Extra's Descent - Chapter 348

Chapter 348: Rain of Reflections [1]
“What?”

Bellion’s eyes widened in shock upon staring at the screen. There were several cadets, but their main focus was Brandon and Raven. Ideally, since the two had the most unusual exam.

“What’s wrong, Field Marshal?”

One of the officers present asked. They were unaware of the simulation’s intricacies. Additionally, not one of the officers, including Bellion, had ever stepped foot inside the real Dimensional Tower.

But Bellion was at least informed of what each floor entailed, and each Tower ID’s order.

He was aware of how to clear the floors, and the gimmicks it had.

“Can anyone bring me the Tower ID order list?”

Bellion ordered.

“Understood.”

The officers quickly got to work, and in a matter of minutes, a document was presented to Bellion, who stood still. Staring at the monitor that displayed Brandon and Raven for a few seconds, Billion’s gaze shifted towards the documents in his hand.

Flip—

Flipping the pages, soon he landed on page 233.

“….”

Bellion’s expressions broke.

“What’s wrong, Field Marshal?”

“The order is all wrong. The floor they’re in isn’t what the second floor is supposed to be…..”

“What? How is that possible?”

The officer exclaimed. It was ridiculous. To think there were so many bugs.

Soon after, Bellion pursed his lips.

“Pause their examination for now. Bring them out.”

“Understood, Grand Marshal.”

All the officers spoke in unison.

***

Drip. Drip….!

It was raining, a full contrast to the previous floor, which was completely desert.

But for the two, who were completely covered in blood, and most probably the thirstiest they had ever been, saw it as a blessing.

“Haaa….”

“Huu….”

The two’s mouths parted open, and the rain water washed over them.

Was it safe? Maybe not, or maybe it was. Regardless, it was a simulation. If they died, they would only be taken back to the real world.

They were really thirsty, and it would be hard to continue forward under the state.

In any case, as soon as they finished, Brandon took a deep breath and looked around.

“….”

The sky was rather bleak, with clouds constantly pouring a heavy, chilling rain.

The rain looked like it had no plans in stopping, highly likely the fixed environment for the floor.

Furthermore…..

“Hmm….”

There were several mirrors, all in the size of an adult human, laying out before them. Brandon could wholeheartedly swear the entire scenery looked familiar. But he couldn’t peer that far into his memory to remember.

“What do you think these mirrors are for?”

Raven asked.

Brandon looked around first before responding.

“Why are you asking me?”

“You look like you had an idea what was going on.”

“Ah, no. It’s not that. Just that, this rain…..”

For some reason, the rain felt rather…. oppressive.

The entire atmosphere felt cumbersome. But in any case, that’s how rainy seasons always felt like. But still, Brandon couldn’t help but think of the things he had been trying to bury deep in his heart.

It was especially harder knowing Raven was around.

Raven was the sole reason for the heavy thoughts in his mind. The only reason he could put up with him was due to the sheer fact that he could turn things around as long as he influenced him.

Ba… Thump! Ba… Thump!

At that moment, his heartbeat started to quicken, and he felt something stuck in the back of his throat.

“Haaa…. H-haaa….”

It was getting harder to breathe. Brandon turned around while Raven was busily checking the mirrors out. Taking something from his system inventory, Brandon opened the lid and chugged down a bunch of pills.

“Haaa…. Haaa….”

The other instructors might’ve been watching. But that didn’t matter. It was his business.

As soon as he calmed down, Brandon drew another breath in, then looked ahead. Raven seemed to be playing with his own reflection.

Additionally, he had just come to notice the system message.

[Clear the Rain of Reflection Maze.]

“….”

‘A maze, huh?’

Soon after, Brandon approached Raven, occasionally glancing at the mirrors around him which showed his reflection.

“So, have you found anything?”

Raven’s fingers traced the mirror’s surface first before responding.

“No, but….”

Raven’s gaze lingered ahead.

“This maze is confusing.”

“Oh?”

Brandon’s brows raised. He scanned the surroundings, his eyes darting from mirror to mirror. Every path seemed identical, soaked in fog.

“No markings, no clues… It wants us to guess.

Raven sighed, his fingers brushing over the mirror one last time before turning towards Brandon.

[Time Remaining: 18:04]

Brandon’s eyes narrowed at the timer: 18 hours. They had three floors left, and each one would be harder than the last.

That being said, they traversed the mirror maze. The further they went, the stronger the rain poured.

Brandon kept moving, his focus sharp despite the increasing downpour. The rain was relentless, pounding against his shoulders, each step feeling heavier than the last.

But that wasn’t the main problem.

The reflections.

“….”

….They were distorting.

As if they were reflecting the inner depths of his soul, his hidden feelings, his emotions.

A twisted version of themselves.

But…. Brandon couldn’t deny it couldn’t be further from the truth.

But it wasn’t the same case for Raven.

“That’s cruel…..”

Raven’s expressions cracked, his eyes scanning the mirrors, each reflecting twisted versions of themselves.

The oppressive atmosphere pulled at their emotions, attempting to draw out his insecurities.

Brandon could see a reflection of Raven, who looked sorrowful.

“This isn’t real, right?”

He turned towards Brandon and asked.

“….”

But Brandon remained silent.

Brandon wasn’t oblivious to the fact that his own reflections harbored a bit of truth.

Suddenly, one of the reflections caught Brandon’s eye.

“….”

Himself, alone, standing over a broken Raven. A chill ran down his spine, and he clenched his fists, forcing himself to look away.

“Ignore it.”

He whispered, more to himself than for Raven.

They continued traversing.

One more reflection, and the atmosphere grew heavy. Unknowingly, Raven began to distance himself from Brandon.

An unspoken discrepancy.

And the next reflection,

“….”

“….”

The two paused.

In the mirror, not so far from them, a reflection of Brandon killing Raven displayed.

“Ignore.”

Brandon muttered once more, the rain cascading down, drenching his bangs, his face darkening.

“….Yeah.”

Raven replied hesitantly.

Drip. Drip.

The air grew silent. Only the sound of raindrops remained as their heart grew heavy.

Brandon and Raven pressed on, the rain unrelenting as the reflections grew darker.

But in the next few minutes….

“….”

Raven stopped as his eyes widened. In the mirror, Brandon was walking away, leaving Raven alone in a wasteland. Raven’s fear of abandonment laid bare.

“Don’t look.”

Brandon urged, voice tense.

“Why does it always show us like this?”

Raven whispered as he stepped back.

“Keep moving.”

Brandon said without even looking back. The reflections were getting worse. It wasn’t even looking into their souls anymore.

It was directly reflecting their imagination.

Exactly what was in their head at that moment. But of course, Raven didn’t know that.

At least….

He shouldn’t have.

Another reflection.

Raven standing over Brandon, a weapon in hand as Brandon lay on the ground, defeated, eyes vacant.

There was no denying it.

If the reflections Brandon had seen about himself were a figment of his imagination, then that meant Raven’s reflections were also within his thoughts at that moment.

It wasn’t like that at first.

But the stronger the rain poured, the darker their thoughts went.

“It’s not real…”

Raven muttered, tearing his eyes away.

Raven saw Brandon’s tension and felt the growing gap between them.

Next reflection.

“….”

“….”

Raven alone, surrounded by shattered mirrors. His eyes looked hollow as if his spirit broke.

Brandon’s gaze shifted, seeing himself surrounded by several bodies.

But,

“Brandon.”

“….”

They were his own bodies.

The silence between them grew, the rain feeding their doubt.

“Ignore. Ignore. Ignore….”

Brandon continuously said, avoiding Raven’s eyes.

“Yeah…..”

Until finally, they paused. In front of them were two large mirrors. They looked akin to gates.

Then, the system message appeared in Brandon’s peripheral vision.

[Choose one gate and enter.]

Brandon scanned. The right gate showed a future where they rose to the third floor.

On the left, however, showed a future where they were both surrounded by monsters. Brandon could tell at a glance that they were at a level he couldn’t handle.

The reflections couldn’t be more obvious.

The mirrors didn’t lie. They had only shown the truth, and Brandon was aware of that.

The two glanced at each other before briefly nodding, a silent agreement.

“Right.”

“The left.”

Their voices clashed. Two opposite answers.

[Time Remaining: 16:54]