Only I Am A Reader-Chapter 594: The Elusive Newbie

The Thorn Queen's third sabotage attempt was an even greater disappointment, almost making her fume at the ears.

'This couldn't be happening!'

This time, she didn't even bother activating it stealthily. Instead, she instructed the Thorn Sword to step on it as if she did so by mistake.

This way, even if something happened, they could protest that no one would put themselves in danger in order to harm others. At least, not 'Great' Heroes like them!

"Careful!"

Yvonne even instructed her sisters not to react instantly, escaping just at the last instant. That was just how determined she was to break the status quo.

Even the trap itself served Yvonne's purpose. Once it was activated, the walls on both sides were almost instantly pistoned towards each other.

Furthermore, the walls shone in ominous yellow light, indicating that their subpar durability was strengthened by some sort of barrier.

As things were, this was the closest trap to perfection when it came to serving the Thorn Trio's purpose. However…

"Phew."

Shooting vines from their palms into the walls of the next corridor, they shrank them forward, using that as a propelling force to yank themselves forward.

Having been a close call for even them, Yvonne expected to see some damage once she turned around, only to see Aurora and Kara standing right behind them, looking in even better shape.

"This was a close one."

The Thorn Queen questioned what happened, but upon receiving feedback from her perceptive roots, she only ended up more perplexed.

The moment the trap was activated, another starry curtain appeared under the duo's feet, sticking to their shoes and propelling the two forward like a treadmill.

Only, its movement was instantaneous enough to escape the crashing walls.

Just what kind of Ability was that versatile?!

'Is this… A trap?'

For the very first time, the Thorn Queen started questioning the sweet opportunity that they had been given.

Could it be that the higher-ups were colluding with this so-called newbie to scheme her and her sisters to death?

'It still doesn't make sense.'

Of course, she quickly denied that possibility. If they wanted them dead, the higher-ups would have definitely been more straightforward with their actions. Something just wasn't right.

'Just where did this creepy b*tch pop up from?'

The only plausible explanation was the one she thought of first, yet it was also the one that made the least sense at the same time.

Since she was inserted into the team by him, this supposed newbie had to be the Hero Association Director's pawn, personally assigned by him to protect Aurora!

'That geezer, he is really something.'

To have a powerful hidden card like this, Yvonne couldn't fathom the depth of the Director's planning.

After all, the higher-ups practically controlled every single Hero of Star Pupils' caliber.

Not all of them were their direct subordinates, but using various means, the rest were still tricked into doing the higher-ups' bidding all the time.

There were also those who were like Yvonne and her sisters before they accepted this assignment. Powerful yet dormant Superhumans.

However, the only reason the higher-ups tolerated their existence was precisely that they chose to stay dormant.

If one of them involved themselves in something big like Star Pupils was doing, they would have silently disappeared from Enigma City.

'There has to be a way we can bypass her.'

Unconsciously, the Thorn Queen was already starting to feel some fear towards the elusive newbie.

Unlike what could be seen at first glance, it wasn't just the case that her Abilities happened to be the perfect counter to the traps they encountered; Kara's reaction speed was the real clue to her actual level.

According to Yvonne's calculations, Kara's Ability level definitely matched her own.

Whatever the true nature of her star-studded barriers was, it at least had to be a mid-tier Peak Ability!

Thankfully, the Thorn Queen's next opportunity came very quickly.

"It's a dead-end."

For its maze-like structure, this Gate was actually very unmaze-like. There had been no forked paths, only direct turns.

The only thing that had been slightly reminiscent of a maze was the signature trigger traps, but now, things finally started getting confusing.

Since there had been no forked paths until now, they naturally couldn't have taken a wrong turn, which meant that there had to be a way to push forward.

"Let's just forcefully break through."

All of a sudden, eight long vines sprouted out of Yvonne's back. Like an octopus, she immediately tore apart the wall standing in front of them.

Mooooo!

In that same instant, several loud cow-like cries could be heard, as a hulking creature rushed through the broken wall!

Barely managing to react, thorny vines flew out of her soles, allowing her an instant retreat as she held back the monster by extending her octuple tentacles.

With the head of a raging bull, the torso of a giant man, and furred legs that ended with menacing hooves, the creature stood three meters tall, its horns almost touching the ceiling.

"Wow, a Minotaur, this really is a Labyrinth."

Accompanying Kara's verbal reaction, Aurora finally stepped forward.

Splattt!

Just by extending her light-shrouded fist towards its abdomen, the Minotaur's body instantly exploded.

However, before the Thorn Trio could be bewildered by Aurora's astonishing feat, the crushed wall revealed the existence of four more ready-to-attack Minotaurs.

That being said, unlike the first victim, they didn't rush into the tight corridor. Instead, they stood in place, each blocking part of the path forward.

The revealed room was actually five times as big as the original corridor, but each Minotaur could block a whole corridor-worth of passage, leaving only one opening at the far right, created by the foolish Minotaur that chose to rush forward.

'This is it!'

Understanding the structure of the Labyrinth's retaliation for breaking walls at first glance, the Thorn Queen rushed forward.

This was just an unproven assumption of hers. It didn't matter if it was wrong, but if it was right, then she had just found the breakthrough she had been looking for!

Making use of the sole opening, Yvonne didn't bother engaging the other Minotaurs as her vines propelled her to the wall at the end of the room.

However, before she could set her grand plan in motion…

"Stop right there."

Once again, the traumatizing starry night curtain stood in her path.