As dawn broke over the Desolate Plains, another day began at the labyrinth. The plains, once a chaotic battlefield from the clash with the anti-Balak alliance, were now quiet and orderly once more. The raid parties that had vanished for a time had returned, and the labyrinth was once again a hub of activity. Today, the first party of the morning arrived at its entrance.

"They say the Dungeon Masters had a massive battle here, but it seems to have quieted down."

"Well, Balak won in the end. I heard the main dungeon was revealed to be B-rank, right?"

"None of our business. All we need to do is clear this labyrinth."

The Pantain Raid Party was not as foolish as the others. They knew that charging into a B-rank dungeon, blinded by greed, was a death sentence. They understood their limits. For now, the C-rank labyrinth was the most sensible target.

"Let's get inside. Just standing out here gives me the creeps."

"Agreed," the leader, Pantain, said. "Hey, Mildan. Get the torch ready."

"Y-yes, sir!"

At Pantain's command, Mildan, a D-rank raider, scrambled to pull a torch from his pack. He was essentially a porter for the C-rank Pantain party, having been invited to join after searching everywhere for a group to gain experience with. As a D-rank rookie, he was saddled with all the menial tasks, but he didn't mind. He was just grateful for the opportunity to build his reputation by participating in a labyrinth raid.

'I'm so lucky,' he thought excitedly. 'If we clear this labyrinth, even a gopher like me will get credit for a C-rank conquest.'

For a D-rank raider to be part of a successful C-rank labyrinth raid was a stroke of incredible fortune. Feeling as proud as if he'd already cleared it, Mildan lit the torch. The other raiders, accustomed to ordering him around, paid him no mind as they filed into the dungeon's maw.

[You have entered the C-rank Balak's Labyrinth.]

[The wandering souls of the maze are wailing.]

An immediate, bone-chilling cold seeped into their very marrow. The raiders swallowed hard as they descended the stone steps. The air was still; no other parties had arrived yet. Pantain glanced at his comrades and gave a sharp nod. From this point forward, they could not relax for a single second.

"Everyone, double-check your gear," Pantain ordered. "Make sure you have your camping items. If there's a problem, speak up now."

"Got it."

"Alright, let's get prepped."

Before entering the maze proper, they began their final inspection. Mildan moved among them, checking the equipment and items he carried. Thankfully, everything was in order, exactly as he had packed it. He let out a quiet sigh of relief and stared into the dark entrance of the maze.

'So, we're going in there now.'

It was his first time in a labyrinth, and a nervous tension coiled in his stomach. Labyrinths were among the most popular targets for raiders, but they were also places from which many never returned.

And this particular labyrinth, Balak's Labyrinth, had never been conquered.

This labyrinth was rumored to be a cut above the rest, a challenge of an entirely different magnitude.

"If we're all set, let us begin," Pantain announced, his voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. "From this moment, the Pantain Raid Party begins its conquest of the Labyrinth of Balak. Is everyone ready?"

"Ready when you are, Raid Leader!" one of his men shouted back.

"Even if I die, I'll leave my bones in this maze," another declared with grim determination. "I've already made my peace with it. For Pantain!"

One by one, the raiders rose, their movements sharp with anticipation. Mildan followed suit, hoisting his pack onto his shoulders. Pantain gave his team a final, sweeping glance before issuing the order to advance. Moments later, the Pantain Raid Party stepped through the entrance of the maze.

[You have entered the maze within the labyrinth.]

[You cannot return to the entrance until you find the exit.]

[A restriction has been placed on the entire labyrinth.]

[Some Raider-exclusive items will become unusable.]

[Some skills and special abilities will become unusable.]

"Whew. It's finally starting," Pantain muttered under his breath.

"Pantain," a raider named Pakun called out, gesturing to the side. "There was another entrance over here. Should we be worried about that?"

"Some places have two entrances," Pantain replied dismissively. "It's not unheard of. We can't go back out that way regardless, so don't waste your energy on it."

He'd trudged through so many labyrinths on this continent that the sight of them had become almost nauseating. After countless mazes, a simple feature like a second entrance meant nothing to him. Pakun nodded, accepting his leader's assessment, and tore his gaze away from the alternate path.

With that, the Pantain Raid Party began their exploration in earnest.

"Mildan, keep marking our path," Pantain ordered.

"Understood."

Throughout the descent, Mildan kept his marking quill in hand, diligently leaving signs at every turn and junction. It was tedious work, but it was the only thing that would keep them from wandering in circles.

'A true labyrinth veteran,' he thought, a new wave of respect for his leader washing over him. 'He's so meticulous, thinking of every detail.'

Mildan focused on his task, his eyes flicking constantly to the torch gauge. 'Hmm. Still okay for now.' If their light failed for even a moment, the entire party would be plunged into chaos. He had to remain vigilant, always ready with the next torch.

The party moved with caution, but after what felt like an eternity, they began to realize something was terribly wrong.

"Hmm. I'm sure we've been down this path before," one raider murmured.

"I recognize it, too," another agreed. "There's a mark here, so it must be the same one."

"What is this? A trap?"

Several hours had passed, yet they were no closer to finding an exit. Instead, they were simply retracing their steps, trapped in an endless loop. Pantain shot a signal to Haren, who nodded and pressed his palm against the floor.

[No magic detected.]

No traps, no hidden mechanisms. Haren shook his head, dusting off his hands with a frustrated sigh.

"Hmm. We'll keep looking," Pantain decided, his voice tight. He couldn't make a definitive call yet. He had to press on.

"Monsters ahead! Prepare for battle!"

"Aargh! It's a trap! Stay back!"

"This is the same path again! What the hell is going on?"

As time dragged on, their situation deteriorated. The exit remained elusive, and the constant fighting and hidden traps wore them down. Their supplies dwindled, and exhaustion settled deep in their bones. Left with no other choice, Pantain finally called a halt to the exploration, allowing his weary team to rest.

'This is ridiculous,' he fumed internally. 'Not a single clue. The structure is almost identical to other mazes I've seen.' His confidence, born from years of experience, was rapidly eroding into a gnawing doubt. He scowled, forcing himself to confront the one possibility he'd refused to consider. 'Could it be… a maze with no exit?'

It was unheard of. Every labyrinth he'd ever entered had an escape route, with clues scattered throughout to guide the way. But this Labyrinth of Balak offered nothing—no hints, no signs, only suffocating dead ends. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought, but the seed of doubt had already taken root.

"Damn it," he growled. "We're moving out."

"Wh-what? Boss, we just started resting!"

"We don't have time for this! We need to find a clue, now!"

Grumbling, the raiders reluctantly packed their gear and rose to their feet. Pantain was their leader; his word was law.

'My legs are killing me, and he wants to keep going?' Mildan thought, his spirits plummeting. He'd been hauling a heavy pack for hours, and a sharp pain was beginning to throb in his legs. The brief respite had been a taste of heaven, now cruelly snatched away. 'We can still clear this, right? It's taking a while, but they're veterans.'

The thought of adding a C-rank labyrinth to his conquest record was his only comfort. He forced a smile, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Just then, dozens of dungeon soldiers materialized before them. The exhausted raiders drew their weapons, their bodies screaming in protest as they assumed a combat stance.

"Don't be scared," Pantain commanded. "They're just Skeleton Warriors and Soldiers. It's a narrow path, so be—"

"Hey, boys," a sultry voice purred, cutting him off. "Got some time to spare?"

A woman emerged from the ranks of the undead. She was nearly naked, her face flushed a deep crimson. Some of the raiders gaped, their jaws slack as they stared at her figure.

Pantain, however, remained focused. He calmly raised his weapon, creating distance between them. "Wh-who are you?"

"Does it matter?" she purred, her eyes glittering. "All you have to do is trample all over me."

"What kind of nonsense—!" Pantain roared, but then he noticed it: the soldiers weren't attacking her. She was one of them. A Guardian or a Keeper. "Everyone, snap out of it!" he bellowed. "That bitch is a Guardian or a Keeper! Attack if you don't want to die!"

"R-right! Everyone, charge!"

"Hyaaaah!"

The raiders at the front surged forward, their senses finally returning. The woman—Angelina—didn't even flinch. She simply watched them approach, her eyes filled with a disturbing eagerness.

"Die, you damn bitch!" one of them screamed, closing the distance in a flash.

They attacked as one, but at the last second, a barrier of pure holy power erupted around her.

Their weapons glanced off the shield, the impacts ringing harmlessly in the narrow corridor with a series of sharp 'tings'. Angelina writhed, a look of sheer bliss on her face.

"Aah! Hit me more," she moaned. "Entertain me. Harder! No, more violently! More fiercely!"

"This… this crazy bitch!"

"Ehehehe. Curse me more. Trample me."

"K-kill her!"

The raiders ground their teeth and pressed their assault, but it was useless. Every attack was deflected by the impenetrable barrier. With each strike, a shudder of pleasure ran through her, while the raiders felt their own strength failing.

"Why… why aren't our attacks working?"

"We didn't rest enough… I can't go on."

"Ugh. Who the hell is she?"

Already pushed to their limits, the raiders began to collapse, their bodies giving out one by one.

"Is… is this labyrinth different from the others?" Pantain gasped, leaning heavily on his sword just to stay upright. Despair clouded his vision as he watched the dungeon soldiers, who had been observing passively until now, begin to advance. "What in the world is this place… this Balak?"

A maze with no exit. A deranged holy knight flanked by an army of the dead. Now he understood why no one had ever conquered it.

"U-uaaaah! Don't come near me! I said stay back!" Mildan's terrified scream echoed from the back of the group, but there was no one left to save him.

Pantain squeezed his eyes shut as the soldiers swarmed him.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

---

[The Pantain Raid Party has been wiped out.]

"Ha," Taehyun scoffed, utterly dumbfounded as he watched the monitor. Ambushing the exhausted raiders was one thing, but Angelina's combat style was beyond his comprehension. "Does she always fight by letting them beat on her like that?"

"…My apologies, Master," Edchan replied, bowing his head. "No matter how I try to reason with her, she refuses to listen."

"Haaah. Whatever. Just give this to her." Taehyun produced a suit of gleaming black full plate armor.

"What is this?" Edchan asked, his eyes widening.

[Pelsidium's Full Plate Armor]

[Rank: B]

[Restriction: Level 50 or higher, Shield Soldier and Knight-type classes]

[Description: The armor of the unique monster Pelsidium. Though not his original mithril set, it boasts outstanding performance.]

It was the armor that had dropped from Pelsidium. Unfortunately, it wasn't the mithril set he'd been hoping for.

"She should be hitting level 50 soon," Taehyun said. "Tell her to wear this from now on."

"B-but!"

"It's fine. Just give it to her. A Keeper should be wearing armor like this."

"…That's not the issue, Master," Edchan stammered. "Lady Angelina refuses to wear armor at all."

Taehyun felt himself sway at the response. He let out a long, weary sigh before coming up with a new plan. "Tell her if she wears this for one month, I'll come down and trample her myself."

"A-are you really planning to strike Lady Angelina?!" Edchan gasped, horrified.

"…Of course it's a lie," Taehyun deadpanned. "Why do you take everything so seriously? Just tell her. Got it?"

"Ahem. Understood."

With that matter settled, Riel, who had been sitting quietly nearby, approached him. "Are you finished with your tasks?"

"Yeah, let's go back—"

Just then, the communication device he always carried began to chime. It was the link to Junhyun Cha. Taehyun accepted the call, and as he listened, his expression grew increasingly grim.

By the time the call ended, a heavy, unnerving aura had settled around him.

"What is it, Master?" Riel asked, her voice laced with concern. "You suddenly look troubled."

"We're returning to Balak," Taehyun said, his voice cold and hard. "Immediately."

He and Riel began their hurried journey back.

---

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