Riko whirled around at the sound of two hard thuds. Behind him, the floor, a weird mess of floating data, acted like someone dropped a deck of cards. Luna hit first, rolling onto her side with a sharp oof. A moment later, Kaze landed. But the ground seemed to react to him differently. It was almost like it was trying to be strong for him, making a solid spot under his feet. Like the empty space knew he was dangerous.
Luna coughed and lifted her head. Ouch! Okay... what did we fall into? Some kind of weird block game level?
Kaze didn't say anything. He just stood up slowly, brushing bits of glitchy stuff off his jacket. His eyes scanned the messed-up space like he'd been there before.
Riko stared at him. You good?
Instead of answering, Kaze just tilted his head, looking at the sky. The black space had lines of blue light running through it, like digital veins. Kaze's face seemed to tighten up a bit—not much, but Riko noticed.
Luna pushed herself up, her arms shaking. Seriously, what kind of messed-up trip is this? My head feels like someone put it in a blender.
Riko hurried over to help her stand. Easy. This place moves around... whenever it feels like it.
As if it heard him, the ground jerked. The three of them almost fell as the floating squares rose and fell at different times. Like elevators with minds of their own. Riko grabbed Luna's wrist. Kaze just stood there, like gravity didn't matter to him.
Luna made a scared noise as the ground under her dropped suddenly. What is this? Why is gravity acting so weird?
Kaze finally spoke. Because this world is broken.
He didn't sound scared—just stating a fact. That almost scared Riko even more.
The space flickered again. Thin blue lines shot down, like searchlights from nowhere.
Riko squinted. Screen, where are we? What's this place?
The Level Screen popped up next to him, but it was dim and glitching, like it was having a hard time just being there. Luna looked at it and frowned.
It looks sick.
Kaze's eyes narrowed. The system can't work well in corrupted areas. He sounded like he was giving a lesson. You shouldn't even be able to live here. But you are.
Yeah, that's not exactly comforting, Riko mumbled.
Luna rubbed her arms. I hate this place. Something about it just feels... wrong. Her voice got quieter. It all feels wrong.
Gravity changed again, pulling sideways. Luna slid a few feet until Kaze grabbed her by the shirt and held her still with one hand. He didn't even move his feet.
Keep your balance, he said.
Luna slapped his hand away once she got her footing. Don't tell me how to stand! Tell me how to leave!
Kaze didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, looking out at the dark space.
The floating floor stretched out into broken platforms. Some were steady, some drifted in circles, and some twitched like they were about to disappear. It seemed like it went on forever. Like a world that had been stopped in the middle of being made.
Riko swallowed. Did we fall into another area? Like the city? Or the school?
Kaze shook his head. No. Areas have rules. A structure. He pointed up. This place doesn't have anything.
Luna hugged herself. So we're in... what? A glitchy space? A deleted area? The trash can of the universe?
Something like that, Kaze said.
Suddenly, gravity flipped up. Luna screamed as her feet left the ground—but Riko grabbed her ankle. Kaze grabbed both of them by their shirts and slammed them back down as the ground shifted again, this time becoming stable.
Luna lay on the floating squares, breathing hard. I'm gonna throw up. I swear. On both of you.
Riko glanced at the unstable space. Screen... can you... make a map of this place?
For a moment, the Level Screen tried to make a map. Lines started to show—but then they broke apart, turning into messed-up symbols that melted away.
Luna stared. It can't even make a map? But it can map monsters.
Kaze said quietly, This place isn't supposed to be mapped.
Riko felt a chill. So... what's supposed to be here?
Kaze didn't say anything.
The ground shook again—not from gravity, but from something vibrating under the tiles. The floating pieces trembled.
Riko stepped back. Did you feel that?
Before either of them could answer, a wave of distortion passed across the space. Not wind. Not sound. But something visual that smeared reality.
Luna grabbed Riko's sleeve. What was that?!
Kaze's gaze sharpened. Something big is moving.
Riko looked around quickly. Here? In this place?
Corrupted areas aren't empty, Kaze said calmly. Things tend to move to those places.
That's not calming! Luna yelled.
Another wave spread across the space, closer this time. The air glitched. The distortion crawled along the ground like static.
Riko grabbed both their shoulders. We need to move—now.
But where to go?
Every direction looked the same: floating tiles in darkness. No landmarks. No sky. Nothing.
Suddenly, the tiles in front of them formed a path—one that wasn't there a moment before.
The system flickered next to Riko.
A message appeared:
DANGER—
MOVEMENT—
SOMETHING—
Then it glitched.
Luna stepped back, her voice shaking. Riko... I don't think we should follow that path.
Kaze stared at it. That wasn't made by the system.
Riko blinked. Then who made it?
Kaze didn't look at him.
Gravity twisted again—pulling them forward, toward the new path.
Riko held his ground. Luna grabbed his arm. Kaze stayed put, resisting gravity.
Then—
A sound echoed across the darkness.
Something huge.
Deep.
Powerful.
But wrong.
It wasn't a roar.
It was like a roar being played backward, low and distorted.
The three of them froze.
The tiles vibrated.
Luna whispered, What was that?
Riko's heartbeat was loud in his ears.
Kaze didn't blink.
Then—
A roar came from far away. It sounded reversed.