Theo looked at her, mouth agape, shocked that she had responded so directly.
"Hmm, I see. So that’s how it is..." replied the invisible creature in a monotone voice.
Alia nodded slightly, casting a discreet glance to gauge the creature’s reaction. She was curious to see what would happen next.
Did I make the right choice by being honest? Is it going to try to kill us now, or...
"Calm down, young lady. You made the right decision. And don’t worry, I have no intention of killing you. At least... not for now."
"As for you, young man, if you had tried what you were planning, you’d already be a corpse by the ti I’m speaking," the creature continued nonchalantly.
Alia and Theo exchanged a glance, startled by the creature’s words.
This thing can read minds? they both thought at once, beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.
"Yes, sothing like that," the creature replied. "I can, in a way, read humans. It’s quite close to what you’re thinking."
Theo flinched at the creature’s response. The fear of the unknown overwheld him, yet one question lingered in his mind:
"What the hell is a monster like that doing in a D-rank portal?"
Even though he asked himself that, he already knew the answer — it was surely because this portal was irregular.
---
Portals are ranked from F to SS. Sotis, a portal’s rank can change due to the density of mana in the atmosphere, a phenonon that can usually be detected fairly quickly.
But for irregular portals, it’s completely different: no anomaly is visible until you enter. Their main trait lies in their final bosses — abnormally powerful creatures.
An irregular E-rank portal might contain a final boss at A-rank. In other words, certain death for any low-level guardian who dares to enter.
However, this phenonon is extrely rare and occurs only in areas where mana density is abnormally high.
To avoid danger, it’s recomnded to tackle portals at least one or two ranks lower than your own level — or better yet, to never go alone.
---
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Theo stiffened.
An invisible monster capable of reading minds and speaking like a human could never be a low-ranking creature. He suspected it was at least S-rank.
Large drops of sweat trickled down his forehead. Despite his fear, shivers, and the crushing sense of helplessness, Theo tried to remain calm.
Alia, on the other hand, was visibly nervous. Knowing that the creature before them was leagues beyond their power was far from reassuring.
Sure, it had promised not to kill them for now, but what if it changed its mind?
" What ss have you dragged into this ti, Alexia? I swear, if I survive this, you’re going to regret it. "
"I understand your fear, but I keep my word," said the creature.
"There’s no reason for to kill you just yet. As promised, I will help you escape this loop... No, let rephrase — I’ll give you the ans to escape it. The rest will depend on you."
Theo and Alia flinched upon hearing those words.
The invisible creature continued,
"To break free from this loop, find the true shadow, and it will guide you. You only have two chances."
Then it vanished.
The instruction was simple... yet terrifyingly complex.
Soon, several dark shapes appeared in the corridor. Calling them shadows would be generous — they looked more like phantoms.
Theo and Alia exchanged a look, then began their search without delay.
The shadows seed calm and harmless, so much so that Alia dared to approach one, hoping to spot a difference... to no avail.
Even if they appeared harmless, Theo stayed on guard, watching closely.
"Alia, we’re not getting anywhere like this. These things look identical to the naked eye."
"You’re right. If only we had so light, or a skill suited to this situation, it would help a lot."
Alia thought that by illuminating the corridor, the real shadow might stand out.
As she said that, an idea crossed Theo’s mind.
"Hmm, I can generate lightning... I’m not sure if it’ll help, but maybe I can light them up and see if one reacts differently."
Even without him explaining, Alia instantly understood his intent and quickly stepped back.
Theo didn’t hesitate for another second before unleashing his elent.
Bolts of lightning shot through the corridor, illuminating it briefly.
For a split second, as the light revealed the shadows, so of them trembled or flickered — but one remained perfectly still.
"I think that’s the one," Theo said, pointing at the motionless shadow.
Unlike the others, this one had a clearly human-like shape.
Without wasting ti, Theo lunged forward to touch it, but the shadow dodged his hand with surprising agility.
Seeing that the chase was dragging on, Alia cast another random buff on Theo.
Ding!
[ You have received a random buff ]
[ Agility increased by 15% ]
This ti, he got lucky — it was exactly the buff he needed.
With his newfound agility, he finally managed to touch the shadow.
The mont he did, it froze.
"We did it..." Alia whispered.
But Theo wasn’t convinced.
Everything that had happened since the beginning felt like a ga — a setup. The invisible creature seed to be toying with them, and he hated it.
What kind of irregular portal is this? That thing wants to kill us, but it’s taking its ti mocking us first... And the worst part is, I can’t do anything about it because I’m weak.
Theo clenched his teeth, furious at himself.
The invisible creature reappeared, an unseen smile spreading across its face.
"Well done. You’ve found the true shadow. Follow it to escape the loop."
Theo and Alia followed the shadow as it led them through a maze of hallways and rooms.
But as soon as they entered a new corridor, the shadow vanished.
They imdiately took up defensive stances, ready for an ambush.
Then their attention was drawn to a faint, flickering light in the distance. They could feel a human presence ahead.
"Is that Alexia?" Alia asked, glancing at Theo.
"Let’s check it out — but stay alert."
Together, they hurried toward the source of the light.
---
"Hmm... These kids are interesting. Whether it’s those two or the others, they all have potential. It would be such a waste to kill them..."
murmured the creature, its voice echoing through the labyrinth’s corridors.
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