suddenly broke free. Both of them lost their balance and fell backward, splashing heavily into the turbulent water.
The genuine sensation of suffocation instantly cleared Roland’s mind. Bubbles escaped her mouth uncontrollably. If she didn’t breathe fresh air soon, she would drown before long.
When she tried to swim upward, a suction force from the depths of the lake dragged her down. The more she struggled, the more painful her consciousness became. Strength gradually left her hands, and even the world in her eyes was being rapidly pulled away and erased.
‘Maybe I really will drown here, just as Lenora said…’
‘I promised to go back and see Mia. Am I going to break my word?’
Just as Roland was about to give up her struggle, a warm hand firmly grabbed her as she sank.
“Roland, wake up! I’ll get you out of here!”
Her vision, blurred by the lack of oxygen, was rapidly returning to clarity. She could clearly feel that she was moving. Judging by the voice… it was Lenora.
Finally getting a chance to breathe, Roland coughed uncontrollably. She only managed to return to normal after coughing out the water in her throat and lungs.
Looking closely, she saw Lenora’s blue hair floating in the water like waves. She was swimming upward with all her might. The necklace she had given her not long ago was emitting a captivating light.
‘Is it the necklace…?’
Realizing that they could breathe and move freely underwater, Roland immediately told Lenora her thought, “Go get the hourglass!”
Although she didn’t know why Roland wanted to do this, Lenora chose to trust her and stopped to look for the lost hourglass.
Soon, she saw the blue object being tossed around by the undercurrents, drifting like a homeless refugee.
She immediately swam forward, but just as her fingers were about to touch the hourglass, a long, slender, transparent tentacle suddenly appeared. It slammed into the air bubble created by the necklace, knocking the two of them back to where they started.
Following the source of the tentacle, Roland saw a massive, transparent jellyfish with a bell-shaped body and countless tentacles hanging beneath it. Its interior was composed of pinkish organs, and each tentacle was estimated to be over 30 meters long.
From its behavior, it was highly likely that it was guarding the hourglass.