Chapter 20: The Third Trial (1)
Balua continued explaining after the first rule.
- Second, once team selection is complete, the combined scores of team members determine which maze you enter.
The higher the average score of the team, the more dangerous the maze you’ll face.
- Third, regardless of the maze’s rank, the team that clears their maze most perfectly receives the highest points. For reference, there are no individual scores.
The scoring system was, as expected, simple.
50 points for the team that clears the maze most perfectly.
40 points for the second-place team.
30 points for the third-place team.
After that, 20 points for clearing, or elimination if you fail.
‘The key is the order.’
As if reading my mind, Balua continued with the next explanation.
- The order starts with the first-place, Polarin. You’ll have 30 minutes to discuss.
Perfect.
If the first-place had to choose last, it would’ve been troublesome.
After finishing, Balua turned around, allowing us to discuss freely without worrying about his scrutiny.
“…Polarin, got any good ideas this time?”
Kiyot asked me.
Jadin also looked at me with gleaming eyes.
I glanced at Soler.
She was staggering toward us.
Though she’d been aloof when Team 7 exchanged greetings, it seemed she wouldn’t skip the discussion.
“Before we name our desired candidates…”
If I could choose freely, my top priority would undoubtedly be Siriel.
Balua emphasized clearing the maze “perfectly.”
There are two ways to clear a maze:
Simply defeating the obstacles and enemies to pass through, or collecting hidden pieces along the way.
Both are considered clearing, but the methods and outcomes differ vastly.
The ending and rewards vary depending on the approach.
In particular, achieving a “100% clear” by collecting all hidden pieces is said to yield tremendous rewards but is incredibly difficult.
Even for someone like me, who prides themselves as Tune World’s ultimate veteran, it was no easy feat.
Rather than forming a team of purely skilled individuals, it’s better to build one with good synergy.
Even when controlling all characters with a mouse, variables arise.
Variables in a maze often lead to dire consequences.
A single wrong choice could mean death.
In other words, perfectly clearing a maze with teammates who lack teamwork is near
impossible.
But before the third trial began, Siriel had said something to me.
- This trial, I want to tackle it with my own strength! I’ve been relying on you all this time, but I can’t depend on you forever!
Of course, Siriel likely didn’t anticipate that the third trial would require teamwork.
Even so, I didn’t want to crush her resolve.
Looking at Soler, I spoke.
“Since both you, Soler-nim, and I need to be selected, team composition is crucial, right? Who would you like to pick, Soler-nim?”
Soler furrowed her brow, pondering briefly before answering.
“Ability is everything. I’ll pick someone who meets my standards.”
“What about Siriel-nim? Doesn’t she meet your standards?”
Soler shook her head vehemently.
Her reaction was stronger than expected.
“Is there a reason?”
“Do I have to tell you?”
“If I guess it, will you follow my lead from now on?”
“…”
Soler didn’t respond.
But I didn’t want to keep clashing with her.
If our teamwork faltered, clearing the maze would only get harder and I had a rough idea of what she was thinking.
“In terms of ability, Siriel-nim is outstanding. She’s not inferior to those from the upper autonomous regions. You wouldn’t have overlooked that, Soler-nim.”
“Hmm…”
“Why not just say you’re worried that if we pick Siriel-nim, who earned bonus points in the first trial, we’ll end up in a maze that’s too high-ranked?”
At my words, Soler’s eyes widened.
I’d clearly hit the mark.
Time to move to the next step.
“I’ll choose first.”
I pointed at Blaze.
That guy, still wearing the Crow outfit.
Noticing my finger pointing at him, he flinched and hid behind the others.
“That special candidate looks scared stiff. He wasn’t like that on the way here,” Jadin said, frowning.
Well, Jadin was a special candidate too, so he must’ve come to the Coming-of-Age Ceremony with Blaze.
Blaze had been hostile toward me for no reason.
He probably wasn’t friendly with others either.
For some reason, he was trembling now, but his skills were reliable.
During the second trial, Blaze had tracked me down to the very bottom of the fourth pit and escaped unharmed.
He must’ve faced countless beast attacks along the way—I had, too.
Moreover, I liked that Blaze hadn’t earned bonus points in the first trial, which special candidates took separately, nor in the second trial.
“It’s fine. His skills are solid.”
“…If you say so.”
Kiyot backed me up.
I gave him a grin before turning to Soler with a suggestion.
“How about picking Keldric-nim, Soler-nim?”
“What did you say?”
* * *
Analyzing the intent of the examiner before a test.
Thinking about why the company assigned a project to me.
These were familiar tasks. Lacking exceptional talent, I had to overcome challenges through effort.
The key theme of the third trial was teamwork.
But even the best teamwork could collapse due to a single variable.
The only way to counter this was to devise a solid plan where everyone could fulfill their role in any situation.
That was likely the trial’s intent.
- Now, Polarin Adjak, make your choice.
Balua, still facing away, wrote the words on the screen.
‘Why’s he acting like that?’
Tiger beastmen may be shy despite their appearance, but this seemed excessive.
Still, I did my part.
“I choose Blaze Adjak from Team 5.”
As soon as I spoke, the card in my hand vanished.
Argh!
A short, sharp scream came from Team 5’s direction, but I ignored it.
Soon, Blaze trudged over to our team with lifeless steps.
Even when I looked at him, he avoided eye contact by turning his head.
He’d listen well enough, right?
“I choose Hose from Team 8.”
Keldric made his choice, and his card vanished too.
I looked at Soler.
She hadn’t given a clear answer until the end, but I’d definitely persuaded her.
“…I choose Keldric from Team 1.”
Done.
She followed my lead.
The card in her hand vanished as well.
There was a minor issue, though.
One of Team 1’s members, where Keldric belonged, began protesting.
“This is against the rules! Keldric is our team leader!”
As if that would work.
Those in the top 1-10 had the right to select teammates, but Balua hadn’t appointed them as team leaders.
Besides, Keldric didn’t have a card granting him veto power.
- No rule violation. Keldric, join Team 7.
Keldric, looking sheepish, whispered with his teammates.
Their team, likely built around him, had crumbled, so he probably had things to explain.
Balua gave them ample time to discuss.
Then Soler whispered to me.
“I had my doubts, but it actually worked. You’d better take responsibility for this.”
“Of course. The moment you and I were teamed up, Soler-nim, we were destined for a high-rank maze. Picking Siriel-nim wouldn’t have changed that.”
Meanwhile, Keldric joined our team.
“Haha, didn’t expect this. Anyway, let’s do this!”
He spoke cheerfully, offering me a handshake.
“Looking forward to working with you.”
I gave up on bringing Siriel, with whom I’d built trust, but this was the next best option.
A trial with no individual scores.
With both Soler and Keldric on my team, as long as we didn’t spectacularly fail the maze, there was no chance of being overtaken in the third trial.
One thing nagged at me, though.
‘If we mess up, we could actually die.’
The Tropical Rainforest Lirof, also known as the Forest of Mazes.
Among Tune World players, it was infamous as a character shredder.
* * *
Team 7 stood before their assigned maze.
I’d already explained roles and tasks, but…
“S-Seriously, I’m going in first?”
“Yes, need me to explain again? You’re perfect for it, Blaze-nim.”
“But didn’t Balua-nim say this maze is dangerous?”
“That’s why you’re going first. Why’s an experienced guy like you so nervous?”
“This is my first maze!”
“Most people here are probably in the same boat.”
Soler averted her gaze, and Keldric shook his head.
They seemed to have experience.
‘…Lucky upper-district jerks.’
But Blaze’s condition wasn’t great.
From the moment he joined our team, he kept showing signs of anxiety.
His downcast eyes were trembling.
Still, I knew how to calm him.
My eyes landed on the crow-shaped mask perched on his forehead.
‘Used to be a rare item. Guess they mass-produced it. The Crows, huh…’
I pulled the crow mask down over his face.
I’d used it a few times while playing as an Adjak in the game.
It had an effect that reduced mental debuffs.
Since the Crows performed missions near the dome where demonic energy leaked, they likely needed this item’s ability.
“You’re a Crow, right? You can do this.”
He nodded.
Not seeing his eyes made it much better.
Then Kiyot approached the tense Blaze.
Examining the mask curiously, he spoke.
“…Fascinating. Can you blink again? Say something, too.”
“S-Speak…”
As soon as Blaze equipped the Crow mask, it became not just a mask but his face itself.
When he blinked, the mask’s eyes blinked too.
When he spoke, the beak moved, and his voice grew deeper.
Kiyot, purely intrigued, peppered Blaze with questions.
But with Kiyot’s massive frame and Blaze’s shrunken demeanor, it looked like bullying.
“Kiyot-hyung, get back to your position. We need to enter now.”
“Got it.”
I patted Kiyot’s back to stop him.
Blaze needed time to regain his composure and confidence.
He’d be our evasion tank during this maze clear.
Before entering, I checked the watch at my waist.
‘72 hours…’
Each maze had a time limit based on its difficulty, and we’d been given a rather long one.
That meant a complex and dangerous maze.
I’d spoken with Siriel earlier, and her team’s time limit was 10 hours.
The maze we were entering was undoubtedly perilous.
But I was also excited.
Living in the game world, I’d forgotten, but a maze was the epitome of the game itself.
“Let’s go in.”