Chapter 27: The Unexplored Dungeon (5)

“It is nice to see you again.” Ketal flashed a sly grin.

The ghost could only stare at him blankly, unable to utter a single word. Soon after, the sound of several footsteps echoed, and three figures came into view.

“

Huff... huff...

Ketal, you’re too fast!” Hayes complained.

“I thought I was going slow enough. My apologies,” Ketal replied casually.

Catching their breath, the party lifted their eyes to scan the area. They stood in a spacious chamber, where the ghost hovered near a treasure chest at the center. Realizing this was likely the end of the maze, their faces lit up with excitement.

Ketal spoke slowly. “This must be the end of the maze, wouldn’t you agree? We’ve cleared it, ghost.”

“You...” Finally, the ghost spoke, its tone trembling as if it was still reeling from the shock. “What... have you done?”

Although it already suspected the answer, the ghost couldn’t help but ask.

“I broke the wall. I knew the exit was along the perimeter, so I took a one-in-four chance.” I didn’t expect to succeed on the first try,” Ketal answered with nonchalance. He smiled smugly as he added, “There are many ways to clear a maze, but the most practical one is breaking its walls.”

A maze, after all, was just a square grid enclosed by walls. Remove the walls, and finding a path would be a breeze. So, he broke through the walls, shattering the integrity of the maze itself

“It’s a simple but effective solution,” Ketal said.

“Wow...,” Hayes murmured in amazement.

“Incredible,” Alexandros agreed, and Cassan nodded in admiration. They marveled at Ketal’s ingenious method and his decisive action, a testament to his barbarian prowess.

Meanwhile, the ghost was flabbergasted. It wanted to scream,

That’s impossible!

Adventurers in the past had entertained the idea of breaking the walls, but none had ever succeeded. The reason was straightforward—the maze was designed so that such an approach wouldn’t work.

“You’re speaking nonsense. The maze’s walls cannot be broken. They are governed by immutable rules,” the ghost said.

“Ah, so that’s what it meant,” Ketal muttered as if understanding something. He recalled the inscription detailing the maze’s properties. One line had stood out.

[8. The maze does not change.]

Ketal pondered the phrase. He wondered if it meant the maze’s layout was static, or if it also blocked external interference. Judging by the ghost’s reaction, it seemed to imply the latter.

“I thought it was odd how easy it was to leave marks on the maze floor. Turns out I was right. But as you can see, the wall

did

break. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Ketal tilted his head inquisitively.

“No, I’m not mistaken. The maze’s walls cannot be altered. It’s a fundamental rule,” the ghost replied.

“But I broke them.” Ketal’s confusion was genuine.

The ghost faltered, unable to respond. These walls were not merely physical barriers; they were the embodiment of a concept, an unbreakable law of the Dungeon. Yet, the barbarian had clearly shattered them.

“If that’s the case, then I must have broken the rule itself,” Ketal said lightly. “So the walls were designed to be indestructible, huh? Makes sense. That would’ve been too easy otherwise.”

Ketal laughed but the ghost retorted sharply. “No, breaking the rule is impossible.” “And why is that?” Ketal asked.

“Because it is a Dungeon rule. No matter how strong you are, you cannot break it.”

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Ketal’s lips curved into a curious smile.” You say Dungeon rules cannot be broken. How are you so sure?”

“It’s simple. It’s the law of this place.”

“I’m not asking for a theory. I’m asking for proof. You’re a ghost bound to this Dungeon, are you not?”

“Yes...,” the ghost admitted as much. Its knowledge was limited to this Dungeon alone; it had neither seen the outside world nor encountered its mightiest beings.

“So all your certainty is based on this relatively small—well, perhaps not that small—Dungeon? You don’t know about other Dungeons, nor about the strongest wings in the world. How can you be so certain, then?” Ketal asked.

Well, because it’s a rule—an unbreakable concept!

the ghost thought.

However, Ketal wasn’t questioning the concept itself’ he was questioning the ghost’s firsthand experience. He was asking if it truly had verified that the rule was absolute.

The ghost had no answer. Its understanding of the law stemmed from the knowledge imprinted on it upon its creation. It knew nothing of the world beyond the maze.

Birds flying in the sky and fish swimming in the water were one of the many truths the ghost had learned but never seen with its own eyes.

“I cannot be certain...,” the ghost replied. In the end, it had no choice but to admit its uncertainty.

Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued by the ghost’s inner turmoil.

“You say some fascinating things,” he remarked, finding the ghost predicament both amusing and thought-provoking.

Though shackled to the Dungeon, the ghost had spoken with surprising detail about the outside world, albeit based on incorrect assumptions about the maze. This implied someone had fed the ghost this information. Ketal’s curiosity deepened.

After gathering its thoughts, the ghost spoke again. “Very well. You have succeeded in reaching the maze’s exit. I acknowledge that.”

“Woohoo!” Ketal’s companions erupted in cheers.

“However, I cannot grant you a reward.”

Their jubilant expressions froze. The ghost continued in a calm, steady voice, “Although you’ve reached the exit, your method did not adhere to the maze’s rules. I made it clear: you would receive a reward only if you cleared the maze following its intended guidelines.”

Clearing the maze using an exploit could not be considered a legitimate conquest. Thus, there would be no reward. Despair clouded the faces of Ketal’s party members. After coming so close to death, they were about to walk away with nothing.

Ketal, however, seemed entirely unfazed, as though he had expected this outcome.

“In that case, if I present a method of clearing the maze that adheres to the rules, would we then be eligible for the reward?” Ketal asked.

“What?” The ghost was shocked.

“Of course, we couldn’t actually implement it now since the maze is already in ruins. But if I can provide a method that you, as the maze’s overseer, deem to be in accordance with its rules, would that suffice?”

“It would...,” the ghost answered after pondering for a moment. The party had already reached the exit. If Ketal could describe a solution that aligned with the maze’s principles, there was no reason to deny it.

However, the ghost assumed that there was no way this brute barbarian, who had demolished the maze walls with sheer force, knew the proper way to clear the maze. Its gaze grew skeptical as it silently urged Ketal to explain.

The moment Ketal opened his mouth, however, the ghost’s expression froze.

“This maze has torches,” Ketal began explaining. Torches were positioned at regular intervals throughout the maze, providing illumination to guide adventurers through the dark passages.

“They’re always spaced evenly—except at intersections,” Ketal continued. “At the intersections, there is always a torch in each direction, including the one leading back to where we came from. So here’s the strategy: extinguish the torches in the direction you came from and the one for the path you wish to take. That’s the solution.”

The ghost was stunned into silence, but Ketal could feel the shock and awe from its expression.

Hayes, who had been listening quietly, tilted her head in confusion.

“That’s the strategy?” she asked, skeptical. Extinguishing torches seemed too simple for such a complex and challenging maze.

“A maze is essentially a system of countless paths, but only one leads to the correct exit. All other routes are dead ends,” Ketal replied. “The moment you enter a path, you leave a trace indicating it’s been traversed. If that path turns out to be a dead end, those traces become markers to eliminate it as an option.

“Hmm?” Hayes still looked puzzled.

Ketal shrugged lightly and said, “You don’t need to overthink it. Imagine you’re sealing off blocked paths. The torches are just a tool for doing that. It does not have to be torches; string or breadcrumbs could work, though they’d require more resources.”

“Um... um,” Hayes mumbled, racking her brain. It took her a while, but as realization dawned on her, her expression shifted to one of sheer astonishment. “It

is

possible...”

Following Ketal’s method, even a maze with internal barriers could eventually be solved. It was a simple yet brilliant concept. Still in shock, Hayes stammered, “H-how did you...?”

“I just find these things interesting,” Ketal replied casually, though Hayes found it impossible to accept his nonchalant explanation.

What Ketal had described wasn’t just a method; it was a theoretical framework for maze-solving that encapsulated countless trials and errors.

For a maze like this, Ketal’s method was universally applicable. It didn’t even require significant resources—just small markers left at intersections. It was incredibly straightforward yet something few would think of on their own. Hayes herself only understood it after Ketal explained it, and Alexandros and Cassan still looked thoroughly bewildered.

This barbarian...,

she thought.

He’s a genius.

Ketal noticed her awestruck gaze and offered a faint smile. He had a sense of what she was thinking, but he knew he was no genius.

He simply knew a lot. What he had described was the Tremaux Algorithm, a maze-solving theory established in the 1800s. It was a logical method that included practices like dragging a thread or dropping breadcrumbs to systematically explore a maze.

Ketal only knew it because it was knowledge he had learned. He knew many things that his comrades didn’t—not because he was extraordinary, but because he was from a modern world.

He was privy to countless stories and theories accumulated by millions over centuries. He understood strategies and concepts developed by brilliant minds and simplified into rules even ordinary people could grasp. All of this was knowledge shared and refined in the modern era.

However, Ketal couldn’t explain that to them, so he simply smiled.

Meanwhile, the ghost pondered over Ketal’s solution. It wondered if the amaze could truly be cleared using this method.

The answer was clear—yes, it could.

Although the maze was vast and the process would take considerable time, the correct path would inevitably be discovered. That was how this maze was designed.

In the end, the ghost had no choice but to concede. This barbarian could indeed clear the maze.

“Very well...,” it finally said. The ghost could see hope returning to the faces of Ketal’s companions. “You have described a viable solution for clearing the maze, and it is indeed possible. Thus, you have successfully cleared it.”

“That’s wonderful news,” Ketal replied with a grin.

“Challengers, you have triumphed over this dreadful maze. You are the first and likely the last to do so. Reap the rewards befitting your accomplishment.”

As the ghost finished speaking, the treasure chest burst open, revealing its contents.