As soon as Raive returned to his senses, listening to the Archangel’s repeated words, he quickly rushed closer to the center. He crawled like a cockroach, not bothering those who laughed at his display.
Staying at the edge despite what he just experienced would be nothing short of pure idiocy.
He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down as much as possible.
His body was still trembling from the pain, but he could now stand on his own legs. It really felt weird knowing they just melted away a few seconds ago.
[It seems everyone had found their skills useful already. Then, I won’t delay the first trial anymore.]
The same line was repeated, and the same condescending smile appeared as the archangel snapped her fingers.
The moment she did...
"AAAAH!"
"HELP! HELP ME!!!"
Just like before, a few of them fell into the magma below.
Raive felt relief now that he was standing atop the platform and not swimming down there. However, he was aware that it was still too early to celebrate.
[For your first trial, we kept it simple.]
She said with joy, as if the dying throes of people below her were a choir praising her handiwork.
[Just reach the end of this maze alive, and you shall clear the trial!]
As soon as she finished saying that, she quickly turned into a ball of light and disappeared. She explained no rules, nor where they should go, only that they should "survive" and "escape" the maze.
Raive frowned and began looking around.
Everyone was confused, as he expected. Some were crying, unable to stomach watching someone die in such a gruesome and painful manner.
However, there were a good few with great initiative too.
Those blessed with "good" skills.
"Listen up, you bastards!"
A man with a bulky figure shouted, gathering attention to himself instantly.
"We have no fucking idea what’s going on, but for now, following that bitch’s words is our only hope! Among here, who has a skill that’s useful in this maze?! A map or something!"
Everyone received a different skill, after all.
Some were offensive types, like fireball, or magic blades from before, while some had support types, like body strengthening, or Raive’s Auto-Load.
As such, one having something like a mapping skill wouldn’t be weird at all.
"..."
However, only silence spread.
Either nobody had the said skill, or they were hiding it, afraid that they’d get used like a slave instead. Raive understood this himself. Information was the only thing he could use to rise above others, after all.
The muscle man looked disappointed for a moment before shaking his head, shouting once more.
"Looks like none of you have a useful skill. That means we can only explore this place manually!" He roared.
"I will be going this way. Those who want to follow me, suit yourselves! Those who want to go on a separate path, feel free, but share your information with the others if you find the exit!"
He then raised his hand up, as if cheering, and raised a louder roar.
"Let’s all get out of here alive!"
Raive, of course, didn’t feel inclined to follow his words.
He knew those types of people. The hot-blooded bossy types. They only see their own situation, the tools (other people) around them, and use them until they break.
The kind of person that’s much worse than just a typical scammer, using words like "camaraderie" or "for everyone" just to make everyone empathize with his chosen path. A path that he would then force everyone onto along with him.
Raive watched as half of them moved with the muscle man.
The remaining ones started moving individually, exploring the numerous pathways around them. Raive, of course, didn’t move. As per the muscle man’s words, information is key in solving a maze.
There’s no telling what dangers were present on the paths, so he’d rather wait for news than move on his own. He sat in the middle of the platform, feeling the warm air rising that made his entire body sticky with sweat.
It felt uncomfortable, but it was the surefire way to not miss anyone returning after hitting a dead end.
"Hmm...?"
He was the only one who remained at the platform.
Thus, he was also the first person to notice something strange happening.
The heat felt worse now. If before, he felt like he was lying down under the sun on a harsh summer day, now, he felt like he was inside a sauna with a broken thermometer.
The heat was getting worse.
Curious, Raive peeked down the edge of the platform, and...
"Was the magma... always this close?"
Noticed the anomaly.
He watched for a while, taking notes of marks along the "walls" to see if his worries were true. And then, about a minute later...
He was convinced.
"The magma is rising!"
At the rate it was rising, though, it would take an hour before it reached the platform’s height. There’s no telling whether its pace would suddenly accelerate or stop, either.
In short, he needed to prepare for the worst.
"Shit, what the heck is this place?!"
Just then, a few figures returned. A couple of teenage girls crying their eyes out, their clothes battered with what looked like blade cuts.
Raive stared at them, then noted it in his mind.
The route they took was a dud. Only 11 possible paths remained.
One by one, others returned. Their numbers were visibly reduced. Even the muscle man’s team returned, and shockingly, only four of them remained. Their expressions were grim, and some were even shaking from fear—as if they had just seen a nightmare.
Raive frowned.
Just the first check cost them almost 30 lives, leaving only about 10 of them.
Only three paths remained.
The paths where nobody returned from.
Those were the last ones with the possibility of connecting to the exit.
Raive watched the other nine, and slowly spoke.
"All nine paths you guys took are dead ends, correct?" He said in a calm voice. "And the magma will continue to rise, reaching floor-level in 20 more minutes."
"Fuck...!"
A soulless curse came from the muscle man, gritting his teeth. His earlier bravado nowhere to be seen.
Ignoring him, Raive continued.
"Only three paths are left. One of them must lead to the exit." He said.
Then, as if an instigator, he stood up and looked down on the man.
"Choose. Stay here until we burn in magma, or risk checking the last three paths as a single team?"
A choice that determines their fates.