The mansion door slammed shut with a deafening finality, the sound echoing like a judge's gavel sealing their fate.
The silence that followed felt alive, slithering into Tang-Ji's ears and tightening its hold. She exchanged anxious glances back and forth at Kazami, but the pallor of his face told her all she needed to know.
The impact resonated in their bones as panic surged through their virtual veins before they realised that they were trapped, cut off from the safety of the outside world. Desperation etched itself upon their faces.
But the unsettling changes were not done. The ground beneath their feet started to ripple as the walls surrounding them began to morph. Dark, gnarled woods transformed into ancient, weathered cobblestones; their once sturdy appearance was now worn and crumbling.
A number of faint lights began to flicker to life under their feet, generating unsettling shadows that danced around the walls as if they were orchestrated by some unseen force. Their sensation of loneliness and dread was heightened by the ethereal illumination, which gave the already eerie ambience an alienated vibe.
The house seemed to pulse, like they were trapped inside a living thing, playing with their anxieties and carrying out its twisted game. The area around them seamlessly throbbed with a slow, deliberate rhythm that echoed through the walls like the rise and fall of unseen lungs.
It was as though the place had swallowed them whole, sealing them into its endless, dark belly, and somewhere deep within, something waited, watching, unblinking.
The once-glass windows shattered into rainbow-coloured fragments and were replaced with dark, glossy stones, almost like obsidian. It felt disturbingly familiar—like the rush of blood in Tang-Ji's ears on a rollercoaster, the kind she usually relished, when speed and motion made the world blur.
But here, the pounding wasn't thrilling; it thrummed heavy and unyielding, like the relentless hooves of the Erinyes, echoing into the void with no end.
The group remains rooted to the spot, their eyes scanning their transformed surroundings, searching for any sign of escape. Dread hung heavy in the air, mingling with a sense of anticipation for the trials that await them within the labyrinthine corridors of the mansion.
Kazami muttered under his breath, "I should have known... This... This is a trap room."
'To be able to defeat any boss in this game, a large-scale party composed of tanks, damage dealers, and supporters is needed to clear any boss room,' Kazami thought to himself.
He knew from the beta version of the game that it was nearly impossible to fight solo in this game, and now the odds were stacked against them. Travelling with a party of two and an NPC was bound to get them onto some sort of death road; however, it was too late to rethink his foolish decision.
"Dammit, fuck!" He grunted.
Before they could react, the ceiling above began to crack, and a chilling realisation dawned upon them. Blood started to pour from the ceiling, cascading down a grotesque waterfall.
The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of the blood splattering onto the floor. The Clicker Husks, sensing the impending danger, retreat to the edges of the room, their malevolent gazes fixed upon the pool of blood.
"What... what is that?" Tang-Ji's lips trembled as she could almost feel the smell of blood clinging to her skin.
As the blood began to merge and coalesce, it took on a monstrous form. The amalgamation of blood solidified, revealing a colossal, nightmarish creature that almost resembled an Arachne.
Its massive spider-like body loomed above them, dripping with blood and malice. Multiple bright red dots suddenly emerged from the shadows, revealing the boss' hideous form.
"It's... it's the queen of this nest, a high-level boss. We walked right into its lair." Ukiyo muttered as she grabbed onto Tang-Ji's arm. The intensity of the boss's appearance caused Tang-Ji to murmur something before shuffling back behind Ukiyo.
"WAIT, DON'T MOVE!" Tang-Ji, heeding Kazami's warning, hesitated at the edge of her track, but it was already too late.
The Arachne sprinted towards them at breakneck speed as soon as it detected the presence of fresh prey. It moves with a calculated rhythm, each of its eight legs carrying a lethal purpose. Its speed belied its girth, as it quickly dove towards the players.
With a sudden burst of speed, the spider-like boss lunged forward, its massive frame hurtling towards Ukiyo, Tang-Ji, and Kazami.
Its razor-sharp legs extended, ready to strike with a wide swipe attack that threatened to overwhelm them.
In a split second, the players found themselves sprawling backwards, the impact of the Arachne attack reverberating through their bodies. With a single attack from its leg, it drained a significant percentage of everyone's health.
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As Tang-Ji slowly regained consciousness, she blinked her eyes open, her vision blurred and disoriented. The pain from the impact throbbed through her body as she attempted to sit up.
However, before she could fully gather herself, she felt a weight upon her body, shielding her from further harm. It was Ukiyo, who was directly on top of her with her back facing danger.
"Are you alright, Tang-Ji?" Ukiyo weakly whispered. Ukiyo had taken the brunt of the attack, mitigating the damage that would have befallen Tang-Ji.
"I'm fine. Thank you, but... your health." Tang-Ji quickly brought out a healing potion for Ukiyo, but she refused it.
"You can thank me after we walk out of this place alive. I can heal quicker than you can. Save it for yourself and him." Ukiyo's health bar flashed in the red zone, indicating her critical condition, and Tang-Ji's heart sank.
She's unable to bear the thought of losing anyone else—she had already lost so much, and the idea of losing another person she had now was unbearable.
Ukiyo's trembling hand reached out, gently brushing a strand of Tang-Ji's hair behind her ear.
"Tang-Ji," she whispered, her voice soft but resolute, "you have to do this. I can't unlock the full power of your Leere. Only you can." Despite the strain, her touch was steady, urging Tang-Ji forward.
With a trembling voice, Ukiyo pressed on.
"The Leere system in this game… it's different. Unlike anything else."
Her gaze flickered to Tang-Ji's hands, empty yet burdened. The cold air pressed against them, numbing.
"Your emotions—hatred, love, fear, happiness—every moment, every feeling you've ever held onto, they shape your weapon. They determine its strength."
Ukiyo took a slow breath, her voice softer now. "But you… you suppress everything. You bury yourself beneath logic and distance. And because of that, your connection is weakening."
The scarlett moon ray trembled between them, its glow fragile through the cracks from the ceiling.
"A Leere isn't just a weapon—it's a reflection. It only answers to raw, unfiltered emotion. If you keep shutting yourself away, you're not just holding yourself back… you're limiting what your Leere can become."
Tang-Ji listened intently. She always knew the truth in them, understanding that she needed to confront her fears and embrace her emotions to truly unlock her potential to protect Kazami.
Something in Ukiyo's voice stirred deep within her, unravelling the weight of her self-imposed shackles and awakening the void within her heart.
Kazami stood up and swiftly activated an item that had an elongated tube appearance; a large healing area of effect suddenly appeared, and he bathed the three of them in a radiant glow of rejuvenation. The wounds they had suffered began to close, and their strength returned, though only slightly.
The monster let out a deafening scream that almost sounded like bird chirps, only with way higher intensity. It began to rotate its lower body around in circles before slamming one of its legs against one of the pillars of the mansion, sending out shockwaves of area attack, which caused the deaths of multiple Clicker Husks that were spectating the fight.
Startled by this, Tang-Ji covered her eyes and squinted them; however, upon reopening them, she noticed that Kazami was right before her, standing with his first clench.
"Hey, Tang-Ji," Kazami said sternly over the howling of the beast.
"Let's beat this game together," his voice now softened before titling half his face back to look at Tang-Ji.
He exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"I know I've said it before—we're not heroes. We can't save everyone." His voice held firm, yet there was something else beneath it. A quiet resolve.
"But still…" He clenched his fists before loosening them.
"Getting my friends out of this game—that's my goal. And if, somehow, I end up saving everyone along the way…" His lips quirked slightly, a ghost of something like acceptance. "Then so be it. I'll take on the role of a hero."
His gaze lowered for a brief moment, the weight of his earlier words pressing down on him.
"What I said before… it was wrong." His voice wavered, but he didn't look away. "I was scared—hell, I've always been scared. But that doesn't excuse it." A pause. "It was cruel of me. I know that."
Kazami inhaled sharply, then let it out.
"I'll make up for it. Some other time." His fingers twitched before he stretched out his arm, palm open. "But right now… I need your help, Tang-Ji."
Tang-Ji felt a wave of relief wash over her as she nodded, a soft smile touching her lips. She took Kazami's hand, surprised by the heat.
'It's soft,' she thought, her fingers curling around his. 'It's warm.' For a moment, the chill of her surroundings faded, replaced by the quiet comfort of his touch.
This made Kazami flinch a little before muttering under his breath, "You finally gave me a real smile. Your smile is very beautiful; you should always keep smiling." He reassured her with a smile as well.
"No matter how dangerous the situation is, I promise I will not let you die. Trust me, we will escape out of this cruel world together."
Her face went slightly red. Tang-Ji felt the urge to reply to his kind gesture, but it was as if the words were stuck in her throat, so instead, she held onto Kazami's hand tighter.
He couldn't help but keep smiling before turning around to confront the beast that was still on a rampage in the background.
Taking charge of the situation, Kazami knew what needed to be done. With a surge of adrenaline, he sprinted towards the towering spider-like boss, drawing its attention away from Ukiyo and Tang-Ji.
His roar echoed through the chamber, a declaration that he would bear the brunt of the boss's aggression.
"COME, GET ME, YOU BASTARD!" He yelled out, trying to provoke the beast.
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Kazami skilfully manoeuvred through the six-legged beast, trying his best to draw the boss's attention with his relentless attacks, while Ukiyo focused her efforts on guiding Tang-Ji to activate her Leere. With a silent scream, Kazami struck the giant spider's flank.
It was only a standard swing with a little more force behind it, yet the point was able to break through the dull purple exoskeleton, releasing a stream of green liquid.
"AAAHHH!!"
The Dread Stalker bellowed in rage as he pulled his blade out along with a string of green blood. He leapt back and raced for Ukiyo and Tang-Ji, not bothering to check if the spider boss was following.
However, when Kazami turned over his shoulder, the spider beast had just finished a ninety-degree turn. His gaze met her many glowing eyes, and he noticed that the first of her two hit-point bars had slightly decreased.
"Hurry up, guys; I don't think I can hold out much longer." Kazami panted and gasped desperately.
"Close your eyes, Tang-Ji," Ukiyo urged gently, her voice carrying the weight of both fear and conviction.
"Think about it. Recall any memory from your past—a memory that held deep meaning for you. We all have something or someone that gives us the strength to overcome any obstacle. Find that within yourself; find your true desire."
Tang-Ji hesitated for a moment, uncertainty lingering in her expression. But when she glanced past Ukiyo, it was enough—Kazami was there, locked in a desperate dance with the Arachne.
His movements were sharp and deliberate, like a blade slicing through a storm, but each step seemed heavier, his form wavering as if the world itself was pressing down on him. Sweat dripped from his brow, his virtual muscles strained, and his breath came in ragged gasps.
The simulated world around him blurred as the battle raged on, but the mental exhaustion weighed heavily on him, threatening to drag him down. Kazami had been battling constantly for days, and the toll it was taking on him was evident.
Despite being inside the game, the mental strain was very real, and it was wearing him thin. The game's healing potions are only effective on physical injuries; to recuperate from mental stress, players must either rest or get some sleep.
Since the beginning of the death game, Kazami has not slept through the night once. He had to remain alert at all times, since danger might be lurking around any corner.
Tang-Ji quickly closed her eyes, knowing that she was running out of time, allowing herself to be enveloped in darkness. Her surroundings began to disperse as she was lunged into a dream world.
Once again, she entered my world.
As she slowly opened her eyes, Tang-Ji found herself standing on a cliff, the setting sun casting a warm golden glow. There, she saw a young boy with a familiar aura.
"I want this dream to come true. To be able to experience a world from our memories that is almost indistinguishable from reality." His words resonated with a sense of familiarity within her.
Though his face was still blurry, something in his remarks reminded her of Kazami. The little boy spoke of his ambitious goals: to create a device that could capture the spirit of the surroundings and submerge the user in a virtual world that was an exact replica of the real thing. He wanted to see the world from the perspective of virtual reality.
Suddenly, a mysterious girl with similarly hidden characteristics emerged besides the boy. She noticed that the little girl was sobbing; however, she was too preoccupied with the boy at the moment to give another thought about the weeping girl.
Tang-Ji was unable to help but notice parallels between the boy and Kazami. Their shared aspirations to comprehend and enjoy the world seemed strangely familiar.
Tang-Ji's mind flickered to her first encounter with Kazami and the awkwardness and difficulty in understanding him. But despite the challenges, she realised that he had always been there for her, protecting her, even without her knowledge of her past.
He had kept her memories a secret, unwilling to burden her with changes or headaches that may arise from uncovering her forgotten history.
'He truly is a strong person,' she thought.
Kazami's quiet strength had shown Tang-Ji what she'd been missing; his unwavering support made her realise that strength wasn't about never showing weakness—it was about facing it. Watching him fight for her, for both of them, gave her the courage to confront her own self.
She felt like he was trying to teach her that even with a forgotten past, an uncertain present, and an unknown future, she could still be strong. She didn't need to hide behind doubt anymore. It felt like Kazami's resolve had become her own.
"When I get out of here, I'll dedicate myself to learning my language—I promise, mum, dad. As for right now, I'll trust in your words, Kazami Lynn." Tang-Ji murmured before her eyes snapped open, gleaming with intense resolve as she stepped forward.
As she raised her hand, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to shift. Invisible energy pulsed through the space, creating a mesmerising display of shimmering particles. The ground beneath her feet trembled slightly, as if acknowledging the weight of the impending transformation.
Wisps of energy coiled and swirled, forming intricate patterns that danced with a rhythm only the universe could comprehend. Tang-Ji slowly extended a hand, trembling slightly with a mixture of anticipation.
Allow your desires to ignite and dissolve your path to the future.
A magnificent surge of energy erupted from the depths, enveloping her in a swirling vortex of power. The force of the awakening Leere resonated with the very fabric of the chamber, causing dust to spiral in a mesmerising dance.
Beams of radiant light shot out in every direction, illuminating the surroundings with a celestial glow. The massive Jade shear materialised in her hand, along with a pop-up window that appeared in her vision, displaying the name and translation of her Leere, Jade of Abolition.