It had been three weeks since Gi-Gyu entered the Maze of Heryond and two since he saved the girl. After spending so much time inside the maze, Gi-Gyu changed a lot. 

“Let’s eat now,” Gi-Gyu announced. 

“I’m sick of eating jerky every day… Should I cook instant noodles or something today?” the girl offered eagerly. 

“No, you can’t cook any food with a strong smell inside the gates or the Tower. It will attract monsters or other players with bad intentions,” Gi-Gyu explained patiently. 

“Then we can’t cook any food at all?” When Soo-Jung asked with a sad frown, Gi-Gyu replied, “Unfortunately, yes, unless you find a place you’re completely certain is safe.”

“Ah! Okay. Thank you for letting me know,” the black hair girl, Soo-Jung, answered and began filling her notepad with this new info. Gi-Gyu watched her crooked writing and smiled. 

The girl’s name was Jung Soo-Jung. Even her name sounded similar to his sister, so Gi-Gyu couldn’t help but feel affectionate toward her. As he suspected, Soo-Jung received the invitation to become a player just last year. Apparently, an unnie[1] Soo-Jung knew very well introduced her to a guide. Ever since then, she had been working with this guide as a team. It seemed this guide insisted on working with Soo-Jung because he knew about her unique ability. 

‘Not only did that guide use her, but he also didn’t educate her properly.’

This guide barred her from interacting with other players, didn’t teach her the basics everyone knew, and even made her work like a mule. It seemed he was just stringing her along. 

‘At least it didn’t sound like he did anything unforgivable to her,’ Gi-Gyu thought with relief. Because Soo-Jung was such a beautiful girl, the male guide could’ve had an ulterior motive toward her. But based on what he had heard from her, it didn’t sound like her guide did anything like that. 

Since they met two weeks ago, Gi-Gyu and Soo-Jung had been roaming the maze together. Currently, they were in an area frequented by poisonous slimes and venomous ants of grade C and B, respectively. Their physical stats were trash, but they retained powerful toxins as their weapon. Fortunately, Gi-Gyu had gained a certain level of immunity toward monster poison after hunting all those giant spiders. This made it a little easier for him to hunt these venomous monsters. 

The more poisonous slimes and venomous ants he killed, the more blood Lou absorbed. And that, in turn, increased Gi-Gyu's poison immunity. This meant hunting these creatures was becoming even easier as he advanced. 

Gi-Gyu had to admit Soo-Jung had been a big help so far. Her unique ability, Marking, allowed her to increase another player’s stats by 10 percent. It was such an incredible ability that Gi-Gyu could now understand a bit of the guide’s turn of mind. After all, a 10% boost could easily turn a loss into a victory. 

So far, Gi-Gyu chose not to dump Soo-Jung to another group. He had been traveling with her through this maze until now, but he had already told her that she could leave him at any time.

“Oppa! I leveled up again!” Soo-Jung announced proudly. 

“Congrats.” When Gi-Gyu replied calmly, Soo-Jung complained, “Oh, come on! That was so insincere! You need to congratulate me with more excitement!”

By now, they were close enough for Soo-Jung to address Gi-Gyu as “Oppa” rather than “Ahjussi.” They had been fighting dangerous monsters side by side for the past few weeks, so it was no wonder they became acquainted quickly 

Gi-Gyu warned, “Don’t forget that we’re still inside the maze. You can’t speak that loudly, Soo-Jung. Didn’t I tell you already that every moment here is more dangerous than the last?”

“But if the monsters appear, you’ll protect me by killing all of them with your pretty swords!” Soo-Jung replied innocently. 

“Gosh… Our lives are in constant danger, so I don’t understand how you can be so calm. Anyway, let’s just eat our jerky and get going,” Gi-Gyu announced with an exasperated sigh.

“Okay!”

Then, Gi-Gyu and Soo-Jung continued to eat their meals. Unfortunately, his food supply was disappearing quickly. To begin with, it was only enough to only last him a month; with Soo-Jung’s appearance, it was vanishing faster than he anticipated. She explained that her bag, which held all of her supplies, was taken away by her guide. 

‘But she has been enduring this journey very well.’

To Gi-Gyu’s surprise, Soo-Jung rarely asked to take a break. He suspected she was pushing herself to not burden him, and he felt thankful for it. After they finished their jerky, Gi-Gyu quickly cleaned up and led the way again; Soo-Jung just followed him.

-She’s doing really well, especially for a girl. I mean, she hasn’t asked for a break this entire time.

‘You think so too?’

-Is this what you mean when you say someone has the potential to become a high ranker?

‘Yup. She’s also leveling up much quicker compared to ordinary players. If she joins a good guild and gets proper training, she’ll become powerful in no time. What a waste.’

-Stop worrying about others and just focus on your own survival.

‘I know.’

In any case, Lou didn’t seem to dislike Soo-Jung. However…

-Master, that woman is dangerous.

‘This again, El?’

Since he met Soo-Jung, El had been warning him against helping her. 

-I don’t know how to explain it, but I get a bad feeling about her. She just feels… really dangerous. 

‘El, I know you’re only worried about me, but please don’t overreact.’

-But Master…

‘El, you know how much I appreciate you, right? But, you don’t have to worry about his.’

After the words of assurance, El didn’t say anything more. Just then, Gi-Gyu lowered his body because he felt an unfamiliar presence nearby; Soo-Jung followed suit. Turning toward her, he whispered, “I think there is a guild ahead of us. Let’s just wait it out here.’

Soo-Jung nodded quietly. After he ordered her to wait for him, he walked away. He got closer to the group and hid to study it. Just ahead of him, he could see a group of 30 players marching. Gi-Gyu noticed they were all well-equipped and moving like an army unit. 

‘Are they American players?’ Gi-Gyu wondered because most players in that group were blond.

The one leading the group was a man in snow-white armor; he seemed familiar. Suddenly, Gi-Gyu realized who it was.

‘He’s Ironshield!’

Unlike the high ranker nicknamed Lucifer, whose face remained a mystery, the faces of Ironshield and Athena were well known to the public. Gi-Gyu remembered reading the description of Ironshield, and it matched this group’s leader. And that group he was leading had to be his guild’s members. 

‘Dammit.’

As a high ranker, there was no way Ironshield didn’t notice Gi-Gyu’s presence nearby. So, Gi-Gyu quickly turned around.

-Move, you idiot!

Boom!

Moments later, a giant sword struck down the wall behind which Gi-Gyu was hiding just a few milliseconds ago. 

‘That’s not something a human can do!’

The huge sword was just as big as Gi-Gyu. The fact that he could throw such a heavy weapon at Gi-Gyu meant Ironshield possessed extraordinary power. But, Gi-Gyu didn’t panic; instead, he remained crouched and slowly crawled away. Thankfully, he received no more attacks.

***

“Was I mistaken?” Ironshield murmured, confused.

“Guild Master, what’s wrong? Why did you throw Calleon so suddenly?” one of his guild players asked cautiously.

Ironshield shook his head and ordered, “It’s nothing. I think I was mistaken. Please go retrieve Calleon.” 

“Of course, Sir.”

Ironshield tilted his head and pondered as his subordinate ran to retrieve his sword.

‘I was certain I felt someone’s presence over there. Was it someone who can fool my senses?’

He contemplated for a second before quickly shaking his head. There were only two players in this maze who could hide their presence from him: Athena and Lucifer. But knowing them, Ironshield was certain they would rather fight than spy on him. The spy had to be a small-time player, so Ironshield decided to forget about it since he couldn’t be bothered with finding some low-level player. 

“Argh,” the player who went to bring back the giant sword groaned as he pulled it out from the wall. But because Calleon was so heavy, the player failed to carry it despite his high power stat. In the end, another guild member had to help him carry the sword back to Ironshield. 

Their guild master mentioned in disappointment, “It looks like you have been neglecting your training. Anyway, thanks for the sword.”

“We apologize, Sir,” apologized the embarrassed duo. Despite holding it together, the two players could barely carry the sword.

“Calleon,” Ironshield called out to the sword and held it with one hand easily. He then placed it back in its sheath on his back. It almost looked like the sword name Calleon moved on its own when Ironshield called for it.

The Iron Guild members gazed at Ironshield with admiration as they murmured, “That’s our guild master.” Meanwhile, Ironshield was still staring at the area where Gi-Gyu was standing a moment ago. 

‘I’m sure I felt someone over there.’

But, shaking his head again, Ironshield ordered, “Let’s go now.”

“March!” his second in command announced loudly. Then, the Iron Guild group resumed their march with Ironshield leading the way.

***

“Hiuck…”

Gi-Gyu’s whole body was covered in a cold sweat as he panted. While running away, he only felt the brunt of Ironshield’s power for a second, but it was enough to almost make his heart stop. 

Had Lou not yelled at him in time, Gi-Gyu would’ve been cleaved in two pieces by that giant sword. Worried about Gi-Gyu, Soo-Jung asked, “What’s wrong, Oppa?”

“I-it’s nothing. There is a guild ahead of us, s-so we must be on the right path af-after all. We’ll just have to be more careful,” Gi-Gyu stammered. 

“Look how much you're sweating,” Soo-Jung said to him worriedly. When she raised her arm to wipe away his sweat with her shirt sleeve, Gi-Gyu slapped her hand away. 

Slap!

Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming presence similar to what he felt from Ironshield. But, the one standing in front of him was only Soo-Jung, not Ironshield. Both Gi-Gyu and Soo-Jung tensed from shock. Realizing he had made a mistake, he apologized, “I… I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well, so I think I overreacted.”

“It’s okay,” Soo-Jung reassured him and wiped away his sweat with her sleeve. Her caring gesture seemed to have a calming effect. Gi-Gyu murmured, “Phew… I had no idea he was such a beast.”

“Who did you meet?”

“Have you heard of a player nicknamed Ironshield?” When Gi-Gyu asked, Soo-Jung jolted as her eyes widened. 

“Isn’t he one of the high rankers?”

“Yeah. Ironshield and his Iron Guild members are marching ahead of us. He just passed by from a distance, but he must’ve felt my presence. No wonder he’s so famous. I almost got caught and killed just now,” Gi-Gyu replied.

“I’m sure he can’t kill a person that easily…” Soo-Jung murmured naively, making his smile turn bitter. She was such an innocent young girl that Gi-Gyu felt an obligation to teach her the reality of this world. He explained, “You just don’t understand the players’ world yet. It is taboo to spy on another player, both inside the gates and the Tower. No one would be surprised to hear a player got killed from spying on another player.”

“...”

“You never know if whoever is watching you is trying to kill you or not. So, if you find someone spying on you, you must attack him.”

“But we’re talking about people and not monsters—” When Soo-Jung murmured, Gi-Gyu continued, “If you don’t kill the spy, he might end up killing you. This is a rule of the gate.”

Soo-Jung seemed shocked to hear the truth. She asked in confusion, “Then why did you watch him in secret? If you walked up to him and explained your situation, then maybe…”

With a brotherly smile, Gi-Gyu patted her head. When Soo-Jung lowered her head shyly, he suddenly realized what he had done. Gi-Gyu jolted and yanked back his hand.

‘For a second, I thought she was Yoo-Jung.’

He only patted Soo-Jung’s head because he saw his little sister in her. Trying to hide what he had done, Gi-Gyu answered, “Every player in this place is here for the same reason. We’re all rivals; had I walked up to him, I would’ve only made it easier for him to kill me. It’s not like I’m Lucifer or Athena, so he wouldn’t have wasted his time listening to a nobody like me.”

Soo-Jung flinched at the mention of Lucifer, but she quickly returned to her previous calm self. She begged, “Then from now on, don’t go out to scout ahead. I’m afraid you might get killed, Oppa.”

“Alright.”

Ironshield and his guild were one of the most likely people to clear the Maze of Heryond. So, the fact they were heading in the same direction as him meant he was on the right path. If he followed their lead, perhaps Gi-Gyu could reach the boss’ room around the same time. 

The entire time Gi-Gyu was in the Maze of Heryond, he had one goal. The only way he was going to leave this place alive was if he obtained the elixir. He was still worried about Soo-Jung’s safety, but…

‘I still have Arachne's Ball of Thread.’

In the worst-case scenario, Gi-Gyu planned on giving this item to her and going after the elixir alone. 

***

Another week passed, but the Maze of Heryond still wasn’t cleared. There was no way of knowing what had happened to the other players so far. Did no one reach the boss’ room because of the enormous maze? Or did some players reach the keeper but failed to kill it? Gi-Gyu knew he wouldn’t know anything for certain until this maze gate was cleared. But his ignorance of the overall situation didn’t matter much. 

“I’m so glad I’m right behind the Iron Guild. They’ve been killing all the monsters ahead of us, so it’s so much easier now,” Gi-Gyu said out loud. Right now, he was following the Iron Guild’s group. They maintained a good distance from the group, but they still hadn’t encountered many monsters. It seemed the Iron Guild was determined to kill every single monster inside this gate. It was no wonder it was one of the top guilds in the world. 

Gi-Gyu felt a little disappointed he couldn’t gain more experience and help Lou absorb more monster blood, but he had his priorities. He was here for the elixir, and everything else he gained was just a bonus. 

Soo-Jung asked, “So you came here to cure your mother’s illness too, Oppa?”

“Yup. My mother is very sick right now,” Gi-Gyu replied. Everyone who came inside the Maze of Heryond knew about the elixir. Three types of players entered this dangerous gate. Some were hoping to sell the elixir for a fortune, and the others probably wanted to use it to regain youth. There was also a third type: Their goal was the same as Gi-Gyu; they were here because they were desperate.

Gi-Gyu was honest about his intentions to Soo-Jung. He explained, “If you’re after the elixir too, I’m afraid we’re enemies. But if you don’t need it, and you help me clear this gate, I will help your mother in any way I can.”

Soo-Jung smiled innocently and answered, “Nope! I don’t need the elixir. I’m here just for the money, so it’s okay.”

Gi-Gyu patted her head affectionately and continued walking slowly. Because the Iron Guild was a large group, it wasn’t difficult to follow them. Gi-Gyu knew he had to take his time and move slow to not get caught. 

Just then, someone jumped on Gi-Gyu from above.

-Run!

“What?” Gi-Gyu asked in confusion, but Lou’s warning was too late. 

Thud!

“Got ya, little mouse!” Golden-haired Ironshield, in his snow-white armor and Calleon on his back, grabbed Gi-Gyu’s neck and smiled widely. 

1. Unnie is a term used by a younger sister or a younger female to address an older sister or an older female. ☜