Chat Group For Magicians

"Your phone has an internet connection in this place? Just how did you even do that?!" Maple reacted.

"It's hard to explain. But at least we can ask for help on this situation from our senior magicians on what this puzzle is about."

I focused the camera on the puzzle and snapped a few photos on it. The phone's flash allowed me to capture clear photos on the puzzle despite the place being too dark to see much without any light source.

After looking at the clear shots of the photos and selecting good shots, I sent them to the chat group one by one and ask them, "Do any of you guys know this puzzle? We are stuck on this one and we have no idea how to solve it. Anyone who can give us hints or solutions are welcome. We appreciate all the help we can get."

After a few seconds of sending the photos, the lurkers on the chat group appeared like mushrooms. Either they are too free to respond or they are constantly looking at the chat groups' logs and will immediately respond to what we are talking about.

***

Yaya: Why do I found these photos familiar?

Rena: You know these ancient puzzle looking thing @Yaya?

Yaya: Yeah, they looked familiar. I think I have seen them before but I don't remember where I have seen it before. I might need some time to jog my memory and recall where I have seen it.

Tsukiyama: I am sorry, I don't find this familiar. It looked like an ancient item so you should ask @Zan on this one. He is an explorer of ancient ruins and other dimensions so he might have an idea on this one.

Zan: I am trying to think of a good way on where I have found a puzzle like this in my travels but sorry to say, I don't have any idea either.

Chat Killer: Is there anyone else who knows this? We really need to know the solution on this,

Yaya: Where did you find this piece of puzzle anyway @Chat Killer?

Chat Killer: We are inside a cavern named Sealed Cavern of the Deepest Realm. Does this name spark something? This puzzle is attached to the door that divides the passage to the deeper part.

Rena: Sealed Cavern of the Deepest Realm? Isn't that the hidden place on the Phantasmal World of Catmod?

Yaya: Ah! That's it! I know! This puzzle is quite easy to solve according to the records that I have read before! I heard they call it the Mana Puzzle!

Chat Killer: Really?

Yaya: Yeah! I can't be wrong because I am always right! Just use Mana Scan on this puzzle and follow the hidden solution of the puzzle.

Chat Killer: Ah, then thanks for the info. I really appreciate the help even though I am always lurking in the chat.

Yaya: No problem at all.

Tsugimoto: No worries about that @Chat Killer, we are also lurking and doing some sh*tposting from time to time so feel free to send us some things like this. It doesn't hurt to ask for help.

Chat Killer: Then I won't hesitate right now. The whole Phantasmal World is in chaos. The demons have managed to enter this place and now converting the monsters into demonic beasts while slaughtering the magicians here and there. We need all help we can get.

Yaya: What?

Zan: Damn! So that piece of news I am hearing before is true?!

Tsukiyama: Those damnable demons also managed to wreak havoc on that place?! 

Rena: We will go there immediately. Inform the offline magicians too. We can't afford those demons to run amok all around the place. We need to corner and defeat them before the casualty rises!

All: ROGER!

***

After that, the whole chat group started to chat and ping the offline magicians to inform them about the situation. I am quite relieved to see that all of them are willing to come to our rescue. This will be a perilous battle, so having an extra hand of help would be gracious enough.

"So what did they say?"

"I can just use Mana Scan on the puzzle and follow the path on the puzzle that my mana scan shows on it."

"Mana Scan? Unfortunately, I haven't learned on the spell so maybe you can do it instead?"

"I am the only of us three who has Mana Scan so it is only natural to be the one to do it."

And without waiting for Maple to react, I activated the Mana Scan and focused it all on the puzzle. At first, I don't see any changes but when I looked closely, there are green lines that seem to correspond to the block that is meant to be removed from the puzzle.

I didn't waste my time and started moving the block. Every time a block stops my progress, another green line appears on the blocks that are necessary to move. When I arrived on the part where everything is blocked, I was surprised that this time, it didn't happen. Sure there are some blocks that block my progress but it is now possible to pass through.

In just a few minutes of following the green lines, I managed to remove the block off of the puzzle.

"Is that it?" I asked 

"I have no idea. We have not solved this thing before," Maple shrugged and glance at the block that I just removed from the puzzle. "What is the use of that thing?"

I glance at the piece of the puzzle. I can't clearly see the thing in my hands with only the small light at my fingertips so I conjured a bigger fireball which allowed me to light up the area brighter.

"Why does it looked like a rectangular shaped key to me?" Anya mumbled as she looks at the block of the puzzle.

"Wait, it does look like a key!" Maple exclaimed.

I am not sure if what they are saying is true so I also examined the thing closely. They might be wrong since it is dark. But when I looked closely, it was really what the two are saying. It looked like a key, only that it looked so eccentric looking and we can't also deny that it is shapely weird.

"If this is a key, why is this rectangular?" I twirl it around for a while for any kind of clues.

"Maybe it is the key to the door? I spotted a rectangular spot last time around the door and it seemed to be missing something. Why not try inserting it? Besides, the door is to opening despite that we have already solved the puzzle," Maple said.

Maple leads us to the left side of the door and she points out a hollow rectangular shaped place on the door. It does look similar to the rectangular piece I am holding on. I slowly inserted the piece and before the whole piece can be inserted to the slot, a strong force forced the piece inside the slot. As soon as the piece entered the slot, the place started shaking.

"An Earthquake?!" I exclaimed.

"No! The door is opening!" Maple said as she pointed on the door that is slowly parting away.

Just then, a huge roar exploded in the area. It was like a roar of a newly awakened beast.