Inside the Dark Maze Instance, it took nearly five minutes for the intense heat of the miniature sun to finally fade and dissipate into the darkness.
anwhile, just as Caelan prepared to continue his exploration, intending to probe deeper into the twisting corridors and hidden corners of the Dark Maze, an unexpected voice cut through the silence behind him, brimming with excitent and awe:
"Praise the Goddess! Big brother, your power is incredible!"
"Could I possibly team up with you? I’m a Treasure Hunter class—we could work together!"
Caelan had originally intended to ignore the voice and continue forward, leaving the maze behind him without distraction.
But the mont he heard the term "Treasure Hunter," he slowed his steps, curiosity stirring just slightly.
The [Treasure Hunter] class was among the more popular and sought-after classes among awakeners.
Unlike combat-oriented classes that specialized in defeating enemies, Treasure Hunters excelled at exploring Instances thoroughly, gathering nearly all valuable items and artifacts.
Their reputation in the awakening community ca from their unrivaled efficiency in loot acquisition, rather than raw fighting power.
In truth, the Treasure Hunter class was relatively weak in combat.
Their strength lay primarily in their high attribute stats, which allowed them to outpace ordinary adventurers or weaker awakeners.
Against dedicated combat classes, however, their ability to inflict damage or withstand attacks was minimal, making them highly dependent on capable allies.
For this reason, Treasure Hunters typically sought teammates they trusted implicitly, forming cooperative partnerships that ensured both survival and efficiency while exploring dangerous Instances.
Caelan, however, never expected that he would encounter a Treasure Hunter in the Dark Maze itself. Yet, despite this rare chance, he had no intention of forming a team.
"Sorry, I’m not planning to cooperate or team up at the mont," he said coldly, turning as if to leave.
He had barely taken a step before a flash of white intercepted him.
When he regained focus, he realized that, seemingly from nowhere, a lively young girl had appeared directly in front of him.
She had chestnut-colored, curly hair cascading over her shoulders, and her large, mischievous eyes sparkled with intelligence.
Every detail of her appearance suggested cleverness and charm; her skin was fair, her features refined, and she carried an unmistakable air of elegance, as though she were a princess from a storybook.
At this mont, the girl’s gaze was locked on Caelan, full of anticipation and excitent.
As soon as she took in his appearance, she gasped audibly, her expression one of astonished delight.
"My goodness! To encounter soone of this caliber in the Dark Maze... today’s my luckiest day!"
"Big brother, don’t reject just yet! I’m very well-behaved, and when it cos to teamwork, I can follow your lead entirely."
"Why not take with you? Are you really going to leave here, all alone and helpless?"
Seeing her pitiful, pleading expression, Caelan’s lips twitched slightly—a subtle, almost imperceptible reaction to the girl’s performance.
At the sa ti, he activated his [Eye of Insight], scrutinizing her stats and profile.
[Na: Audrey]
[Level: 298]
[Class: Treasure Hunter]
[Skills: Advanced Treasure Seeking, Item Appraisal, Treasure Sense...]
Upon reviewing her profile, Caelan’s wariness decreased noticeably. Audrey had not deceived him about her class, at least, and her stats confird her legitimacy.
The Treasure Hunter class, as he knew, was inherently weak when faced alone.
Without proper allies, even simple monsters could pose a significant threat.
Yet the pressing question remained: why was Audrey here in the Dark Maze?
He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on that question for the ti being.
After all, there were plausible explanations. Perhaps, like him, she had only recently arrived in this Instance.
"Tell your capabilities," Caelan said, his tone cold and direct. "I don’t need useless companions."
Audrey, however, was not offended by his bluntness. In her eyes, Caelan was a true powerhouse, a genuine awakener whose strength rendered appearances irrelevant. Only one thing mattered: the value she could bring to the team.
She cleared her throat and spoke carefully, a hint of nervousness in her voice:
"My Treasure Hunter skills allow to locate all the treasures within the Dark Maze. Beyond that, I know several internal shortcuts. Please trust —my value will not disappoint you!"
Half an hour passed as Caelan followed Audrey through winding corridors, navigating the labyrinth layer by layer.
Audrey’s movents were precise, efficient, and confident, her intimate familiarity with the Dark Maze evident in every step.
Eventually, they arrived at a concealed entrance, hidden from casual explorers.
"What is this place?" Caelan asked, frowning as he felt the subtle energy radiating from the entrance.
Audrey, acting as a guide, explained matter-of-factly:
"Respected Mr. Caelan, this is a necessary passage to advance further into the Dark Maze. To explore the treasures within, one must pass through here."
Caelan’s brow furrowed. His intelligence reports had contained no ntion of this entrance; it was completely absent from his prior data.
Noticing his hesitation, Audrey spoke up again, her voice calm but confident:
"Do not worry, Mr. Caelan. I discovered this entrance myself. In fact, there are several such entrances throughout the Dark Maze. Each leads to increasingly dangerous regions, but naturally, the rewards found there are far greater."
"However, I believe we should act according to our limits. Different regions carry different challenges. Even high-star awakeners reportedly struggle to survive the most perilous areas of the Dark Maze."
Caelan simply nodded. He could sense the energy emanating from the entrance—it was indeed denser than the area they had just left. Yet, to him, the difference was negligible.
"Let’s go. Enter," he said decisively, stepping forward without hesitation.
Audrey was montarily stunned.
He had trusted her completely, without even testing the path ahead!
A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, but she quickly followed him, entering the passage with him.
A subtle distortion of space enveloped them, and when it cleared, Caelan and Audrey erged into another section of the Dark Maze.
Audrey imdiately demonstrated her familiarity with the surroundings, moving swiftly and gracefully like a nimble white rabbit.
She bounded ahead, agile and precise, scouting the path for potential obstacles or hidden treasures.
Caelan followed behind, his eyes actively scanning the environnt.
He refused to allow the rabbit-like guide’s speed and charm to distract him from any chests, hidden caches, or potential traps that might appear at any mont.
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