Chapter 23: The Hidden Path
"Rihito pov"
Shea was delighted and excited to get dependent on this labyrinth. She looked happy to be relied on by others. So, she decided to walk forward and take charge to protect her friends. She will make sure that everyone will get out of here alive.
We then started exploring the labyrinth, and suddenly Shea activated another trap.
"..."
Suddenly the floor under us vanished, reacting to this situation I tried to use my speed, but from out of nowhere a large amount of weight fell onto me, it stopped me from moving. Unable to react because of increased weight, we fell into the trap.
Hajime and I fell first. Then Shea and Yue followed after, and both of them fell on top of us, and from there we started to slide down to the unknown destination.
"I have a bad feeling about this", I blurted out.
Hajime, "No shit sherlock".
Shea, "I am scared".
Yue, "can't use magic".
I tried to slow down, but this damn place keeps decomposing my magic, and from the looks of things Hajime and Yue are also having the same problems.
I then notice the path is about to end. I took out a grappling gun from my <Item Box>. "Shea grab me tightly". Shea followed my instructions and grabbed me like a koala. I notice Hajime pulling out his gun as well.
Just then the slide ended and we were thrown into a room full of spikes, from the looks of things each Spike looked to be 5 to 6 feet long.
Hajime and I used our Grappling guns and swung to the other side of the room where a door-size passage was situated. We swung inside the passage.
Rihito, "We finally made it".
Hajime, "Yeah".
Shea, "I thought we were about to die".
Yue, "nn… That was a close call".
"..."
Hajime then looked at me with questioning eyes, "Rihito why didn't you use your cheating speed to get us out of there". I sighed and answered.
"I tried, but at that moment something or someone put a large amount of weight on me, enough to stop me from moving for a few seconds". Hajime frowned hearing my explanation.
We were continuing our talk but Yue called us.
"Hajime, Rihito look", we looked at Yue who was pointing at a stone tablet, which gave me deja vu.
We got near the tablet, as I expected there was something written on it.
I then reluctantly read the content.
"That was so close~. So, lame~. Suppose you are tired just by this. Then, it gonna be hard for you~. Hehehe…"
Reading the content, I clenched my teeth, and my hands were shaking in anger. The same goes for Hajime, Yue, and Shea.
[Calm down].
[Calm down, take a deep breath].
I took a deep breath and calmed myself down, "Let's ignore this. We need a break, let's eat first. We will continue after", to which everyone agreed.
"..."
1 hour later.
After we had rested enough, we started to explore this maze again. Every room we came across was filled with some kind of trap, like a room full of monsters, a shrinking room, a poison room, a room full of insects etc, and the thing is that not even the worst thing, the worst thing is the taunt that comes after. We stopped reading the stone tablet after we got caught in a trap for the second time, but to our dismay that damn tablet has a voice feature that read the text on its own if everyone ignores the tablet.
"I swear if I ever found Miledi Raisen, that day will be her last, graa…" Shea growled…
"I know Shea how you feel, but for now calm down, I am getting a bad feeling from this passage".
"You are not the only one". Hajime chided.
Then a click sound was heard again. Hajime and I looked back, Shea had activated a trap again.
Yue, "This flag rabbit".
Shea, "I didn't do this on purpose!".
Suddenly a rumbling sound could be heard from our front.
Gorgorgorgorgorgorgor…
"..."
Hajime "You got to be kidding me".
Rihito "Seriously".
We both spoke simultaneously.
Seeing a giant metal ball rolling towards us. Shea and Yue panicked.
"It's a giant rock!", Shea said in a panic.
Yue said, "We should run away for now." saying that both were ready to run. But as for me and Hajime, we didn't move a muscle.
Hajime, "I am tired of this bullshit". Saying that Hajime pulled out a pair of pitch-black metal gauntlets, and put them on.
The moment Hajime put on the gauntlet it gave off red sparkles and extended to cover up to his shoulder on both hands. Hajime's Hands currently looks like its anime counterpart.
Shea and Yue noticing us not moving looked back at us. There Rihito and Hajime were standing and glaring at the bolder.
Hajime then took a step forward and took a punching stance.
Hajime, "Again and again… always getting beaten. That's not MMYYY STYLLLEEEE!!".
Hajime roared and activated <Mana Burst>, <Body Enhancement>, and <Lightning Clad> simultaneously, and punched the boulder.
Booom!!!!.
The impact of Hajimes fist scattered the boulder into pieces. But the trouble didn't end there, behind the first bolder there was a second boulder.
Hajime seeing that didn't feel shocked instead, he had a wild grin and said, "Rihito next one is yours".
Mirroring Hajimes grin, I at that moment used <Body Enhancement>, <Shockwave Blast> and <Speed Strike> in tandem. But this time instead of smashing the second boulder.
Boooom!!!!!!
(a/n: if you don't remember what Speed Strike does then you can read chapter 9 or search in Wiki or wait until I make an auxiliary chapter of Mc's status)
I used the force of <Speed Strike>, and <Shockwave Blast> to send the boulder flying backwards where it came from.
The boulder shot like a bullet. After a few seconds, we heard an explosion.
Booom!!
"..."
We waited there for a while to see if any more boulders were coming.
Seeing that no boulders are coming anymore. We then continue to go through the passage ahead. It took us a few minutes to get to the end of the passage. There we saw the boulder was stuck in some kind of round gate. I got close to it to check it out.
I tried to see through the gaps the stuck boulder had created. What I saw had me agape, behind this damn door there were rows upon rows of boulders waiting to get released.
"..."
Hajime seeing me stand still, questioned me, "What happened".
I pointed my finger at the cracks. Seeing me pointing, he got curious. He then came closer to see. The sight behind the cracks shocked Hajime. There are rows upon rows of metal balls same as the two they dealt with.
"..."
"..."
"I think we dodged a bullet", Hajime said with nervousness.
Suddenly, Yue called out to us and pointed at a door. It was a door with an intricate design, unlike any we had seen in this place.
"..."
Seeing that door I muttered, "Is it only me or is that door giving off a boss room vives".
"Hmmm… I think we found a shortcut", Hajime responded.
Hearing his conjecture everyone looked at him, noticing our curiosity he started to explain.
I think this way is supposed to be unreachable. from what we found, those boulders should keep coming one after another until we retreat and go the other way. But Rihito's last blow threw the boulder back and blocked the mechanism to release more boulder.
"..."
Everyone nodded hearing Hajime's conjecture.
"Alright everyone we should prepared now. If that door really is the boss room, we need to prepare for anything", I said in seriousness.
Which to everyone nodded. We then prepared ourselves. I took out my trusty odachi, Shea pulled out her Drucken from her ring, and Hajime handed two water tanks to Yue which can release high-pressure water jets, and lastly Hajime with his two guns Donner and Schlag.
"Hajime and I will be the vanguard, Shea will be the rear guard, Yue will support us from the back, and if any trouble occurs on Yue's side, Shea will be the one to support her and vice versa, and that also goes for me and Hajime, Any question", I asked for the final time.
"Alright let's win this".
"Yeah x4", everyone cheered.
We then took our position. I then stepped forward and pushed open the door.
This room looked like a throne room. On both sides of the room, there is a row of knights armed.
Step step step…
As we stepped forward vigilantly.
Hajime spoke, "What is this room".
Yue, "It looks like a throne room".
"Yeah, but the thing is except for the throne we need to get to that door on the other side", I pointed.
"Ummm… guys am I the only one getting the feeling of someone watching us", Shea asked in trepidation.
"No, your senses are on point someone is watching us for sure", i responded.
Hajime, "We should get to the next room. Keep moving".
Just when we reached the centre of this room. Suddenly, all the armour started to move and pointed their weapon at us.
"Waa… armours are moving, there are so many of them", Shea said in unease.
"Everyone get ready."
"And Shea", I called out to her.
"Show us what you got, you can let lose now", to which everyone smiled.
"Rihito", Shea spoke in a soft voice which nobody could hear.
"You have endured my special training. Your strength as my disciple is guaranteed by me, Hajime, and Rihito", Yue said with a smile.
At that moment Shea's nervousness vanished. She finally sees that Rihito and others are treating her like a teammate, that she is not a burden, and to prove that she will fight.
"Yes, I understand, I, Shea Haulia will start rampaging all I want!!", saying that Shea jumped towards a knight golam with a giant sword.
"DIIEEE!!!"
BOOOOM!!!!
Booomm!!!
Shea was smashing armour one after another. Seeing her rampage like that we also followed along.
I used my Muramasa cutting down all the knight Golams nearest to me one after another.
Shiing…
Clang…
On my left Hajime used his guns torning down the armour. From our back, Yue is giving us support with her new weapon. But still, there is no end to this.
"Hajime", I called out.
"I think these damn armours are regenerating we need to get to the next room or there will be no end to this".
Hearing our conversation, Shea responded, "But how, the door is closed".
"That's no problem. I have something that will deal with it", Hajime then pulled out a black cross-shaped-looking launcher, 'Orkan'.
"Everyone close your ears", Saying that he fired it on the closed door.
Bang!!
Booom!!!
Seeing the door get blasted by Hajime's weapon. Yue complimented, "That was amazing power".
"Of course, it is, it's a fucking missile launcher", I retorted.
In one hit of his Orkan, he obliterated the door.
Hajime "Alright everyone let's get going before it starts regenerating, So hurry".
I then used my <Shockwave Blast> to knock back all the remaining Golams.
"Let's go".
On the other side of the door, there was a passage heading to an opening. We dashed towards the passage, and from behind Golam Knights were still following us.
The moment we reached the end of the passage we noticed that in this room there was no floor except for many cubes floating in the air.
Noticing the Golams were getting close. we jumped on the closest cube.
Shea "Fuwaa… finally some rest".
Hajime "Don't let your guard down, this might be the boss room".
Yue "nn…"
I knowing what would come hurriedly started to scan my surroundings.
Hajime noticing the serious look on my face readyed himself to fight.
"Rihito did you feel something", he called out.
But then suddenly.
Booom!!!???
"..."
"Chapter end"
(a/n: hello guys. I have noticed not many of you are commenting please give me some comments about this ff. If you do not say anything I won't know if my story is getting better or worsening.)