—Now... Can we go to the portal? —asked Caria.
—It seems so —answered KathyIn.
—Let's go. —I shrugged.
Together we went through the portal. My vision turned completely white, and I felt a strange suction sensation, as if the ground beneath my feet was slippery and unstable.
—... A village? —I muttered, looking around.
The place was small, too small. From where I stood, I could see the entire village with a simple turn of my head. There was no life in it. The houses with thatched roofs were in ruins, as if they hadn't been touched by human hands for a long time. No one was there. Nothing moved.
—Where are we? —Asked KathyIn, her voice sounding as lost as mine.
I looked back. Caria was a bit behind, distrustful, as if expecting some movement or reaction from the other.
Instantly, we heard the tower's voice in our minds.
[Public mission begins: Protect the stone.]
[The test will last five days. Twice a day and ten times in total. Monsters will appear in this village.]
—Twice a day, ten times in total —muttered Caria in a low voice.
[The hours when the monsters will appear are not fixed. When they appear in the village, defend yourself against them. If the rock in the center of the village breaks, you will die.]
So we would be on the defensive. I observed the round rock that was almost three meters tall and placed in the middle of the village. This floor had been designed precisely for this. If you only listened this far, it would seem like a simple defensive battle, but...
[There must be at least one person in the village. If no one remains, those outside the village will be automatically summoned based on their distance.]
[It is perfectly safe outside the village. Keep in mind that it is difficult to survive even with ten people. We wish a satisfactory ending for your choice.]
—What? —Asked KathyIn, with an expression of surprise. Clearly, this was not what she expected to hear.
—There must be at least one person left in the village. —Caria murmured to herself.
Although she said it indirectly, it meant that there was a possibility of leaving the place. There had to be at least one person in the village; if no one remained, the closest one would be automatically summoned.
I didn't like the feeling of not having control over things, but I wasn't the only intelligent person in the world. I looked at the two women and, excluding myself, I wondered: what choice would they make in this situation?
I lowered my gaze. As expected, we couldn't stay together. If things unfolded as planned, someone would try to escape.
—For now, let's head to the center where the rock is. —I suggested, starting to walk towards the center of the village.
—Yes! —KathyIn followed me with childish enthusiasm.
My face hardened with a frown as I looked ahead.
This wouldn't be easy.
As we advanced, I analyzed the village. The houses were arranged in concentric circles around the central square, where the stone we had to protect stood.
The structure had a certain defensive logic, but it also presented obvious vulnerabilities. If the monsters attacked simultaneously from multiple directions, it would be impossible for us to cover them all with only three people.
The wind blew slightly, raising small whirlwinds of dust in the deserted streets. The silence was almost absolute, interrupted only by our steps.
I looked up at the sky. The sun was at its zenith, which meant we had a moment to breathe before the first attack, assuming they followed a logical pattern.
The path to the heart of the village didn't take too long. I stopped and turned to look at the two girls who were following me with tense and doubtful expressions.
—So... Are you going to stay here to fight or are you going to flee?
KathyIn and Caria visibly startled at my direct questioning. I noticed how they exchanged nervous glances. I sighed deeply.
—If we fight... Can we survive? —Asked Caria, her face darkening as the words left her trembling lips. A question that became a question again.
KathyIn remained silent, her gaze lost in the sky, as if seeking answers in clouds that were not willing to reveal their secrets.
—Originally, it would have been difficult even for ten people. But we are only three. —Caria's observation was logical.
—The reason why it's difficult even with ten people is probably because of the rules.
—Hum? —She managed, confused.
—There has to be at least one person in the village. And it's safe outside the village. You understand that, right? —I cleared my throat and waited a moment before continuing—. Even if ten people were on this floor, it's likely that at least one person would flee. If one person leaves, then everyone else will slowly leave too. So it's inevitable that the test starts and proceeds with a small number of people.
At my words, KathyIn and Caria kept their mouths shut and lowered their heads, acknowledging the truth in my reasoning. Their expressions revealed that I had touched a sensitive point.
—I'm sorry to doubt you, but I think both of you might have had that kind of thoughts.
The silence that followed confirmed my suspicions. The idea that it was safe outside the village and that only one person needed to be in the town had clearly brought the word "escape" to their minds. The temptation was evident in their eyes.