Revealing her true form and donning the mantle of the silver-haired Valkyrie, Amelia Justina wasted no time. She was certain they had stumbled into an advanced magical illusion—a labyrinth designed to trap the mind and senses. Her tried-and-true method for such obstructions was elegantly simple: overwhelm the enchantment with raw, holy power. Every magical construct had a medium or a core; shatter that, and the entire illusion would collapse.
With this conviction, she began to channel her energy.
To Aoyama Nanami's wide eyes, it initially appeared as if the Hero was performing a series of chaotic, random slashes into the empty air. But then, visible arcs of condensed holy energy—scorching white and gold—screamed from the blade of her sacred sword, hurtling in every direction, striking the walls, the pavement, the lampposts.
Boom! Crash!
The attacks landed with deafening force… and then dissipated harmlessly. The lamppost flickered serenely. The brick wall of the alley showed not a single scratch or scorch mark.
Amelia, refusing to believe it, gritted her teeth. Gathering the remainder of her holy magic, she unleashed her full arsenal: "Holy Nova!" "Judgment Wave!" "Divine Sunder!"
One after another, her most powerful techniques lit up the eerie, looping corridor with righteous fury. The air crackled with spent energy.
Yet, when the light faded, the scene remained unchanged. The same lamppost. The same wall. Utterly, infuriatingly intact.
Amelia Justina fell silent, her shoulders slumping. The magnificent glow around her sword dimmed.
Aoyama Nanami's hopeful expression melted into one of renewed anxiety. "Amelia-san…?" she ventured, using the Hero's true name hesitantly.
As if triggered by the doubt, the transformation reversed. The brilliant silver hair darkened back to its familiar rose-red. The gleaming armor dissolved into motes of light, leaving behind Yusa Emi's ordinary clothes. Most tellingly, her legs gave out, and she would have crumpled to the ground if Nanami hadn't lunged forward to catch her.
Supported in Nanami's arms, Yusa Emi sniffled, her voice thick with shame and exhaustion. "I'm sorry, Nanami… I'm afraid I'm going to have to break my promise. Waaah… My holy magic is completely depleted. I have no strength left!"
She was utterly mortified. She had just finished her grand vow, only to be rendered powerless moments later. It wasn't just a failure; it was the most pathetic, anti-climactic moment in her entire heroic career. She hadn't even looked cool for three seconds.
Seeing the genuine tears of frustration welling in the other girl's eyes, Aoyama Nanami's own fear was momentarily overshadowed by a wave of sympathy. She helped Emi sit back down against the wall. "It's okay, Emi. This isn't your fault. Let's just rest for a bit and think of another way."
"Wuwuwu… Nanami, I'm so sorry! This is all because of me…" Yusa Emi buried her face in her hands, consumed by guilt for dragging her innocent friend into this supernatural dead end.
As the two sat in dejected silence, a sound broke the unnatural quiet—the cheerful, mundane ringtone of Aoyama Nanami's phone.
Both girls jerked their heads up, eyes wide. They stared at each other, a spark of desperate hope rekindling.
Nanami fumbled for her phone, her heart leaping when she saw the caller ID: Hozuki Nozomi. She answered immediately.
"Hello? Nanami? Thank goodness, the call went through!" His familiar voice, laced with relief, was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. "You've been gone for two hours to buy soy sauce? Mahiru and the others are worried sick."
"Uh… Nozomi-kun…" Nanami's voice cracked.
"Don't 'Nozomi-kun' me. Just Nozomi is fine," he chided gently, his tone shifting to one of calm authority. "Listen, Nanami, are you alone right now? Don't panic. Just listen to me, and you'll be okay."
His words clearly indicated he understood their predicament. Nanami and Yusa Emi exchanged another glance, this one filled with shocked hope.
"Nozomi, I'm not alone. Yusa Emi is here with me."
"Oh, she's there too? Even better," Hozuki Nozomi replied, a hint of a smile in his voice. He didn't understand the mechanics of why an "angel's blessing" could penetrate the dimensional pocket, but he wasn't about to question a miracle.
"Nozomi, do you know what kind of situation we're in?" Yusa Emi leaned in close to the phone to ask.
"Of course. You've wandered into a place called the 'Eternal Corridor'. People outside can't physically pull you out; you have to find the correct path from within. Now, listen carefully. First, hold hands."
"Huh?" Both girls blinked.
"Hold each other's hand. Right now. It's important, or you won't be able to get out."
"O-okay." Aoyama Nanami reached out, and Yusa Emi grasped her hand firmly. "We're holding hands. Now what?"
"Now," Nozomi's voice took on a playful, teasing lilt, "kiss each other."
"Ki—HUH?!" Two voices shrieked in unison over the speaker. Their faces flushed identical shades of crimson.
"Haha, just kidding! Feeling a bit more relaxed now?" he chuckled.
"NO, WE ARE NOT!" Aoyama Nanami roared into the phone, her embarrassment momentarily overpowering her fear. Yusa Emi nodded vigorously beside her, her own cheeks burning.
Hozuki Nozomi's tone turned oddly speculative. "You're so flustered… You two didn't already kiss, did you?"
"WE DID NOT!" they yelled in perfect, indignant harmony.
"Stop joking around, Nozomi-kun!" Nanami added.
"Alright, alright," he conceded, laughter still in his voice. "But seriously, you must keep holding hands. When you find the exit, the Corridor will try to separate you. I can't guarantee the phone will stay connected next time."
"We understand, we're holding on tight. What's the next step?" Yusa Emi pressed, her hero's instincts urging action.
"Good. Now, walk to the mouth of the alley you're facing. Starting from the first streetlamp on your left, count until you reach the ninth one and stop."
Guided by his voice, the two girls walked hand-in-hand, counting under their breath. "…eight, nine. Nozomi, we're at the ninth lamp."
"Excellent. Now, I need you to use your noses. Smell the wall in front of you and to each side. Tell me which direction has a distinct scent."
"…You want us to smell the wall?" Yusa Emi asked, incredulous.
But Aoyama Nanami, trusting him implicitly, leaned forward and sniffed tentatively. Her eyes widened. "Emi! Over here, on the left… it smells like… fresh bread? And flowers?"
"Very good!" Nozomi's voice was encouraging. "That's your path. Now, both of you, close your eyes. Do not hesitate. Hold hands tightly and run straight toward that scent—straight at the wall. It's an illusion."
"Run… at the wall?" Yusa Emi hesitated, her warrior's logic rebelling.
"It's the only way. Trust me."
The two girls looked at each other, their joined hands the only solid thing in this unreal world. Taking a deep, simultaneous breath, they squeezed their eyes shut.
"On three," Yusa Emi whispered. "One… two… THREE!"
Together, they launched themselves forward, sprinting directly toward the unyielding brick.
Instead of a painful impact, they felt a brief, chilling sensation, like passing through a curtain of cold mist.
Crack!
A sound like a thousand panes of glass shattering echoed around them, though they saw nothing.
When they dared to open their eyes, the world had shifted. The oppressive, looping corridor was gone. They were standing at the entrance of a perfectly ordinary, familiar alley—the real one, bathed in the gentle light of early evening.
And standing before them, a look of profound relief on his handsome face, was Hozuki Nozomi.
"Yo. Welcome back, Nanami. And Yusa Emi," he greeted them with a warm smile.
The tension drained from their bodies in a wave. "We… we made it!" Aoyama Nanami breathed.
"That's amazing! We're really out!" Yusa Emi exclaimed, her joy palpable.
But the adrenaline crash was swift. The color drained from Aoyama Nanami's face. Her legs, which had carried her for two hours in a state of terror, finally gave out completely.
"Nanami!" Yusa Emi cried out, but she was too weak herself to catch her.
Hozuki Nozomi was faster. In a swift motion, he stepped forward and caught Aoyama Nanami just as her consciousness slipped away, her body utterly spent from the ordeal.