Max Level is 100? I Can Upgrade All skill s to Lv99999!-Chapter 154 --What? The Four Deadly Zones!

After pressing forward through the twisting corridors of the Dark Maze for a full ten minutes, Caelan and Audrey suddenly came across several branching paths.

The dark, oppressive atmosphere of the Instance seemed to deepen as these new pathways spread out before them, each one radiating a faint, sinister energy that made the hairs on the back of Caelan’s neck stand on end.

Instinctively, Caelan’s gaze shifted toward Audrey, expecting her to make a choice. Yet, she remained calm and still, standing quietly as if waiting for something.

Caelan furrowed his brow but did not ask any questions.

He had learned long ago that patience often yielded better results than hasty actions.

He stayed silent, observing her carefully.

Meanwhile, Audrey’s beautiful face lit up with a captivating, almost intoxicating smile.

Her eyes sparkled, conveying a mix of mischief and amusement.

"Oh, dear Mr. Caelan," she said, her tone soft and teasing, "aren’t you even a little curious why I’m staying here?"

Caelan rolled his eyes at her, his voice tinged with irritation.

"I trust your abilities. And I also assume that you wouldn’t waste either of our time, correct?"

Audrey’s smile grew even more enchanting, exuding charm and confidence.

"Oh, dear Mr. Caelan, thank you for your trust. Very well, allow me to repay it!"

Without hesitation, she reached into her storage space and pulled out a small, wriggling yellow fish.

She held it delicately by the tail between two fingers and, with a casual flick of her wrist, tossed it down one of the branching paths.

The instant the fish landed, the previously calm path reacted violently.

A terrifying, pulse-pounding energy erupted from the ground, sending ripples through the surrounding space.

In the next moment, hellfire erupted from the floor, engulfing the little fish completely.

In barely two to three seconds, the fish was charred to a crisp, blackened and lifeless.

Audrey’s expression betrayed a flicker of regret.

"What a pity... I was planning to let you try the roasted fish, but it seems the fire got a little too intense!" she murmured, her voice tinged with both amusement and disappointment.

Caelan, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm, as though Audrey’s actions had been entirely anticipated.

His expression betrayed no surprise, no judgment, not even the slightest twitch of concern.

Seeing that her display had no effect on him, Audrey’s lips curved into a subtle, defiant pout. Frustrated, she stomped her foot and, in a huff, marched toward another branch path.

Yet, the moment she stepped forward, it felt as if she had plunged into a swamp.

Thick, viscous mud pressed from every direction, suffocating her as though the very earth were trying to crush her.

No matter how she struggled, she could not free herself from the relentless grip of the treacherous floor.

Panic surged through her veins.

"What the hell is happening?! This path... I’ve walked it countless times, why has it changed now? Someone... help me!" Audrey’s heart pounded in her chest, a cold wave of despair washing over her.

It was as though a single misstep could mean death in an instant, and for a moment, she truly feared she might not survive.

Just then, she felt a firm hand grasp her arm.

In the next instant, she was lifted from the muck as if being plucked from the ground like a radish.

Pale and wide-eyed, Audrey clutched her chest, gasping repeatedly for air as her racing heartbeat slowly calmed.

It was then that she realized who had saved her. She looked at Caelan, relief washing over her as she spoke, voice trembling slightly from the adrenaline:

"Thank you, Mr. Caelan... thank you for saving me. If it weren’t for you..."

Her voice faltered as her gaze shifted back toward the path she had just entered.

The corridor she had stepped into moments ago was now completely filled with thick, black, viscous slime.

The substance appeared almost alive, writhing and occasionally bubbling as if breathing.

Its presence exuded a sense of malevolence, disgusting and ominous in equal measure.

"What... what is happening?!" Audrey exclaimed, horror lacing her voice.

Caelan’s brow furrowed as well.

Through the [Eye of Insight], he could detect an immense concentration of unique Abyssal energy within the black substance.

Could this truly be the connection between the Abyss and the Dark Maze?

Having survived a near-death experience moments ago, Audrey became noticeably more cautious.

She did not rush forward this time. Instead, she retrieved another small fish from her storage space and tossed it down a different branch path, testing the waters.

The moment the fish made contact, it was immediately engulfed by the thick black sludge.

Within seconds, the little fish had rotted entirely, giving off a foul stench as the slime consumed it completely.

Audrey’s face paled, and she instinctively clutched Caelan’s arm, seeking both comfort and stability.

Caelan immediately felt an unprecedented weight pressing down on him, a sense of oppressive danger that was almost tangible.

"What is going on?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying a hint of tension. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

His sixth sense screamed that something was watching them, lingering unseen in the darkness.

Yet even with the [Eye of Insight], he could not discern the exact nature or location of the threat.

Audrey’s complexion remained ashen, her lips slightly trembling as she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper:

"According to the intelligence I’ve gathered, there are the Four Deadly Zones within the Dark Maze. These zones correspond to Despair, Fear, Plague, and Calamity."

She swallowed nervously before continuing:

"If I’m not mistaken, the area we’ve encountered now represents Despair—the death zone of hopelessness."

Audrey’s expression twisted into something far more agonizing than even tears could convey, a mixture of fear, disbelief, and urgency.

"In fact, if my assumptions are correct, no matter which path we choose—forward or backward—the outcome is the same. We would be swallowed by the endless Abyssal slime."

"Even if we somehow evade its grasp, greater dangers lie ahead, waiting for us. And to truly escape, we must survive all the Four Deadly Zones—from Despair to Fear, Plague, and finally, Calamity."

"Since the discovery of this Instance, no one has ever managed to survive all four zones and emerge alive."

Caelan listened, nodding slightly, completely unfazed.

The Four Deadly Zones?

To him, this sounded more like an inconvenience than a serious threat.

If necessary, he could simply obliterate the Dark Maze itself—how big of a problem could it be?

After all, the Instance allowed for limitless respawns.

"Don’t get so nervous. If you’re scared, you can always exit the Instance now," he said casually, his tone almost teasing.

Audrey shook her head, the despair evident in every motion.

"No use. Once we enter the Four Deadly Zones, the rules change. We either die completely, or we find a way to survive and leave alive. There are no other options," she whispered, voice quivering with the gravity of the situation.