The group entered the vast courtyard, a heavy silence hanging over the place, as if the air itself were frozen and motionless. The high walls surrounded them on all sides, devoid of any sign of life, save for a few ancient cracks that resembled scars on the face of time.
Korole advanced with steady steps, his gray eyes gazing into every corner.
"Stay alert, this is only the beginning."
Minamoto raised his hand to the hilt of his sword, his eyes darting cautiously into the shadows. Taiko stood close to him, watching the cracked ceiling as if anticipating an attack from above.
Hairu Shin looked in every direction with nervous curiosity, his breathing quickening, a mixture of excitement and boredom within him. At the other end, Kaito sat on a crumbling rock, motionless and unconcerned, as if nothing concerned him at all.
A long time of searching passed, their footsteps echoing coldly in the void, but they found nothing.
Minamoto said nervously, "It seems Hana isn't here."
Korole smiled faintly, then replied with a firm calmness, "No, we haven't reached the true depths yet... This place hides more than it reveals."
Hairo Shin's chest tightened, and his brows furrowed in anger.
"Damn this wretched place! What futile search?!"
He shouted with a voice that shook the arena, then raised his greatsword and plunged it forcefully into the ground.
Suddenly, the arena shook beneath their feet.
A deep crack split the floor in the middle, and massive stones began to crumble. Then the ground opened up into a wide, circular hole, like a dark mouth swallowing the light.
Everyone quickly retreated, their eyes wide in surprise. A cold air rushed in from the depths, laden with an ancient scent, as if coming from a tomb forgotten thousands of years ago.
They looked into the hole, and saw nothing but endless darkness.
"We found it," Corul said in a low but sharp voice.
Kaito smiled a mysterious smile, half hidden by his shadows, then whispered, as if to himself:
"So... the truth is beginning to emerge."
Everyone stood on the edge of the precipice, knowing that descending there would not be just another step... but the beginning of the end.
Everyone stood in front of the black hole, still emitting a cold air as if warning them of the fate that awaited them. No one was sure… was it the true path to what they were looking for, or simply a trap set to swallow their souls?
Taeko broke the silence with a firm but determined voice:
"I'll go down first."
Minamoto moved quickly, placing his hand on his comrade's shoulder:
"Slow down. We can't risk you. Let's send Kaito. Even if he's injured, I have the ability to regenerate his body."
Taeko's features hardened, his eyes shining with sudden intensity, as if Minamoto's words had wounded his pride. He stared at him for a long moment before smiling faintly, a contrasting smile that held warmth and mockery at the same time:
"Why not? Is that how valuable you think I am?"
A strange tension pervaded the two of them, a silent struggle between caution and boldness.
Kaito remained seated on the edge of the rock, observing the scene with disinterest. He didn't comment, didn't object, didn't move a muscle. It was as if his fate whether he was thrown into the abyss or not didn't matter to him at all. His eyes stared into the deep darkness below, as if a secret conversation had taken place between him and the abyss itself.
Everyone felt a chill seep into their bones, not just from the pit, but from the thought that the first step could determine life or death for everyone.
End of Chapter