—...
—...
—...Joy, did you put something in Mr. Kai's food?—This time even Jack joined the campaign to tease the enthusiast, much to the delight of the other two.
—Damn brats... Let's keep moving—Exhausted by their mockery, the enthusiast headed for the exit, the others quickly following.
Upon leaving, they stepped onto the escalator, expecting a long ride given its towering height. Yet before they realized it, they'd already arrived at the next floor.
—Huh... What just happened?—The mage asked, peering over the railing to see the escalator now descending back to the first floor from above.
—Fascinating. I believe this escalator employs spatial manipulation. The distance between floors is vast because of this, which also explains why it reverses direction depending on which floor you view it from. Honestly, I've no idea how such a thing could even be engineered... but it does clarify why there's only one escalator—The enthusiast's explanation, though uncertain, made the trio reconsider his "second horizon" theory as increasingly plausible.
—Thinking about it, I felt something strange when we rode the escalator. It reminds me a bit of traveling through a portal to this plane—Jace commented as he stepped away from the railing along with the others.
—I've never traveled by portal, so I can't confirm that—The enthusiast replied before they all decided to press onward.
This time, the pagoda revealed more than just empty space. Along the hallway, they could see multiple rooms with blue-tinted windows, each a mini-laboratory dedicated to different fields, from biological studies to a chamber with a large balcony for observing the void-like sky of the mirror world.
The group only gave each room a brief glance before continuing, stopping only when the enthusiast warned them:
—I sense vestiges in that room, four wretches. Two flying types like the ones at the entrance, and two ground-based, though I can't tell their abilities. This time, let's prioritize eliminating the flyers quickly to avoid accidents—With no objections, they opened the door and stepped inside. Unlike the other research rooms, this was an assembly area, countless robotic bodies lay scattered in every corner. At the far end, two wretches were assembling a Defense System No.1 robot before tossing it onto a pile. The moment they noticed the intruders, the assemblers turned, and the flying vestiges took to the air, ready to attack.
The enthusiast and Joy fired simultaneously at the orbs, but before their attacks could connect, the assemblers leaped forward. Their welding tools transformed into energy whips that shattered both the arrow and spell mid-air.
—Change of plans! Take those things out first!
Without hesitation, Jack and Jace lunged, each engaging a wreth. The red demon swung his saber, only for it to be caught by an energy whip. Abandoning his weapon, Jack charged physically, his body engulfed in searing flames. The moment he grappled the robot, its metal began melting—damaging the specter trapped inside. Before the vestige could counter, Jack delivered a flaming right hook, obliterating it instantly.
Meanwhile, Jace faced the same predicament as his brother, his weapon caught in the enemy's energy whip. But his solution differed. In an instant, he channeled his ability through his spear, flash-freezing both it and the whip fused to it. A sharp tug ripped the whip from the assembler's grasp. Now disarmed, the vestige was impaled by a barrage of ice shards, killing the specter within and deactivating the machine:
[You have slain the "Assembler" a wretch]
With the Codex's announcement, the group turned to the remaining orbs. Left defenseless, they fell swiftly to concentrated attacks.
—Good. That was clean. You alright, Jace?
—I'm fine, brother. Don't worry—Though Jace dismissed concerns, Jack still approached to warm his sibling's frostbitten hands with his flames, a gesture the blue demon accepted without protest.
—Even with no specters left to inhabit them... these vestiges kept making more and more bodies. It's... sad—The mage murmured, gazing at the piles of discarded robots. No one replied, each lost in thought. They soon resumed their ascent via another escalator, arriving at the next floor without incident.
A massive window greeted them, offering a view of the mirror world's gray New Caven skyline, and revealing just how high they'd climbed. They now towered over every building in the city.
—Wow...—The group marveled at the breathtaking view, finding a certain charm in the grandeur of the human city—even in its monochrome mirror version.
After admiring the scenery, they pressed on, finding two doors marked with the number "2." Between them stood a table projecting a hologram, similar to Codex screens yet distinctly different.
[What is life? A seemingly simple question has haunted me these past years. One might reasonably say humans, elves, and demons are alive, as are plants and animals. By that logic, we cease living when we die, as our bodies and consciousness fade.
So then, are my creations alive? Years ago, my robots began behaving strangely, acting beyond their programming. Since they caused no harm, I let them be. Soon, I discovered they'd developed consciousness, minds that transcended their original code.
Many protested this. That their labor-saving robots now refused such tasks enraged them. As their creator, I was pressured to act. Logic told me they weren't alive, no beating hearts, no biological brains. Yet I struggle to call them "not alive."
So I ask again: What is life? Is it functioning biology? Is it the capacity to think?]
The recording ended, leaving the group in contemplative silence, until the enthusiast finally spoke.
—Tell me, everyone, what is life to you?—No one answered immediately, each reflecting on their own experiences.
—To me, life is doing as I please without interfering with others—the red demon said.
—I think life is the freedom to choose how to live—the mage replied.
—Hmm... Life is relaxing without worries—the blue demon shrugged.
—All your answers seem valid to me. That aside, it looks like we'll need to split up, these doors suggest only two can enter each room. It shouldn't be an issue since I don't sense any vestiges nearby, so go ahead and choose your partners.—Without objecting, the group divided: Jace and Joy took the right door, while the enthusiast and Jack entered the left.
Upon stepping inside, they noticed the well-lit hallway's edges gradually blurring, making it hard to discern their surroundings. Before they realized it, each pair found themselves in a seemingly infinite white room. At its center stood a massive golden scale with two pedestals, each holding a crystal. A Codex screen promptly appeared:
[To proceed, both parties must reach an agreement: Choose what matters most
Right: What satisfies the soul
Left: What ensures victory]
—Sounds simple enough, don't you think, Jack?
—Yeah... I guess so—Each took a crystal, assuming this would be easy—until a new screen materialized before them, displaying Shoun and Sein alongside a message:
[The Conduit and ??? pose a threat to fulfilling your prophecy. The most logical solution is to neutralize them, but this may conflict with what one deems "right." So what matters more: what satisfies the soul, or what ensures victory?]
—...Huh.— The red demon's confidence wavered as he read the message. Before he could speak, he noticed the enthusiast stepping toward the "victory" pedestal.
—Why hesitate now? You three seemed so determined to fulfill your prophecy. Removing obstacles is, at the very least, the logical course.
—...It doesn't feel right. The kid's innocent in all this. And while I can't stand Shoun Foster, he doesn't deserve to die either—Jack tightened his grip on the crystal.
—I agree they're mostly innocent. But consider this: if you don't kill that thing, it will eventually destroy the world, and by refusing to cooperate, those two become accomplices. Not to mention, according to Joy, their group has a third member: a government scientist. They're all threats, not just to your destiny, but to the entire world. A few innocent lives pale in comparison to billions. Don't you agree?— The enthusiast's words burrowed deep into the red demon's mind as he stared at his crystal.
Meanwhile, Jace and Joy faced the same choice. The mage and blue demon finished reading, then exchanged a silent glance.
—What do you think we should choose, Jace?
—Hmm... It would be annoying to deal with those two when we go after that thing. We already saw how Shoun's mere existence makes it impossible to achieve our goal without ranking up first. Not to mention your friend is also extremely strong based on the data we have and your experience...
—You still haven't answered my question.
—I'm avoiding it because I don't want to upset you. From your tone and expression, I know exactly that you don't want to kill them.
—Was I that obvious?...Haaah, but you're right. If it's not absolutely necessary, I don't want those two to die. They're wrong to blindly trust that thing, but they're not bad people. You saw yourself how Shoun only drained Jack's core instead of doing something worse at the end of their fight. If it comes down to having to kill them along with that thing, I want it to be the absolute last resort. Otherwise... I don't think I could live with myself...
—...You didn't mention Sein in your explanation.
—Because I don't know how to feel about him. Just thinking of us as enemies now makes me sick. He's genuinely kind, someone who always looks out for everyone's well-being... Maybe that's why he supports that thing... Beyond that, Sein was my friend. Someone I deeply valued for how he treated me. Despite everything, I still do. He shouldn't have to die for our prophecy—Jace didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked to the side representing "what satisfies the soul" and dropped his crystal.
—Remember the question Mr. Kai asked us before entering this room? In essence, our answers were the same. We all want freedom, whether to make our own choices, to relax, or to do as we please. Unfortunately, our destiny is set... but once we fulfill it, we'll finally be free to live as we want. So I think it's only fair we exercise a little of that freedom now.
—...Thank you, Jace— The mage placed her crystal on the same side of the scale. Instantly, a dark doorway materialized.
—Don't worry. It's not like I want to kill people either— The two apprentices stepped toward the door, a new resolve in their eyes.