World Online

Jake looked at the corner apprehensively, waiting for someone, or rather, something, to come out of the blind spot.

The sound that came from that side was footsteps. The sound of feet on ground, something only a bipedal being could achieve.

"Is the ninth here already? Am I going to have to face the ninth follower right now?" Jake thought to himself.

The sound of the foot steps started increasing, until Jake could see the hint of blue in front of him. A blue robe that fluttered in the wind.

And then, a face that came along with it.

"Sword Master Ganshin?" Jake was surprised. He didn't expect to come across this person right now.

"You… you are the Baron that came in a little late. The baron that Father Joseph seems to be a little interested in." Ganshin looked at Jake with surprise.

"How is it that you came out of the path of saints so early? No. This must be an illusion. No way could someone like you come out so quickly." He shook his head, muttering.

"Then again, why would they choose someone who is so weak? This is so blatantly a trap that it might not even be one." he muttered out loud, for Jake to hear.

"Ummm…. I am here?" Jake said, breaking Ganshin's line of thought.

"Yes, you. Tell me something that happened outside the Evil Realm. Something that the Evil God shouldn't know about." Ganshin said.

"Something that the Evil God wouldn't know about? What about the time when Father Joseph told me and Sister Annie that there were ears everywhere, or something like that? Something about someone always listening to us."

"Hmm. Only a human would give me an answer like that." Ganshin nodded.

"Now, it is your turn. As much as you suspect me, I can say the exact same thing about you. Can you tell me something that can prove that you are indeed, who you claim to be?" Jake asked.

"Caution is indeed, necessary, boy. I will-"

"That's enough, thank you. If it were one of the evil beasts, they would make something up, something like the fact that they were the leader, and that I wasn't supposed to question their status."

"That is true. You are clever for a noble. I didn't expect you to be so intelligent." Ganshin chuckled.

"Your group has a terrible impression on nobles. I wonder what nobles did in the past, for there to be so much hatred toward them." Jake asked.

"That is not something that we would tell a noble, unfortunately. Come, follow me. We need to get to the center as fast as we can. All of us seem to be split up." Ganshin said.

"You want to go the way I came from?" Jake asked, a little hesitant to go back.

"What is the problem? What are you hiding?" Ganshin asked.

"The labyrinth, it moves. And so far, it has made sure that I couldn't retrace my steps. Going back the way that I came from, I think that it will only lead us further away from the center. I think that we should follow what I have done until now." Jake said.

"And what is it that you have been doing?"

"A coin flip." Jake showed the coin that he had been flipping to get directions.

"Using a silver coin just to flip for heads or tails. Extravagance only a noble could afford." The sword master shook his head, scoffing.

Jake couldn't even respond to that. He was done dealing with the hate that came from being a Baron.

"Don't worry. I am just messing with you. A copper coin became useless after the inflation. A silver is the new copper." Ganshin chuckled.

"That you got so far so fast with only a coin means that the gods have blessed your luck. I might be able to get to the center faster if I follow you. Follow you, I shall." Ganshin nodded.

Jake nodded back, and now, the duo were together, slowly walking down where Ganshin came from.

As they passed the corner, Jake asked Ganshin, "By the way, as you entered the labyrinth, did you face any monsters? Did anything try to stop you?"

"No? Did you face any monsters?" Ganshin asked.

"Yes. An evil beast, but the tier wasn't clear since everyone in this realm is suppressed. I was able to take care of the beast because of this suppression, so that is a win." Jake smiled.

"To think that you would face a beast. That only means that you are coming in the right way. I was right to follow you. To send a beast means that the labyrinth doesn't want you to keep moving." Ganshin nodded.

The exact same line of thought had run in Jake's mind when he faced the gorilla.

"These NPCs are so humble and smart. I can't believe that I was forced to work with the stupid ones for ten years. Where were these NPCs when I needed them?" Jake lamented.

As they walked, they were faced with another intersection.

And this time, it was like the labyrinth knew what they were doing. This time, they were faced with not two options, but three.

One that went straight, and one that led to either side.

"Let us use the coin to flip between going straight and taking a left. Going right will take us away from the center." Ganshin said.

"That defeats the purpose of using the coin, sword master." Jake shook his head.

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Alright. Heads if we should choose between the sides." Jake muttered as he flipped the coin.

As the coin fell down, it showed tails.

"Heads to choose between forward and left."

Jake flipped the coin again.

Once again, it showed tails.

"Heads to choose between forward and right?"

"Why choose again?" Ganshin asked.

"To make it fair. I have an idea." Jake said as he flipped the coin.

"No. Tails? Where the hell do we go now?" Jake shook his head.

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