"More than anything, I am certain my father's soul is trapped in that black sword..."

  Princess Flora's words echoed in her mind. Number 25, who had managed to silence the thoughts in her head—if only slightly—by sleeping, resumed her mental burden with the first light of dawn.

  Who was this Number 99? How could he bring about the end of an entire kingdom single-handedly?

  And more importantly... if we do encounter him, could I even stand against him?

  Overwhelmed by the gloomy thoughts in her mind, Number 25 slowly pushed herself up from where she lay. She rolled her shoulders back, trying to relieve some of the ache in her back.

  With the first light of dawn, Number 25 felt the cold breeze, sharp as a knife, cutting right down to her soul. She glanced first at the ash remnants of the fire from the night before, then at the sleeping forms of Flora and Number 4.

  Number 1, however, was already awake and had left the campsite.

  'Maybe he's just washing his face in the river nearby. I could use some freshening up myself,' she thought. With that in mind, she headed toward the river near the campsite.

  Arriving at the banks of this gentle river, Number 25 saw no sign of Number 1. She slowly knelt on both knees. Leaning her head closer to the water, she stared at her reflection; her eyes were swollen, and her skin was deathly pale.

  'I should wash my face,' she thought. She cupped her hands together, gathered the river's calm waters, and splashed it onto her face. Her mind clearing with the shock of the icy water, Number 25 took deep breaths and repeated the motion.

  After washing her face, she stared at her reflection in the river a little longer, then cupped her right hand to fill it with water.

  'There's actually no need for this, but...' she thought, before tasting the cool water.

  Indeed, in The Six Hours of God, players had no need for food or water; sleep was enough to rest their minds.

  "You're up early."

  "Ahh!"

  Startled by Number 1's sudden appearance, Number 25 lost her balance and barely managed to stop herself from falling into the river's cold waters.

  "Ah, sorry about that," Number 1 said, wearing an expression that completely contradicted his words.

  "It's fine. I was just washing my face. Are the others up?"

  "I don't think so, but we should get moving. Come, let's go wake them up together. What do you say?"

  Nodding slightly, Number 25 stood up and began to follow Number 1 in silence.

  'Seriously, what is this guy's problem?' she couldn't help but think. Because of him, she had nearly gone for a swim at the bottom of the river.

  When they returned to the campsite, they found Flora and Number 4 already awake.

  "My dear 1 and 25, I see you’re up early," Flora said.

  "A strange duo, aren't they, Princess?" Number 4 added.

  "Ah, no... well..."

  "I happened to catch Number 25. We decided to come back together to wake you up. Didn't we, 25?"

  Cut off mid-sentence, Number 25 simply nodded in silence to confirm.

  "Then let's get moving," Number 1 continued.

  With the team's agreement, they packed up and set off silently into the depths of the forest.

  ***

  As they ventured deeper into the forest, the team continued their journey, split into two distinct groups.

  Flora and Number 1 walked in the lead, while Number 4 and Number 25 followed silently behind them.

  Although Number 4 occasionally tried to join in on Flora and Number 1's conversation, things were very different for Number 25. The weight of recent events was crushing her mind, and she couldn't figure out what to decide regarding this "artificial" team.

  On the other hand, venturing deeper into the forest only heightened the tension weighing on her.

  Had this forest truly once been home to beings like elves?

  Let alone the presence of any living creature, every step they took closer to the ruins made the surroundings appear more unsettling—almost toxic.

  'It’s as if the trees are screaming for death,' Number 25 thought. As she walked on, the atmosphere of the place felt like it was physically pressing down on her chest.

  Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a silhouette in the corner of her left eye.

  She froze in her tracks and whipped her head toward where she had seen the figure. But there was no sign of life around, other than her own team.

  "Is there a problem, 25?" asked Number 4. Number 1 and Flora had also stopped, looking at her with curious eyes.

  "It truly is an oppressive atmosphere, isn't it?" Number 4 continued.

  "No, I just thought I saw something. We can continue."

  Number 25 tried to brush the topic aside; she simply didn't want to put up with Number 4's suddenly shifting personality any longer. The man who had caused such a scene over Number 7 just yesterday was acting today as if nothing had happened.

  Number 99, an eerie forest, and her own teammates... She could no longer figure out how she was going to get out of this situation.

  "WHEEE!"

  "Who's there?!"

  "Calm down, everyone, calm down. It’s harmless."

  Princess Flora tried to soothe the group, who had instantly gone on high alert at the strange, high-pitched sound, and continued.

  "It’s just a harmless fairy. Dixie, is that you, my dear?"

  At the Princess's call, the creature revealed itself. It was a cute fairy, no bigger than a hand, with pale pink wings and hair to match.

  Flying toward the Princess like a gentle breeze, the fairy suddenly spotted Number 25. It abruptly changed course, darted toward her, and perched right on top of her head.

  "Ahh! Hey, what is your problem!?"

  "It seems she’s taken a liking to you, my dear 25. Dixie, come here, darling," Flora said.

  Straining her eyes upward as if they might pop out of her skull to see the top of her own head, Number 25 wondered why this cute fairy was so interested in her.

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  "Dixie... I said come here."

  Upon Flora's sharp repetition, the cute fairy reluctantly drifted to the Princess's side.

  Seeing Flora's ever-present smile vanish, replaced by a harsh glare directed at the fairy, Number 25 couldn't help but think:

  'So that smile vanishes the moment her subjects disobey.'

  "Princess, can this little thing understand us? Or does it just make meaningless noises?"

  "Ah, my dear 1, of course she understands us. She’s just a bit scatterbrained. Otherwise, you would have listened to me the first time, wouldn't you, Dixie?"

  At the Princess's smile, the little fairy drifted backward slightly, then slowly nodded in agreement.

  "As for speaking... unfortunately, Dixie and fairies of her kind cannot speak our tongue."

  Uninterested in the Princess's answer, Number 1 didn't bother asking another question. Instead, Number 4 broke the silence.

  "I never guessed I'd see such a cute creature in the depths of this forest. Tell me, little one, what are you doing in a dangerous place like this?"

  At Number 4's question, the fairy seemed to have a sudden realization and began frantically trying to explain something to the Princess.

  Curious about what was being said, the team waited together for the interaction between the Princess and the fairy to end, looking to Flora for an explanation.

  The fairy’s frantic gestures and constant pointing toward the path ahead heightened the group’s curiosity even further.

  As the interaction continued, the smile that seemed plastered onto Flora's face slowly stiffened, then began to fade completely.

  When the conversation finally ended, Flora had fallen into a deathly silence.

  Unable to wait any longer, Number 1 started to approach Flora, but she sharply raised her right hand to stop him.

  She turned her face to the team. "We must reach the center of the Kingdom immediately," she said.

  Seeing the Princess this serious for the first time, the team didn't utter a word and began to follow her.

  Following the tiny fairy gliding ahead, the team picked up their pace considerably. Flora followed the fairy with grim determination, while Number 1 made no effort to hide the unease written on his face.

  At the very back, trying to keep up with the team's tempo, Number 25 and Number 4 were in a dire state. With every step, they felt a crushing weight settle upon them, unable to silence their souls screaming at them to run from the ominous presence ahead.

  ***

  After what felt like an endless march, the team arrived, breathless, at the entrance to the ruins.

  Dragging the suffocating air into their lungs, they began to advance silently amidst structures that resembled massive haunted houses.

  Feeling the tragic end of what might once have been a magnificent Elf Kingdom in every fiber of their beings, the team was brought to a halt by a strange sensation emanating from the courtyard.

  As Number 1 gripped his spear with his right hand, the team entered the courtyard on high alert.

  "Damn it! Damn it, damn it!"

  "Keep it down, 4!" Number 1 snapped. But it was hard not to be terrified by the sight before them.

  The smaller one’s eyes had popped out, the spilled blood dried on the grass right beneath her. The other one was in an even worse state; kneeling there, he looked as if everything inside him had been drained away, leaving only a husk behind.

  "Fuck... ah."

  Number 1 didn't know what to do in the face of what he was seeing; he kept glancing at the Princess, then back to examining these unfortunate corpses.

  Number 4 had averted his eyes from the sight. He gripped his hair with both hands, pulling at it involuntarily. His blue eyes were blown wide open, and nothing left his mouth but silent curses.

  Flora kept her face lowered, clenching her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms.

  Number 25 tried to shake off the shock of the scene before her, all while observing her teammates' reactions.

  'Flora's mask slipping, 4 losing his mind, 1's desperation... And the creator of this tableau: Number 99.'

  'Should I run? But Number 1 would stop me instantly. But what about 99? Can we even stand against him with this team? Fuck...'

  Her thoughts were interrupted as Dixie landed on her shoulder. Looking into the trembling eyes of the cute fairy, Number 25 rubbed her face with her right hand, trying to regain her focus.

  'I need to find a way out... No, I must find one.'

  "Number 99!"

  With Flora breaking her silence, the entire team shifted their focus to her.

  "What is the meaning of this, Princess? Did you lure us here just to face him?"

  Faced with Number 1's furious accusation, Flora was forced to push her own anger aside.

  "No, 1, please! Look, it is imperative that we take this scroll to the temple. But I swear to you, had I known that murderous wretch was here, I would never have put you in danger."

  "I... I know them. These are 15 and 16."

  With Number 4's interruption breaking the tension between them, Number 1 changed his line of questioning.

  "15 and 16, is it, 4?"

  He turned his gaze back to Flora.

  "Tell me, Flora... You screamed '99'. You've seen a scene like this before, haven't you?"

  Flora fell into silence as tears began to stream from her eyes.

  Seeing her cry, Number 1 didn't want to push the Princess any further, so he turned his focus back to the corpses.

  "My father... he was just like him. In his final moments, I mean..."

  Pointing a trembling finger at Number 16 amidst small sobs, Flora was only calmed when Number 1 pulled her into an embrace.

  "I'm sorry, Princess. I was inconsiderate," Number 1 said, holding the woman’s incredibly fragile frame.

  'So, Number 1, who didn't hesitate to execute a member of his own team for being weak, can't bear to see the Princess cry? Is that it?'

  As Number 25 passed these thoughts through her mind, she glanced at the fairy on her shoulder. The tiny creature seemed to have an approving demeanor. At least, that was what she wanted to believe.

  Between the scene before her and Flora's insincere attitude, she was barely managing to keep the contents of her stomach down.

  Number 4, on the other hand, watched the pair embracing while continuing to curse silently in his head.

  'I thought he would be stronger than this, 4...'

  "Alright people, let's calm down and put our new plan into motion."

  With Number 1's sudden speech, Number 25 silenced her thoughts.

  "My dear friends, first of all, I apologize to all of you. I swear, I had no intention of making you encounter that monster. But taking into account that he is nearby, we will need to hasten our steps."

  Stopping her sobs, the Princess wiped away the last remaining tears from her eyes, composed herself, and continued.

  "Dear Dixie, thank you for showing us the way. You may leave now."

  At the Princess's instruction, the little fairy floated off Number 25's shoulder, but instead of leaving, she moved behind 25's back, trying to hide.

  "Dixie! I told you t..."

  "Dixie, sweetie... Let's listen to the Princess. This place might be dangerous for you. Hide somewhere safe until we're done; I will come back for you."

  Interrupting the Princess, Number 25 spoke gently. The fairy hiding behind her nodded at this promise, then slowly floated up to find a hiding spot, disappearing from sight a moment later.

  "My, she really must like you, Number 25."

  Number 25 simply put on a smile in response to the Princess's remark.

  "Alright, Princess. Show us the way. If 99 shows up, he’s my problem. You two will help the Princess retrieve what belongs to us. Understood?" Number 1 said, commanding the attention of the group.

  "Then let's get to the temple at once," Flora added.

  Pulling themselves together, the team began to follow the Princess as the sun slowly bade them farewell, abandoning those two unfortunate players to their fate.

  Advancing through the ruins under the last rays of the sun, the team arrived before a relatively large structure at the end of the path.

  The building was adorned with motifs, but its greatest masterpiece was undoubtedly the depiction resembling a woman's body. However, due to the damage it had sustained, the part containing the head had collapsed, leaving only the torso with two open hands.

  "The Sun Goddess," Flora said, gazing at the artifact, and continued.

  "Once, the entrance to the temple was a visual feast; food that nourished our hearts and souls. Now, it is but a monument to destruction. That man who destroyed the Goddess's head... Ah, I apologize."

  Listening silently to the Princess, the team followed her into this ruined temple.

  They passed through the main gate, which opened into a vast hall, and proceeded toward the center. But a strange sensation cut their advance short.

  "Princess, don't you think it's a bit too dark? Where exactly is our target?" Number 1 whispered.

  "We need to go straight ahead and find the stairs leading down to the cellar."

  "Princess, there are corridors to our left and right, aren't there?" This time, it was Number 25 who asked, following Number 1.

  "Yes, Number 25, there are corridors on both sides. Why do you ask?"

  "The corridor on the left feels darker than it should be. Didn't that catch your attention?"

  After Number 25's remark, the team slowly looked first to the right, then to the left. Indeed, the left side not only felt darker, but staring at it for too long sent a shiver straight through their souls.

  "It feels like it's piercing my soul," Number 4 said.

  Hearing this, Flora turned around. "What did you say?"

  But without waiting for an answer, she turned to Number 25.

  "Could your arrows provide a little light?" she asked.

  Nodding in confirmation to the Princess, Number 25 grabbed her bow from her back with her right hand.

  "Alright, first I want you to send one of those glowing arrows down the right corridor," Flora said.

  "Princess, what does this mean?"

  "Just trust me, my dear Number 1. 25, please."

  Succumbing to her curiosity against the Princess's insistence, Number 25 aimed her bow at the right corridor and drew the string. As a glowing arrow materialized, she fired it into the corridor.

  The arrow flew without hitting any obstacles, illuminating the corridor piece by piece with its dim light until it finally disappeared.

  "Now the left side, please, 25."

  The Princess's continued insistence made the team uneasy. But curious about the outcome, Number 25 continued her task.

  She aimed her bow at the corridor on the left and drew it fully. As the glowing arrow appeared, she released the string once more.

  The arrow, which continued to glow all the way to the entrance of the corridor, vanished the instant it entered the uncanny darkness of the passage. Its light was snuffed out instantly.

  As the whistling sound of the arrow faded, the deathly silence of the temple was broken by a dull, flat voice echoing from the dark corridor.

  "I've been waiting for you, Princess."

  Chapter 7 is coming soon.

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