I rose and stepped carefully into the next corridor. The walls shifted subtly, shadows elongating unnaturally. Faint hums of energy, traps, and movement filled the air—a complex puzzle waiting for me to decipher.
Enhanced Perception flared, highlighting air currents, vibrations, and micro-movements. Rhythm synced to my heartbeat, guiding footfalls, timing, and welds.
Ahead, I saw three diverging paths:
One thick with enemies promising high points.
One littered with traps but potentially containing powerful loot.
One where the faint glimmer of life signaled innocents in peril.
The choice was moral, strategic, and tactical simultaneously. My chest tightened, heart pounding—not from fear, but calculation. Points, rewards, risk, morality—everything weighed in a balance I now understood more acutely than ever.
I chose the innocents. Welding debris into protective barriers, I navigated the corridor, disarming traps and shielding the vulnerable. Sparks flew, shadows hissed, and each heartbeat guided my movements with precision.
Because I was Mizu. Broken once, yes—but judging, calculating, and prioritizing what mattered most.