Takumi and Haruka chased after Ryo, but they couldn't keep up. By the time they reached the city's edge, they saw him standing on the ledge, looking out at the vast expanse of the world below.
"Ryo, no!" Takumi shouted, his heart pounding. "Get away from there!"
Ryo turned slowly, his face unreadable. But his eyes were hollow, glazed over with a cold emptiness. "I can't keep going, Takumi. I can't forget what we've been through. The Maze never ends. It'll never let me go."
Takumi's chest tightened. "Ryo, please! You're stronger than this. We've all been through hell, but we're still here. You don't have to do this."
Ryo shook his head, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "You don't understand, do you? The Maze… it's in my head now. It's in my soul. I'm not free. And I never will be."
Takumi stepped forward, reaching out his hand. "We can do this together. We've always been together. Please, Ryo."
But Ryo's gaze never wavered from the horizon. "You don't know what it's like to live with that kind of fear. The Maze showed me things. Terrible things. I don't think I can take it anymore."
The words hung in the air, suffocating the hope that had been rising within Takumi. He saw Ryo's resolve harden, and before Takumi could react, Ryo took one final step back.
And then, he was gone.