Epic Of Caterpillar

Chapter 2901 - 2902: The Labyrinth Of Madness

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Mount Takao, the Dream Dungeon, the corrupted domains of the Oni and Nagas, the Divine Realm of the Mountain Chief God, and the Heavenly Domains of Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi—all were swallowed by the Labyrinth of Madness.

Yet this mountain was not the only target. Across all of Tokyo, Domains and Realms began to be absorbed.

An immense force, like a gigantic black hole, started to disrupt the entire supernatural world of Japan.

But it did not stop there.

In the Physical World, which fought desperately to remain unaffected through the resilience of the Planetʼs Soul, Mother Gaia, who poured her power into shielding the surface and its living beings, even she began to feel the strain.

”Huh? What is this weird notification?”

Millions of players of the mysterious video game ”Dungeon Seekers” suddenly saw strange messages appear on their phones. Screens glitched violently until what was inside the devices began to spill into reality. Pixeled spectral hands emerged, seizing their owners and dragging them inside.

Missing persons reports flooded Japan. Videos spread worldwide, young men, middle schoolers, even girls playing on their phones, sucked into glowing screens.

”Kamei! Drop your phone! Kamei! Did you see the news?!”

Frankʼs mother raced upstairs after the horrifying reports on TV, remembering how often her daughter played games.

When she reached Kameiʼs room...

Only the phone remained on the floor, screen cracked, displaying glitching numbers and colors.

Kamei was gone.

”K-Kam...! KAMEI!!!”

.

.

.

Kamei opened her eyes somewhere else.

”Eh?”

She felt dizzy and exhausted. One moment she had been lounging on her bed, playing her favorite mobile game while munching chips and sipping cold tea.

The next, a giant spectral hand burst from her phone, grabbed her face, and yanked her inside the screen.

She hadnʼt even had time to scream before she landed.

A twisted, chaotic landscape stretched around her, countless fragmented worlds jammed together in a labyrinthine nightmare.

She lay on a large slab of dark purple bricks. Standing slowly, she looked around in confusion.

”A-Am I dreaming? What is this?”

Kamei could barely process her situation, let alone accept that what had just happened was real.

Could it truly be a dream?

”Ugh...”

But when she glanced down at the endless spiraling vortex of chaos below, filled with millions of wailing souls screaming from its depths...

Something deep inside her screamed that this was NOT a dream.

”A-Ahh...! Aahhh!”

She screamed in terror, collapsing to the floor and dragging herself away from the edge of the floating boulder.

She clutched her head and cried out, desperately trying to make sense of everything.

”W-Whatʼs going on?! Mom?! Dad?! Brother?! Someone?! IS ANYONE HERE?!”

As tears streamed down her face, she saw countless lights, entities, and people falling from the chaotic sky.

Her eyes widened as she watched several figures battling a colossal mass of pure darkness. Even a titanic woman made of sunlight seized the creature with her massive hands as they plummeted deeper.

Then she heard voices.

”Is someone here?”

”H-Hello?”

”Help! Help me!”

Around her floated many other platforms crowded with people, some alone, others in groups.

They were all panicking, screaming, just as lost and terrified as she was.

”WELCOME, EVERYONE.”

A voice thundered through their minds, souls, and the world itself, forcing them to their knees.

”All of you have been chosen to become Players in my Game! This is the Labyrinth of Madness! Born from humanityʼs deepest desires for self-destruction! Now you will have the chance to play by the rules you most believe in, the strong reign supreme!”

A figure materialized from the darkness, an elder god of chaos and the cosmos fused with the image of a handsome demon king: long purple hair, black horns, butterfly wings.

”Since the moment I was born, I have believed that only the strong can make the rules of this world—no, this universe! Thus, you exceptional players of Dungeon Seekers are welcomed to the game!”

People panicked, screaming at the figure and hurling stones.

”Who the hell are you?!”

”Why are we here?!”

”Whatʼs happening?!”

”Is magic and demons real?! Are gods real?! Holy shit! And I was atheist!”

”Bring us back, you piece of shit!”

Yet he smiled warmly.

”Please, have patience and shut up while I speak.”

With a snap of his fingers, everyone throwing stones and shouting exploded into masses of blood.

”Gyaaaaahhh!”

”Nooooo!”

”Aaahhhh!”

Those who witnessed it screamed in horror. Kamei covered her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the carnage around her.

She curled into a fetal position and began mumbling.

”This isnʼt real, this isnʼt real, this isnʼt real, this isnʼt real, this isnʼt real...”

As she repeated the words to herself, the being, the Demon King of Terra and Primordial God of Chaos and the Cosmos in Shintoism, Ame-no-Mikaboshi, continued.

”Now listen well, everyone! All of you are Chosen Ones, Players! In ten minutes, the world as you know it will cease to exist, and a brand-new world shall begin!” he laughed. ”The Labyrinth of Madness will slowly absorb everything. Everyone you love or care about will die! But fear not! As Players, you have the privilege to grow stronger! How? Through Leveling Up and gaining Skills and Points!”

He waved his hands. Holographic messages appeared before every survivor, displaying stats, levels, skills, and more.

”The Game is simple! Slay any living being to gain EXP and Points! Use EXP to Level Up and Points to purchase Items and Skills! Isnʼt that exciting?! Just like the games you love!”

Reactions varied. Some refused to believe it. Others were utterly confused.

A few laughed in exhilaration; this was exactly what they had always wanted.

”I-I canʼt believe this...”

”What? Like the game?”

”Eh? I have a level?”

”S-Stats?”

”...Hahah, this is... this is awesome.”

”No way, for real?”

”Amazing...”

Kamei stared at the hologram before her with trembling hands, eyes wide in disbelief. She had become a Player in the Game.

”Amazed? Surprised? I am glad you like it! Now, the Game will begin. There are... no rules. However, I will explain how it works because this is the Tutorial.”

The Demon snapped his fingers. Realm Fragments from every absorbed Domain and Realm fused into massive dungeons swarming with monsters.

”There will be dungeons scattered across this area, filled with limited monsters and treasures. As Players in the Tutorial, you have the chance to claim them before anyone else! In thirty minutes, the world outside will change forever, so seize this opportunity right now!”

Kamei gazed at the strange portals leading to bizarre, otherworldly places, the ”dungeons” this wicked god of chaos had spoken of.

”That is all! I am quite busy dealing with some annoyances, so while I am gone, please enjoy your stay! Phase 2 shall begin promptly after I finish, so hurry and seize this chance before anyone else does!”

The Demon King vanished, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

Yet some acted faster than they thought.

Opportunists leaped from floating stone to floating stone, reaching the dungeons and diving inside with wicked smiles.

Others moved because there was no choice...

”GRUUOOOHHHH!”

...or because monstrous aberrant creatures of the void began chasing them.

Everyone screamed and ran.

”Aah!”

Kamei scrambled to her feet as a colossal black serpent pursued her. She leaped desperately from stone to stone, nearly falling each time, until she reached the nearest dungeon portal and threw herself through.

FLASH!

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