Let's Train Heroine - Chapter 351

Chapter 351: Heroine in Vardant Labyrinth I
Maris stumbled through the dense, twisting forest, her feet sinking slightly into the soft earth beneath her boots. The air was thick, warm, and damp with the scent of fresh greenery, the sharp aroma of pine blending with the earthiness of rich, moist soil. The canopy above her was alive with the rustling of leaves, their deep emerald hues turning gold as they caught the light filtering through the thick foliage. But despite the beauty of the place, Maris couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at the back of her mind.

Her senses were on high alert, the sharp hum of the forest filling her ears. The trees, unlike anything she had seen before, seemed to grow with an unnatural precision, their trunks twisting and curling like living sculptures. The vines that wrapped around the thick trunks of these colossal trees didn’t just drape passively—they pulsated, as if breathing, shifting with every subtle breeze that passed.

Her pink hair fluttered in the wind as she looked around, trying to understand the strange world she had found herself in. The colors were too vibrant, the sounds too alive, the whole forest too aware. Her gaze lingered on the plants, wondering how they could be so alive, how they seemed to follow her every movement. It felt like the whole place was watching.

Maris had always trusted her instincts, and right now, they were telling her something was wrong.

She reached into the folds of her tunic and closed her fingers around the small gemstone embedded in her necklace. It glowed softly as she whispered an incantation, a flash of pink light surrounding her as the magic began to swirl.

Scan.

Scan is ability that use all of her mana to scan everything around. She used gemstone to use stored mana in the gemstone.

The world around her seemed to shift for a brief moment, like a curtain being pulled back. Her mind processed the information with precision.

The trees, the vines, even the insects that crawled along the forest floor, were all part of an intricate network of magic. But there was something more. She frowned, focusing her scan even further. The magic was contained within a barrier, a boundary that wasn’t immediately visible to the naked eye.

She was trapped.

Her heartbeat quickened. She hadn’t realized it before, but now it was clear. The forest wasn’t just a labyrinth—it was a box. A box that held her within its boundaries, its shifting vines and strange creatures nothing more than part of an elaborate trial. The realization made her filled with relief.

This means, she and Lucan didn’t get separated because of accident but because of trial. Aurelia told her that, trial could be life threating, and there was chance of dying but she trained her and everyone enough that they won’t die.

So, Lucan wasn’t in any danger, that thought made Maris relax. Now was time to understand what is trial.

Maris started walking again, standing in one area won’t help. She walked slowly.

The world around her was alive with an otherworldly hum. The deeper she ventured, the stranger the plants became. The leaves of the trees were not just green—they were tinged with hues of gold and deep purple. The vines grew in intricate spirals, their tendrils reaching toward the sky in strange patterns, twisting like they had a mind of their own. Even the air smelled different.

The longer Maris walked, the more she noticed the peculiar creatures inhabiting the labyrinth. A large, beetle-like insect scuttled by, its hard shell covered in vines, its legs sprouting leaves as it moved. In the trees, creatures that resembled birds flitted about, but their wings were made of delicate, glowing petals. She could hear the hum of their wings as they passed by, their bodies leaving streaks of light in the air.

Suddenly, the sound of something skittering across the ground caught her attention. She turned quickly, her hand instinctively reaching for the sword at her side. Her gaze fixed on the creature in front of her—a large, vine-covered spider, its body a tangled mess of twigs, leaves, and blossoms. It paused for a moment, locking eyes with her as if sizing her up, its eight legs twitching in the air.

Maris didn’t hesitate. She raised her hand, and a bolt of light shot from her fingers, striking the creature squarely in the center of its body. The blast of magic burned through the vine-like armor, sending the spider writhing in pain before it collapsed to the ground.

As it fell, Maris watched it with a mixture of caution and curiosity. Then she moved on, pushing through the thick underbrush. The further she traveled, the more the forest seemed to shift and change.

The trees around her began to twist, their trunks spiraling into strange shapes, the vines climbing higher and higher as though they were trying to escape the earth itself.

Soon, she found herself standing before a large clearing, a natural opening in the labyrinth that seemed untouched by the overgrowth of the forest. In the center of the clearing was a massive stone structure, its surface covered in moss and vines. The stone pillars rose high into the sky, their tops lost in the thick canopy above. But what drew her attention the most was the figure standing before the structure—a woman.

The woman emerged from the dense foliage, a stark contrast to the natural surroundings. She was human, though she seemed almost out of place in the vibrant world around her. Her attire was simple yet elegant—draped in a flowing green robe that clung to her slender form, the fabric light and soft, yet undeniably well-made. The green hue of her clothing blended with the labyrinth, but lacked the intricate, plant-like qualities of the vines and leaves that surrounded her, giving her a more refined and worldly appearance.

Her face was striking, with delicate, symmetrical features. Her skin was fair, almost porcelain, and contrasted sharply with the earthy green tones of the labyrinth. Dark, raven-black hair fell in soft waves down to her shoulders, framing her face and catching the faint light that filtered through the canopy above. Her eyes were an intense shade of deep brown, almost black.

Her lips were thin, with a natural pout that seemed to always carry a hint of displeasure, as though the world around her was beneath her notice. She stood tall with an air of authority.

She held herself, with perfect posture and an unyielding presence.

Despite the labyrinth’s natural vibrancy, she exuded a sense of isolation, almost as though she were untouched by the living world around her.