Gorya POV
"THYME!"
The floor beneath him cracked open with a loud metallic sound. Red warning lights flashed violently across the room.
"No no no—this isn't fair! Stop it!" I screamed, trying to run toward him, but an invisible barrier blocked me.
Thyme didn't panic.
That's what scared me the most.
He looked at me—calm, steady… almost like he expected this.
"Gorya," he said, his voice firm, "don't move."
"How can I not move?!" I shouted, tears forming in my eyes. "Something's going to happen to you!"
The voice echoed again—
"Mismatch penalty initiated."
The ground beneath Thyme dropped—but only slightly.
Instead of falling, metal restraints snapped around his wrists, locking him in place.
"What the hell—?!" he hissed, trying to pull free.
Electric sparks flickered near his feet.
My heart stopped.
"NO!"
A sharp current surged through the platform.
Thyme's body jerked, but he didn't scream.
He clenched his jaw, eyes shut tight.
"Stop it! Please stop it!" I cried, hitting the invisible barrier with both hands.
After a few seconds—
Everything went still.
The restraints released.
Thyme dropped to his knees, breathing heavily—but alive.
Alive.
I felt my legs give out in relief.
"Penalty complete," the voice said calmly.
"Both players remain in the game."
Alys POV
My chest tightened watching the screen projection of what happened to Gorya and Thyme.
"This place is insane," I whispered.
Drake didn't respond immediately.
His focus was sharp, calculating.
"Listen carefully," he said. "No one dies in the first round."
I looked at him.
"…first round?"
Before I could ask more—
The screen in front of us changed.
"BONUS ROUND — Alys & Drake"
Of course.
"Why us?" I muttered.
Drake exhaled slowly.
"Because we passed too easily."
A second platform rose from the floor.
This one had—
Two levers.
And behind them—
A glass wall.
Inside it… water.
Slowly filling.
Jay POV
"ONE must step forward."
I stared at the glowing line on the floor.
"That's the condition?" I asked.
Kiefer nodded slightly.
"Yeah."
"So basically… one of us takes the risk."
"Exactly."
I crossed my arms.
"Then go."
He blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"You're the one who 'knows everything,' right? Go ahead."
He smirked faintly.
"You're unbelievable."
"And you're stalling."
Silence.
Then—
He stepped forward.
Just like that.
No argument.
No drama.
My chest tightened slightly.
Why did he choose so fast?
Zien POV
"Truth phase initiated."
I didn't like the sound of that.
A chair rose from the ground behind me.
Another behind Ace.
"Sit," the voice commanded.
We hesitated.
Then sat.
Metal bands locked around our wrists.
"Hey—what is this?!" I snapped.
"Each player will answer one question," the system continued.
"And this time… lies will not be tolerated."
I glanced at Ace.
He looked… tense.
Really tense.
"First question," the screen flashed.
It turned toward him.
"Have you ever hidden something that could harm your partner?"
Silence.
I stared at him.
"Ace…?"
Drake POV
The water behind the glass was rising.
Slowly.
Too slowly.
Which meant—
This wasn't about speed.
It was about pressure.
"Two levers," Alys said nervously. "What do they do?"
"Doesn't matter," I replied. "What matters is timing."
She looked at me.
"I don't understand."
"You don't need to."
I stepped toward one lever.
"You pull when I say."
"What about you?"
"I'll handle the other."
The voice interrupted—
"Warning: Incorrect coordination will increase water level."
Alys's eyes widened.
"Drake—what if we mess up?!"
I looked at her.
"We won't."
"HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"
I didn't answer immediately.
Because the truth is—
I didn't.
But I couldn't let her panic.
Gorya POV
As soon as the barrier dropped, I ran straight to Thyme.
"Are you okay?!"
He tried to stand but winced slightly.
"I'm fine," he said.
"You're not fine!" I snapped, holding his arm. "That was electricity!"
He looked at me.
Then—unexpectedly—smiled.
"You were crying."
I froze.
"…so what?"
"That means you care."
I turned away quickly.
"Idiot."
But my voice shook.
Jay POV
Kiefer stood inside the marked zone.
Nothing happened.
For a few seconds—
Nothing.
Then—
The floor beneath me shifted.
"Wait—why is it reacting to me?!" I said.
Kiefer's expression changed instantly.
"Jay, move!"
"I can't—!"
The ground beneath me started tilting.
A drop.
A deep one.
"Oh great," I muttered, trying to balance.
Kiefer cursed under his breath.
"The rule isn't about stepping forward," he realized.
"It's about who stays behind."
Zien POV
Ace still hadn't answered.
The system repeated—
"Answer required."
I looked at him.
"Ace… just tell the truth."
His jaw clenched.
"…Yes."
The word was quiet.
But it hit hard.
My heart skipped.
"What… did you hide?" I whispered.
The system didn't give time.
"Second question."
Now it turned to me.
"Do you trust your partner completely?"
I froze.
Completely?
After what he just said?
I looked at Ace.
He didn't look at me.
Alys POV
"NOW!" Drake shouted.
I pulled the lever.
At the exact same time—he pulled his.
The water paused.
Then—
Dropped slightly.
"It's working!" I said.
"Again—wait for my signal."
The water started rising again.
Faster this time.
My hands trembled.
"Drake…"
"Focus."
"Drake, what if we—"
"Alys."
His voice softened.
"Look at me."
I did.
"We get out of this. Together."
Final Scene (All POVs)
Everything intensified at once—
Gorya helping Thyme stand
Jay struggling to keep balance as the floor tilted further
Zien staring at Ace, torn between doubt and trust
Alys syncing her moves with Drake as water kept rising
And then—
The speaker returned.
Stronger. Colder.
"Emotions detected."
"Increasing difficulty."
Lights turned red.
Floors shifted.
Water rose faster.
Time sped up.
Jay shouted, "THIS IS CHEATING!"
Drake muttered, "No… this is the real game."
Alys whispered, "Then how do we win…?"
Drake looked ahead.
Eyes sharp.
"We don't just survive."
"We figure out who's controlling this."