The golden tower loomed above the Lull Sea, its helix-shaped form twisting upward, with half of its main body swallowed by the monstrous whirlpool beneath.
That was the world that we dreamed of living in...
At the top, the floor stretched out, vast enough to consume all of Japan. The tower's shimmering body spiralled downward, each level smaller than the one above, vanishing into the abyss where darkness roared.
It was impossible to measure its true scale, but every block of its structure hummed with untold data, a labyrinth of knowledge, sculpted by the minds of quantum physicists who had spent lifetimes in its creation.
Inside, cities clung to the edges of vast, unseen chasms. Arches and bridges wove through biomes and islands, and small oceans stirred beneath distant shores.
Only one stairway connected the floors—a treacherous path through the Delves, haunted by monsters armed with weapons of every kind. But those who triumphed had the rare privilege of stepping into the ethereal teleporter, their presence a silent promise of escaping their own desire.
Once someone makes a breakthrough and arrives at a city on one of the lower floors, a blinding pulse of light will be seen floating silently in the lower city, connecting the teleporters of the upper cities with each other, making it possible for anyone to move freely between the floors of the golden tower.
These dungeons, known as Delves, require the elimination of a boss that resides somewhere within the labyrinth to allow safe passage.
A world trapped in shadow, where the roar of the sea was only silenced by the echo of violence and the grind of battle.
For six months, it had devoured the world, pulling in 1.3 million unfortunate souls.
This was the realm of Dusk Protocol.
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Blood has always terrified me—not just the idea of blood but rather the blood of someone close to me. I used to fret about the thought of dying before learning who I truly am, but now what I fear the most is losing the people I care most about.
Just a few inches away from me was a magical iron radiating a grimace; its long, skeletal curve encircled Kazami, who was gasping for air. He screamed in fear as the serpent-like chains dug their teeth into him, leaving a trail of blood on his clothing. It was at this moment that I knew there was no hope of escaping this game alive, at least not in this life.
"Do it…" I stuttered, wiping the blood off my dress before standing up. "One last time, Ukiyo, I'll set things right."
The girl besides me was dying. Tears streamed down her worn-out clothes as her eyes slowly decayed. "You heard what that thing said—that fate ruled people's lives and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. I don't want anyone else to suffer. So please don't do it," she cried out.
"One last time. I promise this time I'll set things right. I'll protect the one thing I want to protect until the very end."
"For every wish that is granted, a curse is born. If it's for your sake, then I don't mind being locked in this enteral maze until all of us can live under the same sky once again."