The Primal Hunter

Minaga had been pretty honest from the get-go when he talked about the floors after his city floor. They had indeed just been the same setup over and over again, with ever-increasing difficulty. The difficulty actually reached a level where Jake and the others had to get serious, especially in the final room of each floor, where at least one of the hardest options was hard-coded to always include a boss. At least Jake assumed it hard hard-coded as it was like that every time, and Minaga never denied that was the case.

One minor change was that all the labyrinths seemed shorter, or all had shortcuts in the form of traps you could activate to progress faster as well as more standard shortcuts. This included a few instances of walls that could be opened as well as illusory walls – these were Jake’s favorite as he didn’t notice the first one he saw in his sphere was even meant to be illusory before he laid eyes on it.

This was the only reason why Jake and company could keep their clear times of floor thirty-eight and thirty-nine below a full day on each, though it did get damn close on floor thirty-nine. Having to do nine rooms total was a bit taxing; no two ways about it.

Jake did also have to admit that they had gotten fortunate, though. Not lucky enough for him to think that Minaga was actively helping them, but lucky enough for him to feel lucky. More than half of the rooms had been combat rooms, and with a few bosses and collection rooms mixed in, they had just enough time. Helped a bit further along by liberally consuming potions between rooms so they never had to slow down. They also limited all chatter with Minaga to the labyrinths, where their speed was limited by the floor rules.

Anyway… with their success also came more experience than Jake had expected.

*’DING!’ Class: [Arcane Hunter of Horizon’s Edge] has reached level 220 - Stat points allocated, +50 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (C)] has reached level 223 - Stat points allocated, +45 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Class: [Arcane Hunter of Horizon’s Edge] has reached level 221 - Stat points allocated, +50 Free Points*

Jake would undoubtedly say that two levels in two days were damn good. It was definitely faster than alchemy could ever be unless he got epiphanies related to upgrading skills. The others had also all gained plenty.

Anyway, after the floors, they found themselves standing inside the in-between floor before it was time for the fortieth floor. They were not in a hurry, as they definitely needed to all be back in peak condition. Jake felt that the final floor would not be easy, and seeing them all relax, Minaga also swooped in to echo that sentiment.

“Remember to rest up well before the final floor of my labyrinth, alright? It’s gonna be quite an experience and will truly test you. The Demon Lord boss will look like a cakewalk in comparison; I can promise you that! Okay, maybe not a cakewalk, but definitely a far easier kind of walk than the walk you are about to walk into.”

“You know, I have quite a good idea of what we will face,” Jake smiled.

“Well, don’t spoil it for the others even if you do!” Minaga argued.

“Pretty sure they figured it out too.”

“In that case, let’s all act like none of you know, so please act surprised when you see the final challenge, alright?”

Jake threw a glance at his party members, and after getting a few shrugs, he agreed. “Sure, pal, you can have that.”

“Thanks, and see you soon! Who knows… maybe sooner than you think!”

Yeah, Minaga himself is definitely the final boss, Jake thought, smiling to himself. He would lie if he said he didn’t look forward to it. The Minaga that had appeared in all of the welcome rooms had been a level 275 Unique Lifeform, and if he was as powerful as the Fallen King would be at level 275… Jake was definitely not confident in winning alone.

Even with his party, it would be incredibly rough. Also, despite them all knowing they would face Minaga, they did have the problem of not knowing what he could actually do. Sure, he had teleported around a bunch with help from the dungeon, but he had shown none of his actual powers. The only clue was that he was some kind of mage with the name of the different difficulties and his whole demeanor and clothes. Also, being a dungeon master and mage just tended to go together, with Casper being an outlier.

As part of Jake’s final preparations, he also finally distributed the last 2400 stats he hadn’t placed anywhere yet from his Altmar Signet. Looking at his stat caps, he could get roughly 800 more Strength and 1100 Agility from the ring. That left him with 500 stats left to place, and after a bit of consideration, he put them into Endurance. Having more Endurance would allow him to endure his boosting skill better and even keep it active for longer. Besides, if he changed his mind later, he could just redistribute the stats.

Checking out the ring, he nodded.

[Altmar Signet of Supremacy (Legendary)] – A ring presented by the Altmar Empire to the Chosen of the Malefic Viper. This ring is made of an unknown but extremely energy-dense metal, with an unknown gem of immense power embedded in it. This ring was originally based on the Trial Signet design but has been further refined and improved to make a fitting gift for a Chosen. The first time the wielder equips the ring, they will become able to distribute the signet’s energy into whatever stats they desire. Distributing any of the stats will make the ring Soulbound. A brief recharge period is required between each re-distribution of stats. Stats cannot be redistributed during combat. Enchantments: +2500 Perception, +900 Strength, +1100 Agility, +500 Endurance

Requirements: Soulbound

With all preparations done, Jake and company continued forward and saw no reason to delay. The others had also consumed elixirs to make sure they had all the stats they could, and besides some potential improvements in equipment, they had no more optimization to do. They were already in formation as they entered the fortieth floor, ready as could be and at the peak of their game as the room appeared before them. Upon their entry also came the expected floor introduction.

Welcome to the Fortieth floor of Nevermore: The Grand Finale of Minaga’s Labyrinth

Main objective: Defeat the final boss.

Bonus objectives: N/A

Current progress: Final boss (0/1)

Note: It’s the finale!

Current Nevermore Points: 42973

Jake read it over along with everyone else. However, they did not have much time as an aura appeared in the middle of the large cathedral-like building they found themselves inside. The temperature of the place increased as flames gathered, revealing the outline of an all-too-familiar figure.

[Demon Lord – lvl 275]

“You gotta be kidding me,” Jake whispered under his breath as the Demon Lord fully manifested, and a spear appeared in his hand as he pointed it towards them.

“I have been waiting for you! Behold, I, the long-lost twin of Demon Lord Gubrothas, shall be your deaths! My name is Demon Lord Gobruthas, and today I will avenge my-“

He didn’t get further as suddenly, the entire cathedral was enveloped in blue energy, and the room exploded as a massive white pillar crashed through the roof, crushing the Demon Lord into paste. Everything shook as the pillar kept drilling into the ground, squashing the Demon Lord further. On top of it, Jake already saw the expected figure he had presumed to be the boss.

It was naturally Minaga himself.

[Minaga – lvl 275]

Jake saw him, and then… then the lights came. Stropelights began blinking throughout the hall as thousands of openings appeared on the pillar and walls of the room, all shooting out colorful lights in all shades of the rainbow. The walls of the cathedral also began extending outwards and shuffling around, expanding the battle arena significantly.

The light show continued for several seconds before a massive spotlight appeared, illuminating Minaga atop the pillar as he spread out his arms.

“WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME! TO THE GRAND FINALE!”

With his words, a system message appeared in front of them all.

Event unlocked: True Ending

You have completed all the prerequisites and proven yourself worthy to face the true final boss of Minaga’s Labyrinth: its creator. Take heed, for this challenge surpasses all those you have faced prior.

Note: Due to the difficulty level of the challenge, any individual that takes lethal damage will be teleported out of the boss room instead of dying. Should all party members be defeated, the event will fail and cannot be reattempted.

New Bonus Objective gained: Do not allow a single party member to be defeated during the battle.

Jake scanned the message and frowned as he yelled at the Unique Lifeform before he could continue his introduction show. “No death here?”

“Not unless you kill yourselves, no. Actually, let’s just get all that out of the way,” Minaga answered before continuing, the spotlight still on him.

“Let me say it like this… concessions were required before the Wyrmgod and system would accept having a challenge of this caliber placed on the fortieth floor of the C-grade portion of Nevermore. Not a minor concession either. In order for balance to be reached, the system overlaid the condition on this challenge that you can’t die, only be defeated. In order words, if you are to take fatal damage from me, you won’t actually die but be teleported to jail! And if you all get jailed, you will have failed and be sent back to the in-between room, and things will look quite a bit different when you reenter,” Minaga explained from his platform.

“So, as the system message said,” Jake nodded at Minaga repeating the information.

“Exactly,” Minaga smiled. “Now, can I continue without you ruining my groove?”

“Be my guest,” Jake bowed as he gave the Unique Lifeform space.

“Thank you. Now where was I… oh right!” Minaga cleared his throat as he continued with his scripted speech.

“You, brave challengers, find yourselves at the final challenge of Minaga’s Labyrinth! What else could it be but the opportunity to face the peak of dungeoneering itself? Me! The creator of the greatest labyrinth ever!”

“Oh my lord, I cannot believe the final boss is actually Minaga himself!” Jake exclaimed loudly.

“We were thoroughly bamboozled and all taken by surprise,” the Sword Saint echoed in a dry voice.

“Yeah, a big reveal,” Dina nodded along, giggling a bit.

“Ree!” Sylphie screeched, trying to act surprised too. Only the Fallen King wasn’t a good sport about the entire thing.

“Ha ha! Naturally, you had no way of seeing such a twist coming! This will be the ultimate challenge of my labyrinth, and should you come out victorious, you will be generously rewarded! Should you fail, you will have to do another challenge that will still give pretty decent rewards, but way worse than should you defeat me!”

The five of them nodded as they observed the Unique Lifeform. Jake scanned him as well as he could, trying to get a good read… and one thing was indeed sure: Minaga was far more powerful than any opponent he had ever faced before, bar-none. To make matters worse… the Unique Lifeform knew them. He had observed them doing the entire dungeon, and he would not put it past Minaga to use that against them.

“Don’t let your guard down for even a second,” Jake warned his party. “And don’t hesitate using boosting skills.”

A second passed as the final vestiges of the light show died down, and the fight was about to start.

“So, challengers… are you ready to face Minaga?” he smiled, looking tauntingly down at them with raised eyebrows.

Jake smirked as he pulled out his bow and jumped to the side, the Fallen King and Sword Saint moving forward as Dina stayed in place with Sylphie shooting into the air.

“I shall take that as a yes,”the Unique Lifeform said as he lifted one hand and grinned from ear to ear. He snapped his fingers as his body exploded with energy, his voice still echoing throughout the entire hall. “Cue my boss theme.”

The deep sound of bass rumbled the room as the music began playing from who-knows-where. Jake and the others didn’t take their time to enjoy it, though.

Following his own advice, Arcane Awakening activated at 30% right off the bat as he nocked an arrow and took aim at the Unique Lifeform that had yet to move. Yet just as he released his arrow, a massive tile of floor flipped over right in front of him, blocking him and making his own arrow explode right in his face.

Then, the more than twenty-meter-wide tile flew towards Jake, forcing him to dodge away as more of the floor began rising to try and block him in. Busy dodging, he could only get a few glances as the Sword Saint closed in on Minaga, his boosting skill also active.

Minaga’s entire pillar exploded in the very next second, roots erupting from all over it, piercing towards the Unique Lifeform. He jumped in response, meeting the Sword Saint in melee as he summoned a staff in each hand.

The Sword Saint kept diving in as he slashed, making Minaga block the blow. Yet, just as the old man was about to pull back, Minaga moved in closer, and it looked almost like his staff stuck to the Sword Saint’s sword as he swept it upwards.

All the old man could do was be dragged along with the staff as he was tossed above Minaga… right into the path of a diving Sylphie who had to divert her course. To make things worse, Minaga lifted his second staff and pointed it at where Sylphie was dodging, shooting out a torrent of flames that forced her away even further.

Then, in an almost dancing motion, he pivoted out of the way of a blast of force shot by the Fallen King as more than a dozen magic circles appeared around him. Stopping his pivoting, he pointed with a finger gun towards the Fallen King.

“Bang.”

All the magic circles exploded simultaneously, releasing giant ice spears that flew toward the other Unique Lifeform. Reacting quickly, the Fallen King summoned a golden wall in front of himself, but the ice spears proved more powerful than he had expected, making the barrier crack and forcing the Fallen King to retreat just before it shattered.

Jake, who had finally managed to get free of the shuffling floor tiles, released a barrage of destructive arcane arrows at Minaga, who was falling to the ground. This made him raise his hand as a metal wall appeared right in front of him, summoned from pure energy manipulation as far as Jake could see.

“Oopsie,” Minaga said as a root spear nearly hit him in the foot as he landed on the floor. He managed to dodge it, just as two overlapping crescent waves of water and wind cut towards him, forcing him to once again summon a defensive barrier, this one of molten metal, a huge amount of steam released as the attacks hit it.

“All-elemental magic… perhaps more than just elemental magic,” Dina said through their Golden Mark.

“Advice?” Jake questioned.

“Be prepared for any kind of attack,” Dina just said.

Jake sighed as the steam began to gather above Minaga while he stood there with a lifted staff as the orb of dense energy grew above him while he infused even more energy into it.

“Come on, you can do better than this! In fact, I know you can.”

Jake and the others had time to properly get in position to strike again as Minaga just stood there with a giant grin on his face for a few seconds before he shrugged.

“Fine. If you won’t attack-“

Cracks formed all over the orb above him, releasing intense energy..

“-then I will.”