Welcoming committee

Lucius nodded docilely as he heard his warning. After conversing with Kaiser, he had learned a few things and he could tell more about his situation. 

But something still didn't sit right with him. Kaiser mentioned that this place was full of danger. Then how exactly did he manage to stay alive until now?

He'd have probably run up against those monsters. Then only it'd be possible for him to know about it. But if there were really such monsters even worse than the Naga, does it mean that he had already defeated it?

After all, he could tell from his experience that monsters were creatures of instinct. And, even if they were territorial, clashes would be inevitable since he was only an intruder. 

Also where there resides a creature of instinct, the laws of the jungle would definitely prevail. That'd mean only the strong would survive while the weak would get devoured. 

So was Kaiser really as strong as he claimed to be? He had some doubts earlier but as he considered his words, his doubts only alleviated. 

So what was the best choice of action he could take at the moment? That'd be to remain on his good side. 

He was no pushover. But Lucius knew where to bow his head and where to rise. He was rather stubborn in his past but as he navigated through life and understood human nature, he came to an understanding that a man needs to shut his mouth when required. 

One cannot get his way with only his fist or lips. 

If required he'd even kowtow. But that wouldn't mean that he'd submit. Instead, he would bide his time and wait for his opportunity to strike. 

"I won't try anything funny," Lucius spoke politely. "But how will we get out of this place? No offense to you, but I definitely don't want to spend my life here."

Kaiser chuckled, a sound that echoed unnervingly in the dim hallway. "Escape, huh? That's the million-gold-coin question, isn't it?" He turned, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Follow me, and maybe we'll stumble upon an exit. Or maybe we'll find more trouble. Who knows? Adventure, right?"

Kaiser was really unpredictable; one moment he'd turn into the most dangerous person while the next he'd turn into someone with whom he could bond. 

Lucius couldn't help but scoff at his dark humor. "Yeah, adventure," he echoed, with a mix of sarcasm and annoyance. 

They were in an unfamiliar place, full of danger and here he wanted to have some adventure. Was he for real? 

But what could he do than to follow his suggestion? It's not like he had any better options either. Venturing into this labyrinth was the only possible route to get out of this place. 

Maybe he had meant it otherwise, but his intonation only made it sound as if he were excited about the adventure thing. 

By now, he had started to feel better. Then heeding his words, Lucius tried to rise. While he was trying to stand, Kaiser gave him a hand, "How can you swing your sword properly with a single arm?" he asked as he took notice of the callous in Lucius's hand. 

Based on those callouses, he could tell that Lucius wielded a sword or something equivalent to a sword. But, something had been bugging him for a while— the thing regarding his other arm. Even in his time, he had rarely seen single-handed swordsmanship. 

Taking up his hand, Lucius answered, "I only lost it recently. So, I'm still exploring"

He didn't have a perfect response to his questions. So, he answered haphazardly. Lucius's response however sapped the curiosity out of him. Truth be told, he wasn't concerned about Lucius's condition but he was fascinated by the idea of one-hand swordsmanship. 

But it just so happened that it wasn't what he had expected. So, he lost interest. 

Which was all the better for Lucius. The less he asks about him, the more he can avoid revealing his true identity. 

Then as they ventured deep within the labyrinth halls, Lucius couldn't help but take notice of the strange symbols etched on the walls, glowing faintly in the torchlights. 

"What do these symbols mean?" he asked, gesturing to the walls. 

Kaiser glanced at them and shrugged. "Beats me. I've tried deciphering them, but it's all gibberish to me. Could be ancient spells, could be someone's bad handwriting."

Many of those symbols were similar to the runic symbols he had learned in his previous life. But it still had its hint of peculiarity. They were similar yet different at the same time. Though he didn't understand any of it right now, he felt as if he could decipher some of it if given proper time. 

For now, he tried his best to remember as many of it as he could. If only he could note it down on something, he could try his luck to decipher it later. Who knows what kind of ridiculous thing he'd stumble upon if he managed to crack it? 

All of a sudden as they ventured deep into the labyrinth, the ground beneath them started to tremble. The sudden quake startled him. But as he looked in the direction of Kaiser, he appeared to be completely fine. There was a little smirk on his face, but due to the limited visibility, he couldn't notice it. 

It was as if he was already expecting it. 

Then as he tried to keep himself composed, he noticed a massive creature emerging from the shadows— a grotesque fusion of stone and flesh, with eyes that glowed like hot coals. It resembled a golem, but it wasn't entirely a golem. 

"Uh, Kaiser," Lucius said, backing away slowly. "What is that?"

Kaiser glanced at the creature, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Meet Mr. Stoneface. He's the welcoming committee."

'What kind of weird name is it? And, how did he know that it's he?' Lucius couldn't help but ridicule Kaiser's naming sense. 

Even without him telling him, he could tell that it was he who named that monster such.