We had barely caught our breath after the maze—after the Scholar's cold words echoing in our minds—when the air around us began to shift again.
Another presence. Another administrator.
This one felt different—sharper, more immediate. It wasn't like the Scholar, who had watched us from a distance with his detached precision. No, this new presence wasn't just watching. It was feeling us, observing us, as though it could reach inside our minds, weigh our thoughts. It wasn't the same as before.
I barely had time to register it before a figure materialized in front of us—a tall, imposing woman with silver hair and a dark, regal cloak that seemed to ripple and sway like a shadow.
"Welcome," she said, her voice carrying an unmistakable authority, but there was something different in it. It was... almost playful. "I am the new administrator for this sector. You may call me Sirius." Her gaze swept across the group, her eyes scanning each of us with sharp precision, pausing just a little longer on each of our faces.
It was clear she was sizing us up.
"Now," she continued, her tone never losing that edge of amusement, "I'm afraid you'll no longer be under the Scholar's watch. You're mine now." A slight smirk curled her lips, but her expression remained unreadable. "And I don't do 'congratulations.' Not here."
The room felt colder. We had survived the maze, but now, standing in the presence of this new figure, it hit me just how far from safe we still were.
"We're separating you," Sirius said, like it was nothing. "This sector is designed for a diverse group. Different nationalities, different backgrounds, all thrown together into one sector. Your teams will be formed accordingly."
The words hit me like a cold wave. We'd been a team before. We had faced the trials together. But now, we were about to be torn apart, thrown into different groups, and there was nothing we could do about it.
"Your survival now depends on more than just strength," Sirius added, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "It depends on adaptation. And for those who fail… well, the maze was just a warm-up. The real game begins now."
As she spoke, the space around us warped again, the ground shifting beneath our feet. The familiar feeling of displacement crept in once more, and for the second time in what felt like moments, we were being separated.
Before I could react, a new voice buzzed into my mind.
[Basic Information Sight]
Current Access: 5%
Status: Combat Analysis
Note: Scanning for environmental threats
I blinked. It was my ability—but there was something different. Something new. Something that wasn't just a stream of data anymore.
A small figure appeared in front of me, floating just slightly above eye level. It looked like a weird, digitized avatar of myself—only much more... exaggerated.
"Hey, buddy!" The voice was high-pitched and cheerful, almost comically so. "Nice to meet you. I'm your totally amazing System Avatar. But you can call me Jeeves!"
Jeeves, the avatar, was dressed in an absurd butler outfit with an oversized bowtie. He had a tiny monocle, and his entire body was made up of shifting blocks of data that flickered like a bad connection. Despite the ridiculousness of it all, I could feel that he was connected to my ability—his presence was somehow woven into my thoughts, providing a weird sense of... familiarity?
"I'm here to guide you through this crazy game you're about to play," Jeeves continued, bouncing around in the air like a ball of energy. "Don't worry! I'll be your trusty assistant! You can turn me on and off whenever you want! You know, like a light switch. Just say the word, and I'll be at your service."
What? I blinked again, feeling my mind try to wrap around the absurdity of what had just happened.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to me!" Jeeves chirped, flying in front of my face. "You're at 5%, so that means you've got just enough control to turn me on when you need me. And when you're done with me? Just tell me to take a break. I promise, no hard feelings."
It took all my willpower not to let out an exasperated sigh. But Jeeves was right there, practically buzzing with enthusiasm, and I had to admit—he was a strange mix of ridiculous and oddly comforting.
"Now, back to business!" Jeeves said, doing a small loop in the air. "You're in a sector full of new challenges. And Sirius is about to make sure you have a blast. Because, let's face it, she doesn't do boring."
I watched the walls shift once more, the door to our respective sectors opening with a heavy, metallic creak. Sirius had already disappeared, and now the separation began. A new set of challenges awaited each of us.
"Okay, okay, Jeeves, I get it," I muttered, though part of me was still reeling from the sudden appearance of this odd little creature. I wasn't sure how to feel about it yet.
"That's the spirit!" Jeeves cheered, flying around me in a blur. "Now, let's focus, buddy! We've got a game to win!"
The door ahead of me was already opening, and I could see other people starting to move in, their faces just as exhausted and confused as mine. Different nationalities, different backgrounds—all of us here, thrust into this mess.
But as we entered the new sector, my mind flashed back to what Sirius had said.
"The real game begins now."
I didn't know what awaited us on the other side, but I knew one thing for sure. Whatever it was, I couldn't do it alone.
"Alright, Jeeves," I muttered under my breath, readying myself for whatever came next. "What's the plan?"
Jeeves hummed happily. "Oh, you'll love this! The first official game is called 'Zodiac Hunt.' Don't worry, I'll explain all the rules in detail. We've got some serious zodiacs to deal with, but hey, it's not like we don't have a whole system backing us up, right?"
I took a deep breath, following the crowd into the new sector. Zodiac Hunt? That didn't sound good.
As we moved further into the sector, the world began to shift once more, the maze-like structure rearranging itself in ways I couldn't fully comprehend. The Zodiac hearts were out there, waiting. And soon, we'd have to find them… or be hunted.