Following the clues provided by the adventurers they had rescued, Gauss and Aria pressed forward.
"I wonder if the entrance location has changed..." Aria voiced her concern.
Gauss's gaze locked onto an unusual, downward-sloping cave in the distant cliff face.
Beside the rocky wall, a crooked-neck tree cast twisted shadows in the dim light.
"Cliff face, crooked tree... That's definitely the spot."
Gauss patted Aria beside him and pointed toward their target.
"Aria, found it."
The two quickly approached the cave entrance.
Before them lay a pitch-black, profound passageway with a series of descending stone steps.
Merely gazing at it evoked an inexplicable attraction, as if silently beckoning explorers.This perfectly matched the description in the Labyrinth Guide.
According to the guide, the maze contained numerous levels, with only one passageway connecting different "floors."
In Gauss's understanding:
It was like multiple independent spaces stacked together, connected by specific tunnels. The lower exit of this passage remained fixed, while the upper entrance periodically shifted locations within the upper maze level - like a "space wormhole" with one fixed end.
Thus, each maze level had two "openings": The descending entrance constantly moved, while the ascending exit remained stationary (though returning might land you at a different upper location each time).
"We should enter quickly," Gauss said.
Before a passageway disappeared and reappeared elsewhere, there would be a hidden transition period - no one knew exactly when relocation would occur.
Exchanging glances, they hesitated no longer. With gray wolf Ulfen and raven Eck in tow, they stepped onto the stairs leading to the unknown lower level.
Upon entering the passage, their surroundings underwent an indescribable transformation.
The air rippled like water, spatial perception becoming subtle and blurred.
A cool energy swept through Gauss's body like an invisible scanning wave, vanishing instantly - so fast it might have been an illusion.
Gauss steadied his mind, focusing ahead.
The passage interior differed completely from the first maze level. No strong natural light sources existed here, only faint fluorescence emitted by the hard rock walls themselves, creating a dim, oppressive atmosphere.
He cast a Light Cantrip, dispelling the darkness.
"The guide mentioned these passages utilize spatial energy to truly transport people between levels," Gauss recalled while descending.
Book knowledge felt shallow; only by witnessing reality could one appreciate the maze's marvels.
"So theoretically, even if someone dug downward from above, they could never reach the next level. These special passages are the only paths."
He knocked on the stone wall beside them - the texture felt normal yet slightly soft, as if wrapped in an invisible resilient membrane.
Reportedly, these passages possessed "indestructible" properties, at least for low-tier professionals like themselves.
The passage stretched long.
Ground, rocks, even remnant structures were blanketed by peculiar spherical shrubs and algae clusters,
with dark red thorned vines coiling through like blood vessels.
Countless softly glowing fireflies filled the air, their faint lights dyeing this lush land dreamlike.
"So... beautiful!" Aria gasped in awe.
"No wonder the guide said the first level appears barren due to surface influence. The true wonder begins from the second level... This is where the maze world truly begins..."
Gray wolf Ulfen seemed to sense richer natural energy, whimpering excitedly, while raven Eck curiously turned its head on Aria's shoulder.
"Indeed," Gauss nodded agreement.
He observed the glowing insects, then willed one into his Mage Hand's grasp.
Applying slight pressure—*pop*—the bulbous-tailed light-emitting creature burst in the telekinetic grip.
Unfortunately, his Monster Encyclopedia showed no reaction.
Just ordinary luminous creatures, not monsters.
Gauss wasn't surprised, having tested out of habit.
Perhaps because this lower exit remained fixed, clear signs of human activity surrounded them—scattered footprints, extinguished campfire remnants, and litter.
Several ancient stone benches stood nearby,
beside a directional signpost carved with indecipherable archaic script.
Neither could read it.
Gauss memorized the complex characters' shapes before speaking:
"Which way now?"
The second underground level felt slightly more oppressive than the first, with lowered ceilings and frequent hanging plant clusters.
"You decide," Aria deferred to Gauss as usual.
"Alright then..." Gauss surveyed their surroundings.
Always having to decide occasionally gave him headaches.
In unfamiliar environments, they dared not send raven Eck scouting afar, lest misfortune strike.
Narrowing his eyes, faint glows sharpened in his vision.
The ground's chaotic footprints and tread marks became clearly visible.
"Let's pick the least traveled path then."
They preferred avoiding many strangers in the maze, plus crowds meant fewer potential gains.
"This way then?"
Gauss chose the direction with fewest footprints.
"Watch your step."
This path was flanked by dense spherical shrubs and algae, tiny insects crawling through gaps—greatly increasing difficulty in spotting hidden traps.
Thus he proceeded cautiously, specifically warning Aria to follow his steps precisely.
Meanwhile, Gauss's Empathy Bracelet-enhanced eyes vigilantly scanned ahead.
Suddenly—
A fierce wind roared down from above without warning!
Fortunately, he'd remained tense as a drawn bowstring.
Detecting the sound instantly, his leg muscles—empowered by Enhanced Jump—exploded like fully compressed springs releasing.
Whirling back, he grabbed Aria's arm as both retreated several meters.
Only after stabilizing did they see their attacker's true form—
A bizarre animated plant. Its thick vine rooted deeply into the ceiling while connecting to a human-head-sized twisted bud.
Now the bud gaped wide toward them, revealing a thorn-lined maw dripping translucent viscous saliva that *plopped* softly onto the ground.
"What is this? A man-eating flower?" Gauss murmured in mild surprise.