The path that led past the Reflector was not right.
It wasn't a dangerous one; it was a purposeful one.
The stone which we were walking on was smoother, and the symbols were engraved in a deeper and cleaner way.
This was not a forgotten path or a survival filter; this was a passage that was meant to be observed.
Rei had the same feeling as well.
"It is like a courtroom," she said quietly. "It is like we are being judged."
I just nodded.
The shadow was now very close and did not go far ahead to scout. It was guarding us.
Text came up, but it was not in the usual authoritative manner.
This one took a moment.
SYSTEM OVERSIGHT ACTIVE
ANOMALY UNDER REVIEW
Rei became rigid. "That really never happens."
"No," I said. "It usually doesn't need to."
The corridor suddenly opened up into an enormous room that was in the shape of a hollow eye. There were tiered platforms all around the room, and each was carved with symbols that were constantly changing their positions. In the middle of the room, there was a large crystal that was fracturing and rotating slowly and was filled with light that was moving.
Not a monster.
Not a trial.
Anode.
The system's voice spoke—not in a way that was audible but as if it was present everywhere.
Candidate Kuro Ayanagi.
The text was burning and was brighter than ever before.
DESIGNATION: SUBJECT OF DEVIATION
CAUSE: NON-COMPLIANT RESOLUTION OF ABSOLUTE TRIAL
Rei held my sleeve tightly. "Kuro… that thing—"
"I know," I replied in a calm tone. "It is not here to kill us."
The crystal turned.
You were told to choose.
"I did."
You were told to sacrifice.
"I rejected the premise."
The shadow moved, impatient.
Symbols burst on the platforms—translucent representations of the previous trials, previous candidates, previous choices. It was always the same: every time the Reflector appeared, someone cracked.
But not me.
'Why?' was the question by the system.
Rei was about to speak.
I gestured with my hand.
"Because you set up a false dilemma," I stated. "You expected emotional collapse. You did not take into account emotional absence."
Silence.
Genuine silence.
The text was corrupted and flickering.
**LOGIC LOOP DETECTED**
The crystal became even brighter.
*You are not complete,* said the system. *Your Burden has eliminated important aspects of human nature.*
"Indeed," I said. "Which also implies that I am not the person for your mental tricks."
Rei was looking at me with eyes wide open. "You are giving it back the answer."
"I am giving it the right one."
The chamber vibrated—not too much, but like a person who cannot help but fidget with that posture.
*Correction is not allowed.*
The shadow grew sharper and more controlled.
"Neither is trickery masked as an option."
Text erupted all over the chamber.
RECALIBRATION INITIATED
FORCED ROLE ASSIGNMENT PENDING
Rei tightened her hold. "That doesn't sound good."
"It is."
The crystal fractured.
Light was released—giving rise to a humanoid figure which was hovering in the air. Without features. Perfect. Of no gender.
Text labeled it right away.
ENFORCER - SYSTEM AVATAR
The Enforcer started its descend at a slow pace.
Deviation must be contained.
Rei went one step ahead and said, "Get behind me—"
I let her go.
"No," I said. "This one is for me."
The Enforcer upraised its palm.
The reality distorted.
The shadow had an instantaneous reaction—but the Enforcer *ignored* it. Went through it. As though it were nonexistent.
Text glowed with urgency.
WARNING: ASPECT COUNTERMEASURE ACTIVE
The hand of the Enforcer clasped around my neck.
Pain disappeared.
Not lessened.
Taken away.
My body was off of the floor.
Rei shouted my name in terror.
The system was heard once more.
You will undergo a correction.
I smiled.
Not because of feeling secure.
Because of comprehending something which the system did not.
"You have made a mistake," I said, my voice being strained yet steady.
Error?
"You believed that my shadow represented my strength."
The shadow *imploded*—not to the outside, but to the inside, swallowing me.
Text exploded.
ASPECT INVERSION
ECHO-SHADOW: INTERNALIZED
The universe reset back to the previous state.
The torment that I had been enduring came in all its intensity at once—overpowering, unrefined—but still the Enforcer staggered like a person nowhere near being hit by anything at all.
I found myself standing upright.
I was panting.
The shadow had become part of me.
I moved a step closer.
The Enforcer again lifted its arm—
—and then was still.
There was a very violent motion in the text.
SYSTEM COMMAND REJECTED
REASON: SUBJECT NO LONGER QUALIFIES AS EXTERNAL VARIABLE
Rei said in a low voice, "Kuro…what was it that you did?"
I examined my hands.
They did not tremble.
"I cut off the system's observation,"I replied. "It now has to confront me face to face."
The Enforcer was already getting fissures as if the cracks gradually spread through the entire surface area of its body.
"This condition is not going to last long," the system cautioned. "You will be the first one to lose."
"Who knows," I said. "But I won't be the one to go first."
I took another step towards it.
And for the first time since the Descent started—
The system lagged.
A message appeared. Timidly. In a small font.
STATUS UPDATE:
CANDIDATE Kuro Ayanagi — UNCLASSIFIABLE
The Enforcer was no more. It just splintered into light.
The gem's light turned low.
The room was in complete darkness.
Rei came running towards me and held my shoulders. "You idiot—do you realize what you just did?"
"Yes," I whispered.
She stared at my face, panting.
"What?"
I directed my gaze towards the darkness ahead—where no symbols were illuminating the road.
"Now," I said, "the Descent cannot guess my next move."
Somewhere in the distance, a power that was both ancient and mighty completely turned its attention to us.
Not in a greedy way.
But in a curious way.
And that was much more perilous.