The Prison in Hell

As the three of them rushed deeper into the Blackstone Maze, the surroundings only grew more disorienting. The dark stone walls twisted and folded into one another, corridors bending unnaturally as if the maze itself were alive and constantly rearranging its insides.

Krooke marched ahead like an all-knowing guide, his pace confident and unhesitating, as though he had memorized every turn long before stepping inside. Hiroshi followed closely behind him, trusting his lead without question, his focus fixed straight ahead. At the very back, Shinzo lagged behind, carefully scratching chalk marks onto the walls—thin white lines standing out sharply against the pitch-black stone, his quiet attempt to leave logic behind in a place that rejected it.

As they moved forward, they mostly took right turns.

Again.

And again.

After what felt like a long, exhausting walk, they stepped into a familiar open space. Shinzo froze, staring at the chalk marks etched into the wall. His shoulders slumped as realization hit him.

“Great! Now we’re back to square one!” Shinzo snapped loudly, throwing his arms up in frustration. “Great navigation, Krooke! From whom did you learn your sense of direction? Zoro?” he added with sharp sarcasm.

The atmosphere instantly shifted.

Krooke stopped in his tracks. With a sharp metallic whisper, he drew one of his red katanas and aimed it directly at Shinzo, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

“You trying to fight?” Krooke asked coldly, his voice low and threatening.

Shinzo clicked his tongue and pulled out his knife, gripping it tightly as adrenaline surged through him. “Oh hell yeah!” he replied with defiance. “I’m not scared of you!”

Krooke lunged forward without hesitation, blade flashing under the dim glow of the maze. Shinzo braced himself, feet planted firmly, muscles tensing as he prepared to strike—

Smack!

A powerful slap echoed through the maze.

Both Shinzo and Krooke were sent flying backward, their bodies slamming hard into the stone wall. Pain flared across their faces as they slid down, cheeks burning red from the impact.

Hiroshi stood between them, fists clenched, eyes blazing with anger.

“I swear,” Hiroshi said sharply, his voice trembling with barely restrained fury, “if I see you guys fighting again, I’ll beat you both up. I don’t care who starts it. Got it?”

Shinzo looked away, rubbing his cheek with a sulky expression. “Yeah…” he muttered unwillingly.

Krooke scoffed, brushing himself off with arrogant ease. “Tell that to prince blue eyes,” he said dismissively. “Anyway, I wasn’t here to rescue your idiot friend or anything. I came to see this majestic location.” His lips curled into a cruel smirk. “I don’t give a heck about that stupid b!tch friend of yours.”

Hiroshi slowly turned toward him.

He locked eyes with Krooke, standing close enough that their breaths collided. His voice dropped to a deadly whisper.

“Don’t you dare say a single damn word about her,” Hiroshi said quietly, each syllable heavy with threat. “I can—and I will—hurt you. Say whatever you want about me.”

Krooke clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging as Hiroshi turned away and began walking deeper into the maze again.

Then Krooke spoke.

“‘Her’?” he sneered mockingly. “You talking about that goddamn girlfriend of yours? That little b!tch?”

The punch came like a flash.

In the next instant, Krooke was slammed violently against the frame of the one-way red portal, his body collapsing to the ground with a painful groan. Hiroshi was already there, grabbing him by the hair and yanking him up.

His fist rose.

For a moment, it hovered.

Then Hiroshi stopped.

“Be thankful you’re a Torojima,” Hiroshi said coldly, his eyes devoid of mercy. “Otherwise, you’d be ashes by now. From this point on, you will NOT speak to me. Got it? Or do you need more?”

Krooke could only respond with an infuriated, pained groan.

Meanwhile, Shinzo noticed something unusual crawling along the wall nearby. His eyes widened as he approached it.

It was a small red iguana, its scales glowing a soft reddish-orange as it crept effortlessly across the stone.

“Guys! Look what I found!” Shinzo called out excitedly.

Hiroshi released Krooke and walked over. Shinzo gently held the glowing creature in his hand, grinning.

“This guy must’ve lived here his whole life!” Shinzo said enthusiastically. “He can lead us to an exit. I’ll name him Mr. Iggy.”

Hiroshi sighed deeply, disappointment heavy on his face, and walked further into the maze without responding.

Behind them, Krooke stood up and dusted himself off.

Shinzo hesitated before speaking again. “Hey, Krooke… I know you’re not in the mood, but can you explain what the heck we do here?” he asked carefully. “We can’t return back. That stupid portal is one-way.”

Krooke let out a tired sigh. “Fine. I’ll tell you,” he said reluctantly. “This place has three rooms. First is this maze. Second is the Room of Wisdom, where we answer questions from a weird, living door to pass. And the third room…” He paused. “It’s unknown.”

Shinzo frowned. “And… how do you know that?”

“The portal we came through,” Krooke explained calmly, “has identical ones on each continent. Seven in total. People who escaped wrote books about this place. Anyone who reached the third room never returned.”

“Then how did they write books if they never escaped?” Shinzo asked, confused.

“Because there’s an exit after the second room, they didn't risk their lives for worthless things.” Krooke replied simply.

“Oh…” Shinzo muttered.

Krooke turned away. “Come with me.”

Shinzo followed him back into the maze. Eventually, they caught sight of Hiroshi ahead—but just as they were steps away—

GRRRK!

The walls shifted violently, sealing the path between them. Another passage opened elsewhere.

“What the hell?!” Shinzo shouted in shock.

“Oh no…” Krooke muttered grimly. “I forgot. My ancestor, Bajuro, enchanted these walls when he created the rooms—to stop normal people from reaching whoever’s inside.”

“The person inside…” Shinzo hesitated. “You mean Ryumi?”

“Not necessarily,” Krooke replied. “It’s a possibility. The maze is completely random. Literally random.”

Hiroshi’s voice echoed from the other side. “Guys! Step back! I’m gonna break this wall!”

Shinzo instinctively stepped back, but Krooke grabbed his arm and whispered, “Watch him make a fool of himself.”

BOOM!

The entire maze shook violently.

“AAAAARGHHH!!!”

Hiroshi’s scream echoed through the corridors.

Krooke burst into laughter. 

Shinzo spun toward him angrily. “Why the heck are you laughing?!” he shouted. “By his voice, he’s seriously hurt!”

Still chuckling, Krooke called out, “Alright, alright! Hey, Hiroshi!”

“Yeah…?” came Hiroshi’s strained reply.

“The harder you hit these walls,” Krooke said smugly, “the ten times harder they hit back! They’re indestructible!”

“Couldn’t you have told me earlier?!” Hiroshi yelled.

“Then how would I have made fun of y—”

“Hiroshi!” Shinzo interrupted urgently. “I’ll use Mr. Iggy to help us out! We’ll meet on the other side, okay?”

“Okay!” Hiroshi replied.

The sound of his footsteps faded away.

Krooke sighed. “You seriously had to ruin it, didn’t you?”

“Cut the crap and follow Mr. Iggy,” Shinzo said firmly.

He placed the glowing iguana down from his shoulder. Without hesitation, it began walking forward.

With no better option left, they followed—venturing deeper into the vast Blackstone Maze, searching desperately for an exit.

After some time wandering through the twisting corridors of the Blackstone Maze, Shinzo suddenly slowed his steps. Something lay ahead.

A skeleton rested against the base of the wall, its bones scattered unnaturally as if the body had collapsed mid-crawl. Near it were two strange weapons—sleek blasters, jet-black in color, each with a thin white line glowing faintly through the center like a frozen beam of light.

Shinzo’s eyes sparkled.

Without hesitation, he rushed forward and scooped them up, holding one in each hand like a kid discovering treasure.

“Woo-hoo!” Shinzo shouted gleefully. “Sorry, skeleton, but they’re mine now! ” he added cheerfully, completely unfazed by the grim sight.

He turned and proudly showed them off to Krooke. 

Krooke stared at him with a deeply frustrated expression, his eyebrow twitching. “Seriously?” he asked flatly, disbelief dripping from his tone.

Shinzo shrugged, spinning one of the blasters in his hand. “These babies shoot out plasma instead of regular bullets. Might help us later... who knows...” he said optimistically, trying to justify his excitement.

Krooke exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “Go follow that iguana before the way closes here too.” he muttered irritably, already turning away.

With no further argument, the two of them resumed walking, disappearing once more into the depths of the maze.

[Deep within the Maze]

A woman stood calmly, her presence suffocating. it was Jinah. she smiled faintly as her sharp green eyes narrowed.

“They’re here…” she whispered with quiet delight. “Time for my babies to feast.”

A white snake with red eyes slithered lazily around her arm, it's scales gleaming as he coiled and moved in anticipation.

[Back inside the Maze]

Shinzo followed closely behind the glowing red iguana as it crawled confidently along the stone floor.

Krooke crossed his arms, scowling. “I’m really starting to feel that this iguana of yours is stupid.” he said bluntly, annoyance clear in his voice.

Shinzo shot him an offended look. “Hey! Don’t say anything about Mr. Iggy!” he snapped defensively. “He’s helping us!”

Before Krooke could retort, a faint sound reached their ears.

HISSSSSSSSSS..!

Both of them froze.

“What was that…?” Krooke muttered cautiously, his instincts flaring.

He turned around.

Five white snakes slithered out from the shadows, their bodies scraping against the stone as they advanced steadily toward them, eyes glinting with unnatural intent.

“What the hell?!” Krooke exclaimed sharply.

In one swift motion, he drew one of his shining red katanas. The blade flashed violently through the air as he moved, slicing cleanly through the snakes in a single fluid motion.

Their bodies were severed instantly, collapsing onto the floor and writhing weakly before going still.

Krooke let out a short sigh of relief. “Tch… easy.”

Then he noticed it.

The severed pieces began to twitch.

The snakes’ flesh pulsed, cells rapidly stitching themselves back together. One cell became two. Two became four. Four became eight—regenerating at a terrifying rate.

Krooke’s eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

He turned sharply toward Shinzo. “Shinzo,” he said urgently, abandoning his usual arrogance, “I take my words back. Your Mr. Iggy better get us out of here fast!”

Shinzo didn’t need to be told twice.

“RUN!” he yelled, panic creeping into his voice.

Both of them sprinted after the glowing iguana, footsteps pounding against the stone as the sound of countless slithering bodies echoed behind them, growing louder with every second.

After nearly ten exhausting minutes of running through twisting corridors and shifting paths, a faint glow finally appeared ahead.

Shinzo spotted it first.

“YES! THERE IT IS!” Shinzo shouted triumphantly, his voice echoing through the stone corridors as relief flooded his face.

Both of them sprinted forward without hesitation. The glowing iguana skittered ahead and vanished through the opening, and the moment Shinzo and Krooke crossed the threshold, the oppressive maze atmosphere abruptly faded.

They found themselves inside a small, empty place. The walls were smooth and still—no shifting, no grinding stone—just silence. At the far end stood a single translucent fleshy door, small but ominous, clearly leading to the next room.

Krooke bent forward slightly, resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. “Phew… we made it...” he said with a tired exhale, relief slipping into his usually arrogant tone.

Before Shinzo could respond, a heavy sound echoed behind them.

GRRRK!

The entrance they had come through sealed shut, the stone locking itself into place without leaving even a crack.

Shinzo turned back sharply, his excitement fading into worry. “I hope Hiroshi comes out quickly too…” he muttered, unease creeping into his voice as he stared at the now-closed wall.

[Far behind them] 

[deep inside the Blackstone Maze]

Hiroshi walked cautiously through a narrow passage, his senses on high alert.

Then—

GRRRK!

The walls suddenly shifted.

Stone ground violently against stone as the corridors rearranged themselves around him. Hiroshi stumbled back instinctively, eyes widening as the maze sealed every visible exit. When the movement finally stopped, he found himself standing in the center of a large, empty square chamber.

No doors.

No paths.

Nothing.

“What the… huh?!” Hiroshi muttered under his breath, shock tightening his chest. “Did the walls literally trap me?!” he thought tensely, scanning every corner.

Before he could react—

GRRRK!

The walls moved again.

This time, a single pathway opened on the left side of the chamber, narrow and dark, almost inviting.

“Oh great… now I can go,” Hiroshi muttered dryly, suspicion thick in his tone.

He took a few steps toward the opening.

Then he felt it.

A heavy presence pressed down on him—thick, suffocating, and unmistakably hostile. Hiroshi froze mid-step, his instincts screaming danger.

From the shadows ahead, a figure slowly emerged.

A man stepped into the dim light. He was short, with pale skin and messy, unkempt hair that framed a sharp, unsettling smile. He wore an open black, half-sleeved coat that hung loosely over his shoulders, paired with gray, loose-fitting lower garments. On his left arm was a strange tattoo—shaped like a falcon’s wing, dark and eerie.

Hiroshi’s breath hitched.

It was Yataro.

The Tyrant of Darkness.

Yataro tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with amusement. “Oh?” he said playfully, his voice dripping with teasing mockery. “A stranded fool?” He chuckled softly. “How did you end up here?”

Hiroshi clenched his fists, tension running through his entire body as cold realization settled in.

“A tyrant?!” he thought sharply. “Here?!”

The maze had not merely trapped him.

It had delivered him straight into the darkness.

Yataro let out a soft chuckle, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement as he looked Hiroshi up and down.

“Ah,” Yataro said teasingly, spreading his arms slightly, “you must be that Rorark guy—the one who killed Gorokko.” His tone remained light for a moment before slowly darkening. “I won’t lie to you… Gorokko was my friend.”

The playful smile faded.

His voice dropped, becoming cold and oppressive.
“And you,” Yataro continued, his presence intensifying, “killed him. I must avenge him… for the salvation of his soul.”

Hiroshi didn’t flinch.

“Salvation?” Hiroshi replied calmly, though his eyes burned with conviction. “He already attained it. The moment I cut his backbone in half, he accepted the light that would purify his nullness.”

Yataro’s brows furrowed.

“He didn’t die worthlessly like Riyaku, Akuma, or Kurumi,” Hiroshi continued firmly. “Even after death, he stood straight—on his knees—looking up at the forever-expanding sky. He accepted the laws of nature and embraced his end… instead of clinging to a delusion of immortality like you fools.”

The air trembled.

Yataro’s expression twisted violently, fury bursting through his composure.

“You speak too much, damn brat!” Yataro roared, veins bulging as darkness rippled around him. “I’ll kill you!”

Hiroshi lowered his stance, flames flickering faintly around him. “Not if I kill you first,” he replied coldly.

In the blink of an eye, Hiroshi blurred forward, charging straight at Yataro.

Then—

GRRRK!

The maze shifted again.

A second pathway opened, perfectly opposite the first. This one carried a far heavier presence—something more dreadful, more suffocating.

Hiroshi skidded to a halt instantly.

Slowly, he turned.

From the shadows emerged another figure.

A woman stepped into view, her presence alone making the air feel toxic. Jinah—the Tyrant of Poison. She wore a full purple Arabic bedlah that flowed elegantly around her form. A silver ornament rested on her head, glinting faintly in the dim light. Her pale brown skin contrasted sharply with the white snake coiled comfortably around her right arm, its red eyes glowing with hunger.

Jinah tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a mocking smile.

“Aww,” she said sarcastically, her tone dripping with disdain, “how brave. A little child who thinks he can kill us.” She let out a soft laugh. “Darling, forget killing. You can’t even scratch us.”

Hiroshi’s breath tightened.

“Damn…” he thought, his mind racing. 

“I can’t take them both at once. This is certain defeat.” His fists clenched. “I have to escape—no matter what.”

Then—

Something clicked.

“Wait…”Hiroshi thought, eyes narrowing. “My Varkox level… it should be enough to use first-grade Seki.”His thoughts raced. “But how did Gorokko do it?”

A memory surfaced.

“Seki, Stage One—Intimidation Seki… ACTIVATE!”

Hiroshi’s eyes sharpened.

“SEKI, STAGE ONE—INTIMIDATION SEKI… ACTIVATE!” he shouted with determination.

The space erupted.

Fiery orange-blue sparks exploded throughout the chamber, surging wildly in every direction. The pressure intensified, flames and energy colliding violently as Hiroshi’s aura expanded outward.

Yet—

Yataro and Jinah stood unmoved.

Jinah raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “Stage One?” she said approvingly. “Impressive. Your Seki is quite good.”

Yataro smirked darkly. “But ours is better.”

He spread his arms.

“SEKI, STAGE TWO—DOMAIN SEKI… ACTIVATE!”

A surge of pitch-black sparks erupted from Yataro, overwhelming Hiroshi’s flames instantly. Darkness flooded the chamber as a dome-shaped area expanded outward from Yataro’s chest. The farther it spread, the darker and heavier the world became.

Yataro’s voice echoed ominously.
“Intimidation Seki only weakens opponents,” he explained calmly. “But Domain Seki creates a domain—an area infused entirely with the user’s power.” His grin widened. “My power is darkness. It blinds my enemies… and lets me teleport anywhere within the domain.”

He paused briefly.
“Don’t bother clapping,” he added mockingly. “You can admire my Seki in the afterlife.”

“DRAIN PUNCH!”

Yataro vanished.

The world inside the domain darkened even more, the edges of reality blurring as shadows folded over one another. Hiroshi’s senses screamed. His eyes were useless. His ears rang with a low, suffocating hum, as though the maze itself was breathing.

“Too fast…!” Hiroshi realized, his jaw tightening. “I can’t see him… I can’t sense him…”

“DIE, BRAT!” Yataro roared, his voice echoing from everywhere and nowhere at once, dripping with murderous intent.

The air shattered. 

Yataro appeared right in front of Hiroshi.

A fist wrapped in pure darkness tore through the domain, inches from Hiroshi’s chest.

To Be Continued...