Gauss stared at the pale figure radiating an intangible oppressive aura before him, taking a deep breath to force himself to remain calm.
This was a magical creature he had never encountered before. He couldn't even name it. The space around it seemed drained of color, leaving only a heart-palpitating pallor.
Its form was roughly humanoid. The reason for saying "roughly" was because its upper body vaguely retained feminine contours. Pale chitin covered its entire form, with human-like, voluptuous curves at its chest. White hair cascaded down as lifeless eyes locked onto the two of them. A pair of slightly curved horns atop its head added an inhuman charm.
Its arms were slender with fingers white as jade, yet its forearms bore sharp bone-integrated blades now gleaming with a chilling light - the very weapons that had attacked Aria earlier.
Most peculiarly, its lower body wasn't legs but three pairs of slender, segmented spider limbs. The steel-sharp tips anchored firmly on the slippery ground, demonstrating astonishing balance and grip.
Gauss felt his heart grow heavy. They were only on the second level of the underground maze - how could such a high-level monster appear here? His senses told him this creature's threat level reached at least Challenge Rating 3, possibly higher.
Yet for some reason, its aggression seemed subdued. After knocking Gauss back, it had frozen in place, its body emitting unsettling "clicking" sounds. The two parties stood in tense standoff, the air thick with tension.
Aria observed the pale, puppet-like creature while nervously touching the back of her neck, still clammy with cold sweat. The icy sensation of that near-fatal strike seemed to linger. Though protected by the [Gauss Field], even force fields had limits, especially when struck at the body's most vulnerable point. Had Gauss not reacted instantly... or if her teammate hadn't been Gauss...
"Phew—"
The joy from their smooth maze exploration and bountiful rewards had instantly evaporated. This was the maze - where opportunity and death coexisted, where some rose to greatness while others found eternal rest.Swallowing hard, she tightened her grip on the oak staff and edged closer to Gauss.
"Be careful," Gauss warned.
"Mm."
After this brief exchange, Gauss focused entirely on their enemy. Truthfully, the creature's appearance struck him as vaguely familiar. Upon reflection, it bore some resemblance to the specters from last night's wandering spirits. However, those phantoms had appeared more humanoid, whereas this creature leaned more toward insectoid features. Still, both shared similar stylistic elements.
Gauss experimentally shifted one step left.
"!"
"Should we fight?" Aria gripped her oak staff tightly, expression solemn as she took a steadying breath. She'd noticed the synchronous movement too. Though daunted by the creature's oppressive aura even at a distance, she'd stand her ground if Gauss chose to fight.
Gauss glanced at her determined, life-risking expression and shook his head reassuringly. "Relax, it's not that dire yet. Here's the plan - I'll distract it while you ride Urfen back the way we came with Eck. I'll shake it off and regroup with you."
"What? No!" Aria's eyes widened. "I won't abandon a teammate to save myself! If you're staying to fight that thing, so am I!" Her voice held steel. "I may not help much, but I can at least slow it down." She assumed Gauss meant to sacrifice himself as rearguard, moved nearly to tears by this perceived selflessness.
"Wait, that's not—" Gauss sighed. "I'm not planning a heroic sacrifice. Look." He produced a teleportation scroll from his storage bag. "If things turn bad, I'll activate this and escape."
Holding the scroll confidently, he added, "See? No need to worry."
"R-really?" Aria eyed the faintly familiar scroll. The inscribed runes confirmed its authenticity. Her memories of such items ran deep - their first meeting in Emerald Forest had occurred precisely because her former mage teammate teleported away, abandoning her mid-mission. The experience had etched teleportation scroll imagery into her psyche as traumatic reminders.
Initially, she'd even worried Gauss might similarly flee when overwhelmed in battle, leaving her alone against enemies. Yet now, while Gauss did possess a teleportation scroll, its purpose was the opposite - to ensure her safe retreat. Apparently, the scrolls weren't evil; their users determined their morality.
"Then you must regroup quickly," Aria insisted anxiously. "And don't hesitate to use the scroll! We'll split the cost later." Fearful he might endanger himself by being frugal, she emphasized, "Promise me."
"Got it." Gauss nodded. "Watch for my signal. When I shout, move immediately - mount Urfen without looking back."
"Understood."
Taking a deep breath, Gauss stored his steel longsword and bone staff, retrieving instead the Unbreaking Scepter. Its solid weight and reliable grip brought comfort.
This weapon switch followed his assessment of their enemy: larger size and superior strength made the longsword impractical now. Moreover, the Unbreaking Scepter enhanced his [Gauss Field] defenses.
Eyes sharpening with resolve, his entire demeanor solidified into unwavering determination.