Eiden remained silent, his back pressed against the cold yellowed wall, trying to steady his breathing. The recent notification still echoed in his mind like the strike of a hammer.
—The player Kiyotaka Ayanokōji has entered Level 1—.
That name wasn't just any name. Not for him. He closed his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose hard, as if trying to make sure he hadn't misheard.
[ Kiyotaka… here? No way. That's a fictional character. A human monster I would never want to cross paths with. If he exists in this world, then… who else could be here? ]
A shiver ran down his spine. He didn't fear the Backrooms entities as much as he feared minds like Ayanokōji's. That man was calculating, cold, and never made a move without planning ten more behind it.
[ If he's here, he won't just aim to survive. He'll aim to control, manipulate… turn everyone else into pieces on his board. I can't be one of those pieces. ]
He forced himself to stand upright and took a deep breath. He couldn't stay frozen, lost in thought about what Kiyotaka's appearance meant. He had to move. He had to reach Level 1 as soon as possible.
—Alright… I already lost my chance with that entity. I won't lose the race too. —His voice rang through the hallway, hard and determined.
The thought struck him with clarity: he couldn't fall behind. Not if he wanted to keep an edge in this strange world blending reality and fiction.
[ I need to move faster. Much faster. ]
That was when a memory flashed before him. A scene from his past life, from those countless hours spent in front of a screen. Toph, the little earthbending master from Avatar: The Last Airbender, sliding across the ground as if riding invisible waves.
—If she could do it… I can try too. —he said, a glimmer in his eyes.
He extended his arms and stomped the floor hard with his heels, trying to mold the surface beneath him. A chunk of the ground rose up like an improvised board. Eiden tried to step onto it… and immediately fell flat on his face.
—Ouch! Damn it! —he groaned, clutching his nose.
[ Okay… that went worse than I expected. ]
He tried again. And again. And again. Every fall brought a new scrape, a bruise on his knees, a thud on his back. The echo of his crashes resounded through the endless yellow halls.
—Come on… focus, damn it. —he growled, standing up with clenched teeth.
[ If Toph could do it while blind, I've got no excuse. ]
Hours passed. Between failed attempts, falls, and ragged breaths, little by little he managed to stay longer on that improvised slab of ground he himself was steering. The key wasn't brute strength, but the fluidity of his movements.
—It's not about controlling the earth… it's about flowing with it. —he whispered as he advanced, wobbly but steady.
Finally, after many attempts, he managed to move with enough speed to surpass a running pace. It wasn't perfect, and it definitely wasn't a race car, but at least… it was a start.
Eiden smiled, sweaty and covered in dust, but satisfied.
—Perfect… now the race begins.
The echo of his voice was swallowed by the infinite hallways, while, with a fresh push, the ground beneath his feet responded and launched him forward. The goal was clear: reach Level 1 before the world —and Ayanokōji— overtook him.
[ This world isn't just a simple game. It's not just some weird crossover. It's a giant board. And I… must learn to play it better than anyone. ]
With that final conviction, Eiden accelerated toward his destination, without looking back.