Cycles of Eternity

The battle in the dark and gloomy forest was unfolding with intensity. Eriri was facing a skeleton, its bones blackened and a dark crystal protruding from its chest. With her blonde hair tied in her iconic twin tails, she moved quickly, the sound of her labored breathing almost as loud as the creaking of the creature's bones as it moved.

"Kaori, be careful!" Eriri shouted, striking the skeleton's arm to distract it while Kaori moved forward.

"Hai!" Kaori responded firmly. With a swift motion, she broke the skeleton's guard, opening the way for Eriri to deliver the final blow.

With precision, Eriri drove her weapon straight into the creature's chest crystal. There was a flash of dark energy, and in an instant, the skeleton crumbled into pieces that fell noisily to the ground. Its bones cracked and turned to dust, while a faint black mist floated and then disappeared into the air.

Around them, the other members of the group watched the battle closely, their senses alert, prepared to intervene if needed. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as they knew enemies could appear from anywhere in this strange world. At their feet lay the remains of ten other skeletons they had fought earlier, their decomposed bodies scattered across the ground.

"Well done, girls," Shirogami, always calm, gave them an approving glance. "You're doing great."

"Thanks," Kaori responded, panting as she took a step back to catch her breath.

"Let's rest for a bit before continuing," Shirogami suggested, noticing the exhausted faces of his teammates.

The group nodded, and everyone dropped to the grass, opening their rudimentary backpacks made from animal hides they had hunted in the forest. Each of them began pulling out small rations of dried meat and some fruit they had gathered. Two months had passed since they arrived in this desolate and hostile place, time that had transformed them. Now their bodies were covered in scars—marks of battles won, but not without cost. Their clothes were worn, replaced by rough garments and fur coats, protective, though primitive.

As Kaori examined a wound on her arm, Shizuku approached gently, holding a small bag of healing herbs.

"Let me help you with that," Shizuku said, carefully pulling out the leaves.

Kaori, grateful, extended her arm, and Shizuku cleaned the wound with water before applying the herbs skillfully, pressing them gently to reduce the pain and prevent infection.

"Thank you, Shizuku," Kaori said, offering her a small smile.

Shirogami, who was nearby, approached Eriri and began doing the same, applying some herbs to the cuts and scratches that covered her arms and face.

As he healed her, he looked at Eriri with a thoughtful expression and spoke quietly.

"We're almost there, to that light," he said, referring to the tower they had seen since the first day in this strange world. "We don't know what awaits us there, but it might be our only chance to get back home. So we have to be ready."

Eriri nodded, a mixture of hope and determination in her gaze. Like her companions, she desperately wanted to return, and that tower, visible from afar like a beacon, was the only clue they had for escape.

After a restorative break, the group began to prepare again. They sharpened their rudimentary weapons, each one sturdy and functional, some even taken from the defeated skeletons, who carried swords, spears, and axes. When they were ready, they resumed their march toward the tower, moving through increasingly dangerous terrain.

---

The path to the tower was filled with dangers. With every step, more enemies appeared: hordes of armed skeletons, minotaurs charging with devastating force, and cunning goblins attacking from the shadows. However, something peculiar was happening. Every time they defeated one of these enemies, they felt a strange energy coursing through their bodies, as if they were absorbing the essence of the fallen creatures.

Kaori was the first to notice this change after an intense battle against a group of skeletons.

"Do you all feel this too?" she asked, looking at her hands and flexing her fingers in amazement. "It's like... I'm getting stronger."

Eriri, beside her, nodded with a surprised expression. Although she felt exhausted, she noticed that her movements were becoming faster and more precise, as if with every enemy that fell, she gained some of their power.

"I feel it too," Eriri murmured, not taking her eyes off the remains of the skeletons at her feet. "It's strange, but I can't deny that it's useful."

Shirogami, who had been watching in silence, also felt this change. His endurance seemed to have increased, and his reflexes were sharper. Though he didn't understand the reason, he knew that this energy might be what allowed them to survive and reach the tower.

With every creature they defeated, the group grew stronger, faster, and more resilient. This place seemed to have its own rules, and they were beginning to adapt to them, strengthened not only by battle practice but also by this strange energy they absorbed with every confrontation.

---

Finally, after hours of combat, they reached the gates of the tower. This structure stood imposing, its deep black color contrasting with the gray and crimson sky. The gates were enormous, decorated with ancient symbols that seemed to vibrate at the touch of their gazes. They took a last breath, aware that beyond these gates, the real challenge might be waiting for them.

Before opening the doors, Shirogami turned to the group.

"What's inside might be more difficult than anything we've faced so far, but it doesn't matter. We will survive."

With hardened faces and determined looks, they nodded. They knew there was no alternative. It was either move forward or stay trapped forever in this strange world.

Shirogami nodded and pushed open the doors, which creaked slowly, groaning deeply. As they crossed the threshold, something strange happened: a wave of dizziness washed over them, and their vision blurred. They felt the ground tremble beneath their feet, and the air twisted around them like a whirlwind.

When their eyes cleared, each of them realized they were alone. The tower had separated them, each in a different room, facing a unique threat.

So, they gritted their teeth and moved forward, slowly climbing the tower. Upon reaching the doors on the tenth floor, they encountered...

---

Shirogami blinked, adjusting to the dim light of the room where he had ended up. In front of him, an enormous wyvern lay in wait, its red, glowing eyes watching him with palpable ferocity. Its black scales gleamed in the faint light that filtered through, and its warm breath filled the room with an almost poisonous mist.

"I didn't expect to face something this imposing..." Shirogami murmured, drawing his sword and adopting a defensive stance.

The wyvern let out a deafening roar and lunged at him. Shirogami barely managed to dodge the attack, rolling to the side as the ground shook under the creature's claws. He knew he couldn't defeat it with brute strength alone; he would need to be smarter and faster than his foe.

---

In another room, Eriri faced a skeletal sorcerer, wearing tattered robes and a somber expression. The skeleton raised its staff, and greenish flames began to burn around its body.

"This is going to be tough..." Eriri murmured as she took a step back.

The sorcerer launched a blast of dark energy, which she barely managed to dodge, feeling the searing heat pass by her skin. She dashed forward with agility, using her speed to close the gap and strike. Her sword made contact with the skeleton's ribs, but the sorcerer reacted quickly and pushed her back with a wave of energy, sending her to the ground.

"You won't defeat me so easily," Eriri said, getting up and renewing her assault with determination.

---

Kaori, meanwhile, found herself surrounded by skeletons of various sizes, each wielding a different weapon: swords, spears, axes. She took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't afford to fail.

"Come on, I can take all of you," she whispered to herself for encouragement.

The skeletons advanced in unison, and Kaori moved with speed, dodging and striking with precision. One skeleton tried to attack her from the side, but Kaori disarmed it with a swift move and knocked it down with a direct blow to the crystal in its chest. Seeing their comrades fall, the remaining skeletons charged with more fury, but Kaori, agile and determined, continued to defend herself.

---

Shizuku faced a black knight, in imposing armor, wielding a sword that glowed with a purple hue. The knight advanced toward her with heavy steps, raising the sword with overwhelming strength.

"I'll have to be quicker," Shizuku thought, dodging a strike that left a crack in the floor.

With precise movements, she dodged every attack from the knight, but it was like fighting against a mountain: each strike forced her back. However, she held her ground, watching for an opening until she found the right moment and attacked. She managed to strike through a gap in the armor, and the knight let out a low growl, as if something inside it felt the pain.

---

Meanwhile, Raku faced a beast straight out of his worst nightmares: a three-headed dog, its body enveloped in flames that illuminated the room. Each head bared sharp teeth and filled the air with hatred.

"This can't be real..." Raku said, gripping his weapon tightly, his breath ragged.

The beast let out a roar and lunged at him. Raku rolled across the floor, feeling the scorching heat of the flames, and got up just in time to block a bite from one of

 the heads. The battle was brutal, but Raku's strength and determination kept him moving forward. He struck fiercely, using his combat training to his advantage.

---

One by one, the group faced their enemies, fighting with everything they had. Blood, sweat, and fierce determination filled every moment of the battle. It was as if time stood still as everyone faced their fears and surpassed their own limits.