[The statues attacked.]
[Dozens.]
[Ancient stone warriors surged through the chamber.]
Abaksa Einsro— "Move!"
[His sword flashed.]
[Stone cracked.]
[Beside him, the black-haired teenager casually punched through a statue's chest.]
BOOM.
[The guardian exploded.]
Boy— "Annoying."
[Neither trusted the other.]
[Neither had time to care.]
[The emerald pulsed atop the pedestal.]
[Green.]
[Ancient.]
[Calling to something.]
[Chronos Emerald Detected]
[Authority Fragment Available]
[The entire chamber shook.]
[Abaksa lunged.]
[The teenager moved simultaneously.]
[Both reached for the emerald.]
[Then—]
[Reality split.]
CRACK.
[A third figure appeared.]
[No warning.]
[No mana.]
[No footsteps.]
[One moment empty space.]
[The next—]
[A hooded individual stood atop the pedestal.]
[Holding the emerald.]
[Silence.]
Abaksa Einsro— "...What?"
[The black-haired boy's expression changed.]
[For the first time.]
[Shock.]
Boy— "...Impossible."
[The hooded figure looked down at them.]
[Their face hidden.]
[Then laughed.]
??? — "Too slow."
[The emerald flashed.]
[Time froze.]
[The statues stopped moving.]
[The dust stopped falling.]
[Everything stopped.]
[Everything except three people.]
[Abaksa.]
[The teenager.]
[The thief.]
Boy— "...Who are you?"
[The hooded figure smiled beneath the cloak.]
??? — "Someone who's already won."
[The emerald erupted.]
[Green lightning consumed the chamber.]
Boy— "NO!"
[For the first time—]
[The teenager moved with genuine urgency.]
[His power exploded.]
[The chamber shattered.]
[Walls collapsed.]
[Stone melted.]
[He launched himself toward the thief.]
[Fast.]
[Terrifyingly fast.]
[But—]
[The hooded figure stepped backward.]
[And vanished.]
[Gone.]
[The emerald gone with them.]
[The Demon Lord's attack hit empty air.]
BOOOOOOM.
[Half the chamber disappeared.]
[Silence.]
[The black-haired teenager stood motionless.]
[For the first time since his reincarnation—]
[He looked angry.]
Boy— "...No."
[The floor beneath him cracked.]
Boy— "NO."
[His voice echoed throughout the labyrinth.]
[Something monstrous leaked from his body.]
[Something ancient.]
[Abaksa's instincts screamed.]
[Run.]
[Then the chamber collapsed.]
[Completely.]
[Stone gave way.]
[The floor shattered.]
Abaksa Einsro— "...Damn it!"
[He fell.]
[Again.]
[The world turned upside down.]
[Rock.]
[Darkness.]
[Impact.]
CRASH.
[Everything went black.]
Elsewhere
[The thief stood atop a cliff.]
[The Chronos Emerald resting in their hand.]
??? — "First piece acquired."
[Several golden clocks appeared around them.]
??? — "Let's see what the others do now."
[Then they vanished.]
Meanwhile...
[Abaksa opened his eyes.]
[Immediately regretted it.]
[The air burned.]
[Green mist covered everything.]
[Poison.]
[Everywhere.]
[WARNING]
[Extreme Toxic Environment Detected]
Abaksa Einsro— "...Wonderful."
[He slowly sat up.]
[His shoulder still hurt.]
[His ribs still hurt.]
[Everything hurt.]
[The valley stretched endlessly.]
[No visible exit.]
[Twisted trees.]
[Poison rivers.]
[Monster bones.]
[Nothing living.]
[Except—]
[Something moved inside the fog.]
[Several things.]
[Watching.]
[Unknown Lifeforms Detected]
[Abaksa slowly drew his sword.]
Abaksa Einsro— "...One problem at a time."
[Far above the poisonous valley, the shattered labyrinth continued collapsing.]
[The Demon Lord stared at the place where the thief vanished.]
Boy— "...You won't keep it for long."
[His golden eyes glowed.]
Boy— "I'll find you."
[Below, Abaksa stared into the poisonous darkness.]
[The mist thickened.]
[The shadows moved closer.]
[And for the first time since entering the labyrinth—]
[There was no obvious path forward.]