12 Chapter 11

The officer of the Third Floor, stepping aside and sitting under a dry, huge tree, some branches of which managed to grow together with the wall of the maze, and the roots, intertwined, created something resembling a sitting place, and sat down to rest.

- "Edrock Bloom." - Kernaks repeated this name in his head over and over again, trying to finally understand the reason for the reappearance of his guide, who had already passed this Floor. - "What is this boy doing here?" - Gray, magnificent eyebrows menacingly met on the officer's gnawed, wrinkled face. For several thousand years now, he has been guarding his labyrinth, having seen in his lifetime the current reigning king - Zahard, and the bratty, arrogant and arrogant Andrew, who brought so much trouble to the Tower that even the awake Masino seemed to Kirnax a good kid, but for all that time he's old the administrator has never seen anyone take the test twice. Especially the guides who could safely go around any Floor, knowing every path and path in the Tower. "What made you seem?" - The dry lips of the officer closed in a thin line on his face tensed from thought. But he soon perked up when he heard the familiar rustling of the walls of the labyrinth. The remaining members are assembled. It's time to start the test!

Kernaks stood up and straightened upright, reminding Kurosaki who appeared to be Commander-in-Chief Gotei-13. He was just as majestic and old, although he was paranoid and creepy, just an unbearable conservative with a radical mind and even more radical outlooks on the world. The officer shook the dust off his clothes with a flick of the wrist: old, torn in some places, gray tunic, the color of the same fallen dust. He ascended a low, stone slab lying near a dry tree, covering with its black shadow a good third of the central area of ​​the labyrinth.

"I am glad to see you ascending to the top of the Tower!" - Majestically and with respect for the young people, said Kirnax, forcing Edrok to grimace. It was evident that the escort was uneasy, since the officer's eyes were riveted to him, for the most part. "I am pleased to see strong people among you," the ashen eyes stared at Ichigo and Sayu, who pulled his hood over his eyes again, "both smart and resourceful." - Now his attention was awarded to Blus and the young Adept of the Light of the Tu Peri family. "As you know, little is needed to climb to the top of the Tower." Good luck and the desire to go forward, not stopping at nothing! - The old officer spoke enthusiastically. "But you will also need comrades whom you can trust and who you will rely on in difficult times." It is thanks to its allies, now known, as the heads of ten great families, Zahard gained such incredible power and power. Now you also need to trust each other, as you will go further along.

Bloom frowned when he heard the administrator's last words, but refrained from commenting, grabbing his Mr. by the sleeve of his clothes, stopping him from rash acts. The last time he moved to the Fourth Floor, they did not require anyone to join any groups. So what has changed now?

"You have probably already learned that the gates to the Tower are closed." - Kernaks passed to the long-awaited explanation. - This case is connected with problems on the fortieth floors. But there is nothing to worry about, this misunderstanding will soon be resolved and everything will return to square one. Well, until then, all the chief administrators, up to the Fifth Floor, were ordered to rally the teams. It seems that on the Upper Floors you will have difficult trials. - The officer removed his hands behind his back, giving young people time to think things through.

"What about the test?" - Moody asked Poong, finally getting rid of the guide. "Is that all?"

- Of course not. - The administrator nodded negatively. "Your next challenge is to go through the rest of the maze." - Kirnak half-turned and easily waved his hand.

The wall immediately shuddered at the telepathic command and paved the way further.

- Now you are waiting for the maze, populated by my favorites. - The officer smiled strangely. "Have you seen their offspring, those insects?" Are they wonderful?

Saya laughed softly, remembering how fun it was to chop the small, chitinous bodies of this psychopath's favorites.

"It will be better if you stop attracting attention." - Ichigo said calmly, squinting displeased at the guy.

- And then, my desire to be fulfilled and we will fight? - Clinging to Ichigo, the guy said.

Suddenly, all the ascendants staggered.

Ichigo did not even have time to react, as the earth disappeared under his feet, and he himself began to fall down.

Kirnax smiled broadly, watching the test participants fall down into the abyss, into the abyss, straight to the heart of the maze.

Saya reflexively grabbed the red-haired angler's clothes. He never managed to find out if there was someone else stronger than the owner of the black chinos among them, so he tried to stay closer to Ichigo. If you get into trouble, it's only with strong allies, Siah thought so, watching the rest of the ascendants disappear in the thick darkness.

Kurosaki reached for the fading light. The strength of the administrator ... the strength of the officer ... As soon as he thought about it, the muscles began to ache, to languish from inaction. Are there really so powerful people in the Tower? People who can only change the landscape with the power of thought, the very structure of the so-called Tower Floors. This excited within his mind the desire to move forward. Frankly, he wanted to have such an amazing power. And the more he thought about it, drowning with the owner of an orange katana in the dark, the more he understood the behavior of Sai, who strove to fight, who, with his whole nature, wanted to become stronger.

Once again, clinging to the escort, and even stronger than the last time, Poong was no longer willing to let him go even for a second. Enough for him to hang around with that useless girl! But soon he had to abandon these words, feeling something tightly cling to his leg.

Holding the girl by the waist, the red-skinned man in the last seconds managed to clutch Tu Peri with his mighty hand. His gaze was overwhelmed with determination, so Poong immediately realized that he would never let go of his leg.

A minute later, all six people disappeared into the thick darkness of the abyss. Observing from his stone platform, the officer of the Third Floor only mentally wished the participants a test of luck. Although, he thought, if the guide was with them, then they should not have problems.

***

They all woke up at different times, but saw the same thing. They were in the center of the circle, where the frantic, raging, like a magma sea, flame had not yet reached. Dry, sometimes black due to soot, the ground was covered with cracks, in the depths of which it was possible to monitor the movement of lava. One could see how the heat from the flame, like silk fabric, swayed in space, leaving terrible scars in the wind, the incredibly hot air swirling.

Poong, covering his nose and mouth with the sleeve of his cloak, quickly looked around, roughly pushing the red-skinned man from his leg. In this hell, the roof of which was the earth on which the maze was built, thoughts always remained in a chaotic manner.

- You need to get out. - Looking around in the hope of finding a clue, the guide said. - If we don't get out, we'll fry.

- Brilliant! - Evil snarled Saya. - Do you really think that we nerds did not understand ourselves that we needed to get out? - He wiped sweat from his forehead, clutching the hilt of a katana in his hand.

The angler Tu Peri frowned. The noise prevented him from thinking, and now there was a lot of him. Perhaps only the girl was silent, as if she wanted to be useful at least in that which does not interfere with the rest. Well, Ichigo was grateful to her.

"The officer could not send us to certain death?" - Suddenly spoke the red man. - Any test must have a solution, you just need to find it. - Let him and get into an incomprehensible situation with yesterday's enemies, but the survival instinct was screaming with a good obscenity, that now it is better to stay with the group.

- Another brilliant thought! - Saiya flushed, looking quickly around. It was evident that the flame surrounding him excited him much more than all the others combined.

- Take it easy. - Ichigo roared menacingly, eyes squinting due to sweat. - What is your name? We don't know each other yet.

- My name is Marek. - He introduced himself. "I'm from the red-skinned ogre race." - He added, explaining his skin color and his great growth.

- It's funny. - The fact that sounded amused the red-haired swordsman, again proving the amazing diversity of the world of the Tower. "Well, we need to hurry ..." he noted the increasing heat.

- It will not be easy. - Edrok thought, looking at his feet. "The last time I passed the test here, Kirnax was much weaker than it is now, so it's hard for me to imagine how much the heat of the flame increased."

- What are you talking about? - Hearing that the heat became stronger, Saya worried even more.

- Labyrinth is one big puzzle. - The guide began to explain. - You just need to find the right path and we will go through it.

- Way? - Surprisedly arched an eyebrow, Ichigo asked, looking at the wall of fire and hot air surrounding them with a dense ring. "Do you suggest looking for a road in lava and fire?" - In his voice there was some disappointment, for which he tried to hide the alarm. It is unlikely that his body can withstand swimming in a red-hot lava.

- Actually, there is nothing dangerous about it. - Understanding the excitement of Ichigo, Edrok waved a soothing hand. - I can easily find the right path - this is not discussed and there is absolutely no need to doubt it. - He assuredly confidently. "But there is another problem." Bloom pointed a finger at the fire behind him. - The flame that surrounds us will disappear from the right path or will intensify if we go along the wrong path. But the problem itself is that I can not go ahead. The heat from lava and fire is too strong.

"Well, then I'll be the first to go." - Marek volunteered. - My species has a high resistance to fire and high temperatures. It is pronounced in the color of my skin.

- Then the problem is solved! - Clapped his hands Poong. "Me and Maria," he pointed to the girl, "let's go in the center, right behind the" gnome, "and Ichigo will go at the end, closing.

- Once you have decided everything, then let's get out of here! "Almost starting to melt from the heat," said Sia. - This hell is already pretty tired of me!