Chapter 328 – The Labyrinth, Shame, and Gifts
The voice of the Labyrinth echoed again, more solemn than before.
**Valen.**
For having eliminated the superior being who intruded into the Labyrinth,
rewards will be granted to you.
Valen raised his hand.
— Not for me.
I only finished off Agniryos.
The Labyrinth paused.
**Valor.**
For having fought Agniryos and driven him to a critical state,
rewards will also be granted to you.
Valor crossed his arms, proud.
— No need.
Anyway, the Great Valor only needs the Great Valor.
Arelis blinked.
— …Are you serious right now?
The Labyrinth resumed, a little hesitant.
In that case…
The rewards will be transferred to Ravna.
Ravna, arms crossed, replied calmly:
— The ones I received are more than enough.
Silence.
Arelis put his hands on his head.
— BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT 😭
You're all refusing the rewards of my Labyrinth!
Valor grinned, wicked.
— I've got an idea.
Since we don't care, you could compensate
Solan, Lyane, and Kaor for what they went through.
And also Professor Eldric.
The Labyrinth analyzed.
Suggestion deemed pertinent.
However…
If its master, Arelis, had been more attentive,
no intrusion would have been possible.
Valor burst out laughing.
— What an irresponsible master.
And then he dares say *I'm* the one who's not serious.
Elyonna nodded.
— Honestly, that's the pot calling the kettle black.
— EXACTLY.
You nailed it.
Valen frowned.
— What are you implying?
— How could we have predicted such an intrusion?
Arelis scratched the back of his head.
He awkwardly laced his fingers together, clearly embarrassed.
— The thing is…
This Labyrinth wasn't mine at the start…
I took it by eliminating its former owner.
Valen stared at him.
— …Excuse me?
— BUT
I really thought no one would dare come after me here!
His presence suddenly became crushing.
— I'm not called the Absolute Being for nothing.
Valen calmly placed his hand on his shoulder.
— Relax.
Ravna sighed.
— That only confirms what Valor said.
Arelis turned to her.
— …What words?
— That you're irresponsible. 💀
Arelis opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Then tried to speak.
Then gave up.
Ravna placed her hand on his head.
— But it's fine.
Hunters are here to deal with this kind of threat.
Valor protested.
— What do you mean, hey?!
I didn't sign up for babysitting, he's clearly not a kid!
Valen crossed his arms.
— You've got no room to talk.
Instead of eliminating the threat, you let it grow more dangerous.
Imagine if he had attacked civilians.
— …
— So, between the three of us,
you're the most irresponsible.
Elyonna raised a finger.
— Honestly, none of you are any better.
— You're not much better yourself, Valen.
Valen sighed.
— Stop spouting nonsense.
Arelis clapped his hands.
— Fine!
To make up for it, I'll give out the rewards.
Each will get… three.
Ravna tilted her head.
— Like mine?
One ability and two other things?
— Depends on their specialty and rank.
Valor answered immediately.
— The kids are all Rank A.
And they're all mages.
Arelis raised an eyebrow.
— Seriously?
— Solan: elemental mage.
— Lyane: blessings, healing, and light magic.
— Kaor: darkness, creation, and destruction.
Valen nodded.
— I have to admit, they're remarkably talented.
— And Eldric is Rank A+.
Arelis smiled.
— Impressive.
He snapped his fingers.
**Rewards granted**
**Solan**
- Ability: *Harmonious Elemental Resonance*
Allows fusion of multiple elements without instability.
- Artifact: *Catalyst of Pure Affinity*
Amplifies elemental control without increasing consumption.
- Passive bonus: *Sensitivity to natural flows*
He senses elemental imbalances before they manifest.
**Lyane**
- Ability: *Blessing of Absolute Clarity*
Healing that ignores curses, conceptual burns, and divine afflictions.
- Artifact: *Seal of Persistent Light*
Allies healed retain a lasting luminous protection.
- Bonus: *Mental immunity to traumatic shocks*
**Kaor**
- Ability: *Controlled Negative Creation*
Can create from the void without collapse.
- Artifact: *Core of Structured Darkness*
Stabilizes simultaneous destruction and creation.
- Bonus: *Resistance to causal backlash*
**Eldric**
- Grimoire Extension: *Superior Archivist*
Temporary access to Rank S spells.
- Artifact: *Ring of Ritual Stabilization*
- Authorization: Labyrinth access priority to advanced pedagogical zones.
Ravna nodded.
— Honestly… not bad.
Valen turned toward the exit.
— Let's go.
We'll meet them.
Valor stretched his arms.
— Well.
I hope at least they'll thank me.
Elyonna snickered.
— Dream on.
Chapter 329 – Returns, Rewards, and Mocking Laughter
In the corridors leading to the exit of the first floor, the mood was not heroic songs, but sharpened sarcasm.
— Seriously, Valen, what's with these insane rewards? Did you bat your eyelashes at the System or something? Valor asked, glancing at the floating notifications.
Arelis, comfortably nestled in Valen's arms, replied calmly:
— You're the one who said you didn't want them. Why are you surprised now?
Valor straightened the collar of his coat, feigning absolute indifference.
— The Great Valor doesn't need trinkets to shine. I'm just saying, for once, the Labyrinth had the good taste to recognize my superiority. A decent compensation. But to say I *need* it…
— That must be it, Valen answered with a sly smile.
— Leave me alone! Valor snapped. I only said the items were incredible, not that I was going to sleep with them!
Ravna, walking at the front, her massive sword resealed, let out a muffled laugh.
— What's incredible is your narcissism. Is that a passive skill? Rank SSS in self-satisfaction.
— You're just stating the obvious, added Valen. He talks about himself in the third person. I'm sure Agniryos got sick of hearing "The Great Valor this," "The Great Valor that."
— Poor guy…, Elyonna murmured. He practically begged me to finish him off. Not because of the pain. Because of the radio station "Valor FM."
— Nonsense! roared Valor, his face slightly red. He was terrified of my power!
— If you'd seen his smile when he got vaporized, Ravna said, shaking her head. Relieved. Finally, silence.
---
### The Dungeon Exit
When they passed through the monumental gate of the first floor, the bustle of hunters hit them head-on. Some were preparing to enter, others cleaning their weapons, others loudly recounting their exploits.
The guard at the entrance, a veteran who had seen it all, checked their cards.
His hands trembled when he saw Valen's.
**Divine Hunter.**
Then Valor's.
**Rank S.**
And finally Ravna's.
**Rank S-.**
— Valen… the Divine Hunter…, he whispered, meeting the star-shaped pupils of the young man.
Valen calmly pulled up his hood and placed a finger on his lips.
The guard nodded, pale, and let them pass without a word.
Beside him, Valor's aura unfolded naturally, crushing, imperial. Other hunters stepped aside almost instinctively, as if an exiled king was crossing the crowd.
— Not my fault if I'm noticed, Valor said. The Great Valor radiates.
— Exactly, Valen replied. I try not to be.
---
### Eldric and the Children
Eldric and the children were waiting near a fountain.
As soon as they saw Ravna, the children leapt.
— Look! It's Uncle Great Valor! shouted Solan. We wanted to see how he was going to marble that walking torch Agniryos!
— Professor Eldric said it was too dangerous, Lyane pouted. But we knew Valor would win.
Their eyes turned to the hooded man carrying a child.
— Who's that? asked Kaor.
Valen lowered his hood.
— It's Valen! The strongest! the twins shouted in unison. Wait… is that your son in your arms?
Valen nearly choked.
— My son? Uh… not exactly. But you can see it that way.
Arelis jumped to the ground with almost royal grace.
— My name is Arelis. And since you're my "father's" friends, I have gifts for you.
Behind them, Valor thought: *If only they knew he's technically older than all of us combined…*
---
### Arelis's Gifts
Solan felt his mana explode in harmony.
— I feel… everything! Fire and water don't repel each other anymore! I can mix fire and ice without it blowing up!
Lyane saw her hands glow with a gentle light. Kaor's scratches vanished instantly.
— I can heal even divine curses? I'm a super-nurse!
Kaor observed the small black core in his palm.
— I can create from nothing… and it holds? I'm going to build the biggest cabin in the world!
---
### Eldric's Evolution — The Codex of Universal Memory
Eldric's grimoire began to levitate. Pages turned frantically, absorbing the Labyrinth's authority.
His book became: **The Codex of Universal Memory.**
**Ability:** It no longer contains only spells, but recordings. Eldric can copy a portion of observed reality and recreate a pedagogical version, faithful in nature, reduced in power.
**Authorization:** Eldric gains exclusive access to the Labyrinth's forbidden pedagogical zones.
— Incredible…, Eldric murmured. I'll be able to teach what even the ancient sages ignored… But you shouldn't have…
— Consider it tuition fees for putting up with Valor, Ravna said.
— Hey! protested Valor. I heard that!
Laughter erupted.
Arelis smiled. Valen pulled his hood back up.
And the Labyrinth observed. Silent.
Because the danger was no longer inside.
It walked freely on its surface.
Chapter 330 – Valor, Dervan, and the Strategic Exit
Valor crossed his arms with a theatrical air, chest puffed out as if about to step on stage.
— I think it's high time for the Great Valor to slip away… with Valen and Arelis.
He shot a sideways glance at Ravna.
— That old one.
— Hey?! protested Ravna.
The children, however, only caught one word.
— You're leaving already, Uncle Valor?! they said almost in unison.
Valor leaned slightly toward them, a confident smile plastered on his face.
— Don't worry. Next time we meet, the Great Valor will teach you how to massacre a monster…
He raised a finger.
— With style.
The children began bouncing as if they'd just won a legendary weapon for free.
— YEAH!!
Ravna slowly placed her hand on her face.
— Why… why will he never change…
— Careful, Valor corrected immediately.
— The Great Valor won't teach you weird spells or strange tricks. You already have competent teachers like Ravna and Eldric to guide you.
He straightened, serious for once.
— I'll teach you how to be sublime in combat.
A silence passed.
Then Ravna blinked.
— …Wait.
She stared at him.
— Did you… just say something nice about me?
Valen tilted his head.
— Serious question: is it legal to be this arrogant? We're talking clinical levels here.
— It's insane, added Elyonna. And I've seen plenty of bizarre cases.
They all burst out laughing.
— Enough, enough! growled Valor.
— You're overdoing it.
— You're right, admitted Valen with a smile.
— But honestly, I couldn't resist.
At that moment, the air shifted.
Something… weighed down.
Ravna frowned.
— …That presence…
She murmured, almost instinctively:
— Dervan.
Valor had already vanished.
A fraction of a second later, BAM.
A kick shot toward a silhouette that appeared behind them.
The figure calmly pulled a hand from his pocket… and blocked the strike with his arm.
The impact caused a brutal shockwave that made the ground tremble.
— Ohh~, Valor said with an intrigued smile.
They both stepped back.
Valor studied the man before him.
No aura.
No trace of mana.
He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling.
— So either you've got zero mana…
— Or you're so strong you're hiding it.
He gave a thumbs‑up.
— Like.
Then pointed at the ground.
— Dislike.
He smirked.
— Admit it. You've got no mana.
Without waiting for an answer, several water blades shot forward at the man.
He caught one bare‑handed… and used it to slice through the others as if they were ordinary swords.
The next instant, he was already behind Valor, blade pointed at his throat.
— Huh—?!
Valor instantly materialized a water sword, deflected the strike, and unleashed a monstrous gust of wind that hurled the man back, shattering his blade in the process.
Invisible slashes immediately tore into the silhouette.
— Heh~, Valor grinned.
But the man conjured a dark red blade… and cut through all the slashes in a single motion.
— Enough, you two, Valen said.
Before anyone could react, Solan ran and leapt onto the silhouette.
— UNCLE DERVAN!!
The man caught the child effortlessly.
— …Solan.
Eldric approached, relieved.
— Mister Dervan, what brings you here?
Dervan, still impassive, replied:
— Oris told me something might happen. He thought it best I follow you.
Valor immediately pointed at himself.
— Valor. Rank S mage. Black Eclipse Guild.
— Dervan. Rank S. Northern Pantheon Guild.
Valor blinked.
— Wait… Oris?
He spread his arms.
— The same Oris Agniryos wanted revenge on?
— I don't know, Dervan replied.
— As far as I know, there's only one Oris.
— …Okay.
Valen sighed.
— Well. Now everything's settled.
Dervan's eyes opened slightly, surprised, as he looked at Valen.
— Forgive the rudeness of this… good gentleman.
— What good gentleman? Valen replied.
— We're about the same age.
Ravna crossed her arms.
— Oris could have warned us too, you know.
— What if the children had been hurt?
— No need to yell at me, Dervan answered.
— It's not my fault.
— Wait until I get my hands on Oris, Ravna muttered.
Valor felt a bad premonition.
— Well!
He waved his hand.
— Until next time!
Before anyone could respond, Valen, Arelis in his arms, and Valor vanished.
— …He ran away? Elyonna asked.
— The Great Valor doesn't call that running, his voice echoed from afar.
— He calls it a stylish strategic exit.
Ravna sighed.
— …I hate him.
The children laughed.
---
⚡ Translation complete — this chapter introduces **Dervan** with a sharp clash against Valor, confirms Oris's shadowy involvement, and ends with Valor's trademark "strategic exit." It's a mix of tension, humor, and foreshadowing.
Would you like me to prepare a **timeline recap (328–331)** showing how each new arrival (Arelis, Valen, Dervan) shifts the balance of the saga?Here's the full translation of **Chapter 330 – Valor, Dervan, and the Strategic Exit** into English, with the clipped rhythm and playful irony preserved:
---
### Chapter 330 – Valor, Dervan, and the Strategic Exit
Valor crossed his arms with a theatrical air, chest puffed out as if about to step on stage.
— I think it's high time for the Great Valor to slip away… with Valen and Arelis.
He shot a sideways glance at Ravna.
— That old one.
— Hey?! protested Ravna.
The children, however, only caught one word.
— You're leaving already, Uncle Valor?! they said almost in unison.
Valor leaned slightly toward them, a confident smile plastered on his face.
— Don't worry. Next time we meet, the Great Valor will teach you how to massacre a monster…
He raised a finger.
— With style.
The children began bouncing as if they'd just won a legendary weapon for free.
— YEAH!!
Ravna slowly placed her hand on her face.
— Why… why will he never change…
— Careful, Valor corrected immediately.
— The Great Valor won't teach you weird spells or strange tricks. You already have competent teachers like Ravna and Eldric to guide you.
He straightened, serious for once.
— I'll teach you how to be sublime in combat.
A silence passed.
Then Ravna blinked.
— …Wait.
She stared at him.
— Did you… just say something nice about me?
Valen tilted his head.
— Serious question: is it legal to be this arrogant? We're talking clinical levels here.
— It's insane, added Elyonna. And I've seen plenty of bizarre cases.
They all burst out laughing.
— Enough, enough! growled Valor.
— You're overdoing it.
— You're right, admitted Valen with a smile.
— But honestly, I couldn't resist.
At that moment, the air shifted.
Something… weighed down.
Ravna frowned.
— …That presence…
She murmured, almost instinctively:
— Dervan.
Valor had already vanished.
A fraction of a second later, BAM.
A kick shot toward a silhouette that appeared behind them.
The figure calmly pulled a hand from his pocket… and blocked the strike with his arm.
The impact caused a brutal shockwave that made the ground tremble.
— Ohh~, Valor said with an intrigued smile.
They both stepped back.
Valor studied the man before him.
No aura.
No trace of mana.
He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling.
— So either you've got zero mana…
— Or you're so strong you're hiding it.
He gave a thumbs‑up.
— Like.
Then pointed at the ground.
— Dislike.
He smirked.
— Admit it. You've got no mana.
Without waiting for an answer, several water blades shot forward at the man.
He caught one bare‑handed… and used it to slice through the others as if they were ordinary swords.
The next instant, he was already behind Valor, blade pointed at his throat.
— Huh—?!
Valor instantly materialized a water sword, deflected the strike, and unleashed a monstrous gust of wind that hurled the man back, shattering his blade in the process.
Invisible slashes immediately tore into the silhouette.
— Heh~, Valor grinned.
But the man conjured a dark red blade… and cut through all the slashes in a single motion.
— Enough, you two, Valen said.
Before anyone could react, Solan ran and leapt onto the silhouette.
— UNCLE DERVAN!!
The man caught the child effortlessly.
— …Solan.
Eldric approached, relieved.
— Mister Dervan, what brings you here?
Dervan, still impassive, replied:
— Oris told me something might happen. He thought it best I follow you.
Valor immediately pointed at himself.
— Valor. Rank S mage. Black Eclipse Guild.
— Dervan. Rank S. Northern Pantheon Guild.
Valor blinked.
— Wait… Oris?
He spread his arms.
— The same Oris Agniryos wanted revenge on?
— I don't know, Dervan replied.
— As far as I know, there's only one Oris.
— …Okay.
Valen sighed.
— Well. Now everything's settled.
Dervan's eyes opened slightly, surprised, as he looked at Valen.
— Forgive the rudeness of this… good gentleman.
— What good gentleman? Valen replied.
— We're about the same age.
Ravna crossed her arms.
— Oris could have warned us too, you know.
— What if the children had been hurt?
— No need to yell at me, Dervan answered.
— It's not my fault.
— Wait until I get my hands on Oris, Ravna muttered.
Valor felt a bad premonition.
— Well!
He waved his hand.
— Until next time!
Before anyone could respond, Valen, Arelis in his arms, and Valor vanished.
— …He ran away? Elyonna asked.
— The Great Valor doesn't call that running, his voice echoed from afar.
— He calls it a stylish strategic exit.
Ravna sighed.
— …I hate him.
The children laughed.
Chapter 331 – Geniuses, Catastrophes, and Impossible Estimates
Ravna crossed her arms, still slightly tense after the… very theatrical… departure of certain individuals.
— Seriously… how can anyone be that immature?
She sighed deeply.
— For hunters of their rank, it's insane.
Eldric nodded, visibly torn between fatigue and amusement.
— Don't get me started. Sometimes I feel like I'm teaching demi‑gods… stuck in the bodies of hyperactive teenagers, with too much ego and not enough sleep.
Dervan, silent until now, studied Ravna more closely. His gaze lingered on her aura. It was different. Denser. More stable. More… affirmed.
— Your aura has changed, he said calmly.
He tilted his head slightly.
— Have you, by chance… reached Rank S?
Kaor's eyes widened.
— WHAT?!
He spun toward Ravna.
— Rank S?!
— Like… *the* Rank S?!
He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time.
— The teacher turned into a final boss?!
Solan crossed his arms, a calm smile on his lips.
— Honestly, I'm not even surprised.
He shrugged.
— She makes us run twenty kilometers before breakfast.
— Without mana, added Kaor.
Lyane timidly raised her hand, her eyes shining with admiration.
— When I grow up… I want to be like her.
Ravna froze for half a second.
— …
Then she looked away, slightly stiff.
— Don't say things like that out of nowhere… it's dangerous for my composure.
Dervan allowed himself a faint smile before turning to Eldric.
— You too have made enormous progress.
His gaze settled on Eldric's grimoire, which seemed almost… breathing, as if observing the conversation.
— With that tome, your rank is hard to estimate. A++… maybe higher.
Eldric blinked.
— A++?
He let out a nervous laugh.
— First time I've been graded without a written exam.
— To be honest, Dervan added, for you… I can't really decide.
He paused.
— Your power isn't raw. It's… conceptual.
Kaor frowned.
— What does that mean?
Solan answered immediately:
— It means if he copies you… we're all doomed.
Eldric paled slightly.
— I'd prefer we avoid that interpretation, thank you.
Dervan then looked at the children, thoughtful.
— This adventure… watching over these kids…
He nodded slowly.
— Seems it paid off.
Ravna smiled, a little proud despite herself.
— Honestly, my powers have become much more structured.
She thought for a moment.
— I've developed four major abilities, each with sub‑skills, specializations… it's gotten very serious.
She pointed at the children.
— And them too. Their abilities are much more structured now.
Dervan's eyes widened slightly.
— …Wow.
He inhaled slowly.
— That's absurd.
— Tell me about it, Ravna replied.
She pointed at Lyane.
— She's become a super nurse. Healing, purification, blessings… even curses some priests refuse to touch.
Lyane raised her arms enthusiastically.
— I can heal even when people scream really loud!
— That's… reassuring, Eldric murmured.
Ravna turned to Solan.
— Him, he can fuse his elements without any problem.
— Fire and ice, wind and lightning… no explosions, no backlash.
Solan smiled proudly.
— Once, I made steam that sang.
— …Excuse me? asked Dervan.
— Long story, said Ravna. Very damp.
Then she looked at Kaor.
— And him… he can create from nothing.
— Stable. Solid. Without collapse.
Kaor puffed out his chest.
— I've almost finished my cabin!
He thought.
— Well… it exploded twice, but that was on purpose.
— Of course, Eldric sighed.
Dervan studied them for a long time.
— Your abilities are… incredible.
— And still, Ravna replied, they're not even fully stabilized.
A silence passed.
Then Kaor raised his hand.
— So…
He hesitated.
— We're geniuses?
Ravna placed her hand on his head.
— No.
She pressed a little.
— You're well‑supervised catastrophes.
Solan smiled.
— That's almost a compliment.
Lyane nodded.
— I like it.
Dervan crossed his arms, thoughtful.
— If this keeps up… the world won't be able to keep up.
Eldric adjusted his glasses.
— That's why we're here.
Ravna sighed… then smiled.
— And unfortunately… that also includes dealing with arrogant idiots with too much ego.
— You mean Valor? asked Kaor.
— Who else? replied Ravna.
In the distance, somewhere, a sneeze echoed.
— …He must have felt a critique, Eldric murmured.
The children burst out laughing.