CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Beyond the Glass
The Sixth Door – Immediately After
The door slid open with a hiss of pressurized air.
But instead of another cold chamber or gleaming corridor, the trio stepped into—
—a city.
Sort of.
The space before them stretched wide—a massive dome, hundreds of feet across, housing what looked like a fabricated skyline: streets, buildings, flickering lights, and people moving in the distance.
Reina blinked. "This… is fake."
Noah looked up. The sky above was a perfect replica—sunset clouds and stars bleeding through. But he could see the dome's seams now. Projected reality.
A soft chime echoed overhead.
> Welcome to Phase II: The Arena
Tower Completion: 100%
Survivors Transferred: 14
New Rules Apply.
Memory Synchronization Begins.
Faction Protocols Initiated.
---
The Arena
Three figures approached—wearing dark grey jackets with red symbols across the chest: ΔK-09.
One of them—a woman with short white hair and an electronic eyepiece—stopped in front of Noah.
"Took you long enough," she said. "You're with us now. Division K."
Marik frowned. "Us?"
She nodded toward the buildings beyond. "There are factions here. Survivors from other Towers, other Zones. Some operate alone. Others follow House Rules."
Reina stepped forward. "Who runs this?"
The woman smirked. "Nobody. Not anymore. We're in the Free Arena now. Which means you better start choosing sides."
Behind her, more players were filtering into the streets—some wounded, others moving like soldiers. Every one of them wore a symbol.
ΔK. ΩN. ΣV. ⬛ Unmarked.
---
The Reunion
In the distance—two familiar figures:
Tayo—his arm in a sling, but alive. Standing beside Eliah, who looked unchanged but wary.
Reina gasped and ran forward. Tayo caught her with a stunned laugh.
"I thought you were gone," he whispered.
"So did I."
They embraced. Behind them, a screen shimmered to life across a skyscraper-sized wall.
> Next Event Incoming: 48 Hours
Format: Faction War
Zone: Sublevel Echo
Rules Drop in T-minus: 12 hours
Memory Restoration Countdown: 6 Days
Noah narrowed his eyes. "Memory… restoration?"
The white-haired woman glanced back. "You think the Towers were the beginning?"
She pointed to the city beneath the dome.
"This is where it really starts."
---
Faction Reveal – Division K
She introduced herself as Sarai, captain of Division K.
Each faction, she explained, had a specialty:
ΔK (Division K): Tactical, Logic, Recon Games
ΩN (Omega Nine): Psychological Warfare & Betrayal Trials
ΣV (Sigma Vale): Tech-Based, Puzzle and Coding Formats
⬛ Unmarked: Rogues, outlaws, and unclaimed players surviving off scraps
"You survived the Diamonds. That gets you in the door," Sarai said. "But the next games won't let you win by being clever alone. You'll need loyalty. Strategy. Sacrifice."