For the first time in days, Hajime found himself in a room that wasn't crammed full of people. He let out a quiet sigh of relief as he shut the door behind him and tossed his bag onto the wooden desk. The quiet was almost unfamiliar—but not unwelcome.
He eyed the modest bed in the corner, sheets already turned down, and flopped onto it with a soft grunt.
"Finally... some peace," he muttered, letting his arm drape over his eyes.
But even in the silence, his mind refused to settle. Tomorrow they'd be entering the labyrinth. Captain Meld said they wouldn't go beyond the twentieth floor, but that didn't make it feel any less daunting. Hajime knew where he stood among the others—weak, slower, unremarkable. Just baggage the knights had to carry.
He stared at the stone ceiling, his thoughts heavy, a growing knot forming in his chest.
He picked up a worn picture book from the bedside table, one he'd borrowed earlier about the monsters lurking below. The drawings were rough, and the text was dense, but it was something to distract his mind. Eventually, though, even that couldn't keep his eyes open. He slipped beneath the blanket, letting exhaustion take over.
Just as he was drifting off, a gentle knock echoed through the door.
He tensed.
That's late...
His first thought was Hiyama or one of the other guys messing with him. But the voice that followed made him blink in surprise.
"Nagumo-kun? It's me... Shirasaki. Can we talk for a bit?"
Hajime shot up, heart thudding. He scrambled to the door, quietly unbolting it. When it creaked open, he felt his breath catch.
There Kaori stood, her soft cardigan barely wrapped around a snow-white negligee that shimmered under the hallway torchlight.
"Nagumo-kun? It's me... Shirasaki. Can we talk for a bit?"
His voice caught. "S-Shirasaki... what're you...?"
"I couldn't sleep," she said softly. "Thought maybe you couldn't either."
For a moment, they just stood there, the air thick with unspoken things. Hajime stepped aside, swallowing hard.
"Y-Yeah. Come in."
Kaori padded in quietly, brushing past him. Hajime couldn't help but notice how small and fragile she looked in the center of his plain room. She sat at the edge of the bed, hands curled in her lap.
He stayed standing, unsure what to do with himself.
"I just..." she began, eyes lowered. "Tomorrow's scary, huh? I thought... maybe we could talk for a bit. Like back home."
Hajime nodded slowly, sitting down beside her—close, but not too close.
"Yeah. It feels... heavier now. Like this world's finally catching up to us."
They shared a quiet look, memories of school days and peaceful evenings flashing behind their eyes. For a moment, things felt almost normal.
Then came another knock.
Hajime blinked. Kaori sat upright in alarm.
"Now what..." Hajime muttered, standing up again. He cracked the door open just a sliver.
A familiar figure stood in the hallway, arms crossed, dark eyes sharp and unwavering.
"Renji?" Hajime whispered, confused.
Renji Aikawa leaned against the wall, his usual cool indifference replaced with something more serious. He glanced past Hajime, eyes catching the outline of Kaori sitting on the bed.
His brow twitched.
"Didn't mean to interrupt," he said lowly, "but I saw her head this way and figured I'd check in. Just in case."
Kaori stood, flustered. "I-It's not like that, Aikawa-kun! I just wanted to talk."
Renji's eyes softened, but only a little. "I know," he said. "Still—Captain said lights-out, and the guards've been circling. If anyone sees her... it'll turn into something it's not."
Hajime rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks flushed. "Right. Yeah. You're... probably right."
Kaori bit her lip, clearly torn. "Sorry, Nagumo-kun. I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just..."
"You didn't," he said quickly, voice firmer than he expected. "I'm glad you came."
Renji looked between them for a beat longer, then exhaled through his nose.
"I'll keep watch for a few minutes. But she should head back soon."
Kaori gave him a grateful nod, then turned to Hajime. "Just a few more minutes, okay?"
He nodded, and they both sat back down, the silence this time a little warmer, more charged.
Hajime glanced at her, hesitating before asking, "You think... we'll all come back tomorrow?"
Kaori didn't answer right away. Her fingers tightened in her lap.
"I want to believe that. I really do." She looked up at him, eyes glistening in the dim light. "But if something happens... if you get scared or feel like you're all alone... remember that I'll protect you. You hear me?"
Hajime smiled bitterly at the exchange. Their roles as boy and girl had been completely reversed. Though Hajime had to admit, Kaori made for a great hero. That would've made Hajime the heroine, though. As a guy, he wasn't quite sure how to feel about that, so all he could do was smile.
Kaori smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "Good."
She stood quietly then, giving him one last lingering look before heading to the door. Renji gave her a small nod as she slipped past, then looked back to Hajime.
"She's braver than most of us," he muttered.
Then he walked away, leaving Hajime alone again in the quiet.
But somehow, it didn't feel quite as empty this time.
The next morning came faster than Hajime had hoped.
A sharp knock shattered his dreams—something about warmth and home and voices he could barely remember.
"Nagumo! Get up! We're moving out!" came Captain Meld's voice, gruff and commanding.
Hajime groaned, dragging himself upright. The tension in his shoulders hadn't faded overnight. He dressed in silence, strapping on his leather armor and slipping his worn gloves on. His gear didn't feel like protection—it felt like a reminder.
As he stepped out into the hallway, the brisk chill of early morning bit at his face. His classmates were already forming ranks in the training yard, torches flickering along the corridor. Some were eager, laughing nervously. Others looked pale, clinging to staves or the hilts of swords like lifelines.
Renji Aikawa stood off to the side, quietly inspecting a short curved blade with a faint silvery shimmer. Not standard issue. He looked up when Hajime approached, his expression unreadable.
"You sleep?" Renji asked.
"Barely," Hajime replied, tightening the strap of his pack. "You?"
Renji sheathed the blade across his lower back with practiced ease. "Didn't need to. I ran my patterns all night."
"Patterns?"
"Reflex chains. Temporal pulses. You know—time stuff," he said with a ghost of a smirk. "First field dive. I'm not risking a miscast."
Hajime blinked, still not used to how casually Renji could talk about bending time itself. But as a Time Reaver, Renji wasn't just built for the frontlines. His role also was support—buffer, escape-artist, and last-minute lifesaver. Someone who danced at the edge of danger, not through brute strength, but impossible timing.
As they joined the group at the castle gates, Captain Meld's voice rang out with command.
"Listen up! We're only going down to the twentieth floor, and we'll be rotating watch and support. This is a training run—but you'll treat it like your life's on the line. Because it is."
The squad responded in unison, though tension still hung heavy in the air.
Kaori caught up to Hajime during formation, brushing his arm lightly. "Morning, Nagumo-kun," she said softly.
"Morning," he murmured back, his throat dry.
As they began their march toward the Great Orcus Labyrinth, Renji paced behind them, his eyes scanning the treeline and distant mist. The wind caught his coat, revealing the faint shimmer of runes etched into his gear—temporal anchors, subtle but powerful. Midnight-violet mana pulsed faintly beneath his gloves.
He walked with calculated precision, like every step was part of some unspoken rhythm only he could hear.
They reached the mouth of the labyrinth—an ancient wound of jagged black stone and yawning darkness. The temperature dropped. The air grew dense.
Captain Meld turned. "Support units on standby. Formation A. Reaver, you'll pace with rear guard and set your markers at every level."
Renji gave a short nod, fingers flexing subtly. "Understood. Anchoring every five floors. No sync shifts unless signaled."
Kaori looked confused. "Sync shifts?"
"He can jump himself or someone else back a few seconds," Hajime said, remembering what little he'd picked up from Renji's earlier explanation.
Kaori's eyes widened. "That's... kind of amazing."
Renji just shrugged. "Only if you know exactly when to pull the thread."
As the group began their descent, Hajime's stomach turned. Torches flickered as they stepped past the threshold, the air turning to stale stone and shadow.
Hajime glanced at Renji once more.
The Time Reaver's eyes were already scanning ahead—calm, focused, like he was reading invisible threads that hadn't yet woven into the present.
Then they were swallowed by the dark.
And the true descent began.
The party advanced carefully through the labyrinth, maintaining their formation. The atmosphere was dense, and the air was thick with anticipation. Their steps echoed in the long, narrow corridors as they moved deeper into the maze.
Eventually, the passage widened into a large plaza, the ceiling rising to a dizzying height of seven or eight meters. The stone walls loomed around them, a foreboding presence that intensified the group's caution. They knew the dangers of this labyrinth all too well.
Before they could even fully appreciate the spacious area, a sudden noise broke the silence. From the cracks in the walls, creatures appeared—furry, gray beasts with unsettling, glowing red eyes. These were the Ratmen, fast, muscular humanoid rats that moved with alarming agility.
"Alright, Kouki, your team's up front! Everyone else, stay ready to switch in. These monsters are quick, but not too tough. Keep your heads and stay coordinated!" Captain Meld commanded, his voice steady despite the sudden danger.
Kouki's team immediately took their positions. Kouki, with his signature Holy Sword, stepped forward, ready to lead the charge. His weapon, imbued with light, would weaken the Ratmen with each strike. Ryutarou, with his unbreakable gauntlets and greaves, took a combat stance, his fists primed for battle. Shizuku, ever poised, held her sword ready, her sharp eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement.
Behind them, Kaori, Eri, and Suzu began chanting their spells, preparing for an all-out magical assault.
But the fight wasn't just left to the others. Renji Aikawa, moved with the team. His body was agile, his senses honed by his Temporal Sync ability. As the Ratmen charged forward, Renji's gaze flickered with a brief flash of violet energy, his mind already beginning to weave the flow of time.
He quickly assessed the situation: the Ratmen were fast, but not enough to overwhelm their group. His teammates had the power to deal with the mass of enemies, but he had something more to offer—Chrono Weave. With a subtle shift in the air, Renji bent the flow of time, briefly slowing down one of the Ratmen as it approached him. The creature's movement became sluggish, giving Renji the opening he needed.
In a fluid motion, he stepped forward, his hands outstretched as he altered the timeline around him, striking with Eclipse Edge—a burst of momentum that sent the blade of his weapon through the Ratman's neck in a clean strike. The creature collapsed before it could react, its body twitching for a brief moment before it went still.
Renji's ability to manipulate time was precise, subtle, and devastating. As the Ratmen rushed toward him, he used Rewind (Minor) to reposition himself after narrowly dodging a swipe from one of the creatures. In a split second, he was back in the fray, effortlessly avoiding fatal blows and landing well-timed strikes.
Meanwhile, Kouki and Shizuku were effortlessly taking down any Ratmen that came too close. Kouki's Holy Sword cleaved through the monsters with glowing power, while Shizuku's swift katana strikes made short work of the enemies in her range. Ryutarou's massive punches sent shockwaves that knocked several of the Ratmen off their feet, disorienting them and leaving them open for the others to finish off.
At the back, Kaori, Eri, and Suzu finished their spellcasting, their incantations culminated in a massive swirl of Spiral Blaze. Black flames erupted from the ground, scorching the Ratmen alive. The whirlwind of fire consumed them in seconds, reducing their once-menacing forms to nothing but smoldering remains.
The battle, though intense, was over quickly. The students stood, breathing heavily but unharmed, as they surveyed the aftermath. The other students hadn't even had a chance to draw their weapons. The Ratmen had been obliterated before they could do any real damage.
Renji, still standing amidst the charred remains, wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving with exertion. His Temporal Sync ability had given him perfect timing, allowing him to strike with pinpoint precision. Despite the draining nature of his powers, he felt alive—connected to the flow of time itself.
"Impressive," he muttered to himself, before turning to his teammates. "But it's just the beginning. We're not out of this yet."
Captain Meld nodded, his sharp gaze scanning the dark corners of the labyrinth. "You're right. Stay alert. The deeper we go, the harder it gets."
Renji gave a small nod, falling in line with the others as they continued their march through the labyrinth. His abilities were still new to him, but with each battle, he was learning how to better wield them. He wasn't yet a master of time, but he could feel his control tightening. The next fight would be his real test.
Hajime stood in the back of the group, his eyes scanning the labyrinth ahead of them, watching the others take on the monsters with ease. He had always been on the outskirts of the action, supporting the others with his transmutation skills but rarely getting a chance to show what he was truly capable of. His hands still trembled slightly from the recent fight, though he'd done his best to hide it.
In the rear, the knights were keeping their eyes on him. They had grown accustomed to Hajime's strange way of fighting—more often than not, he relied on his ability to manipulate the environment, transmuting the earth and using traps to immobilize enemies. He wasn't flashy like Kouki or Ryutarou, and he didn't have the showy magic that Kaori or Shizuku used. Instead, he simply got the job done with quiet, efficient precision. But that was the thing about Hajime—he didn't need to stand out.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from the shadows ahead. Out of the corner of his eye, Hajime saw something move, and his sharp instincts kicked in. Before anyone could react, a group of Ratmen shot out from cracks in the walls, their eyes glowing a menacing red. The labyrinth seemed to warp with their energy as the grotesque creatures rushed at the party with deadly speed. They were quick and agile, just as Captain Meld had warned, but they were hardly the most formidable foes the group had faced.
The knights around Hajime instinctively readied their weapons, stepping forward to meet the charge. But Hajime was already on the move. His focus was absolute as his hands glowed with the soft light of his transmutation magic. He slammed his palms against the ground, and the earth beneath the Ratmen shifted like liquid, opening up to swallow them whole. The ground cracked and groaned, but in the blink of an eye, a pitfall formed beneath the charging Ratmen, sending several of them crashing into the trap with a yowl of surprise.
"Nice one, Hajime!" one of the knights shouted, impressed by his quick thinking.
Hajime only had his single transmutation skill, so he had trained it
diligently, assuming that his ability to transmute ore could extend to
the earth as well. It had worked, but with how difficult it was for him
to take down a single weakened monster, and how strong everyone
around him was, he still thought himself weak.
That was the first time he'd shown this ability to people. He'd made
an utter fool of himself during their previous excursion to slay
monsters outside of the capital, and this was the solution he had come
up with.
While Hajime took a brief respite, he let his gaze wander across the battlefield to the front lines. There, he spotted Kaori, her face lit up by a warm, radiant smile. She looked at him with an expression that could only be described as tender. It wasn't the first time she'd smiled at him today, but this one felt different. Hajime couldn't help but feel the familiar sense of warmth in his chest, yet an odd tension accompanied it.
He quickly looked away, embarrassed. The realization hit him like a wave: Kaori had been keeping an eye on him the whole time, ensuring his safety during the battle. Her promise to "protect" him wasn't just idle words—it was something she clearly took to heart.
Kaori's smile faltered, and she pouted at his reaction. "Eh? Nagumo-kun, why'd you look away?" she muttered softly, almost to herself.
Shizuku, who had been watching the exchange from a distance, couldn't resist teasing her. With a quiet chuckle, she spoke up, her voice light and mischievous. "Kaori, why do you keep staring at Nagumo-kun? Don't you know it's wrong to pick up guys in a dungeon?"
The words were teasing, playful, but Kaori's face turned bright red in embarrassment. She immediately rounded on Shizuku, her voice flustered and a little defensive. "Oh, come on, Shizuku-chan! Could you please not say strange things like that! I was just wondering if Nagumo-kun was okay!"
Shizuku gave her a knowing look, but before she could reply, a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She wasn't trying to make Kaori sulk, so she decided to let it go, despite the amusement in her eyes.
Kaori, still blushing, huffed and crossed her arms. "Jeez…" she muttered, clearly flustered.
Hajime had been watching their playful exchange when, once again, he felt that unsettling gaze directed at him. It wasn't the same casual attention he'd gotten from his classmates—it was a glare, laced with pure hatred. Hajime instinctively straightened, his heart rate picking up as the sharp intensity of the gaze washed over him.
He'd felt this kind of intense hatred before, ever since the morning. It wasn't the usual annoyance or distaste from the class, but something far darker. Hajime didn't need to look to know what it was—he could sense it. Someone was watching him, seething with hostility.
But every time he tried to find the source, the gaze would vanish, and everything would return to normal. It was as if the person had been waiting for him to notice, but as soon as he looked in their direction, they'd deliberately pull away. It was starting to wear on him.
"What's going on?" Hajime thought to himself. "Did I do something to piss someone off? All I've been doing is trying my best... but I wonder if that's the problem. Maybe they think I'm trying to act like I can be helpful when I'm just a burden?"
A deep sigh escaped his lips. The tension had been building for a while, and for once, Hajime wondered if Kaori had been right to warn him. Was it better to just keep his head down, to not push himself so hard? The thought lingered in his mind, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The labyrinth continued to test them. The deeper they ventured, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. Each floor seemed to stretch on forever, with the walls of ice growing more and more intricate. The group navigated through the frozen corridors, their footsteps echoing on the slick surface. Hajime felt a shiver run down his spine—not from the cold, but from the sheer, eerie silence that filled the labyrinth.
The twentieth floor, the one they were currently exploring, had a unique quality. It was like a vast limestone cave, but it was made entirely of ice. The walls glittered, reflecting their torches and the ambient light in strange, hypnotic patterns. In places, the ice had melted, forming pools of water that glistened in the dim light. The terrain was treacherous, with jagged formations of ice sticking out of the ground and walls, forcing the group to watch their step.
The deeper they moved, the more Hajime could feel the weight of the labyrinth pressing on him.
"We're close to the stairs to the next floor," Shizuku remarked, her voice steady, despite the unsettling beauty of the ice cave. "We should keep an eye out. This place feels... off."
Hajime nodded absently. His focus had shifted again. That glare was still haunting him from somewhere in the depths of the ice cavern, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something dangerous was lurking ahead. He clenched his fists, pushing the thoughts aside. He had a mission to complete.
The deeper they went, the more Hajime realized they were nearing the final stretch of the floor. The staircase to the twenty-first floor was just beyond the cavern, leading them further into the unknown depths of the dungeon.
But something was wrong.
Despite the eerie beauty of the ice cavern, there was a sense of foreboding. Hajime could feel it in the pit of his stomach—a pressure, a presence that seemed to grow with each step they took. The air was thick with the promise of something to come.
Kaori, walking beside him, suddenly stopped. She looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Nagumo-kun... are you okay?"
Hajime forced a smile. "Yeah. Just a little tired."
But deep down, he knew that wasn't the only thing bothering him. Something was off, and it wasn't just the monsters. The labyrinth was shifting. The ice was starting to crack.
They were walking into something far worse than they anticipated.
Then, suddenly, Kaori's eyes widened, and she pointed to the crumbled section of the wall.
"...What is that? It's all sparkly…"
Everyone turned to look in the direction she was pointing. There, protruding from the wall like a flower in bloom, was a strange mineral emitting a soft, pale blue glow. It resembled a crystal, but within it was a core of Indigolite. All the girls, including Kaori, were captivated by the mysterious beauty of the gem.
"Oh, that's a glanz crystal. And a pretty big one, too. How rare," Captain Meld remarked, his voice filled with admiration.
Glanz crystals were known for their stunning radiance. While they didn't hold any magical properties, their beauty made them a prized possession among nobles, often transformed into jewelry like rings, earrings, or pendants. They were even among the top three jewels used in proposal rings.
"That sounds so lovely…" Kaori murmured, blushing at the thought, her gaze fixed on the crystal. She couldn't help but steal a glance at Hajime, though it was so fleeting that it almost went unnoticed. However, Shizuku and one other person didn't miss it.
Before anyone could react, Hiyama's voice rang out, his excitement palpable. "In that case, I'll go grab it for us!"
Without a second thought, Hiyama darted forward, rushing toward the glanz crystal. He scrambled over the debris of the crumbled wall, aiming to reach the precious gem as quickly as possible.
"Hey! Don't just run off on your own! We're not even sure it's safe yet!" Captain Meld shouted after him, but Hiyama ignored him, his eyes locked onto the gleaming crystal.
Renji, who had been keeping a sharp eye on the surroundings, felt a strange unease settle in his gut. He knew something was off, but it was too late. Hiyama was already standing before the crystal, his fingers just inches from it.
Renji's instincts screamed at him to act, but he was too far away. His voice rang out in warning, though it was a moment too late. "Hiyama, stop! Don't—!"
But it was already done. The moment Hiyama's fingers brushed against the crystal, a magic circle flared to life at its center.
"No—!" Captain Meld and Renji both shouted at the same time, but their warnings came too late. The trap had been sprung.
The magic circle glowed bright, its light expanding rapidly until it engulfed the entire room, a brilliant, almost blinding radiance filling the space. The air seemed to hum with the power of the magic, and for a moment, everything went still.
"Crap, retreat! Everyone, get out, now!" Captain Meld shouted, his voice urgent and panicked.
But the blinding light was already too overwhelming. The room began to distort, and before anyone could even take a step, they were assaulted by the sensation of weightlessness. The floor beneath their feet seemed to disappear, and all around them, there was only the light.
Renji tried to reach out, to grab something—anything—to steady himself, but it was no use. The overwhelming sensation of floating took hold, and soon, there was nothing but the blinding white.
He cursed under his breath. Damn it, I knew something was wrong…