As Max and the others exited the fight arena, their eyes feasted upon a bright green shard that emanated insane amounts of vitality.
" THAT'S IT! THAT'S THE SHARD OF LIFE " One of Lucius's men said as he couldn't hold his calm looking at the legendary treasure.
A shard of life was an important treasure whose value could not be measured by money.
A tier 7 shard of life could add 50 years of youth to a mortal.
A tier 8 shard could add 500 years.
A tier 9 shard could add 2000 years.
While a tier10 shard gave a mortal the same youth as a god.
It was a treasure that allowed the mortal wives of powerful god's to live forever and hence was an important commodity that was closely controlled.
This particular shard was of the tier8 grade which meant easy 10,000 merit points, however, the only problem was, how to distribute it?
" I won't be greedy, you pretty much solo'd this level, the shard should go to you " Lucius said while grinding his teeth as it was clear that he desperately wanted this treasure.
If he had even the slightest legitimate claim to the object, he would not have hesitated in claiming it, however, he did not.
Shockingly though, Max rejected his offer.
" I have no need for this, your majesty, you may claim it.
I'll gladly take 15 billion gold for it ". Max said as Lucius raised his head in surprise.
The price was exorbitant, but the benefits such an object would bring to him were undeniable.
This particular edition of the dungeon run was going to decide the future territory allocation of each clan and was particularly important.
10,000 merit points could go a long way for Max, yet from the start he had seemed uninterested in looting a single object as if he was privy to a secret much bigger than the one Lucius was after.
" I accept, " Lucius said after a bit of contemplation as he stored the shard in his inventory and signed a system contract with Max that bound him to pay 15 billion to Max 30 days after exiting the dungeon.
Once the formalities were over, he moved alongside Max to the second level of the dungeon.
The second level of the dungeon was designed to test one's intellect as the ancient texts written on the wall suggested that it was going to be a riddle type event.
" My prince, how good is your riddle knowledge? I think the second level is a riddle event " Max asked, as he gauged from Lucius's expression that he wasn't too confident in clearing this level.
" How do you know? Can you perhaps read the ancient runic symbols written on the ice walls? " Lucius asked as Max chuckled into a dry laugh.
" It's something like that " Max replied, being vague on purpose as the group approached a grand hall with two distinct passageways.
As Max, Lucius, and their groups stepped into the grand hall, an eerie quiet settled over them.
A massive ice sculpture with angel-like wings and gigantic steel sword in his arms at the room's centre suddenly glowed as it said with a powerful voice "Only five may enter each path," as two separate passageways illuminated before them.
"Looks like we're parting ways," Max said, his eyes meeting Lucius's.
"For now," Lucius replied, a shadow of worry crossing his face.
---
Max's Path:
The moment Max and the group entered their passageway, they noticed the walls of the wide passageway and the ceiling both starting to close down upon them.
The rate of closing was moderately fast as well as from a rough calculation it seemed like the group had 15 minutes before they would be minced meat as a result of the spikes placed on the closing walls.
" Oh we are fucked " Sebastian said, as he dropped down to his knees and took a moment to pray to Kremeth for a smooth afterlife as Max grabbed him by the fabric on the back of his neck and dragged him along.
" ANSWER CORRECTLY AND YOU MAY PASS, ANSWER WRONGLY AND YOU SHALL FACE MY WRATH "
The first guardian guarding the first door said, as he presented Max with the first riddle.
[ First Door ] - The Guardian of Time
"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?" The first guardian asked as the group scratched their heads wondering what could be the answer.
" What the fuck does that even mean? Max this makes no sense, can't you just go all water-man powers again and just destroy Mr.ice angel here?
There's no way we can solve this ridd- " Sebastian said, but before he could even complete his words Max gave the right answer.
"An echo,"
The guardian bowed and said "You may pass." As Sebastian was left dumbfounded.
" The fuck? What just happened here ? " He questioned as he followed Max in a stunned and almost alien manner.
[ Second Door ] - The Guardian of Elements
The second guardian looked like a fusion of fire and water in its icy form. "I can fly without wings. I can cry without eyes. Whenever I go, darkness follows. What am I?"
Max smirked. "A cloud."
The guardian parted, allowing passage.
[ Third Door ] - The Guardian of Life
This guardian had intricate carvings resembling various animals and plants and the riddle he offered was "I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost every person. What am I?"
Max looked thoughtful for just a moment before answering, "A pencil lead."
Again, the guardian bowed.
[ Fourth Door ] - The Guardian of Paradox
This guardian looked both young and old simultaneously, almost like a literal representation of a paradox which made one scratch their brains.
The riddle he offered was- "The person who makes it, sells it. The person who buys it never uses it. The person who uses it never knows they're using it. What is it?"
Max chuckled. "A coffin."
The guardian stepped aside.
[ Fifth Door ] - The Guardian of the Unknown
The final guardian looked ethereal, almost otherworldly and his riddle was the toughest one. "I am not alive, but I grow; I don't have lungs, but I need air; I don't have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?
Max's eyes gleamed. "Fire," he stated confidently.
The guardian bowed deeper than all the others. "You have proven your wit. You may pass."
And just like that, Max cleared the second level in a breeze, as he left everyone else in the group dumbfounded by his wisdom.
Sebastian looked like his jaw was about to hit the floor while DarkSorrow nodded in self satisfaction as if he had never been more proud to have chosen Max as his lord.
Anna felt a different kind of stimulation following Max today, as she realised that she was attracted by his brainy charm, while Severus frowned at the idea that Max was hiding a big secret.
---
Lucius's Path:
Lucius and his men entered their passage with caution, but unlike Max, they found themselves stumbling over the riddles. "Why does this have to be so difficult?" Lucius muttered under his breath.
At the first door, the guardian's riddle stumped them. When Lucius guessed incorrectly, the guardian lunged at them. Lucius managed to defeat it but at the cost of one of his men.
This pattern repeated at every door. Each wrong answer resulted in a battle, and with each fight, Lucius lost another man. By the time he reached the last door, he was alone and exhausted.
Had he been only a few seconds slower in mowing through the guardians, the doors would have ultimately closed in on him and killed him, however, fortunately he was able to barely make the cut.
As, both teams finally emerged from their separate paths into a connecting chamber, Lucius almost cursed his luck when he saw Max's team to be intact and scratch less.
In contrast, Lucius stumbled out alone, his face a mix of relief and anguish as his tattered robes were proof that he had just gone through a hell of an ordeal.
Max looked at Lucius and then at the empty space behind him. "Survival in itself is a kind of victory, my prince," Max said, the words hanging heavy in the air as Lucius couldn't make out whether Max was coaxing him or taunting him.
—----
/// A/N - Mass release chapter 5, enjoy! ///