Jacob moved forward cautiously, his senses on high alert. He thought those symbols were the only challenge at this level, but he was soon proven wrong.
When he was on his third green symbol, which was only three meters in diameter. The next symbol was on the tree branch, and its space was only enough to place a single step and lead all the way toward the other tree branches.
He started to wonder if anyone could pass this challenge without his Eyes of Judge. He discovered that those runes were actually like the magic runes he was familiar with, and only a peak rune artificer could calculate the path through this place. Even then, it would take extremely long to find the correct runes, and there were high chances of making a mistake, which meant death!
So, this challenge wasn't only about fighting or finding a way but also about the test of one magic knowledge. 'Should I try using that disc? But what if it's backfire? After all, I don't think this trial would allow such a loophole like a flying treasure…' Jacob thought about using the golden discs he had gathered after killing all those assassins from the ATLAS.
But upon thinking about it, he didn't take the risk since he was capable of moving forward as long as his movements were flawless and precise. After analyzing the path forward, Jacob leaped towards the tree branch, which was around thirty meters away from him and four meters high, not to mention him, but even a quasi-legend could make this jump easily.
But the moment Jacob stepped on the green symbol on the branch, the ground beneath his feet seemed to shift all a sudden, revealing hidden pits filled with sharp spikes glowing in menacing red light.
Jacob's mind reeled as he knew things were turning hectic. He quickly jumped towards the next symbol, and at this moment, those glowing spikes started to shoot in his direction, and their speed was insanely quick.
Jacob thought he had triggered some kind of trap, but since nothing happened, he knew it was part of the challenge and sighed in relief. Without hesitation, he dodged and weaved, his movements fluid and precise as he jumped from tree to tree while dodging those spikes.
With each passing moment, his confidence grew. The challenges, while formidable, were not insurmountable.
At this moment, Jacob saw creatures suddenly materialize from the shadows of trees, their forms shifting and changing. But Jacob was ready. His enhanced senses allowed him to perceive the world in a way that others couldn't. He could see the faintest disturbances in the air and the subtle shifts in the earth, and he knew those creatures were only illusionary.
But their auras could shake even a quasi-legend, yet they were unable to institute any fear in him, as his movements never stopped while they chased after him. Now, he understood why this place was called treacherous terrain.
An unknown amount of time passed, and as he delved deeper into the forest while trekking in those green symbols and avoiding those traps and creatures, the trees began to change. They grew taller, their branches more gnarled and twisted. Strange, bioluminescent fungi clung to their trunks, casting an eerie glow. The ground became more uneven, with deep chasms and treacherous slopes.
Suddenly, a colossal tree appeared before him, its roots delving deep into the earth. It was unlike any tree Jacob had ever seen. Its bark was a metallic gray, and strange symbols were etched into its trunk.
But Jacob's flaming eyes contracted when he noticed something completely unusual, at the base of the tree, a hidden door shimmered with an otherworldly light.
'Is that it?' Jacob mused with anticipation.
Although this colossal tree looked eerie, he saw that the surrounding area had no symbol at all. After hesitating for a moment, Jacob landed in this area, and to his relief, nothing happened. Jacob then looked back and was astounded to find that the illusionary creatures and traps had vanished without a trace, and the forest looked ordinary. 'Heh, I guess this is it!'
Jacob approached the hidden door cautiously; his senses were at an all-time high. This was undoubtedly a significant point in the trial. After making sure there was nothing strange, he reached out to touch the door. The next moment, a faint hum rang, and it opened with a soft click, revealing a descending staircase behind!
'Is this path to the next trial or some other part of this level?' Jacob mused, and with a deep breath, Jacob stepped into the darkness.
As he moved forward, the air grew colder, and a faint hum filled his ears. He was probably descending deeper into the heart of something.
At this moment, Jacob saw an ethereal glow ahead; it was a barrier!
After carefully analyzing it, he moved forward, and the barrier didn't stop him at all. Furthermore, he had already summoned cursed immortality.
The moment Jacob stepped through the ethereal barrier, he was enveloped in a world of stone. Towering walls of gray granite stretched into the darkness, their surfaces etched with intricate carvings that seemed to shift and change with every blink. The air was heavy with the scent of stone and earth, and an eerie silence hung over the labyrinth.
At this moment, the words on cursed immortality changed.
"Level Two: The Stone Labyrinth
"Challenge: Find the correct path through the labyrinth while avoiding deadly traps and puzzles!"
'It's really the second level!' Jacob breathed a sigh of relief when cursed immortality confirmed his conjecture as he observed the second level. He didn't find any of those symbols on the ground or those stone walls.
After observing for a while, Jacob noticed many things. This seemed like a maze of stone corridors. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings depicting unknown history. The path constantly shifted every five minutes, making it difficult to retrace one's steps.
Jacob also discovered some clues to trek this maze. He found that sporadically, a tiny glowing symbol would appear among the carvings of a stone wall. Furthermore, after carefully analyzing this symbol, he discovered it was a word meaning 'Left,' and it wasn't the only character; another character, which means 'Right,' also appeared.
Jacob instantly knew what he needed to do now as he was ready to pass this Stone Labyrinth!