The Cipher: Locks and Keys

The dense forest surrounding the Cavern of Winds was eerily silent, except for the soft hum of the World Cyphone Management (WCM’s )equipment scanning for an entrance. The early morning mist clung to the trees as Yuri stood near the edge of the clearing, watching as his team worked.

“You found anything, Lee?” Yuri asked, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

Lee, crouched near an ancient tree with a device in hand, stood up and wiped the sweat off his brow. “Not yet,” he replied, his voice gruff. “But once I locate the entrance, you’ll be the first to know.”

From behind, a hulking figure named Bono stepped forward. His voice rumbled like thunder, “Isn’t it funny? I’ve never seen the higher-ups so curious before.”

Yuri, seemingly unconcerned, shrugged. “I don’t really care. But if the higher-ups sent both the threat and containment teams here, then whatever we’re retrieving is bound to be dangerous.” His expression turned serious as his gaze swept over the trees. “This isn’t just a standard mission.”

Bono nodded, his agreement evident. “Indeed.”

Just then, a distant rustle disturbed the silence. Yuri’s head snapped toward the sound. Emerging from the shadows were figures dressed in long red capes, their presence unmistakable. The tension in the air thickened as the Red Blood Cult made their appearance, moving in with a slow, deliberate stride.

Meanwhile, near the base of the towering mountain, Lee’s hand hovered over his device. A faint signal pulsed. “I’ve found it,” he muttered under his breath, though his voice echoed in the quiet forest.

Yuri tensed, feeling the rising friction between the WCM threat and containment team and the approaching cult. He watched as a single figure from the cult stepped forward, approaching with a confident swagger.

The man’s smirk was unsettling. “You seem to be the one in charge here,” he said, his tone deceptively polite. “I only ask one favor—stand back.” His smile widened, tauntingly.

Yuri remained unfazed, his expression calm. “Is that a threat?” His eyes hardened. “It’s you who should leave.” He paused, tension crackling in the air. “No, I take that back. You’re the ones responsible for the attack on Fairy Tale High, aren’t you?”

The figure, now clearly their leader, chuckled darkly. “Ah, so you’ve heard of us.”

Yuri’s hand moved toward his earpiece. “Containment team, move in. Bono, you’re with them.”

The containment team, already on high alert, advanced toward the entrance to the cavern, rifles at the ready. Bono, towering above the rest, nodded before following close behind. The Red Blood Cult, without a word, reacted instantly. The cult leader merely gave a subtle hand gesture, and his followers rushed toward the entrance in a red blur, trying to beat the WCM team to the cave.

Surprised but maintaining his composure, Yuri turned back to the lone figure, now standing with his hood down. “You’re the only one left,” Yuri remarked, his voice filled with caution. “Don’t tell me you plan to take on the threat team by yourself.”

The man smirked, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. “I’m Rades,” he said with a sinister grin. “Leader of the Red Blood Cult—and the one who’s going to drain every drop of your blood dry.” A cold chill swept through the air as he spoke, his smile never wavering.

Yuri’s hand tightened around his weapon, his instincts screaming danger. “Then let’s see if you can.”

Pinnochi leaned against the wall, sweat dripping from his brow as he panted heavily. "There isn’t an end to this," he muttered, frustration lacing his voice. He wiped his forehead, realizing with a growing sense of dread, "We only split for a second, but now... it’s like his presence isn’t even here anymore." He glanced around the dimly lit hallway, the oppressive air closing in on him. "I can’t even escape this hallway."

Desperation settling in, Pinnochi instinctively placed his hand on the wall, focusing his energy. Fungus began to grow from his fingertips, spreading rapidly along the surface. He closed his eyes, linking his mind with the growth, allowing the fungus to stretch and extend through the hallway like a network of nerves. As the connection deepened, his awareness expanded, allowing him to "see" the layout.

“Back to where I started, huh?” He smirked, though the realization that he was indeed stuck in a loop sank in. “Seems I was right. I’m really looping this thing.”

But through the fungus, something else caught his attention—Lockey’s presence, faint yet unmistakable. “He’s still here, but it’s like... he’s in a different timeline. Almost an alternate dimension.” Pinnochi’s brows furrowed in thought. "If it’s an alternate dimension... couldn’t Lockey just cut it?"

He clenched his fists, frustration rising. “But one thing’s certain: he might’ve already figured that out.”

Meanwhile, with Lockey...

Lockey suddenly stopped mid-stride, a strange sensation prickling at the back of his neck as though someone had just thought of him. Shaking it off, he continued down the corridor, picking up a small stone. Marking the floor at his starting point, he set off again, walking forward for what felt like five minutes. Eventually, he spotted the same mark.

"Great," he muttered under his breath. Continuing on, he made another mark midway, then kept walking until he came back to his original starting point.

This time, Lockey decided to walk backward instead of forward. After retracing his steps, he found the midway marking staring back at him.

"If I’m right," he paused, glancing around with suspicion, “then…” He resumed walking, this time deliberately counting his steps.

After five minutes, Lockey expected to see his starting mark but found no sign of it. Confused but intrigued, he made a new mark at what he believed was the end of the loop.

"Walking forward or backward will always bring me to the starting point," he reasoned aloud. "Unless... I never started my journey midway." His eyes narrowed in thought, then darted toward the center of the hallway.

Lockey stepped purposefully to the middle of the corridor, running his hand along the walls as he inspected every inch for clues. His fingers brushed over faint symbols etched into the surface, nearly imperceptible in the dim light. “The reason for the hallway looping must be here... in the center.”

Stepping back, he narrowed his eyes, concentrating. Without hesitation, he drew key changing into a dagger and, with a swift motion, slashed at the empty space in the middle of the hall. The air rippled, and with a sharp sound, a dimensional portal tore open, revealing the way forward.

Lockey smirked. “Guess the key was in the middle all along.”

Pinnochi, still linked to his fungus network, felt the sudden shift. The hallway’s energy warped, and the dimensional portal tore through reality like a flash of light. A smile crept onto his lips. "Took him long enough."