Based on the clue "Far away in the sky, yet right before your eyes," after searching the Boss's chamber, the group discovered a faint, white light gently radiating from beneath the corpse of the Unknown they had just defeated.
Nghĩa stepped forward, his heart pounding. He took a deep breath.
"So, it was here all along!"
Immediately, the System chimed:
Ting!
[Hidden Dungeon Detected.]
[TEMPLE OF FORGETFULNESS – MAZE OF PERCEPTION]
"Lost Souls wander in an endless maze. Identity is lost, perception is but distorted fragments."
The group was then forcibly teleported to another space. When they opened their eyes, a massive Ancient Temple stood before them.
Silver light shone down on the Temple, casting strange shapes on the entrance. Right in front of the temple gate, a towering stone stele appeared. A thick layer of moss clung to its surface, obscuring most of the ancient text carved deep into it. Yet, under the faint light, the intricate carvings still faintly appeared, as if whispering an ancient story.
Nam looked at the stone stele for a moment, muttering to himself. Hoa's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she watched him. Then, he spoke:
"I have no idea what the hell it says."
Hoa's face went blank, then she puffed out her cheeks.
"Ugh! And here you were, pretending to mutter like you understood everything it wrote."
Suddenly, the system chimed:
Ting!
[Translating Ancient Text…]
[Translation Complete]
["The Gate of Ascension opens only when the soul is no longer its own." ]
Nam squinted at the notification, resting a hand on his chin with a pensive look:
"This feels… so wrong, yet so convincing!"
Ái Hoa hesitated:
"I don't completely understand... but it feels like it's talking about the Unknowns..."
Nghĩa didn't reply. His eyes narrowed, staring at the two of them as if they were stoned head.
"Power doesn't choose anyone,"
"Only those who can use it... or are consumed by it," Nghĩa whispered.
Before stepping into the Ancient Temple, Nghĩa suddenly took out the Wisdom Crystal—a small, translucent purple object that emitted a soft light and vibrations like the echoes of ancient wisdom.
Ái Hoa was surprised:
"What? Isn't that for you?"
Nghĩa didn't answer right away. He looked at her for a long time, then said softly:
"This dungeon might not just be about fighting. We need someone to maintain the group's consciousness. The skill you just got isn't a coincidence, and the person to maintain the group's consciousness can't be me."
After saying that, he handed the stone to Hoa. The Wisdom Crystal floated in her hand, and then the system chimed:
Ting!
[Wisdom Crystal has chosen a target: Mental Shield – User: Ái Hoa]
[The skill will be upgraded to a higher tier. Proceed?]
[Proceed] – Ái Hoa confirmed.
The crystal suddenly shattered, and then ancient characters swirled around her body. The air around them seemed to stop. A purple-white circle of light bloomed from her chest, gradually expanding into a faint spiritual boundary. A circlet of golden ancient text appeared on her wrist.
Ting!
[SKILL UPGRADED: Shield of the Mind]
[Type: Support - Team Protection]
[Tier: Advanced]
Description: Summons a deep purple barrier that covers a large area, absorbing magical and spiritual damage, protecting the entire team from attacks.
Effect: Absorbs damage up to 80% of the caster's current total mana.
Range: 15m around the caster.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Nghĩa said with a playful tone, then his expression became serious:
"That skill is yours now. But remember—no one has to carry everything on their back… Except for Nam. haha"
"You just need to stand firm. That's enough," Nghĩa placed a hand on Hoa's shoulder.
Ái Hoa clenched her fist, her eyes sparkling. She said in a mischievous voice:
"It's okay, don't worry, you two. What's the point of being an S-rank if I can't handle it? Hehe."
Nam laughed and said:
"You sound so cool, old lady."
"But how come both of you get such cool effects??? Where's the fairness? Where's my effect???" Nam complained.
After that, the group moved deeper into the Temple, and the atmosphere became more silent and solemn. High above, a shattered mirror hung from the ceiling of the Temple, looking like hundreds of small mirrors shining and illuminating sections of faded murals depicting ancient gods, all creating a scene that was both sacred and mysterious.
In the middle of the Temple was a multi-layered circle carved with ancient text, and outside the circle were small stone pillars arranged intermittently around it. At the center of the circle was an empty space. When the group approached, the small pillars around the circle suddenly lit up. An ancient cylindrical stone pillar rose from the center of the circle. The surface of the pillar was covered in mysterious Rune characters that glowed brightly. On the walls of the temple, the murals blurred as if coming to life.
Nam was sweating as he spoke:
"The atmosphere here is really different. This temple is giving me the creeps. Are we fighting spiritual-type enemies? I'm scared of ghosts!"
Nghĩa winked as he spoke.
"Not exactly. This dungeon is the Maze of Perception. The name says it all. Anyone who loses their awareness and is pulled too deep into an illusion—will be lost in their own illusion forever. Wandering like ghosts in an endless maze. Not as scary as ghosts, I promise."
"Wait? That sounds terrifying!" – Hoa's face went pale.
After hearing Nghĩa's explanation, Nam suddenly became more at ease.
"It sounds terrifying… but at least it's not ghosts."
"We need to be careful. If one person sinks too deep into an illusion, the other two must protect them and try to wake them up. We can't let our guard down," Nghĩa reminded the group.
Hoa nodded:
"I'll wake everyone up if I see someone start acting as silly as Brother Nam. hehe."
Nam joked:
"Not dying is good. But if someone goes crazy… just knock them unconscious. Don't hesitate to hit them, especially this little one. As for him, if he starts acting up, just turn and run."
Nghĩa smiled and said:
"Knocking them unconscious will only make things worse, since they're already in a half-conscious state. Be careful not to make the situation more serious."
Nam gave an awkward laugh:
"I was just kidding, haha."
All three bumped fists. Preparing for a place where no one could be sure what would happen.
In front of the pillar of light, the group paused one last time. Nam placed his new shield on his shoulder, Nghĩa checked his daggers. Hoa silently touched the circlet of ancient text on her wrist...