Chapter 143: Stage 3 Silver Level!
The map danced in the air, revealing a complex maze of tunnels layered not just horizontally, but vertically, diagonally, and even spiraling inward like the anatomy of some monstrous creature.
At the very heart of it all sat the massive black triangle—obviously the pyramid—looming ominously like the final boss dungeon in a cursed video game.
The moment the map disappeared, Tierra grinned so hard Lilith thought her jaw might snap.
"We’ve been running in literal circles like rats in a cheese-less maze," she muttered with a sarcastic groan. "No wonder we kept ending up further away!"
It hit them both like a brick to the face. The worm tunnels weren’t just random paths—they were mechanized, shifting and rearranging in perfect sync with the mysterious thuds they’d been hearing all this time.
And they had no idea all this time! It was so subtle that it was eery!
Lilith’s face twisted in a mix of frustration and amazement. "So every time those thuds echo, they’re not just atmospheric horror effects," she said, crossing her arms.
"They’re literally rotating the map like a twisted Rubik’s Cube!"
Tierra’s eyes gleamed, her brain working at full speed. "Exactly! Think about it. The reason we kept heading away from the pyramid even though we were following straight lines was because the tunnels kept shifting in a three-dimensional configuration based on how many thuds we heard. The thuds are like codes."
Lilith blinked. "Like dungeon puzzle codes?"
"Yes!" Tierra nodded, then crouched and quickly began drawing patterns in the rocks with her dagger.