Lyra stretched her arms and exhaled.
"Okay. We'll rest for one hour… then we move."
Yuki looked at her with concern.
"Lyra… how do we break the barrier? If we kill him, will it even open? It's his hand that controls the barrier, right? If he dies… how do we get out?"
Lyra sighed. "If the barrier doesn't open, we'll have only one option left."
"And that is…?" Yuki pressed.
"We'll have to go to the Underwater Kingdom," Lyra said quietly. "Their people know how to travel between realms. Remember, once this barrier closes, we're stuck in another dimension. We need a portal to Thalassora."
At the name Thalassora, Hiyori's head snapped toward Raihtasu. Her eyes tightened—filled with tension, like they were hiding something.
Lyra frowned. "Something wrong?"
Hiyori forced a smile.
"N-No. I just… heard a unique place name. I thought it might be a new adventure."
"That's impossible," Lyra said firmly. "We can't go there. We don't have anyone from that kingdom to open the portal anyway. Drop the thought. Don't overthink."
Lyra looked at her team, her voice growing stern.
"We have one hour to clear our minds. Stay strong. Don't lose yourself… even if someone close to you dies."
She rubbed her forehead tiredly.
"Ugh, I've never talked this much in my entire life. I'm becoming a guide now."
Scene Shift – Elsiya
Elsiya stepped inside an enormous library, her eyes widening.
"I've never seen a library this huge…"
Shelves towered over her, filled with books so old their pages looked like they might crumble. She picked one and brushed the dust from the cover.
"How old is this…?" she murmured.
She shook her head. "No. I'm not here to explore. I need to go back to the others. But…"
Her curiosity won.
"I'll take this one."
She walked deeper but found no exit anywhere.
"Okay… maybe there's a way upstairs."
The mansion was strange—no windows, no light except faint lamps.
Elsiya climbed the stairs, but halfway up her body jolted with a sudden shock wave.
"Someone's coming—hide!"
She hurried back down, slipping beneath the staircase. Without looking, her back pressed against a hidden button.
Click.
The floor opened beneath her feet.
"Aah—!!"
She fell into darkness.
Scene Shift – Lyra's Team
Lyra stood and clapped her hands once.
"Rest time is over. Let's move."
Everyone rose and followed her.
"One more thing," Lyra added. "When we reach the destination, I'll tell you the plan. I'm too tired to answer any more questions."
Raihtasu raised a hand. "Just one last thing, before we go—"
"After victory," she snapped. "Ask later."
They continued forward.
Scene Shift – Usami
Usami wandered through the long hallway, muttering to himself.
"Where is the exit gate…?"
He finally spotted a staircase.
"Oh, there! Downstairs!"
He rushed down—but lost control of his speed.
He slipped—crashing straight through a balcony railing.
"Aaaaaah—!!"
He plummeted deep down, passing several floors. Cells lined each level, prisoners staring at him as he fell past.
The stairway ended after just a few steps, hanging over a black abyss. No bottom. No light.
"Great," Usami whispered. "Where do I even go now…?"
Scene Shift – Unknown Boy
Far away, the boy who once stood beside Zero now lounged in a grand king's chair.
He leaned back, eyes gleaming with wicked amusement.
A slow, sharp laugh escaped his lips.