Anya's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief as she explained, "As I mentioned earlier, this leaf will be our key to deceiving the beings of this magical world. I acquired it from the other magical realm when you were all inquiring about Wendy's wound. During that moment, I requested the voice of that world to provide me with a means to evade detection, and that's when I received this leaf tattoo."
Sangwon's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "Okay, but what's the precise function of this leaf?"
Anya's smile grew wider as she elaborated, "The leaf displays a timer, which indicates the duration of our invisibility to the magical beings. Once we activate it, we'll be able to move undetected for the specified time period. However, it's crucial that we return before the timer expires, or the consequences could be unpredictable."
The timer on the leaf pulsed with an urgent glow, casting a determined light on Min-Hyuk's face. "One hour," he whispered, his eyes locking onto Anya's. "Is that all the time we've got?"
Anya's smile flashed like a spark of confidence. "We'll make the most of it. With the leaves activated, we'll have sixty minutes to make our move."
Gyeon Wo's gaze darted toward the door, his eyes burning with anticipation. "Shall we get started, then?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
The leaves activated with a soft hum, and the sound of ticking filled the air: tick... tick... tick...
Sangwon's voice was a low, urgent whisper. "Let's go, guys! We're on the clock!"
Anya and Sangwon sprinted toward the gate, their footsteps light and swift, their movements a blur of speed and stealth. Meanwhile, Gyeon Wo and Emma dashed toward the kitchen, their actions fluid and practiced. Min-Hyuk turned to Wendy, his expression serious. "Wendy, keep the door closed until Sangwon and the others get back. We can't afford to raise any suspicions."
Anya's hair flowed behind her like a dark waterfall as she led the way, her eyes locked on the path ahead. "This way," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of their pounding hearts.
Sangwon followed closely behind, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a mixture of caution and curiosity. "Is this the path we came through earlier?" he asked, his voice low and rough.
Anya nodded, her face set in a determined expression. "Yes, let's hurry. Time's running out." The ticking sound continued to echo in the background, a constant reminder of their limited time.
Just as they picked up speed, someone attacked them, catching Sangwon and Anya off guard. Their hearts racing in unison, Sangwon exclaimed, "Ack! What just happened?" as he looked at Anya in shock.
Is the leaf's timer not functioning, or perhaps it's not entities from this world but rather a malicious individual who has followed us here? Anya queried, her tone laced with suspicion.
Sangwon responded, his brow furrowed, "Do you mean someone from the other teams?"
Suddenly, another attack struck Anya, eliciting anguished gasps:
"Ack! Ack!"
as she was being choked. Sangwon swiftly intervened, rushing to Anya's side and activating his protective shield tattoo, a luminous barrier enveloping them.
"What is happening? Who is attacking us?" Anya exclaimed, her breathing labored.
Within her mind, a connection crystallized: _It mirrored the incident in the kitchen with Leena – someone choked me then, too. Could it be her?_ "Leena, it's you, isn't it?" Anya accused, her gaze intense. "I know it's you; you attempted to choke me in the kitchen earlier as well, but I wasn't certain then. Now I am – so reveal yourself!"
Sangwon's confusion was evident. "What do you mean, Leena? And what do you mean she choked you earlier, huh?"
A sly, menacing laugh preceded Leena's emergence from the shadows. "Oh, it seems you've caught me, haven't you?" Leena said, deploying her power to shatter the protective shield. "Shh… Shh…" She applied her power to Anya, who then fell with a heavy thud to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Sangwon exclaimed, rushing towards Leena with a fervent cry, his protective tattoo bursting into a radiant light, shielding Anya with palpable intensity. He collided with Leena, muscles tense, driven by an overwhelming urge to protect.
Leena's lips curved into a disturbingly serene smile. "Why are you always beside her, Sangwon? Always safeguarding her? I'm your fan – I admire you with a depth that borders on devotion. Yet she's the sole recipient of your allegiance? We met once in our world, a fleeting moment lost to your memory but etched in mine. Let's escape together, just you and I, abandoning them in this forsaken realm, returning to our original world where we'll be like two stars in perfect binary orbit.
Sangwon's expression twisted in disbelief. "What are you saying? Have you succumbed to madness? We can all return together – reclaim your sanity, Leena!"
"No!" Leena screamed, her voice slicing through the air like a tempest. "I'd rather annihilate her!" With intense mental force, she hurled Sangwon aside like a broken puppet, resuming her stranglehold on Anya.
"Ack... Ack..." Anya gasped, lungs aflame.
In a defiant surge, Anya rasped, "'To be this selfish is the ultimate indulgence of one's own shadows.'" Pushing Leena forcefully down, Sangwon's eyes widened in stunned amazement – those were the words he'd whispered to his online friend; his gaze met Anya's, revelation-sparks dancing between them like dazzling fireworks, as if invisible destiny-threads bound them, echoing cyberspace's quiet-corridor secrets.Before Leena could unleash another soul-shattering assault, Sangwon catapulted her away with a fierce kick, his burning gaze still clenched onto Anya's quivering silhouette like a lifeline in a tempest! "Anya, are you OKAY?!" he cried, his voice a tender thunder infused with heart-stopping concern, starting to breathe, "The line you quoted –" then Anya's angelic voice SLASHED through his, with ELECTRIFYING suddenness: "OH, that line! My online friend, the mysterious whisperer of my digital night, ONCE UTTERED those EXACT, FATEFUL words, and they ECHOED within me like a RAVENOUS melody storming the darkest, most SECRET strings of my SOUL, branding me with an ETERNAL mark!"
The truth slammed into Sangwon like a thunderbolt. "Is she the one I used to whisper secrets to in the digital shadows?" His eyes blazed with realization as the puzzle pieces clicked into place. "That friend... is Anya?" The revelation ignited a firestorm of emotions within him.
Leena's maniacal laughter pierced the air, her eyes blazing with hellish fury as she launched a ferocious assault. "Aaaaack!" she shrieked, her voice echoing through the room.
Anya's voice sliced through the chaos. "Have you lost your mind?"
Leena's response was a venomous hiss. "I've gone mad, and I'll only find sanity when you're gone – forever!"
The clock ticked away with deadly precision, each second a countdown to doom. Sangwon's voice was a commanding whisper. "Anya, let's unleash our combined powers – NOW!"
Anya nodded, and their energies merged in a spectacular display of might. Leena retaliated with all her strength, but she was hurled to the ground, her body crashing down as she fainted.
Sangwon's gaze snapped to Anya. "What are you doing?"
"My mind controller tattoo will erase her memories – for now," Anya replied, her voice calm and calculated. "Let's move – every second counts!"
As they prepared to escape, Sangwon's curiosity flared. "What's your online friend's name – the one you mentioned earlier?"
Anya's smile was enigmatic. "The name is intriguing – Lovely Tiramisu." Her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Sangwon's gaze lingered on Anya, his thoughts clicking into place. "I was right," he thought. "Anya is my online friend."
Anya's smile deepened. "Interesting name, isn't it?" She paused, her voice taking on a philosophical tone. "Sometimes, strangers are like medicine – a temporary remedy for our emotional pain. Just as sleeping pills help us find rest, strangers can offer a safe space to share our secrets without fear of judgment, because the likelihood of crossing paths is slim."
Sangwon's eyes remained fixed on hers, intrigued. "So, your online friend is like a therapeutic remedy... or a temporary cure, like sleeping pills?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Anya chuckled softly. "Perhaps."
Sangwon's expression turned serious as he gently examined Anya's neck. "You said Leena choked you. Why didn't you tell anyone? Are you okay now?"
Anya's voice was a gentle whisper. "I'm fine – I didn't want to worry anyone, so I kept it to myself. But I used a healing tattoo, and I'm all good now."
Sangwon's eyes sparkled with excitement. "The red-zoned rooms are right ahead – we're on the right track!" They both sprinted forward, their hearts racing in tandem.
In the kitchen, Gyeon Wo and Emma were on high alert, their senses on full throttle. "Anya was right – this kitchen has an eerie vibe," Emma whispered, her voice laced with unease.Emma whispered, her voice laced with unease.
Gyeon Wo's gaze locked onto the walls, his eyes narrowing. "The pattern seems off – a cryptic zigzag design with a hidden circle pattern within."
Emma's eyes widened. "You're right! I didn't notice that."
As they traced the pattern, their fingers stumbled upon two bricks that seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly energy. "These two bricks are different," Emma breathed.
Gyeon Wo's fingers danced across the brick, and the air was electric with anticipation.
"Nothing's happening," Emma whispered, her eyes fixed on the brick.
"Perhaps the key lies in touching both bricks simultaneously," Gyeon Wo said, his eyes meeting Emma's. "On the count of three, Emma, you touch that brick, and I'll touch this one."
As they counted down, a mysterious, glowing brick materialized before them. "Gyeon Wooooo!" Emma exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder.
The brick featured an intricate key pattern, but Gyeon Wo's gaze swept the area, puzzled. "This brick bears a key pattern, but where's the actual key?"
Emma's eyes narrowed as she studied the wall. "The pattern is complex, hidden in plain sight. At first glance, the wall seems ordinary, but look closer, and its secrets reveal themselves."
Gyeon Wo nodded resolutely. "We still have some time left, so let's keep looking for the key."
Meanwhile, Anya and Sangwon continued their quest, driven by determination and curiosity.