Chapter 143: Moving Through The Labyrinth
The calculations made from simple observations were quickly made by Nolan, and his eyes focused intently on the fog before him.
He couldn't see much due to it, but it was safe to reason that the only way was forward.
"9 minutes left..."
The voice rang out loud, reminding Nolan that he was on a time limit.
Without hesitation, he burst forth with speed.
He couldn't afford to take each step carefully, as he had no idea how far the labyrinth stretched.
To be safe, he decided to run.
At least if he failed, he knew he had given it his all.
But running also meant more of the traps would be activated, and soon, the entire world became an impaling horizon.
Needles shot out from the sides, blades and axes cleaving from the walls.
The ground occasionally erupted with incredibly destructive flames, threatening to fry him into nothingness as Nolan dashed forward, dagger in hand.
With it, he slashed down everything that came his way, his senses tuned to their peak, but even then, he couldn't avoid everything.
"5 minutes more..."
The voice resounded, and now, Nolan was thoroughly soaked in his own blood.
Some parts of his body were pierced with needles and knives, which had impaled him.
It was as though some corrosive liquid had been implanted in the object's tips, as Nolan felt a stinging pain once they dug into his body.
A pain that significantly slowed his speed and made him feel sluggish.
Still, he bit down and ran forward at his fastest speed, his dagger flashing around, severing the majority of the traps while allowing the remaining ones to dig into him.
It was a battle of resilience, where stopping meant failing, yet continuing meant getting more injured and bloodied.
"3 minutes remaining..."
The voice rang out, and Nolan could only speed up, eliciting more sharp objects to catch up to him.
They dug into his body, horrific pain and drowsiness slamming into him, but Nolan could only push forward until finally…
BURST!
It was the same feeling as bursting out of the surface of water, as Nolan tore through a thin barrier.
His knees automatically gave in the moment he stepped into the next place.
[Congratulations on completing the first phase in exactly 9 minutes and 50 seconds.]
[The second phase will now begin...]
The voice announced loudly as Nolan slowly moved his hands around his body, tearing out the various needles and sharp objects that had impaled him.
Soon, the sound of raining metal filled the entire room.
Once Nolan had removed all the weapons from his body, he exhaled sharply.
Now, he felt a little better.
Soon, he would be able to completely heal from all his injuries. Only now could he feel a semblance of safety.
And only now did he turn his attention to where he was.
This place was a grand chamber, but dimly lit and as silent as a grave.
Slowly, Nolan rose to his feet, cautiously looking around the dark room.
The voice had given no mention of how he was supposed to face this trial, only welcoming him to it.
But Nolan didn't remain where he was.
He began walking forward through the dim light, his dagger in his hand as his gaze cautiously scanned the room ahead.
STEP
STEP
The sound of his footsteps was deafening, and he could hear his own heartbeat due to the stillness.
That was when Nolan suddenly snapped his gaze to the side, finding a flickering shadow that quickly disappeared.
His motion instantly stopped as his cool eyes scanned the entire room, and once more, he saw a slight rustle behind his back.
Yet, he remained unmoving and alert, feeling the rustle fade away.
Silence reigned in the room for a while before he finally felt the shadow again, and this time, he moved.
'Got you.'
In an instant, Nolan's body turned into a phantom as he shot to the left, then quickly darted to the right, and then a single step to the side ended in an extended lunge.
His hand crashed into something before he zoomed forward and then...
BANG!
The entire wall shook as Nolan roughly smashed the figure into the wall, his eyes flashing as he saw what type of hideous creature he had in his grasp.
It was a figure whose entire face and body were wrapped in bandages, hiding all of its facial features except for its maw.
In its maw lay exceedingly dark, razor-sharp teeth, with ink-like spittle raining down from its mouth.
"CACKLE!"
"CACKLE!"
"CACKLE!"
In the next instant, the figure began cackling evilly, the spittle in its maw raining down harder.
Nolan's eyes narrowed when he turned behind him and saw about a couple dozen of these strange creatures emerging from the darkness.
"You..."
"You will get nowhere..."
"And your quest will be nothing but a failed attempt..."
The voices rang out from each of the group, deafening to the ears. Somehow, Nolan felt his heart thumping louder and louder within his chest.
The words seemed to have a strange effect, making Nolan feel as if he was being told the truth about his future.
But against the pounding in his chest, a deep grin settled on Nolan's face.
His dagger twisted in his palm, and then...
SLASH!
The sound of the air being sliced apart rang out as Nolan's dagger slashed vertically into the head of the creature he held in his grasp.
There was no need to talk too much.
Once he killed one of them, the others would learn their lesson.
But Nolan's eyes remained shocked when he slashed the mummy's head and felt his dagger cut through absolutely nothing.
The cackling only grew louder.
[Main Quest Activated]
[Survive The Whispering of the Lost Mummians...]
[Reward: ???]
The system notification flashed before Nolan's eyes.
Still, Nolan's narrowed eyes were on the creature before him as a simple thought appeared in his head at the anomaly, and just to check if he was right, Nolan wielded his dagger and then,