I remember asking Kim to call Alya before we went in.
I don't know why.
Maybe I just… needed her there.
When she finally arrived, I smiled. Just a little. It felt important.
Then we opened the door.
Darkness swallowed everything inside.
Not shadows—absence.
We stepped in carefully… and the door slammed shut behind us.
A second later—
Light.
A massive hall revealed itself, drenched in white and gold. Tall windows lined the walls, too perfect, too clean.
And seven doors.
No one needed to say anything.
We understood.
One each.
I stepped forward and chose mine.
The room was dark.
Too dark.
Then—
A faint light flickered on.
Mirrors.
Everywhere.
Walls, floor, ceiling.
Endless reflections.
I stopped in front of one.
For a moment… I just looked.
Then I raised my hand.
And touched it.
…Mistake.
The surface trembled.
Then it began to glow.
Slowly at first.
Then brighter.
And brighter—
Too bright.
I shut my eyes, raising my arms to block the light.
It burned through anyway.
And then—
Nothing.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't there anymore.
The air was warm.
Soft.
I was lying down.
A bed.
Wooden walls.
A cabin.
It smelled… nice.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
"…Where… am I?"
My voice sounded smaller.
Weaker.
I pushed myself up—
And froze.
Someone was there.
A woman.
Pale skin.
Long black hair… darker than mine.
It didn't reflect light.
It swallowed it.
She walked toward me slowly.
Her voice—
Soft.
Warm.
"Good morning, little Dark. Did you sleep well?"
Little…?
I frowned.
That didn't make sense.
I couldn't see her face.
Just her hair.
Her dress—black silk, embroidered with deep red roses.
Her hand reached out—
And rested on my head.
Gentle.
Careful.
Like I mattered.
The door opened behind her.
A man stepped in.
Black hair.
Not as dark as hers.
Elegant suit. White shirt. Dark fabric with the same red details.
He sat beside me.
Then—
He hugged me.
"…Good morning, my son."
My chest tightened.
Something didn't line up.
Their clothes.
Their voices.
Their presence.
It was too…
Perfect.
I looked down at myself.
Small hands.
Small body.
"…No…"
A thought flickered.
This isn't—
"Looks like you're overwhelmed… son."
I froze.
That word—
Son.
Something cracked.
I looked up.
And finally—
I saw their faces.
Young.
Too young.
Warm eyes.
Gentle smiles.
Real.
Too real.
My throat tightened.
"…You're…"
I didn't finish.
I didn't need to.
I already knew.
My vision blurred.
And before I could stop myself—
I threw myself into them.
My arms wrapped around them tightly.
Too tightly.
Like if I let go—
They would disappear.
For a second, they froze.
Then—
They held me back.
Hands in my hair.
Soft.
Careful.
"Everything's okay…"
"It's alright…"
My body started shaking.
Tears fell before I even noticed.
Hot.
Relentless.
I had wanted this.
For so long.
Someone to help me.
Someone to stay.
Someone to call mine.
I used to wait.
Every night.
Thinking maybe they'd come back.
That they'd help me with homework.
Talk to me.
Laugh with me.
Be there.
And now—
They were.
I could feel them.
Hear them.
Hold them.
"…I don't care if this isn't real."
The thought slipped through.
Quiet.
Dangerous.
"…I just want this to stay."
Everything broke.
Blood.
Warm.
Thick.
On my hands.
On my arms.
On the floor.
I staggered back.
My breath caught in my throat.
"…What…?"
My wings—
Black.
Torn from my back.
Pain—
Sharp.
Real.
Too real.
And in front of me—
Them.
My parents.
On the ground.
Not moving.
"…No…"
My hands trembled.
"…No… no… no…"
I stepped forward slowly.
My vision warped.
My chest felt like it was collapsing inward.
"Did I…?"
The thought formed before I could stop it.
"…Did I do this…?"
Silence.
But my mind answered anyway.
Yes.
Something inside me snapped.
A sound tore out of my throat—
Raw.
Broken.
I dropped to my knees beside them.
"I didn't mean to—"
My voice collapsed.
"I didn't—"
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't think.
Only one thing remained.
Fix it.
End it.
Undo it.
My eyes locked onto the knife.
On the ground.
Waiting.
"…If I'm the problem…"
My hand grabbed it.
"…then I remove the problem."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
I drove it into my chest.
I woke up gasping.
Back in the mirror room.
My lungs burned.
My body trembled uncontrollably.
"…That wasn't real…"
My voice came out uneven.
"…It wasn't…"
But it felt real.
Too real.
A voice echoed in my head.
Calm.
Familiar.
"Only your death was real."
Eclipse.
I shut my eyes tightly.
"…Figures."
"She shows you what you want… and turns it against you."
I clenched my fists.
"…Yeah. I noticed."
"Rest for a moment. Don't rush."
I slid down against the wall, sitting on the cold floor.
My breathing slowly steadied.
But my hands…
Still shaking.
"…It knew exactly what to show me."
A pause.
"…And I still fell for it."
Silence.
Then—
"Of course you did."
Her voice softened slightly.
"…That's why it works."
I leaned my head back against the mirror.
Closing my eyes.
"…Next time…"
My grip tightened.
"…I won't."
But even as I said it—
I knew.
It wouldn't be that simple.
*
Dark asked Kim to call me.
That alone was enough to worry me.
He doesn't ask for help like that… not unless something is really wrong.
When I arrived, he smiled.
Just a little.
But I saw it.
And that was enough.
We entered together.
The door closed behind us.
Light swallowed the darkness.
A massive hall unfolded—white and gold, almost divine.
Seven doors.
No hesitation.
We split.
My room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Mirrors covered everything.
Endless reflections.
I stepped closer to one.
I could see myself clearly.
Calm.
Focused.
Alive.
"…This again."
I raised my hand.
Touched it.
The light reacted instantly.
Too fast.
Too bright—
I closed my eyes.
And then—
Everything changed.
"…Where am I?"
My voice sounded normal.
Steady.
That was the first thing that felt wrong.
I looked around.
My room.
My real room.
Everything was exactly where it should be.
Familiar.
Safe.
But then—
I felt it.
Weight.
In my arms.
I looked down slowly.
A baby.
Small.
Warm.
Breathing softly.
White skin.
Dark eyes.
Hair with a faint cherry tint.
My heart skipped.
"…So this is what it shows me."
I didn't reject it.
I didn't panic.
I understood immediately.
A desire.
Not a memory.
Not reality.
A possibility.
Still…
My fingers adjusted instinctively, holding the baby closer.
Careful.
Protective.
"…You're beautiful."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
And I meant them.
I turned my head—
And there he was.
Dark.
Sleeping beside me.
Peaceful.
Quiet.
That expression…
The one he only shows when he feels safe.
My chest tightened.
Not painfully.
Gently.
I reached out.
Brushed his hair away from his face.
Soft.
"…You look younger like this."
I leaned down.
Placed a kiss on his forehead.
My eyes stung.
"…So this is it…"
A home.
A family.
A future.
Simple.
Warm.
Real.
Too real.
Something felt off.
Not visually.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
I looked at Dark again.
Then at the baby.
Then at myself.
"…This is perfect."
A pause.
"…Too perfect."
That was the problem.
No fear.
No tension.
No uncertainty.
That's not how life works.
Not ours.
Not his.
Not mine.
My grip on the baby tightened slightly.
"…So when does it break?"
It didn't answer.
It didn't need to.
I was running.
The shift was instant.
Violent.
No transition.
No warning.
Wind cut against my face.
The baby was still in my arms—
crying now.
Loud.
Terrified.
"…What—?"
I turned.
And saw it.
A creature.
Massive.
Towering over buildings.
Blue-green skin.
Wings like a bat.
Its eyes locked onto me.
No—
Not me.
Us.
"…Of course."
My voice steadied.
Even now.
"Take away what I love… and see what I do."
Fire gathered in its mouth.
I adjusted my stance.
Shielding the baby instinctively.
"…Think, Alya."
Fast.
Clear.
No panic.
I can't fight that.
I can't outrun it.
So—
I repositioned.
Angle.
Timing.
If I—
The attack came.
Too fast.
Too large.
No way to redirect it.
No way to block it.
And then—
Dark moved.
He stepped in front of me.
"…No."
Too late.
The explosion swallowed him.
Light.
Heat.
Gone.
My body froze.
"…No…"
My mind rejected it instantly.
He can't—
He wouldn't—
I didn't—
The creature raised its head again.
Another attack forming.
My arms tightened around the baby.
"…I can still save—"
The thought didn't finish.
The second blast hit.
Silence.
I opened my eyes.
Back in the mirror room.
My breathing was sharp.
Unstable.
But I didn't scream.
I didn't cry.
I just… sat there.
"…I couldn't save him."
The words came out quietly.
Not broken.
Not panicked.
Just… true.
A voice echoed in my mind.
"Only your death was real."
Eclipse.
I closed my eyes.
"…It wasn't just fear."
A pause.
"…It was choice."
Silence.
"She made me choose what to protect."
My hands tightened slightly.
"…And I still lost everything."
Eclipse didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"Because you tried to protect everything at once."
I exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah."
That was it.
I looked down at my hands.
Still steady.
"…Next time…"
A pause.
My voice lowered.
"…I won't hesitate."
Silence settled again.
But this time—
It wasn't heavy.
It was focused.
I rested my head back against the mirror.
Eyes closing briefly.
"…If I want that future…"
My grip tightened slightly.
"…I need to become someone who can actually protect it."
And that meant—
Changing.
*
I didn't hesitate.
The moment I saw the mirrors, I already knew what this was.
Some kind of illusion.
Test.
Trap.
Didn't matter.
"…Let's get this over with."
I walked straight up to one of them.
My reflection stared back at me.
Same posture.
Same confidence.
Same fire behind the eyes.
"…Yeah. Still me."
I pressed my hand against the glass.
Light exploded.
When I opened my eyes—
I smiled.
"…Oh."
A classroom.
My classroom.
Sunlight pouring through the windows.
Desks.
Voices.
Normal.
"…Seriously?"
I leaned back in my chair, stretching slightly.
"So all of that was just in my head?"
A dream.
A messed up one, sure—but still a dream.
I glanced around.
Everything felt… right.
No tension.
No danger.
No pressure.
"…That's boring."
But I didn't question it.
Not yet.
Because a part of me—
wanted it to be real.
Then the light changed.
Subtle.
But wrong.
I looked out the window.
And froze.
Three figures descended from the sky.
Too bright to see clearly.
Too still.
Too deliberate.
"…Alright."
I stood up slowly.
Cracking my neck.
"Guess we're not done."
No fear.
No hesitation.
Just action.
"I'll handle it."
I stepped outside.
Heat already gathering in my hands.
If they're enemies—
burn them.
End it fast.
Protect everyone.
Simple.
I raised my arm.
Fire surged instantly.
Hot.
Dense.
Controlled.
"—Retribution."
Flames roared upward, tearing through the sky.
The impact was immediate.
Violent.
Clean.
I didn't hold back.
Didn't need to.
The figures were swallowed completely.
Gone.
Reduced to ash.
"…Too easy."
I exhaled, lowering my hand.
The heat faded slowly.
"…Guess I'm just that good."
I walked forward.
Casual.
Relaxed.
Victory already assumed.
Then I saw them.
My steps stopped.
"…What?"
Three bodies.
Burned.
Destroyed.
Unrecognizable—
Except they weren't.
My eyes adjusted.
Details formed.
Shapes.
Clothes.
Hair.
"…No."
I moved closer.
Slow.
Careful.
Like if I walked too fast—
it would become real.
"…No… no… no…"
My breath hitched.
That wasn't an enemy.
That—
That was Alya.
And next to her—
"…Dark?"
My voice cracked.
And the third—
"…Xia…?"
Silence.
My hands started shaking.
"…No."
I dropped to my knees.
"No no no no no—"
My fingers dug into the ground.
Hard.
Pain didn't matter.
Nothing mattered.
"I didn't—"
My voice broke apart.
"I didn't know—"
My vision blurred.
"They were in the air—"
I looked up desperately.
"They looked like enemies—"
My chest tightened violently.
"I was protecting you—!"
My fist slammed into the ground.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Again—
Bones cracked.
Skin tore.
I didn't stop.
"I was protecting you—!"
But the words sounded wrong now.
Empty.
Excuses.
I looked at my hands.
Burned.
Shaking.
"…I killed them."
Silence answered.
Something inside me collapsed.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just—
gone.
"…If I'm the one who does this…"
My breathing slowed.
Too much.
Too quiet.
"…Then what's the point?"
My eyes drifted.
And landed on it.
A shard of glass.
I don't know where it came from.
Didn't matter.
My hand reached for it.
"…No hesitation, right?"
A bitter smile.
"…That's what I'm good at."
I pressed it against my throat.
Cold.
Sharp.
"…Then let's see how far that goes."
And I cut.
I woke up choking.
Back in the mirror room.
Air tore into my lungs violently.
My body jerked forward.
"…Tch—!"
I grabbed my throat instinctively.
Intact.
No blood.
No wound.
But I could still feel it.
"…Damn it…"
My voice came out hoarse.
A voice echoed in my head.
"Only your death was real."
Eclipse.
I clenched my jaw.
"…Yeah. Figures."
I pushed myself up slightly—
Then stopped.
My hands.
They were shaking.
"…I didn't even think."
The realization hit harder than the illusion.
"I saw a threat…"
My grip tightened.
"…and I erased it."
A pause.
"…No confirmation."
"…No restraint."
"…No second thought."
Silence.
"…That's how I fight."
And that's the problem.
I leaned back against the mirror, staring at the ceiling.
"…If that had been real…"
My voice lowered.
"…I would've killed them myself."
No answer came.
Didn't need one.
I already knew.
I closed my eyes briefly.
Then exhaled slowly.
"…Fine."
My fingers curled slightly.
Steadier now.
"…Next time…"
A pause.
"…I don't shoot first."
Another pause.
"…I make sure who I'm aiming at."
The fire inside me didn't disappear.
It changed.
Focused.
Controlled.
Dangerous—
In a different way.
"…Try me again."
*
I already knew it wasn't real.
The moment I stepped into the room—
mirrors.
Too many.
Too deliberate.
"…So this is my test."
I walked forward without hesitation.
My reflection followed.
Perfect.
Controlled.
Unshaken.
"…Good."
I placed my hand against the glass.
Light swallowed everything.
When I opened my eyes—
I exhaled softly.
"…My room."
Familiar.
Clean.
Silent.
Exactly as I left it.
No distortion.
No immediate threat.
"…Predictable."
I stretched slightly, rolling my shoulder.
"Trying to ease me in?"
A weak approach.
If this thing wanted to break me—
it would need more than comfort.
I walked toward the door.
Calm.
Measured.
Then—
it hit.
A pulse.
Sharp.
Violent.
"—!"
My hand flew to my head.
"…What—"
Another one.
Stronger.
Like something knocking—
from the inside.
"…"
My breathing slowed deliberately.
Controlled.
Analyze.
Don't react.
"…Intrusion."
A voice.
Low.
Distorted.
Not mine.
Let me in.
My eyes narrowed instantly.
"…No."
I pressed my forehead against the wall.
Hard.
Focus.
Anchor yourself.
"Not happening."
The pressure increased.
Not pain.
Not exactly.
Something worse.
Presence.
Spreading.
You already opened the door.
"…I touched the mirror."
Mistake.
I clicked my tongue softly.
"…Figures."
My fingers dug into my scalp.
Trying to stay present.
Trying to stay—
me.
Footsteps.
Outside.
Fast.
Urgent.
"…Kim."
Of course.
She would come first.
She always does.
The door opened.
Light spilled in.
"Xia—?!"
Her voice.
Real.
Concerned.
Too real.
"…Don't come closer."
My voice came out tight.
Strained.
Wrong.
She froze.
"…What?"
"Stay back."
Another pulse.
Stronger.
My vision flickered.
"…Something's—"
Take her.
My body moved.
I didn't tell it to.
I didn't approve it.
It just—
moved.
My hands grabbed her.
Hard.
Too hard.
"…Xia—?"
Confusion.
No fear.
Not yet.
"Let go—"
"I said stay back."
My voice overlapped.
Two tones.
Mine.
And something else.
Break her.
"No."
My grip tightened.
"…No."
Her throat.
Under my fingers.
Fragile.
Warm.
Alive.
"Xia— you're hurting me—"
"I know."
My hands trembled.
Violently.
"I know."
Then they tightened.
A crack.
Silence.
Her body went limp.
Just like that.
Weight shifted in my arms.
Empty.
Gone.
"…No…"
The word barely existed.
My eyes widened slowly.
My hands loosened.
Too late.
Her body fell.
Soft.
Lifeless.
"…Kim…?"
No response.
Of course not.
I dropped to my knees beside her.
My breathing broke.
"…No…"
My hands hovered over her.
Not touching.
Not daring to.
"I told you to stay back…"
My voice shook.
"…I told you…"
But I didn't stop myself.
That's the truth.
I couldn't.
My reflection stared back at me—
in the mirror across the room.
Eyes different.
Smile faint.
Wrong.
See?
"…Shut up."
You wanted control.
"I have control."
No.
A pause.
You have limits.
Something inside me snapped.
"…I don't lose."
The words came out quiet.
Cold.
Absolute.
"I don't break."
But my hands—
were still shaking.
"…I don't kill my own."
Silence answered.
I looked at Kim again.
Then at my hands.
Then back at the mirror.
"…If this is what happens…"
My voice steadied.
"…then I end it here."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Just decision.
I stood up slowly.
Wind gathered faintly around me.
Responding.
Waiting.
"…You don't get to use me again."
My hand lifted.
Pointed at my own chest.
"…Not like this."
For a second—
there was resistance.
Fear.
Not of dying.
Of failing.
But it didn't matter.
"I decide how this ends."
The pressure vanished.
Too late.
I drove the force inward.
Everything went white.
I woke up gasping.
Back in the mirror room.
My body jolted forward violently.
Air burned my lungs.
"…Tch—"
My hand flew to my chest.
Intact.
Alive.
Of course.
A voice echoed.
"Only your death was real."
Eclipse.
"…I figured."
I pushed myself up slowly.
Steady.
Controlled.
Like nothing happened.
But my hands—
still trembled slightly.
"…So that's the angle."
Possession.
Loss of control.
Turning me—
against them.
I exhaled quietly.
"…Not happening again."
My eyes shifted toward the mirrors.
Cold.
Focused.
"If something tries to take me—"
A pause.
"…I end myself before it finishes."
No hesitation.
No regret.
Just fact.
"…That's the rule now."
The wind stirred faintly around me.
Calm.
But sharp.
Ready.
"…Try me."
*
I didn't want to touch it.
The mirror.
Something about it felt…
wrong.
Not dangerous.
Not immediately.
Just—
unsettling.
"…I don't like this."
My reflection stared back at me.
Normal.
Too normal.
Like it was waiting.
"…Everyone else already went in…"
I swallowed.
If I stayed behind—
I'd be alone.
That thought alone was worse.
"…Okay…"
I raised my hand slowly.
Hesitated.
"…It's just an illusion."
Then I touched it.
Light swallowed everything.
When I opened my eyes—
I frowned.
"…This is…"
A room.
Quiet.
Still.
Too still.
"…Why does this feel familiar…?"
I took a step forward.
The floor creaked softly.
Old wood.
The smell—
flowers.
"…Wait…"
My chest tightened.
No.
No, no—
I turned—
—and saw it.
A photo.
On the wall.
Black ribbon.
Candles.
Flowers.
"…No."
My voice came out as a whisper.
I stepped closer.
Slowly.
Like if I moved too fast—
it would become real.
But it already was.
The photo was me.
Smiling.
Alive.
"…That's not…"
My hand trembled as I reached toward it.
"That's not funny…"
Silence.
No response.
Of course not.
"…This is a joke…"
My breathing grew uneven.
"…Right?"
Voices.
Behind me.
I turned quickly.
People.
Dressed in black.
Talking.
Quietly.
Calmly.
Too calmly.
"…Hey…"
I stepped toward them.
"Hey— I'm right here…"
No one reacted.
Not even a glance.
"…Guys?"
Nothing.
I moved closer.
Closer.
"I'm right here!"
Still nothing.
My chest tightened.
"…Why…?"
I stepped in front of them.
Waved my hands.
Nothing.
"…Look at me…"
My voice cracked.
"…Please…"
Then I saw them.
Kim.
Minho.
Xia.
All together.
Talking.
Like usual.
"…Guys…!"
Relief hit instantly.
I ran toward them.
"I'm here— I'm okay—"
Nothing.
They didn't even look at me.
"…No…"
I stepped closer.
Right in front of them.
"…It's me…"
Still nothing.
Then—
Xia spoke.
Cold.
Flat.
"…She was always a burden."
Everything stopped.
Minho didn't argue.
Didn't defend me.
He just sighed.
"…Yeah…"
Like it was obvious.
Like it was true.
Kim didn't even look up.
Scrolling through her phone.
"…Whatever."
"…No…"
My voice broke instantly.
"That's not—"
Dark wasn't there.
I looked around.
Desperately.
"…Where's Dark…?"
No answer.
No one cared.
Of course they didn't.
"…No…"
My breathing turned shallow.
Fast.
Wrong.
"They wouldn't say that…"
My hands shook.
"…They wouldn't…"
But they did.
I heard it.
I saw it.
They didn't care.
They never did.
"…I tried…"
The words slipped out.
"…I tried to help…"
But I was always slower.
Weaker.
Behind.
"…I know I'm not strong…"
My vision blurred.
"…but I stayed…"
Tears fell.
"I didn't leave…"
No one heard me.
No one ever did.
"…Was I really… just in the way…?"
Silence answered.
Something inside me collapsed.
Not loudly.
Not violently.
Just—
quietly.
Like something fragile finally giving up.
"…Okay…"
My voice came out small.
"…I get it…"
I turned away slowly.
Not running.
Not panicking.
Just…
empty.
Kitchen.
I knew where it was.
Of course I did.
I've been here before.
Drawer.
Open.
Knife.
My hand didn't hesitate.
Not this time.
"…If I disappear…"
A tear fell onto the blade.
"…nothing changes…"
My grip tightened.
"…right?"
For a second—
just one—
I hoped someone would stop me.
Call my name.
Notice.
Nothing.
"…Okay…"
I drove the blade forward.
Pain—
sharp—
instant—
then gone.
Darkness.
I woke up gasping.
My body jolted violently.
Air rushed into my lungs.
Too fast.
Too much.
"…Hah—!"
My hands clutched at my chest.
Still there.
Still alive.
"…I…"
My voice trembled.
"…I died…"
A voice echoed softly.
"Only your death was real."
Eclipse.
"…It felt real…"
My fingers trembled.
"…they felt real…"
My eyes burned.
"…they didn't even look at me…"
Silence.
Then—
her voice again.
"They were not real."
"…I know…"
But that didn't fix it.
Didn't erase it.
Didn't—
stop it from hurting.
I wrapped my arms around myself.
Tight.
Like I could hold the pieces together.
"…I don't want to see that again…"
My voice was small.
Barely there.
"But I will."
Because I had to.
Because they were still out there.
Because if I broke—
this would all be real.
I took a shaky breath.
"…Next time…"
My eyes lifted slowly.
Still wet.
But clearer.
"…I won't listen."
A pause.
"…Even if it sounds like them…"
My hands tightened slightly.
"…I'll trust what I see."
Observation.
That's what I have.
That's what I am.
"…And I'll prove it wrong."
My voice steadied.
Just a little.
"…I'm not a burden."
Silence.
But this time—
it didn't feel as heavy.
*
I didn't hesitate.
I just smiled… and touched the mirror.
Light swallowed me whole.
When I opened my eyes—
Sunlight.
Warm.
Soft.
A park.
I blinked slowly, letting the brightness settle into something real.
"…Huh."
For a moment, I just stood there.
The sound of leaves. The distant hum of the city. Laughter.
I turned—
And there they were.
Dark. Kim. Airi. Xia.
Talking. Smiling. Alive.
A small breath left my chest.
"…Guess this isn't so bad."
I shoved my hands into my pockets, walking toward them.
"Hey, you guys—"
And then—
The wind changed.
Sharp.
Cold.
Wrong.
I stopped.
"…No."
My eyes shifted.
Ahead of them—
A figure.
Floating.
Still.
Watching.
My stomach dropped instantly.
"…Eclipse."
Something was off.
Everything about her felt… distorted.
Like she didn't belong here.
Like this wasn't really her.
And then it hit me.
Dark isn't here.
My pulse spiked.
No.
No, no, no—
This is wrong.
This is exactly how it starts.
I took a step forward.
"Everyone—!"
They didn't react fast enough.
Of course they didn't.
They don't know.
They don't remember.
I clenched my jaw.
Then I turned to Kim.
"Attack."
She froze.
"…What?"
"NOW!"
My voice came out sharper than I expected.
She hesitated—
Just for a second—
Then nodded.
Flames erupted from her hands instantly.
"—Aurora Scarlata!"
The fire expanded violently, surging toward that thing in the sky.
For a moment—
I thought it worked.
But then—
She raised her hand.
And stopped it.
Just like that.
No effort.
No resistance.
My heart sank.
"…Yeah."
I exhaled slowly.
"Of course you did."
I ran forward.
"Kim—move!"
Too late.
The flames twisted.
Collapsed inward.
And then—
They exploded.
Right on her.
Her body—
Gone.
Just like that.
My breath hitched.
"…Kim?"
No response.
Nothing left to respond.
I froze.
No.
No no no—
I turned sharply.
"Xia! Airi! We—"
Xia moved first.
Fast.
Too fast.
Her body slammed into the ground—
Like something forced her down.
Airi ran to her.
"Xia—are you—"
Xia stood up.
Slowly.
Her head tilted.
And I saw it.
That look.
That same look.
"…Not again."
Airi didn't see it.
She stepped closer.
"Hey, it's okay—"
Xia's arm moved.
Once.
Clean.
Precise.
Airi's body jerked—
Then went still.
My chest tightened violently.
"…No…"
I took a step back.
This is wrong.
This is all wrong.
I changed it.
I acted faster.
I tried—
Why is it worse?!
My breathing became uneven.
"…Think."
I grabbed my head.
"Think, damn it—"
But I already knew the answer.
I wasn't fixing anything.
I was accelerating it.
I forced this.
I pushed them into it.
I—
"…I did this."
My voice came out hollow.
Behind me—
Movement.
I turned.
Xia.
Walking toward me.
Blood dripping from her hand.
Her eyes—
Empty.
No.
Not empty.
Controlled.
I clenched my fists.
"…I won't let this happen again."
Even if it's fake.
Even if it's a lie.
Even if none of this is real—
They matter.
I stepped forward.
"…Come on."
She didn't hesitate.
She lunged.
I barely reacted in time, dodging to the side.
Too fast.
Way too fast.
I can't beat her like this.
Then—
A shadow moved above us.
Eclipse.
Watching.
Smiling.
"…You see it now, don't you?"
Her voice echoed—everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Every time you try to change it…"
A pause.
"…you make it worse."
My teeth clenched.
"…Shut up."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Such a fragile thing… loyalty."
My chest tightened.
"You believe you're helping them."
Another step.
Xia got closer.
"…But all you're doing…"
Her smile widened.
"…is deciding how they die."
My breath caught.
No.
That's not—
That's not true.
Right?
"…If I had just stayed still…"
My voice trembled.
"…they'd still be alive."
Silence.
Then—
A soft laugh.
"Oh… Minho."
I froze.
"…They were never going to survive."
My vision blurred slightly.
Then what am I even fighting for?
Xia was right in front of me now.
Close enough.
Too close.
I didn't move.
Didn't dodge.
Didn't raise my hands.
"…If trying to save them just kills them faster…"
My voice dropped.
"…then what's the point?"
A pause.
"…Maybe…"
I let out a shaky breath.
"…I'm the problem."
Xia's blade rose.
I didn't stop her.
"…If I wasn't here…"
A faint smile.
Broken.
"…maybe they'd be okay."
The blade moved.
And everything went dark.
I woke up gasping.
Back in the room.
Cold.
Silent.
My hands trembled as I grabbed my head.
"…No."
My breathing was uneven.
Too fast.
Too sharp.
"…That wasn't real."
It wasn't.
It couldn't be.
"…Right?"
A voice answered.
Calm.
Familiar.
"Yes."
I froze.
Eclipse.
"It was an illusion."
I swallowed hard.
"…Then why does it feel like I actually killed them?"
Silence.
Just for a moment.
Then—
"Because that is what you believe."
My chest tightened again.
I dropped to the floor.
"…Tch…"
A weak laugh escaped me.
"…Yeah."
Of course.
That's exactly it.
I ran a hand through my hair.
"…Doesn't matter."
My voice steadied.
Slowly.
Piece by piece.
"I'll still protect them."
I looked up.
Eyes sharper now.
More focused.
Even if I fail.
Even if I make it worse.
Even if I'm the reason—
"I'm not stopping."
A small pause.
"…Not this time."
I leaned back slightly against the wall.
Closed my eyes.
"…Just don't let me screw it up again."
Silence answered me.
But I didn't need anything else.
Because next time—
I'd be ready.
Or at least…
I'd try again.
*
I didn't hesitate.
Of course I didn't.
I placed my hand on the mirror.
Light consumed everything.
When I opened my eyes—
I was already standing.
A garden.
Familiar.
Orderly.
Controlled.
"…A school."
I exhaled softly, letting my gaze move without rushing.
No panic.
No confusion.
Just observation.
Patterns first.
Always patterns.
The air felt stable. The environment coherent. No immediate distortion.
"…So this is my test."
I began walking.
Slow.
Measured.
Every step deliberate.
"If it's like the others…"
I murmured to myself.
"…then it will try to break me."
A faint smirk touched my lips.
"…That will be difficult."
A voice interrupted me.
Cold.
Mocking.
"Individuals at your level are rare…"
I stopped.
Turned slightly.
A woman stood behind me.
Hooded.
Still.
Watching.
"…but very easy to kill."
I studied her.
Posture. Breathing. Presence.
No fluctuation.
No hesitation.
"…You're not real."
I said it plainly.
Not a question.
A conclusion.
She laughed softly.
"Oh? And what makes you so sure?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
I kept looking.
Not at her.
At everything else.
The garden.
The light.
The silence between sounds.
"…Because you're too direct."
A small pause.
"If this were meant to deceive me…"
I tilted my head slightly.
"…it would try harder."
Her smile didn't fade.
But something shifted.
Subtle.
Almost imperceptible.
Good.
I stepped forward.
"Let me guess."
Calm.
Precise.
"You'll escalate."
Another step.
"Apply pressure."
Another.
"Force an emotional response."
I stopped in front of her.
"…And when that fails…"
A faint smile.
"…you'll cheat."
Silence.
Then—
She moved.
Fast.
Too fast for a normal human.
Something flew toward me.
I didn't dodge.
I didn't need to.
It landed at my feet.
A body.
I glanced down.
Professor Adermat.
Lifeless.
Blood still warm.
"…Predictable."
No hesitation.
No reaction.
Just confirmation.
"They're targeting connections."
I looked back at her.
"…But you made a mistake."
She raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Oh?"
I clenched my fist.
"Too early."
A pulse.
Sharp.
Invisible.
From within her—
Something erupted.
A sphere of spikes.
Exploding outward.
Tearing her body apart from the inside.
No resistance.
No defense.
She collapsed.
Gone.
Silence returned.
I exhaled slowly.
"…If you wanted to break me…"
I turned away.
"…you should have chosen someone else."
I walked forward again.
Unbothered.
Unaffected.
"…Fear requires attachment."
A small pause.
"…And attachment requires vulnerability."
I stopped.
"…I have neither."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
No shift.
No second phase.
No escalation.
Just silence.
Then—
The world fractured.
Like glass.
And I was back.
The room.
The mirror.
The stillness.
I sat down without urgency.
"…So that's the mechanism."
I leaned back slightly, eyes lifting toward the ceiling.
"Personalized illusions."
A brief pause.
"Emotional triggers."
Another.
"…And forced collapse."
My fingers tapped lightly against the floor.
"They all rely on instability."
A faint smile returned.
"…That's unfortunate."
Because I don't break that way.
I closed my eyes briefly.
"…Still."
A small thought crossed my mind.
Quiet.
Sharp.
"…If this was only the first layer…"
Then the next one—
Would be different.
My gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Good."
For the first time—
There was something close to interest.
"Now it might actually be worth my time."
I rested my chin lightly on my hand.
Waiting.
Composed.
Ready.
"…Let's see if the next one can do better."
*
I stepped into the room without hesitation.
Mirrors.
Of course.
A primitive construct… at least on the surface.
Reflections are never just reflections. Not in places like this.
I approached one of them, observing the frame, the faint inscriptions hidden along the edges—distorted, almost intentionally incomplete.
A test.
Not of strength.
Of perception.
"Let's see what you're hiding."
I touched the glass.
Light swallowed everything.
—
When I opened my eyes, I was already moving.
Library.
My library.
Every detail was exact—the scent of old paper, the weight of silence, the faint distortion in the air that only exists where knowledge has been… abused.
"…Interesting."
Then I saw it.
The book.
Not on its pedestal.
Wrong.
Very wrong.
Around me, several students were already on the ground.
Convulsing.
Foam at their mouths.
Eyes… gone.
Not physically.
But cognitively erased.
"…So that's the scenario."
A forbidden grimoire, misplaced.
Exposure.
Cascade failure.
I didn't panic.
I calculated.
Time folded at my command.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Each iteration refined.
Each variable corrected.
I reached the moment before contact—
And removed the book.
Clean.
Efficient.
I sealed it instantly, restoring its bindings, its restrictions, its silence.
The students stabilized.
Breathing returned.
Reality… corrected.
"…Too easy."
I turned toward the mirror again.
No resistance.
No distortion.
No escalation.
Just compliance.
That was the problem.
I narrowed my eyes.
"…You're not testing me."
I stepped closer.
"…You're measuring me."
The illusion didn't break.
It dissolved.
And I was back in the room.
—
I didn't move immediately.
Instead, I sat down.
Cross-legged.
Hands resting on my knees.
Thinking.
Everyone else would struggle.
Emotion.
Attachment.
Fear.
That's what these constructs prey on.
But me?
No.
My weakness is not emotional.
It's structural.
I don't lose control.
I lose… certainty.
I replayed the sequence again in my mind.
Too clean.
Too contained.
Too… correct.
"…You let me win."
That realization settled heavier than any illusion.
Because that means—
There is a second layer.
And if that's true…
Then this room isn't meant to break us individually.
It's meant to prepare us.
For something worse.
I closed my eyes briefly.
"…Good."
A faint smile formed.
"…Now it becomes interesting."
But even as I said it—
Something in the air shifted.
Subtle.
Almost imperceptible.
Like a system…
Resetting.
And for the first time—
I felt it.
Not fear.
Not doubt.
But something far more dangerous for someone like me.
Uncertainty.
"…So there is a second round."
I opened my eyes slowly.
"…Show me."