NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 22: A labyrinth Beneath [1]
Purrrrr...
Clunk!
As I parked the bike, I took off my helmet and fixed my hair.
"Hey, El, are you sure that I have lost a third of my soul?" I asked him as I walked out of the parking area.
Since yesterday, even after losing a part of my soul, I don't feel like much has changed in me.
Apart from the feeling of emptiness that I am experiencing, nothing more has happened, and honestly, I thought it would hurt like hell, but even that didn't happen.
[...You aren't feeling it right now, but when you get stronger and reach a higher level, you will understand what you have lost.]
"Well, I need to be alive till then to know that," I mumbled as I looked at the building looming in front of me.
The building stood at a towering height, with at least forty floors of glass and steel, boasting a modern design.
From above, it resembled a lotus flower in full bloom.
The outer walls curved gently outward, with six different entrances and one exit leading to seven different important places within the empire: the capital city, three dukedoms, two earldoms, and one viscounty.
With one last look at the building, I walked towards the entrance that led to the portal for the viscounty—the place ruled by the Vespertine family.
As I stepped through one of the entrances, I was greeted by a spacious hall bathed in natural light.
The air was alive with the hum of activity, the murmur of conversation echoing off the walls.
I quickly found the counter with the smallest line and stood at the end, waiting for my turn.
[....Where are you going?] El asked again as I waited.
'Ever heard of a labyrinth?' I asked, scanning the area. 'I'm going there.'
[Aren't labyrinths those places with maze-like structures?]
'Yeah, but labyrinths in this world are different,' I replied as I approached the counter. 'All the labyrinths in this world are interconnected, meaning it isn't a maze within one labyrinth, but a maze made of all the labyrinths in the world.'
"How can I help you, sir?" The woman behind the counter asked with a small smile as I approached.
"I want a ticket for the next portal and I want to also transport my bike," I replied, taking out the black card given to me as well as my bike keys.
"That will be ten thousand Pargen currency with five thousand extra for the bike," she said, taking the card and swiping it.
I quickly entered the pin, completing the transaction.
"Here is your token, sir. The portal will open at exactly 1 p.m.," she said, handing me a token with the number 108, as I swiftly glanced at the clock placed in front.
"Thank you," I replied, albeit feeling a little uncomfortable.
Shrugging off that feeling, I walked towards the portal area, as only five minutes were left for the portal to open.
[....A lot has changed, huh?] El's voice resonated in my head as I sat down on a chair.
'So, are you saying you're from the same world as this one?' I asked as I closed my eyes.
[It looks like it, but it also feels like millennia have passed since then,] El replied.
'Hmm... so I was right about you being an old shit,' I muttered.
[Yeah... Anyway, what happened to the gods?] El inquired.
'Only three of them are left' I answered, recalling what happened to them from Azari— from my memories. 'One was banished from the heavens while one left willingly.'
There were originally five [Primordial Gods] when humanity first appeared in this world— four Gods and one Goddess. But as time passed, only three of them remained.
[Is that so?] El replied before falling silent, lost in thought.
I didn't disturb him, instead resting my head against the chair. Even though only three days had passed, I felt tired beyond belief.
Even my memories were blurred about being Inder; all I had now were just Inder's emotions in Azariah's body.
But even then, I wasn't sure how long I would remain Inder or when I would become Azariah.
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Name: Azariah Noah Aljanah [65], Inder Sephtis [35]
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'It keeps getting changed,' I sighed, pondering over it.
What kind of fucked up being had I become?
"The portal is opening within one minute," a voice announced, pulling me back to reality. Opening my eyes, I stood up as I heard the announcement.
Once again, another line quickly formed in front of me as I walked behind them, keeping my face low to avoid drawing too much attention.
Entering a room, I saw the portal—a semi-circle shape—awaiting us. After checking our tickets, they let us in, and I stepped through the portal.
Buzz.
A feeling of dizziness washed over me as I entered the portal, and the next instant, I found myself in a different place.
"Urgh..." I groaned, placing my hand over my mouth to stop myself from vomiting up all the soup I had eaten earlier.
As my nausea subsided, I quickly made my way to the counter, presenting the token I had been given.
After retrieving my keys, I exited the building, its structure reminiscent of the one in Aljanah dukedom.
Purrrrr...
Clunk!
Click! Vroom!
Arriving at the parking area, I mounted my bike and set off towards the center of the city.
The streets were bustling with vendors selling various products for entering the labyrinth.
I stopped at the best-looking shop, purchasing all the essential items for the dive—a backpack, a sword with some small knives, food that would last for a week, and a leather jacket and mask to cover my face.
With my preparations complete, I made my way to buy the tickets to enter the labyrinth after parking my bike.
The lady at the counter glanced at me, raising her brows but refraining from commenting on my mask.
"A thousand," she said bluntly, not bothering to look up.
I handed her the black card, completing the transaction.
"Don't kill more than twenty monsters to ensure the ecosystem within," she advised, passing me the ticket. I nodded, heading towards the entrance.
As I turned to leave, she called out, "A piece of advice. There are a lot of Creepers active inside nowadays. Be careful."
I nodded again, taking her words to heart as I proceeded towards the entrance.