Enchanted University of Magemenos

Chapter 45: Where is the boundary

In a voice that was unsettlingly loud and creepy, Marco began counting from 1 to 10. His words carried a chilling edge as he announced, "Marco is coming, where are you?"

We immediately started running, trying our best to stay quiet and avoid making any noise. The ground felt cold and hard underfoot, and every sound seemed amplified in the tense atmosphere. I felt a strong sense of pity for the players still inside the boundary. They had very little room to move and, with their eyes covered by blindfolds, they were practically helpless. It must have been terrifying for them, being trapped in such a confined space without being able to see.

I thought to myself, "Of course, I know my luck has been incredibly bad, but at least I'm lucky to be outside the circle for now. Being on the outside gives me a chance to observe and learn how things work. I can study the strategies and tricks that the others use and figure out how to handle being blindfolded when it's my turn inside. It's not ideal, but it's an opportunity to prepare and maybe survive."

A boy whispered, "What exactly is the boundary? Is it endless?"

"I'm not sure," I replied quietly. "They didn't really specify where the outer boundary ends. It could be that it's not defined at all."

Just then, Marco made his way toward the outer boundary. As soon as his foot crossed the line, a sudden, unsettling sensation washed over me. My headband began to vibrate intensely, sending waves of dizziness through my head. The vibrations were sharp and rhythmic, almost like a persistent, annoying signal. It felt as if an invisible hand was tugging at my mind, a silent warning that something significant was happening. The sensation was almost like a digital "checkmate," announcing that a critical moment had arrived in the game.

We took off running, our steps light and quick as we tried to distance ourselves from the danger. I kept close to the boy in front of me, who was moving faster with each stride. Suddenly, without warning, a violent explosion of blood splattered across my face. I felt a cold shock as one of my feet was caught mid-air, suspended in a horrifying moment. The boy's head rolled down the road, his body lifeless and twisted. Blood stained my shirt and face, bringing me crashing back to the grim reality of the scene.

I tried desperately to pull myself together, stumbling backward before collapsing to the ground. Tears streamed down my face, mingling with the blood and sweat. I gasped for breath, struggling to control the flood of emotions that overwhelmed me.

"That's the boundary," someone whispered urgently, their voice filled with dread. "Don't set your foot there, woman."

I was stunned, my mind racing. I had thought there was no boundary. Did I cause his death? The realization hit me hard. I had told him there was no boundary, and now he was gone. I felt a crushing weight of guilt. The scene before me was a grim reminder of another tragedy—one I had never hoped to repeat.

The thought of having unintentionally led to his death was unbearable. It felt like I was repeating a horrific pattern, just like I had with my parents. Was I doomed to bring more death and suffering? How many more lives would be lost because of my mistakes? The questions swirled in my mind, each one more painful than the last, as I struggled to cope with the enormity of what had just happened.

I struggled to push myself up, driven by the single motivation that had brought me to Magemenos—to play and survive. My determination felt like the only thing keeping me going.

Suddenly, a new wave of intense pain struck as my headband began to vibrate uncontrollably. The sensation was so overwhelming that it became almost impossible to bear. I turned around slowly, my vision blurred by the agony, and saw Marco looming just behind me. The sight sent a fresh wave of fear through me.

Desperate to avoid making any noise, I inhaled deeply and clamped my mouth shut, stifling any sound. With painstaking effort, I took tiny, careful steps backward, trying to minimize the vibrations and regain some control. As the intensity of the vibrations began to decrease, I started to move more quickly, breaking into a slow, steady run. My heart pounded in my chest, each step a battle