Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 192: Book 3: Chapter 44: Touchback

Read chapter 192 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Book 3: Chapter 44: Touchback Chapter 44: Touchback Alex burst through the last hedge wall and skidded to a halt. The maze had opened into a stone courtyard that was perfectly square, its edges lined with neat, polished flagstones. The air here was different, unnervingly still and carrying none of the floral stink that had haunted every path of the garden maze so far. At the far end, raised on a squat pedestal, rested a gem. It was quite small, but its glow permeated through the air, a shard of colored light pulsing like a living creature. Alex’s gut twisted about as he looked at it. That’s it. But Obby spoke up as his feet carried him a step forward. “ Stop! You know better than that.” His eyes swept the courtyard again. The area was just smooth stone with no obvious markings. Alex felt that it was too clean, and seemingly far too easy. He knew that the System didn’t leave rewards lying bare like that. “No way this is just a grab-and-go,” Alex muttered under his breath. “This is a trap. A puzzle maybe. A gauntlet of some kind. Something, has to be.” Obby’s tone was laced with wry amusement. " Correct. As you already know, the System enjoys theatrics. And, immense pain." He took one cautious step forward, his footfall echoing across the flagstones. Nothing happened. Another step, slower. Yet, there still nothing. He looked up. The gem pulsed faintly in response, its glow brightening as if in challenge for him to come take it. Alex narrowed his eyes. The whole space was off in a way he couldn't quite articulate. It was too symmetrical, too pristine, perhaps. He could feel the faint thrum of aether woven under the floor. The energy was waiting like a patient snake watching for its prey to get to close. He clicked his tongue, and exhaled slowly. “A maneuvering puzzle then? Alright. Let’s see how you want to play it.” 44:18... He crouched slightly, scanning the courtyard to begin measuring distances in his mind. Every step he took could be the wrong one. Every misstep could trigger a trap be it spikes, flame, or worse. His pulse rose in rhythm with the gem’s glow as he looked for a sign that hinted what he was supposed to do. He raised a hand and whispered to Obby. “I need to know… is it floor pressure triggered, a proximity trap, or some sort of magical rune?” “From what I can analyze, I'd say it's a bit of all three,” Obby replied. “ But mostly its just going to test your reflexes. And your luck.” Alex smirked. Luck wasn’t exactly his strong suit, but a test of reflexes he could manage. He inched forward, letting the balls of his feet brush the flagstones softly. Just as before, nothing happened. It wasn't until he was a quarter of the way across that a very faint click resonated beneath his step, and a whisper of heat brushed his ankle. He froze, listening. The courtyard remained still, the gem pulsed brighter. He took another single step froward, and the click was much louder this time as a bolt of blazing white fire shot out in front of him, passing him by less than a single foot. Heat washed over his body, leaving his skin a tinge more pink than before. Alex frowned at this. The aether contained in the attack felt immensely compact, to the point that Alex assumed it was in the later stage of adept tier. The System was throwing Solid Stage Adept attacks at him! And he didn't know why, as he hadn't figured out the rules to this trap yet. He knelt down then, making sure not to touch any other floor tiles. He lowered he head, trying to get parallel with the floor, and scanned the ground at eye level. His focus flittered between the stone tiles, from the one directly in front of him, tot he ones far away, then back again. It took a minute, but Alex finally spotted it. “A pattern,” he whispered. He straightened back to his feet and started tracing the lines of the courtyard in his mind. He was able to see that the stones were arranged in a subtle spiral, each square was slightly raised at one corner—an almost imperceptible ridge.