The Maze of Perception - Round 2
[Warning]
[This area can cause permanent damage to the mind.]
[Beginning in 3…2…1.]
A blinding flash of light separated them into individual spaces once more.
NGHĨA – THE SECOND SELF
Nghĩa opened his eyes, and an immediate, bone-chilling cold enveloped him. Before him was no longer the familiar hallway, no longer his dear teammates. It was just an endless, pitch-black void, a place where light seemed to have never touched.
And then, a creature appeared. It was his own form—but hideously warped, its eyes a glowing red like embers. A purple energy core pulsed in its chest, and its entire body was covered in a swirling black smoke, as if made of twisted emotions and repressed pain.
[Name: ???]
[Lv: ???]
[Skills: ???]
The entity stood opposite Nghĩa, a hand covering its mouth, its red eyes assessing him.
"The Assassin?" It chuckled softly, its voice echoing from the depths of Nghĩa's own chest, cold and full of mockery.
"You protect them, and what do you get in return? You know what? If you had abandoned your sister from the start and run away on your own in that area... you wouldn't have had to go through that feeling of bone-shattering, flesh-tearing pain, nor would you have had to pay a price for power."
Nghĩa gripped the two daggers in his hands, his knuckles turning white. But strangely, his hands… were trembling. A painful truth cut through him like a knife.
"I'm not you. You're just the part I threw away."
"Not at all…" The shadow moved closer, its cold breath brushing against his ear, whispering. "You never abandoned me. You just talk tough. I am you, when you chose the path of a Player."
The shadow suddenly roared, its voice echoing throughout the dark space, full of madness and despair.
"I AM YOU! BUT NOT WEAK, NOT HESITANT, NOT MERCIFUL, NOT CARING FOR ANYONE!!! I! AM THE PERFECT VERSION!!!"
Nghĩa charged forward on instinct, unleashing a flurry of wild attacks. But each time he landed a hit, a memory of his loved ones flickered and went out in his mind, like candles being blown out by the wind.
He stabbed the shadow hard, but at the same time, took a powerful blow from it.
[Lost a part of the memory of Hoa.]
He fell back, trying to keep his distance, but the shadow was like a phantom, suddenly appearing behind him and spinning to kick him.
[Lost a part of the memory of Lài.]
The shadow lunged at where he fell, grabbed him by the neck, lifted him up, then delivered a powerful punch to his stomach, sending him flying and crashing into a wall of nothingness.
[Lost a part of the memory of Nam.]
He collapsed onto the black floor. His breath was ragged, his hands were trembling uncontrollably, but his eyes were still fixed on the black shadow. Not with hatred—but with a strange compassion that welled up in his heart. Nghĩa gasped, his voice weak but full of understanding:
"You're very scared... aren't you?"
The entity let out an angry roar, like an cornered animal.
"I'M STRONGER THAN YOU! I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING!!!" Then it charged straight at Nghĩa, ready to land the final blow.
Nghĩa was still gasping for air, but a faint smile bloomed on his lips—the first smile in this entire fight.
"I know. I once wanted to be like you. Cold, solitary, living only for myself... so I wouldn't have to be afraid." He tightened his grip on the two daggers, then suddenly relaxed. The two daggers fell to the ground, making a slight clanging sound in the silent space. He spread his arms wide.
"Because you're afraid, aren't you? Not because you're evil. But because... you're afraid of losing something else." His voice was soft, like a gentle consolation. "It's okay. We'll get through this. You are me. I am you."
The entity froze. The insane smile on its distorted face faded. It uttered a sound, like a painful confession:
"I…" Two streams of tears suddenly rolled down its grotesque face, dissolving into the black smoke. The fiery red color of its eyes gradually softened—and slowly changed to a faint, melancholic purple.
No more words were spoken. Nghĩa slowly walked forward, without a hint of fear, and then embraced the black shadow. He hugged it tightly, not as an enemy, but as a part of himself. The shadow then... dissolved into a faint purple smoke, which swirled slowly and was drawn into his chest, as if it was accepted—not destroyed.
Ting!
[Memories of Hoa, Lài, and Nam have been restored]
[Self-Progress complete]
[Nghĩa has retained his humanity]
[Evaluation: Strong Mettle]
[Ready to evolve to Rank B when conditions are met]
NAM – THE WILL OF THE SURVIVOR
Nam opened his eyes, and immediately, an overwhelming sense of loneliness washed over him. He was standing in the middle of the desolate ruins of Đồng Văn Town, where only charred wreckage and the smell of burnt smoke remained. Not a single person, not a single familiar sound.
"Where's Nghĩa? Where's Hoa?!" He asked himself.
Suddenly, from within the rubble, a group of civilians—injured and bloody—staggered toward him. They collapsed, grabbing his legs, their eyes looking up at him with desperation.
"Save me…!"
"Save me…!"
"Save me…!"
"Save me…!"
"Save me…!"
"Save me…!"
"Save me…!"
The cries for help echoed, one on top of the other, repeating endlessly, drilling into Nam's mind like sharp bits. They were not just sounds, but the burden of helplessness, of lives placing all their hope on him. Nam panicked, his mind began to blur, and horrifying images from the past rushed back, suffocating him.
But in front of him—a hideous Unknown was charging, its giant shadow cast long on the cracked ground. Nam instinctively raised his shield, ready to face it. Yet, his hands… were trembling. Not from fear of the enemy, but from fear of himself, the fear of failing once more.
"Can I really save them? Can I… I'm… scared…" A weak voice echoed in his head, the voice of his own fear. He had been through too much loss, too much pain. Could he bear any more?
Suddenly, the scenery around Nam changed. The ruined town vanished, replaced by the image of Lài—she was standing in front of him, her eyes holding no reproach, only forgiveness and understanding. Her voice rang out, soft but strong, like a whisper from the void, reaching the deepest part of his soul.
"In this world… it's hard enough just to survive… we just have to do what we can… we're simply trying to survive in this cruel world… we're not heroes… Nam."
Each word from Lài was like a warm balm, soothing Nam's inner wounds and lifting the invisible burden he had placed on his own shoulders.
"Nam has done his best. You don't have to save everyone… Just saving your own self—and your teammates—that's enough."
He awakened as if from a long trance. Those words were not a surrender, but an acceptance of his own limitations, a release from the burden of being an impossible hero.
Nam fell to his knees. But this time—it wasn't because of a crushing sense of guilt, not because of helplessness, but so that he could stand up stronger, with a firmer will, no longer haunted by what he could not save.
Ting!
[Self-Progress complete]
[Nam has retained his core identity]
[Learned new skill: Conscious Shield – Mental immunity once per day]
ÁI HOA – THE STEADFAST MIND
She opened her eyes, and was immediately surrounded by a bizarre, surreal scene. In front of her were hundreds of "little Ái Hoas," each with her face, but with different, distorted expressions. They ran around, shoving each other, and each of their small mouths endlessly spouted negative words, like needles pricking her mind:
"Don't forgive them!"
"They'll abandon you!"
"If you're weak—you'll die!"
"They'll abandon you!"
"Don't forgive them!"
"If you're weak—you'll die!"
"If you're weak—you'll die!"
"If you're weak—you'll die!"
These chaotic sounds swirled in Hoa's ears, trying to plant doubt and fear. But strangely, her face remained calm, without a hint of wavering. Her eyes swept over the distorted versions of herself, and then a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
"The two of them don't treat me badly, and if they go out of line, Mom will take care of them for sure!" Hoa said, her tone confident and a little playful, referring to her mother's familiar punishment.
"And there's no way they'll abandon me. Besides, I'm S-rank, so what's weak about me?" she added, her voice clear and firm, asserting her strength and place in this world.
The moment she finished speaking, the illusion was stopped by an invisible wave. The hundreds of "little Ái Hoas" all stood still, their vacant eyes staring at her. Then they all began to dissolve, fading into nothingness like thin smoke. The scenery around her shattered, pulling her back to reality gently.
Ting!
[Self-Progress stable – Mind as steady as quartz]
[New passive skill: Steadfast Soul – [Increases illusion resistance, auto-awaken after 3s if hit by a mental skill]
[MAZE OF PERCEPTION – SELF-ROUND: COMPLETE]
All three woke up at the same time—in the center of the Pillar of Ancient Runes.
[Activating next condition: Final Challenge – Overcome the Zone of Perception]
But now… they were no longer the same. Each had confronted and made peace with their own darkest part.
"You don't need to be a hero. Just being yourself… is enough." Nam whispered.