It took me just three minutes to find the final mural from the clutter; it couldn't help but surprise me.
Buzz!
Though I was surprised, I did not waste any time; I have connected all the murals in the format the hints have told me, and the moment I did, it buzzed and lit up.
For the first time, something like that happened, and it couldn't help but bring a smile to my face. I am now sure I was right; seeing the light, all the doubts I had in my mind had disappeared.
Soon, the light cleared, and a chart appeared in front of me, a chart showing a way to get out of this maze. I am a little disappointed that there won't be a door opened directly in front of me, as it would save me from all the dangers I might fall into.
It is something I have to accept, and looking at the chart; it did not seem like it would take a lot of time for me to find an exit.
It took me a few minutes to study the chart fully, and once I was done, I began to move according to its direction.
Twenty minutes pa.s.sed, and I had already crossed more than half of the distance to the exit point; I would have been faster if I had spent a few minutes fighting against a tough Grimm.
Hun!
A few more minutes pa.s.sed when suddenly, I stopped, not because I had reached the exit point or come against a very powerful Grimm but came across very faint auras which are disappearing rapidly.
The auras disappeared here quickly; in five minutes, even Grand Lords' aura vanished; outside, it took years. There is a familiar aura of Grand Lord, that Bearman, but it is not that b.a.s.t.a.r.d aura that had surprised me, but another aura, which is weaker than it.
It is a distinct aura of power; only two people possess it, Matron Mavis and Jill; only those two have the abyssal fire in our world.
Matron Mavis is outside, which means it is Jill is the one who faced against the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, which couldn't help but make me curse.
I have first-hand experienced the power of that b.a.s.t.a.r.d and know how hard it is to survive against it; I was very lucky to survive it, but if anybody had a chance, then it is Jill.
I refused to think of any other outcome.
I investigated for a few seconds before I moved again, this more cautious, despite knowing the chances of me coming across them are small, seeing the walls have changed not long ago.
Another twelve minutes pa.s.sed when I finally stopped as I reached the exit point.
In front of me is a mural where there is a crystal blue lake, and in this crystal blue lake, three scaly humans are fis.h.i.+ng.
"I hope it works," I said to myself and once again looked at the words before turning to the lake.
"Neaurasae Talaib," I spoke the words described in a chart; the word means 'Lake let me in,' but it seemed like nothing had happened, and I was about to try again when a faint s.h.i.+mmer spread across the lake.
Seeing that, a smile couldn't help but appear on my face, and I walked to the mural, especially toward the lake, which is an exit out of place.
I moved my leg into the lake, and it went inside, and the next moment my whole body; the moment my whole body entered, I felt the water around me and swam up.
"Ha!"
I got out of the water and found myself in the oasis, with date trees and dunes of sand at a distance. Below me is a crystal blue lake and a beautiful desert garden.
I looked around the beautiful garden and did not take long to see the price.
There are a hundred spheres of golden energies are floating in neat lines on the left side of the garden; the biggest one is big as my hand, while the smallest one is the size of my fingernail.
The oasis had appeared many times in the top seven challenges. So, I know what these golden b.a.l.l.s are; there are b.a.l.l.s of boost, and the biggest contains the biggest boost.
I have no intention of taking the boost right now, despite the risk that a person who comes after me could take the biggest boost.
I know my core has been taking the boost, and I don't know whether I will get it back; in such uncertainty, it would be wise to hold on.
Doing that, I could lose big time if a lot of people came, but I have to take that leap of faith and hope not too many people come before I finish my business.
As for the business, it is to make the breakthrough, of course.
I wish I could make a breakthrough immediately, but that would not be wise. I am tired after three days of wakefulness, and many battles, not to mention I have not completely recovered; I could not break through in such conditions.
These conditions are not hard to resolve; I just need to sleep, and when I wake, I will be fully rested and recovered.
With that thought, I brought out my spatial abode and went inside.
The first thing I did entering my room was shower; I stayed inside the cascading cold water for more than fifteen minutes before coming out.
I wore comfortable clothes and brought out the feast my clone had cooked while I was in the shower. I only ate once in the past three days, and saying I am famished would be an understatement.
I cleaned the plates faster than Ashlyn, and by the time I finished, I saw both Ashlyn and Nero looking at me with shock; feeling their gazes, I couldn't help but feel embarra.s.sed.
After dinner, I went to my room and lay on the bed; before closing my eyes, I asked my clone to change the recovery formation. There are some formations that work better when I sleep and given their efficacy; I should be healing fully by the time I woke up five hours later.
I closed my eyes and, within a minute, fell asleep; it was not sleep without a dream. I dreamed about my mother, who had yet to return from the ruin she had gone to.
I woke up exactly five hours later; as I did, I did not stay on the bed even for a second and immediately went to the bathroom to freshen up before walking out of my room and the abode.
Making the breakthrough out would be much safer than in the abode; the enlarged s.p.a.ce makes things difficult in the breakthroughs, which are at a limit or close to it.
The safe zone also had its problems.
While one could not be attacked in the safe zones, there are plenty of ways one could disturb the breakthrough; many people have failed due to it.
Thankfully, I have made the preparations.
I have a formation that will save me from all the disturbance; it is also very hard to break; even a runemaster like me would need at least half a day to break through it.
I immediately laid down that formation before starting on the real work.
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