CHAPTER 9: The Betrayer’s Trap

The girls moved swiftly, their footsteps light as they navigated the narrow corridor toward the hidden area. Most of them had conserved their energy, knowing they might need it later.

In the darkness, Maika raised a small plant in her hand— “Show your ‘Lunaflora’”,

The girls pulled out a delicate blossom with translucent petals that emitted a soft, silvery glow in the dark. They had collected it in the previous days, knowing its faint light would help them move unseen while still recognizing one another. The plant pulsed faintly as if responding to Maika’s touch, casting gentle halos on the walls.

“Stay quiet,” Maika whispered, holding the Lunaflora higher. The soft light revealed the faces of the girls huddled close to her. Murasaki’s gaze lingering on the plant until Maika offered her an extra bloom.

“Use this to keep track of the others. If the light dims, it means someone’s fallen behind.”

Murasaki hesitated before accepting the plant, its cool stem brushing against her fingers.

As they emerged from the passageway, Shiba stepped forward, her eyes scanning the area ahead. She approached Maika and gestured toward a narrow stone stairway descending into the ground.

“The emergency exit is down there,” Shiba said quietly. “Watch your steps—the ground gets slick toward the bottom.”

The girls exchanged nervous glances, but beneath their fear was a spark of anticipation. Some clutched one another’s hands, their breaths quickening with the realization that freedom was finally within reach.

Himeji turned to Maika, her smile faint but hopeful. Maika clasped her hands gently, her voice low. “Please be careful. I’ll meet you on the other side.”

Himeji’s eyes shimmered as she pulled Maika into a hug. “You too… Maika, please be careful!”

Murasaki and Yami approached next, their expressions solemn but grateful.

“Thank you,” Murasaki said, her voice soft but clear.

“Yeah… we couldn’t have done this without you,” Yami added.

Other girls quickly followed, offering whispered thanks and clinging to Maika in fleeting embraces. Their gratitude clung to the air like a warmth against the cold stone walls.

“Please.. be safe…”

As the last of them stepped onto the stairway, Shiba glanced back, her eyes meeting Maika’s.

“I’ll see you again, Maika.” Shiba grinned as she turned and led the group down into the underground tunnel.

Maika stood alone now, the faint echoes of their footsteps fading into the depths.

“Please.. may the Divine’s blessings be with you…”

She clutched her hands along with the spare key in her hand, its cool metal biting against her palm.

Taking a steadying breath, she turned back toward the compound. There were still others locked inside, waiting for a chance at freedom—and she intended to give it to them.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the underground corridor as Maika ran, her breath ragged with urgency. Guilt weighed heavily on her chest—she couldn’t save all the girls she had passed by, their faces etched in her memory. Clutching the clock tightly in her hand, she held onto the faint hope that one day, she might unlock the full extent of her power and return to rescue them.

Her steps slowed as she reached the underground chamber. Shiba had mentioned. The air grew thick and heavy, carrying a faint, metallic scent. Dim light flickered against the stone walls, casting long, wavering shadows that seemed to shift with unseen movement. The corridor narrowed, its walls rough and uneven like a dungeon carved from the earth itself.

Ahead, the heavy iron door stood ajar. Maika hesitated, the faint creak echoing faintly through the air. The air beyond the doorway carried a rotten smell that reached her.

“Despair... despair..."

The whispering voice echoed faintly from within the chamber. Each repetition seemed to dig deeper into her thoughts, drawing her forward despite the chill creeping up her spine. Driven by curiosity, Maika took a cautious step forward and peered through the narrow gap.

“Despair”... The word echoed in her mind, a term laden with meaning in her world.

It was both a warning and a prophecy—those who succumbed to despair would fall into chaos, lost with no chance of return. The cries of hopelessness and the weight of overwhelming sorrow could manifest into something far more dangerous.

In this world, The Greeds were the embodiment of that despair—twisted creatures born from the anguish of human souls. Their hunger could only be sated by sacrifice, and their power grew stronger with every life consumed. Yet it was fear that truly fed them, a dark energy that entertained their insatiable appetites.

They were creatures of cruelty and chaos, never meant to coexist with humanity. And yet, in a world teetering on the edge of ruin, the only hope for salvation lay in connecting the Sapphire Hearts—the ancient relics that could bind the Greeds’ power and restore balance.

Maika clutched the clock tighter as the whispers grew louder, the air in the corridor growing colder. Beyond the door, something stirred in the darkness, and she knew she was running out of time.

Maika’s breath hitched as her gaze fell on the shattered Sapphire Heart beneath the Greed. Its glow was gone, replaced by a heavy darkness that clung to the air. Blood smeared the stone, pooling beneath a severed arm resting atop the broken crystal. Her pulse pounded as the truth hit her—it was Etsuko’s arm.

Fear rushed through her. Her eyes widened as she stumbled back, spinning out of the chamber. She collapsed to her knees, vomiting onto the cold floor. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her whole body trembling.

“D-Despair…” she choked out, clutching her chest to calm her racing heart. The air inside that room was unlike anything she’d felt—thick, suffocating, and heavy with malice.

Her fingers clenched the spare key in her hand, its cold metal biting into her palm. Fear pressed against her chest, but she forced herself to stand, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. No matter how terrifying this place was, she had to keep going—she had to find Shiba’s friends.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Maika moved deeper down the corridor until she reached the iron door at the end. Her shaky breath echoed off the walls as she fumbled with the key, the iron cold against her fingers. The lock clicked. She placed her hand on the door, hesitating.

“Shiba said her friends weren’t part of the event…” she murmured, confusion knotting her brow.

A deep voice echoed from the shadows, freezing her in place.

“Do you think so?”

Maika stiffened. The voice cold, sending chills down her spine.

Her eyes darted to the side as a figure stepped out from the shadows. The faint light revealed sharp features—the Warden. His eyes glinted with cold gaze as he stepped in, the air around him heavy and suffocating.

Maika staggered back, her heart raced fast. The key clinked softly in her trembling hand as she fought to breathe.

“How..”

Murasaki and the others stood frozen in the passageway, their faces pale with fear.

“Could this…happened?”

Yami stammered, her voice trembling.

Shiba stood with her arms crossed, eyes cold as the remaining guards gathered behind her. They blocked the channel gate, cutting off the emergency exit. The girls happened to be fallen into their trap.

"How careless of you to think there is Emergency exit," Shiba said her gaze cold and dark before she curled her lips into a sly smirk.

“Wh-why..?” Himeji’s hands shaken as she held onto them tighter.

The girls immediately backed away, panic rising among them. Some tried to retreat, only to find the path behind them sealed shut.

“N-No.. ! It cant be!” Cries of fear echoed through the tunnel as they scrambled in all directions. The air grew thick with dread.

“You damn traitor..!” Murasaki growled as she went toward the bars and slammed onto it. Meanwhile Himeji was overwhelmed, she forgot that she was expecting. She weakly dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach as pain twisted through her. Tears filled her eyes as the reality hit her. "I-its hurting..."

“YOU WITCH TRAITOR, YOU—! ” Murasaki’s voice cracked with anger as she ignored the rules and summoned her Elyssence. Energy surged through her as she slammed her hands against the ground. "I aaah!"

Shiba narrowed her eyes as if the opponent was not worth it. "So naive..." She raised her hand. "Collide the lands!"

The ground shook violently, stone cracking beneath their feet. The tremors reached far beyond the tunnel, shaking the very walls of the compound as their final scream echoed in the air.

"It seems like all’s well that ends well," the Warden muttered as the vibrations rumbled through the floor.

"No.." Maika's eyes widened, dread settling in her chest.

“Wh-what was that..?” Her voice shaken

“Take a guess. Do you think I don’t have eyes and ears around?”

Maika’s heart pounded as she staggered back. “No… it can’t be…”

Shiba… The name echoed in her mind. Someone she trusted, someone she leaned on—especially during their late-night talks about escaping. The bond they shared felt unbreakable.

But then, the memory flashed back—the day Shiba’s fingers grazed her clock. The clock that only reacted to those who mocked her.

Her breath caught in her throat with anger, as the Warden’s eyes narrowed, his cold glare cutting through her.

“You’re just as dumb as the rest of them—easy to trust, easy to die a worthless death.”

The Warden stepped forward, dark chains swirling around his arms as he approached her. "It's over."

Rage ignited in Maika's gaze as she summoned her power, breaking the collar that had bound her abilities.

Although the clock hadn’t reached the final day, this was all she could do to defend herself.

The ground beneath her trembled as she prepared to strike, but the Warden's dark chains moved faster—lunging forward and piercing her stomach with brutal force.

Maika gasped, her breath catching as pain shot through her. The clock slipped from her grasp, clattering against the stone floor, its sound echoing through the corridor as her vision blurred.

Everything seemed to darken, but her eyes fluttered open, catching a blurred glimpse of the Warden.

She was too weak to move, her body unable to hold itself up any longer. Blood trickled from her mouth as her eyes slowly closed.

“As I thought… you are… immortal.”