The Water Mirror Demon

"Senior Li Yan, would you like to team up?"

Lawine and Kanne smiled and moved closer to Li Yan. As teammates in the previous competition, they preferred to go forward with Li Yan rather than team up with other candidates.

"Yes, no problem."

Li Yan nodded with a light laugh, completely unaware of the puffed-up little face of Fern behind her.

Want to team up?

Duncan led his teammates Laufen and Lihita, who had just come out to play, toward Li Yan.

"Can."

Li Yan was not surprised at all by Duncan's joining the team. Duncan was like a sycophant; if Li Yan wanted to achieve his goals, he would have to fawn over Duncan.

"Are you going to form teams again? That's a bit like cheating, isn't it?"

Übel's lips twitched slightly. If they met in the labyrinth, he might be captured again. Was the other side planning to form Mage Legion?

"Übel, are you joining too?"

Li Yan waved enthusiastically. He loved the naughty kitten the most, and he missed Übel's green ponytail a little after not touching it for some time.

"No, please forgive me, but I still hate you as much as I did from the beginning, you wretched brat."

Übel refused decisively, and even made a face at the end.

"In an unknown labyrinth, teaming up isn't always a good decision; sometimes it means increased difficulty."

Lanto adjusted his glasses, analyzing the situation with a rational expression, and Übel nodded in agreement.

"Frieren, Fern, may I join?"

During the last exam, Fern's teammate, Edel that it's safer to team up than to act alone.

"Edel, welcome to the team."

Fern smiled. She had a good impression of Edel. Although she spoke in a mature and old-fashioned way, she was actually a gentle girl.

Li Yan naturally wouldn't object to her own precious daughter's consent. Edel seemed to be skilled in mind manipulation magic. Because she had seen too many memories, her tone and behavior were somewhat influenced by them, making her seem old-fashioned. However, the original girlishness had not completely disappeared.

"A maze? Looks like I can't go alone. There are so many of you, do you mind if I come along?"

A voluptuous and attractive woman approached Li Yan.

"Methode, we can team up, but you have to listen to the captain." Duncan squinted at the other party. According to the intelligence, the other party was a clan from the Northern Plateau that specialized in hunting Demons. It was said that the people of this clan spent their entire lives studying how to hunt Demons.

"That's natural."

Methode smiled slightly, her gaze drifting towards Frieren's direction, a glint of starlight flashing in her eyes.

Can I hug you?

Methode approached Frieren, a hint of tenderness in her eyes; she had never been able to resist cute girls.

"Why?"

Frieren was slightly surprised, but still nodded blankly. After all, the other person was a girl, and it was just a girl hugging.

Fern, her little face slightly puffed out, watched closely as Methode held Frieren in her arms. Feeling the overwhelming presence, Frieren murmured, "It smells like a nice milkshake."

After the hug, Methode put Frieren down contentedly. Fern, puffing out her cheeks, snatched Frieren back into her arms, watching Methode with a hint of wariness, as if afraid that Methode would take Frieren away again.

As the number of people in front of the Royal Crypt Labyrinth gradually decreased, Wirbel glanced warily in Li Yan's direction. He didn't approve of the other party's large-scale team formation; in some mazes, more people are actually a burden.

"Let's go in, Schraf, Ehre."

Without further hesitation, Wirbel led his teammates from the previous match into the Royal Crypt Labyrinth.

Seeing that everyone was present, Li Yan politely declined the offers from the other unknown nobodies and led the group to officially begin their exam journey.

"Um, I'll go in with your team."

Zanze blinked and followed behind Li Yan. His little hand instinctively reached out to tug at Li Yan's clothes, but he quickly realized that they were taking an exam.

The Royal Crypt Labyrinth is a place full of mystery and danger, with its traps and elaborate layout designed to cause the deaths of many inexperienced adventurers.

In terms of traps, there are various hidden mechanisms, such as trigger-activated spike traps on the ground. Once someone steps on one, it will trigger a series of chain reactions, such as poison arrows being shot, walls collapsing, and magical flames.

There are also traps disguised as ordinary objects, such as seemingly ordinary stone doors that may actually hide deadly mechanisms. In addition, the maze may contain moving walls, spiral staircases, and other features that can completely disorient you.

Royal Crypt Labyrinths typically feature complex passageways and rooms, filled with various bends, forks, and dead ends. The layout of the rooms may contain valuable treasure chests, but it may also hide more traps. The walls may be engraved with mysterious symbols and patterns, which may be the key to solving the puzzle, or they may be misleading clues.

Kanne accidentally triggered a few traps along the way, but fortunately Duncan was extremely knowledgeable about traps in mazes and similar places, and was able to cover the entire team with Defensive Magic in time, preventing the whole group from being attacked.

"Kanne, you idiot, just stay behind Senior Li Yan and don't touch anything or run around."

Lawine reprimanded Kanne with concern, because their squad had almost been in danger because of Kanne.

"It's alright, we'll inevitably stumble upon traps."

Li Yan waved her hand and pulled Kanne closer to her, so she could keep an eye on the restless girl immediately.

The group continued onward. The dangers that had claimed the lives of countless adventurers in the Royal Crypt Labyrinth had not yet struck. The entire group was filled with a tension about the unknown, but Li Yan, who was familiar with the Royal Crypt Labyrinth, was particularly relaxed. He was somewhat looking forward to the Water Mirror Demon replicating himself in the Royal Crypt Labyrinth, but he didn't know if the replica's body could withstand a punch from him.

It is said that the guardian of the Royal Crypt Labyrinth, the Water Mirror Demon, is Monsters from the Mythical Era of the sage Auweis. It can read the memories of those who enter the labyrinth and create a perfect copy of the subject, no matter how many adventurers enter.

A perfect clone naturally possesses a perfect physical form, perfect strength, perfect Mana, and perfect skills, identical to the original. It is like a twin, which is why the Royal Crypt Labyrinth has not been conquered to this day. Of course, the most important point is that even if the clone is killed, it can be resurrected after a period of time.

The Water Mirror Demon will also choose a clone of the strongest person who enters the labyrinth to protect itself. Li Yan has some guesses that it might be herself or Frieren. In the story, Frieren is the final guardian, not Zanze follows her.

Other clones will appear at various points around the maze, gradually converging towards the center and compressing the living space for those who enter. This is why previous adventurers were unable to clear the Royal Crypt Labyrinth no matter what they tried.