The Primal Hunter Chapter 1245 - Minaga’s Awesome and Illustrious Labyrinth Complex Dungeon-5

The trio stood before the dungeon's massive entrance as Minaga shifted his attention toward Jake and Casper.

“Don't forget to record your observations and provide a formal report once you've finished, understood?” Minaga instructed. “That goes double for you, Jake. You’re entering with a fresh perspective and a singular talent for dismantling and trivializing any dungeon you set foot in, so I expect your feedback to be utterly devastating yet one-of-a-kind.”

“I’m genuinely not sure if you actually want my criticism or not,” Jake grumbled.

“'Want' is certainly the incorrect term,” Minaga said, shaking his head. “However, one must occasionally listen to things they’d rather avoid if they wish to grow. Just try to be diplomatic when you deliver your thoughts, and everything should be fine. Usually, the issue isn't the critique itself, but the way it's presented. As long as you speak respectfully and demonstrate an appreciation for the effort involved, feedback is nothing but beneficial. Furthermore, information is relayed more efficiently that way; if you act like a jerk, the other person will immediately become defensive and stop listening to your advice.”

Jake gave Minaga a long look before focusing back on the gate. “I’ll just let Casper handle all the reporting. Unless you put too much damn water in there. If you did, I’m going to be a total asshole on purpose.”

“That is a perfectly reasonable stance, and rest assured, I am not that unskilled,” Minaga replied, folding his arms.

“I would have fought against that as well,” Casper added. “Water-based levels are tedious, and I despise battling in them. It doesn't help that life and water are frequently linked, creating a terrible setting for my magic. Since life energy is saturated within the water, converting life into death is significantly more difficult, meaning my ability to exploit life energy is heavily nerfed.”

“Exactly how much effort did you put into this dungeon?” Jake asked with curiosity. He had assumed Casper was occupied with his own Cultivation and the development of the Risen Island back on Earth.

“Not a lot,” Casper admitted, shaking his head. “Like Minaga mentioned, I mostly acted as a consultant and offered occasional pointers. He handled the actual construction and design, but my participation was enough to gain me a few profession levels here and there.”

Jake nodded as a new thought occurred to him. “Wait, how difficult is it to level your profession? Don't you need to build or oversee dungeons to earn experience?”

“That’s true,” Casper confirmed. “But it isn't so bad. I’ve already constructed a few smaller dungeons myself and I oversee several minor adjacent realms, which provide a steady stream of experience over time. It’s actually my class that is falling behind, as finding the time to hunt has been tough with everything else on my plate.”

“Looking at your level, you seem to be doing alright,” Jake remarked after using Identify on his old comrade.

[Risen: lvl 333: Divine Blessing of the Blightfather]

Jake realized he couldn't quite recall what sort of Blessing Casper possessed previously. He didn't think it had been divine, but since he wasn't certain, he kept the thought to himself.

“I didn't say it was terrible, just that scheduling time is hard,” Casper said with a shrug. “I’ve been doing some hunting to spend quality time with Lyra, though. Honestly, while my level might be a bit low, Lyra is making up for it in spades. You’ll see what I mean once we’re inside.”

“I look forward to it,” Jake replied before looking at Minaga. “Anything else before we head in?”

“There is no hazard pay,” the Unique Lifeform declared. “Oh, and I strongly advise against dying. While a mutual friend made it work, I doubt you would enjoy the process.”

“I wouldn't say I died in the literal sense; it was more of a ritual suicide to transform into a Risen,” Casper pointed out helpfully.

“I was referring to Lyra, but fine,” Minaga replied flatly.

“In that case, I can tell you that Lyra didn't enjoy dying either,” Casper stated, his expression stern enough to make Minaga quickly pivot.

“Regardless, that’s all I have to say! Keep your notes, stay alive, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!” Minaga exclaimed, attempting to pat Jake and Casper on their shoulders, though his hands simply slipped through their forms again.

Jake gave a nod and, standing beside Casper, placed his palm against the gate.

You have discovered the dungeon: Work-in-Progress, unauthorized visitors or personnel not allowed.Requirements to enter: MinagaRequirements to enter not met.WARNING: Only 5 challengers are allowed per party attempting the dungeon.

“Minaga, I thought you said this place was ready,” Jake said, shooting a glare at the Unique Lifeform.

“Oh, right, I forgot to toggle the access. Give me a moment,” the eccentric being said, waving a hand. “Try it now.”

Jake let out a sigh and reset his hand on the gate, triggering a different notification.

You have discovered the dungeon: Minaga’s Awesome and Illustrious Labyrinth Complex Dungeon-5: Test Run 1Requirements to enter: Lvl 325+Requirements to enter met.WARNING: Only 5 challengers are allowed per party attempting the dungeon.

Finally, the entrance functioned. Ignoring the ridiculous name, Jake looked at Casper. “Ready?”

“Ready,” the Risen confirmed. Without hesitation, Jake accepted the prompt, and the two vanished, transported into Minaga’s potentially questionable project.

--

Standing outside with his arms crossed, Minaga smiled as he watched them enter. However, just as he was about to depart, a horrifying thought struck him.

“Oh no,” he whispered, his eyes widening. “Oh, no no no…”

He realized too late that he had made a catastrophic oversight. He began pacing frantically, panic welling up as he realized he had sent them in prematurely.

Clenching his fists, Minaga hoped Casper could mitigate the situation, though he doubted the Risen could compensate for such a massive blunder.

Closing his eyes, he prayed for their forgiveness and survival as he summoned a vital item he had neglected to provide. It was an object he feared they would suffer without, but at this point, he could only sigh in regret.

“I am so sorry,” he muttered, staring at the book in his hands. “After all that work…”

Minaga wondered if he could ever forgive himself for the mistake… he had completely forgotten to give them the companion novel, which contained the historical lore and engaging short stories meant to make the challengers emotionally invested in the dungeon's background.

--

Jake opened his eyes and expanded his sphere to scan the environment. Beside him, Casper was doing the same, clearly utilizing his own methods to scout the area.

They were currently in a safe zone. The pair stood inside a small hut protected by a magical shield. Activating his Pulse of Perception, Jake detected a colossal wall that ascended so high it vanished into the clouds. He assumed it was the start of the Labyrinth.

Checking the system alert from their arrival, Jake nodded.

You have entered the dungeon: Minaga’s Awesome and Illustrious Labyrinth Complex Dungeon-5: Test Run 1Objective: Uncover the true purpose of the Grand Labyrinth’s construction.

“This seems to match what Minaga described,” Jake noted.

“Yeah,” Casper agreed, moving to a window to survey the exterior. “This starting point is a sanctuary designed for recovery after entering the fifth dungeon. It’s meant for planning and resting; the barrier stays active even if we leave, giving us a safe place to retreat to as long as we aren't in active combat. During a fight, the shield becomes impassable from both sides.”

Joining Casper at the window, Jake asked the Risen how much he truly knew about the layout.

“Any suggestion on where to go first? Also, what are we fighting?” Jake questioned.

“We need to reach the heart of the unfinished Grand Labyrinth,” Casper replied. “As for the enemies, I suspect we’ll encounter the workforce currently building the place.”

“So, humanoids,” Jake noted. “What about the duration? If we just need to find a boss at the center, this might be a quick run.”

“I’m not sure how long it will take, but I doubt it will be as brief as you're hoping,” Casper said, shaking his head.

“Knowing Minaga, you’re probably right,” Jake sighed. “I have to ask—how do you feel about fighting B-grades?”

“I’m confident; I’ve taken down my share. I rely on Lyra quite a bit, but I can hold my own,” Casper stated. “What about you? I’ve heard you’ve been hunting B-grades regularly. Including a certain powerful, heavy-breathing lizard.”

“That’s a pretty disrespectful description for a dragon. Not that I’ll defend them,” Jake laughed. “Since you mentioned that, and assuming Minaga knows I’ve killed a True Dragon, I’m guessing the final boss here is tougher than a fresh True Dragon? Minaga did express doubt about whether I could handle it.”

“I can't say for sure, but even if it is, you aren't soloing this time,” Casper said with a smile. “Even if I’m not on your power level, I can still provide significant support. Curses are remarkably effective against powerful targets, so I can help weaken enemies that give you trouble. Usually, the downside of curse magic is the risk of friendly fire, but that shouldn't affect you.”

“That’s true, and I’m curious to see a specialist curse-user in action,” Jake admitted, interested in Casper’s current capabilities. “Like you said, I have an affinity for curses, but I rarely use that part of my Path for anything other than direct combat.”

“If it makes you feel better, most of my curse-work also involves stabbing things,” Casper joked.

“Maybe I’ll pick up a few tricks,” Jake shrugged. “Let’s move out and see what Minaga has in store.”

“Agreed,” Casper said. The two stepped out of the cabin together, getting a clear view of the massive Grand Labyrinth ahead. As they exited, Casper suddenly frowned, catching Jake’s attention.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, but just to be clear, we both agree that we didn't see any journal inside that Minaga would want us to read, right?” the Risen asked.

“I honestly didn't see a thing,” Jake answered truthfully. He had ignored the cabin's interior as background noise, including the journal he could now sense with his sphere.

“Perfect. It’s a great piece of data—even a person with high Perception can miss an item if it isn't placed in an obvious spot. If it had ‘tripped’ and landed right in the doorway, we would have seen it, but sitting on a nightstand makes it easy to overlook,” Casper said, grinning.

“Why do I get the feeling you’re gloating over an argument with Minaga?” Jake asked.

“Because I am, and I definitely won,” Casper laughed.

Jake shook his head as they approached the Grand Labyrinth. From their current position, the base of the walls was hidden; only the metallic upper sections were visible, piercing the sky. Even with Jake’s enhanced vision, the top remained out of sight.

The walls were dark and metallic, looking indestructible. Jake noted several perfectly round holes scattered across the surface, likely meant for exploration. He figured they were temporary artifacts of the construction phase rather than permanent features.

After cresting a hill, the base of the Labyrinth came into view. Jake spotted a ground-level entrance, confirming his suspicion that the circular holes were unique to this version of the dungeon.

However, Jake was more interested in the figures moving below. Their bodies had a strange, artificial glint in the light. He used Identify to confirm his hunch.

[Aginian Construction Golem: lvl ???]

“Golems?” Jake said, surprised. “And ‘Aginian’… that sounds suspiciously like Minaga’s name, doesn't it?”

“It’s intentional,” Casper sighed. “They belong to the Aginian Empire, a fictional faction Minaga named after himself. I told him the name was too obvious, but he insisted most people wouldn't catch it. He thinks people are oblivious to references, even if you just spell a word backward.”

“Honestly, I might agree with him there; people can be pretty unobservant,” Jake said, shaking his head. “But if we’re fighting golems, aren't you at a disadvantage?”

“What kind of amateur do you take me for? I’ve learned how to deal with constructs,” Casper replied. “Besides, there will be other types of enemies later. These are just the basic workers. We'll find living targets deeper in.”

Jake nodded, trusting Casper’s ability to sense life. As a Risen attuned to death, Casper could easily pinpoint living signatures over a wide area; the more powerful the life force, the easier it was to find.

“Should we just start clearing them out?” Jake asked. They were still at a distance, and the golems were spread out, making it easy to pick them off individually.

“The way you say that so casually makes me think these things aren't even a challenge to you,” Casper noted with a sigh. “In that case, why not let me handle them? I can use the experience, and it’ll give you a chance to see what I can do. Plus, you wanted to see my curse skills, right? This is the perfect chance.”

Jake looked at the golems again. He was tempted to test his damage, but he ultimately shrugged, knowing there would be plenty of fighting later. “Sure, show me what you’ve got.”