Reveal It.(Last)

The moment the hooded figure raised their hand, the ground beneath Ryuta and his group trembled. A sudden flash of golden light engulfed them, blinding their vision. The air itself twisted and warped, and then—

Silence.

When the light faded, Ryuta blinked rapidly, trying to regain his sight. Instead of the temple ruins, he found himself standing in a vast, darkened hall. The towering walls stretched endlessly, banners bearing their own sigils hanging from the stone pillars. Chandeliers flickered with ghostly blue flames, casting eerie shadows across the room.

Zhen groaned beside him. "What just happened?"

Skyler whistled. "Looks like we're back home."

"Back... home?" Ryuta muttered. His gaze swept the room, realization dawning on him. This was the Black Castle. The very fortress they had built with their own hands.

A deep, familiar chuckle echoed through the chamber. "Welcome back," a voice teased.

From the darkness, a figure emerged—clad in regal black robes, their golden eyes twinkling with amusement. It was the same voice that had warned them at the Grand Temple.

Alexia frowned. "You mean to tell me that was all just a prank?"

The figure smirked. "Oh, don't be so upset. It was merely a... test of your resolve. And I must say, you handled it well. But I do hope you don't mind the sudden relocation."

Merlin rubbed his temples. "A prank that involved summoning divine guardians to attack us? What kind of test is that?!"

The figure shrugged. "A necessary one. You see, the Grand Temple doesn't let just anyone uncover its secrets. You needed a little... misdirection. But no harm done, right?"

Roy exhaled sharply. "So what now? Do we go back, or is this another game?"

The figure chuckled. "Oh no, you're exactly where you need to be. Because your real journey... begins here."

As those words settled, the torches along the walls roared to life, illuminating the castle's long-forgotten halls. The air buzzed with a strange, electric energy. Something was waiting for them here.

Something they had long ignored.

And this time, there was no turning back.

As the torches illuminated the vast halls, an unsettling stillness filled the air. The Black Castle, once their fortress, now felt unfamiliar—almost like something had changed in their absence.

Ryuta stepped forward cautiously, his boots echoing against the marble floor. "What do you mean... our journey begins here?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the figure.

The robed figure smirked. "You'll see soon enough. This castle holds more than just memories. It holds answers. Secrets buried beneath the stone, waiting for you to uncover them."

Zhen clenched his fists. "Enough with the riddles. If there's something we need to know, just tell us."

The figure tilted their head. "Oh, but where's the fun in that?" With a flick of their wrist, a gust of wind rushed through the hall, slamming the doors shut behind them. "Now then, let's see how well you truly know the castle you built."

The moment those words left their lips, the walls began to shift. The once familiar corridors twisted and turned, transforming into a labyrinth of endless passageways. The torches flickered wildly, casting long, eerie shadows that danced along the stone.

Skyler sighed. "Great. A maze. Because getting pranked wasn't enough."

Roy ran a hand through his hair. "This place shouldn't be able to change like this. We designed it ourselves."

Merlin nodded grimly. "Which means something—or someone—is altering it."

Alexia shivered. "And whatever it is… it's watching us."

A deep, guttural laugh rumbled through the walls. It wasn't the robed figure this time. This voice was different—ancient, filled with malice.

"Welcome home," it whispered. "Let's see if you can find your way out… before I do."

Ryuta took a deep breath, steadying himself. The shifting walls of the Black Castle felt like they were closing in, the flickering torches barely illuminating the twisting corridors.

"Everyone, stay together," he commanded, his voice firm but calm.

Zhen cracked his knuckles. "Like hell I'm getting lost in my own home."

Skyler, gripping the Fool tarot card tightly, chuckled. "This is either the best prank ever or the worst trap."

Roy pressed his hand against the cold stone. "There has to be a pattern. The castle wasn't designed to move like this."

Merlin nodded. "But something—or someone—has taken control of it."

Then, the laughter returned. Low, mocking, echoing from every direction.

"Find your way out... before I do," the voice repeated, this time closer.

A sudden gust of wind blew through the corridor, extinguishing half the torches. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the walls, twisting into grotesque shapes.

Alexia took a step back. "That voice... It's not just trying to scare us. It wants us to doubt ourselves."

Ryuta narrowed his eyes. "Then let's make sure we don't." He turned to Skyler. "Can you use the Fool's ability to disrupt illusions?"

Skyler smirked. "Oh, I thought you'd never ask." He held up the tarot card, and a faint glow emanated from it, cutting through the darkness. "Now let's see who's playing games with us."

The walls flickered as if reality itself was trembling. A deep groan filled the air, and suddenly—

A door materialized at the end of the corridor.

But something was standing in front of it.

A hooded figure, draped in robes of black and gold, their face obscured. Their presence felt heavy, almost suffocating.

"Leaving so soon?" the figure asked, voice dripping with amusement.

Ryuta tightened his grip on his sword. "Who are you?"

The figure tilted their head. "A mere servant."

Zhen stepped forward. "Oh yeah? Then how about you let us through?"

The figure chuckled. "You misunderstand. The door is yours. But only if you can reach it before the castle consumes you."

The torches flickered again—

And the entire corridor tilted.

The walls stretched, the floor cracked, and gravity itself twisted. The castle was alive, and it wasn't letting them go so easily.

The entire corridor trembled as the castle shifted again, throwing Ryuta and the others off balance. The hooded figure remained unmoved, standing before the only exit.

Ryuta pushed himself up, gripping his sword tightly. "If you think some cheap tricks are going to stop us, you're mistaken."

The figure chuckled. "Tricks? No, no. This castle is merely responding to its master's will."

Skyler cursed under his breath. "Great. So either the castle's alive, or someone's controlling it."

Merlin's eyes darkened. "If it's responding to a will, then it means someone is actively preventing us from leaving."

Roy took a cautious step forward. "Are you saying someone hijacked our own fortress?"

The figure slowly raised a hand. "It was never truly yours to begin with."

At that moment, the castle's walls shuddered violently, and black mist began seeping from the cracks. The torches along the walls flickered and died, plunging the hallway into near-total darkness. The mist crawled along the floor, wrapping around their ankles like living tendrils.

Zhen sliced at the mist with his blade, but his sword passed through it harmlessly. "This isn't normal magic."

Alexia's voice was steady despite the growing unease. "We need to act now before we're completely swallowed."

Ryuta turned his gaze back to the hooded figure. "Who are you really?"

The figure took a step forward, their hood shifting slightly. A grin could barely be seen beneath the shadows. "You already know the answer, Ryuta."

For a brief second, Ryuta saw it—just a flash. The grin. The way the voice carried itself with amusement, taunting and filled with mockery.

His eyes widened. "Joker."

The moment the name left his lips, the figure's laughter rang out, confirming his worst fear. "Took you long enough," Joker sneered. "Now, let's see how long you can last before your precious castle eats you alive."

The walls groaned, and the mist thickened, beginning to take shape—twisted, monstrous forms emerging from the darkness.

The castle was turning against them.

And the only way out was through the Joker himself.

The Grand Deception

The castle trembled, its very foundations shaking as the black mist surged forward, forming grotesque figures with hollow eyes. Ryuta tightened his grip on his sword, his mind racing for a way out.

Ryuta Suddenly Remember Something If The Joker Was Playing Tricks On Them.

Then, something clicked.

"The temple," Ryuta muttered under his breath.

Skyler, still gripping his enchanted blade, glanced at him. "What about it?"

Ryuta's expression darkened. "It wasn't real."

The others froze at his words, confusion flickering across their faces.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, his hands glowing faintly with restrained magic.

"The Grand Temple… everything we saw there… it was a lie." Ryuta's voice grew more certain. "Think about it. The voice that spoke to us, the way we were suddenly thrown out… It was all too convenient. A trick meant to make us believe we were onto something real."

Alexia's eyes widened. "You're saying… the Grand Temple was never real to begin with?"

"No," Roy muttered, realization dawning on him. "It was an illusion. A well-crafted one, but still a trap."

Joker's laughter echoed around them, slow and mocking. "Oh, how delightful! I was beginning to wonder when you'd piece it together."

The mist swirled, and suddenly, the walls of the castle shifted once more. The scene before them changed—one moment they were standing in the dark corridors of their own fortress, the next, they were back at the Grand Temple, the golden halls gleaming, the air heavy with divine energy.

Except this time, they saw the cracks.

The walls flickered. The golden light was unstable, warping and bending as if struggling to maintain its form. The statues that once stood tall now had eerie, twisted faces. The murals along the walls, once depicting the history of the deities, shifted and blurred, as if rewriting themselves.

It was all falling apart.

Merlin clenched his fists. "We were never in the real temple. We were inside an illusion from the start."

Zhen scowled. "Then where is the real Grand Temple?"

Joker clapped his hands together, his grin widening. "Oh, that's the best part, dear heroes. There isn't one."

Silence.

Skyler frowned. "What do you mean?"

Joker tilted his head, reveling in their confusion. "You see, the Grand Temple never truly existed. At least, not in the way you believed. The so-called divine sanctuary, the place where the gods supposedly left their wisdom… it's a fabrication. A tale spun so well that even the deities themselves began to believe it."

Ryuta's heart pounded. "Then where is the real Deity of Life?"

Joker let out a slow, dramatic sigh. "Oh, wouldn't you love to know?" He raised a hand, and the illusion shattered completely. The golden temple crumbled into dust, revealing nothing but an endless void beneath their feet.

Darkness surrounded them once more.

And at the center of it all stood a massive, towering door—one that pulsed with an ancient, ominous energy.

Roy took a cautious step forward. "That door… that's real, isn't it?"

Joker chuckled. "Why don't you open it and find out?"