The ground of the alien base shook violently.
From every direction—
thousands of aliens appeared.
Not running.
Not charging.
They simply materialized, as if the base itself had summoned them. The lights of their weapons ignited simultaneously, creating an artificial sky that glittered with deadly brilliance.
Fushiku stepped forward and took a deep breath.
"Arou," he said firmly.
"Go. I'll hold them off."
Arou quickly turned.
"Big Brother Fushiku—!"
"There's no time," Fushiku interrupted.
He raised his sword, his aura becoming heavy.
"Leave this to me."
Setsuna glanced at Fushiku.
"...Be careful."
A faint smile appeared on Fushiku's face.
"Make sure he gets there."
The first wave of energy blasts struck.
Fushiku charged alone into the alien swarm, slashing, blocking, and forcing them back—as if his body had become the final wall between them and Arou.
Arou gritted his teeth.
"Let's go!"
He and Setsuna turned and ran deeper into the base.
Soon, a branching corridor appeared before them.
Three paths.
Left:
The walls pulsed slowly, covered in dim light. The air felt heavy, pressing against the chest.
Center:
Clean and perfectly straight. Cold white light reflected across the floor, almost like an official route.
Right:
Dark.
Almost completely devoid of light. Yet faint sounds echoed from within—breathing, or perhaps... whispers.
Arou stopped.
"Three paths...?"
Setsuna analyzed them quickly, one hand resting on his sword.
"This base is trying to split us apart."
Arou swallowed.
"If we choose wrong..."
"We'll either be too late," Setsuna continued.
"Or walk straight into a trap."
Arou closed his eyes for a moment.
He remembered Nova and the others.
He remembered Emi fading away.
He remembered Zata's words—the unrecorded error.
"The center path is too perfect," Arou said quietly.
"The left path... feels like it's rejecting my existence."
He opened his eyes and stared at the right corridor.
"The right one..."
"...this world doesn't want me to enter it."
Setsuna narrowed his eyes.
"Which makes it the most dangerous."
Arou nodded.
"But this game always hides the truth where the system doesn't want anyone to look."
A distant explosion echoed behind them.
Fushiku was still holding the line.
Setsuna took a breath.
"Then..."
He slightly raised his sword.
"Choose, Arou."
Three corridors.
One decision.
And for the first time since the Seventh Game began—
the choice wasn't about survival.
It was about
what was still worth saving.
---
They chose the right corridor.
The moment they stepped inside, the light behind them dimmed, as if the base itself was reluctant to acknowledge the path's existence.
The corridor was narrow.
Its dark walls were covered with vein-like patterns that remained completely still—not pulsing, not alive.
Silent.
Too silent.
Arou glanced at Setsuna walking beside him.
"...This corridor feels different."
Setsuna nodded.
"Yeah. The system doesn't monitor this place as heavily as the others."
Arou let out a small sigh.
"Honestly... I thought you'd tell me to take the center path."
Setsuna glanced at him.
"If we chose the center path, we'd probably be greeted by elite troops already."
"Heh."
Arou smiled faintly.
"Good thing. I've been chased enough today."
Several moments passed with nothing but the sound of their footsteps.
Arou broke the silence again.
"Setsuna."
"Yeah?"
"You're not surprised the world turned out like this?"
Setsuna thought for a moment.
"I am."
"But I'm not shocked."
Arou frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"This world has been broken for a long time," Setsuna replied calmly.
"The Seventh Game simply stopped pretending otherwise."
Arou chuckled.
"The way you talk sometimes makes me forget we're on the same side."
Setsuna let out a short laugh.
"Is that a compliment or a complaint?"
"No idea."
Arou smiled.
"But... thanks."
Setsuna looked at him.
"For what?"
"For staying here."
Arou's voice was sincere.
"Even though this game isn't fair."
Setsuna's pace slowed slightly.
"...We've been past the point of fairness for a long time."
They continued walking.
Far ahead, smaller branching passages could be seen.
Yet the right corridor continued straight ahead, almost rejecting the existence of alternatives.
Arou stared forward.
"If we survive this..."
Setsuna raised an eyebrow.
"What do you want?"
Arou smiled faintly.
"I just want a world that doesn't need to be reset anymore."
Silence followed.
Then Setsuna quietly replied,
"That's a pretty dangerous wish."
Arou laughed softly.
"Yeah."
"But after everything that's happened... I think I've earned the right to wish for it."
The corridor remained silent.
Yet somewhere ahead—
something was waiting.
And for some reason,
the right corridor was beginning to feel
like a path
that humans were never meant to walk.
---
The corridor remained silent as they continued.
Arou glanced sideways.
"Setsuna."
"Yeah?"
"If all of this ends..."
"...do you think Zata will actually stop?"
Setsuna smiled faintly.
"No."
The answer came far too quickly.
Arou chuckled.
"An honest answer."
"The honest ones usually hurt the most," Setsuna replied.
They stopped in front of a massive door.
Its surface resembled living metal.
As Setsuna reached toward it—
the door slowly opened.
And beyond it—
thousands of enormous creatures filled the chamber.
Sharp eyes.
Curved fangs.
Massive muscular bodies.
Heavy breathing echoed throughout the room.
Sabretooths.
Arou froze.
"What... is this?"
Setsuna took a deep breath.
"Looks like I'll be holding them off."
He looked at Arou.
"Hey."
"I can't go any further with you."
Arou clenched his fists.
"I understand."
Setsuna smiled casually.
"Now go."
He stepped forward, raising his sword.
"Leave these cute little cats to me."
Arou almost laughed.
"Yeah... please do."
He turned and ran, leaving Setsuna standing before an ocean of Sabretooths.
---
Arou ran without looking back until he reached another door.
This one felt different.
Colder.
Heavier.
The true containment chamber.
Arou hesitated.
His hand trembled on the handle.
"...Alright."
He took a deep breath and opened it.
Inside—
hundreds of elite aliens stood ready.
And at the center, seated upon a towering throne—
was Xthalax.
The Alien King.
"What?!" Arou panicked.
Xthalax let out a low laugh.
"Well, well."
"A human dares to come here alone."
He raised one hand.
"Kill him."
The elite aliens advanced together.
Arou stepped back—
then froze.
Because suddenly—
red threads appeared in the air.
Thin crimson lines marked the bodies of every elite alien like targeting indicators.
The next instant—
a figure shot forward.
A series of lightning-fast slashes erupted.
The elite aliens were hurled away in every direction, collapsing one after another before they could even attack.
Arou stared.
"R-red threads?"
"What just happened...?"
Xthalax abruptly rose from his throne.
"What?!"
"My elite soldiers were defeated that quickly?!"
The figure stopped moving and stood calmly among the fallen bodies.
"Elite soldiers?"
The voice sounded relaxed.
"They're pretty weak."
Xthalax glared.
"Who are you?!"
Arou turned—
and froze.
That hair.
That aura.
"C-could it be...?" he whispered.
The figure glanced at Arou and smiled warmly.
"Ah, Arou."
"It's been a long time."
Arou couldn't believe his eyes.
"E-eh... Airi?"
Airi smiled gently.
"Thank goodness you're alright."
"B-but..."
Arou stammered.
"Didn't Zata erase you?"
"Yep," Airi answered casually.
"But I asked him to release me."
"Why?" Arou asked quietly.
"Because I wanted to help you."
Xthalax clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Tch!"
"Why would Lord Zata release this monster?!"
Airi turned toward him with mock offense.
"Oh my."
"You called me a monster?"
"That's really mean."
Arou instinctively held back a laugh.
Xthalax growled and raised both hands.
"Call everyone!"
"The entire army—here!"
The base's sirens roared.
---
Elsewhere—
Fushiku frowned as he continued holding back thousands of aliens.
"...What's happening?"
One by one, the aliens before him retreated and ran away.
"Why are they falling back?" he muttered.
---
On another side of the base—
Setsuna blocked the final Sabretooth's attack and stopped.
The creatures suddenly turned around and left him behind.
"...They're retreating?"
Setsuna narrowed his eyes.
"Something is happening at the center."
---
Back in the Alien King's chamber.
Xthalax stared at Airi with a mixture of fear and rage.
"You..."
"The one who killed..."
His voice trembled.
"Leviathan."
Airi smiled faintly.
Coldly.
"Ah."
"So you still remember that."
The Seventh Game
had just changed scale.
And this time—
it wasn't the system that held control anymore.