Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, Far Side, Sakura Labyrinth - 2030 AD
With the heavy realisation that the adjacent set of floors belongs to the Champion of Life, Kang Yaling, I continue staring at the screen in silence.
The Funnels keep exploring the labyrinth-like tunnels, mapping the layout, and searching for the stairs leading to the next floor.
Meanwhile, Nero, who heard me mutter the name Mementos, tilts her head slightly beside me, green eyes fixed on the feed and asks, "You recognise this place, my Praetor? How are you so sure it belongs to Kang Yaling?"
I nod once, eyes narrowing and reply, "Yes, I do. There are a few differences, but overall, that floor is a spitting copy of the Mementos. And among the remaining Champions, Kang Yaling is the only one who would use it as a blueprint to create her floors."
There's a brief pause, then I exhale slowly as the words settle heavily in the air.
For a moment, neither of us speaks, but then the realisation clicks into place as I add, "... This isn't natural."
Nero glances at me, now her gaze more wary and her posture ready to react as she simply says, "Explain."
I bring up the interface showing the map of our floors again while also highlighting our position relative to the surrounding floors and say, "Considering the fact that there is only one set of stairs, it is easy to deduce that we're near the edge of the Sakura Labyrinth. And yet, one of the few remaining Champions is directly connected to us."
I shake my head, "The odds of that happening by chance are way too low. Around fourteen per cent, give or take."
Nero's expression sharpens as she also realises what I'm implying and says, "So someone arranged it."
Hearing that, I nod and exhale, "... Yeah. This is the only logical conclusion. Especially considering that the one likely behind this already made her intentions very clear."
Then a faint, wry smile pulls at my lips, though there's no humour in it as I conclude, "BB."
Of course, it would be her. Forcing encounters. Accelerating the endgame. Removing any room to stall. She or the one behind her clearly wants this to happen.
Nero turns her attention back to the screen, and after a moment she comments, "... It feels unpleasant."
I glance at her as she continues, "The atmosphere. It is... distorted. Completely different from the other floors I have seen until now. As if the space itself resents our presence."
I nod slowly and say, "That's part of what Mementos is. It seems that Kang Yaling was able to perfectly recreate even that aspect and a few little nuances. It's very impressive."
She looks at me again, waiting, so I explain while gesturing lightly toward the feed, "It's from a game. Persona 5. The Mementos, also known as the Prison of Sloth, the Prison of Regression or the Prison of Acedia, is basically the incarnation of the collective unconscious of humanity. A place where distorted desires take form."
I pause briefly, watching as one of the tunnels shifts almost imperceptibly and continue, "It's supposed to be endless. A constantly changing labyrinth filled with Shadows, which are the manifestations of people's inner darkness."
Hearing that, Nero's gaze sharpens slightly as she asks, "... And this version?"
I narrow my eyes, looking at the feed for a moment longer before I reply, "It's somewhat worse. There's clearly something off about it. Something more… aggressive. Less passive. More… predatory. This feels like a weaponised version of the Mementos. As if it's not just reflecting minds... but hunting them down."
A sudden mechanical voice interrupts our discussion, cutting through the air.
[Elimination confirmed. Master Eryndor Hale has been eliminated.]
I freeze for half a second, then my expression hardens as I comment, "... That was fast. Too fast."
Nero folds her arms and agrees, "Indeed."
I run the numbers in my head instinctively before I mutter, "That kind of speed... There's no way a normal Master can do that."
Which leaves only one option, "... The other Champions are already making their moves."
Nero nods once before she calmly says, "And if they are, then remaining still would be unwise."
I glance at her as she continues, "They could form an alliance. Even temporarily. And if they do..."
She doesn't need to end her sentence; the meaning is very clear. We'd be the target.
I exhale slowly and admit, "Yes. You're right." While thinking at the same time, 'At this point, waiting isn't cautious nor strategically valid. It's a grave risk. This is no longer the time to be passive.'
Coming to that conclusion, I close the interface and say, "We move."
Nero smiles immediately and exclaims, "Umu! Finally."
Of course, she would be happy about that. Nero is a woman of action and passion; being passive and restrained is her very antithesis.
After making that decision, we don't waste another second and leave the Sanctuary Floor using the secret passage that allows us to avoid the endless staircase.
The transition is quick as we move through the buffer floors, then toward the staircase leading into Yaling's territory.
The moment we step onto the first floor, the air changes; it is much heavier and thicker.
Like something is pressing down on us from all directions, making Nero dryly mutter, "How charming."
I reply, "Get used to it. This is only going to get worse."
We move forward immediately, following the route already mapped by the Funnels.
At first, everything is quiet, too quiet, but then they appear.
Figures step out from the shadows of the tunnels; they are humanoid. Standing still, watching with masks covering their faces.
For a brief moment, they don't move, but then they tear the masks off, and the illusion breaks revealing their true nature making me quietly say, "Those look like... Demons."
Many of the Demons standing in front of us are amorphous and resemble a blob or a ghost-like figure, with a large, bulbous head that tapers down into flowing, draped appendages that spread outwards at the base, giving it a somewhat tentacled appearance.
Their primary colour is a deep, swampy green, with noticeable splotches of a yellowish-brown, earthy pigment scattered across its surface, suggesting age, decay, and very likely contamination.
The most striking features are their eyes and mouths. They possess two large, intensely glowing pinkish-red orbs for eyes, which are positioned wide apart and convey a sense of alarm, rage, and madness.
Below the eyes, there is a dark, gaping maw, which is open in what appears to be a silent roar.
The interior of the mouth is a deep, dark void, emphasising its emptiness and predatory nature.
Those are the Slimes, but not the cute Rimuru-like kind, the more frightening ones.
(Image Here - Slimes)
Together with the slimes, there are also smaller Demons that have a large, round head topped with a fringe of spiky, purple hair that extends down their back.
Their face is dominated by a wide, open mouth filled with sharp, white, pointed teeth. Their eyes can't be clearly seen as they are covered by the hair.
These Demons have a somewhat humanoid, yet alien, body structure with a smooth, orange torso and limbs.
On their chest and on the palm of their outstretched hands, there are circular, metallic-looking details with a spiral pattern.
These are the Obariyon.
(Image Here - Obariyon)
Lastly, there is one humanoid figure with turquoise skin and a striking copper helmet that resembles a welder's mask, complete with glowing blue ocular lenses and rivets.
The Demon is clad in a dark, practical apron with a white geometric pattern overlaying a grey base, and it wears black leather gloves and armbands.
Accentuating its attire are copper accents on its shoulders, reminiscent of armour plating, and thick-soled brown boots with strap details.
In its right hand, the Demon firmly grips a pair of black metal tongs, and it holds a heavy, dark grey hammer in its left.
It is the Demon known as Ippon-Datara.
(Image Here - Ippon-Datara)
Then even more shapes emerge behind them.
I narrow my eyes as I realise, "These aren't constructs created in their image..."
I can clearly feel it, the presence, the power, making me conclude, "They're real Demons."
Nero shifts her stance slightly, hand moving to her sword as she asks, "Did Kang Yaling summon them?"
I shake my head and reply, "Not exactly. More like… brought into existence."
A possible combination clicks in my mind as I mutter, "Persona abilities… and the Concept of Life. That would do it. That would absolutely do it."
We don't have time to further discuss as they attack and we respond in kind.
The first wave comes fast but unrefined.
Slimes lunge forward in uneven motions, their amorphous bodies stretching and snapping back as they try to engulf us. Obariyon follow close behind, their movements erratic but aggressive, claws swiping wildly.
Nero steps forward before I do.
A flash of red and gold cuts through the dim tunnels as Aestus Estus arcs in a clean horizontal line. The blade slices through the first Slime, splitting it apart in a single motion. There's no resistance, just a wet sound as the body collapses in on itself.
She pivots immediately, no pause, no hesitation.
Another strike, then another.
Each swing is precise, controlled, almost elegant. She doesn't waste energy on unnecessary flourishes, but there's still a natural grace in the way she moves. Every Demon that comes within her reach is cut down before it can properly react.
Meanwhile, I hang just a step behind.
A Slime reforms too quickly from Nero's strike, its mass writhing as it tries to pull itself back together.
I raise a hand and cast, "Sagitta Magica, Series Glacialis."
Pale blue arrows form instantly in the air around me, then fire in unison.
They pierce through the Slime mid-regeneration, freezing it from the inside out. The body locks, cracks, then shatters as Nero's follow-up strike cleaves through the frozen mass without effort.
I calmly warn her, "Right."
She shifts without question.
An Obariyon lunges from the blind spot, but Nero turns just enough to intercept it. Her blade thrusts forward, straight through its open mouth, and the creature drops limp before it even registers what happened.
At first, it's simple.
The weaker Demons fall quickly with clean, efficient strikes. No wasted movement.
We move as one without needing to say much. Nero handles anything that comes close. I erase whatever tries to exploit range, resistance, or numbers.
We don't push, nor do we overextend. We conserve energy because this isn't the real fight. This is just the path leading to it.
But Kang Yaling's Mementos adapts, and more shapes emerge from the tunnels ahead, then from the sides, then from behind.
The next wave doesn't rush blindly, but they spread out, forming a loose encirclement. Slimes advance as a front line while Obariyon hang back, waiting for openings.
I mutter, "Trying to coordinate now."
Nero smirks faintly, "How thoughtful of them."
They come in at once. Three Slimes surge forward, their bodies stretching wide to block movement. At the same time, two Obariyon dart in low, aiming for Nero's legs.
She doesn't retreat.
Her foot shifts, stance lowering just slightly, and her sword blurs.
A downward slash splits the first Slime. A reverse cut catches the second mid-lunge. Then she steps through the collapsing bodies, bringing her blade down in a precise vertical strike that cleaves the third cleanly in half.
The Obariyon reach her a fraction of a second later, but it is too late.
I move my hand slightly, "Sagitta Magica, Series Fulminis."
Golden arcs of electricity fire past Nero, threading through the narrow gaps of her movements with perfect timing. The arrows strike both Obariyon at once, electricity bursting across their bodies and locking them in place before they can land a hit.
Nero finishes them with a single sweep.
We continue to advance.
As we do, the numbers increase, so does their strength and variety.
More Demons pour into the tunnels, some larger, some faster, some clearly resistant to what worked moments ago.
A Rangda repels Nero's strike and lashes back immediately.
I react without thinking, "Sagitta Magica, Series Glacialis."
Another Demon is then frozen and shattered by the combination of my magic with Nero's strikes.
Another Demon, much larger and denser, pushes through the shattered remains unfazed, making me note, "Physical resistance"
Nero doesn't even look at it and says, "Then remove it."
I nod and cast, "Sagitta Magica, Series Obscuri."
Dark arrows form, heavier, slower, but denser. They strike the Demon and sink into it without resistance. For a brief moment, nothing happens, then its body distorts, and it collapses inward, as if crushed by something unseen, before dissolving into nothing.
We keep moving, but they come in waves now, coordinated, relentless.
Groups rotate in and out, some attacking head-on while others try to flank. The tunnels echo with movement, the sound of claws scraping against stone, the low, distorted noises of the Demons closing in.
It's not enough to stop us, but it's enough to slow us down.
Nero cuts a path forward, her sword never stopping, each strike flowing into the next. I support from just behind, adjusting elements on the fly, exploiting every weakness I recognise.
Step by step, we carve through them. Not rushing. Not wasting strength. Just steadily advancing because this isn't the real fight, and we both know it.
By the time we reach the staircase room, I can feel the pressure building.
Waiting for us is something larger, heavier, and much stronger than any other Demon we faced until now.
A massive form shifts in the darkness.
It is a grotesque monster with its mouth wide open. The Demon is predominantly bright green, with a slimy, viscous skin. Its eyes are small, round, and glowing yellow with black pupils, set deep within wrinkled green sockets.
The most striking feature is the Demon's cavernous mouth, a void of deep, glossy red. Inside, a prominent, fleshy, bright red tongue curves upwards, appearing almost heart-shaped in its resting position. Above the tongue, the roof of the mouth is lined with ridged, fleshy tissue in varying shades of red, with a single, large, droplet-shaped blob of red fluid hanging precariously from the centre.
The Demon's teeth are a stark white, sharp, and pointed, with some appearing slightly irregular. They are large and numerous, lining both the upper and lower jaws, emphasising the predatory nature of the Demon. The gums are a dark red, contrasting with the white teeth.
On the lower left and right sides of the frame, the Demon's green, clawed hands are visible, reaching out slightly. The fingers are long and slender, ending in sharp, white claws.
Looking at the massive demon in front of us, I mutter, "Abaddon, the Abyssal King of Avarice."
(Image Here - Abaddon)
Nero gags faintly before she comments, "Urgh... This is nauseating. I've seen quite a few nasty creatures, but this one is truly disgusting."
Hearing that, I let out a chuckle and say, "Be glad we didn't encounter Mara of the Buddhist myth. It's appaerance is truly worthy of his title, 'The Evil One'. It's truly devious."
The fight starts the moment Abaddon moves, and for something so massive, it's fast.
Its body surges forward in a sudden lurch, that cavernous mouth opening wider as a low, wet sound echoes through the chamber. The air shifts with it, thick and foul, carrying a pressure that feels almost physical.
Nero reacts instantly as she steps in, not back, Aestus Estus cutting upward in a clean, decisive arc aimed straight for its centre mass.
The blade connects, and then the wound closes.
No, not just closes, it pulls.
The flesh ripples unnaturally, drawing the energy of the strike into itself. The already grotesque body swells slightly, the surface glistening as if fed by the attack rather than harmed by it.
Nero clicks her tongue and disengages in a single smooth motion, "How irritating."
I mutter, already moving, "Yup. I forgot to warn you. Physical and ranged attacks feed it. Don't bother."
Abaddon doesn't give us time to adjust.
Its arm lashes out, claws sweeping across the space where Nero stood a moment ago. The impact against the ground cracks the stone, sending fragments outward.
At the same time, its mouth distorts further as a pulse builds inside.
Seeing that, I say, "Move!"
We split instantly, and the next moment, a thick stream of viscous, red-black fluid erupts from its mouth, crashing into the space between us. Where it lands, the ground hisses and melts, the stone dissolving into something closer to sludge.
Not just brute force, then, but also area denial.
Nero then notes, already circling to the side, "Persistent too."
I comment, "Of course it is."
Abaddon turns, tracking both of us at once. Despite its size, its movements aren't clumsy. There's intent behind them and, more importantly, hunger.
Nero moves first again.
This time, instead of striking directly, she channels energy into her blade. Flames ignite along Aestus Estus, spreading across its length in a controlled, roaring layer of crimson fire.
The temperature in the room spikes immediately.
Without breaking stride, she closes the distance and cuts.
The flaming blade bites into Abaddon's side, and this time, the reaction is different.
The flesh recoils violently. A harsh, distorted sound tears out of the Demon as the fire spreads across the wound, resisting the regenerative pull that consumed the earlier strike.
Seeing that, I say, "Good."
Then, I raise my hand and chant, "Sagitta Magica, Series Glacialis."
A volley of ice arrows forms and fires in rapid succession, striking the same area Nero just opened. The sudden drop in temperature clashes with the flames, freezing the unstable flesh mid-reaction.
For a brief moment, the regeneration stalls and cracks spread across its surface, but Abaddon doesn't stay passive.
Its body convulses, then expands outward in a violent surge. The frozen sections shatter as it forces itself free, the mass rippling as it stabilises again.
I click my tongue and mutter, "Tch. Not enough."
Nero replies, already moving again, "It will be."
Abaddon retaliates immediately.
Its massive form slams downward, both claws striking the ground in a crushing impact. The force travels through the floor, sending a shockwave outward.
I jump back, narrowly avoiding the worst of it, while Nero slips through the edge of the impact zone with precise footwork.
The moment the shockwave passes, she's already inside its reach again.
Another strike, then another. Each one is infused with fire. Each one carving deeper than the last.
The Demon tries to adapt, its body shifting to absorb the blows, but the elemental damage disrupts the process just enough to keep it from stabilising fully.
That's the opening we need, and I take advantage of it by casting, "Sagitta Magica, Series Ventus."
A new volley fires, this time striking its upper body and forcing its mass to tilt, just slightly.
Just enough.
Nero's eyes narrow before she steps in, adjusts her stance, and delivers a single, decisive strike straight into the distorted centre of its body.
The blade sinks deep.
Flames erupt from the point of impact, spreading rapidly across its form.
I don't give it time to recover, "Sagitta Magica, Series Glacialis."
Another volley hits, freezing the burning sections instantly.
Heat and cold collide, making the unstable mass lock in place.
For a fraction of a second, Abaddon stops moving entirely.
Then I snap my fingers, "Now."
Nero pulls her blade free and follows through with a final, clean cut.
The frozen structure fractures.
Cracks spread rapidly across its entire body, the internal instability reaching a breaking point, and then it collapses.
The massive form caves in on itself, splitting apart into chunks that dissolve before they even hit the ground.
Silence returns just as quickly as the fight ended.
Controlled, decisive, but not effortless, as we had to put a bit more effort into putting this demon down.
I exhale slowly, lowering my hand as the last traces of magic fade, "Yeah... definitely not something you brute force."
Nero flicks her blade once, dispersing the remaining flames before resting it at her side, "A distasteful opponent."
Then, as the remains of Abaddon fully disappear, the mechanical voice of the Sakura Labyrinth returns.
[Elimination confirmed. Master Kael Durn has been eliminated.]
I click my tongue softly as I keep the count, "... Five left." While thinking, 'Including us. Which means three Champions. The margin is closing fast. At this pace, all the other Masters are going to die very quickly, which leaves only the Champions. At that point, this Holy Grail War will escalate even more.'
While thinking that, we descend the stairs leading to the next floor.
The second floor greets us with a tighter, more complex structure; the tunnels twist more sharply and dead ends appear more frequently.
And the Demons are much stronger too. A hell of a lot stronger.
Still, we keep moving, because I know them. Every resistance. Every weakness. Years of playing those games are suddenly paying off in the most absurd way possible.
After obliterating yet another swarm of Demons, I say, "Left."
Nero doesn't question it.
We cut through the maze efficiently, avoiding unnecessary fights, exploiting openings.
The Funnels help a lot in that, mapping ahead, removing guesswork. Thanks to them, progress is steady, controlled.
The staircase room appears again.
This time, the guardian is different.
The Demon looks like a mythical creature, resembling a dragon with a distinct metallic, armoured appearance.
The Demon has a sleek, predatory posture, with its body bent, coiled, ready to pounce on its prey.
Its head is like a skull mask but elongated and sharp, with a crest of thin, layered black structures extending backwards from its crown.
Its body is covered in overlapping metallic plates that alternate between shades of dark grey and a brighter, polished silver or chrome.
This plating creates a segmented, articulated look, particularly along its limbs, neck, and tail. The joints of the limbs are clearly defined with protruding circular or spherical components.
Prominent features include a pair of wing-like structures on its back. These are not feathered but appear to be made of thin, layered metallic material, fanning out like elaborate fans.
The main body of the Demon has a singular, circular feature on its torso, a metallic emblem with a red, glowing centre surrounded by a gold ring.
The limbs are slender but appear strong, ending in sharp, clawed digits. The tail is long, slender, and prehensile, coiling around the lower part of its body, also covered in segmented metallic plates.
Watching the Demon standing in front of us, I hold back a curse and mutter, "Fafnir."
(Image Here - Fafnir)
I already know the problem quite well. Physical attacks? Reflected. Ranged attacks? Same. Fire Element? Absorbed and used to heal itself. Electric Element? Resisted.
I glance at Nero and realise that the demonic dragon is a perfect counter for her and say, "Yup. This one's mine."
She huffs lightly, not questioning my decision, "Do not take too long."
I reply, "I don't have any intention to."
Then I quickly move, stopping right in front of Fafnir, raise a hand and start chanting, "To sumbolaion diakonêtô Moi, hê krystallinê basileia. Epigenêthêtô, taiônion erebos, haiônie krystalle. (Let the covenant serve me, the crystal realms! Be reborn, thou ribbon of irritation, thou everlasting crystal.)"
As soon as the "everlasting crystal" part is spoken, the area around me becomes frozen solid, and Fafnir's figure is instantly encased, immobile in pillars and spikes of ice.
My spell doesn't end here as I continue to chant, "Pāsais zôais ton ison thanaton, hos ataraxia, Kosmikê Katastrophê!! (To all life, is equal in death, which is unrest! Cosmic Catastrophe!!)"
With the final passage, "Kosmikê Katatrophê", the target is completely frozen with the temperature of the ice reaching the level of absolute zero.
Then I snap my fingers and command, "Brich...! (Break...!)"
The next instant, the frozen Fafnir is shattered into fine pieces, completely obliterated by one of the strongest ice spells at my disposal.
After that, we don't waste any time and move on, but the moment we step onto the next floor, we find ourselves face to face with another Abaddon, but just like before, we easily take it out.
However, the next moment, the mechanical voice of the Sakura Labyrinth returns.
[Elimination confirmed. Master Liora Vance has been eliminated.]
In response to the announcement, Nero mutters "Four..."
I nod once, and we both understand that there's no time left to waste.
We accelerate.
This floor is different from the previous one, much simpler, less dense, and the Demons are weaker again.
I exhale quietly as I realise, "This is the structure of a buffer floor."
Nero nods and agrees, "Indeed, its purpose is to delay invaders."
We don't waste more time in pointless discussion and continue to advance as the Funnels make everything easier by scouting ahead.
We cut through them quickly, no hesitation, no wasted motion, and within minutes, we reach the final staircase and stop.
There's no one here, no presence, no pressure, no sign of Kang Yaling or her Servant.
I frown and comment, "As expected, she's not here."
Nero's expression sharpens as she says, "She moved first. She is quite decisive."
After that, we descend immediately, heading toward the next set of floors, but the moment we arrive, everything changes.
The floor is ruined.
The moment we step through, the difference is immediate.
The air itself feels wrong, thick with dust and something sharper, like the lingering edge of power that hasn't fully faded. It presses against the senses in a way that makes it clear this place wasn't meant to look like this.
Cracks run across every surface.
Not small fractures, but deep, jagged splits that tear through the ground and walls alike, spreading outward like a shattered mirror. Some are wide enough to swallow a person whole, descending into darkness with no visible end.
The tunnels are barely recognisable.
Sections of the labyrinth have collapsed entirely, the once uniform pathways twisted into uneven, broken stretches of stone. Walls that should be smooth and enclosed are blown open, exposing layers beneath that were never meant to be seen.
And even those are breaking apart.
Chunks of the ceiling hang at unnatural angles, suspended for no clear reason, as if gravity itself has been interrupted and forgotten to resume. Others fall in slow, delayed intervals, crashing into the ground with dull, heavy impacts that echo far longer than they should.
I slow my steps slightly, eyes scanning the surroundings, "This wasn't a fight."
The words come out quieter than expected.
Because this doesn't feel like the aftermath of a battle.
There are no signs of resistance, no traces of drawn-out conflict, only absence.
Nero steps forward beside me, her gaze sweeping across the devastation, sharp and calculating, "This was a purge."
I nod as that's the only word that fits.
We move further in, and the deeper we go, the worse it becomes.
Entire sections of the floor are missing, replaced by yawning gaps where the labyrinth simply ends. The edges of these voids flicker faintly, strands of pale light weaving across them in unstable patterns.
The Sakura Labyrinth is trying to repair the damage and failing.
I can see it now.
Thin lines of energy stretch across the cracks like hastily applied stitches, pulling fragments of the structure back into place. For a moment, they hold. Stone grinds against stone, the space attempting to realign itself.
Then it slips, and the connection fractures again, the pieces drifting apart as if rejecting the correction.
I mutter, "It can't keep up."
Nero doesn't look surprised, "The damage exceeds its capacity to restore."
Another section of the ceiling collapses somewhere in the distance.
The sound doesn't echo cleanly. It stutters, distorts, like the space itself is struggling to process it.
We pass what used to be a junction, or at least, I think it was.
Now it's just a broken intersection of pathways, half of it erased completely. The remaining structure is warped, bent inward as if something forced its way through without resistance.
No scorch marks, no residue of specific elements, just overwhelming force. Raw and absolute.
I stop briefly near one of the larger fractures.
At the edge, the floor dips sharply downward, the stone curling slightly as though it had been pushed aside rather than broken. The texture is wrong, smoothed in places where it should be jagged.
Like it was compressed.
My eyes narrow slightly, 'This isn't collateral damage... It's controlled. Every inch of this destruction feels intentional. Measured.'
Nero's voice cuts through my thoughts, "She did not simply defeat her enemies."
I glance at her as she continues, her tone calm but certain, "She erased them. Along with everything around them."
I exhale slowly.
That lines up, too well.
We keep moving.
There's nothing here to slow us down anymore.
No enemies. No resistance.
Even the usual pressure of the labyrinth feels thinner, disrupted by whatever passed through here before us.
Only the aftermath remains, and each step takes us through more of the same.
Collapsed corridors, fractured chambers.
Sections where the structure flickers, phasing in and out of alignment as the system desperately tries to stabilise something that no longer wants to hold together.
At one point, the ground beneath us shifts slightly, just for a second.
A low creaking sound follows, deep and strained.
I glance down, then forward and say, "Let's not linger."
Nero agrees without a word.
We pick up the pace.
Because whatever did this, whatever kind of power can leave a place like this in such a state, we're walking straight toward it.
And the labyrinth itself is barely holding together in the meantime.
We reach the next staircase, and then the mechanical voice of the Sakura Labyrinth returns one last time.
[Elimination confirmed. Master Hakuno Kishinami has been eliminated.]
I stop, just for a moment, then I exhale slowly, "That's it. Even the 'protagonist' is gone..."
Nero looks at me before she says, "Only us."
I nod in a silent agreement while thinking, 'No more distractions. No more minor players. Only the Champions remain.'
I look ahead, into the depths of the Sakura Labyrinth, where the destruction likely continues, where Kang Yaling and the one who wants us to believe is Age are waiting, then I say, "Let's go, Nero."