The limbless puppet writhed and struggled on the ground, repeatedly uttering mechanical words. "Intruders, destroy, intruders, destroy."
It seems that although the fire energy's properties are incorrect, it has still been activated, though the person appears somewhat confused.
Unas suddenly realized that the voice that had guided him through the labyrinth was also from a puppet, its tone mechanical and devoid of emotion.
You can't get anything out of a dim-witted puppet that's now in a state of chaos. Unas asked a few questions, but to no avail. The puppet could only repeat the words "intruder, destroy".
The two looked at each other, unsure of what to do, but they understood one thing: the puppet saw them as intruders and wanted to destroy them.
So the previous claim that "there will be a reward for finding the exit" is complete nonsense. As for why this puppet ran out of energy and became paralyzed in the maze, that remains a mystery.
Unas shrugged, preparing to continue smashing the wall, when a "thump, thump, thump" sound came from afar, sounding like the synchronized footsteps of a group of soldiers marching in formation.
The two were on high alert as footsteps drew closer. A light appeared at the corner of the corridor, and a small group of puppets came into view.
They marched in perfect unison, and the one in the lead looked completely human, except for its glowing blue eyes and mechanical movements, which suggested that it was the same kind of puppet as the ones beside it.
Unas roared, clashing his hammer and shield together with a terrifying crash that echoed through the corridor. "Stop!"
Whether it was his intimidation that worked or the other party was already going to stop, with a "thump," the puppets stopped in unison.
The puppet leader, dressed in a blue robe, gave an impeccable noble bow before saying, "Intruders, hand over Number 16."
Number 16? Unas looked at the human-shaped puppets wriggling and trying to roll forward at his feet; so that's why they came.
He stepped on the man's neck, saying, "If you want it, come and get it yourself."
The blue light in the puppet leader's eyes flickered repeatedly, but it ultimately hesitated to make a move. Its power relied on the mechanisms and Magic Circle within the Mage Tower, and a contest of individual strength within the maze was far from the best option. Moreover, the puppet had its own method for assessing the strength of its enemies, and sensing that its chances of victory were slim, it said, "Intruder, cooperate to find the maze's exit."
How exactly will we cooperate?
"Number 16 contains information about this area's maze within its core; I need it to complete the map of the entire maze."
The leader of the monsters was naturally Talo. He personally entered the labyrinth to find the puppet minions that had been lost there, and gathered the information they had collected to create a complete picture of the labyrinth.
"What's in it for me?"
"I will share the map with you, intruders. Not only will you not be punished, but your master will also reward you." In the puppet's mind, rescuing its master was a higher priority than eliminating the enemy.
"Who is your master?" Unas already had a vague answer in his heart.
"Archmage Merlin Firestone."
Unas asked a few more questions, Talo answered them all, which helped him understand the ins and outs of the situation. Unas couldn't help but feel anxious; they were all trapped in the labyrinth, and if Gunsel got the news and rushed back, they would be doomed.
"I have to get out of here quickly." With that thought, he picked up the human-shaped puppet from the ground and threw it at the demon. "You'd better keep your promise, or I'll cut open your head and find the map."
"I won't lie." Talo gently took Number Sixteen, his eyes emitting red rays that connected to the exposed core of the other's chest, as if gathering information.
The process was over quickly, Unas said, "How much have you completed? Show me the map."
The light in Talo's eyes spread out, forming an incomplete three-dimensional maze shape in the air, like a tattered cloth with pieces missing in every direction, but the overall outline was round. They were located slightly north, while Unas's hole was pointing roughly towards the center of the maze—clearly, he had the wrong direction.
"I will continue my search for the lost puppet guardian within the labyrinth."
Talo retrieved the map and turned to leave. The puppet guards around him turned around in unison. These were the companions he had collected along the way, and the information he had gathered from them had pieced together the current map.
"Wait, this map doesn't show where the exit is at all. We need to follow you."
The monster leader said nothing, and continued forward with the guards, making a "thump thump thump" sound. Unas took it as tacit agreement and followed behind the puppets with Qingshui.
The incomplete map prevented them from navigating smoothly. Whether it was due to incorrect information or changes in the maze, Talo and his team frequently encountered obstacles. However, all this information was collected in its core, ensuring they wouldn't make the same mistake next time.
Moreover, it can sense the location of the paralyzed puppet guardians, and with a specific direction, it can always find the correct path.
After wandering around for a while, they gathered information about two more magical puppet companions and their explorations, thus strengthening Unas's party—they also encountered Perella, who was wandering aimlessly through the maze.
As time passed, Unas grew increasingly agitated. "Could this labyrinth have no exit at all? And even if it did, why would Gunsel leave it for us? He must have blocked the exit."
"Magic has its seriousness. Maze Spell must have an exit, otherwise how did we get in? Gunsel hasn't reached the level of changing the laws of magic yet." Although Perella couldn't use magic, she was still an Elf and knew some basic magical knowledge.
Unas could only sigh helplessly. Knowing his temperament, he should have gone back to digging. "What if we kept breaking down the walls, tunneling through the labyrinth to its edge?"
"I don't know either," Perella shook her head. "Maybe we'll break through, or more likely we'll be teleported back to some corner. The Maze Spell doesn't exist in a physical sense; it's a small, other-dimensional space, somewhere between reality and illusion. You can't get out without finding the exit, at least that's what I've heard."
"I understand less and less of what you're saying."
"It's okay, I don't really understand either."
They continued winding their way through the streets for an unknown amount of time, during which time both sides gathered some more companions.
Talo found seven puppet guardians, but he no longer had the energy to "revive" them, so he could only take the information and leave.
On Unas's side, Haikesi and a young Druid had also gathered, and they were all completely bewildered. Upon finding the team, they were overjoyed and almost cried tears of joy.
The puppets ahead suddenly stopped. Talo displayed Three-Dimensional Map in the air, showing that the maze had become much more complete. After observing for a while, the puppet leader said, "The exit has been found. Full speed ahead!"