Thud thud thud!
Their footsteps echoed as they ran faster with each step.
Aarav's breath grew heavier.
Huff! Huff!
"I can't run much more than that..."
"Tired already?" Ross said.
"No! No! I'm fine," Aarav replied.
"Little more to go..."
Left!
Right!
Left!
Again left!
Right!
"Look there!" Ross shouted. "It's an exit. I think."
They both looked in front of them — there was a huge door to enter.
[ 148/150 ]
[ TWO MORE TO GO. ]
As they both rushed toward the door —
A girl appeared from nowhere and also ran towards it.
"Sorry! But I don't wanna die too!" she yelled as she passed them.
[ 149/150 ]
[ ONE MORE TO GO. ]
"Oh f*ck. What should I do now..." Aarav said, then fainted.
"Hey Aarav! You can leave it to me—"
"No! No! I have one more way to go..."
"What?" Ross asked, confused.
"I'm saying... there might be one more way..."
"What are you saying? I can't leave you behind!"
"It's ok. I will find my way," Aarav said with a smile on his face. "Hurry up! You go first. Don't worry about me."
"You bet you can do it," Ross said.
"Yeah... I bet..." Aarav said.
They bumped their fists together.
"Make sure you don't die. Okay! I will go!"
"Yeah..."
Ross crossed the gate.
[ 150/150 ]
The door started to close slowly.
"Mr. Ross..." Aarav shouted.
"What? Is there something I can do for you?"
"Yeah. I want you to look around for another gate. Is there a gate other than this..." Aarav said.
"Wait a minute. Let me see..." Ross paused for a moment. "Yeah! Yeah! I can see it!"
"For real!"
"Yeah, there is one more!"
Then —
The door closed. Silence.
"I know that... there might be a way..."
Grrrr! Grrrr!
"Oh sh*t! What a bad time..."
He slowly turned around. He saw wolves waiting for him.
He deeply inhaled and took a breath.
"Foooooooo..."
"Catch me if you can..." he smirked.
Then —
He sprinted into the maze.
He turned corner after corner, changing direction as he ran deep into the maze. His footsteps echoed.
The wolves were still chasing him.
"Oh God! Save me..."
He ran faster and faster.
A wolf suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Wow. Good timing..."
"Hell yeah..." he screamed.
The wolf started to run toward him.
"Hey, why you all just don't stop..."
He jumped, barely escaping.
"Oh! It's awesome. What a save..."
He rolled on the ground after landing, then started to run again.
"Ah! My legs are nearly broken. I can't run more than that...
No, I should not give up easily..."
A wolf jumped mid-air.
"No!"
He swung his right leg and the wolf crashed into the wall.
"I'm lucky. I already saw those moves... but still, that doesn't mean it's perfect..."
Suddenly — a wall started shifting upward from the ground.
"I really thought something was not happening..."
Before the wall fully rose, he grabbed onto it, climbed, and jumped from it.
"Oh f*ck that pain..."
The wolves were still following him, getting closer with each step.
"What's wrong with them? Why they just don't leave me..."
A wall started moving again — this time from above.
"I think it's game over for me... that wall will close completely before I reach there...
No, not yet. I can't give up..."
He slid across the ground and just made it before the wall crushed him.
"Oh yes! Finally!
Those bastards are really pissing me off..."
He leaned his back against the wall and sat down.
"Oh God. What is that? Why is this happening? Do I really need to do this?
Or will I really end up dying before seeing this world completely...
I still got my big dreams too. I possibly don't want to die yet...
Though I'm not afraid to die. But not yet...
Oh, what am I yapping. I think I really lost my mind. Who's there who isn't afraid to die..."
His eyes started to tear.
"Why do I think I'm trying to be tough... oh come on, stop it. That's not who I am...
I think Mr. Ross might be waiting for me... might be... but still there's a chance..."
As he looked up at the moon in the night sky.
"I never knew the moon was really pretty if you look closely..."
He shook his head.
"Is there a moon left for me too... why am I overthinking..."
He got up.
"I think I have to move before they come back..."
***
The sun started to rise again.
"It's not my fault. Why are you looking at me like that...?" a girl said.
"I didn't say anything to you. Why don't you go already? And stop bothering me," Ross said, arms folded.
"Huh. Excuse me."
[ YOU CLEARED THE LEVEL. ]
[ YOUR STATS ARE BOOSTED. ]
[ SPEED: 22 < 25 ]
[ STAMINA: 26 < 30 ]
Ross glanced.
"Oh, finally." He waved his hand. "Heyyy!!!"
Aarav finally got out of the maze. His clothes were dirty. He waved back.
"I'm here..."
He walked closer.
"I didn't think you would really wait for me."
"What are you saying? You said you would come back. That's why..." Ross said.
"Thanks Mr. Ross!"
"Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything," Ross frowned.
"...for trusting me," Aarav muttered. "It's nothing."
Aarav glanced at the girl.
"Well... are you maybe Japanese?"
"So...? Is there any problem?" she said.
After all that had happened, Aarav looked happy — he nearly wanted to jump with excitement.
He leaned close to her.
"You maybe don't know... but I really like Japan. It's a dream of mine to go there. I really like your culture."
"Don't cling to me! Give me space!"
"Oh, sorry!"
Ross stood there.
"Hey. What about me?"
They both kept talking — they didn't even notice Ross, as if he wasn't standing there.
"I'm here too..."
They continued —
"I'm Mori Mio. What about you?"
"I think you people don't call others by their first name. Anyway, maybe I'm Rao Aarav for you."
"It doesn't matter now. I will call you Aarav."
"So... I will call you Mio-chan. Is it ok?"
(–chan is a soft and friendly word which is used in Japanese, mainly for girls or close friends.)
"I don't have any problem. Whatever you call me." she yelled.
"Well. Do you watch anime?" Aarav said.
"No. I don't watch anime, I only read manga," Mio replied.
"Oh whatever you say. Both are still the same thing."
"How can you say both are the same? They're different! Manga is to read, people watch anime."
"Well whatever. Who cares."
Mutter! Mutter! Mutter! Mutter!
Ross stepped between them.
"Hey! You two— stop acting like you already know each other," Ross said, a bit of anger on his face. "We just met, you know? You both should try to show respect to your elders."
"What are you saying? Who's an elder here?" Mio asked, confused.
Aarav leaned closer to her ear.
"Mr. Ross is older, can't you see that?"
"Huh...? So he's an old grump?" Mio said with a bit too much excitement.
"I said… both of you, stop talking. I can hear you from here!" A vein popped on his forehead. "And I'm not that old."
"Hey, please don't make him angry too much. He's not that bad," Aarav said calmly.
"I didn't do anything wrong." She folded her arms.
"Well…" Aarav said, a drop of sweat running down the back of his head.
Mr. Ross cut them off.
"We should move forward. Don't waste time here. If it's true… maybe after our time runs out, we run out too."
[ TIME REMAINING: 29 DAYS LEFT ]
A shiver ran down their spines.
"So. Will you join us too?" Aarav asked, pointing at Mio.
"Uh. Um… maybe… I know I can't survive alone. It's better staying with you than alone," she said after a pause.
"Yeah, it's better if we help each other." Aarav said.
They all raised their fists and shouted —
"We can do this!!!"
They started walking to their next level. No turning back now.
[ LEVEL 2 ]
[ CLICK OK TO CONFIRM. ]
'I'm glad this system gave me something. It's not super duper… but it's enough.' Aarav thought.
[ REWARD: ??? ]
***