Chapter 127: TWO OPTIONS OUT.

Chapter 127: 127: TWO OPTIONS OUT.

"How could you... ah!"

Finn cried out in pain as he struggled to get back to his feet, but the force immediately pulled him down again. His entire body ached as he stared at June and Ryan.

"How could you do this to me...? You’re hurting me..."

Simon tried stepping forward, but June calmly said, "Get any closer and I’ll kick you in there as well. Then you two can suffer together."

"...."

Simon paused and stared at June. "But what’s all this about...?"

Ryan adjusted his glasses. "Are you just dumb or blinded by love? How did you even become an S-rank Esper...?"

"...."

June stared down at Finn. "Your dear friend here was nothing but a spy sent to sabotage us. I don’t really wish to judge your reasons for it, but do you know how much you hurt us with your silly acts?"

Simon slowly turned to Finn.

"What... what do you mean?"

Ryan smiled. "Wasn’t it obvious? I mean, from the beginning, it was a bit too obvious. You should get some acting lessons, maybe."

"I thought as much," Kael muttered from behind. "Guiding Simon like that...? I mean, you clearly wanted us dead or something."

June stared at Finn and sighed. "You’re lucky we’re supposed to be the good guys. Else, I’d be much worse."

Finn was still trapped within the field, struggling through the pain as he forced out, "I... I don’t know what you’re... talking about. Just let me go..."

Ryan nodded. "Fine. I guess we’ll have you deny it until the end. And you’ll only hurt yourself if you choose to stay in there for too long. We can’t get you out."

"Let me go..." Finn muttered.

Ryan added, "The only way to save your ass is quitting." He smiled. "So quit the competition and leave. Or you can stay there until the end and hurt yourself even more. Pick your ending."

Finn remained on his knees, struggling against the pain for a while as everyone simply stared at him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

June and Ryan shook their heads at the same time.

"He sure is persistent," June said.

Ryan turned to June. "I mean, is it just me, or has your acting improved? The way you played along without a script and everything."

June smiled, running a hand through his hair. "You flatter me. I’ve always been this good. I was once considered for an Oscar, you see."

The two giggled while Finn continued struggling inside the field.

Eventually, when Finn could no longer endure the pain, he tapped the button over his chest. Immediately, his body disappeared into purple dust as he was transported back to the academy.

"....."

Silence filled the space as everyone stared at the field slowly disappearing.

"Well, there goes another sacrifice," Ryan said, adjusting his glasses.

"Now what?" Simon asked.

"The field is broken," Ryan said with a smile.

"So we can grab it and leave...?" Nyx asked.

Ryan ran a hand over his chin. "Well, that’s a bit complicated. We have two scenarios now, and I’m not sure which one the dungeon will take..."

June tilted his head. "And they are...?"

Ryan explained, "Either the dungeon collapses after we grab the core and we have to run and find the exit portal as fast as possible... or we’re automatically teleported back to the academy after taking it."

He looked at the glowing core.

"And what determines all this is the right person taking the core. If it’s the right person, we peacefully teleport. If not..." Ryan smiled. "We run for our lives."

"Ah..."

They all nodded as they stared at one another.

"So who is the right person that can take it?" Kael asked.

Nyx immediately turned to June.

"It has to be him."

"...."

"Why do you say so?" Ryan asked.

Nyx smiled, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, he’s the prettiest, so..."

"....."

Kael rolled his eyes while Ryan smiled.

June tucked a strand of hair to the side of his face. "I mean, he didn’t lie though..."

"So who is taking it out?" Kael demanded impatiently.

June cast him a cold glare.

"Always ruining the moment."

He cleared his throat and straightened himself. "Well, since I’m the popular pick here, with the most gorgeous face card and all... I guess I have to listen to your pleas and pick it."

"Only one person picked you," Kael said.

"...."

Crickets.

June slowly cast him another cold glare.

"You should have honestly been the sacrifice for that magnetic field."

With that, June turned and majestically made his way toward the Dungeon Core. After a few seconds, he reached out and carefully pulled it out.

Silence.

June stood there with the glowing core resting in his hand as he stared around the space. The others stared back at him, waiting.

After several seconds passed, June smiled proudly.

"You see? Never underestimate the power of—"

Immediately, the entire dungeon began cracking and crumbling.

"....."

Another silence.

Kael scoffed, folding both arms as he smiled. "So much for being the right choice."

"Shut up!" Ryan snapped. "And run!"

Immediately, they all took off as the spherical space began collapsing around them. They rushed back through the portal entrance while everything behind them fell apart, crumbling into purple rocks, dust, and fragments of glowing stars.

Now they were back in the second zone, which was also collapsing piece by piece. Pillars and rocks came crashing down while parts of the space itself disappeared into dust. Nothing around them was stable anymore.

"How the fuck do we find the exit portal?!" June asked as they ran.

"Let’s keep moving! Maybe we have to get back to Zone One?!" Ryan shouted as they continued running, avoiding falling purple rocks and pieces of the collapsing space.

Ryan suddenly stopped for a moment to look around and study the atmosphere for clues. Without realizing it, a massive rock broke loose from above and came crashing directly toward him.

Kael immediately turned.

"Hey! Glasses, careful!"

He instantly dashed toward Ryan and shielded him from the falling rock.

The rock slammed into Kael’s shoulder before falling away. Kael grabbed Ryan in the process, and the two of them crashed onto the ground, rolling away from the debris.

On the other hand, a much smaller rock fell close to June and accidentally brushed against his fingers.

"Ouch."

June looked down at his hand. He was about to ignore it when Nyx suddenly grabbed his wrist and stared at the small amount of blood.

"You’re hurt..."

"Oh, I’m fine. It’s nothing much," June brushed it off. "We don’t have time. Let’s go now..."

"No."

Nyx firmly held onto June’s hand and stared at him.

June was surprised when he saw Nyx’s eyes slowly turn golden.

"You’re hurt..." Nyx said, his voice growing possessive as he stared at the blood on June’s fingers.

"And this dumb dungeon did it..."