As I ascend the middle path, the corridor gradually transforms. The stone walls give way to crystalline surfaces that refract light in hypnotic patterns. The air grows thicker, carrying a metallic tang that coats my tongue. The floor inclines more steeply, forcing me to watch my footing as I navigate upward.

  My telekinetic senses remain extended, picking up increasing energy fluctuations ahead. Something more substantial than those bug creatures awaits me.

  The path opens into a vast chamber with a domed ceiling that ripples like liquid glass. Floating platforms of varying sizes hover throughout the space, connected by shimmering energy bridges that form and dissolve in rhythmic patterns. At the chamber's center, suspended above a pool of swirling mist, hangs a gleaming object, some kind of equipment, though I can't make out details from this distance.

  "Now we're talking," I mutter, eyeing the prize.

  My appreciation is cut short by a low, rumbling growl that seems to come from everywhere at once. The mist below begins to churn more violently, coalescing into a massive form that rises from the depths.

  A creature takes shape, its body composed of what looks like solid mist, translucent but somehow maintaining physical form. It resembles a large feline, about the size of a tiger, but with six legs and a head that splits into three separate jaws, each lined with teeth that appear to be made of pure energy. Its eyes glow with the same energy that forms the bridges between platforms.

  "Guard dog, huh?" I smirk, already gathering telekinetic energy. This looks more interesting than those bugs, but still nothing close to Crusher or Brute Force.

  The mist-creature lets out a multi-toned roar from its three jaws before launching itself toward me with shocking speed. I throw up a telekinetic barrier, expecting the impact to bounce off like the bug creatures.

  Instead, the beast slams into my shield with surprising force, its energy-teeth actually biting into the telekinetic field itself. It's not just physically attacking, it's somehow gnawing on the energy of my shield.

  "What the fuck?" I mutter as cracks spread through my telekinetic shield. This thing isn't just made of matter, it's partly composed of energy that can interact with my telekinesis directly.

  The shield shatters, and I barely dive aside as the creature lunges through the space where I stood. I roll onto one of the floating platforms, quickly reassessing what I'm dealing with.

  The creature stalks me across the interconnected platforms, its body rippling as it moves. I notice the energy bridges responding to its presence, strengthening when it crosses them. Whatever this thing is, it's connected to the chamber's energy systems.

  I try to catch it with my telekinesis like I did the bugs, but its body shimmers, somehow flowing past my grasp as it lunges again. I quickly gather my power, barely manage to push it aside with a crude telekinetic shove. The force disrupts its form momentarily, but it quickly reconstitutes, snarling from all three mouths.

  Damn it! It looks like standard telekinetic attacks won't work effectively against something partially composed of energy.

  "Okay, different approach," I mutter, focusing more intently.

  If it's made up of energy, then I just need to use my telekinesis to control that instead right?

  I need to go deeper, beyond manipulating matter at the atomic level. I've never tried to manipulate pure energy before, but somehow I don't think it's impossible for me to do.

  The creature leaps from one platform to another, stalking me, looking for an opening.

  I focus my telekinesis, trying to sense the energy patterns within the creature rather than just its physical form. It's like trying to grip water with your fingers, frustratingly difficult to get any purchase.

  I've manipulated atoms, molecules, even neural pathways, all forms of matter with energy running through them. This is just energy structured into matter-like form. Theoretically, I should be able to affect it.

  As the creature prepares another attack, I concentrate not on pushing it away but on feeling the energy patterns that give it structure. Like trying to see the individual threads in a tapestry while the whole thing is whipping in the wind.

  The creature leaps, and I don't have time to dodge. Instead, I reach out with my telekinesis in a new way, trying to disrupt the energy bonds holding its form together rather than affecting the form itself.

  My first attempt fails spectacularly. The creature crashes into me, sending us both tumbling across the platform. Its energy-teeth graze my arm, and I feel a burning sensation far worse than regular teeth would cause. I cry out, shoving it away with a desperate burst of telekinetic force.

  Blood trickles from the wound, but there's something else, a numbness spreading from the bite that suggests some kind of energy transfer. This thing isn't just dangerous physically.

  "Time to get serious," I growl, pushing through the pain to focus again.

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  The creature circles me, seeming to sense my vulnerability. I need to get this right or I'm not making it out of this chamber.

  I remember something Desta once mentioned about system interfaces, how she perceives patterns in energy flow rather than just the hardware conducting it. Maybe that's the key. Not trying to grab the energy directly, but identifying and disrupting the patterns it follows.

  As the creature charges again, I remain still, focusing all my concentration on perceiving the energy flows within it. For a split second, I see it, not with my eyes but with my telekinetic senses. Swirling patterns of energy, currents and eddies forming a cohesive whole, like a river flowing in the shape of a predator.

  At the last possible moment, I thrust my hand forward, telekinesis aimed not at the creature's body but at a crucial junction point in its energy flow—like sticking a branch into a fast-moving stream to create turbulence.

  The effect is immediate and dramatic. The creature's form destabilizes, its three heads roaring in what sounds like pain as ripples of disruption cascade through its energy structure. It backs away, its previously graceful movements now jerky and uncoordinated.

  "Found your weakness," I say through gritted teeth, the numbness in my arm making it harder to maintain concentration.

  The creature seems to realize it's vulnerable. In a desperate move, it dissolves its form entirely, splitting into three smaller versions of itself, each with a single head but all with the same energy patterns.

  "Not making this easy, are you?" I mutter, watching as they coordinate to surround me.

  This time, I'm ready. As the first mini-creature attacks, I focus on its energy pattern, creating a counter-flow with my telekinesis that disrupts its structure. The creature writhes in mid-air, its form wavering before it dissolves into harmless particles.

  The second and third attack simultaneously from different angles. I drop to the platform and extend my telekinesis in a dome around me, not as a solid shield but as a disrupting field targeted specifically at their energy patterns.

  The creatures hit the field and immediately begin to destabilize. They struggle to maintain cohesion, their forms flickering like bad holograms. I push harder, ignoring the increasing strain behind my eyes and the throbbing pain in my arm.

  Finally, with a sound like electrical discharge, both creatures disperse into scattered energy that quickly fades away.

  I remain kneeling on the platform, breathing heavily. That was more difficult than I expected. Either I'm in a more advanced section than I realized, or the Labyrinth is testing me specifically.

  A chime sounds as the floating platforms stabilize, forming a direct path to the suspended object at the center.

  I approach cautiously, alert for additional traps, but it seems the mist-creature was the chamber's only guardian. The prize comes into clear view, a pair of sleek, metallic gloves floating in a containment field. Pulsing with energy that resonates with my own telekinetic signature.

  A holographic description materializes beside them:

  KINETIC AMPLIFIER GAUNTLETS

  Enhancement: 30% increased telekinetic power output

  Precision: 15% improved molecular manipulation accuracy

  Special: Neural pathway optimization interface

  Rank: Uncommon

  "Now we're talking," I say, reaching for the gloves. As my hands break the containment field, the gauntlets react immediately, the metal seeming to liquify and flow over my skin. I instinctively try to pull back, but the process is already underway.

  "What the fuck?" I mutter as the metallic substance spreads across my hands and wrists, conforming perfectly to every contour and joint. For a moment, panic rises in my chest, is this a trap rather than a reward?

  But the sensation isn't painful. It's more like being fitted with a second skin, one that hums with subtle energy that synchronizes with my own telekinetic signature. The metal shifts from a liquid state to a seemingly solid form, though it moves fluidly with my hands as if it weighs nothing at all.

  Intricate circuitry patterns emerge on the surface, glowing faintly before settling into a dormant state that makes the gauntlets appear almost like ordinary gloves, albeit ones made of some kind of advanced metallic alloy.

  "OH WOW!" Zix'ilit's squeal is so high-pitched I wince. "That was amazing! You figured out how to mess with its energy pattern super fast! Most people take forever to learn stuff like that!"

  I flex my fingers, feeling the gauntlets respond to my movements. "These gauntlets are something else. I can actually feel the effect they’re having."

  "Those are awesome gloves!" Zix'ilit agrees. "That 30% boost is gonna make a huge difference! And that thing where they help with neural pathways? Perfect for that team-building idea we talked about!"

  He pauses briefly. "The way you figured out that energy trick was super cool. Lots of nasty things in the Arena use energy instead of having normal bodies. Regular pushing and pulling doesn't work on them! Keep going! Good luck!"

  With that I can feel the connection fade again.

  Testing my new gloves’ effect, I reach out telekinetically toward a piece of crystal debris left from the battle. The response is immediate and dramatic, the debris leaps across the chamber with far more force than I intended, shattering against the far wall.

  "Shit," I whisper, genuinely impressed. "Thirty percent is a serious upgrade."

  I try again with more precision, focusing on molecular manipulation this time. The accuracy improvement is subtle but noticeable, I'm able to affect smaller components with greater control, something that would be invaluable for the neural repair work Zix'ilit mentioned.

  The neural pathway optimization interface is particularly intriguing. A heads-up display briefly flashes in my vision, showing a simplified diagram of telekinetic energy flowing through my neural pathways. The gauntlets seem capable of analyzing and enhancing these flows, potentially allowing for more efficient and powerful telekinetic application.

  I turn my hands over, examining my new equipment. The gauntlets have fully integrated with my skin, you'd barely notice them except for the slight metallic sheen and occasional pulse of energy along the circuit patterns. They don't feel like something I'm wearing; they feel like an extension of myself.

  "This is definitely worth the trip," I murmur, already thinking of how this enhancement will play out in my next arena match. A thirty percent power boost would have made my victory against Crusher much easier.

  As I admire the gauntlets, a new path opens at the far side of the chamber, leading deeper into the Labyrinth.

  With renewed determination and significantly enhanced capability, I head toward the next opening. Team Exodus needs every advantage we can get, and the Labyrinth of Shifting Paths seems ready to provide, for those strong enough to claim its treasures.