“The Illusion of Self”

"The Deception of Resonance"

Meanwhile, Team B faces a new challenge: a room that appears as an endless, reflective void. As soon as they step inside, their reflections vanish—replaced by distorted images that do not follow their movements.

"What… is this?" Rex reaches out to touch one of the mirrors. His fingers pass through effortlessly, and the distorted face on the other side glares back at him with a mocking grin.

Neo stops abruptly. "This is a test. We need to…"

But before he can finish his sentence, the mirror images start moving—completely detached from their real counterparts.

Kyro stands before his warped reflection, its eyes glowing menacingly. His own doppelgänger raises a hand, and a flickering resonance flame ignites within it—pulsing, dangerous. Its voice is cold, almost taunting:

"You are not strong enough. You can't save them. You will fail, just like you always do."

A cold sting pierces Kyro's stomach. The words hit deep, dragging him back to the nights in the slums of Prime Eden—to Aria, to her words, to her final embrace before she left him behind.

"No!" he shouts, his resonance beginning to churn inside him. "This isn't real. You're not real!"

But the mirror image only sneers. "Are you sure? Look around. Do you really think they trust you? Neo? Liebe? Rex? They rely on you—but what if you let them down?"

"Kyro, focus!" Neo calls out. "It's trying to tear us apart!"

The Illusion Intensifies

The other reflections come to life.

Liebe sees himself—his double, covered in blood, with hollow eyes. "You are just a tool," it hisses. "Strong, yes, but useless without control."

Neo faces a distorted version of himself, smirking at him. "You think you're the smartest one here? Your mind won't save you. You're weak, a shadow without purpose."

Rex, always the steady warrior, is confronted by his reflection, which hammers him with guilt. "You didn't protect them. You failed. You will keep failing."

The air thickens, heavy like lead. The walls seem to close in, pressing against them. Each of them feels the illusion wrapping around them, tightening its grip like a noose

Kyro's Resistance

Kyro watches as his teammates struggle. Rex's body is tense, Liebe gasps for air, and Neo kneels, gripping his head. He knows he has to act—but doubt gnaws at him, too.

"This isn't real," he whispers to himself. "It can't be real."

He closes his eyes and focuses. His resonance begins to pulse, like a heartbeat growing stronger. Then he remembers—Shade's words, spoken long ago:

"Your resonance is your truth, Kyro. It knows no lies. Listen to it."

Taking a deep breath, Kyro channels his resonance through his body. The world around him slows, his mind clears. As he opens his eyes, he stares at his reflection and speaks with firm resolve:

"I am more than my fears. You are just a shadow—and I will not be controlled by you."

A blue glow spreads around him, the air vibrates. The reflection flickers, distorts, begins to shatter. With a swift motion, Kyro unleashes a wave of raw resonance, shaking the room.

The mirror image shatters like glass

The Key to the Illusion

Kyro turns to his team. "Listen to me!" he shouts. "These are just illusions. They're trying to divide us—but this is a test. The resonance is reacting to our fears. We need to unite our energy!"

Neo's eyes flicker as he rises. "You're right. Together, we can break the illusion."

"What do you want us to do?" Liebe asks, his voice unsteady from the strain.

Kyro lifts his hand. "Trust me. Let our resonances become one."

One by one, they place their hands in Kyro's. Their resonances merge—pulsing waves of blue, green, red, and yellow, illuminating the chamber.

The mirror images scream as the resonance wave crashes into them. The illusion crumbles, and the room is engulfed in blinding white light

The Meeting of Team A and B

After countless trials and deadly traps, the teams draw closer to the center of the labyrinth. The walls glow, infused with pure resonance energy. But the price has been steep—both groups are exhausted.

The moment of truth is approaching.