Chapter 551: The Trickster Goddess

Luke found himself in the middle of a bustling city, right in the heart of what could only be described as a drinking festival.

“Who’s next?!” Artemis shouted.

The crowd around her roared, mugs raised high, while her latest opponent cursed under his breath. She was obliterating everyone in the drinking competition.

That damn woman… I knew it. She tricked me. This isn’t training at all.

No one here knew Artemis was a goddess. She blended in effortlessly, pretending to be just another wild troublemaker enjoying the festival. When the competition ended, she plopped down next to Luke, let out a monumental burp, and slammed her empty mug on the counter.

“Man, that was great. We’ve drunk half the tavern dry. We’re almost done with my The Hangover checklist.”

She signaled for more alcohol.

Luke scanned the area. People of every imaginable race packed the tables, from lizardfolk and dwarves to animal-featured humanoids and even goblins.

“This society is…” he murmured.

“Pretty diverse, yeah,” she replied and pointed casually. “That over there is a half-elf woman. Gods, I love half-elves.”

Before he could comment, Artemis was already on her feet, sauntering toward a waitress. She leaned against the wall, posture lazy but eyes sharp.

“Hey, milady,” she said smoothly.

“H-hello. Do you want to order something?”

“I definitely do… and what about you? How about spending the night with me?” Artemis asked.

“I… sorry, I prefer men.”

“So do I,” Artemis answered without missing a beat. “See that guy right there? How about the two of us have some fun with him?”

Luke stood up immediately and grabbed her arm.

“Hey, hey, hey, Luke, you’re moving too fast,” she said as if he were the one causing trouble.

“Are you stupid?” he hissed.

“I was trying to set up a fun night for both of us.”

“We’ve been kicked out of two taverns because of this!”

“How is it my fault the waitresses were pretty? And on top of that, that one was a half-elf, totally our type.”

Moments later they were outside.

“You’re wasting my time,” Luke said. “Event Fifty-One is getting closer, and something tells me I need to be ready.”

“Fine, party-pooper. Let’s go. The labyrinth is near a nature reserve.”

He exhaled sharply. “Hard to believe the first elf I ever met in my life was you.”

“Not even a little bit in love with me?” she teased.

“Let’s just get to the damn labyrinth.”

***

They arrived at an enormous structure woven from stone and enchanted ivy. It had taken half a day of walking to reach it. Military guards surrounded the perimeter, keeping civilians far away.

“The royal family on this planet serves under us, so we don’t need permission to enter any restricted areas,” Artemis said. “And if they refuse, we kill them.” She laughed.

“What exactly is your job in the Order, chatterbox?”

“I’m an advisor, man. Oldest member among the current Generals.” She lifted her chin, proud. “A prisoner who became a counselor. See? Very wise.”

“Prisoner?”

“Well, when a conqueror takes over something, you know how it is. Sometimes they don’t want to waste time ruling every city, kingdom, planet or universe themselves. So they put someone trustworthy in charge. Or someone they can guarantee won’t betray them. Sometimes they take a child from the ruling family and raise them as a VIP hostage in their Order. Lots of methods.”

“You’re… a VIP hostage?”

“A version of it, yeah. And the most VIP of them all,” she said.

But Artemis’s tone shifted, the humor fading. She clearly had no intention of digging deeper into that subject.

They stepped into the labyrinth.

“This body of mine has been adjusted to match your exact power level,” Artemis said. “So if we die, it’s your fault, buddy.”

Water reached up to their knees, cold and murky. Luke squinted down the flooded corridor.

“So my training already started?”

“Of course. Lead us to the end. There’s something valuable waiting there.”

Luke took point. “Let’s go right.”

He remembered reading once that the simplest way to beat a maze was to pick a wall and never leave it.

“Help! Someone help me!” a voice cried after a few minutes of walking.

A woman stumbled into view at the next turn. “He’s coming to kill me! Please—”

Luke threw a knife, and it sank into her face mid-plea.

[You have slain a Labyrinth Prisoner – Lvl 55]

Her body crumpled backward, dissolving into a gray humanoid creature, naked and featureless.

“A type of shapeshifter,” Artemis noted beside him. “How did you know?”

“I didn’t. But my eye saw her mana signature. Even when she looked human, the silhouette underneath was… wrong.”

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That was one of the powers of the Eye of Sariel.

[Mana Sensitivity]: The eye grants the ability to perceive mana in its pure state, enhancing every skill related to energy analysis and detection.

“That’s why entry here is forbidden,” Artemis said. “They’re bound to this labyrinth and can only leave if someone ‘invites’ them out.”

They turned another corner. A monster waited there. Luke threw a knife. The creature dodged.

[Telekinetic Pull activated]

[Telekinetic Impulse activated]