Han, Rei, and Sōshin quickly sprinted into a nearby display room as the dinosaur charged past them. After it was gone, Han quickly locked the door.
"Okay," Han muttered. "No one makes any noise, and we should be good."
As they held their breath, the sound of sipping could be heard. All three of them quickly turned around, where they found Omariro sitting on one of the display cases, sipping coffee.
"Sir!" they all gasped.
The dinosaur burst into the room, roaring. As soon as it did, Omariro clapped his hands.
"Jugen-Metsusha: Obliterate."
The dinosaur disappeared in a powerful wave of energy, and the three kids watched in awe as Omariro stepped down.
"You came to help us, sir?" Han questioned.
"Yes. Children failed first test."
They all gave him an embarrassed look.
"We're sorry, sir…" Rei admitted. "Can we please have another chance?"
"Yeah!" Sōshin agreed. "We'll make Friend Omariro proud! Promise!"
"Come, children. Prove worth."
"Yes, sir!"
They followed him out of the display room, and Han began looking around the museum. "What's the goal here, Mr. Nyugawa? There's no more timer."
"Time is illusion. Answers wait for none. Girls' fate dictate yours."
"Wait, sir," Han realized. "Are you saying…?"
"Trial for team. One side affects flow of other. Your time comes soon."
"So we're sitting ducks? Rika, Zaria, and that other girl are gonna get us killed, sir!"
"Time will tell," Omariro told him. "Patience. Now sit."
With a tap of his staff, the kids all nodded, sitting on the floor.
Meanwhile—-
Zaria got up, tears still streaming from her eyes. Rika held her as Nonoka looked around.
"Yep. Tens of thousands of feet above the sky. Even Atsushi couldn't survive jumping off this without heavy buffs."
She turned to the others. "I'm sure you two are happy. What, with your terrible decision-making and soft attitudes?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Rika replied. "I didn't see YOU doing anything to help!"
"Did more than you, healer-girl."
Zaria wiped her tears. "Hey, leave my best friend alone, bitch."
Nonoka put her hands on her hips. "Or what? You gonna stab me with your little spear?"
Zaria held out her hand, dark energy crackling inside of it. "As a matter of fact, I will."
Nonoka's body began to glow. "I'm waiting."
Rika immediately got in between them. "Hey, stop! This is NOT what Mr. Nyugawa wants us to do!"
"How would you know?" Monika snapped. "You're all just mad because he likes me the most. As he should, naturally. Strong people don't have time for weak people."
"You're not strong," Zaria growled. "You're just a rude, spoiled sissy with no one to ever tell you no."
"That's how you feel? So be it."
As the two girls sized each other up, a tap of a staff quickly diverted their attention, and they noticed Omariro standing there, narrowing his eyes.
"Sir—-!"
"Girls bicker like misguided children. Fool's errand."
Zaria quickly snapped to focus. "I—I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean it—-!"
"Please sir, it's her!" Rika insisted. "We weren't trying to act stupid, we promise!"
"Me?" Nonoka gasped, quickly turning to Omariro and putting a hand on her chest. "Sir, I beg you, don't listen to them! I'll do anything, but they simply just assign blame for no reason!"
Omariro tapped his staff once again, and they all immediately went quiet.
"Girls must work together. Fate of children depends on girls."
"Wait, Han and the others?" Rika realized.
"Yes. Team task. Must be done as team."
Zaria looked around. "What IS the task, sir? Unless you mean jump from this cage into the ground below…"
Omariro pointed his staff to the ceiling, which showed two UI.
〈Path A: Force.〉
〈Path B: Finesse.〉
All of the girls' faces turned red.
"We're so sorry, sir…" Rika apologized. "We were so busy arguing, we didn't see that thing…"
"Answers often obvious. Girls inflict wounds on self. Girls must work as one, or none will succeed."
After sharing a look, they all gave him a nod.
"Which path do we take, sir?" Zaria asked.
"Girls figure out on their own. I remain to watch."
Zaria brought Nonoka and Rika into a huddle. "Okay. Mr. Nyugawa's here. No more bullshit—-what do we pick?"
"Don't know, but you two better not mess this up," Nonoka warned. "Don't disappoint him one bit."
"Could you hush with the threats?" Rika demanded. "We need to focus! Han, Mr. Nyugawa, everyone's counting on us!"
"Tsk. How about you pick Option B? It's clear Option A is the misleading one."
"But we don't know that for sure," Rika pointed out. "We need to think about this."
"How about we scope out the cage?" Zaria proposed. "If we missed the big UI above us, maybe we missed something else?"
"Finally!" Rika sighed. "You're thinking."
"Pfff, I'm not dumb!"
"You act like it," Nonoka muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing. Let's just move."
Omariro took a seat against the bars as the girls frantically searched the cage, occasionally shooting hopeful glances at him. Omariro closed his eyes, leaning back.
The girls regrouped in the center, sweaty and tired.
"I got nothing," Nonoka admitted.
"Me either…" Rika moaned.
"There has to be something!" Zaria insisted. "It can't just be another blind guess!"
"Well that's what it looks like," Nonoka pointed out. "So we have to pick something, or we'll be stuck here."
She looked back up at the UI. "Might as well take a gamble. That's how it is in the dungeons."
She turned to Omariro. "Sir, may I pick an option?"
"Girl may choose."
She looked up at the UI. "Path A."
"But, what if that's wrong?" Rika protested.
"Just wait and see."
〈Path *A* Selected.〉
The bars suddenly grew weaker, and Nonoka quickly buffed herself, kicking the bars, which caved in.
"See? Now we can bust our way out of here."
"Yeah," Zaria replied. "Right into the rock-solid ground below. Real smart."
"Then what do you propose we do, 'second-in-charge?'"
Zaria analyzed the cage. "Well, you already picked the damn thing, might as well make use of it. We haven't seen the top of the cage, right?"
Both girls shook their heads.
"Maybe that's got something important. Just gotta find a way to get up there."
With a powerful kick, a section of the bars broke off, and Zaria peeked her head out. "It's a little high…do you guys think you could give me a boost?"
"Sure," Rika agreed.
"Ugh," Nonoka scoffed. "You are SO lucky Mr. Nyugawa's watching."
Zaria stepped on both of their hands, and at the same time, they vaulted her up, allowing her to grab onto the roof of the cage. She pulled herself up, noticing a strange object in the center.
"What's this…?"
She noticed it was a totem, and when she touched it, the totem shifted into a sigil.
〈Sigil Ability: Fixture. Description: Anchors an *Object* in one place as long as the sigil is active. Charges: *1*〉
"Guys!" Zaria called down. "I found the key! It's a sigil!"
"Great!" Rika shouted back. "Bring it down here!"
She pulled at it, but it wouldn't budge.
〈Path *A* Chosen. Sigil cannot be moved.〉
"Wait, I have to destroy it?" Zaria realized. "Hey, guys! It won't move! It says I have to break it!"
"Wait, is that safe?"
"I dunno! I think if I damage it, it'll send us all flying to the ground!"
"Well do what you gotta do!" Nonoka insisted. "We'll manage!"
Zaria looked at the clouds below, taking a deep breath. "We can't stay up here, and we can't fall down there…man. Shit always has to be so complicated. Okay. We have Mr. Nyugawa with us. Everything will be fine."
She formed her spear, smacking the sigil, but it merely lost its glow.
〈Sigil: *Deactivated.*〉
Immediately after, the entire cage began spiraling towards the ground, causing the girls to scream.
"GAHHHH!"
Omariro stood up, calm as ever, as he watched the cage fall through the clouds, which revealed a vast ocean below.
"Hey, there's water!" Zaria pointed.
"At this height?" Rika pointed out. "We'll still die!"
"Oh, right!"
The cage accelerated faster, which caused Zaria to nearly fall off the roof, but she hung on with one hand.
"Zaria! You have to hit it again!" Rika shouted.
"I can't get a footing on this roof! The fall's too fast!"
"Well, you have to try something!"
As they got closer to the water, Zaria extended her hand. "Spear, don't fail me now."
Her spear formed in her hand, and with a powerful throw, she flung it at the sigil, which made it glow briefly.
〈Sigil: *Activated.*〉
Then, it blew up, causing the cage to slam in the water and for the head to bobble just above the surface. Rika, Zaria, and Nonoka all swam to the top of the cage, as Omariro teleported beside them.
"We're stranded, sir," Zaria said. "What now?"
"Other side must complete task," Omariro replied. "Girls remain put."
"Okay," Nonoka agreed. "We can't swim our way back, though? I'm pretty fast."
Omariro pointed to the water, where a ton of fins could be seen surrounding the girls. "Sharks eat girl if girl leaves. Girl stay put."
"Oh…got it."
Omariro disappeared.
"Man, he really can just go wherever he wants, hmm?" Nonoka questioned.
"Yep," Zaria confirmed. "Mr. Nyugawa can do it all."
Elsewhere—-
Han, Rei, and Sōshin were busy sitting around, while Rei showed Sōshin a moon crest.
"Do you like it, Sōshin? I can make it bigger!"
"Yeah! It's awesome!"
Han sighed. "Can those girls hurry up? Gosh."
After a few more minutes, more UI popped up.
〈Path A: Outsmart.〉
〈Path B: Outthink.〉
Han got up, confused. "Hey, hey! We've got something here! Two paths!"
Rei stood up, pressing a finger to her chin. "The girls must have done it! But outsmart or outthink? Doesn't that mean the same thing?"
"No."
Omariro walked up to them, stopping. "Mind works in many ways. Think and smart are not alike. Share DNA, but not usage."
"What do we pick then, Sir?" Han asked. "They aren't giving us much to go off of."
"Boy use head."
"Okay. Well, what do you two think?"
Han looked to Rei and Sōshin, who both just gave him friendly smiles.
"Whatever you and Mr. Omariro pick, I'm fine with!" Rei announced.
"Same here, friend!" Sōshin added.
"Okay, so you guys aren't gonna be much help…how about Option…B? I consider myself a critical thinker."
〈Path *B* Selected.〉
A large Sphinx rose from the ground, its glowing eyes piercing straight into Han's. "A wise choice, boy. Path *A* would have led you to outsmart me in a duel. You are not ready for that."
"So…what's this path lead to?"
"You must answer three riddles."
"Riddles?"
"Yes. You have 3 minutes to give the correct answer. I will give you two chances each. Fail any, and I turn you into a mummy. All of you."
The Sphinx's eyes drifted over to Omariro. "Well, you basically are one already. But that's beside the point. Boy, are you ready?"
Han nodded. "I excel at riddles."
"Good. Riddle me this…"
A UI formed, containing a riddle.
〈I am a law that breaks itself.
I speak only truth, and my next words are a lie.
If you believe me, you are wrong.
If you doubt me, you are wrong.
Tell me what I am.〉
Han pondered for a moment before answering.
"A paradox?"
"Correct. You've completed one out of three riddles."
Rei clapped her hands. "Nice, Han!"
"Now," the Sphinx declared. "The next."
〈Answer with one word.
If you answer correctly, you will be punished.
If you answer incorrectly, you will be rewarded.
What do you say?〉
Han stared at the UI, debating for a moment.
"What?" he thought. "But there's no question!"
He looked even deeper, noticing the wording. "Wait…another trick!"
He cleared his throat. "Incorrectly?"
The Sphinx gave a nod of approval. "Correct. Two done. Now for the final."
The Sphinx suddenly got larger, and a new UI appeared, shocking Han to his core.
〈You may speak one sentence only.
If your sentence is true, I will turn you to stone.
If your sentence is false, I will tear your mind apart.
Speak a sentence that lets you leave alive.〉
"What?" Han exclaimed.
The Sphinx leaned in close, eyes fierce.
"Time is ticking, little one. What will you do…"
Han noticed his feet were encased in stone.
"Tell a truth, or a lie?"
——