The two groups steps halted, One by one the blue crystal on the Celling started to light. Revealing the straight path in front of them.
At the end of the path was a door. With storage text above it. Then all of a sudden the ground Shaked, and the ground slowly started to crumble leaving darkness below.. titles also appeared across the path as The it's surroundings crumbled.
Two separate Tiles rows formed a narrow, fragmented bridge toward the door the only path forward. Before words appeared on the air.
"None are worthy" flashing before disappearing at next second
The Ghost valley disciple with the broad body acted, "What's the holdup? You all planning to stand here all night?" Without waiting for instructions, he strode onto the first tile.
And waited, nervous can be seen on his face, Truth to be told he didn't think much before stepping forward. A moment passed by, and nothing happened boating his confidence.
His nervousness disapeared,replaced by a cocky grin. "See? You're all just cowards."
The tile was big enough to accommodate several people seeing he was safe. The Ghost valley leader acted stepping onto it, followed by the two girls.
Ren Su's face tightened. "No time to waste! Move—"
But before he could take a step, a blade gleamed. A sword was suddenly pointed toward him.
Everyone froze.
The broad-shouldered Ghost Valley disciple stepped forward, his heavy sword held steady. His eyes burned with hostility as his blade hovered inches from Ren Su's chest. "Take another step, and you die," he said coldly.
Ren Su's jaw clenched, his gaze steady as he stared down the blade.
"Lower your weapon," Ren Su said, voice like steel. "This isn't the time, we need to clear the.."
His words were cut short,
" Nah. This is just us making sure we get to that door first."
Leon's foot shifted, ready to intervene, but Ren Su subtly raised a hand, halting him.
Silvan watched silently from the side, His eyes narrowing activating vein eyes. He could see it all the title they were standing on had some kind of ruins engraved onto them. As for the other it doesn't have one. Mostly the ones without the ruins are traps.
Silvan gazed further and as he speculated, he was right.
Amidst all this,Without sparing anyone a glance, Iris stepped forward. Her expression was unreadable.
A moment passed and nothing happened. The other girl also moved along with her. The Ghost valley leader also moved along with the other one, still pointing the sword towards them.
They also reacted but didn't aproach the next tile which they were standing. Silvan also moved stepping onto it gazing at the girl iris, who took another step at the right tile. Making him completely sure she has something like him.
They also moved following along with them. And this repeated, and soon Ghost valley were at the 5th tile two tiles just fromthe door. Ren su was frustrated seeing this. They will get the treasure or whatever opportunity lays behind that door, and he could do nothing!.
Then, without warning, the broad-shouldered Ghost Valley disciple's patience snapped. His eyes darted to Iris, noting how close she was to the door.
"No way she's he's letting her reach the door just like that!."
Gritting his teeth, he surged forward. "Outta my way!"
"Wait—!" the Ghost Valley leader barked, but it was too late.
The disciple stomped onto the sixth tile, a moment passed,Safe. A cocky grin spread across his face. "Ha! What'd I tell you? Scared for nothing."
Encouraged by his success, the disciple stepped onto the seventh tile the final one before the door.
And that's when the world shattered.
Crack~
Time seemed too slow. The tile beneath his feet splintered like glass under pressure. His grin faltered, eyes widening in sudden, cold realization. "Wait, no—!"
The tile collapsed, stone crumbling into the abyss. His scream echoed through the cavern as he plummeted into darkness, the sound swallowed by the void below, before a loud thud was heard along with a wet crunching sound.
Silence. the only sound of faint drip... drip... of water echoing from somewhere unseen.
Leon exhaled slowly. "Serves him right."
The Ghost Valley leader's face twisted in frustration but kept his composure. His gaze swept over the path.One less fool, but no room for mistakes now.
Iris didn't spare a glance toward the fallen disciple. Her expression remained cold, unreadable. Without hesitation, she moved to a different seventh tile, which lit up safely beneath her step. She stepped forward,She raised her hand and pressed against the rough stone surface of the door.
Rumble—
The door groaned, dust and debris cascading from its edges as it slowly swung inward. A rush of cold air poured out.
Ren Su's group quickly followed, careful to mimic the safe path. Leon was last, glancing back at the void where the fallen Ghost Valley disciple had vanished before muttering, "Lucky idiot's out of the running."
The Ghost Valley leader, face tight with frustration but maintaining his composure, he also stepped forward, the only lacky he had was gone he could only depend on them this two unknown girls.
As both groups crossed the threshold, they expected a dark corridor or perhaps another trap.
Instead, the world changed.
The cavern walls dissolved, melting away like mist in the morning sun. Suddenly, they found themselves standing at the edge of a vast, open area. White clouds stretched endlessly beneath their feet, a sea of swirling mist extending in every direction. The ground they stood on? Smooth, polished stone tiles that seemed to float in the sky.
Ahead of them stood a towering staircase.its base connected to the floating platform but its peak lost among the clouds. The stairs led upward toward what appeared to be a floating island base high above.
Beyond the staircase, there was nothing but open sky. No horizon. No land. Just clouds and an endless expanse that made their stomachs churn with vertigo.
Leon took a shaky step forward and peered over the edge. "Where are we?"
Silvan's gaze sharpened. An illusion? No... too real.
Then YunYun's voice echoed in his mind, calm but serious. "It's an array field"
Silvan nodded, still not understanding but he knows it wasn't the time think about that.
Strange glowing letters formed above the staircase, floating in midair.They were unreadable at first but as the moment passed they started to make some sense.
"The worthy may ascend."