216: CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

[*Sigh* You're... hopeless,] Valinar said at the sight of her divine colleague's statue resting on the marble floor. [Why did you even do that!?]

'I told you, it was for a test. The test was surprisingly successful.'

[You could have just used my statue or tried it on the entrance doo—] The goddess suddenly paused. [Aito, I can sense the candle piece nearby.]

Intrigued, he looked around, his eyes scouring the surroundings. Certainly, there were quite a lot of candles on the 10th floor, particularly on the pillars. Well, since they had a bit more time until Roan returned, he didn't mind looking more into this matter.

'Can you locate its exact location?'

[Not sure. Take out the candle piece inside your inventory bag. Having it outside should help me locate it.]

The candle piece slightly vibrated in Aito's hand. 'What now?'

[Just walk around. I'll try to pick up the signal and lead you to its location.]

"Eh, boss?" George sent him quizzical gazes. "What are you doing?"

"No time to explain," Aito replied. "Gather the others. We'll hold a meeting about what we should do next as soon as I'm done with this. Hopefully it won't take too long."

[That I cannot guarantee.]

He spent the next 30 minutes searching for that pieces but gave up at some point walking around aimlessly. Valinar couldn't locate it.

[Don't give up now!]

'I'm not. I just want to clarify our situation with the other challengers. We'll go back to sniffing around after I'm done. You take this time to try and figure out what's happening. That's nonnegotiable.'

[*Sigh* Sorry. Yes, you're right. Let's do as you say. The only other way to locate the candle is undoable for you anyway.]

'Meaning?'

[You have to make the part of me living in that piece accept you. You have to find the words.]

'What words?'

[You already know them.]

Aito grunted at this stupid reply. He wouldn't have asked if he already knew them!

'Whatever, keep your secrets.'

He joined the others gathered at the center of the hall. They all seemed to have come up with a decision as to whether they would continue or go back to the 1st Floor. Well… more or less.

"*Sigh* Listen here. I know that I've previously told you I wouldn't for your hand on this matter," he said, perfectly knowing this kind of decision could not be taken lightly, "and I know I have no right to ask this of you but… George, Ogoro, Sheyla. Please leave this place. As for the rest of you, I won't interfere with your decision." 

Aito didn't want them to die because of him, no matter what. This belief has been further strengthened after they had helped him. He wouldn't be able to bear the guilt of that. Despite all those warnings from a god and a merchant, he couldn't do it. He couldn't ask them to fight by his side in what could be a hopeless situation.

They had been aware of his intention to remain alone here or at least had their doubts.

"No. I'm not going anywhere. Period." was all Sheyla said.

"I've already left you on your own, thrice in a row," Ogoro said, gripping his shoulder. "This time, I will fight by your side. Moreover over I'm curious about what will happen if we clear this floor."

Aito felt a huge slap on his back that barely made him budge.

"Ha! In your dream, boss. Not gonna lie, I'm tired of having you take the spotlight. Haha!" George exclaimed. "And I'm also tired of running."

Aito frowned, clenching his fist, "Even if I give you an order?"

"Shut up," Sheyla said coldly. "Don't you get it? If you want us to leave, you'll have to force our hands because we're not going anywhere without you this time. You're not happy about that? Deal with it."

Ouch. He didn't know if those words stung or were comforting. They were a weird mix of both. He sighed deeply. 'How stubborn can these three be?'

Before he could retort, Elizabeth interfered.

"I am grateful for what you've done for us until now, Aito. And I cannot thank you enough," she looked at her husband lying immobile on the floor, "but I can't—"

"I… will stay." Lucius started rising under the gawking eyes of the other challengers. "I… have a debt… to repay."

"Zombie?" Sam asked.

"A… new skill… idiot."

While the others had been carrying him around in the labyrinth, Lucius had practiced a skill acquired in the Labyrinth that had allowed him to move again.

—Active Skill: Electric Signals Lv4—

After using his quest reward to rise to level 4 and a bit of practicing, he was finally getting the hang of it. Basically, using this skill, Lucius could control his own body with electricity alone. On other people than himself, it sent a paralyzing discharge. In the future, after leveling up this skill, Lucius knew it might give him the ability to control other people's bodies.

"Honey, you…"

Elizabeth had been aware of it and thought about keeping hidden from the others. She didn't want her husband to try something he would regret later. Unfortunately, he was a stubborn man and had already chosen to stay on this floor.

"You've saved… my life… twice," Lucius said, moving like an old robot. "And… the life of… the person I treasure. I… will repay… this debt."

"Thanks, but are you sure you'll be able to handle yourself?"

"Don't worry… about me."

Aito nodded, if Lucius wanted to stay, he didn't intend to interfere with his decision.

"I think I'll leave," Sam declared. "I want to see Kai and ask him face to fac—"

Aito stared at him. "That's not happening."

"W, w, wait, what!? Didn't you say you would not interfere with our decisions?"

"I've changed my mind concerning you."

After all, if Roan said was true, the baldie might just be a part of the answer to leave this place alive.

"That's not fair!"

"Ha, be it first or second, Life isn't fair, it's a bitch. Also, I need you."

"Tsk," the baldie clicked his tongue. He couldn't exactly say anything since he owed Aito a lot.

CLAP!

CLAP!

CLAP!

A who had been observing them for a while now could hold himself anymore and entered the hall, clapping his hands in a very exaggerated way.

"Look at you. All friendly and supportive. I'm touched, truly," the man interrupted, his long mage robe fluttering as he floated down.

"Maba…, what is a moderator of the 2nd floor doing here?" Aito asked, remembering that prick's face. How could he not when he had almost died by his hands.

when Valinar flashed by his face.2

[Aito—]

'Not now! I'm busy!'

"I came for you. Who other than the famous black challenger, could make a moderator leave his post?" Maba's boots touched the ground. "You've caused someone close to me a bit of trouble. Although we lack proof, we believe that because of you, the orcs of the 6th floor are not… doing what they are supposed to do. So I personally came to see for myself what could have this… unfortunate change."

"Where is Segolene?" Aito asked, gripping his ax tighter.

"Busy with the overflowing numbers of challengers on the 7th floor," Maba declared, eyeing one particular item in Aito's hand.

If Segolene had been here, he would never have dared appear on the 10th floor. Thankfully, Behir had planned everything.

Due to the unusual behavior of orcs on the 6th floor staying in their city, challengers coming from the 5th floor were stagnating. Orcs had become stronger somehow but did not kill humans unless they really had to. With their sudden increase in power, only a few challengers manage to compete with them, only killing a few.

Using this weird behavior as an excuse, Behir deactivated the invisible barrier preventing any challenger from going up the 7th floor without first clearing the 6th floor quest, blaming everything on a system bug, the same one that affected the orcs. Now, he just needed to prove it had been done by a challenger and he would have no charge to endorse.

With Segolene busy dealing with the particularly large influx of challengers on the high floors, she couldn't attend to Aito's group needs. That's why another moderator had been sent, Maba. So that they would lower their guard, he enrolled Roan that had been in prison, bound him by a soul contract so that he wouldn't say anything. The merchant played his part to perfection, well almost.

Observing from a distance, all this time, Maba discovered something extremely interesting that was probably the cause of the orcs' unusual behaviors.

[Aito!]

'What!?' He replied mentally, pissed because she's been flashing her notifications nonstop in front of his face.

"I'll tell you something, black challenger," Maba smirked and flicked his fingers. Suddenly, two pieces of the black matter stuck to the map fell from the ceiling, landing on the marble floor in a loud thud. They took the shape of one Goliath and one Paineater. "Give me that piece of wax in your hand and I might let you go. Resist, and I'll kill you all."

[The other candle piece... is with him. I can sense it.]

'What!?'

*****

"Maba Lamat. Like all the Lamat family, he is a prick. Not only a simple prick but a prick whose sole merit was to be given a piece of the Candle by this old hag. If it weren't for that gift, he would never have been successful in reproducing bravers' skills. But, the price he had to pay in order to unlock this Candle's powers is simply not worth it." 

Extract from, "Yggdrasil Chronicles, The Woodcutter of Iris," by Roan the Merchant.

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