-...I am not fooled.-
Yi-Han, who had briefly considered sacrificing the students of the Black Tortoise, responded coldly. It was an experience he had already encountered.
-If we offer one as a sacrifice, you will slightly open the path, only to demand another sacrifice. I won't fall for such trickery.-
-What are you talking about? Who would do such a disgraceful thing?-
However, the Statue of the Labyrinth responded with a look of disbelief to Yi-Han's words.
-I have been working at this academy for so long that I cannot remember when I started. I follow the rules set by the mage who created me. There is only one rule in this maze: if one person goes to the punishment room, another goes to the opposite side. There are no other rules. Who would do such an absurd thing?-
'The principal of this academy,' Yi-Han answered inwardly.
But nonetheless, two things were certain.
The words of the Statue of the Labyrinth were not lies, and the skull principal was even less honorable than the statue.
"What's going on? Why have you stopped...?"
Salko, who was behind, stopped in his tracks as he heard the same telepathy.
He then nodded at Yi-Han, acknowledging the situation.
'We need to pair up and send at least one forward.'
Salko didn't exclaim, "How can you abandon a friend!" He already knew that such sentiments were a luxury in this magic academy.
To obtain what one desires, some sacrifices are necessary!
The friends from the Black Tortoise who were sent to the punishment room would surely understand.
"What? What's happening?"
Nillia also moved forward and heard the telepathy.
Then, with an angry expression, she exclaimed, "How dare you to ask a friend as a sacrifice! Do you think Wardanaz or Tutanta would agree to such a proposal?!"
"!"
"!!"
Yi-Han and Salko flinched.
Uh...
What?
"Wait, Nillia."
Salko tried to stop her.
He was uncertain how much more difficult the challenge would become if they rejected the proposal.
Perhaps it was wiser to accept the current offer...
"Why?"
"Think about it. If we reject this offer, we don't know how troublesome that statue will become. We might not be able to pass through. The friends who go to the punishment room can come out later and try again. Wardanaz would think the same, right?"
Salko looked at Yi-Han. Nillia, shocked, stared intensely at Yi-Han.
Yi-Han cursed Salko inwardly.
'What a tactless fool.'
How could he agree in front of Nillia?
Yi-Han responded with a serious expression, as if questioning Salko's words.
"No. I cannot accept such a disgraceful proposal."
"See!"
"Indeed..."
Not only Nillia but also Ratford admired the response.
Salko's group was also surprised.
"Typical of Wardanaz..."
"The leader of the Blue Dragon doesn't act without reason."
Yi-Han's leadership and dignity, separate from any wickedness, had to be acknowledged.
Salko's unyielding firmness in the face of retreat was admirable.
"Watch us, Statue of the Labyrinth! We do not engage in such filthy trades!"
Nillia swiftly notched and fired an arrow. The Statue of the Labyrinth responded decisively.
-Then prove your honor with your skill!-
With a rumbling sound, the corridor began to transform.
'I'm already starting to regret this...'
As the transformation of the corridor ended, Yi-Han found himself in the middle of the maze.
He was not alone. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he had landed in the same section as Salko.
Salko looked at Yi-Han and asked.
"Do you still think we shouldn't have accepted it?"
"...Of course."
Yi-Han answered without a change in expression. Internally, he was regretting it, but there was no reason to show that to Salko. Salko nodded as if acknowledging, looking at Yi-Han's stoic face.
"I may not know about other things, but I have to acknowledge your honor."
"Thanks for understanding."
'Can't I offer Salko now and get out of here?' Yi-Han thought inwardly, but the Statue of the Labyrinth gave no response.
Salko, holding his staff, chanted a spell. "Gather, earth."
Salko, known even to Yi-Han from other towers for his talent in earth element, made a slope enough to climb by gathering earth under the walls of the maze.
"Excellent, Salko."
It was foolish to think of escaping this complex and vast maze through conventional means.
"Huff... Huff..."
But Salko knelt down, his face pale, having exhausted all his mana in creating the mound of earth.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm... I'm fine. Let's go up and look for a way."
They stepped on the mound and climbed atop the maze's wall. The vast landscape of the maze came into view.
...Is this really a corridor?
"..."
"..."
Both students were lost for words. Yi-Han quickly regained his composure and said, "It's a bit wider than expected, but let's make a path with magic and move straight."
"That's... impossible. It takes this much mana just to get over one wall."
"No. I'll do it. Don't worry."
"How would it be different if you do it?"
Salko asked, incredulous. No matter how skilled Yi-Han was in magic, this was not a problem that could be solved easily. Crossing just one wall had exhausted so much mana; what difference would Yi-Han make?
At best, they could cross two or three walls...
"Gather, earth. Gather, earth."
Yi-Han checked the spell as he swung his staff. He had never handled the earth element, focusing on other elements, but luckily, the spell Salko just used wasn't too complicated.
He could learn 1st Circle <Earth Creation> on the spot.
Salko asked in wonder, "I thought water and lightning were your main elements. Did you also master earth?"
"No. I'm learning it now."
"?????"
Salko looked at him as if he was insane, but Yi-Han did not notice.
"Gather, earth!"
"!"
Yi-Han was lucky. The spell worked on the first try.
'It's easier because of the struggles with other elemental magics.'
The hardships he suffered at the hands of Professor Boladi and other villains weren't completely useless, which was a pleasant realization.
Earth mounds began to rise from the ground.
Salko thought, watching the scene, 'Learning it now and already this good... He really is amazing.'
It was a bit late to be amazed by Wardanaz's magic ability, but it was indeed astonishing.
He succeeded on his first try learning a new spell.
Even Salko, who took pride in his earth elemental magic, had to acknowledge it.
Grroooll...!
"...?"
As the earth mound grew larger than expected, Salko's expression changed weirdly.
Uh...
How long is it going to keep growing?
Rrrumble...!
The sound of the surrounding maze walls shaking was heard.
<Earth Creation> wasn't a spell that created something from nothing. It was closer to a spell that drew nearby earth. The walls of the maze were losing balance and shaking as the spell forcibly drew the earth that was supporting them from beneath.
Salko was horrified.
"Wardanaz! What on earth...?!"
The mound of earth, large enough to bury several people, toppled the wall with its weight, and not stopping there, it brought down the weakened surrounding walls as well. This chain reaction created a large path through the maze.
"...Was this your intention?!"
Salko couldn't help but shudder beyond astonishment. To think that in such a short time, Yi-Han had intended to create a path this way.
How could such a thought even occur to a student of the same year?
"Exactly. Salko."
"...!!"
While Salko shuddered, Yi-Han inwardly sighed in relief.
'I need to practice new elements in a safe place from now on.'
He had almost died buried under the earth in his arrogance.
"Gather, earth!"
"Gather, earth!"
"Gather, earth!"
"????"
Yi-Han had broken through eight more walls. This time, however, he did it differently. He calmly piled up mounds of earth and climbed over them.
Salko, not understanding, asked, "Wouldn't it be faster to do it like before?"
"We need to conserve mana."
"Ah, right. That makes sense."
Meanwhile, their scattered friends joined them.
"Wardanaz!!"
"You've come to save us!"
"Gather, earth!"
"Wardanaz? Thanks!"
"Gather, earth!"
"Wardanaz...!"
Initially, the students from the Black Tortoise were glad to see Yi-Han and Salko, but soon they started to get scared. Yi-Han seemed like a mage possessed by an evil demon, continuously repeating the spell.
"Wardanaz, are you okay?"
"Don't talk. It disturbs my concentration. Gather, earth!"
Yi-Han continued to chant the spell, over and over.
The students who joined later were bewildered.
"Isn't it... going to collapse?"
"How is it not collapsing?"
Using magic a few times in a row could be impressive, but after dozens of times, amazement gave way to awe.
"Tutanta. Aren't you surprised by this?"
"Not at all!"
Tutanta had seen Yi-Han create even larger mounds of earth and shake walls to make a path before they arrived here.
To him, this continuous spellcasting was no longer surprising.
"!"
'Tutanta...! Not being surprised by this!'
'Can Tutanta do it too?'
The students from the Black Tortoise could only marvel. They were amazed by such continuous magic!
'We'll have to tell the White Tiger guys that Tutanta can do this too.'
'What's this?'
As Yi-Han was rapidly breaking through the maze in a straight line, he hesitated.
Surprisingly, as he piled up earth mounds, the walls began to rise as well.
The Statue of the Labyrinth addressed Yi-Han.
-I commend your ingenuity in breaking through the maze. However, if you try to pass through the walls without finding the exit, there are naturally restrictions.-
'Indeed, I was taking the easy way out.'
While other students used all sorts of wisdom and magic to find their way, Yi-Han just used his mana to summon endless mounds of earth...
-If you break through this wall, you'll be outside. Let's see if you can do it, young students.-
Hearing the Statue of the Labyrinth's words, Salko pondered seriously.
Salko had a way to break through this final challenge.
'Should I share the family magic with Wardanaz?'
The Tutanta family, one of the empire's foremost stonemason families, possessed several secret spells passed down through generations.
Salko himself had not yet reached the level to learn it, but it was a spell he had secretly memorized, intending to learn it once he acquired enough skill. The thought of sharing this magic with Wardanaz was somewhat reluctant, but he couldn't just stand by and not help Wardanaz break through the maze alone.
After seriously pondering, Salko came to a decision.
"Wardanaz. I have a spell to teach you."
Bang!!!!!
No sooner had he spoken than a massive sphere of water struck the wall directly. The sphere, spinning and creating a menacing sound, tore through the wall of the maze.
The Statue of the Labyrinth praised Yi-Han.
-Excellent, young student. You have proven your honor with your skill! You may pass! May blessings be upon your path ahead!-
"Thank you."
Yi-Han swung his staff to shake off the water. The waiting walls of the maze were, in comparison to the monsters Yi-Han had faced before, an easy opponent. He had ample time to prepare and launch his attack.
"..."
"But Salko, you were going to teach me a spell?"
"...Yeah."
Salko's expression was gloomy. Yi-Han was puzzled.
'Why is he acting like that?'
