Before heading any deeper into the [Danger Zone], Karl decided to do something first.

He wanted to test the ability of his new boots.

After all, there was no point rushing forward blindly without fully understanding what his equipment could actually do. Especially not in a place like this.

[Wall Dweller (Passive): Able to temporarily climb up walls while these boots are equiped.]

Karl stared at the passive description for a few seconds longer than necessary.

This ability could be incredibly useful depending on the situation. Being able to climb walls, even temporarily, wasn't something most players could do.

In the right environment, this alone could completely change how a fight or an escape played out.

It was without a doubt one of the stronger passives a pair of boots could have, especially for exploration-heavy zones like labyrinths and maze-type areas.

Of course, Karl wasn't delusional.

He knew that sooner or later, he would have to replace these boots. No matter how good the passive was, the raw stats would eventually fall behind compared to equipment from higher-level regions. That was just how progression worked. Gear was temporary.

But still… If he could somehow keep only this passive and transfer it to future boots? He wouldn't even hesitate.

'I'd do it in a heartbeat,' Karl thought, before quickly shaking his head. 'But there's no way to do that.'

At least, no way he knew of.

'Might as well focus on the important stuff.'

With that decided, Karl turned his attention toward one of the massive walls surrounding the initial clearing of the [Danger Zone]. He walked up to it and tilted his head back.

The wall stretched so high that he couldn't even see the top.

It wasn't just tall, it was deliberately designed that way. Even if someone obtained an ability like this, reaching the very top still seemed impossible. The labyrinth wasn't meant to be bypassed so easily.

Still, testing the boots didn't require climbing all the way up.

Karl lifted one leg and pressed his foot against the wall.

Immediately, a sharp, spider-like spike extended from the sole of his boot and dug straight into the darkened vines. It latched on firmly, holding his weight without any slipping.

"Huh," Karl muttered, a grin forming on his face. "Guess it really works like the [Maze Dwellers]' legs."

He lifted his other foot and placed it against the wall as well. Another spike shot out and anchored itself just as securely. For the first time, Karl was standing vertically, his body pressed against the wall instead of the ground.

Then—

Fwoosh!

He bent his legs and jumped upward.

The boost was strong. Much stronger than he expected. His body shot up several meters before he pressed his feet against the wall again, the spikes reattaching instantly and stopping his momentum.

Still, as he clung there, Karl quickly noticed the biggest limitation of the boots.

'Only my legs can attach.'

Unlike the [Maze Dwellers], who had four points of contact—two legs and two arms—Karl only had two. That made a massive difference. His balance was harder to maintain, and climbing required much more control and effort.

If he slipped, there was nothing else to catch him.

'If I could find something like [Dweller Gloves]…' Karl thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. 'That would be insane.'

With both hands and feet able to attach, he could climb almost anything. Walls, ceilings, narrow structures—it would open up far too many possibilities.

But for now, that was just wishful thinking.

Karl continued climbing for a few more seconds, staying relatively close to the ground as he tested how stable the boots really were.

Then—

Ding!

[10 seconds have passed, "Wall Dweller" will stop.]

"I guess that's the limit," Karl said calmly.

The spikes retracted back into the boots, and without their grip, Karl slid down the wall and landed lightly on the ground.

Still, the test had been more than successful.

He now knew exactly what to expect. Ten seconds of wall-climbing, limited to leg-based anchoring. Not perfect, but more than enough to be useful in the right moments.

And more importantly, he could already see how this ability might help him later on.

With that done, Karl turned away from the wall and walked toward the only path leading out of the clearing.

Before moving too far, though, he paused.

Without hesitation, he pulled out the [Flower Compass] from his inventory.

If this place was still technically part of the [Flower Labyrinth], then there was a chance it would work.

"Show me the path to this zone's final chamber."

Fwoosh!

The compass activated—but only for a split second.

Then—

Beep!

[The "Flower Compass" doesn't work in the "Danger Zone" due to the influence of the "Blooming Witch".]

Karl wasn't surprised that it failed. But his eyes widened slightly as he read the reason.

"The [Blooming Witch]…" he muttered.

Then, slowly, a wide grin spread across his face.

"I guess I know where the second key is now."

The [Key of the Guardian] was guarded by the [Floral Guardian], located at the base of the [Death] Flower. That much was already clear.

And now, he had his answer for the [Key of the Witch].

She was here. Which meant one thing. She was probably the boss of the entire [Danger Zone].

That also meant she would be incredibly powerful—far stronger than anything he had faced so far in this region.

Still, this was good news.

With this discovery, Karl now knew the locations of two out of the three gate keys he needed.

The only one left was the [Key of the Maze].

And that one was obvious. It would be somewhere within the [Flower Labyrinth] as well.

Taking a slow breath, Karl put the compass away and stepped forward into the maze of the [Danger Zone].

The moment his foot crossed the threshold—

BOOM!

Darkened vines exploded upward behind him, sealing the path he had just come from.

Karl immediately turned around.

Blazing Meteor!

He launched a meteor straight at the vines blocking his retreat.

BOOM!

The explosion echoed through the maze, flames washing over the vines.

But when the smoke cleared…

Nothing. Not even a scratch. The vines remained completely intact.

'Empowered,' Karl thought with a groan. 'By the [Blooming Witch].'

If he saw these vines again, he wouldn't be able to brute force through them. He would have to change routes.

He did try climbing the wall to see if he could bypass them, but more vines simply appeared, blocking every attempt.

That confirmed it. Somehow, the [Blooming Witch] was watching him. Right now.

With another deep breath, Karl turned forward once more, gripping his staff tightly.

He didn't have the [Flower Compass] this time.

'I just hope it's not that bad.'

…

One hour passed.

"Damn it," Karl muttered, his expression darkening. "It really is that bad."

He had no way of marking where he'd been. No signs, no landmarks, nothing consistent. And the more he walked, the more he suspected the maze itself was changing behind him, rearranging its paths to keep him lost.

Even worse… He hadn't encountered a single monster.

It was as if they were hiding.

Karl was certain of one thing: no one had ever entered this zone before. Finding it was already absurdly difficult, and using a [Danger Zone Key] made it nearly impossible.

Which meant…

He was probably the first player the [Blooming Witch] had ever encountered.

And maybe, just maybe, she wanted to enjoy it.

To stretch things out. To play with him before killing him. Still, Karl refused to give up.

Even if he had to brute-force his way through the entire [Danger Zone] for hours, he would do it.

And the moment that thought crossed his mind—

A crimson panel appeared before his eyes.

[Persistent, aren't you?]

[You do not stand a chance.]

[You won't be able to reach my tower, and even if you did, I would annihilate you in an instant.]

[So just be a good plaything and entertain me for long enough.]

Karl stared at the panel for a moment.

Then he grinned.

Just as he expected.

But more importantly… that message confirmed something crucial.

There was a tower. Somewhere in this maze. Which meant there was a way to reach her. And that was all Karl needed.

His determination only hardened as he stepped forward once more. No matter what. He was getting that key.

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