"When you have the chance to make a choice, don't let yourself regret it..."
This was what Kafka had said to Stelle. Upon seeing the two large doors before her, this sentence involuntarily flashed through her mind.
"Two doors. It seems they lead to different places."
Dan Heng responsibly took on the role of guide. This meant they would have to split into two teams again for the next phase of their exploration... The Stellaron was close at hand, and the key to ending Punklorde's destruction lay behind these two doors.
"Ah~ Why is it another fork in the road? We're not going to have to split up again, are we?"
March stole a glance at Wende, her face a picture of reluctance.
"As much as I hate to admit it, it seems we have no other choice."
Looking at the unwilling March and the contemplative Stelle, Himeko felt rather helpless as well.
"In that case, Wende, let's stick to the old plan. You lead Tingyun and Jingliu through one, and we'll meet up where the paths converge."
Himeko's gaze fell upon Wende as she spoke softly.
"Understood."
Wende nodded in acknowledgment. For some reason, as he looked at the two doors, a strange feeling welled up inside him.
Of the two doors before them, one appeared very simple, like an ordinary wooden door. The other was much the same, except it was adorned with black and white patterns, as if hinting at something.
"Stelle, which way do you want to go?"
Wende walked gently to Stelle's side, seeing the deliberation in her eyes, and asked.
"Hmm..."
Stelle hesitated for a moment before finally pointing to the plainest door. She had a gut feeling, as if something was guiding her to walk through it...
"Then we'll take the other one."
Nodding, Wende patted Stelle's shoulder, then confirmed their choice with Tingyun and Jingliu. Since Stelle had chosen the other door, this was their only option.
Gazing at the black and white patterns above, Wende felt as if they were a sign, a fated reminder that he was destined to walk through this very door...
"Let's hope this isn't another one of the hackers' little tricks."
He shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh. After all, since their arrival on Punklorde, most of the abnormal occurrences had been the work of those hackers.
Things like virtual projection walls, abandoned cars appearing out of thin air, and illusions...
But then again, for a planet famous for its hackers, if these things weren't their doing... that would be somewhat more unsettling.
"Let's go."
Wende took the lead, guiding the two women through their chosen door. Seeing Wende's group make their move, Stelle nodded to the others, then pushed open the door and stepped inside...
---o---
"Tap... tap..."
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the stairwell. This was the path beyond the door, but it didn't seem to connect with the other one, as their route was already becoming increasingly skewed.
This wasn't a spiral staircase like before. If Wende had to describe the stairs behind this door, he could only say that either the engineer had read the blueprints upside down, or the person who designed this place was an artist.
And this was the kind of art that wasn't particularly well-received.
"This is the first time I've ever seen such a twisted... staircase."
Tingyun was silent for a few seconds before offering a rather apt description.
"It seems we've entered another world again," Jingliu stated calmly, seeming completely unsurprised.
After all, the two doors were right next to each other. If they were just two ordinary doors, there wouldn't be much to talk about.
"Yes, but this doesn't appear to be an illusion."
Wende nodded, then shook his head.
"This doesn't seem to be an original part of the Legendary Tower. It must have appeared after the Stellaron."
Recalling the intelligence he had gathered from Veyl and the masked merchant, Wende could say this with certainty.
If the Legendary Tower truly had two completely different doors that led to two completely different spaces... it would have been reported on by the IPC news long ago, wouldn't it?
"Let's keep going. Let's see what little tricks the Stellaron wants to play."
The three continued their climb up the distorted staircase. There were no enemies here, only symmetrical yet asymmetrical stairs, and a light source above that looked like an exit...
---o---
"This place is..."
Stelle stared at the scene behind the door, scratching her head in a daze.
"Did we enter another illusion? Dan Heng, didn't Wende say before that dreams could be multiplayer? Does this count as us having a co-op dream?" March asked Dan Heng with an innocent look.
Dan Heng: "..."
"What Wende says isn't always right..." Dan Heng muttered under his breath about the so-called multiplayer dream. This place was clearly not a dream, nor was it an illusion... but an independent space.
"Just how much can this Legendary Tower fit inside it..." Himeko shrugged helplessly as she looked at the verdant grassland before them.
"Stay alert. It looks like we'll have to cross through here."
"I'll take the lead."
Stelle, holding her Flame Lance, consciously moved to the front of the group. It felt as though ever since coming to Punklorde, Stelle had started to develop a bit of a leader's aura.
Of course, that was only after filtering out her unhinged side. Otherwise, you really wouldn't think this person was reliable at all.
"March, be careful."
Dan Heng guarded Himeko and March's flank, reminding March, who was behind him.
"Don't worry, I'm not that fragile!"
March raised her longbow, wearing an expression that said, "Don't you underestimate me!"
"Alright, alright. In that case, I'll be leaving my safety in Little March's hands."
Himeko released her drone to scout ahead, smiling as she looked at the proud and confident March.
"Mhm! Leave it to me!"
---o---
Punklorde, Stratosphere.
Watching the survey instruments begin to display abnormal data, Welt's brow furrowed, his expression turning serious.
He had been observing the changes in the Stellaron's energy from the Express the entire time. Just moments ago, something seemed to have happened at the Legendary Tower. The Stellaron's energy, which had begun to stabilize, was showing abnormal fluctuations again... and this fluctuation...
A cold sweat broke out on Welt's temple.
He had just compared it with all the Stellaron fluctuation data on record. This Stellaron on Punklorde... was completely wrong! This fluctuation was not within the range recorded in the data bank!
Welt tried to contact the group on the surface, but the communications link wouldn't connect...
"What on earth has happened now..."
Through the Express's porthole, Welt pushed up his glasses, gazing at the gray, hazy planet below as he muttered to himself.