After leaving the church, Nova arrived at the teleportation square, where the labyrinth was located.
On the way, he had purchased weapons and supplies using his savings. He also bought an exploration ticket—one that didn't require explorers to surrender a portion of their profits.
The square was far more crowded than Nova had anticipated. Thousands of individuals stood in line, patiently waiting for the labyrinth to open. Most of them were in groups of three or four. Very few, like Nova, stood alone.
A few meters away, a formation of knights stood like statues—each clad in gleaming silver armor and holding a spear. Their expressions were impassive, and no one nearby dared raise their voice. Every explorer cast glances at the knights, a mix of fear and admiration evident in their eyes.
"It seems the reputation of the Silver Knights is not an exaggeration at all," Nova muttered.
He quietly joined the line and waited.
The Silver Knights were officials appointed by the kingdom to maintain order across the realm. Each had once been a formidable explorer, having reached at least the fourth floor of the labyrinth. It was no surprise that they were held in such high regard.
The labyrinth opened only once a month, on the full moon. That's why Nova was in a hurry—he had only two chances left before his deadline arrived.
There were a total of nine floors in the labyrinth, each vastly different from the others. Explorers navigating the first floor were known as Stage 1 explorers, those on the second floor Stage 2, and so on. Currently, Nova wasn't even a full-fledged Stage 1 explorer. A proper one should possess at least one special ability.
Nova didn't.
His goal for this month's exploration was clear: become a Stage 1 explorer and obtain a special ability.
After that, he could start a business or sell monster carcasses at a high price.
While his thoughts drifted toward that hopeful future, a sudden change occurred.
The entire teleportation square trembled. Bricks and stones shook beneath their feet, and some of the people near the portal lost their balance. A massive gateway burst into existence out of thin air.
The portal glowed with silvery-blue edges, its interior resembling a pitch-black void.
Nova watched in awe. Though he'd seen the portal from a distance as a child, this was the first time he was experiencing it up close.
"Step inside the portal, explorers. Do not waste time," one of the Silver Knights commanded.
The line began to move swiftly.
In just five minutes, Nova found himself standing before the portal. A heavy pressure settled over him. His breathing quickened, his hands trembled, and yet, he felt an invisible force tugging him forward. As long as he wanted to enter, it would pull him in.
That strange sensation left him disoriented.
'That's it. I did everything I could. No more excuses. It's time to face the challenge.'
The moment he completed the thought, he felt his body yanked into the darkness.
And then, just as suddenly, the sensation disappeared.
Nova opened his eyes and found himself lying beside a bush. Leaves had lodged in his ear, and vines had wrapped themselves around his legs.
'Why is the landing so random?!'
It was an embarrassing position. If any monsters had been nearby, it could've ended terribly.
Fortunately, no danger lurked in the vicinity. Nova drew the knife from his thigh and sliced through the vines binding him. Once free, he examined his surroundings.
He stood in the middle of a massive, ancient forest. The trees towered high into the sky, radiating vitality. The wind rustled through their leaves, making them appear almost alive.
It looked peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
Nova exhaled in relief.
'Thankfully, I arrived in the Garden of Spring. It should be relatively easy to survive for seven days here.'
The labyrinth's first floor was divided into four sections—each representing a season. The Garden of Spring was the mildest and most survivable of them all.
But peace didn't last.
Bushes ahead rustled unnaturally. A strange creaking sound followed. Nova's heart skipped a beat.
He didn't hesitate.
"I need to leave this place at once and find somewhere safe to hide for the next seven days."
Sheathing his knife, Nova grabbed his backpack and departed in a random direction.
He had originally planned to buy a map of the first floor, but the vendor had demanded 10,000 rubies. Nova hadn't even tried negotiating. With only 20,000 rubies total, he had to reserve most of it for essentials.
Nova had intended to purchase a whip and a short knife—the two weapons he was most proficient with. But the vendor had sweet-talked him into adding a katana, throwing in a discount for the set. After haggling, Nova had secured all three for 18,000 rubies, just enough left to buy food and potions.
While walking, Nova drew his katana from its scabbard. He held it at the ready in case of a sudden ambush.
'I need to make the most of these seven days and gather as many cores as I can.'
Exploration on the first floor lasted exactly seven days. The second floor required two weeks. The deeper one went, the longer the duration.
But no matter how much time passed inside the labyrinth, only a single day passed outside.
If everything went well, Nova's tax debt would be easy to pay off.
As he walked, the forest slowly began to thin. The chirping of birds and buzzing of insects faded away.
And then—he stopped.
A massive spider stood in his path. It was about a meter tall, its body pitch-black with tiny white dots scattered across it—like a starry night sky.
The instant Nova noticed the spider, it noticed him too. Its eyes lit up with hunger. Without hesitation, it charged at him, launching a web like a net.
'What an insane reaction speed?!'
The net was five meters wide. Nova had no chance of dodging it completely, so he dove to the side. Before he could recover, the spider was already upon him, razor-sharp legs poised to strike.
Its jagged teeth were bared, dripping with corrosive saliva. Its legs glimmered like polished blades—like death itself, bearing down on him.
Nova raised his katana and blocked the incoming blow. As he did, he noticed another leg coming from the side.
He reached out and grabbed it mid-strike.
The limb sliced into his palm, blood pouring from the deep gash. Gritting his teeth, Nova tried to snap the leg, but the spider anticipated his move.
It jerked away.
But Nova held on. With a savage grunt, he drove his boot into one of the creature's hind legs, slamming it to the ground.
Instead of thrashing wildly, the spider opened its mouth to spit more webbing.
Nova slammed his foot down on its head, blocking the attempt.
"What are you made of?" he hissed, feeling the creature's iron-hard skull beneath his boot.
The spider writhed and managed to get back on its feet. Though its movements weren't as clean as before, it was far from defeated.
I can't win this in close combat.
Nova knew that now. Its shell was too strong, and his katana was too weak.
He sheathed the sword and grabbed the whip from his waist.
Before the spider could react, he lashed out.
BAAM!
The crack echoed like a gunshot.
Nova smirked at the rage flickering in the spider's eyes.
"Let's see if you're tougher than steel."
He struck again. And again.
The spider charged forward, only to falter under his relentless blows. It clawed at the ground, struggling for balance, but Nova didn't let up.
Each strike landed on the same spot, widening the cracks in its shell.
When he sensed the moment was right, Nova whispered,
"It's time to end this."
He took a deep breath. His arms moved in a fluid arc—elegant and deadly. The whip screamed through the air.
BAAM!
It tore through the spider's head, splitting its skull.
Silence followed.
Then, the delayed crack rang through the forest, marking the spider's death.
'Deciding to train with a whip under Grandma's guidance was the best decision of my life.'
The whip was among the deadliest weapons known to mankind. In the hands of an expert, it could be used in both close and long-range combat. A master could even reach speeds that broke the sound barrier.
Nova's final strike had nearly doubled that speed.
But there was no time to celebrate.
Suddenly, Nova's knees buckled. He collapsed.
His legs were completely paralyzed. Slowly, sensation in his upper body and hands began to fade. His thoughts slowed, and the world around him blurred.
His vision spun, and dizziness gripped him.
'I shouldn't have grabbed its leg.'
The realization hit him hard. He was poisoned.