Chapter 18 - The Maze of the Two Kings (2)

It was a large, red, majestic throne. There sat Uriel calmly holding a controller with a huge red button in the center. He was spinning the control in his hand with a smile on his face.

"Hey, when is the test going to start?" Urek was frowning slightly with impatience. It had been several minutes since they had come here and so far there had been no word when the test would start.

Arisha was standing behind Uriel's throne as she also waited with a slightly annoyed expression.

Uriel smiled at Urek.

"How would I know? Only the Test Administrators know when it will start."

It was at that moment...

[Regular Members, can everyone hear my voice? Ah! Ah!!! Well, well, since you can all hear, let the 'Maze of the Two Kings' begin!]

A voice was heard throughout the labyrinth bringing an excited smile to Urek's face.

"Finally this is starting! I was already getting impatient."

"Okay. Then you can go, run through the maze and get as many points as you can." Uriel laughed and pointed ahead. There was the entrance to the labyrinth.

Trak! Trak!

"Heh. That'll be easy."

Urek snapped his fingers with an excited expression. He took a step forward and moved forward. He was like a big flash of light, and in less than an instant, he was already traveling all over the maze. That was the beginning of Urek's point hunt.

Arisha's pupils visibly trembled.

'Your speed...'

She could only see a beam of light shooting through the maze. Urek's speed was too fast for her to see with the naked eye. It was an absurd speed.

'If I were to fight him, could I defend myself against his attacks...?'

She shuddered. At that moment, the fear she felt of Urek increased to another level in her heart. As she pondered, Uriel's voice reached her ears.

"Why didn't you go too, Arisha?"

"...Don't you need someone to defend you, master? You cannot leave the throne under any circumstances."

"Hehehe. You worry too much. Against trash like that, let alone getting up from the throne, I wouldn't even have to lift a finger."

"....."

Arisha couldn't respond to that arrogant statement. She did know Uriel's absurd strength, but she had fought Khun Huo and his teammate before and knew that they were both strong, despite being weaker than her. She shrugged and decided not to think about it too much.

"Then I'm going, master."

"Okay, go go go."

Uriel waved his hand as if he was kicking a dog out.

"...." Arisha looked back for a moment and moved forward into the maze quickly.

"Okay, now..." Uriel alone on top of the throne placed one of his legs on top of the other with a smile on his face. His eyes looked up at the sky made of shinsu on the ceiling of the Floor and a moment later turned to the other side of the labyrinth.

'I wonder what move they will make.'

「Bzzzt.」

He summoned his Pocket in visible mode and white letters forming the word 'Call' appeared on the Pocket. Uriel leaned relaxed against the throne and opened his mouth.

"So, Mazino, how are you doing? Did you get any points?"

「Uriel? Tsk, so far I haven't found any of those yellow buttons and no people from the other team.」

Urek's voice came out from inside the Pocket.

"Hehe. There's no need to rush. This is just the beginning of the test, soon you will meet the members of the other team."

「But, they are very weak. Even if I find them, it will be very boring.」

'Huhu.' Uriel laughed. What would the people on the other team think if they knew they were being called weakling? Well, it's none of his business, after all, they are really too weak to be in front of Urek Mazino.

***

On the other side of the labyrinth, a throne-like Uriel's could be seen. Sitting on it was Khun Huo. He had a thoughtful expression on his face. A moment later, a smile appeared on his face and he turned to the giant man on his team.

"Khol, you go. Just be careful when you run into Arie Arisha, she is stronger than you."

The two fangs of the giant man, Khol, trembled slightly and a bloodthirsty smile appeared on his face.

"Kukukukukuku. Even if Arie Arisha shows up, I can take care of her by myself."

"Right..." Huo crossed his hands and watched him enter inside the labyrinth. A smile was on his lips and he was holding back his urge to laugh.

'An idiot who overestimates himself.'

He then turned to the small child who had been quiet until now.

"Finn, you stay here and help me."

"U-uh...? C-certain."

Huo smiled and looked at the maze.

'Now, who will win this game? Will it be us, or you?'

***

Swish!

Arisha's steps were swift as she crossed the maze. She had followed a direction opposite to Urek.

'Uh? Is that...'

Her steps began to stop. She saw a huge yellow button inserted inside one of the walls. An excited smile appeared on her face. Who knew she would get a point so easily?

Clang!

She withdrew her sword. Then, it was just as she was about to cut the yellow button—

Whoosh!

The maze changed.

"Huh....?" A confused expression appeared on her face. The yellow button was no longer in front of her. She had been sent to another location.

'Damn..!'

She couldn't help cursing her damn luck. She was this close to getting a point.

Plop, plop!

Suddenly, heavy footsteps resounded behind her. Arisha frowned and turned around. There was a man about 3 meters tall—Khol!

'He...?'

Arisha and Khol stared at each other for a few seconds. They were assessing each other. Both had fought before, however, it was only for a few minutes. The most they knew about each other was that the other party was strong. They didn't know much about each other, but that didn't stop them from getting into a confrontation.

They both breathed in the murky air, before advancing towards each other. They were like two blurs moving, and in an instant, the distance of 20 meters was shortened.

'I'll get it over with quickly and get the 5 points.'

Arisha's eyes were indifferent and cold. Even though her opponent was strong, she did not consider him as an enemy. Her feet left the ground, and as she rose above her opponent's head, her sword struck downward.

"Hmmph!" Khol snorted and his fist was launched without hesitation toward the sword blade.

Kwang!

The two attacks collided and a shockwave swept through the place.

The ground below Khol sank. His eyes showed a slight shock looking at the small figure of Arisha. Such a small body, but so much strength!

Arisha on the contrary smiled as if she had expected this result. She was a member of one of the 10 Great Families, a direct descendant in that, how could she lose in strength to some Regular? With her body still in the air, she applied even more force to her sword hilt.

"Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!"

Khol roared and his other fist launched a punch towards her.

Arisha smiled again. Her small, delicate feet brushed against Khol's fist and she used her fist as a support to jump even higher into the air. At Khol's bewildered look, she turned her body in a circular motion gracefully in the air and the blade of her sword shone with the reflection of the sunlight.

Fwoosh!

With her sword approaching, Khol quickly put his two hands together to defend herself.

Peeeng!

"Keough!" He let out a cry of pain as countless droplets of blood gushed from his arms. A straight cut could be seen on both arms and blood gushed uncontrollably from that cut.

He turned his face away feeling the electrifying pain in his arms and looked at Arisha who landed on the ground about 20 meters away from him. Blood dripped from his arms and the two bloodstained fangs in his mouth trembled slightly.

Suddenly, a smile appeared on his lips.

"Kuku... Kukukukukuku!"

"...."

"You're not bad at all! As expected from a member of one of the 10 Great Families. I admit that you are stronger than me. However, that difference in strength is not too great."

"Humph. Nonsense, it is obvious that you are being suppressed by a large margin."

"Kuku. So—" Khol's feet pressed the ground and the veins in his leg became even more prominent than before. "I'll show you!"

Swek—

He dashed like lightning toward Arisha. Almost instantly he appeared in front of Arisha and his fist was thrown toward her face.

'This is dragging on too long already. I'm going to end it here.'

Arisha's eyes showed indifference and disdain. Her foot on the ground rotated and her body moved like a blur. Her arm moved several times like puffs of thunder toward Khol.

Jeong!

Jjejejejejejejeeong!

Right, left, up, down, back... Her sword cut in all possible and not possible directions. Each movement carried an incredible precision and naturalness as if each such attack was as natural as breathing to her.

Her sword hummed and moved like an eel swimming violently in a storm at sea.

Kwang, kwang, kwang!

"Heok! Keough!"

Khol could see nothing as he felt the sword piercing his body again and again. Only the white glow of the sun reflecting off the sword blade could be seen by his eyes.

The ground beneath his feet was already completely cracked. And then, he was finally pushed backward by Arisha's sword and his body tumbled to the ground.

"Cough!"

He vomited blood with a stunned expression on his face. It was at that moment.

Splash!

Several cuts appeared on his body and blood splashed everywhere. Whether it was his head, shoulders, or arms, his entire body was covered with cuts and gaps everywhere. His bloodstained white bones could be seen through the openings. His flesh had been cut and torn by Arisha's sword.

If not for the twitches his body constantly gave, it would be hard to guess whether he was alive or dead.

"Sometimes the difference in strength between people can be greater than you think."

Arisha cast a cold glance at him and turned away. She continued walking through the maze.

He would eventually die from loss of blood, she didn't need to kill him directly.

At least that's what she thought...

"Kukukuku! Or it could be smaller than you think!"

"...!"

Arisha's eyes widened in surprise. The shadow of a huge fist appeared over her small body. Before she could react, Khol's fist descended on her head.

Bang!!!

A loud sound rang out as the wind stirred. Dust rose and formed a thick mist covering the collision site.

It looked like Arisha's head had been crushed, yet...

"I-impossible...!"

As the dust mist began to disperse by the wind, Khol's pupil narrowed visibly. His eyes were trembling and an expression full of shock and fear was on his face. He saw it. It was not Arisha's crushed head that was in contact with his fist, it was a finger. A single finger was blocking his fist that was about to hit Arisha's head.

He was completely incredulous, only one finger stopped his attack with full force?

He saw to whom the finger belonged. It was a handsome young man with silver blond hair and piercing red eyes. He could feel a terrible power radiating from the young man. A power that should not belong to a Regular like him.

The young man, Urek Mazino, smiled at him.

"Hey, baby, did you know that it is a great sin to hit a beautiful maiden's face?"