[You have entered the "Maze of the Damned."]
Sam landed hard on the stone floor, boots scraping against the damp surface as the notification faded from sight.
The air was thick, and the first thing he noticed was the faint mist curling around his feet.
It was cold, unnatural, and it clung to him like something alive.
The chamber was small, the walls narrow and uneven.
Ghastly light seeped through cracks above, just enough for him to see where he stood.
The mist swirled faintly in response to his steps, pale tendrils of fog rising and dispersing whenever he moved.
And ahead of him stretched a single corridor that seemed to go deeper into the maze.
"Hm."
He scanned the chamber again, sharp eyes searching for any signs of other awakeners.
But no matter how carefully he looked, the room was empty.
Not even a trace of footsteps, aura, or presence lingered in the mist.
Either the others were already further ahead, or the maze itself worked like the layers, splitting people into different instances.
Before the thought could solidify, a panel appeared in front of his eyes.
[The "Maze of the Damned" is a singular instance.]
"Oh well."
So everyone was in the same maze.
If he couldn’t see them, it just meant they were deeper inside.
He adjusted the grip on his sword, then stepped into the corridor.
His boots echoed faintly against the stone.
The further he walked, the denser the air felt, until it pressed against his skin like a heavy blanket.
But right as he reached the middle of the passage—
SLASH! Bam!
Something slammed into his [Primordial Barrier] from behind.
Sam spun, sword already in hand, aura flaring.
And floating above the ground was a figure of pale mist, its form faint yet sharp enough to resemble something humanoid.
It stared at him with hollow white dots for eyes.
---
[Maze Ghost][Level: 90][Description: The most common enemy in the "Maze of the Damned", though they disappear as you head deeper.][Skills: Float, Invisibility, Ghastly Slash]
---
Sam raised a brow as he looked at the panel. Level 90.
It was beyond the range of anything he’d fought before.
It meant these monsters were sitting at the peak of the next rank, one he didn’t even know the name of.
His grip on the sword tightened, his mind immediately analyzing.
’At this rate, the monsters will only get stronger the deeper I go. And if that’s true... how can the others possibly keep up?’
There was only one answer.
The beings hadn’t lied when they’d said each rank boost in this realm gave far more than before.
It meant even those still at Immortal rank could punch above their level if they’d reached the peak.
In theory, a strong Immortal rank awakener could hold their ground against a level 90 enemy.
Still, Sam wasn’t worried.
He drew his primordial sword from his spatial inventory, the weapon humming with aura as its edge gleamed in the faint light.
There was no need to use skills on something like this.
He could handle it with raw strength alone.
Fwish!
He dashed forward, his sword cutting a clean arc through the mist-filled air, full intent behind the strike.
A blow strong enough to split a level 85 boss in half.
Even the [Astrals] from the [Third Mission] had fallen instantly when struck like that.
And yet—
Ghastly Slash!
The ghost’s claw met his sword, sparks scattering as steel clashed against spectral force.
Sam narrowed his eyes and pushed back, sliding across the stone floor.
"Huh."
The creature hovered, its hollow gaze never leaving his.
The faint dots of white light inside its skull seemed to study him.
’So that’s how it is.’
A faint chuckle echoed through the maze, not from the ghost but from everywhere at once.
[Do you see now, Primordial? Just how outmatched you are =)?]
[The closer you get to the end, the stronger they will become, empowered by our will. Why don’t you just give up?]
"Shut up," Sam muttered, shifting his stance again.
He didn’t need any special ability to deal with this. He didn’t need to play their game.
And besides, he already knew why they wanted him to surrender.
They were aware of [Determination is Fuel].
They knew as long as his determination flared, his body would never truly break.
His soul refused to let him die. That was what they feared.
[You think we are scared of that? You aren’t ready, haha!]
The clash resumed, the ghost slashing with speed that blurred, its claws sweeping through the air with unnatural sharpness.
Sam countered, steel ringing against every strike.
And though the ghost fought well, the difference between them was clear.
SLASH!
Sam’s sword carved cleanly through the creature, the misty form splitting apart as a shrill cry echoed across the corridor.
The ghost dissipated into fog, its essence dispersing into the mist.
Sam stood still, sword resting against his shoulder, his aura calming.
He absorbed the core from the monster, feeling it empower him slightly.
But just as the ghost’s body vanished completely, a new form appeared in its place.
It looked like the [Maze Ghost], but its body glowed crimson, its veins alive with swirling aura.
Its white eyes burned brighter than before.
’Spirit.’
Sam recognized it instantly. It had to be the [True Primordial Spirits] skill.
He had a bad history with this skill, since it always proved itself to be useless.
But this time, something felt different. He pulled up the description.
---
[Description: Upon defeating anybody, you’ll be able to see their spirit, allowing you to show these wretched souls how meaningless their attempts at stopping you were, and snatching them for yourself without any resistance.]
[You have 100 slots to recruit spirits.]
[The spirits you recruit will be GREATLY empowered by your aura and affinities, making them much stronger.]
---
No longer would he need to fight through resistance, battling determination and hatred to claim a spirit.
Now his will and aura crushed them instantly.
It meant he could take anything. Even bosses.
Even the [Forsaken Lords], who’d once laughed at his attempts.
Sam extended his hand, his palm glowing faintly. The spirit floated toward him, trembling.
The moment his fingers touched its form, a shockwave rippled through his arm.
But instead of resistance—
Ding!
[You have recruited the "Maze Ghost."][True Primordial Spirits: 1/100]
Sam smirked.
"Perfect."
With a snap of his fingers, he summoned the crimson ghost into existence again.
This time, it wasn’t the same weak monster as before.
Its body pulsed with veins of color, his affinities woven into its form.
It radiated power, far beyond what the original had wielded.
’Useful.’
Sam turned and continued deeper into the corridor.
He had barely taken a dozen steps before—
Slash! Slash!
Two more ghosts emerged from the mist, claws cutting through the air toward his throat.
But this time Sam didn’t even move.
Instead, his crimson [Maze Ghost] shot forward, aura blazing. The fight was quick but brutal.
It struggled against two enemies at once, but the power Sam had given it tipped the balance.
In thirty seconds, the new ghost struck the final blow, tearing its enemies apart.
Sam absorbed their cores without hesitation, then placed his hand over their fading spirits.
Two more crimson forms joined his ranks.
Ding!
[True Primordial Spirits: 3/100]
He looked at the three of them floating beside him, their bodies glowing faintly like crimson lanterns in the fog.
A grin spread across his face.
"Perfect."
With every step forward, the maze became less daunting. Minutes later, he reached the end of the corridor.
And what waited beyond made his eyes widen.
"Holy shit."
The world opened up into a colossal structure.
Platforms stretched above and below, connected by endless staircases spiraling into darkness.
Chambers spread out in every direction, their doors leading deeper into shadow.
Above him was only void, black and endless. Below, the same abyss stretched forever.
He stood at the ledge of his platform, staring down into the darkness.
His breath left him slowly.
Now he understood why they called it the [Maze of the Damned].
In the distance, faint shapes moved, other awakeners emerging from separate corridors, their paths intersecting as they explored.
Some climbed stairs upward, others descended. Check latest chapters at novèlfire.net
None of them looked certain of where they were going.
"Alright. I guess I just need to find the exit."
Turning left, he took a staircase downward, the stone steps creaking beneath his boots.
The air grew colder as he descended, the mist thickening.
He reached a narrow ledge and followed it until a door appeared before him.
Without hesitation, he stepped through.
The hall beyond was shorter, tighter than the last, the air buzzing faintly with aura.
And when he emerged on the other side—
"Are you kidding me?"
Another vast structure stretched out before him. This one was even more dangerous.
Monsters clung to walls, floated through the air, or prowled along the platforms.
It was alive with threats.
His eyes narrowed just as a [Ghost Wolf] lunged at a distracted awakener.
The poor man barely had time to scream before he was dragged over the edge, his body falling into the endless void.
And he didn’t even have any wings to save him.
Wings were definitely overpowered in this place, and he saw some awakeners flap theirs to reach other platforms.
Sam frowned. He didn’t know what was waiting below.
It could be death. It could be something worse.
’Unless it’s a sub-zone,’ he thought.
At this point, anything was possible. But he wasn’t about to test it unless absolutely necessary.
His goal was clear.
Complete the mission. Move forward. No matter what.