(Marvel, DC, images, manhuas, and every anime that will be mentioned and used in this story are not mine. They all belong to their respective owners. The main character "Karito Josue Valdez" and the story are mine)
The hero hesitated for a second. He couldn't hurt Yuuchi since the barrier wouldn't allow any attacks. Using his hacking skills, he deciphered the rules Yuuchi had placed inside this room:
No killing is allowed.
The winner will be protected until they leave the room.
All fictional abilities will be deactivated.
The loser will have their life taken.
The bet will be their memories.
The Guardian felt uneasy, but he didn't have much of a choice. So he entered the room and felt all of his power taken away. He was reverted back into a human. He disliked the feeling, as if a part of his soul was temporarily locked away.
(Adriel) Sits down on the table "I'm here..."
(Yuuichi) "Have you noticed?" He sits down as well.
(Adriel) "The moment I entered here the rules were 100% established. My username and powers were locked and now I'm reverted back to before I entered this gig."
(Yuuichi) "And I've also reverted back to normal, no Dark reality warping powers to aid me. We are just two human who are about to play a game... with their memories as bets."
(Adriel) "I don't know how to feel about risking my memories..."
(Yuuichi) "Don't worry, I won't pry much into your memories. If I win, it will become my memories anyway."
(Adriel) "Why memories?"
(Yuuichi) "Well, how will I know the location of the Nexus?"
(Adriel) Slams his fist into the table "Fuck! You just had to think this through, huh?!"
(Yuuichi) "Well, I fight better with my mind than my body. I'm not bad with the hands but I'm sure you can fuck me up. Pluss, you stole Shang Chi's Martial Arts skills, right?"
(Adriel) He sighs "Yeah, I stole all of them and made a composite Martial skill."
(Yuuichi) "Well, ain't that beneficial?"
(Adriel) "He isn't one of Marvel's best fighters for no reason."
(Yuuichi) "True... Now..." Snaps his fingers "Let's start, shall we?"
"The Labyrinth Game"
In this game, players utilize memo pads with 6x6 square cells, each currently blank, awaiting the creation of their own personalized labyrinths. The process begins with both players strategically determining the placement of their entrances and exits within these cells. Following this, they proceed to designate the positioning of 20 walls according to their preference. With this, their unique labyrinth is fashioned, adhering to the stipulation that enclosing the entrance and exit to form an impassable maze is prohibited — a minimum of one viable route must remain. The entrance and exit locations are the only information disclosed to the opponent before the game commences.
The objective is clear: each participant endeavours to navigate their adversary's labyrinth successfully. Unbeknownst to each other, the precise placement of walls within their respective mazes remains concealed. Mastery of labyrinth traversal is imperative, facilitated by the numerical and alphabetical markings surrounding the cells of the memo pads.
Determining the first player, the game initiates with their progression from the entrance, advancing to a neighbouring cell of their choosing. For instance, the designation "A2" signifies their intended move. Should their opponent have erected a wall at this particular location, their endeavour is thwarted, and the turn shifts to their adversary. Conversely, unhindered by obstructions, successive moves are made until a wall impedes further advancement. Maneuvering skillfully past these barriers, the player advances along the correct path, aiming to reach the exit first to secure victory. The triumphant participant claims the memories of their defeated opponent as the spoils of victory.
(Yuuichi) "Do you understand the rules demonstrated by the hologram?"
(Adriel) "Yes... I do." He tilts his head "Quick question, though..."
(Yuuichi) "Yes? What is it?"
(Adriel) "How many rounds will be playing?"
(Yuuichi) He thinks "Hmmmm..." He nods "Let's make it 3 games. You know? To warm up?"
(Adriel) "And the 3rd round would be the deciding factor?" He questions.
(Yuuichi) "Exactly."
(Adriel) "Who's going to supervise the game?"
(Yuuichi) "Don't worry, I have a sentient AI to assist us."
(Adriel) "You're setting me up..."
(Yuuichi) "No, no, no. Don't worry about any traps, Guardian. The machine has no bias. It's just going to oversee the game, that is all."
(Adriel) "Again, how will I know you're not bullshitting me?"
(Yuuichi) "It's not like you have much of a choice, no do you?"
(Adriel) Clicks his tongue "Tch... fine."
(Yuuichi) "Alright, I shall call him." Snaps his fingers.
A black portal opened beside the table. As it fully expanded, a metallic figure emerged from its depths. The futuristic design of the machine was demonstrated, and parts of its body glowed in yellow-like LED lights. But, this wasn't a machine, it was more of a suit of futuristic armour. The Guardian's eyes widened in recognition, and a scowl formed on his face.
(Adriel) "...You fuckin' said a sentient robot, not SCP-5000..."
(SCP-5000) "..."
(Yuuichi) "If your worry is about the host inside, don't. He's dead."
(Adriel) "How the hell is the suit even working?"
(Yuuichi) "More like the suit took over the host's body."
(Adriel) "So there's an alternate dimension where the suit turned against its host?"
(Yuuichi) "The SCP verse is way too vast. How would I know? This is just one of the different infinite alternate versions of the SCP."
(SCP-5000) "Are we done talking?" He interrupts, his robotic voice echoing in the room.
(Yuuichi) "...I guess we are."
(SCP-5000) "What is the game?"
(Adriel) "The game is..."
After explaining...
(SCP-5000) "Hmmm... I see...." Straightens himself "Well, then... The game is 'labyrinth'. What memories are you to offer? Adriel? Yuuchi?"
(Yuuichi) "The first chapter of my story in Tomodachi Game."
(SCP-5000) "And you? Adriel?"
(Adriel) He looks down, clear sorrow etched in his features. "...Season one, Guardian Of The Multiverse... chapter... 'Why do Buzzards circle the sky?'..."
(SCP-5000) "Understood... then-" he suddenly was interrupted.
(Yuuichi) He laughs manically "HAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU WANNA TRAUMA DUMP ME OR SOMETHING?! HAHAHAHAH!!!"
(Adriel) His expression turns into one of anger "You bastard..."
(SCP-5000) His neck twists, and his body language shows annoyance for Yuuchi "Is there a problem?"
(Yuuichi) "Nah, nah. It's all good." He inhales and exhales "I just found it funny."
(SCP-5000) He ignores Yuuchi and continues "The stakes are... The memories of 'Why do buzzards circle the sky?' and chapter one of 'Tomadachi Game'. This is what both sides... have decided on."
(Adriel) "Right... as long as the rules are still applied... I don't have any problems... also... I want to add something..."
(SCP-5000) "And that is?"
(Adriel) "If one of the players gets caught cheating, they will lose."
(SCP-5000) "I agree. No objections?" Looks at Yuuchi.
(Yuuichi) "None." He smirks.
(Adriel) Thoughts "I only got about 3 rounds to see the rhythm of the game. I need to go first. I'm unsure of what Yuuichi is planning... and that worries me."
(SCP-5000) "I will flick this coin to decide who goes first."
(Yuuichi) "Tails."
(Adriel) "Heads."
With a single motion of his thumb, the SCP launched the coin into the air. It spun rapidly before descending back down. The sentient suit deftly caught the coin and placed it atop his hand. Both players watched with bated breath. Adriel had sweat trickling down his forehead, while Yuuichi simply smiled at the moment. Then, the SCP revealed the coin.
(SCP-5000) "Tch... tails..."
(Adriel) Mumbles "Fuck..."
(Yuuichi) "Hehe... I will play first then..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "I have a feeling this bastard Yuuichi will pull some sort of trick. It's already bad that he gets the first turn. There's also the fact that he's too calm, while Adriel is too anxious. This is already off to a bad start. Each player has the choice of accusing the other if they cheated. I'd rather stay neutral, because I hate Yuuichi, and the Guardian is a sworn enemy. So I don't care who dies."
(Adriel) "It's not like you can clear the thing in one turn anyways... it's impossible..." Thoughts "I need to think of something... anything that can make me turn to game completely... and I need to be observant... I can't afford to lose the last round... this round is just a warm-up..."
(Yuuichi) "..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "Oh, Adriel..."
(Yuuichi) "Yes... That's right. So... there's nothing to worry about." He says confidently.
Create the labyrinth.
The game started, and the two players were tasked with creating their labyrinth. Both were given pens to draw their walls. The Guardian felt anxious, staring at the pen for what seemed like minutes. Adriel was overthinking it, scrutinizing every detail of the situation. And with a serious expression, he spoke.
(Adriel) "This is... rather a fancy pen. Huh?" He stands up.
(Yuuichi) "Are you suspecting something? Guardian?"
(Adriel) Walks towards a photocopier at the corner of the room. "During the explanation of the game, if I'm not wrong. We are going to make copies of our labyrinths with this photocopier, right?"
(Yuuichi) "What are you implying, Guardian?" He scowls.
(Adriel) "This photocopier can keep data of the copies, right?! So there's a possibility that somehow... a copy of my labyrinth can be sent to you." He smirks "Hahaha!" He walks towards Yuuichi's side of the table "I-I j-just want to make sure!" Starts checking Yuuichi's area.
(Yuuichi) "Hey! What the fuck?!"
(Adriel) "L-Like this pen! This pen! W-Wait... maybe it's the paper? O-Or receiving data on this paper?!" His anxiety continues "W-With modern technology it's possible! That type of thing can be made! It's possible! IT IS!" He stops as he feels Yuuichi's angered presence.
(Yuuichi) "Are you insinuating that I'm cheating, Guardian?" He looks down at Adriel "I'm disappointed... very."
(Adriel) Shocked "..."
(Yuuichi) "This whole fiasco has ruined my mood to play..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "... I wonder when this will start. Their memories are at stake. I'm certain that others have cheated in games like this. And the accusation Adriel made... was it a bluff? Is his emotions getting the better of him? It is already common knowledge that this Guardian has autism, so maybe his emotions are overloading and he can't control himself. He has dealt with situations like war and the such before. But how will he handle a Gamble such as this? He's experienced mental pressure that can make anyone go insane. But this... this is the first time he's had to fight with his smarts... but... I'm not so sure... is he acting? Or is he really in distress?"
(Yuuichi) "Well... that's what I would say... but... I can understand how you might become suspicious of everything when there's so much at stake. I'm not trying to offend you because of your condition, but anyone would react in such a way. I agree with this worry, in fact. Fiction is as kind as it can be harsh. People have to be thorough, like you." He pauses but then decides to reassure Adriel "And about the photocopier. We'll proceed with the game without using it." He turns to SCP-5000 "Yo, you heard? I want you to copy the labyrinth to another paper by hand."
(SCP-5000) "Fuck you." Does it anyways. "I don't know what to say at this point, but I have a feeling that this setting is under Adriel's control..."
Resuming the creation of the labyrinth.
(SCP-500) Thoughts "Let's see who has the upper hand thus far..."
(Adriel) He looks at SCP-5000 "Uh... do you have a mechanical pencil? Or an eraser? Or both? I wanna make a draft so I can be detailed about it. I want to make it complex." He shrugs "I can't redo any lines with a pen..."
(Yuuichi) "5000, there's one in the drawer by the wall. Give it to him."
(SCP-5000) "Stop telling me what to do." Does it anyway.
(Yuuichi) "Asshole..." he mumbles.
After a few minutes, both players created the walls for their labyrinths and placed them inside a book in the middle of the table.
(Yuuichi) Alright, fuckin' finally. We can start the game, Guardian." He smirks "Despite what happened, I hold no resentment. If you wanna give away a trauma, I can understand that. You pay attention to detail. I still think you're more than meets the eye, but I respect that." He looks at Adriel "You better give it your all, just as I will too."
(Adriel) "...Is that so..."
(Yuuchi) "Now then, 5000... Make the copies and give them to us."
(SCP-5000) He grabs the book and sees both player's labyrinths "..." Thoughts "This fucking' asshole..."
A few minutes later.
(SCP-5000) "Sorry for the wait. Here are the copies of your Labyrinths." It stretches its hand towards Yuuichi and Adriel. "Please, take it."
Both players observed each other's labyrinth. Only the entrance and exit were shown; the walls could not be spotted. Adriel noticed that he would be getting in the maze at line B5 and the exit at E3, while Yuuichi had the entrance in row B3 and the exit at E5.
(Yuuichi) "Well, let's begin. No hard feelings to whoever wins." He snickers "Hehe..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "Yuuichi is using the same strategy he used when doing mock matches against other darks, out of 2,000 matches, only 5 Darks were able to notice his trick. It is a bit hard to notice, but if you have a keen eye, the Guardian should spot it. If he doesn't, this game is already been decided." He looks down at the table "Yuuichi is making the first move."
Both players looked at their papers. The air was tense, and the serious expressions on their faces conveyed their determination to win. As if time had stopped, Yuuichi released a sigh after several seconds of silence.
(Yuuchi) "Of course, this ain't my first rodeo, but... this Labyrinth game. Phew!" He smirks "You really thought this one out, didn't ya? Guardian?" He gently grabs the back of his nape "I'm unsure about my first move."
It was his inability to make decisions. The one defining characteristic of this versions Yuuichi. That was the heart of this character.
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "He shouldn't have his powers while in this dome... his fate manipulation via hacking shouldn't work..." He covers his face with his hand looking in between the gaps of his fingers towards Adriel "His copy of the labyrinth..." Observe the paper that Adriel hid in his pocket "..." He smirks "So that's how it is. The chances are infinite. He's betting on the next move..." He recomposes himself "Everything has an answer. And I will always be the one in control of everything." He speaks "5000..." He looks at the SCP "B4. Anything there?"
(SCP-5000) He checks "..." Speaks "There's no wall."
(Adriel) Glares "..."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "Hehe..." Speaks "Next, A4."
(SCP-5000) "No walls..."
(Yuuichi) "A3..."
(SCP-5000) "Yes..."
(Yuuichi) "A2..."
(SCP-5000) "Uh-huh..."
(Yuuichi) "B2..."
(SCP-5000) "Yes..."
(Yuuichi) "B1..."
(SCP-5000) "Yes..."
(Yuuichi) "C1..."
(SCP-5000) "Yes..."
(Yuuichi) "D1... D2"
(Adriel) His heart starts beating quickly, sweat rolls down his forehead. His head filled with thoughts "Wait... wait, what's going on?"
(Yuuichi) "HAHA! Holy shit seems like today is my day!" He smirks towards Adriel "Maybe, just maybe... I might just reach the exit."
(Adriel) He glares back, thinking to himself "This guy... he's one step away from exiting my damn labyrinth?! HOW?!" He looks at the column of letters to the side and the rows of numbers at the top of the paper. "FUCK! FUCK!"
(Yuuichi) "Though, that's what I would like to think, but I guess that would be too easy, right?" He chuckles "Let me guess, I'm going to make the wrong move now. But, fuck it, I might as well risk it." He pauses for a second and speaks "E5, the exit."
(SCP-5000) He snickers "...Sorry. There's a wall."
(Yuuichi) He looks with no emotion in his countenance, his smirk remaining as if was paused.
(Adriel) He finally exhales, not noticing that he was holding his breath "Fuck... oh man! That was too damn close! I almost shit my pants. The chances of doing it in one shot were low but I didn't think you would get so dangerously close to the exit." He stretches, making a few pops "Alright, my turn."
(Yuuichi) "..."
(Adriel) "B6."
(SCP-5000) "Yes."
(Adriel) "C6."
(SCP-5000) "Yes."
(Adriel) "C5."
(SCP-5000) "Continue..."
(Adriel) "D5."
(SCP-5000) "Yes."
(Adriel) "E5."
(SCP-5000) "Yes."
(Adriel) "Uh...Um... E4? And E3 should be my exit?"
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "Fuck... why didn't he guess wrong?"
(SCP-5000) "Yes." He pauses "Adriel... you've won this match flawlessly."
(Adriel) "What the fuck?!" He stands up, slamming his hands on the table "I-I did it?! Holy shit! It was like I was possessed or something! God, I could feel my heart in my throat!" He laughs "I get to keep my memory!" But he pauses "...I... get to keep... 'that' memory..." his shoulders slump down.
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "Look at that bastard getting all excited and then depressed." He looks at the eraser and mechanical pencil "The only thing I could think of would be 'that'... this fuckin' rat."
(Adriel) "Just two more games and I'm out of here..." A memory orb appears beside him with Yuuichi's memory of that chapter of his story.
(Yuuichi) "Well, wasn't that a performance? I might have underestimated you."
(Adriel) "And why would you do that?" He side eyes.
(Yuuichi) "I thought you were just a brute who was really good at fighting."
(Adriel) "...What's your point?" He tilts his head.
(Yuuichi) He snickers "I thought your autism was gonna... y'know... slow ya down?"
(Adriel) "YOU MAKING FUN OF ME, YOU FUCK?!" He swung his fist at Yuuichi but was stopped by the room's rules "YOU'RE FUCKIN LUCKY THIS PLACE IS STOPPING ME! I WOULD'VE TEARED YOU'RE FACE APART!" He yells at Yuuichi.
(Yuuichi) "HAHAHA! My bad! My bad! I shouldn't have said that. That's my fault for being 'ignorant'. My apologies." He smirks.
(Adriel) "You don't look like your sorry, asshole." His fist remained balled up.
(Yuuichi) "Cross my heart, I'm sorry." He turns serious.
(Adriel) "I still don't believe you..."
(Yuuichi) "I'm fine with that. Let's continue, shall we?"
(Adriel) "Tch... fine."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "Oh Guardian... I will enjoy breaking you apart..."
(Adriel) Thoughts "Oh Dark... How I will mentally break you..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "Well shit. Yuuichi is intentionally pissing him off to make him lose focus. The Guardian is patient, but for certain things, he has a low fuse. And he's extremely sensitive about his mental condition, which people in the real world insensitively insulted him on and on about without any sympathy. Why would they? They don't understand how it feels like to have such a condition and like the self-centred bastards they are they speak as if they knew. There's a difference between knowing it and living it. And I gotta say, the Guardian has done miracles to even be where he is today. But if he's not careful, he will be toyed with and killed."
(Yuuichi) "Alright, let's start the game."
(SCP-5000) "Alright, what memories are you both betting?"
(Yuuichi) "First 10 chapters of my story."
(Adriel) "...The Russian Sleep Experiment... and What's dormant in the sea..."
(Yuuichi) "You wanna get rid of your trauma or something?" He chuckles.
(Adriel) "..."
(SCP-5000) "Both contestants have their bets set. Let the game begin."
Labyrinth Round 2 Begins
(Yuuichi) "Oh, by the way, Adriel. Do you mind if I used that too...?" He points at the pencil and eraser "Now that I think about it, I should've gone with what you did. It's a good way to think things through." He grabs the pencil "Sorry... I'll give it back once I'm done. There's only one here in the room anyways."
(Adriel) "Oh, sure."
(Yuuichi) He glares at Adriel "...!"
(Adriel) "I think I'm getting the hang of this. I'm fine with the pen. I ain't gonna use a pencil to make a draft."
(SCP-5000) "..."
A few minutes later...
Both gamblers created their labyrinths. They hid their papers from each other and gave them to the SCP, who was observing. Yuuichi made his labyrinth with the entrance at B3 and the exit at E4, while Adriel's entrance was at E4 and his exit at C3.
(SCP-5000) "Now, let's start. Adriel... it's your turn."
(Adriel) He smirks confidently "You know I won the first round in one go. Heck, maybe I'm lucky enough to do it all 3 rounds."
(Yuuichi) "Keep talking shit, it's gonna bite you back." He sighs.
(Adriel) "Alright... C3."
(SCP-5000) "Yes, no wall."
(Adriel) "Alright... let's go..." Starts getting cocky "Let's see~." He pokes at an empty square at the paper "C2..."
(SCP-5000) "No wall."
(Yuuichi) Peeks at his given paper "..."
(Adriel) "D2!"
(SCP-5000) "Adriel... there's a wall there."
(Adriel) "Wha-?!" His heart stops. "Well, fuck. I got it wrong? Shit..." Thoughts "Two moves is good... it's good..."
(SCP-5000) "Now, it's Yuuichi's turn."
(Adriel) Thoughts "Come on... My Labyrinth is hard... E4 for the entrance and C3 for the exit. The walls I placed are a pain to get through... when he misses, I'll win..."
(Yuuichi) "Alright. I'm guessing that you have two to three walls near the entrance to make it a pain in the ass to start. I don't wanna fuck up straight away. So... F4 or... D4... maybe E3? Or... E5?" He smirks.
(Adriel) He scowls "..."
(Yuuichi) "Well, I lost to you in the first game, I gotta play it carefully now. I'm sure you know this, but I'm pretty good at psychological warfare. Just before, it seemed like you reacted when I moved my finger over E5. I wonder if it's a safe path." He looks at Adriel.
(Adriel) "..." He speaks "Fuck if I know. I don't remember where I put the walls. I don't think there was one there." Remains expressionless.
(Yuuichi) Narrows his eyes "..." Looks at the SCP. "5000. E5."
(SCP-5000) "Yes. No wall."
(Yuuichi) Claps his hands "Would you look at that? You were right! Quite the honest one, huh? It looks like the only way you can bluff is with hand-to-hand combat but not this. HAHAHAHA!" He mocks.
From that point on, Yuuichi considered his moves carefully, sometimes searching for answers by looking at Adriel's expression. He steadily progressed toward his goal.
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "It seems that the Guardian hasn't noticed anything. I guess that would be to much to ask of anyone." Looks at Yuuichi say D3 "Huh, you said D3... Wrong move, there's a wall."
(Yuuichi) "Well shit, I thought I had it." he sighs "At least it was good progress."
(Adriel) He looks at his board, his entrance at E4 and exit at C3. He remembered hitting a wall at D3 "..."
(Yuuichi) "It's your turn, Adriel."
(Adriel) His eyes scan Yuuichi's clothes "In this game, it might seem at first that the one who makes the most moves in one turn is in the lead. But that's not always the case. Even if you take more steps than I do, you're still looking at one wall, like me... The number of walls you're facing doesn't change for either of us until one of us finishes the Labyrinth. Heck, even if you start well... That doesn't mean that the route will always lead you to the exit... you might start encountering wall after wall. What I want to say is, there is no significant difference... between the number of steps you've taken, and the number of steps I've taken. The game just started."
(Yuuichi) "Well, aren't you rainbows and sunshine? Good luck then." He looks at his paper once again, his entrance at E4 and exit at B3.
(Adriel) Thoughts "Alright... this is a hit or miss. I probably shouldn't overthink it and just go crazy." He speaks "C4."
(SCP-5000) "Adriel... there's a wall there."
(Adriel) "What?!" He mentally curses to himself "Fuck that was stupid..."
(Yuuichi) "HAHAHA! Adriel..." He smiles devilishly "You might just keep crashing into walls. That's the situation you've gotten yourself into."
Now Yuuichi takes another step forward. Both gamblers have made their mistakes, but they are slowly revealing the labyrinth. One look and it's obvious to Yuuichi that he is currently leading the game. The goal is right in front of his eyes.
(Yuuichi) "Alrighty~. I hope C3 won't fuck me up. Is there a wall there? I don't think so. What do you think, Adriel?"
(Adriel) Thoughts "His current position is B3... he's above the exit. If he goes down he wins. But if he goes B2 or A3, he will hit a wall..." He speaks "I don't recommend it."
(Yuuichi) He glares at Adriel "..."
(Adriel) He glares back "..."
(Yuuichi) "Huh... Is that so?"
(SCP-5000) "I suppose he isn't too worried whether he wins or loses this game, but... his confidence will be affected. It'll swallow him up. If he loses, he'll be consumed whether he likes it or not. It'll be worse than he can imagine. The chaos... within the maelstrom."
(Yuuichi) "You say not to go there, right? Alright, Guardian." He smirks "5000. C3... go ahead."
(SCP-5000) "..." He looks down "C3... yes. There's no wall there."
(Yuuichi) He stretches and sighs in relief "Ahhh... I've made it, guardian. There was no wall there. You lying piece of shit. But I did learn something in this game"
(Adriel) "..."
(Yuuichi) "You're fuckin' easy to read. I don't even know how others can't even figure it out."
(SCP-5000) "..."
(Adriel) "Fuck... I told you... " He covers his face "Not to go there..."
(Yuuichi) "...?"
The room remained silent. The SCP glared at Yuuichi as if a devil were looking down at him. As Yuuichi looked closer, he thought Adriel was covering his face in despair. But as he looked even closer, he saw the Guardian's lips... and he was smirking. This made Yuuichi freeze. He doubted himself. A million thoughts swirled in his mind, and only one thing came to mind: "Just what did I do?"
(Adriel) "I think I remember something while in the Nexus... I was reading about a few alternate versions of different characters. But... you are... Yuuichi... Tomodachi Games alternate version 3421."
(Yuuichi) "!!!"
(Adriel) "If I'm correct... you... killed everyone in your dimension. You became the winner, the top of the top. No one opposed you... because a Dark gave you power. You used said power to break everyone physiologically and succeeded. You've continued your conquering of worlds for a few millennia torturing people left and right because you have a habit of messing with people's heads..."
(Yuuichi) "Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
(Adriel) "And then you started to push your luck and started to mess with some of the Darks. You won many games by fuckin' with their head, but you stopped after 2,000..."
(Yuuichi) "..."
(Adriel) "You got humbled really quick, didn't you? You meet people whose minds are so incomprehensible that you were humble so fuckin' hard you became a laughing stock for a while. Because those 5 opponents, one after another, fucked with your mind like it was the easiest game of chest of their life." Interlocks his fingers and places his elbows on the table, using his hands to rest his chin on "Is this... 'Game' a way for you to prove a point? Yuuichi?" He tilts his head.
(Yuuichi) "FUCK YOU! You think you know me?! I was able to take down smart characters one after another! I don't have anything to prove! You're just a brute who does nothing but fight, fight, fight! My prestige! My power! My transcendence! MONEY! I HAVE IT ALL! I WILL NOT BE JUDGED BY A FUCKIN' PLOT DEVICE! A ENFORCER OF FICTION! A PROTECTOR OF STORIES!"
The room was silent. The Guardian looked at Yuuichi with a shocked expression, surprised by the Dark's sudden freakout. However, the SCP remained expressionless, as if he had seen this type of reaction before. Suddenly, just as Yuuichi screamed and panicked, he paused and smirked.
(Yuuichi) "... So. Was this reaction sufficient? Digging into my past to fluster me? 'Haha, that's a nice expression you have there.' Did that make you feel relieved? If so, then too bad for you, Adriel. I already knew. Do you think telling me all that was going to affect me? That was one of the conditions of one of the games I lost before. A Dark humiliated me during a match and spread that humiliation through the internet for all Darks in fiction to see. Yes, at first, it was humiliating. But I learned from those 5 games. Those 5 people who ruined me. That ruin made me grow." He pauses, looking at Adriel's shocked face "This is the 6th time I met someone as daring and greedy as you. I've seen that kind of greed before. It's hard to believe, but you... are the kind of person that won't stop. You will ensure that you win, even if the method eventually turns grim. But sure, you will only do so if you have no choice. Tell me, Adriel? How can someone carry so much loss and continue going? Pretending to be alright? Giving the fakest of smiles just so the other person doesn't bother worrying about you. You've become a really, really~ good liar, Adriel. The losses have made you into the efficient machine to kill us Darks. I guess in the end, Kara did get what she wanted. Someone who won't stop until the job is done." He sighs "It really is something, huh? You made so many friends... and any of them still don't understand the burden you carry. They might think they do, but they don't. Only 2 people know what you feel... but in doing so... you made them into the loneliest beings in fiction. You can't tell them what they are or they will break. You can't tell them where they actually are... who they are... their true purpose... Don't you think it's sad? That every being in fiction doesn't even live their life? They assume they do but in reality, an author leads them... creates them... and writes their stories. Oh, Adriel... such a lonely existence... you can't even get to settle down and love someone."
(Adriel) "..."
(Yuuichi) "It wasn't really smart to reveal my past to throw me off. You foolishly reveal my truth. But instead of me freaking out, you get reminded of what you are. You will be nothing more... than a monster." Thoughts " You've been devoured. There's no escape from you even if you win. I will personally make you bear... your grave sin. I. Will. Break. YOU!"
(Adriel) "Well, aren't you good at turning the tables? Now I really feel like tearing you a new one..." He pauses "Let's do it..."
(Yuuichi) "Oh?" He looked amused.
(Adriel) "Let's bet all of our memories. Our life. Our existence."
(Yuuichi) He burst out laughing "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! YOU'RE INSANE! NOT EVEN THE 5 WHO BEAT ME HAD THE AUDICITY TO BET THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE!" Slams his fist on the table "YOU FUCKING WORM! YOU'RE FUCKING WITH ME! YOU THINK YOU HAVE ANY RIGHT?! SOMEONE AS SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT AS YOU SHOULD LEARN HIS PLACE! YOU FUCKIN' INSIGNIFICANT TWERP-" He pauses, noticing that Adriel was beside him "...What are you doing?"
(Adriel) He smirks "Well... uh... how should I say this?"
(Yuuichi) "I asked you a fuckin' question." He frowns.
(Adriel) "Just looking at your feet..." He looks down at Yuuichi with a smirk.
(Yuuichi) He balls his fist. His eyes were bloodshot. Without him noticing, he breaks the mechanical pencil he unknowingly grabbed.
(SCP-5000) Snorts and turns away. Muffling his laughter.
(Adriel) "Aw~. Don't get so mad, Yuuichi. Fiction is cruel after all. You broke your pencil, how unfortunate."
(Yuuichi) He throws the pencil and eraser to the ground with force.
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "Even I'm surprised that the Guardian managed to piss Yuuichi off this well. I had my doubts at first, but this development is certainly a curious one. They can't attack each other, but they for sure are killing each other with words. And the Guardian, even without his adaptability skill, is certainly doing wonderfully."
(Yuuichi) He gazes at Adriel with new determination filling his soul "Alright, dipshit. Where going all in.
(SCP-5000) "It has been decided. I SCP-5000, promise to preside over this game and keep it free of incidents. Let us start!"
Gambling may be vague, but it is a contract for life that does not expire. The ones carrying the burden of the chaos are worn-out players who lost themselves in the labyrinths.
The third round of labyrinth... begins!
Forgetting things is blissful. Humans can continue to live by forgetting. Being able to remember things easily can actually bring pain. Erase the unnecessary memories and keep only the necessary ones. It's nice. You can experience a fulfilling moment with a fresh perspective every time, living each moment with a renewed sense of self. The past is no different from a cheap book: just throw it away after reading it.
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "...No... It's not... not me. It's not..." He sees Adriel slip in his labyrinth inside the book SCP-5000 will use to see their labyrinth's "I am different... How is it different? Nothing... nothing is... I just have to prove them wrong... prove everyone wrong... I'm still a manipulator... one of the best..." The moment he was about to put his labyrinth into the book, the paper slid off, falling onto the table.
(Adriel) Automatically looks as a reflex "Huh?"
(Yuuichi) Gasp and slams the paper on the table to cover its contents "...My labyrinth... did you see it?"
(Adriel) Scratches his cheek "A little."
(Yuuichi) Narrows his eyes "..."
(Adriel) "Look, it was sudden. But to be really honest, what I saw wasn't the labyrinth. Yuuichi... My labyrinth which dropped under the table when you surprised me with that slam... I saw you take a peek at it."
(Yuuichi) Sweat rolls down from his forehead "... I didn't... look. But it can't be helped if you're suspicious."
(SCP-5000) Recovers Adriel's labyrinth from the floor "Adriel. When gambling, during situations like this, the side that made the error loses by default or is penalized... however, in this situation, there is no specific arrangement regarding the notebook dropped by accident. The parties involved will have to make a judgement... fortunately, the game has not started yet. Since Adriel also committed a similar act during the first round... How about it? If it is fine with you, Adriel..."
(Adriel) "Hmmm... you right. Since I also looked through Yuuichi's stuff during the first round due to my panic." He sighs "Alright, we'll start again. Make sure not to be so clumsy this time."
(SCP-5000) "Then these two labyrinths you made right now. I shall dispose of them." He peeks at the labyrinths before burning them "..."
A few minutes later...
The two gamblers have finally completed their labyrinths, which were given to SCP-5000 to quickly copy by hand. Once he finished, he returned the copied papers to their owners for revision.
(SCP-5000) "Apologies for the wait. Here are the copies of your labyrinths. Please confirm them."
(Yuuichi) He sees his labyrinth, his entrance is B5 and his exit is E3. Once he verified his paper he saw Adriel's blank labyrinth, which only displayed the entrance which was E4 and exit at B2. He assessed the labyrinth and made calculated steps to travel through Adriel's labyrinth without hitting any walls "... E5."
(SCP-5000) "Yes, there is no wall."
(Yuuichi) "F5."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "The kind of measures they have taken against each other are shown to me. Their sinful labyrinths are in my hands. Hehe... I'm glad I decided to be a referee as a hobby." Speaks "There is no wall."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "...I don't even know how many times I've played this game. I open and open doors... and solve the labyrinth. I've played so many games, but this one holds a special place in my heart. Because it was in this very game where I had my greatest defeat... against Baku Madarame. The labyrinth... it's the path to victory... I can see it. I have solved it once again. This labyrinth, the path to success."
Mazes and puzzles. At first glance, the bewilderment and fear of not knowing what lies ahead evoke a sense of disorder. Yet, in ancient times, people created and solved these to experience relief and order. No matter how complex and random they appear, there exists a certain pattern—a maze with an answer. In other words, mazes are suggestions of order. Solving the labyrinth does more than resolve unsolved cases; it is the work of justice, vigilantly upholding order. This is no trivial matter. There is nothing more inevitable than this structure and the battle between these two individuals. This game, in essence, is the battle of Light and Darkness.
(Yuuichi) Takes note of his progress, currently in the spot A6, while his exit is at B2 "..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "Not a sign of doubt seen... so far. I know this because I have seen their mazes. But during the first round, it was very discreet. I barely noticed it. How bemused he must have been. At the time, what Yuuichi saw was the maze in his hand, completely free of walls and unmarked. He didn't even draw a single wall. But once he got it back from me, there was supposed to be something marked on it—a vertically flipped version of the maze his opponent made. In other words, what was needed to solve the maze was supposed to be there. Because he placed his paper upside down, his maze is vertically flipped, and he can also turn it the other way around. One of his past opponents lost to this trick.
Yuuichi's secret to victory consists of paper, a pen, and something hidden in the maze holder. To be honest, it's like a magic trick. Overconfident opponents often fall for this trick. One or maybe even two rounds end the game after winning with a small number of rounds. You could say that those premises conceal the trick itself. But he would think twice about using this trick if the playing field were equal. There is a chance of the trick being exposed if the opponent checks certain things.
The pen—this oil-based pen itself doesn't have any gimmicks. The trick lies in Yuuichi's labyrinth sheet. The paper changes colour in reaction to oil-based pens. This is a close-up magic trick, similar to the ones used in magic shows. First, a paper with a number written by an audience member is folded in half. It is then put inside something like a ticket holder, with the folded paper on top of the film, and closed. The number is then transferred to the special paper on the other side. Seeing that, the magician is able to reveal the number that supposedly couldn't be seen. In other words, the film of the maze holder is a dummy. The paper is placed on top of it. He lets his opponents state the location of their entrance and exit first. Yuuichi places his entrance and exit in the flipped or vertically flipped positions of his opponents. The reason for the entrance and exit being stickers is because if they were drawn in pen, they would also get flipped. After closing the notebook and stalling with some small talk, it was supposed to work.
Adriel's labyrinth was supposed to be duplicated. But in the first round, Adriel submitted a draft of his labyrinth, which he had used a pencil on, disabling the trick that depends heavily on the oil-based pen. Yuuichi became puzzled by this outcome and considered two possibilities. One was that Adriel simply forgot to use the oil-based pen. The second was that Adriel also turned in a blank labyrinth, giving Yuuichi infinite chances and possibly planning to give up on winning the first rounds to execute his craftier tactics.
After much thinking, Yuuichi saw that Adriel wasn't looking at his own labyrinth and was sure it was the second possibility. When your labyrinth is being solved, it's natural to check the answer. He didn't do that because it was blank. With that conclusion, Yuuichi continued his steps with confidence. A sense of clarity, similar to what past opponents had experienced, was born. It was funny to think how panicked Adriel must have been at the time. In the end, he was blocked by a wall marked on the draft. When it became Adriel's turn, the wall-less labyrinth ended up solved without any mistakes."
(Yuuichi) "Next is... A...3?" He nods "A3."
(SCP-5000) "There's no wall."
(Adriel) Stares at Yuuichi intensely.
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "There are some necessary actions to be taken for Yuuichi's trick. First, after making his opponent state the position of the entrance and exit, he has to accurately place his entrance and exit at the reversed positions. Second, he must close the maze holder. These actions won't arouse suspicion as long as they're only done once or twice. To make these actions seem natural, he had to take fewer memories and play the second round normally. If the notebook isn't closed, the walls can't be duplicated. At this moment, Yuuichi is using this method. This move is guiding him toward a path of no return."
(Yuuichi) In trance "A2... A1... B1..." Thoughts "Hehe... the unpredictable... having avoided the unexpected elements. I can feel it... my pride... my dignity having meaning again. All that's left in front of me is a door. The last one. B2... yes. There is a 100% chance of no wall." Speaks "Adriel... I'll say B2 next... then I'll solve this labyrinth." He presses his finger on the exit "I'll be taking your story. The life you've lived in the real world and in fiction. It'll all be mine."
(Adriel) "I refuse to have the essence of my existence ripped from me..."
(Yuuichi) "You refuse to have your life taken away? That's going to be a problem, Adriel. The moment you stupidly bet your life, it became cheap, damaged goods—a method befitting a monster like you." He looks at the SCP. "5000... it's B2."
Thoughts "When the second round ended, 5000 gave off a strange vibe. He will probably carry out the collection of memories when this ends."
He smirks "You know what happens when someone has their memories extracted? It's like having Alzheimer's, but instantly. You will die because you forgot how to breathe. Hehehe..." He chuckles. "You will die not even knowing what happened to you. How pitiful. All that bravado went to the trash due to overconfidence. Do you think you're some sort of genius? Don't be stupid! You're just an autistic fuck who can't control his feelings! An idiot! Insensitive! Animalistic fuck! All those years of therapy to normalize your behaviour! I will admit, that proving those doctors wrong was fantastic! You were going to be illiterate, unable to speak, and unable to pass middle school. And yet, here you are, playing with the big boys!" He slams his hand on the table. "But your thought process is flawed, you retard. And you've bitten off more than you can chew. Now rot—" He was suddenly interrupted.
(SCP-5000) "There is a wall. Yuuichi." He looks down on him.
(Yuuichi) "...Rot..." His eyes spiral "Ah..." He looks at Adriel's smirk as he was covering his face "HUH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" ThOUghTS "a̶̮͆ ̴̟̦̩̈́͂͜W̷͔̺̰͘ͅą̷̯̤̽̾̽L̵̦̪̎̇ͅl̴͖̮̭̜̆.̶͕͐͊̂̕͜.̶̻̳̊̄̉.̴̨̰̲́̉͑ ̴̺̂̓͛Ą̶̬̺́̓͝͝ ̴̨̛̱̝̓̉͠w̷̼̰̿͐̓͠A̵̻̙̰͑ḷ̷͚͚̫́̑L̵̲̠̓?̷̜̳̻̆̓̏͝ͅ ̸̨̨͈̓͊̇̉͜h̴̡̰͙̤͋Ū̶͉́̄͗h̶̡͒̈́?̶̡̫̎̆͜.̴̞̓̋̆̚.̷͉̻̼̼͒̀.̸͙̿̎͗ ̵̬̀̚" ScReeTching In hIs EaRs "...a WaLl... a wALL?" Barely focuses and thinks "From this flipped position, his route is the only path to the exit... the rest are walls... this means all the sides are walls. ̷̘̙͊͊͐̈T̷̻̬̠̣͋H̵͔̱͝͠E̴̅̔͜ ̸̤̈́͑E̸̝̽͋̒̎X̴̼̞̻͔͛̾I̸͈͕̲̲͗́T̷̹̭̄̓̌ ̴̛̺͉̤͊̂͋Ĭ̷͎̣̄̊̓S̶͉͕͘ ̸̟̃E̸̙̟̼̍̉͒̀N̷͖̮͓̙̓̂C̸̤̋̅L̵̦͎̓O̵̠͕͐̆͌̊S̶̛͇̜̦̪̓͑Ĕ̶̙͓̪̦̋͊̍D̵̖̠̺́!̵̣́͜!̴͚̻͋͂͂!̵͙̗̿͒͝ ̵̢̟͔̓̀̃̆T̷̹͛̚͝H̵̡͗̈́̋̑I̷̹͇̭͎̐̈́S̸̽͜ ̸̛̣͙̯̊̂̔B̷͖͕̭̩͐̓͗Ŗ̶̛̪̖͐̎̉ͅE̴̹͆̒̍Å̷̧̬K̷̡̮̥̏̓͠S̶̭̓ ̸̻̳͉͖͌͘͠Ț̸̖̻̺̇H̴̢̭̜̥̒̏E̷̯͉̣̅̈́̌Ẉ̸̳̦̳̌ ̷̛͍͑̀̃R̵͚̻͙͌͝U̵̠̫̰̿̀L̵̖͘͝Ḛ̴͍̆̋S̶͉͖̈͛͗?̷̯̙͈̊!̷̞̇̅̊ͅ "
(SCP-5000) "It's a fine labyrinth which follows the rules, Yuuichi. No rule has been violated."
(Yuuichi) Starts to overthink in his head "No...this is a damn maze! Not a labyrinth! THERE IS NOT EXIT! THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! I DON'T GET IT! WHAT IS THIS HERESY?! THIS CHAOS! T-THIS... THING! WHAT ARE YOU? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU, GUARDIAN?!"
Just what kind of face... is he making?
(Adriel) He silently giggled "Hehehehehe..." Thoughts "I FUCKIN' GOT YOU ASSHOLE! HOW ABOUT THAT?! THIS IS MY WIN! MY TOTAL VICTORY! AHAHAHAHAHA!" His smile turns devilish, a manipulator's smile.
Why... Wh... I did it properly... I thought it through meticulously. Not long ago, I pretended to drop my maze holder... or book, or whatever... and carefully checked if my opponent was using the mechanical pencil to mark the walls. I know I checked...
As I suspected, in this third round, that person marked the walls using a mechanical pencil. I noticed those mechanically inscribed labyrinths in the first round. There may be more than one sheet.
Perhaps the Guardian prepared two sheets with a mechanical pencil in advance, intending to use the remaining one in the third round. I cannot fathom what that person is thinking, but...
I am certain there are only two labyrinths marked with a mechanical pencil. I am experienced with this game, after all. Considering what he had in his hands and the time available, he could have prepared up to two sheets. So I suppressed my fear, staged a slip, and pretended to make a mistake. It was a gamble, aimed at preventing the remaining sheet marked with a mechanical pencil from being used.
Yes... and if Adriel... attempted to use his mechanical pencil labyrinth without it being discarded by 5000, then it would mean... my trick was exposed. I was supposed to win without any tricks. But Adriel didn't do that. He wrote his labyrinth with the oil-based pen without any issues... that's a fact!
And yet... how did this happen? Baku... what is this... he reminds me of you, but more psychopathic. Is this my fate? Is this what I deserve for playing with people's lives? Did I not learn anything from the five people who humiliated me? Did my pride blind me to self-improvement? I tried... I really... really tried...
Ḭ̴̡̢̻̱̟͈̦̳̺̠̬̾͛̃͌̇́͜͜ ̴̭̣̗̅͋F̷̧̫͇̮̮̟̾̔͋̅̋̈̍̉̏͝Ǘ̶̡̬̲̳̯̱͎̮̫̱͙̊̔͛̅͋̂͘̕͜͝ͅC̴̞̓́̄̌̍̒͂K̶͙̮͉̭̖̬̔̊̿̅I̸̢̛͉̰̘̭̟̝̣̗͎̣͔͖̭͌͐͌̃̆͊͊̇̈́̕͜N̷̛̛̗̳͍̺͉̝̓̂̋̈́͑̽͂̾̌͛̚Ǵ̷̙͚͓̝̫͍͇̯͍̹̞͚̖͔̍ͅ ̸̩̞̹͓̮̤͔̖̩͉̤̹̹̦̦͒Ṭ̴̨̛͔͓̙̟͔̄͜Ṟ̶̫͙̜̲̘͇̆̔͛̉̓̀̒̒͌͛̎͘͜I̴̧̦̯̝͖̝͎͇̦̦͚̙̽̒́̽̈́͗͑̋͝ͅȨ̷̢͎̘̖̯̲̲̠̬͒̿̉̓̾̋̄̈͋͑͝͝͝D̴̢̹̝̜̘̩͗̈́̽́̃̓̂̒̕̕!̷͈͔̳͙͕͎̳̠̠̦̹͇̺̖̍͒̌̄͗̿̀͋͛̚ͅ!̸͓̱̲̥̬̥̹̬͆̉̍̇͒̌̆͆́̌͌̏͜!̸̟̼̯̯̘̪̫͐̂͐̿̓̃́̚͠!̸̧̛̍͂̍̊̍̄̕!̶̗͚͙̦͎̟̮̣͉̯̼̞̗̌̊̚͘͝ ̷̨̹͙̗̙̃͑͊̈́̉̋̕͘̕͝͝G̶̗̹̠̻̋͒͆͐͛̿̀̏̅̈́̑̚O̴̜͑̈́̐D̷͍̘̪̝̗̥̍͐̀̚͜D̴̜̖͈̲̼̗͌͌͒̓̃̅A̴̯͕͓̜̥̥̲̱͊́̀͛͊̌̕̕Ḿ̷̛̜͎͒̆̀͑̍̋̚͜͝͝N̵̢͓̟̼̗̽̈́̎̾̌̇̈́̿̋̂̅̑͘͝ ̶̢̞̮̙̭́̏̄͂̽͌̽́I̶̡̛̮̩̲̒̄̇͝ͅT̷̺̫̉̀͛̀̆͑͆͌̇́̉͆́̀̚!̸̫̬̗̯̦͖͕͇͉̞̫̃̀͂̓͗͠͠!̷̪͖͇͔͔͚͕̥̬̋̎͋̍̍͋̆̿̋̚͜͝͝ͅ!̸̧̰̻̥̼̳̪̖̮͒̊!̸̧͙̝̙͕͈̭̫̗̀!̵̩̬͐̂̊̉̍̓̕!̵̧̧̧͖͎̫͕̰͖̜͆̂͌͂ͅ!̴̛̖̦̟͋́̏͊̈́̑̿͐̑͑̈́̊͝͝!̶͖͚͙̲̟͓̩̪͖̗̼͓͎̉͗̌́͊͊̔̐̀̉ͅ!̴̢̧͉͖̙͚̟͖̳̞͙̂̈́̍̽ͅ!̴̡̗̦̰̼͚̻͇̰̰͎́̀͜͜͝!̷͖̭̖͍̞͓͈̉̈́͑͊̄̈͌̐̒̊͊̄̕͠!̴̢̨̧̼͈̼̩͎̗̞̞͒̿́̑̈́͜!̸̛͈̖̞͗͐̋̾͗́̿͑̎̌͘!̴̢̡͙̪͎̯͉̲́͒̏̀̈́̒̐̾̋!̴̛͉̯̱̱̂̽̔͂͊̔̃̎͗̂̀͝!̷̤͚̜͖̖̌̿̒̋͑̍̇͛͐̿̚͝!̸̢̮̺͎̜̙͙̺͖͔͎̬̣̒́̽̐͒̏̃́̔̚̚!̵̡̳͔̣͓̆̿̽̽͛̿̕̚͠ͅ!̴͇̱̦͇̹̅̈́́͑̽̂͝͠!̷̦̺̗̹̤͎̞́̆̐!̴̮̘͕͌̌̀!̶̡̹̜̭̝̻͚̟̣͈̻͓̦̬͒̿̾́̋͂̓͑̀̽̈́̑̕̕͜͝!̴̣̪̯͇̳̹̯͍͈̥͕̀̀̌̽͗͆͆̈́̅!̵̛̦̈́̇̆̇̚!̴̪̺͖̳͓̘̬͗̇͐͑̓!̴̢̜͍͇̯̳̟̝̽͆͗͆͑̌̆̽͊͋̕͝!̶̱̘̭̺̥̥̬̰̱̜̔̇̈́̆̏̏̒͗̅̚!̶̨̢̩̥̩͕̘͈̖̈́͑̎̉̓̉̋͂̅̐̒͗̀̃!̴̢̞̬͎͉̔̚͜!̸̪̰̻̬̹̫̬͙̟̳̻͊̈́͑͆̆̈́̓̉̌̕!̷͕͙̼̮̳̯̤̯͚̞͇̬̟̼̲̈̿͂̇͌!̶̢̛̰̫̫̙̟́̀̌̃̽͗͛͆̉͂!̶̢̠̻̹̺̻̰͆͛̅̾̀̾̐͗͐́̍͠!̸̼͖̤̪̲͚̥̬̘̣̫͎̪̽̔͘͜͝!̵̡̗̼̭̰̫̬̰̺̫͙͎̳͇͓̿̍̎̈́̆̇͐̔͗̚!̷̛̜͇̐̀͌̄̽̀́̈́́̈͘͝!̶̢̤̯̮͎̱͙̥͚̜̺̪̀̃̀̍̐ͅ!̷̧̪̮͖̬̍͌͛̍̏͒̐!̸̡̭̲͉̬̑̈́̔̇̀͐͆̈́̒͝!̶̬͍͕̰͙̠͗͒̽͌̇͆͑́͗̿͐͜͝!̷̞̠̐̌̌̅̊͊̚͝!̷̡̛͈̝̈́̒̒̑́̈̾!̴̢̟͇̗̭͙̭̫͇̼̒͜ͅ
(Adriel) "B6."
(Yuuichi) "!!!" Tears roll down his cheek. "...B6." He mumbled.
(SCP-5000) "Yes. There is no wall, Adriel."
(Adriel) He smirks "Heh."
(Yuuichi) "TCH!!!"
(Adriel) "Haha! Holy shit, I never thought that I would ever make the great Yuuichi cry. What a sight. Oh, the next step is A6, 5000." He rests his chin on the palm of his hand "I feel like I can lock in this shit." He glares at Yuuichi "Well... I guess I wouldn't get lost in such a rotten labyrinth in the first place."
(SCP-5000) "No wall, Adriel."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "B6... B6... but I... bumped into a wall. Adriel can go through the flipped route... a path with no walls..."
(Adriel) "A5. Tch, such a retarded labyrinth. Those 5 must've done a number on your brain."
(SCp-5000) "Yes, there is no wall."
(Adriel) "As a wise man once said: if order is good, that good is born from evil. Order is a virtue that emerges from the depths of malevolence. Conversely, evil that arises from good is merely corruption. It is truly a shame, Yuuichi. You are an abomination!"
(Yuuichi) He stares agape "..."
(Adriel) "Just how many people you've ruined? How many memories you've taken? Defiled? Mocked? Bullied? Tortured? The acts you've committed won't disappear. You will still remain as scum."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "I won't... repent...? I won't... have a second chance to redeem myself? Hold on..." He looks at the eraser and broken mechanical pen he threw earlier "Don't tell me..."
He grabbed the eraser and pen. Using a blank sheet of paper, he drew a line and then erased it. When he attempted his trick, he noticed that the erased line did not transfer.
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "I-It didn't copy it... the place where I used the eraser... using the eraser... the walls can be kept from being transferred...? The eraser scatters the ink's position. Because the oil is gone, the walls aren't transferred to my sheet... with... with this, the walls on Adriel's labyrinth are hidden. It's possible to create walls that I can't see... but then... shouldn't there be 20 walls on my labyrinth? There shouldn't. Since the erased walls aren't transferred, there should be fewer than 20 walls in my labyrinth. And yet, there are 20 walls on the labyrinth in my hand."
(Adriel) "B1."
(SCP-5000) "There is no wall."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "But... knowing 5000 he wouldn't just stay quiet if the rules were broken. Just... wait... hold on..."
(Adriel) "B2."
(Yuuichi) "Adriel gave me the pencil and eraser before the second round... but... this... this is?" He looks closer into his paper "Wait... the line also transferred to the paper under it. How did I see this before? So that's what happened. Before the second round, before Adriel gave me the pencil and eraser, he had taken out a specific thing, a piece of the eraser." He grabs the eraser and takes it out of the plastic that wrapped around it "...But there is no sign of that in the eraser. So... is it the eraser from the mechanical pencil?" He grabs the opposite end of the pencil and pulls out the small eraser "Holy shit... like I thought... the bottom is torn. What the actual hell kind of plan was this? A thorough trick that doesn't raise the slightest suspicion. Adriel had marked a wall on my route from B1 to B2... and by using the piece of the eraser, it kept the wall from transferring to my labyrinth. Of the three walls that surround the entrance of my labyrinth these three, one of my walls was marked by Adriel on the back of the labyrinth sheet... most likely the route from C2 to B2. This then transferred into my labyrinth. Fuck... this is possible... a fake labyrinth. A labyrinth different from the real one can be transferred to my paper while still having 20 walls. Fuck... I found out the trick... but... what's the point... I'm so fucked now..."
(Adriel) "E3."
(SCP-5000) "There is no wall... and for the third round of the labyrinth... Adriel is the winner."
(Yuuichi) His hair covers his eyes, his mind seemingly just short-circuiting. "Haha... I..."
(Adriel) "Yuuichi.... that's not right... you..."
(Yuuichi) Thoughts "Haha... I guess this is my limit... my manipulative ways have come to an end... tricking all kinds of fictional characters... And I was done in by a manipulator... once again..."
(Adriel) "You... are a fuckin' liar."
(SCP-5000) He waves his hand and a memory orb of Yuuichi's entire life floats on his hand "What was betted has been collected. Yuuichi's memories are yours to keep, Guardian. Congratulations."
(Yuuichi) "..."
(SCP-5000) Thoughts "This trick with the eraser... to even be able to do this trick, that item should've been necessary. I assumed it was when Adriel started to freak out and accuse Yuuichi of cheating. Yuuichi was already being his manipulative asshole self and was suddenly suspected of possibly cheating somehow, which to be fair, I don't blame Adriel. This is Yuuichi we are talking about. But he failed to notice something... the Guardian's boundless potential, even without the extra skills to further amplify the already infinite potential. Yuuichi mocked the Guardian, made fun of his condition and his life... and Adriel took advantage of that by using his own 'Acting'... and at that moment, the key item to confirm Yuuichi's cheating, the labyrinth sheets, were daringly stolen by Adriel. With the item in his hand, Adriel understood the mechanism of the trick and found a way to trap his enemy. On the other hand, Yuuichi saw his opponent as an emotionally autistic person who was easy to trick. I swear, his overconfidence was always his undoing. He kept pressin' and pressin' to the point he thought he had won... but as a matter of fact, he was destined to lose, because in fiction, a world of victory or defeat, the opponent was a Guardian..."
(Yuuichi) "...Guardian... before I go..."
(Adriel) "What?" He sighs.
(Yuuichi) "Did I ever make an impact on people from the real world? Was I ever a good character? A good manipulator?"
(Adriel) "..."
(Yuuichi) He looks down "Huh... just another character to be forgotten..."
(Adriel) "While you might be a different Yuuichi from the original one, note this... People's opinions don't shape you, they'll just make you live in an image made of them. What shapes you, is yourself. opinions are just that... opinions... it is up to you to decide if such opinions are worth listening to or not. And if you do decide to listen, it better be a beneficial one, because we both know just how cruel people can be."
(Yuuichi) "...If it was for me I would rather let them die."
(Adriel) "I get that... even to this day... I'm stupid enough to be led by words of other readers in the comment section."
(Yuuichi) "This might be a first for me... but..."
(Adriel) "If you're gonna do something out of character, then don't. Just die at your style..."
(Yuuichi) He smirks "Hehe... getting farewell words from my enemy. What had this story come to? Fuck."
(Adriel) "Fuck off already."
(Yuuichi) "You can kiss my ass, dipshit." An evil smirk forms.
(Adriel) Grabs Yuuichi's memory orb and absorbs it "..."
As the orb disappeared from Adriel's hands, Yuuichi fell to the floor, his mind empty of anything and everything. He gagged, forgetting how to breathe, how to stand. A complete and utter mind wipe. A few seconds passed, and Yuuichi finally succumbed. His body lay motionless on the floor. Adriel stared at the lifeless body with indifference. He stood up from his chair and noticed that the exit door had been unlocked.
(Adriel) "Do I have to worry about facing you in the future?" He looks at SCP-5000.
(SCP-5000) "To be honest, no. I don't fight unless I need to. And I don't care about the whole war of Guardians vs Darks. I can't say the same for the other SCP's though."
(Adriel) "Well, that's a relief."
(SCP-5000) "Word of advice."
(Adriel) "Huh?"
(SCP-5000) "I know you're insecure. Comments of readers insulting you at the beginning of your story. You're ignorance, and naivety at the start of it all."
(Adriel) "..."
(SCP-5000) "You're a victim, Adriel. False information, controlled, lied to and suffering. It was only recently that you've gained a sense of freedom... somewhat."
(Adriel) "I thought it'd be fun... My stupid ass was just looking at things as if they were a game..."
(SCP-5000) "Then prove them wrong."
(Adriel) "Huh?"
(SCP-5000) "Just like how you've proved to everyone that your condition doesn't drag you down. Do it once again. You're capable, and the only person that understands you is yourself and your family."
(Adriel) "..."
(SCP-5000) "People are quick to judge at first. But that's just the smaller picture of things. Give it a chance and see more, do more, and you'll not regret it. Adriel, just keep moving forward."
(Adriel) "I don't even know what to think of you guys anymore. Most of you are assholes and then others aren't."
(SCP-5000) "That's the thing, Adriel. There's the broken and evil. I have my goals, as you have yours. I just happened to be broken but nice every once in a while."
(Adriel) He looks to the exit, staring at it in silence for a few seconds before speaking again "Do I have to worry about anything beyond this door?"
(SCP-5000) "I'm just as lost as you. I was just dragged here to be a referee, nothing else."
(Adriel) "I hope this is the last level..."
(SCP-5000) "For what it seems, it is. But I do not like the vibe of that level."
(Adriel) "What do you mean?"
(SCP-5000) "My scanners just... detected one thing. And it's a concept."
(Adriel) "What concept?" He asked worriedly.
(SCP-5000) "Death."
(Adriel) "Fuckin' hell..."
(SCP-5000) "You got it rough here."
(Adriel) "That seems to be my MO..." He sighs.
(SCP-5000) "Good luck... you'll need it."
(Adriel) "Fuck... I know..." He walks towards the exit "5000?"
(SCP-5000) Was about to burn Yuuichi's body "What?"
(Adriel) "Thanks."
(SCP-5000) "No problem, Guardian."
The Guardian turned around, facing the exit with newfound determination. He takes a deep breath and exhales, preparing himself for what's to come beyond this wall. Twisting the doorknob open, he saw a hallway leading towards his destination. He balled his fist and passed through the floor. As soon as he did, he felt his powers come back. He felt the rush of power course through him as he flexed his arm. Now he felt ready to face the last level of this trap set up by the Spider-God.
(Spider-Man) "Alright... let's do this." he continues walking forward.
...
...
...
(Dark Yogiri Takatou) "He's finally here..."
To be continued...