Takumi stood still, the sound of his heartbeat louder than ever in his headphones. The eerie silence of the maze closed in around him, broken only by the soft, almost imperceptible hum of the static. He could feel the walls shifting again, but this time, it felt different.
They had made it past the first challenge—the bridge—but now, they were faced with an abyss. An actual rift in the floor, stretching far below, where no end could be seen. Haruka's face was pale as she stared down, her hands gripping the edges of the map they'd found earlier. Ryo was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself about the absurdity of this place.
"This can't be real," Ryo spat, staring down at the depths below. "There's no way this is just some game."
Takumi didn't say anything. He had already seen the cracks in the world they had been thrust into. He didn't need any more reminders that this wasn't the world they knew. The Maze of Choices wasn't just a series of trials—it was a test of will.
"Takumi," Haruka's voice came softly, hesitant. "Do you think we can… can we really make it out of here?"
He glanced at her, noticing the way her hands trembled, even though she was trying to hide it. Haruka wasn't like Ryo. She didn't take risks easily.
Takumi felt the weight of his role as the leader—he wasn't just guiding them through these trials, but also keeping their hope alive. And that pressure? It was starting to break through the calm he always tried to maintain.
He slipped the headphones back over his ears, blocking out the sound of the world—blocking out his doubts.
"Don't worry. We're going to make it," he said, his voice quieter than he intended. The music from his headphones started again, a rhythmic pulse to steady his thoughts. It was his way of focusing, of shutting out the fear.
Before Haruka could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. A low rumble reverberated through the walls, and Takumi's senses were on high alert. Something was coming. Something big.
"Get ready," he said, his voice suddenly sharper. They didn't have much time.