[Book 2] °It Was Never Meant To Be° •Twisted Wonderland X Reader•

💀Arguments: Part 52💀

3rd POV
"He can only fool around like that for now." Riddle muttered out as they exit the elevator. "Let's hurry up!"

"We never know what kind of enemy we will encounter after this. We should be cautious-"

"Azul, Riddle's already going." Hooty said to Azul.

"Wait, Riddle-San! Please don't move on your own again!" Azul huffed out as he and Hooty caught up with Riddle. "Riddle-San! As I told you before, please stop moving at the front alone."

"Why? I'm the leader of this team. Of course I should be at the front." Riddle said as he turned to Azul.

"I'm not talking about that. I'm telling you to be more cautious." Azul mumbled out. "Even though 'Tartaros' only has a straight road in general... There might be phantoms hiding in the cracks and holes in the walls to attack us."

"Are you saying that I will fall behind over a surprise attack like that?" Riddle huffed out.

"It's a good thing to have confidence in yourself, but we never received any training on dealing with Phantoms." Azul mumbled out.

"I think Overblots count as Phantoms, Azul." Hooty said, landing on Riddle's shoulder.

"Even so, we should be alert to this unknown entity." Azul muttered out.

"I agree with everything you said, but... We are already inside the rabbit hole. There's no way back. It doesn't matter if we proceed in fear or proceed confidently." Riddle muttered out.

"Even so... There's not much different between being brave and being reckless, Riddle-San." Azul muttered out.

"There's not much difference between being cautious and being a coward too, Azul." Riddle huffed out. "Also, in the book about dealing with emergency situations, it doesn't tell us to 'fear the enemy'. I'm just following that."

"Does that mean you will follow every rule that's written on the manual?" Azul mumbled. "What are you going to do if it said, 'Measure the power of the enemy by taking one hit from them'?"

"I'll do that, because it's the rules." Riddle huffed out.

"I have nothing to say to this person anymore." Azul sighed in defeat. "He's too stubborn, is his head made of stone? Haa... If I knew this would happen, I should have forgive Leona-San for turning my contracts into sand and follow him..." As they descend down the stairs, Riddle sees something from afar, making his stop in his tracks.

"!! Azul! There's something coming from the front!" Riddle said as he extend his arm out, blocking Azul's path.

"It's a small Phantom." Hooty hooted out.

"I'll take care of it. Get behind me!" Riddle said, stepping in front of Azul and Hooty.

"Huh? What do you mean... Tch, let's talk about this later." Azul huffed out as they get ready to battle. It didn't take long for them to defeat the Phantom as it melts away into nothing.

"!! The Phantom turn to a black ink...! It smells disgusting, let's leave this place now." Riddle stuttered out. Without a second thought, they move on and went down more stairs.

"... What do you mean by that just now?" Azul asked.

"Just now?" Riddle turned to Azul.

"You told me to 'Get behind you'." Azul said to Riddle.

"I smell an argument brewing." Hooty sighed out.

"I know I became the Dorm Leader one year later than you. But we are both the same second year and Dorm Leader. I can fight without you protecting me." Azul said to Riddle.

"I know that. But I can't let you get injured at this place." Riddle said, shaking his head lightly.

"Injured? I'm fully prepared for it. Please don't underestimate me." Azul huffed out.

"I'm not underestimating you..." Riddle muttered out. "First of all, you are the one who said that my academy and practical skills are better than yours. Of course the stronger person must stand at the front."

"Ha, is that so? Then I'll gratefully hide behind you." Azul huffed out.

"Haa... Do you have to speak like that everytime?" Riddle sighed. "We can't get over this situation without helping each other, so you are not allowed to act on your own."

"Speak for yourself, you thickheaded..." Azul grumbled out.

"Ladies, ladies, please. You're both pretty. Can we move on now?" Hooty huffed out as he pointed towards the stairs. Azul and Riddle huffed before they continue their way down. "I completely understand why Y/n put me here now... Haa..."

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"Hmm? There's a huge door at the front. According to the map... That is the door to the Phantom Asylum." Riddle muttered out.

"... We have already encountered the Phantoms, that means they might have been released." Azul mumbled out.

"We should stay alert. Anyway, be sure to follow the instructions of the leader, do you understand?" Riddle said, mostly towards Azul.

"Okay okay... I understood." Azul sighed out as they enter the Asylum.

"So this is the Phantom Asylum... It's colder than the path just now." Riddle muttered out.

"These square boxes are the cages that keep the Phantoms, I believe." Azul mumbled out as he takes a good look around. "It's already a hassle to deal with a few of them, let alone this many..."

"We can't live together with the Phantoms after all. We have to stop the plans no matter what..." Riddle muttered out.

"And thus, the Adventurer with their Animal Companion has a new determination again!"

"!?" They froze.

"That voice.... It has to be...!" Hooty hooted out.

"Hey! Riddle Rosehearts-San. Azul Ashengrotto-San. And Hooty-San too!" A Holographic Ortho appeared. "Are you enjoying the real life quest?"

"Hmph. It's so easy that it's boring." Riddle huffed out.

"Hahaha! Well said. But I understand." Ortho laughed. "Games have to be a little difficult or else it won't be challenging at all, right? ... That's why, I have cancelled the registration of the ID Card that you have been using."

"Huh? Then the ID Card we received from the Staff is..." Azul mumbled out.

"Finding the right key to unlock the door is the real excitement of games. So if you already have the master key from the beginning, it will be less fun." Ortho explained. "One of the awake Phantoms in the cages has the new ID Card. Achieve the feeling of accomplishment by funding the key to get through this place!"

"Don't mess with me! We are not game characters!" Riddle huffed out. (A/n: Are you sure?)

"Hahahaha! Alright then, good luck to you all!" Ortho laughed before disappearing.

"Ggghhhhhh... He keeps fooling around!!! If that isn't a projected imagine, I would have chopped off his head right away!!" Riddle growled out.

"Riddle, calm down. There's no use in being angry right now, just calm down." Hooty said to Riddle, helping him to calm down. A nearby cage rattles as a Phantom inside it growls and hisses.

"... Riddle-San, it seems like we are being forced to do this time attack." Azul mumbled out.

"Ugh... Indeed, as the time passes, more unfreeze Phantoms will awaken." Riddle huffed out.

"Let's hurry up!" Azul said.

"I know!" Riddle huffed out as they immediately got to work and waste no time.

"Please don't argue, please don't argue. Please work together, PLEASE! Work together!" Hooty was practically praying to the Great Seven as he nervously looks at the two.

To Be Continued~