Chapter 396 - The Maze (Part-3)

"Damn it, this please is not only a maze it is tearing us apart as if it is alive."

"I believe it is but getting angry would not help our cause Brother True-Spear."

True-Spear gripped his weapon hard, at first they were over eight hundred strong but, now their strength has slowly dwindled to only five.

The maze was separating them, and he would not say out loud, but he felt scared, scared for himself, scared for his martial sister but most importantly scared for Zywia.

Meanwhile, in another part of the maze, Ryuu let out a swear he was incensed, and since they were slowly separated he had suggested the use of an array, and as such he and a few of the array master had created one, that would be used to monitor someone's location, their health but most importantly communicate with them.

But, it was all for nought the walls of the mazes made every kind of communication useless.

Ryuu had thought that the array his fellow 'companions' might have been found out and removed it, his hubris had made him underestimate them. 

Although, the chances that the place is interfering with the arrays are not low.

But, one of the things that they learned was that as long as they are not separated, the arrays would work fine.

'There is a possibility they have died, but the tracker that is monitoring their health is utterly confused, so I believe something is blocking the signal. Damn it.'

"Ryuu calms down", Frost Flames voice filled with worry came to his ears as he punched the wall hard.

Ryuu took a deep breath to calm himself down as it would not do him any good if he exposed his Divine body for the whole world to know because of frustration.

"I am sorry I simply do not like the fact something or someone is messing with the array I created."

Frozen Ocean gained a small smile on her face as she spoke, "I understand what you meant by Ryuu and his 'pride' now Zywia."

"Have you ever lost to someone, Ryuu?"

Ryuu replied to Frozen Ocean with a fond smile on his face, "Plenty, till date my score against my teacher is seven thousand, eight hundred and ninety-eight to zero, and I hope that I would defeat my teacher one day."

Frozen Ocean just gave him a deadpanned stare as she spoke, "I was asking about someone who is not your good wisher."

Ryuu flashed her small smile as he spoke, "If I had lost to even one of my opponents, then I would not have been standing in front of you today."

"Well enough of that, only four of us are left together we would have to take great care so that we do not get separated.", The trio of female cultivators nodded in agreement as the group of four moved forward.

"Calm down True-Spear brother Ryuu is there and he is strong enough to protect them."

"But what if he is separated then what?"

"Ah well but if you rush on like this, we might get caught on various unnecessary traps and get delayed even more so, please calm down."

True-Spear took a deep breath as he spoke, "You are right Chianyu, you are right.", Chianyu let out a deep sigh of relief only to be shattered upon hearing True-spear's next words, "If, within half an hour, I do not find another cultivator I am so going to triple my effort."

Chianyu wanted simply gather up his knees and weep, 'Why did I get stuck with this over-excited moron? It could have been anyone other than him.'

"Does anyone know how long have we are stuck in this place?"

"No Zywia it seemed as if our senses of time is screwed thoroughly."

Ryuu grunted upon hearing that as he spoke, "Is there anything not screwed up in this place? Not to mention the constant sound of water dripping is driving me insane."

It was indeed tiring for them, moving through corridors that looked the same, yet they could not find any of their markers indicating they were at least not going around in a circle.

A long time later, Ryuu suddenly spotted something glowing in the distance, "Hey, over there a stone tablet with words on it, finally something different."

Upon spotting the stone tablet, the group decided to move towards the tablet.

Frost Flames narrowed her eyes for a moment as she gazed down on the stone tablet before she rubbing her eyes as she spoke with a frown, "Sorry but it seems I am having difficulty in reading it."

Zywia narrowed her eyes as she spoke with a frustrated sigh, "Me too sister, it seems so hazy."

Ryuu looked at the confused as he spoke, "What are saying, the words are clear and visible to me."

Frozen Ocean looked sharply towards Ryuu as she spoke, "Sorry brother Ryuu it is the same for me, could you please kindly read it."

Ryuu shrugged as he began to read, "Beyond this only those who pass may move others find a different way, beyond this only those who are below hu…"

Ryuu's blood ran cold as he shouted out, "It's a trap!!! Run!"

They did not need to be told twice as they turned around and bolted only to stop upon hearing a pain-filled groan, as they turned to look back they were horrified to see Ryuu trapped by an invisible wall.

"Damn it seems I am trapped.", Ryuu gave them helpless smile as he spoke, "Well sorry ladies but it seems that this is it for me at the moment and I hope we will meet again in the not so distant future."

The trio looked on as the invisible wall slowly became solidified with Ryuu behind flashing them a gentle yet comforting smile before he disappeared behind the walls.

"Damn it, damn it all", Frost Flames was the one who punched the wall hard this time as Frozen Ocean gently placed her hand over her shoulder.

"Control yourself he is resourceful and has a good head on his shoulder he would surely find a way out of there and would reunite with us."

Beyond this, only those who pass may move others find a different way,

Beyond this, only those who are below a hundred years will move forward,

Beyond this, the qualified may not retreat,

Beyond this to activate you have to start reading.

Beyond this, if you chose not to go forth break the wall before it forms.

Ryuu's brow twitched as he cursed himself while he spoke out loudly, "'I can read it', which idiot told you to say that out loud, now you are trapped, damn it, I so do not wish that out loud nor should I have tried to read it, my teachers always cautioned me about reading from unknown texts and now I am trapped alone. But, the worst thing is why did I not read the entire thing damn it."

He studied the stone tablet for some time with his shoulder sagging as the lines, 'Beyond this if you chose not to go forth break the wall before it forms.', as the lines echoed in his mind taunting him making fun of him, then the sound of water drops hit him with full force.

He shook with barely concealed rage as he roared out, "I do not know who you are you bastard, but I will find you and ram every text ever written on water conservation down your throat if you do not close the thrice damn tap now.", as he shouted his enraged aura spread around the corridor like flames, his Divine body activated fully for the first time in a long while, the dragon silhouette appeared behind him looked enraged as well.

He punched the stone tablet hard, only for his hand pass through it as it dissipated like smoke, 'What in heaven's name is this?'

~rumble ~~rumble~ 

A sound came from above, upon hearing that nose Ryuu's body reacted on his own as he moved forward only for the ceiling to come crashing down, he did not get chances to relax as the sound came once again to his ears as he dashed forward with incredible speed.

It was sometimes since when Ryuu had started to fly as first as he could, 'Damn it at the speed I am moving, I would have covered the distance from a planet to the next and back again a few times in few minutes yet the maze has no end in sight and neither the collapsing of ceilings are stopping, damn it, I might have angered the water tap operator.'

As a sweaty and tired Ryuu swallowing his pride shouted out, "Well I apologize for the rude comment earlier and promise I will not ram down those books, but I will ram down every text ever written on the manner, etiquettes, and anger management along with water conservation down your throat otherwise my name is not Ryuu."

A few seconds later the collapsing of ceiling stopped as a heaving and huffing Ryuu glared around to see if he could spot the culprit only to be taken aback at what he saw.

Unlike the previous areas, this place was spotlessly clean, and the walls seemed to be made up of pure gold, with jewels glistening in them, the air was incredibly fresh and space was no longer dark but well lit but what made him taken aback was the floor and ceiling, instead of being solid they had a silver-coloured liquid covering it, 'Is it mercury? Strange.'

As he moved down the corridor he met various small figurines adorning the walls, it looked as if they were in the midst of a battle against someone.

The small figurines looked alive as if they would simply jump out and harm him, not to mention their killing intent was staggering, Ryuu's heart was pounding hard he did not look much towards them least he would lose his mind, 'I have never encountered something like that, I do not know why but even those statues that used to scare me when I was young did not give such feeling I do not recall ever coming into contact with such statues.'

Even if he did not wish to look at them, his curiosity could not be chained as he found himself looking at them now and then, all those beings in different armour and weapons with their eyes shining with hatred but then he came to face with something that made him take a step back, he saw in midst of the corridor was a statue and unlike those on the wall it was a life-sized statue, that was placed on a pedestal that looked like made up of bones of various creatures, as their skull adorned their sides, but what blew his mind was the statue itself.

With his eyes widen in disbelief Ryuu looked at the statue with wide eyes as he whispered lowly, "Why and how can it be? This statue looks like….."