Chapter Sixty One

*WHOOOOM*

A blinding rainbow light engulfed the entirety of the ruins.

Mai and Yui shielded their eyes as 'Alice's' shape seemed to dissolve within the radiance.

When the light subsided, a figure stood in its place. "T-This feeling. I... I have evolved? How?" Before the twins stood a young girl with a childish appearance, her dark red hair styled in a simple, elegant updo. Her kimono was a muted, earthy brown with subtle, woven patterns that suggested the texture of insect carapaces.

A slender, black obi cinched at her waist, adorned with a small, silver clasp shaped like a tiny, curled leaf. Her zori sandals clicked softly on the stone floor as she moved.

The group watched, Mai and Yui smiling warmly. "You look lovely, Alice," Mai said.

Alice's emerald eyes softened. "Thank you, Mai-sama, Yui-sama."

The shielder froze. 'Eh? Her aura completely changed. Even her mode of speaking. So traditional.'

The shielder turned to Shade. "Is that normal?"

Shade, still frozen from the madness happening a few feet from him, turned to the shielder, his thoughts a mess. "Huh? No Idea... We don't usually let monsters live, not mention naming them."

Jean narrowed his eyes. "I still don't know why we're letting this one live. I lost two of my comrades to her swarm." He placed his hand on his sword.

The tension in the air thickened as Alice stepped forward, her small figure belying the overwhelming presence she now radiated. The twins stayed close to her sides, their confidence unwavering, but the rest of the group remained on edge.

Jean's grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles turning white. "I don't care what she's become. A monster is still a monster," he growled.

Alice's gaze shifted to Jean, her emerald eyes narrowing with an unsettling calm. "Your anger is justified, but your hatred is misplaced," she said softly, her voice carrying a strange, melodic weight that seemed to echo in the ruins. "I have no quarrel with you... anymore."

Jean's lip curled, but before he could respond, Shade stepped between them. "Enough. We don't have time for this," he said firmly. His sharp eyes scanned the crumbling ruins around them. "This place is exposed, not the best place to start another confrontation."

Kitti nodded, her gauntlets dimming. "Shade's right. This isn't over, but we can settle it after we're all safe." Her thoughts however, were a whirl. 'First he's a necromancer, now the twins basically adopt a monster. There's something fundamentally wrong with their group, and I... I have to know.'

The shielder, still uneasy, kept his shield raised towards the group as he took a step back towards the twins. "She's... different now. I can feel it," he muttered, his gaze on Mai. "You're really sure of this?"

Yui nodded, her eyes resolute. "I won't let anyone harm her."

Her words hung heavy in the air, but before anyone could respond, the ground beneath them trembled violently. Dust and debris rained from the ceiling as the ruins groaned under some unseen pressure.

Kitti's eyes widened. "What's happening?!"

Alice's shoulders shrugged. "i have been defeated. The path down is opening up."

The group steadied themselves as the shaking intensified, stones dislodging from the ceiling and shattering on the ground. A low rumble echoed through the chamber, and the ancient carvings along the walls began to glow faintly, lines of light tracing patterns that converged toward the center of the room.

Bone instinctively drew his daggers, his eyes darting to the source of the disturbance. "Opening up, huh? Feels more like this place is about to collapse."

Jean scoffed, his sword still gripped tightly. "And we're supposed to trust the word of a creature who just 'evolved'? What guarantees this isn't some kind of trap?"

Mai stepped forward, her expression firm. "We've come this far together, haven't we? You don't have to trust her, but you should trust us."

"Easy for you to say," Jean muttered under his breath, but he didn't argue further. Especially not with someone able to one shot a beast hundreds of meters long.

A loud crack reverberated through the chamber, drawing everyone's attention to the center of the floor. The stone tiles there shifted and parted, revealing a spiral staircase descending into pitch-black darkness. Cold air rushed up from below, carrying a faint, metallic tang.

Yui peered over the edge, her curiosity overcoming her fear. "Whoa… It really opened up." She looked back at the group, her smile almost teasing. "Guess Alice wasn't lying."

Shade frowned, his instincts screaming at him to remain cautious. "Even if she's right, we don't know what's waiting down there."

Alice took a step forward, her zori sandals clicking softly against the stone. She glanced back at Mai and Yui, her gaze softening. "You have chosen to protect me. Allow me to return the favor."

Shade sheathed his claymore. "If this really is the next step, standing around arguing won't get us anywhere. Let's move before this place decides to collapse for real."

Jean scowled but reluctantly nodded. "Fine. But if this 'test' turns out to be a death trap, don't expect me to hold back."

The shielder adjusted his stance, his shield raised and ready. "I'll take the front," he said, stepping toward the staircase. "Just in case."

Shade smirked. "Good. I'll take the rear. No surprises from behind."

Jean quickly added. "And you..." He pointed at Alice. "Upfront, where we can see you."

The group descended cautiously, the air growing colder with each step. The glow from the carvings above faded, leaving the spiral staircase bathed in shadow. Alice moved gracefully despite the dim light, her presence strangely reassuring amidst the oppressive darkness.

As they reached the bottom, the narrow staircase opened into a vast, truly massive hallway. The walls were lined with towering statues of armored figures, their faceless visages staring down at the group. 

"It's smaller than I expected." The shielder moved cautiously, gazing up at the ceiling.

Alice stepped forward, her voice barely above a whisper. "The third floor is a maze."

Kitti glanced at her warily. "You seem to know an awful lot about this place."

Alice paused, her expression unreadable. "I just know. Fate... I guess."

Jean tightened his grip on his sword. "Fate or not, let's get this over with."

Before anyone could respond, The statues around the room began to move, their stone limbs creaking as they drew massive weapons.

Shade muttered under his breath. "Of course. Cyclops statues. Why wouldn't it be cyclops statues?"

Alice turned to the group, her voice steady. "They will not stop until they are defeated."

Mai and Yui stepped forward, their hammers appearing in their hands. "We're ready," Mai said.

The shielder raised his shield, planting himself firmly in the center of the group. "Let's do this."

The thirty Cyclops statues loomed over the group like mountains of stone, their glowing, hollow eyes unblinking as they hefted their massive weapons. The chamber shook with each step they took, and the tension was palpable as the group prepared themselves for the inevitable clash.

The shielder stepped forward, his shield gleaming with an almost unnatural sheen. "Everyone, stay behind me. I'll take the front."

Yui and Mai exchanged glances, their calm smiles belying the enemy before them. "Let's take them down quickly, Yui," Mai said.

The first Cyclops lunged forward, swinging a club the size of a tree trunk down toward the shielder. With a resounding roar, he surged forward instead of bracing. His shield slammed into the club mid-swing, shattering the weapon into a spray of stone shards.

The Cyclops stumbled back, its arm flailing, but the shielder wasn't done. With a strength that defied reason, he stepped in close and drove his shield upward in a brutal bash. The force crushed the Cyclops's chest, sending its shattered torso flying backward into two others.

"They're big, but they're just stone," The shielder said, his voice calm as he moved into position to block another blow. 

A pair of Cyclopes charged toward the twins, their weapons raised high. Yui stretched her arms, flexing her fingers as if preparing for a warm-up. "Guess it's our turn, Mai."

Mai nodded, already sprinting forward. "Try to keep up."

The first Cyclops swung its sword down, but Yui caught it mid-swing, her petite frame standing unshaken as her hands clamped onto the blade. Stone cracked under her grip as she yanked the weapon upward, spinning with terrifying speed and slamming the Cyclops into the ground like a ragdoll.

Kitti's jaw dropped. "Did she just...?" Daisy placed a hand on the larger woman's shoulder. "Yes... Yes she did." She said solemnly.

Not to be outdone, Mai leaped high, hammer cocked back. Her strike landed squarely on the second Cyclops's head, shattering it instantly and sending the fragments careening into another nearby statue. The blow generated a shockwave that rippled through the hallway, toppling another Cyclops caught off balance.

Yui dusted her hands off as her opponent crumbled into rubble. "Too slow, Mai."

Mai smirked, already aiming for the next. "Only because I let you go first."

As another Cyclops swung its massive weapon toward him, the shielder sidestepped with surprising agility for his size. His counterattack came swift and brutal—a shield bash to the Cyclops's knee that caused the joint to implode, followed by a devastating punch that obliterated its head.

"I've gotten slower." The shielder muttered, moving like a blur to intercept two more Cyclopes aiming for Shade. With a single sweeping motion, he slammed his shield into the ground, creating a shockwave that disoriented the enemies. He followed up by grabbing one Cyclops by its arm and hurling it into another, the collision reducing both to rubble.

Mai and Yui moved together, a whirlwind of strength and precision. Yui grabbed a Cyclops's leg, lifting the eight-meter statue effortlessly before slamming it into another like a battering ram. The sound of stone breaking echoed through the chamber.

"Mai, finish them!" Yui called.

Yui grinned, smacking her hammers together. The impact created a shockwave that cracked the floor beneath them and obliterated the weakened Cyclopes in a single strike. She turned to her sister with a playful shrug. "I didn't need the setup, you know."

Shade and Jean watched from the edges of the battlefield, both stunned into silence.

"I knew they were strong, but this is just ridiculous," Shade muttered as he dodged a stray piece of rubble flying from Yui's latest attack.

Jean gritted his teeth, lowering his sword. "What's the point in trying to keep up with that? Are we even needed?"

Bekhan, still ready to act, could only stare. "They're not just strong. They're unstoppable."

The Cyclopes began to hesitate, their movements sluggish and uncertain as the trio of titans—The shielder, Mai, and Yui—systematically dismantled them. By the time the dust settled, the chamber was filled with nothing but rubble and silence.

Mai dusted her hands off and turned to the others. "That's all of them. Let's move on."

Yui stretched, looking around. "I was just getting warmed up." She noticed a silver gleam among the rubble. A small silver key.

The shielder noticed her as she picked it up. "Looks important. Hold onto it for now Yui."

Alice ran towards the twins, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Mai sama, Yui sama. You were both amazing."

The shielder adjusted his shield, glancing at the corner the hall bent into. "The fight's over. Let's clear this maze."

The others followed, still grappling with what they'd just witnessed.

The group continued through the winding corridors, their steps echoing in the hollow silence of the hallway. Each turn seemed to bring them to a new dead end, their path twisting and shifting in unnatural ways. The walls closed in around them at times, only to expand back out again, leading them deeper into the maze. The light from the carvings above had long since faded, leaving them with nothing but the flickering torches they carried to guide their way. The air was thick with the scent of ancient stone and dust, a reminder that they were far from any civilization. Alice's serene presence seemed to cut through the growing tension, her soft steps in contrast to the group's increasing frustration.

The silence between them grew, as if the walls themselves had swallowed up any words left to say. They passed doorways that led to more labyrinthine paths, each dead end more unnerving than the last. A few more statues lined the walls, their eyes glowing faintly, watching the group before bursting into motion, another battle ensuing.

 Shade's sharp eyes scanned every corner, every shift in the shadows, while Mai and Yui exchanged glances, their usual banter quiet in the oppressive stillness. With every battle the group's patience were beginning to wear thin. Even the shielder, who had been steadfast and calm, started to shift uncomfortably. He was a shield, not a tracker, and this maze was testing even his resolve.

They turned yet another corner, and another dead end greeted them. Kitti cursed under her breath. "How many more of these dead ends are there?" she muttered, her patience wearing thin. Bone, frustrated, tugged at his daggers, fingers itching for action. But the path remained silent, unyielding. "This isn't right," Jean said, his voice low. "We're being played with. No place like this should exist without some kind of trap or guardian. Not constant hunks of rocks." His hand hovered over his sword, but no immediate threat emerged. 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of endless passages and fruitless turns, the group came upon a massive door that dominated the end of a wide corridor. The door was ornate, but old—its surface etched with symbols and carvings that seemed to pulse with a faint, unsettling glow. Six keyholes lined the door, each one unique in shape but uniformly deep and worn, as though they had been waiting for something to unlock them for eons. The air around it was thick with an ancient power, and the oppressive silence seemed to intensify as the group gathered before it. 

The group stood before the massive door, its eerie presence hanging heavy in the air. Six keyholes, stared back at them, almost daring them to try their luck. The ancient carvings pulsated faintly, as if alive, and the silence around them grew unbearable.

Shade's fingers brushed against the worn surface, the power radiating from the door sending an unsettling chill down his spine. "So, this is it," he muttered, his voice laced with both awe and suspicion. "What now?"

The shielder stood back, observing the door and the six empty keyholes. His brow furrowed as he let out a heavy sigh. "Six keyholes, six keys." He turned to Yui, who was still holding the silver key she'd found earlier. "Looks like we'll need more than one key."

Yui inspected the key closely. 

Jean, standing at the edge of the group, scoffed. "So, what now? We go hunting for more keys? Ridiculous."

Kitti crossed her arms, her gaze narrowing. "Great, more statues to smash. Like we haven't already been through enough."

Bone, ever eager for action, tugged at his daggers. "We can't be too far from them. Let's just clear out the statues and get this done."

Shade looked to the rest of the group, considering their options. His sharp eyes scanned the room, searching for any clues that could give them an advantage. Finally, he spoke. "We need to split up. This maze is getting us nowhere, and we're wasting time. We'll search for the keys, each one covering a section. If we find a key, we meet back here. If not, we return to the door and try again."

Jean scowled but nodded. "Fine. But if I end up fighting more of those rock monsters, I'm not going easy."

Yui smiled brightly. "Don't worry, Jean. We'll make it fun."

Shade turned to the shielder. "We'll split into three teams, with you and the twins at the helm of each team. Is that alright?" The question was directed at the twins.

"No problem. Right Mai?" Yui cheered.

"I can find way more keys before you do." Mai declared to her twin. 

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

The shielder sighed, glancing at Shade. "I'm ok with it."

With a quick nod from Shade, the group split off, each heading in a different direction. The air grew heavier as they ventured deeper into the maze-like corridors, the oppressive silence broken only by the occasional rumble of the stone walls shifting. The sound of their footsteps echoed, amplifying the isolation they felt as they searched for the missing keys.

////

Mai, Daisy and Kitti alongside their group found themselves in a section of the labyrinth lined with statues that seemed to loom over them like silent sentinels like the previous three times since they separated. The path twisted ahead, each corner giving way to another seemingly endless stretch of stone.

"Let's be quick," Mai said, her voice steady. She could feel the tension rising as she gripped her hammer, ready for whatever came next.

Daisy grinned. "We've got your back!" She tapped a statue's base with her hammer, testing it. "Let's see if these statues are hiding anything interesting."

The first statue they encountered shifted as Yui stepped closer, its massive stone limbs grinding into motion. With a roar, it swung a massive mace down toward her, but Yui reacted in a blur. She caught the weapon mid-swing, her hands crushing the stone as she twisted the mace out of the statue's grasp.

"Gotcha!" Yui laughed, parrying the heavy weapon effortlessly before smashing her hammer against the statue's chest. The stone shattered like glass, revealing a hidden compartment beneath its armor.

"Finally, a key," Yui said, moving forward. She didn't wait for the statue to reform, instead quickly retrieving the first key—a jagged, obsidian-colored shard. It pulsed with faint energy, as though recognizing their presence.

Yui beamed. "One down, four to go!" But her eyes narrowed as another statue moved into view, towering over them.

////

Meanwhile, Shade moved through the corridors, his steps cautious but confident. Ahead of him, was the shielder, and Bone, who was used to navigating hostile environments, but the ever-shifting maze was a challenge even for him. His eyes flicked to every corner, every potential trap, as he continued his search. The air felt heavier here, as though the walls were closing in on him.

He turned a corner and found himself face to face with another statue. This one was even larger than the ones he'd encountered earlier, its stone body covered in intricate carvings. It stood motionless, its eyes unblinking, but Shade could feel its gaze following him.

"Not today," he muttered, drawing his claymore. This caused the other adventurers to draw their weapons, the shielder raising his shield.

The statue stirred, its stone feet grinding against floor as it raised a massive spear toward the shielder. He sidestepped the first strike, ducking low and spinning behind the statue. He didn't waste any time; his cleaver sang through the air, slicing through the stone's torso.

With a resounding crash, the statue crumbled to the ground, revealing a key—a golden one this time, etched with ancient runes. Shade's lips curled into a smile as he took the key. "Now we're getting somewhere."

////

Jean and Bekhan, led by Mai and Alice had ventured into an adjacent corridor, one that was eerily quiet. The lack of statues unnerved Jean, but Mai remained largely unbothered. She was used to the unpredictability of the ruins by now, and nothing seemed to surprise her anymore.

"You should keep your guard up more." Jean muttered, turning to little girl able to erase mountains, his hand never leaving his sword hilt. "I don't like how quiet it is here."

Mai raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with a mix of skepticism and amusement. "I could say the same about you, Jean. Lighten up. We're just looking for keys, not fighting ghosts." She lifted her hand, a bronze key dangling from a rope. "Besides, we already found one, and I'm not losing to Yui."

Jean's response was a sharp retort, but before he could speak, the ground trembled beneath their feet. A deep rumble echoed through the hallway, and from the darkness ahead, several more statues began to stir, their eyes glowing an ominous red.

"Great," Jean muttered, drawing his sword. "Let's get this over with." Bekhan began chanting enchantments on Jean's katana and the swordsman himself.

The statues were faster this time, each one bearing more advanced weaponry, from greatswords to massive battle axes. Mai grinned, her hammers flickering with energy as she prepared for the fight.

"Ready when you are," she said.

Jean swung his sword at the nearest statue, his movements fluid and precise, but Mai had already moved past him, her hammers driving into one statue's chest with a brutal force that sent it crashing to the floor. Another statue advanced toward her, its battle axe raised high. She caught the axe mid-swing with one hammer, allowing Jean to drive his glowing katana into the statue's neck, sending it toppling.

A key fell from one of the statues as it crumbled—a shimmering blue gem this time, its glow almost otherworldly.

"Another one," Jean said, sheathing his sword. "I've got a feeling this isn't going to be the last of them."

Mai shrugged. "We have two now, Yui is going to lose... Hmm" she paused, her gaze on a ominously dark section of the hallway. "Is something there?"

Jean and Bekhan turned towards the dark hallway, Alice walking up behind them. [Luce] Bekhan recited, a ball of light, brightening up the hallway.

The light revealed the figure standing at the far end of the hallway, its presence unnatural, as though it had been plucked from the depths of forgotten nightmares. A hulking silhouette, towering over even the group. it was a cyclops—its single, glowing eye fixed on them with an unsettling intensity. The eye was a sickly shade of yellow, like an infected wound that refused to heal, and the rest of its face was an eerie mask of decay. Its skin, pale and cracked, looked like old stone that had been worn smooth by centuries of neglect. It stood motionless, but the air around it seemed to hum with a malevolent energy, as if the very presence of the ghost twisted the space around it.

Its body was draped in tattered remnants of what once might have been a grand, armored tunic, now little more than shredded cloth and rusted iron plates. Chains, long corroded and clinking with each subtle movement, hung loosely from its arms and legs, their edges sharp like the jagged teeth of some long-forgotten beast. Its hands, enormous and gnarled.

Despite its hulking form, the cyclops made no sound. No footsteps, no rattling chains, for it should not exist in the physical world, having no mass or substance—just the chilling stillness of a ghost condemned to remain forever in the ruins of its own death. And yet, something about it seemed to twitch with latent violence. 

"That's... not a statue," Jean muttered, his grip tightening on his katana.

Mai's grin faltered for a brief moment. The energy around her shifted, a crackle of tension running through the air as her hammers flickered ominously with power. She stepped forward, but there was no bravado in her now.

Bekhan muttered something under his breath, the air around him beginning to ripple as he prepared another incantation. But the cyclops did not move, did not even blink. It stood, its eye glowing with the faintest pulse, as though it were studying them, weighing them, deciding if they were worth the effort of a hunt.

Alice's footsteps were barely audible behind them, her presence now palpable as she too, sensed the oppressive atmosphere. "It's a ghost," she said, her voice tight, as if speaking any louder would shatter the eerie silence. "An angry one."

Mai barely had time to react. She leaped to the side, Claws missing her by inches, the force of its impact leaving a deep crack in the stone floor where she had been standing moments before. The air vibrated with a dark energy, as though the very walls were alive with the scream of ancient, tortured souls.

A more, calm Mai would remember that in the game, there were certain monsters, she and her sister could not destroy in a single blow, especially monsters that were largely immune to Phys attacks.

However...

"Yaah!!" In a single bound, she appeared next to the monster's face, hammer smashing into its skull... Or at least, that's what should have happened.

The hammer passed right through its skull, leaving Mai open to the monster as its claws made contact with her head, penetrating through... First, the hand, then the arm, the torso, before long the entire ghost vanished.

Silence reigned.

Alice took a step forward. "Mai Sama."

Mai dropped to a knee, her skin slowly growing pale. "Hmm. Such strength." Her voice seemed to echo with a cacophony of another.

Jean felt a chill crawl up his spine. "Oi Mai. You good? This ain't funny."

'Mai" turned to them and they all collectively took a step back. Mai's green eyes, that gleamed with a bright innocence, was now a pale blue, with black cracks running from her eyes through her face.

Alice took another step forward. "Mai Sama?"

'Mai' laughed at the group, a hearty laugh that felt unbelonging, coming from her body. "No. I am Grorubas." She smiled. "And You..." She vanished.

Alice's eyes hardened, as her forearms grew scale like carapaces, gleaming white. 

"...Are..." Mai appeared above the human centipede, her hammer cocked backwards.

Alice crossed her arms together, a blackish aura, covering her entire body.

"...Dead..."