The tavern had grown quieter.
Most of the travelers who had been eating earlier had already left, heading toward the lodging houses scattered across the safe zone.
Only a few lanterns still burned inside.
Eokimo rested his elbows on the table, staring at the empty bowl in front of him.
"Twelve hours."
Rye sat across from him, casually sharpening a short blade with a whetstone.
"Plenty of time."
"That's easy for you to say."
Lira had taken two chairs and turned them into a makeshift bed, lying across them comfortably.
"Wake me when the maze starts."
Dagan snorted.
"You're seriously going to sleep right now?"
"Of course."
She pointed lazily toward Eokimo.
"New guy is stressing enough for all of us."
Eokimo pointed back.
"I heard that."
Sen stood near the window, quietly observing the plaza outside.
Candidates were still moving around.
Some gathered near equipment stalls.
Others studied maps posted along the stone walls.
The safe zone had gone from peaceful to busy.
Preparing.
Eokimo noticed.
"…Everyone's getting ready."
Rye nodded.
"Labyrinth trials are tricky."
"Because it's a maze?"
"That's the easy part."
Eokimo frowned.
"There's a harder part?"
Rye tapped the blade lightly.
"The system."
"That is not reassuring."
Dagan pulled his spear closer and leaned it against the table.
"Labyrinth trials usually have shifting routes."
Eokimo blinked.
"…What?"
"Walls move."
"You're joking."
"Nope."
Eokimo rubbed his face again.
"So it's a maze that changes."
"Yes."
"With monsters."
"Yes."
"And candidates."
"Yes."
"…Fantastic."
The old tavern keeper chuckled quietly from behind the counter.
"You're catching on quickly."
Eokimo looked over.
"You've seen labyrinth trials before?"
The old man nodded.
"Many times."
"Any advice?"
The tavern keeper thought for a moment.
Then he said something unexpected.
"Don't trust the shortest path."
Eokimo frowned.
"That sounds like a riddle."
"It's experience."
He wiped another glass slowly.
"Most candidates rush toward the center of the labyrinth."
"Why?"
"Because that's usually where the reward is."
Eokimo leaned forward.
"And?"
The old man shrugged.
"That's also where the worst things live."
Eokimo slowly leaned back again.
"…Of course it is."
Outside, a loud metallic sound echoed from the plaza.
CLANG.
Several candidates turned their heads.
Eokimo stood and walked toward the door.
When he stepped outside, he immediately saw what caused the noise.
A large iron structure had appeared near the stone pillar.
It hadn't been there earlier.
It looked like a massive gate frame.
The air inside it shimmered faintly.
Eokimo squinted.
"…That wasn't there before."
Rye stepped beside him.
"Labyrinth entrance."
Eokimo stared.
"So the trial starts there?"
"Yep."
A few candidates had already gathered around the structure, examining it cautiously.
No one touched it.
Yet.
Eokimo noticed something else.
Someone standing a little further away from the crowd.
Tall.
Still.
Watching the gate quietly.
The same person from the tavern.
The other Candidate.
Eokimo sighed.
"…Of course they're here."
Almost as if sensing his gaze, the stranger turned slightly.
Their eyes met again.
The system reacted immediately.
[Ping — System Notification]
Linked Candidate detected nearby.
Distance: 14 meters.
Eokimo groaned.
"Can this thing stop announcing that?"
Rye glanced between them.
"…Yeah."
Eokimo noticed his expression.
"What?"
Rye lowered his voice slightly.
"That person is watching you."
Eokimo looked back.
The stranger hadn't moved.
They were still standing there calmly.
Observing him.
Like they were studying something interesting.
Eokimo shifted uncomfortably.
"…I don't like that."
Dagan stepped outside too.
"Then get used to it."
"Why?"
Dagan nodded toward the glowing gate.
"Because once that opens…"
His grip tightened slightly on his spear.
"…you two might end up inside the labyrinth together."
The air around the gate shimmered again.
The system message appeared above the plaza.
[Trial Countdown Initiated]
Labyrinth Hunt begins in:
11 Hours 12 Minutes
The maze was coming.
And this time—
The system had already chosen who Eokimo would be facing.