Chapter-35 Its Inevitable

Far away from Kofi and Caleb, in a royal-looking, nicely designed ice room, the walls were decorated with intricate ice carvings that glimmered softly in the dim light.

Zack, Lester, Selene, David, and the others stood in a circle the air was filled with a calm but biting coldness, kept sending shivers down their spines.

Zack's brows furrowed in frustration. "This wasn't supposed to happen." he muttered, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Lester smiled wry.. "Do you think those two will survive?" he asked, his gaze drifting towards the entrance where they came from after splitting up from Kofi and Caleb.

Selene shook her head her tone cold. "I doubt it. One D-rank and the other E-rank." she said.

David ever composed, spoke up with a smooth and calm tone. "Do you want me to go look for them?" he said.

Zack sighed heavily, his breath forming frosty clouds in the chilly air as he ran his hand through his hair. "No its to late." he said.

...

Kofi was swung backward with such force from the Isabella headbutt that he collided into multiple ice shards instantly shattering them, before finally coming to a complete stop at the bottom of a deep crater of ice, slowly burying him beneath.

Caleb who was far behind still where they first was arriving in the ring watched where Kofi had landed. "Kofi!" he shouted dropping his luggage and sprinting toward Kofi. 'Please be okay.' he pleaded in his thoughts.

Arriving at the edge of the crater where Kofi lay, Caleb was already exhausted but despite this, he wasted no time because seeing Kofi buried under snow and ice, without a moment's hesitation, he began to dig with his hands frantically clearing away the frozen debris.

Caleb dropped down by Kofi's side, his heart pounding fast he asked. "Kofi, are you okay?"

With trembling hands Caleb carefully cleared away the shards of solid ice that surrounded Kofi. When he was done, his heart sank at the sight before him, Kofi lay on the ground, his clothes torn and bloodied, multiple injuries visible across his body.

"Good, you're breathing. Are you okay?" Caleb asked, his hands hovering anxiously over Kofi's injuries. "Here, have some water." he said reaching into his satchel and pulling out a bottle.

Kofi managed a weak nod, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I'm... fine," he said between shallow breaths. "Just... give me a sec."

Kofi in a moment of desperation, activated his ring of life, its energy gradually restoring his health up to 200 hit points, Isabella headbutt alone had brought his health dangerously below half, and the impact with the ice shards only exacerbated more injuries onto him.

In a swift motion, he then bought two D-rank health potions, downing them quickly to speed up his recovery.

"Are those health potions?" Caleb inquired, his surprise evident. 'Health potions are rare. Healers often become alchemists to craft them, and buying them is already expensive enough.' he pondered.

With half of his health now restored, Kofi struggled to rise to his feet, his strength low. Caleb rushed to his aid, offering support as Kofi struggled upright. "Thanks"

Could I trust Caleb to watch my back, or am I putting myself in even more danger by relying on him I barely even know him?

[You've defeated the maze guardian Isabella , earning 4600 XP.]

[Congratulations, survivor, on reaching level 12.]

[Congratulations, survivor, on reaching level 13.]

[Congratulations, survivor, on reaching level 14.]

Kofi couldn't help but feel disappointed. 'Only three levels... I thought I would have gained more this time, especially since Isabella was a higher rank than Kronar.' he thought sipping the water Caleb offered and feeling refreshed.

"Come on, let's go. I'm good now." Kofi declared.

Watching Kofi walk off, Caleb couldn't shake off his astonishment. 'He's fine already? I thought he would need my help for the rest of the maze... What rank are his healing potions?' Caleb pondered, trailing behind Kofi as they made their way back toward the luggage.

Kofi then retrieved his Soulrender sword from the group and approached Isabella's lifeless body, Caleb observed with awe as Kofi extracted his silver sword from Isabella's head before using his Soulrender to extract a purple and black dotted C-rank core stone from her head.

Caleb couldn't help but marvel at the core stone. It seemed logical for Kofi to keep it, given that he had killed the dragon and saved my life, right?

"Let's go." Kofi urged. Then they picked up there luggage, Caleb noticed an ice gate that had been closed before was now open. Entering it they found themselves in an unknown location, but any direction was better than standing still.

While walking down a hallway, Caleb couldn't shake his suspicions. "What just happened? Is he even a D-rank?...Is he talentless?" he muttered softly. 'I know talentless are known to be runners who abuse their powers to commit crimes inside the maze and even outside. The things that happen inside the maze never go public, as there are no security cameras to record crimes. Most of them are killed in secret. Talentless are mainly all C-rank and under, some without powers but still commit crimes in the real world... Is he hiding his rank to do the same thing?' Caleb's thoughts raced.

While Caleb observed Kofi's calm demeanor, he couldn't shake off his curiosity. "Can you tell me your rank?" he asked.

Kofi met Caleb's gaze. "D rank," he replied.

Caleb couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt creeping in. 'I really don't believe you, the energy on your body feels C rank.' he thought his brow furrowing slightly as he considered why, then he asked, "What do you think happened to the others?"

Kofi shook his head. "I don't know, but I'm certain they had something to do with what happened." he said. "I just need to find them to get my one hundred thousand."

Caleb raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? They don't seem so." he said.

Kofi's gaze drifted toward the ground, lost in thought, then after a moment of contemplation, he looked up with a red glint shining in his eyes. 'It seems inevitable. Evil will always hunt for the good, seeking to exploit any perceived weakness...but being good and seemingly weak doesn't make you an easy target; it makes you a beacon of strength. I may be quiet and seem weak, but I am no less prepared for the battles that come my way.' he thought.

Kofi remained silent as he continued walking, quietly adding five attribute points to his agility and stamina stats. He sensed a mysterious energy coursing through his body, though there were no visible changes. Nonetheless, he felt that the points were well worth investing.

Suddenly, before either Kofi or Caleb could react, a large ice hand emerged from the ground beneath them covering them whole.

"What's happening? Is this a trap?" Caleb panicked, his voice betraying his fear.

While Kofi and Caleb were trapped ensnared by the icy hand, shards of ice began shooting out from the fingertips of the hand, aiming straight for them.

However Kofi with his agility easily dodged the ice shards, side stepping, backstep through the air effortlessly avoiding them. 'Its like a ice gauntlet trap.' he thought.

But Caleb behind Kofi was struggling thought he managed to evade some of the incoming ice shard, there was always one that found its mark, inflicting painful slice wound on him. Gritting his teeth against the pain he fought to keep up his movements sluggish and his strength waning with each blow as he was already weak.

"Kofi, can you break free?" Caleb's voice rang out.

Though Kofi contemplated waiting it out, hoping the hand would eventually stop firring hearing Caleb's worry voice he decided to break out.

He punch out at the hand, shattering it into icy fragments that scattered across the ground, then he moved an did the same to Caleb ice hand freeing.

"Thanks," Caleb breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you sense it coming?" Kofi inquired. 'You even some how has five points of perception higher than me' he thought.

"I'm still a rank below you." Caleb replied.

Kofi shook his head, before moving forward, while they continued further down the hallway, they both saw before them, a vast chasm filled with menacing spikes of ice at the bottom.

'This part looks all about speed and agility.' Kofi thought.

"H-How are we going to cross?" Caleb asked.

Without hesitation, Kofi removed one of Caleb luggage from his shoulders and sprinted, leaping across to the first chasm ahead. Caleb was surprised; he had expected Kofi to search for an alternative route. Is this part even safe?

"O-okay." Caleb stammered, gulping nervously as he eyed looked down below the gap from the chasm. 'You can do this. Just one simple jump. You've jumped before.' he encouraged himself, taking a deep breath before backing up.

Caleb dashed forward and leapt into the air, for a terrifying moment, he felt as though he was about to die when he saw how he was about the ice spikes, "Ahh!" screaming in panic until he landed on the chasm.

However the icy surface was about to send him slipping over the edge at the time only for Kofi to swiftly grab hold of him, preventing him from falling.

When Caleb opened his eyes and realized he was still alive, he let out a relieved sigh and stood up.

"I'm sorry Kofi." Caleb apologized.

"Just be careful now. and hand me the rest," Kofi instructed extending his hand for the remaining luggage's.

Caleb nodded then he handed over his last luggage to Kofi, leaving him with four. Without hesitation, Kofi leaped across another chasm, leaving Caleb behind, a sense of sadness weighing on him.

'Why am I so weak despite months of continuous training... He's had to save me from death twice now.' Caleb thought inwardly. 'If I survive this maze, there must be something I can do to gain strength.' he thought with his fist clenched tightly.

With a glint in his eye Caleb began jumping to the other charms, following Kofi's movements. Though he had a few stumbles from the slippery charms, he managed not to fall.

However on the final jump he had miscalculated and as he was to far from the edge of the final chasm, Kofi who saw quickly grabbed his hand, pulling him up.

Without a word Kofi then dropped two backpacks and walked off, leaving Caleb before he could say thanks or register what just happened.

What just happened is it something I did?

When Kofi and Caleb entered a room that resembled a castle, they heard a voice exclaim. "You two are still alive!"