Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

We left the inn and headed towards the colosseum where the circus was being held.

“Honey, we’re going to be late! Can’t we just take a carriage?”

“Sigh. I’m sorry for making us leave late. But if we go to the platform now, there probably won’t be any carriages left. Let’s just run instead of talking!”

As we passed by a young couple, I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

Since many people were heading in the same direction as us, it seemed pointless to try to find a mode of transportation at this point.

“Lumia, let’s run a little faster… No! It’s better if you ride on my back.”

“Can’t I just lean against you instead?”

[Chaos sticks out her tongue and says that Lumia is cunning.]

“Sure, if you’re okay with it.”

Lumia eagerly opened her arms, and I picked her up in a princess carry and ran.

Thud!

‘My C-grade agility is really useful here.’

Fortunately, the colosseum was not far from the inn where we had dinner, so we could make it in time even if we ran.

The Colosseum.

Yes, the colossal colosseum looked like a miniature version of Rome’s Colosseum.

“Wow.”

I heard Lumia’s soft exclamation and thought to myself.

According to my limited knowledge, I remembered that the Colosseum in Rome could accommodate tens of thousands of people.

Although the colosseum where the circus was being held was not as large, it could easily accommodate at least a thousand people.

Buzzing.

“Darn! There are already so many people here, and we came early!”

“Dad! We won’t be able to get front-row seats! Hans was bragging about watching from the front yesterday…”

“I’m sorry, miss. It’s my fault.”

‘Wow, the circus is this popular? I thought it would start at dusk, but look at all these people.’

It was like a bustling marketplace, with humans, beastmen, elves, dwarves, and halflings all gathered, making a ruckus.

As I inwardly clicked my tongue, something happened.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the magnificent Dungeon City, thank you for coming to watch our Lightitia Circus performance today!”

A muscular hulk, shirtless, walked out from inside and shouted in a booming voice that reverberated throughout the colosseum.

“There are still two hours until the performance begins, so please maintain order so that everyone can enjoy the show!”

Oh. Is he going to kick out anyone who doesn’t listen?

The colosseum instantly became quiet.

We quietly stood in line, and when it was our turn to buy tickets, someone behind us whispered.

“Isn’t that Arar? What’s she doing here? Does she plan to commit a massacre?”

These damn pests keep popping up.

I felt Lumia’s body tremble slightly.

“Just cover your ears for a moment. Ignore those guys, and even if the circus troupe refuses to let us in, I’ll do my best to convince them. I’ll definitely get us in, even if I have to reveal my partial trait.”

I held her hand and looked into her eyes, then turned around to look behind me.

At that moment, the hulk who had been shouting and selling tickets pointed at the man who had shown hatred towards Lumia and shouted,

“Hey, you! You don’t deserve to watch our circus, so if you don’t want to get beaten and kicked out, you better disappear right now!”

“What? What’s going on? Why are you getting angry at an innocent person? Don’t you want to sell tickets?”

The hulk kept staring at the ruffian, who couldn’t stand the attention and ran away.

“Hmph! Get out of the way!”

Thud!

‘What a pathetic guy.’

In the meantime, the line had moved forward, and it was finally our turn.

I bowed to the hulk before buying the tickets.

“Oh, it’s not like I know Arar that well, but she doesn’t seems like the kind of person who would cause trouble, right?”

“Of course.”

“Still, I have to ask if there will be any problems. It’s an important issue for us, so we need your assurance before we can sell you the tickets.”

I assured him that there would be absolutely no problems, and if necessary, I would even put my bag up as collateral.

…

“Here are two tickets. Each ticket costs 20 silver coins, so the total is 40 silver coins!”

Fortunately, I didn’t have to put up my bag or provide any proof.

Although the tickets were a bit expensive, it was a small amount compared to my gold-tier funds, so I paid for Lumia’s ticket as well and received the tickets.

“Haha! Welcome to the Lightitia Circus, where you will experience a fun-filled performance! I dare say that you won’t regret your decision!”

.

.

.

The tickets only had the performance time and the circus troupe’s symbol printed on them.

So, as soon as we entered, we looked for seats, but…

As we looked around, the front seats were already taken, so we chose the best-looking seats in the middle and sat down.

“Phew, at least we got in. Now we just have to wait.”

‘I feel a bit empty. It’s only been a few days since I met Eira, but I’m already so attached to her. I guess cute things are more appealing?’

Lumia had strongly expressed her opinion that she wanted to go out just the two of us.

I had asked Yeriel to take care of Eira for a few days, and now I wondered if they were getting along.

As I thought about this, I stared blankly at the front, and Lumia looked at me and held my cheeks, making me look at her.

“Right now, just look at me and think of me… Is that okay?”

Lumia looked at me with fluttering eyes and wiggled her fingers, and I couldn’t help but nod.

We sat down and waited, watching the setting sun and the already-filled seats…

Finally, it was time for the performance to begin.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the magnificent Dungeon City, thank you for coming to watch our Lightitia Circus performance today!”

The emcee?

‘No, it’s not just an emcee. The atmosphere and aura he exudes are no joke. He must be the leader of the circus troupe.’

A middle-aged gentleman appeared in the center of the colosseum, capturing everyone’s attention and captivating the audience.

“Haha! I’m sure you didn’t come here to listen to me talk! I know that!”

Whoosh!

“Wow! Dad! That man is flying!”

“He’s using levitation magic so quickly and without chanting. Just as I heard, he’s incredible.”

The leader, with his mustache, flew in the air, surrounded by wind.

“Our performance may bring joy and happiness to some and serve as an opportunity for others to achieve even greater accomplishments!”

Although he wasn’t shouting, his voice carried to the very back of the colosseum, reaching even those sitting at the outermost seats.

Was this also magic? Was it the same type of magic I saw on the fourth floor?

“To all of you who have given us your precious time tonight, I promise to show you the best circus performance you’ve ever seen, one that you will never regret!”

He slowly raises his arm.

“The barrier magic and protective items have been thoroughly prepared, so please don’t worry about safety…”

The leader, who had taken off his silk hat and placed it on his head, strongly lowered his raised arm and declared,

“Now, let’s begin our Lightitia Circus – Sizaak!!!”

Boom!

Pew! Bang! Bang!

Whoosh!!!

“Medea! Medea!! I came all the way from Sector 7 to see you!!!”

“Kyaaah!! Asan oppa!! Please come out soon!!!”

“Damn, the bald twins! I love you guys!!!”

Whooaaahh!!!

A dazzling display of colorful lights, like fireworks, created by magic.

From the very beginning, the leader’s intense performance, which he declared at the start of the show, was met with loud applause and cheers from the audience.

I turned my head to look at Lumia.

Her face, which usually had a subdued gaze and expressionless smile, was now filled with anticipation.

Night had fallen, and the bright lights of the orbs floating above the Colosseum, or rather the Colosseum, drove away the darkness that had begun to envelop the area.

Thud. Thud.

“I’m, I’m scared!!!”

A child, seeing something coming from one side, cried and ran into his parents’ arms.

‘That’s a lion, isn’t it?’

The first act began with a lion that emerged from one of the Colosseum’s gates, its body engulfed in flames.

Yes, a lion with blazing eyes and a body on fire.

-Roooar!!!

As the lion roared, animals with flames all over their bodies, or even made entirely of fire, began to appear one by one and moved towards the center of the stage.

“Haha! Look closely at who’s opening the show!”

A beautiful woman in a leather jacket and red leotard, who had come out with the animals, captured everyone’s attention.

Crack!

The red-haired woman with a red whip cracked it forcefully.

-Meow!

-Wooo!

-Hiiing!!!

In response, the flaming animals began to show off their tricks, each moving around different parts of the stage.

“Wow!”

Led by the lion, all the animals spun in circles, forming a chain, and jumped high in the air, spinning and scattering sparks.

‘She’s an Elementalist! These aren’t just animals; they’re all fire elementals. It’s amazing that she can control so many elementals!’

“Everyone, get ready!”

Bang!!

The sound of the Elementalist’s whip cracking through the air.

As if waiting for the sound, the smaller animals, like cats, monkeys, and dogs, jumped onto the backs of larger animals like horses, lions, and elephants and shook their bodies playfully.

“So cute.”

As I watched the animals’ tricks with sparkling eyes, Lumia’s eyes lit up as well, and I felt my own excitement rise.

“Yes, the little ones are dancing so cutely!”

The audience erupted in cheers. The Elementalist smiled, raising her eyebrows, and pointed forward with her index finger, shouting,

“Flaming hoops!”

Whoosh!

Several flaming hoops appeared at different heights and remained suspended in the air.

“Let’s go!”

The Elementalist flicked her hair and whistled sharply, and the elementals began to run, each making their own unique sound.

Paba-bak!

“Jump!”

At her command, the elementals leaped high and passed through the hoops.

“Wow!!!”

“The cat is so cute!!!”

“How can an elephant jump so high with its huge body? It must be because it’s an elemental!”

The excited audience cheered. The first show wasn’t over yet, but…

“Now, it’s time for the finale! You know what to do, right? Elemental fusion!”

Fusion, fusion?

As soon as she finished speaking, all the elementals gathered in the center of the stage, with the largest one, the elephant, standing at the bottom, and the others climbing on top of it in size order.

Whooomm.

Whoosh!!!

-Kuwaaaah!!!

“Damn, they really fused into one!!!”

After a flash of light, the elementals combined to form a single shape, and I couldn’t help but exclaim.

‘A dragon? A dragon-like creature? It’s probably just the appearance.’

[Chaos says that it’s a spectacular sight, but don’t just throw around the term ‘dragon’ like that.]

“Damn, it’s a dragon!!! It’s so huge!!!”

“Oh, mom. Waaahh!”

“No matter how many times I see it, the level of elementalism is incredible!”

I wasn’t the only one surprised; everyone, whether they were seeing the performance for the first or second time, was buzzing with excitement.

“Now, for the grand finale, let’s make sure everyone remembers it! A powerful breath towards the sky!”

• Kuwooo!!!
•
The elemental fusion took the form of a dragon and turned its head at a right angle, imitating a real dragon’s breath by opening its mouth and breathing out a powerful gust.

Kwaaaahh!!!

The breath rose like a pillar of fire, turning the air above red.

After a few seconds, the breath stopped, and the fused elemental’s body flashed with light before splitting back into multiple elementals.

Comically, all the elementals were lying on the ground, exhausted from using up all their energy in that short time.

It could be seen as a weak ending, but… perhaps because the Elementalist and the elementals had made such a strong impression throughout the performance, the audience was captivated until the very end.

Clap, clap, clap!!!

“Wow!!!

“Shurika!!! Take me!!! Please!!!”

“Sister, you’re so sexy!!! I’m going crazy!!!”

The audience, young and old, clapped and cheered, filling the Colosseum with their voices.

The Elementalist thanked the elementals and summoned them back, then waved her arms and smiled brightly.

“That was fire Elementalist Shurika! The circus has just begun, so please enjoy the rest of the performances!”

Whoosh!!!

Shurika bowed and disappeared in a burst of flames.

“Wow. It’s beyond my imagination. I didn’t expect such elementalism right from the start. Maybe there will be high-level magic and martial arts later. I didn’t expect the level of the performances to be this high.”

“Yes. I’m glad I came. …I just want to say thank you for bringing me here and being by my side.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I just smiled awkwardly.

Boom!

The sound of drums filled the air as two figures slowly walked onto the stage.

‘Who will it be this time?’

The show has just begun.