Karl followed the purple line as it guided him deeper into the second half of the [Danger Zone].

The moment he crossed that invisible threshold, he could feel it—this part of the maze was heavier, denser, as if the air itself carried intent.

Still, just like before his fight with the [Danger Orc], nothing appeared at first.

No monsters, no sudden ambushes, no traps snapping shut beneath his feet.

The paths twisted and branched endlessly, but Karl didn't hesitate even once.

He simply followed the purple line, step after step, trusting it completely.

Honestly, it wasn't as if he had a better option.

Without it, he would've had to walk every single path, double back endlessly, and hope that luck carried him forward instead of deeper into the maze.

That kind of approach would've taken hours, maybe days, assuming the maze even allowed progress that way.

Compared to that, trusting a mysterious line that had already proven itself once felt like the obvious choice.

There was also something else.

Karl couldn't quite explain it, but he felt connected to the line.

It wasn't just pointing forward—it reacted, adjusted, and flowed as if it knew where he was going before he even took the step.

The most logical explanation was the [God of Oblivion].

That purple color alone was hard to ignore, and considering how many times that god had interfered already, it wouldn't have been surprising.

Still, Karl wasn't entirely convinced.

He had learned long ago that assuming intent from gods was dangerous.

They helped when it amused them, not when it was convenient.

So instead of trying to rationalize it, he chose the simpler answer.

He trusted his instincts.

And right now, his instincts were telling him to follow the line, even if it led straight into the deadliest trap the [Blooming Witch] could create.

A few minutes passed like that before a panel suddenly appeared in front of him.

[Okay, how are you doing this?]

Karl blinked and tilted his head slightly as he read the words.

The familiar crimson glow told him immediately who it belonged to.

"?" He let out a quiet sound of confusion, then looked up as another panel followed.

[You've been constantly taking the right path and even avoided some of the dead ends I created on the spot. Literally how.]

Karl couldn't help himself.

A grin spread across his face as he read that.

The confirmation alone was satisfying.

It meant the purple line wasn't just reliable—it was actively countering the maze itself.

He shrugged lightly and answered aloud, his tone casual.

"I guess I'm built different."

There was a short pause.

Then another panel appeared.

[...Well, let's see it keep going for long.]

The moment those words faded, the atmosphere changed.

Bam! Bam!

Karl turned the next corner, and the silence shattered instantly.

The path ahead opened into a wider corridor, and filling it was a mass of movement and sound.

Crimson shapes slithered and floated into view, their presence oppressive and hostile.

Karl stopped walking, not out of fear, but mild amusement.

"Hah."

It seemed the witch had grown bored of watching him succeed.

Getting lost clearly wasn't entertaining her anymore, so she'd switched tactics.

If the maze couldn't stop him, then overwhelming force would.

Panels appeared rapidly as the enemies revealed themselves.

---

[Danger Snake (Level 50)]

[Rank: Rare]

[HP: 310,000]

---

[Orb of Danger (Level 50)]

[Rank: Epic]

[HP: 330,000]

---

Massive crimson snakes burst up from the ground, their bodies coiling and twisting as they snapped their jaws toward Karl.

At the same time, several floating crimson orbs hovered into position, their surfaces pulsing before firing thin, piercing lasers directly at him.

The confined space of the corridor made the attack look far more dangerous than it actually was.

Bam!

Karl sidestepped smoothly, his movements precise and efficient.

The lasers grazed the wall behind him while the snakes' fangs clamped down on nothing but air.

He didn't bother with fancy positioning or elaborate setups.

He raised his staff once and activated his spell.

Blazing Meteor!

BOOM!

The meteor slammed down into the corridor with overwhelming force.

The explosion engulfed the entire group of monsters in a flash of heat and destruction.

-454,800! -454,800! -454,800!

The damage numbers flooded his vision as the monsters were instantly overwhelmed.

The snakes collapsed into fading crimson particles, and the orbs cracked apart before detonating harmlessly.

None of them survived long enough to pose a real threat.

Karl exhaled slowly as the corridor fell silent again.

Experience flowed into him, but for the first time in a while, he didn't feel that familiar surge of leveling up.

'I guess I'm getting close to level 50,' he thought calmly.

'Makes sense that things would slow down.'

He didn't mind. His leveling speed had already been absurd compared to any normal player.

That was the power of the [Experience Boost], and he knew better than to complain about it.

Hand of Oblivion!

He activated the skill without hesitation, drawing the remaining essence from the fallen monsters.

Additional lives flowed into him, padding his reserves further.

As for loot, there wasn't much worth noting. A few drops appeared, but none of them caught his attention.

'Probably because these are just random monsters she's throwing at me,' Karl reasoned, 'Not real guards.'

Bosses were what mattered. Unique bosses especially.

If the witch had more "toys" like the [Danger Orc], then those were the ones he wanted to face.

So he continued forward, following the purple line and dealing with the occasional monster wave without slowing down.

Minutes passed, then more, until something finally changed.

He turned a corner, and the purple line… stopped. Karl came to a halt and looked ahead.

The maze opened into a massive clearing, far larger than the others he'd seen so far.

At its center stood a towering structure, dark and imposing.

It wasn't as colossal as the [Moon Tower], but there was no mistaking its importance.

This was the heart of the zone. A panel appeared.

Ding!

[You have reached the "Danger Zone's Final Clearing"]

Karl nodded slightly. He had expected that.

[...I guess you were stubborn enough to find your way to this place.]

Karl stepped forward without replying, his eyes fixed on the tower.

Its massive gate stood open, almost inviting him inside.

[But… you do remember what I said, right?]

"Yeah," Karl replied easily, a smile tugging at his lips, "Three toys. Meaning only two more before I get to you."

There was a noticeable pause before the next response.

[...Huh, yeah.]

For the first time, the witch sounded genuinely confused.

Karl could practically feel her watching him from above, trying to understand where his confidence came from.

This was the hardest zone in the entire [Flower Labyrinth].

Even if a prepared Level 50 players found it, they wouldn't stand a chance.

Plus, the lives loss rate was so high that entering usually meant permanent loss.

And yet, Karl stood there, calm and unshaken.

[I'll annihilate you.]

Fwoosh!

BAM!

Dark vines erupted from the ground in front of the tower gate, twisting and locking together to completely block the entrance.

The path forward was sealed.

Then—

Fwoosh!

ROOOOOAR!

Karl instinctively activated his defense.

All-Powerful Magic Barrier!

SLAM!

Something massive crashed into the barrier, sending a shockwave through the clearing.

The impact was strong enough to rattle Karl's arms, but the barrier held.

He lowered his staff slightly and looked ahead.

A gigantic figure landed between him and the tower, its presence overwhelming.

[Alright, toy #2~ your turn~]

Karl glanced upward briefly, fully aware that the witch was watching from the top of the tower.

Climbing it directly wasn't an option right now… or at least, it shouldn't have been.

'Wait a damn minute.'

His gaze dropped to his boots, then back up to the tower's sheer walls.

'Perhaps…'

The thought barely formed before the monster lunged forward, forcing Karl's attention back to the present.

And only then did the panel appear.

---

[Danger Gorilla (Level 50)]

[Rank: Legendary (Unique Boss)]

[HP: 2,800,000]

---

The creature was enormous, its crimson body packed with dense muscle.

Sharp teeth lined its snarling mouth, and around its neck was a glowing collar, pulsing faintly with power.

'Did the [Danger Orc] have that collar too?' Karl wondered briefly, 'I don't remember.'

It didn't matter. They were the witch's toys, after all.

Karl tightened his grip on his staff and smiled.

'Here we go.'

He was going to end this fast.

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