Marie stood tall, though her body trembled from exhaustion. Beside her, Jared and Ethan barely held themselves upright, their wounds fresh and their breaths shallow. Yet, the three of them stood unwavering, determined to protect Isaki as he channeled his Aura for the decisive strike. The air around Isaki seemed to hum with raw energy as he knelt, gripping his sword, eyes focused on the gargoyle towering before them.

The enormous creature's bat-like wings cast a menacing shadow over the battlefield, its lion-like face snarling in fury, while its serpentine tail coiled and lashed behind it. Its eyes glowed like molten lava, scanning its prey with an unrelenting ferocity.

"Hold on a little longer, Isaki," Marie said to herself, gripping her sword with what little strength remained. She lunged toward the gargoyle, her blade slicing through one of its massive legs. The gargoyle roared in pain but retaliated instantly, swinging its other leg with bone-crushing force. Marie barely had time to react before she was thrown across the battlefield, landing hard against the stone ground.

"Marie!" Jared and Ethan yelled in unison. Despite their own injuries, they charged at the gargoyle. Ethan swung his sword at its torso, and Jared aimed for its arm, but their strikes merely bounced off the creature's hardened exterior. The gargoyle let out an ear-splitting roar, its frustration mounting.

It turned toward Marie, who struggled to her feet, coughing and gripping her ribs. The gargoyle charged at her with deadly intent. Seeing this, Jared and Ethan acted swiftly, shouting to divert its attention. "Over here, you monster!" Ethan yelled, while Jared flung a rock at its face. The distraction worked; the gargoyle shifted its focus and lunged toward them instead.

But the price of their bravery was steep. The gargoyle's serpentine tail lashed out, striking Ethan and sending him sprawling to the ground. At the same moment, it delivered a devastating punch to Jared, who raised his sword in a futile attempt to block the blow. The force sent him flying backward, his weapon shattered.

Marie watched in horror as the gargoyle picked up both Ethan and Jared in its massive hands, gripping them like toys. Their screams of pain pierced the air as the creature began to crush them. Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned to Isaki, who remained in deep concentration.

"How much longer, Isaki?!" she cried out, desperation clear in her voice.

"Just a little more!" Isaki shouted back, his Aura flaring brighter with each passing second.

Summoning the last vestiges of her strength, Marie gritted her teeth and charged once more. She leapt toward the gargoyle's back, her sword slicing deep into its stony hide. A guttural scream escaped the creature as it dropped Jared and Ethan to the ground with a thud. Whipping around, it backhanded Marie with its massive fist. She flew through the air and skidded to a stop, coughing and clutching her side.

The gargoyle's rage was now fully unleashed. It began tearing chunks of rock from the ground, hurling them at Isaki to interrupt his focus.

But Isaki was ready.

Dodging the incoming projectiles, he surged forward, channeling his Aura into his feet to propel himself into the air. His sword glowed with an ethereal light as he gripped it with both hands. Time seemed to slow as he executed the third move of the "Lunar Sword Technique"—Lunar Descent. With a mighty roar, he brought his blade down in a devastating arc, cleaving the gargoyle cleanly in half.

The enormous beast let out one final roar before collapsing in two massive, lifeless chunks. The ground trembled beneath the weight of its fall. Dust and debris filled the air as silence reclaimed the battlefield.

Isaki landed shakily, struggling to keep his balance. His breaths were ragged, but a flicker of triumph lit his weary eyes. He turned to Marie, who was struggling to her feet. Helping her up, he gave her a weak smile. "It's over," he said, though his voice was hoarse.

Marie nodded, leaning on him for support. "Barely," she whispered, glancing toward Jared and Ethan, who lay unconscious on the ground. The two of them approached their fallen comrades, but before they could check on them, the magic bracelets on Jared and Ethan's wrists began to glow. In a flash of light, the two were teleported away.

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"They're gone," Marie murmured, exhaustion in her voice.

"It's just the two of us now," Isaki said, his tone quiet but resolute.

Marie took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Then let's keep going. We need to reach the center of the labyrinth."

Marie and Isaki turned toward the stone door, which was now wide open, its heavy slabs silently sliding apart to reveal a dimly lit passage beyond. The air emanating from the opening was heavy and cool, carrying with it a faint, eerie hum. They exchanged a glance, exhaustion still etched on their faces, but determination burned in their eyes. Without a word, they began moving toward the mysterious doorway.

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Meanwhile, Gaus's group stood at the threshold of a dense hedge tunnel. The gnarled branches twisted together overhead, blocking out most of the light, creating an oppressive atmosphere. The air was thick with the sound of chirping crickets, the rustling of leaves, and the faint clicking of insect legs against the bark. The boy trailing behind Gaus and Ray grimaced, brushing off an ant that had crawled onto his sleeve.

"Ugh, this place is crawling with bugs. Do we really have to go through here?" he asked, his voice tinged with disgust.

"The bugs aren't attacking us because of the snake flesh," Ray replied sharply without looking back. "But if you keep whining, you'll make things worse for yourself."

Despite Ray's reassurance, the boy twitched nervously as small grasshoppers and beetles began crawling on the pieces of snake meat draped over them. One particularly bold cricket latched onto his arm, nibbling at the flesh.

"Something's eating the snake meat!" the boy exclaimed, trying to shake the creature off.

"Quiet!" Ray snapped, turning his head slightly. "If they finish the meat, we'll have bigger problems. Just keep walking."

Gaus, swatting away a moth near his face, muttered under his breath, "How long is this tunnel? It feels endless."

Suddenly, a faint light emitted from their bracelets, catching them off guard.

"Hey, my bracelet's glowing!" Gaus said, raising his arm to inspect it.

"Mine too!" added the boy behind them.

Ray glanced at his own wrist, his expression hardening. "This might not be a good sign."

Their speculation was cut short as the familiar disembodied female voice echoed around them:

"Congratulations. You're nearing the center of the labyrinth. Only two teams remain. Hurry, you have thirty minutes left."

Gaus's eyes lit up with determination. "We're close! Let's move!"

However, the glow of the bracelets seemed to attract unwanted attention. The insects, previously indifferent to their presence, began crawling toward them in droves, drawn to the shimmering light.

"Uh, guys… the bugs are coming closer," the boy said, his voice quivering.

"Run!" Ray commanded, breaking into a sprint.

They bolted through the narrow path, the branches of the hedge snagging at their makeshift coverings. With each step, more of the snake flesh was torn away, leaving them exposed.

"Agh!" the boy cried out suddenly. "Something bit me!" He stumbled, clutching his arm.

"Keep moving!" Ray barked, not slowing his pace.

Gaus, panting heavily, squinted into the distance. "I see something—an opening ahead!"

But before they could reach it, the boy let out another anguished scream. He collapsed to the ground, clutching at his legs as swarms of insects began covering him.

"I can't—ahhh!"

Ray and Gaus emerged from the hedge moments later, their breaths ragged. A small lizard clung to Gaus's neck, and he quickly slashed it away with his sword, cursing under his breath. Ray calmly brushed a large grasshopper from his hair and crushed it underfoot.

A faint light glowed from the hedge behind them. The boy had been teleported out, leaving only Ray and Gaus.

Gaus rubbed his neck, now red and sore from bites. "These bugs… they're relentless," he muttered, wincing.

Ray's expression remained cold as he said, "Let's move."

Now alone with Ray, Gaus couldn't suppress the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine. Something about Ray's calm under pressure unsettled him, making him acutely aware of the precariousness of their partnership. Swallowing hard, he followed in silence.

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Elsewhere, outside the labyrinth, Jessica stood at the edge of the Illusion Chamber. She adjusted her gloves before stepping into the room, her form vanishing in an instant.

The air around her shifted, and she found herself in the heart of the labyrinth. A vast, circular clearing lay before her, the ground etched with intricate runes that pulsed faintly with light. At the center stood Selene, her hands clasped behind her back as she gazed into the distance.

Selene turned at the sound of Jessica's arrival, her brow furrowing. "What are you doing here?"

Jessica smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. "I wanted to check on the progress. How close are we?"

Selene sighed, motioning toward the runes. "Two groups remain. They're making their way here now."

"Good," Jessica said, stepping closer. "I'd like to make a few… adjustments."

Selene arched an eyebrow. "Adjustments? We're almost at the final phase. What are you planning?"

Jessica's smirk widened as she leaned in. "Just a little something to keep things interesting."