Chapter 26: The Unexplored Dungeon (4)

How is this possible?

Hayes was stunned. Creating a proper maze was one of the most challenging tasks imaginable.

Sure, even a three-year-old child could draw a simple maze, but such attempts would be riddled with contradictions and irregularities. A textbook maze required a precise structure and clear rules. It demanded adherence to these principles and a deep understanding of their intricacies.

Merely being intelligent wasn’t enough to create a functional maze. It required extensive education and a grasp of spatial concepts, which was an advanced field of study. It wasn’t something a barbarian could ever be expected to learn.

Yet, it was a different story for Ketal.

“Have you ever studied mazes before?” Hayes asked cautiously. The idea that a barbarian could have received such education seemed ludicrous. Yet the circumstances forced her to ask.

Ketal shook his head. “Not formally. I’ve never received any specific education about them.”

His understanding of mazes stemmed from personal curiosity rather than formal instruction. More importantly, most of his knowledge was from Earth, which was from a different world, so it was difficult to explain.

Hayes’s shock only deepened. “I see...”

“Is drawing a maze really such a big deal?” Alexandros looked puzzled, as did Cassan. To them, designing such an ordinary maze seemed like a task anyone could accomplish.

However, Hayes, who had studied these concepts extensively, couldn’t agree. She knew how many intricate rules were embedded in something that appeared so simple. Among her fellow students, many had failed to create a functional maze even after numerous practical sessions. And yet, this barbarian had grasped the concept effortlessly through mere observation and thought.

Is he a genius?

Hayes thought.

Was this barbarian truly a genius, someone who defied all my preconceptions?

The idea of associating the words

barbarian

and

genius

made her head spin. However, she quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn’t the time to dwell on such matters. The pressing question was whether they could escape this maze or not.

If Ketal understood the concept, his knowledge could be their key to survival. With a determined shift in her focus, Hayes said, “Let’s concentrate on what’s in front of us.”

“Hmm.” Ketal nodded.

“Understood,” Cassan and Alexandros said in unison as they turned their attention to the maze drawn on the ground by Ketal’s axe.

Pointing to its center with her slender finger, Hayes began to explain, “Let’s assume this is where we are. By placing one hand on the left wall and following it, we can explore the entire maze.”

Initially, Alexandros and Cassan exchanged uncertain glances. But as Hayes traced her finger along the maze’s walls, their expressions shifted to astonishment. Her finger glided continuously, navigating the entire layout.

“This... this actually works!” Cassan stammered.

“All the walls in this maze are connected,” she explained. “By keeping one hand on either the left or the right wall, you will eventually find the exit.

The two men were amazed. That such a simple method existed had never crossed their minds. Hayes continued calmly, “This maze is a classic example of its kind. If the design holds true to form, the method will work.”

“So, if we keep our hands on the wall and keep moving, will we escape eventually?” Alexandros asked eagerly.

“There is a good chance of it. Though the maze might be large, Ketal brought plenty of supplies,” Hayes replied.

With provisions sufficient for at least a month, and possibly longer if rationed carefully, they had the resources they needed. Alexandros and Cassan’s faces lit up with hope.

“We can escape!”

“This is incredible! I never would’ve thought of this!”

Their relief was palpable, and Hayes shared in their optimism. If the maze adhered to its classic structure, there was no need to fear.

However, Ketal wore a more ambiguous expression. “Do you really think it’ll be that simple?”

“What?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s give it a try. No sense in hesitating when time is limited,” Ketal said, shrugging off his doubt.

“You’re right, we only have a finite amount of supplies,” Hayes replied.

The group agreed. With Hayes leading, they placed their hands on the wall and prepared to move forward.

“Let’s go,” Hayes ordered, her voice steady but laced with apprehension.

Walking in single file, their hands firmly pressed against the wall, they moved through the maze. Though their formation might have looked absurd, none of them dared laugh. They clung to the wall as though letting go would cast them into some abyss.

Their progress was slow and tense. The first fork in the path loomed ahead.

“What do we do now?” Cassan asked.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

“Nothing changes. Keep your hand on the wall and continue forward,” Hayes replied firmly.

They pressed on, following her advice. Each fork they encountered was met with the same resolve, and they never let go of the wall.

As they advanced, Ketal observed something unusual. “There’s a torch at every intersection.”

“What?” Hayes replied.

Torches were evenly spaced throughout the maze. Hayes assumed they were simply there to illuminate the dark and didn’t give them much thought. However, Ketal observed the torches with interest, as though he found something intriguing about them.

Hayes was curious about his reaction but decided that advancing through the maze was more urgent. They continued forward, gradually losing their sense of time and even forgetting how far they had traveled. The tension was suffocating, making it feel as though they could collapse at any moment.

Despite losing track of time and distance in the oppressive silence, they continued until finally, they arrived... at the starting point, where they discovered the skeleton.

“What?” Cassan shouted.

The group stared in disbelief. They had returned to their starting point. Despite keeping their hands on the wall and methodically navigating the maze, they had ended up back where they began. Even Cassan and Alexandros, who didn’t fully grasp the concept, could sense that something had gone terribly wrong.

“Hayes! What’s going on?” Alexandros asked.

“Uh... uh...” Hayes, however, was the most flustered of them all.

Why are we back here? It shouldn’t have been possible! If we kept one hand on the wall while moving, we weren’t supposed to end up in a palace we had already visited!

“Looks like it’s not as simple as that,” Ketal remarked with a knowing expression.

“What do you mean?” Hayes asked.

“It’s not that complicated. The structure of the maze is just a little different,” Ketal said casually as he knelt and began to redraw the maze on the ground. The new diagram resembled the one he had drawn earlier, but there was a subtle difference. “The maze I drew before assumed that the walls were connected. But what if there are inner walls that aren’t connected to the outer ones?”

“Oh...” Hayes’s face turned pale.

Ketal traced a section of the maze with his finger, moving it along a circular path. The route endlessly spiraled back on itself, trapping them in a loop.

“The method you mentioned—keeping a hand on the wall—can work, but not in this case,” Ketal said.

“Th-that can’t be!”

The idea of disconnected inner walls had never occurred to Hayes. She had never been taught such a concept. The realization that their escape method was useless drained the color from Cassan and Alexandros’s faces as well.

“Then what are we supposed to do now?” Cassan asked.

“I don’t know! This is all I’ve learned!” Hayes replied.

A brief exchange of panicked shouts led to a single conclusion. Their only escape method didn’t work in this maze. They couldn’t get out. Hope turned to despair, and the group sank to the floor, overwhelmed by fear of death, all except for Ketal, who looked intrigued.

“So, it’s a bit more complicated than we thought. Well, it would’ve been too easy if the Hand On Wall Rule alone could solve it,” he said with a smirk.

Hayes’s frustration boiled over. Though she was usually intimidated by the barbarian, the dire circumstances emboldened her. “How can you say that so calmly? Our only escape method has failed! We are all going to die like this!”

Of course, even her boldness amounted to little more than an exasperated voice.

“Hmm? What are you talking about?” Ketal responded with a puzzled look. “There is a way out.”

“What...?” Hayes asked.

“Are you serious?” The despairing Cassan shot to his feet, his eyes wide with hope.

Ketal nodded nonchalantly. “There is. It’s a much more reliable method than the one we just tried.”

“Th-then why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Hayes asked.

Ketal answered nonchalantly, “It’s the first time I’ve tried using the Hand On Wall Rule. I wanted to see how it worked in practice. It was fun.”

He had known about the inefficiency of the rule, but in the modern world, there were no mazes to test them in. So, he had been curious and wanted to experience it for himself. He even confirmed how the method failed when inner walls existed. It was quite satisfying for Ketal.

“You put us through that for your own amusement?” Hayes asked.

“Exactly.” Ketal grinned brightly, his expression brimming with joy.

Hayes and the others were dumbfounded. But deep down, they understood that this barbarian was the kind of person who prioritized his curiosity above all else. After two party missions with him, they had learned that much.

Still, the important thing now was that he knew a way out.

“What is it? I’ve never heard of any other method...,” Hayes said.

“Really? You don’t know?” Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully.

While the Hand On Wall Rule was widely known, the technique he had in mind wasn’t. In fact, it hadn’t been formalized until the 1800s, even though mazes had existed in myths for centuries.

Principles that seemed simple in hindsight often took ages to become established theories.

“Well... the method I’m thinking of would work for escaping, but it would take quite a bit of time,” Ketal said. This maze was enormous, and his method would require significant effort. It was possible, but there was no need to resort to such a tedious approach. “I’ve had my fun. Let’s go with the fastest method now.”

Ketal raised his fist. The others instinctively sensed what he was about to do and panicked, scrambling to get away.

Boom!

A deafening roar echoed as debris exploded in every direction.

“Ahhh!”

“Oh my god!”

The party members screamed and crouched to protect themselves. When the dust finally settled and they dared to look up, the scene before them left them utterly shocked. The impossibly thick wall, which could have withstood a cannonball, was gone—obliterated so thoroughly that even the floor beneath it was destroyed.

“This is the fastest way,” Ketal said cheerfully.

“Well... I guess it is,” Hayes admitted, her face pale with disbelief.

***

The maze’s exit, where no one had ever reached, the ghost resided. Behind it stood a massive treasure chest, its size promising a reward far beyond modest means. But the fruit that hung too high to be grasped held no meaning.

Since the Dungeon’s creation, no one had ever conquered the maze. The ghost let out a long, weary sigh. “Whoever created me... I wish they’d placed me in a more reasonable place.”

The ghost didn’t know where this palace was. Bound to the Dungeon, it had no knowledge of the world outside. However, it could gauge the general level of those who entered the Dungeon. They were all simple brutish individuals, those lacking intellect or composure, seeking quick riches. None of them had ever been worthy of clearing this maze.

Ah, how sorrowful. When would someone capable of clearing this maze finally appear?

the ghost thought.

Its sole purpose for existing was to offer praise and reward to the one who overcame the maze. That was all. However, it didn’t know when that purpose would be filled.

“There were some adventurers that came into the Dungeon,” the ghost murmured. It thought of the barbarian, the thief, the priestess, and the warrior that entered the maze. The party members were pretty standard and there was nothing particularly notable about them.

Yet, the barbarian was peculiar. The ghost didn’t know how to describe it, but there was something different about him compared to the other fools who had entered this place. However, at the end of the day, he was still just a barbarian.

Rumble.

A rumbling sound echoes through the maze. Though faint and far away, it was distinct. The ghost ignored it. Adventurers causing commotions while failing to navigate the maze was a common occurrence.

Rumble.

However, the sound grew louder, steadily drawing closer—enough to demand the ghost’s attention. It was then that the ghost realized something was approaching. And that something was likely the adventurers that ventured into the Dungeon.

“Wait,” the ghost murmured. “They hadn’t been in the maze for long. Could they have already found the exit? No, impossible! That’s absurd!”

Not even an archmage’s detection magic or a Swordmaster’s sensory abilities could locate the exit. The maze was simply too vast.

Well, technically it is possible,

the ghost thought. If they were of the Hero class, they could clear the Dungeon.

Though bound to the Dungeon, the ghost held a general understanding of the world. This knowledge had been embedded in its existence as a ghost. Heroes were monsters in their own right. Even this sprawling maze could be fully mapped by their senses.

However, even for a Hero, reaching the exit so quickly was impossible. Detection and navigation were entirely different matters. Yet the growing rumble was now right at its doorstep.

The ghost finally grasped the nature of the sound—and was struck with shock.

“What in the world...?” the ghost murmured.

This is impossible! Not even a Hero could manage this!

This was the cardinal rule of this world—a fundamental concept of the world that could not, should not, be broken. So it couldn’t be happening.

Rumble!

That denial shattered in an instant. The door guarding the exit exploded into fragments, debris scattering in all directions.

Beyond the obliterated door, white teeth gleamed.

“Oh, we’ve arrived,” the barbarian said as he stepped out of the maze.