I shook my hand, shaking away the mana signature and residue that had been left when I casted mana burst.

  It's likely been at least an hour I've been in this maze now. And just as likely, several. I walked carefully, so as not to inadvertently damage my leg more.

  "Fein, let's stop here. I have some meat from defeating a monster a while back. Let's eat first."

  Stopping and the both of us sitting down, I took out some of the meat I took from the ant queen's abdomen, while Fein attempted conjuring up some flames to cook it.

  So he knows fire magic, huh? I thought we would have to eat it raw, but this works too. I continued contemplating in my mind.

  I drew up a general map timeline of what happened so far. Definitely, it's been at least an hour. Probably estimating around 3 to 4.

  After finishing up a meal of ant meat, the both of us continued moving forward. Step, step, step...

  Extracting information from Fein as well, I finally remembered his background as an extra character I had designed and forgotten a while back. Fein indeed came from a village that had previously been raided by humans from the human academy some time ago. He was one of the key combatants protecting his village. Most of Fein's family and village people invested their lifetime savings to pay for the Demon Academy's tuition fee upon finding out he had the ambition to match his talent.

  Unlike me, who had taken the option of putting aside the first year's tuition fee by opting to wait for the scholarship, and took the risk to attempt overshadowing half of the students in my year, Fein had paid for the first year up front.

  And, Fein had also originally survived the entrance exams in the novel, passing it.

  Fein, a few minutes ago, upon hearing what I planned for the tuition fees, exclaimed some shock.

  Things like: "Woah, so you're confident you'll end up in the top 50?" "It's impressive and almost alien. The kind of person that would do this without batting an eye..."

  "Cut it. I don't need your flattery.", I shrugged, "Look forward instead. You'll be much more useful slashing up monsters than running with so many words in your mouth."

  "So harsh.", Fein smiled awkwardly.

  However, when Fein looked forward again, he stopped, seeing a vague light shining in the distance that wasn't the same as the lights of a maze signaling another area.

  "Cael, do you see that?", he pointed.

  I nodded, and we both sped up our pace.

  Getting a little closer, we were able to see it more clearly.

  "This is...", Fein frowned.

  My gaze spotted the item glowing in the darkness, narrowing my eyes but inevitably remaining calm.

  "A lantern."

  Away, in another area of the maze, in the suffocating darkness where no one could see.

  The rapid breaths of a demon was the only thing that could be heard, until someone else shadowed by the dark snapped.

  "Hey! Quit breathing so much, what's wrong? You're going to alert other monsters to our location."

  Calming down slightly, the hyperventilating demon grasped their chest, "Yes...sorry, you're right. I'll be more careful..."

  He followed closely behind the others at the back of the group, and shut his eyes tightly as he walked.

  "U-ugh...ugh...", he winced, as if in pain, despite no injuries being present.

  Sweat running down his back, a feeling as vivid and familiar as ever but overwhelmingly plaguing his soul rang out.

  W-what should I do... He breathed deeply, in and out. W-what...

  Silently, his breathing quickened again.

  I can't do anything!

  Meanwhile, up ahead, the group noticed a vague light in the distance.

  Someone with sharp eyes observed the light, and blurted out.

  "A lantern?"

  "What should we do with this?"

  "Leave it.", I looked down the hallway where the path turned right.

  "Are you sure? This is the first time I've seen this before though. Shouldn't we take it just in case?", Fein tilted his head, approaching and fiddling with the lantern.

  "We don't need it. A lantern in the dark is terrible in hindsight. Why do you think we should take it?"

  Looking unsure, Fein put down the lantern, unable to find an off-switch, "Hmm...I guess you're right. Let's go then."

  In the distance, a vague thumping shook the ground of the maze. Thun, thun, thun-

  It's been there since before. What is that? I looked behind me, finding nothing in the darkness. In the end, we can only move forward.

  One thing that the supervisor had withheld from the demons was the existence of lanterns. They were scattered throughout the maze and surprisingly, were free for demons to pick up and had no malicious enchantments other than {Light} whatsoever. Lanterns were the only thing that could provide a consistent source of light in this maze, so anyone who found one had to treasure it with their life...

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Although, that's not what I wrote them for.

  In reality, although there were no curses or strange magical enchantments on these lanterns, in the maze where light levels in areas vary and monsters are constantly lurking for a demon target... Holding a lantern or even being near one would make you far easier to notice even from a distance, and yet would have no use in lighter areas where the lantern would become obsolete.

  It was also one of the ways the demon academy tested for intelligence and strategic thinking.

  However, seeing one means that we have to leave this area, quickly.

  "Fein, hurry, let's go.", I immediately turned my back and began walking, a little more quickly than before.

  "..? Why?", Fein stood around for a little bit.

  "Tsk.", I clicked my tongue. It's true that monsters have a variety of skillsets and most with decent eyesight would have passed by this area upon confirming there were no demons.

  However, among the variety in monsters, included intelligence.

  "Stop standing around. We need to go-", I was about to walk back to call Fein over when I stopped, looking above him.

  "What's wrong?", Fein looked at me with wide eyes.

  At that moment, above Fein, a giant, white spider slowly descended from a thread of silk.

  It waited for just the right time demons would arrive.

  An intelligent monster..!

  But seeing where I was looking, Fein caught on, silently put his hand on his sword, and just before the spider attacked, slashed upward.

  "Kieek!", the spider swayed on its thread in an attempt to dodge it, but inevitably had two of its arms sliced clean.

  Immediately, I provided support and shot a mana burst at the giant swaying spider.

  Boom!

  "KieeK! Kek!", losing one of its eyes, the spider rapidly ascended back into the darkness through its thread.

  "What was-"

  "Don't relax.", I drew in a sharp breath, taking a few more steps back.

  However, before I could take my third step back, I felt a humid breath softly breeze by my ear.

  I halted my steps, pausing, then lunged forward.

  Bang! A blade akin to a scythe slashed and tore apart the wind where I was previously standing. I crawled forward and looked back. In the darkness, a floating man covered in a black cloak held his scythe-turned arm out.

  First, a spider, then a ghost?? Were they both camping around the lantern? What are the odds- I struggled to stand back up with only one hand and one good leg. But the spider won't wait for Fein to grasp the situation as well.

  From above, a blob of purple poison was shot out from the spider's mouth, targeting Fein.

  Knowing beforehand that this was one of a spider monster's main attacks, I conjured up a mana arrow, pierced the lantern in front of me and sent it flying above Fein to block the acid.

  Sss...

  "Ugh!", Fein groaned. It wasn't enough, and some of the acid burned Fein's skin, but the burns were minor enough to ignore.

  Without enough control and power to maintain the mana arrow, it dissipated and the lantern fell and bumped Fein's head before falling to the ground.

  Thwack! "Agh!"

  He gritted his teeth, "Cael, we can't face two at once, we need to get out of here!", he rushed to my side and helped me up while the ghost from behind secretly prepared a magic spell.

  "No, we can.", pushing Fein away upon getting on my feet, I prepared a mana burst in my hand, retreating to the wall.

  Using immersion to offset the pain on my leg, I shot it toward the ghoul, inadvertently destabilizing a spell it was preparing.

  Boom!! The destabilized spell exploded and damaged the ghoul quite a bit, while Fein's eyes were wide.

  "How'd you know.."

  Looks like Fein didn't study enough. Seeing both monsters becoming wary and retreating somewhat, I felt confident we could take both down.

  However, before I could do anything else, the thumping that was in the background suddenly got louder, closer, and the spider and ghoul monster noticed just as I had, retreating fully into the darkness. The ghoul monster phased through the maze's walls.

  With no lantern, it was difficult to see what was up ahead. Yet just as I was about to activate immersion, drops of blood abruptly fell from above directly onto my eyes, burning them.

  "Agh!", I held my hand up to my eyes, but knew I couldn't touch or clean them for fear of an infection.

  That damn spider! It must want to make sure that at least one of us dies here.

  Thump, thump, thump- Gradually, the thumping got louder, and the ground shook even more.

  Fein, scared out of his wits, simply stood dazed, not knowing what to do. In the end, he was still an inexperienced greenhorn.

  Despite the burning pain, I forcefully opened my eyes. With my entire vision dyed red, I limped to go forward, the path that turned right.

  "Fein, run! If even those monsters were scared of it, then we can't handle it either!", I slowly increased my speed until I was fully running, blocking out the pain on my leg through immersion. This'll be the last time I can run, hopefully I can escape!

  "O-o-okay! I trust you!"

  At this point, I could only hear what Fein was saying. It was too dark and my eyes were injured, but the other pair of footsteps behind me told me that Fein was running too.

  But at that moment, when I looked back and focused to see if anything was truly behind us... I faltered.

  That...what is that..?

  A giant beast, the size of an elephant.

  No, is that a.. frog?

  I could barely make out the silhouette, but despite me being the one who stumbled, I could clearly feel the killing intent--all focused on Fein, who was lagging behind.

  The giant frog stayed still at the end of the hallway, one of its eyes slightly burnt. It opened its mouth.

  Suddenly, a huge tongue shot out at almost lightning speed, and Fein whose psyche had already been turned upside down from fear, couldn't dodge it.

  Crack!

  "AAAAHH!"

  Bones cracked as the frog's tongue caught onto Fein's leg, and pulled back-

  I grabbed his hand.

  Even more flesh and bones were torn as the frog's tongue attempted to pull Fein back to the frog's mouth, as the frog stood still staring menacingly.

  Fein begged, "Cael, please, don't let go.. I-I don't want to die!"

  My breath hitched as the frog's tongue slowly crawled up Fein's body, twisting around him and exerting more force.

  Likewise, my arm felt like it was about to break from the pressure, I held Fein in place with all my strength. I attempted to conjure up mana arrows or bursts but maintaining my strength holding Fein constantly interrupted the casting process.

  Fein's breathing became rapid seeing me remain still, the reality that he might actually die sinking in, "P-please, my village...they all sacrificed so much to bring me here..."

  "Cael, I-I just want my family to be proud of me...you understand, right?"

  Inevitably, being crushed and eaten alive by that frog would be extremely painful. Tears streamed down Fein's face as fear consumed him, "I just want to make them proud..please..!"

  Krk! Crack! The frog's tongue twisted and squeezed Fein's body further, crushing several more bones under its pressure.

  ...As I listened to his sobs, I knew the most optimal outcome, naturally.

  Let go of him, run and escape before the frog finishes him off to target me, then tend to my eyes.

  But...I listened to him.

  'I just want to make my family proud', 'My village sacrificed so much to bring me here', 'They all believed in me'-

  I knew it because I wrote it.

  Fein wasn't supposed to die here.

  Then, is the reason for his death, because of my appearance...? I knew that since he was showing such a pathetic, fearful state, the professors would never consider passing him upon his death.

  But internally, a single thought ran rampant in my mind.

  Let go. It's the only way you can live. It was so rational and logical that I couldn't refute it. My beathing became heavy.

  I looked at Fein, who was still begging me to help him, "...Fein."

  Fein responded immediately, "Y-yes, Cael, we-we're friends, right?...I-I-"

  "I'm sorry."

  I released my grip. But, as if everything slowed down, I caught a glimpse of Fein's expression, full of hope and desperation.

  Right before I let go.

  "C-Cael? C-Ca- AHHH, NOO!!!"

  As my arm felt full of relief from the release of pressure, Fein was shot back and before I knew it, was crushed by the frog's mouth with his head lifelessly hanging out from the edge.

  "..."

  Without hesitation, I turned around, and ran away.