Floor 667, Third Path—-
Kaoru woke up inside a mound of mist thick enough to cover her entire surroundings. She pushed herself to her feet as the mist seemed to bend and curl around her.
"Hello?" she called out. "Anyone there?"
Nothing.
Kaoru walked through the mist, which grew more suffocating by the moment. Through the faintest glimpses, she could make out that she was in a grove-like area, with hanging plants, flowing rivers, and strange apparitions drifting among the mist.
"Creepy…" Kaoru blurted out.
After walking through the mist for a little while longer, she noticed a stationary figure lying among a few scattered plants, unconscious. The moment Kaoru got close, she immediately realized who it was. "Kana!"
Kaoru rushed over to her, shaking her repeatedly. "Sister! Sister, wake up!"
Kana shifted a bit, her eyes opening slightly. "Kaoru…is that you?"
Kaoru nodded. "Are you alright? Are any other Kōkaidan members with you?"
Kana shook her head. "I don't think so…we lost a good chunk of them on that slaughter floor. Hell of a way to kick off my Kaitansha career…"
Kaoru wiped the tears from her face. "I can't believe I let them come with me. I can't believe I let YOU come with me!"
Kana sat up, rubbing her face. "I'm not a child, sis. And besides, I made a promise to Mr. Nyugawa."
She looked at the mist around them. "Sure could use him in a time like this. Damn it."
Kaoru helped her up as a UI appeared.
〈Rule: Do Not Lose Your Way.〉
"I'm guessing we have to find the gate through all this mist?" Kana remarked.
"Yeah, seems like it. Ugh, this is the horrible part about dungeons. They always give you crap you're not ready for!"
"Well, wouldn't be much of a dungeon without a death risk, would it?"
"Whatever. Let's just move quickly. Everyone's waiting on us!"
The two sisters walked through the mist, which only seemed to get denser as they walked. Another apparition brushed past them, eliciting a shriek from both girls.
"Is that a ghost?" Kana questioned.
"I—don't know! Just ignore it! Last thing we need is to turn into one ourselves…"
The two nervously stepped forward, walking past the ghost-like entity. Another zipped past their faces, causing them to stop in their tracks. Kaoru held her breath, calming herself down, but a touch to her and Kana's backs caused both of them to scream at the top of their lungs.
"AHHHH!"
Kaoru immediately threw out her hands, but when she looked up, she noticed Kōichi standing there, an amused smile on his face. She immediately stood up, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. "Kōichi! That's not funny!"
"Oh, it was. You're a literal Kaidanchō, dropping like a fly when you see a 'ghost.'"
"Because ghosts are scary, okay? And you shouldn't be playing in a place like this! We've already lost a ton of people!"
"I haven't," he shrugged. "A lot of mine, including those newcomer Dokkōdan brats, chose to stay home. Like I should have."
Kana dusted off her outfit. "This is the Eikaidan kid, right?"
Kaoru nodded. "Unfortunately. Sometimes, I really hate him."
Kōichu shrugged. "A lot of things hate me. Doesn't make it any more or less relevant."
"I am NOT a thing!"
"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, what's the deal with this floor?"
Kaoru pointed to the mist. "We can't get lost. It's already hard enough to see, and monsters might be waiting for us at any turn."
Kōichi yawned. "Fine. Lead the way, princesses."
Kana and Karou both shook their heads.
"Nope! No way!" Karou shot down.
"Yeah, you do it!" Kana insisted.
"Fine," he scoffed. "Cowards."
Kōichi marched forward as Kana and Kaoru stuck close behind him, their eyes frantically darting around the room.
Whispers could be heard amongst the mist, and as they advanced further, the mist began to fill their vision until they could no longer see.
〈Route *Lost.*〉
〈Attempts Remaining: *2.*〉
By the time they could see again, they were back where they started.
"Great job, Kōichi!" Karou exclaimed. "You led us right into a pile of nothingness!"
"I didn't see you volunteering," Kōichi replied. "How about you take the reins this time, Tsukishima?"
Kaoru trembled for a bit before steadying herself. "Fine. You know what? I'll do it. It's my responsibility anyway."
Kōichi gave a mockingly slow clap. "Bravo."
She punched him in the arm before steadying herself and walking through the murk. Kana and Kōichi matched her pace, navigating through hanging vines and thorny branches.
An apparition in a crying motion sat before them, but as soon as the group got close, it vanished. Kaoru flinched, but Kana held her. "Don't worry, sis, you've got this!"
"Yeah…yeah, I'll try my best!"
Kōichi simply yawned.
With Kana holding her arm, Kaoru pushed through the mist, which parted ever so softly. Kōichi watched behind them, as lines of silhouettes crossed over the path.
"Tsk," he muttered to himself. "What are those damn things?"
With Kaoru leading, they kept moving forward. Vines lashed out, strange spiders crawled past her feet, and sounds of screams in the distance were audible.
Kaoru clenched her teeth and pushed forth, but the mist eventually grew too thick to see. Kana lost track of her sister, and soon enough, it all went white.
〈Route *Lost.*〉
〈Attempts Remaining: *1.*〉
And they returned to the starting point.
"Damn it!" Kaoru yelled. "I really thought I had it!"
"Oh, how surprising," Kōichi sighed. "We somehow got lost in this maze of mist with the great Kaoru Tsukishima leading us."
"Kōichi!"
"Ahem," Kana interrupted. "How about we all lead? Walk as one, leave behind none?"
"That's…not a bad idea!" Karou admitted. "Plus, nothing will be able to jump out and sneak any of us in the back!"
"Eh," Kōichi shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."
Both girls rolled their eyes.
"Come on," Kana ordered. "I can't stand any more mist."
They lined up side by side, prowling through the mist with a brisk pace. Every few seconds, Kaoru turned around to check behind them, but nothing was visible.
"Is it just me or did those ghost things stop showing up?"
"Is that not a good thing?" Kana pointed out.
"Trust me when I say this," Kōichi stated. "It's never a good thing."
Both of the girls gulped.
"Just focus on walking," Kōichi added. "Ain't like nothing can ambush us—-"
A shimmering young boy appeared before them, holding a teddy bear. "Hello, humans. Are you here to free us?"
Kaoru jumped into Kana's arms, but Kōichu just stared at the boy, confused. "Free 'us?' Who the hell is us, and what the hell are you?"
"My name is Shō. I've been stuck here for ages! Please, set me free from this endless nightmare! I don't wanna be here anymore!"
Kana and Karou both trembled, silently, but Kōichi just shrugged. "Uh. Sure. Lead us to the gate and then I guess we can help you jump through it or something."
"Really?" Shō replied, his eyes lighting up. "Perfect!"
He turned around in an unnatural motion, with his head turning first and then his body. "Follow me! I know the way!"
With quick footsteps, he marched off.
"K—Kōichi," Karou worried. "Are you sure we can trust that thing? What if he's dangerous?"
"He probably is, but we need to find a way out. We fail again, we're doomed. Besides, there's gotta be decent odds he's just a scared little ghost kid, right?"
"Those are odds I don't wanna take," Kana said.
"Let's just go."
Kōichi ran after Shō, with Kaoru and Kana doing the same thing. Shō was up further on the path, walking as if in a trance.
Karou twiddled with her fingers, mustering up the courage to talk. "So…Shō, right? Why are you…here?"
"I was a Kaitansha!" he announced, proud. "Unfortunately, my group and I all died trying to clear the dungeon. Instead of a regular death, it kept our spirits here. Forever. And ever."
"Yeesh," Kōichi noted. "Would hate that to be me."
Karou elbowed him. "We're sorry to hear that. I hope you can find a way out."
"I will! That's why you're here, right?"
The three shared a look, all uttering the same word. "Yeah…?"
"Good! The mist will grow thicker, but no need to worry! Just keep walking straight!"
They did so, with the mist becoming too thick to see. Despite the obstruction, Shō's figure flickered through the mist, allowing them to follow it. Sharp vines hung from above, and the trio carefully navigated past them.
Kaoru gripped Kana's arm for support, and the latter did the same. Shō walked ahead, disappearing, as the mist began to slowly clear up.
More walking.
One apparition was sitting on a rock, holding what appeared to be a young child. Another was banging its head on a tree, screaming. A third crawled along the path, reaching out almost as a cry for help.
Karou studied them all, her face both sad and frightened, but Kana and Kōichi led her through the path until they caught up to Shō, who was standing by a dungeon gate.
"Here you are!" Shō declared. "The end! Now! Time for you to hold up your end of the deal!"
"Yeah, right," Kōichi stammered. "Uh, try walking into the gate. Like. Straight through."
The gate opened, and Shō attempted to walk into it, but he merely phased across to the other side. "What? Why isn't it working?"
The trio began to sweat.
"Erm? Maybe try again?"
Shō did so, but nothing happened. "No, no, no! You said you'd find a way to free me! This isn't the way so what's the way?"
Karou turned toward Kōichi. "Go on, Kōichi. You tell him."
"Me?"
"Yes, you! You're the one who promised him!"
Kōichi sighed. "Look. Truth is, we have no idea how to get you outta here, kid."
Shō's eyes widened. "What? WHAT? But you said you'd help!"
"Yeah, I was kinda winging it. You can keep walking through the gate, though—-"
"No!" Shō refused. "Lies! Lies! All you humans do is lie!"
"Aww, hell."
Shō began to twitch unnaturally, his body growing larger as more arms sprouted from his sides and his head formed a large motion where his face should be. His head leaned to the side, almost like a hanging plant.
Once he spoke, his voice came out as a raspy howl.
"Since you can't free me, you'll join me here!"
〈Enemy: Shō the Soulless. Level: 270,000〉
"Oh, boy," Kōichi realized. "Well, at least we made it to the gate, no?"
Kana and Kaoru both glared at him.
"RAH!"
Shō swung at them, nearly taking off their heads as he knocked a tree clean over. Karou, Kana, and Kōichi threw themselves into the mist, disappearing from view.
"Come out, humans!" Shō ordered. "Let me make you dead!"
Kōichi fired a tripwire at Shō's feet, but Shō easily stomped on it, breaking it in half before pulling Kōichi out and holding him up by the neck.
"Join me!"
"I'd rather not, thanks!"
He tried to kick out, but Shō held firm until Kaoru rushed over, touching Shō's forehead. "Jugen-Kaiseisha: Muryokuka Chōsei!"
Shō immediately dropped to the ground, holding his eyes. "Argh! Can't see! What did you do?"
Karou pulled Kōichi to safety. "I'm sorry! But we have to leave!"
Bone spikes erupted through Shō's feet as Kana stepped into view. "Hurry, get around him!"
Shō smacked the spikes out of the ground as his vision returned, and with a howl, he sent all three of them flying with a swipe of his arm.
"You will NOT leave!"
In a frenzy, he charged towards them, an army of apparitions floating behind him. Kōichi quickly grabbed Karou and Kana. "Jugen-Kōbisha: Fūin no Ami!"
A black web fell over the ghost army, distracting them long enough for Kōichi to form his tripwire gun again. Shō broke free first, attempting to jump onto and crush the trio right as Kōichi fired his gun at the gate and pulled them towards it.
"NO!"
Shō grabbed onto Kana's leg, holding firm.
"Kana!" Karou cried out. "Let my sister go, creep!"
She reached out to touch Shō's body. "Jugen-Kaiseisha: Shinkei Fūji!"
Shō's body locked up, allowing Kana to wrestle her leg free. The apparitions behind him all stormed out of their net, spiraling towards the group.
"Get us out of here!" Karou demanded. "Now, Kōichi!"
Without wasting time, Kōichi's tripwire pulled them into the gate as the army reached them, missing them by just a hair. Shō shifted back to his child form, staring at the gate.
"No matter," Shō stated. "The Mujinsha will kill you all. Just give it time."
〈All Three Paths Completed.〉
〈Processing Results.〉
——