Elsewhere, inside the labyrinth, Noah and his Echo walked cautiously, trying to avoid the giant serpent "Nagairus" as much as possible. They ventured deeper into the maze, with Noah following behind his Echo.
"Where are we now?" Noah thought to himself as he looked around. The labyrinth's environment began shifting again, causing the Echo to suddenly start running. Noah followed, and just before one of the exits closed due to the labyrinth's transformation, they managed to pass through. Their footsteps echoed across the vast stone hall, breaking the heavy silence that loomed over the place.
Before them stood a massive gate, cloaked in layers of mystery by the passage of time, as if it had been here since eternity, witnessing secrets buried deep in history.
Their eyes traced upward, where the top of the gate vanished into the pitch-black darkness. Its surface—crafted from dark wood or ancient metal—was adorned with intricate engravings, geometric patterns, and cryptic symbols written in a language long forgotten, only decipherable by the oldest tomes of sorcerers. Yet, none of that was the most intimidating aspect of the scene.
Lines of blue light began to dance across the gate's surface, flickering like an ethereal flame pulsing with life. Glowing letters emerged one after another, whispering faint, unintelligible voices that sent shivers through their hearts. The words formed and shifted as if they were trying to tell them something... or warn them.
Noah and his Echo stood before the gate, a pair of small shadows compared to its overwhelming presence. Noah felt a wave of unease.
"This must be the door leading to Nagairus' chamber, where he was supposed to be. Since he's outside, the chamber inside should be empty... Should we go in?" Noah pondered silently.
At that moment, the Echo placed his hands on the gate and signaled for Noah to help push it. Noah joined him, and together they pushed. The gate was ridiculously heavy, but they managed to open a small gap. The friction against the ground produced a piercing screech that echoed through the labyrinth, causing Noah a headache. Their strength gave out, and despite their continuous efforts, the gate shut again. Defeated, both Noah and his Echo slumped against the gate, exhausted.
"This is almost impossible... We need another way. But how the hell did Nagairus open this gate when he's just a snake with no arms?" Noah thought. Then, something clicked in his mind. He stood up and looked at his Echo.
"I have something to do. Stay here," Noah said, leaving the Echo puzzled and curious.
Noah then started running around, doing squats and push-ups. After a while, he stopped, panting as cold sweat dripped onto the ground.
[Daily Task Completed]
[Push-ups 100/100 (Completed)
Squats 100/100 (Completed)
Curl-ups 100/100 (Completed)
Running 10km/10km (Completed)]
[Would the host like to receive rewards now?]
"Yes," Noah replied, wiping his sweat.
[Host's physical state has been restored]
A green aura enveloped Noah, quickly fading along with his exhaustion, wounds, and bruises.
[1 Stat Point Received]
Noah opened the stats menu and added the point to agility.
[Name: Noah Grace, Age: 18, Gender: Male, Level: 7
Strength: 15, Speed: 18, Agility: 16 → 18, Intelligence: 24, Luck: 12
Skills: "Domain Influence" (S-rank), "Future Sight" (C-rank)
"I don't have any strategy, so I'll just balance my stats for now," Noah thought.
[Mysterious Box Acquired]
A strange box appeared before him, floating in the air. It was made of a black metal with intertwined engravings in an ancient, unreadable script—an object that seemed out of place in this world, untouched by time itself.
Noah's expression turned to annoyance and suspicion as he recognized the familiar design.
"Isn't this the same box that gave me that stupid spoon?... Damn it, if another ridiculous item comes out, I'll kill myself," Noah muttered.
Without hesitation, he reached out and touched the box. It trembled slightly before opening with a soft click. A golden glow burst forth, flooding the area. Noah shielded his eyes for a moment before he saw it—the key.
Floating within the radiant light, it rotated slowly as if alive, sensing the air around it. Made of pure gold, its design was unnaturally elegant. Its handle was composed of three interlocking rings with a glowing pink gemstone in the center, pulsing like a living heart. The key exuded an undeniable power, evoking awe and respect.
[S-rank Item Acquired: "Key of Salvation"]
Noah grabbed the key, feeling its cold, solid weight in his hand, and examined it.
"S-rank?! The system is being way too generous. This thing won't break, right?" Noah thought as the key's description appeared.
["Key of Salvation" (S-rank): A key gifted to the world by the heavens, meant to fulfill its purpose and grant "the fallen" their salvation.
Can unlock any door by adjusting its rank to match the door's level.
Exists solely to grant "the fallen" their salvation. Once its purpose is fulfilled, it will disappear.]
"A key that can open any door…" Noah thought, glancing at the gate.
"Could it…?" he whispered, stepping toward it. His Echo watched in confusion and curiosity.
"This door doesn't have a lock," Noah muttered.
[Adjusting "Key of Salvation" to Rank B to match the gate.]
"W-what's happening?!" Noah gasped as the key gleamed with pure golden light, merging into the door. The gate began to open, releasing a surge of violent wind and faint whispers carried through the air.
"I-it's working!" Noah exclaimed in shock.
The massive doors fully opened, leaving both Noah and his Echo staring at each other in stunned silence. The key reappeared in Noah's hand before disintegrating into golden dust.
"L-let's go in…" Noah said, his voice tense.
They stepped inside the dark chamber.
"Now that I think about it, that reward was strangely convenient for our current situation… This is really weird. Looking back, I never questioned this system until now. Could it be… that someone is watching me through it, making all this possible? But wouldn't that mean they're guiding me, controlling my fate? …Well, it's just a theory. I hope it's wrong."
With steady footsteps, Noah and his Echo entered the grand hall. Their footsteps were muffled by a crimson velvet carpet that stretched ahead like a path paved for kings. The darkness refused to yield, resisting their attempts to see beyond the void. Beside him, his Echo moved silently, an almost intangible presence, like a shadow detached from reality.
Suddenly, as if the hall responded to their presence, golden torches mounted on the intricately decorated walls ignited, casting a warm light that brought the chamber to life. The flickering flames revealed a breathtaking sight—walls adorned with gold, ancient relics neatly displayed on ivory tables, open treasure chests overflowing with jewels, and weapons encrusted with gemstones, carefully mounted on the walls.
Noah moved cautiously, his eyes scanning the countless treasures, each seeming as though it didn't belong to this world. These artifacts were older than time itself, as if this hall was a temple dedicated to long-forgotten kings.
"Did that ugly snake actually live here?" Noah smirked mockingly, whispering to himself.
They ventured deeper through the mountains of treasure until they reached another door. This one was different—plain, seemingly made of dark, fragile wood, with parts broken and shattered. Both Noah and his Echo studied it with curiosity.
"This door's placement seems strange," Noah observed.
His Echo attempted to open it, but behind it was a dead end, blocked by a wall of pure black obsidian.
"It's sealed," Noah noted.
Suddenly, his Echo punched the wall, sending dust flying. But as it settled, the wall remained unscathed—while his Echo's hand shattered like glass.
"You really shouldn't have done that," Noah smirked.
"You shouldn't have done this," Noah said sarcastically to the echo.
Then, he pulled the "Salvation Key" from the system's storage.
"Watch and learn," Noah said as he placed the key on the wall, but nothing happened.
"...Give it a moment..." Noah said, and seconds passed that felt like hours to him. He pulled the key back and returned it to the storage.
At that moment, the echo laughed, leaving a muffled chuckle.
"Shut up!" Noah said, expressing his annoyance and embarrassment.
"It seems this door can't be opened. No, is it even a door? I don't think I've read about anything like this. Maybe it only opens for those who deserve it... Wait, there was something similar to this. There was a place that wouldn't open unless a condition was met. That place was the gate that would take you to the second area of the maze, and the condition that had to be fulfilled was the slaughter of the first stage's guardian, 'Nagairos.' I can't believe we've reached the farthest point while trying to escape. How ridiculous," Noah thought to himself silently.