"Let the Trial begin"
"Hm? You seem a bit shocked [Y/N]-chan. Have you not read anything about the 'school's' description?"
Kanroji stated, looking towards you with a worried glance as you only deadpanned before grabbing both of her shoulders.
"Ah, I guess you wouldn't be able to, considering this academy is quite the confidential project. I forgot about that!"
"Where are they taking us ...?!"
You whisper shouted with wide eyes as you shook her shoulders vigorously before she managed to stop you as she grabbed both your biceps and forced you down.
"Since you did say your father once 'studied' here, I don't think revealing 'confidential' matters would be a problem."
She began before you hesistantly began to nod slowly, not knowing what to say to that.
'Confidential? What's the confidentiality for?'
The solid plane beneath soon starting to slow to a stop as the rumble began to calm.
"But before I begin..."
She said before pulling you up and immediately running towards the Kamado siblings' direction.
"...let's walk and talk. We might accidentally be left behind."
~~~
Standing in front of an incredibly tall wall that lead to a dead-end, causing all students to stop in their tracks and wait for further announcements.
"Ahh, so where should I start ...?"
She talked to herself as she closed her eyes and placed her hand underneath her chin in a thinking position.
"This school really isn't a school. It's more of a cover up than anything, to put it in much simpler terms."
You blankly stared at her as she said that. Not understanding one gibberish word that left her mouth.
"In clearer terms, however, the school and all that studying we did above there..."
Pointing towards the top where the level of the floor beneath their feet once stood.
"...is a disguise to hide the true — I guess you could say — identity of the school. There's a reason why you won't see much of a description about this school on websites or medias."
Seeing Tanjiro pop out from behind the pink and green-haired female as his mouth formed an 'o' shape, realizing what you and Mitsuri were talking about.
"That's right! All you would ever really see is the good education this academy gives to students who choose to study here. And how most of the successful people in Japan once became an attendee in this school."
"Then wouldn't that be similar to click baiting of the sort?"
You asked with a tilt of the head. You had a point.
"If the students attend school for good education but end up having to go through whatever's happening here, I would've thought this academy would have had a lower and poorer review."
"It depends if the student, or parent, knows about the secret of the school. If a parent or a student knows about the true inside of this building, they'll be given a chance to choose whether they want to continue down this path, or simply study and have a normal school life."
Nezuko interfered with an index finger pointing up. Voice in a matter-of-fact tone as you nodded at their explanation.
"That's if, they know how to keep a secret."
"Remember how I said that 'revealing confidential matters about this school wouldn't be a problem since your father studies here' about a few or so minutes ago?"
"Mhm. Clear as day."
"If I were to say that to any other person who is ignorant of it, i'd be in big, BIG trouble!!"
She said, stretching her arms out as she said the word 'big'. Exaggerating the tone at the last repeat of the word before shaking her head.
"Up there, everything is legal, safe and danger-free. Down here..."
She trailed off as a finger tap on the mic could be heard from the speaker located on the left and right top corner of the tall wall in front of them.
"The walls will be opening in five minutes. Please prepare yourselves as the grand master will soon announce the rules once everyone has arrived at the trial venue. Thank you for your patience."
"...everything is ...somewhat, illegal ...?"
"Illegal ...?!"
You whisper shouted again as you began to shake her shoulders.
"What do you mean, illegal ...?! My father studied in a criminal school?!"
"[Y-Y/N]-san, please stop shaking Kanroji-senpai-"
Tanjiro interfered with a wobbly smile as he sweat dropped and stretched his hands out to try and separate you from the green-eyed female.
"No, Tanjiro ...!"
You whisper shouted as you then moved on to Tanjiro's shoulders and shook him back and forth as he willingly allowed himself to do so.
"I entered this school with my father's permission because he said there will be duels! Legal duels with people and not getting exactly hurt! You know, wearing protective gears and stuff Now, what is this?!"
"Sooo, you're saying you know how to combat using weapons? That'll come in handy then!!"
You deadpanned as you stopped at Kanroji's statement.
"Handy?! What's with this school?!"
"Reminder, this isn't a real school. It's similar to a university, I guess you could say? The grading system is pretty different here too."
"Welcome everyone, I am delighted to see the lot of you arrived down here safely, to the underground venue. Now, onto the trial."
The speaker sounded as it rung in each student's ears before the once dead-end that stood in front of all of them began to slide open.
Shaking the ground immensely as dust and dirt begin to fly upwards, causing you to cough and cover your mouth with the top of your shirt as you squinted your eyes to see through the dust cloud.
Only for your mouth to drop open as your eyes grew wide at the three large paths in front of you. Each of those paths separating into three smaller paths that lead ...somewhere.
"Oooo the trial is about to begin!"
Kanroji said with a smile, giving small claps before she stopped and glanced towards you.
"Are you going to be-"
"What the hell is that?!"
"Look further into the large paths in front of you. Three groups, will be chosen to go first into said paths. The first group will be gathered in the first path. The second, in the second path and the third in the third path."
"if I remember, our groups is based off of our room numbers, correct?"
A familiar female voice sounded behind you as you turned and you immediately backed away in slight shock.
"Kocho-senpai!"
Tanjiro said with a smile as Shinobu gave him a smile back.
"Hello to you too, Kamado-san!"
"After each group has been separated into the three large paths in front of you, each member will then be further separated into three smaller paths that lead different ways."
"i don't ...get it."
You muttered underneath your breath as Kanroji only smiled and whispered.
"Do you know maze runner?"
"Yeah ...?"
You replied hesitantly, not sure where she's going with this as she only nodded her head before standing back up.
"The three large paths the speaker mentioned? Those are separate paths that lead to a largeeee maze. So you, me and Nezuko will be placed together on one of those large paths, moving further, we will then be separated again into three smaller paths, as the lady in the speaker mentioned."
"Haha, good thing it's just a maze, there won't be any monsters, right?"
You laughed it off as you wiped the sweat dripping of your head before Kanroji stopped for a moment as if thinking.
" ...right?"
You repeated again as Mitsuri opened her mouth, however, no words left her mouth as she glanced at the entrances of the maze with a rather worried look.
"There are no monsters-"
"Oh good-"
"But, we will be facing off against the ...'other side' of the 'school'."
" ...what?"
Nezuko only shook her head with just the same amount of worry Mitsuri had as she began to explain.
"Simply letting students into the maze would be easy. The grandmaster always, always let's the opposing side of the school into it and chase us down. It's also a part of their grading system so they don't really have a choice."
"Chase us down?? Are they going to kill us?!"
"No, no, of course not!! The grand master wouldn't go that far!!"
Nezuko said, waving her arms around with closed eyes.
"Though they will ...probably beat you half to death just to be able to ...chase you down and 'get rid' of you ..."
You shivered in slight fear before nervously laughing as you realized there's a possibility that your group (with Nezuko and Mitsuri) won't be the first to go in, leaving you with more time to figure out the mechanics of this so called maze.
"First group, room 46. Please walk towards the first path."
"Okay so, first you'll be needing this watch. Keep it on you at all times."
Shinobu said, offering you a watch that she slid off of her wrist, wrapped it and locked it around yours.
"You'll realize what it's for as soon as you get a hang of what's happening in the maze."
"Second group, room 64. Please proceed to the second path."
"Isn't this cheating?"
You asked as you raised the watch up to eye-level as Tanjiro only tilted his head confusedly to the side.
"Cheating?"
He asked with dotted eyes as you lookes back at him with the same amount of confusion.
"Yes?"
"The last of the group to first enter the maze will be .."
"There are not much rules to know about once you enter the maze [Y/N]-san. The rules they have given off is simplified to two final rules. First is to not kill. However, you may beat them as much as you want, as long as they stay alive."
"What's the second rule ..?"
You asked nervously as the lady soon spoke out the last room to enter the large maze.
"Room 14."
".. to survive and reach the end before the timer stops."
"Good luck everyone. May you all survive and reach the end all safe and sound. Keep mind of the 3-7. (1) 7 seconds to stand up after falling. (2) 7 minutes to analyze and strategize. (3) 7 hours of rest and sleep."
It soon ended up as loud alarm rung throughout the tunnel-like room as you, Nezuko and Mitsuri stood in front of three separate paths.
That lead to inside the maze.
"Time is of the essence."
.
.
.
[TO BE CONTINUED...]
============
A/N
I am very aware of my inactivity for the last two(?) weeks and i ..
..have no excuse for it. idk, probably bcuz i've went through lots of writer's block. But please do keep in mind i have my own life to live and these books are just made for fun. :P
But i will probably be more active this week for compensation i guess. Anws that's all i have to say, stay safe ..
Traveler 😎