“It’s not like I’ll let you,” Ludwig said with a smirk, his confidence unwavering.
Minerva groaned, gesturing to the bells around her neck and wrists. “These things are annoying. Like, really annoying. They let everyone in the area know where you are, especially those lions,” she said, her frustration evident.
Ludwig tilted his head, studying her for a moment. “You realize that you’re not in such a bad position as you might think you are,” he said, his voice calm and measured.
Minerva raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“Want a hint?” Ludwig asked, a playful glint in his eye.
“Yes, please,” Minerva said eagerly. “Everyone is simply too fast for me, and it seems like Bron told them about my [Panic] spell and how to stop it.”
Ludwig chuckled. “Oh yeah, I was wondering how come you’re still a hunter with that broken spell of yours.”
Minerva shot him a glare. “There is nothing broken about that. It’s working fine,” she said, her tone defensive.
“Ah, I guess the term is lost on you,” Ludwig said, shaking his head. “Regardless, you still have your torch, right?”
“Yeah,” Minerva replied, pulling the familiar Blue Flame Light from her ring. “But it’s not as good as I thought. It doesn’t stop the bells from ringing,” she said, her shoulders slumping in disappointment.
“I presumed as much,” Ludwig said, nodding. “But remember, in the last half an hour, if you save it, you can use it to grab whoever turned you into a hunter.”
Minerva’s eyes widened as the realization hit her. “Oh, because the bells would be gone by then,” she said, a spark of hope igniting in her voice.
“Exactly,” Ludwig said, his tone encouraging. “So, who turned you?”
Minerva’s expression darkened. “It was Bron,” she said, her voice laced with venom.
Ludwig shook his head. “He already fell once. I guess he got too arrogant going by himself.”
Minerva nodded, her frustration evident. “Speaking of arrogance, how did you lose the two lions that were chasing you?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“First, that’s not arrogance that’s skill, I’m hella fast,” Ludwig’s expression turned serious. “Well, there’s an extra condition for this trial that Olim didn’t tell us,” he said, his voice lowering.
“What is it?” Minerva asked, leaning in slightly.
“The lions,” Ludwig explained. “Each of them has a beacon inside it. If you take one down, you can grab it. It’s an opportunity for hunters to get a beacon and clear this stage.”
Minerva’s eyes widened in surprise. “Fighting that thing is suicide… and since you know that, I can assume you beat one?” she asked, her tone skeptical.
Ludwig shook his head. “Nah, I’m not that arrogant. But the traps in this maze can take it down. Still, I’d rather not risk going against that thing. It’s pretty strong and vicious as hell.”
Minerva nodded, her expression thoughtful. “So, what now?” she asked.
Ludwig shrugged. “You should just wait. Once the last half an hour hits, then you should start hunting. You’ll only waste your stamina and mana trying so hard right now.”
“I agree,” Minerva said, her resolve firm. She began moving away from Ludwig, her steps purposeful.
“Where are you going?” Ludwig asked, raising an eyebrow.
“To find Bron,” Minerva said, a determined smile spreading across her face. “I need to get my revenge.”
Ludwig couldn’t help but laugh. “Sure thing. Good luck with the event,” he said, watching as she disappeared down a corridor. He turned and began moving in the opposite direction, his mind already shifting back to the task at hand.
Time continued to pass, the labyrinth’s shifting walls and hidden traps keeping everyone on their toes. Several students were rotated from hunter to prey and back again, the dynamics of the event constantly changing. Another lion chased after Ludwig, but thanks to his experience, he was able to lose it with ease, using the maze’s unpredictable structure to his advantage. Two more hunters crossed his path, but with a combination of quick thinking and well-timed jumps, Ludwig managed to escape unscathed.
Finally, the last half hour of the event arrived. Ludwig had yet to be captured or even touched, his skills and instincts keeping him ahead of the competition. He had faced countless challenges, but so far, he had emerged victorious every time.
“Seems like you’re doing pretty fine,” Thomas said, his voice breaking the silence. “You think Minerva got her beacon back?”
Ludwig shrugged. “Beats me,” he said, his tone nonchalant. “But I sure hope so.”
“Emm, Ludwig,” Thomas spoke again, his tone more urgent this time.
“What is it?” Ludwig asked, his senses immediately on high alert.
“You said you felt something was watching you,” Thomas said, his voice low.
“Yeah,” Ludwig replied, his frown deepening as he felt Thomas’s agitation.
“Could it be that?” Thomas said, his tone ominous.
Ludwig turned, his eyes scanning the area. At first, he saw nothing—just the dimly lit walls of the labyrinth. But then, his gaze fell on a shadow that didn’t belong. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there—a patch of darkness that seemed to move independently of the light.
Before Ludwig could react, the shadow sprang forward like a snake, wrapping around his feet and yanking him off balance. He stumbled, his hand instinctively reaching for his scimitar, but the shadow was faster. The figure of the shadow manipulator emerged from the darkness, his face peeling away from Ludwig’s own shadow like a wraith materializing from the void.
“I wanted to eliminate you at the very last second,” the shadow manipulator said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “But seems like you caught on to me.”
Ludwig’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. “FIREBALL!” he howled, summoning a blazing orb of flame and hurling it toward the shadowy figure. But the enemy was faster. With a swift motion, he grabbed Ludwig by the foot, his hand brushing against the beacon on Ludwig’s wrist. In an instant, the beacon disappeared, and the shadow manipulator vanished into the darkness, leaving Ludwig standing there, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief.
“Fuck,” Ludwig muttered, his voice low and filled with irritation. The game had just gotten a lot more complicated.