A short while later, everyone gathered on a small island in the middle of a simulated body of water.
Beneath their feet was an island piled from seashells. Beyond it stretched rippling waters, while in the distance lay a simulated sky and, at its end, the Sinking Full Moon.
"We're back here again." Gray Porcelain looked around, a trace of sentiment in its eyes.
They had come here once before in normal mode. It had never expected to return now.
And they had arrived even faster than in normal mode.
As Gray Porcelain spoke, it raised its head. A rope hung from the ceiling above this simulated body of water, stretching all the way into the "sky." A skylight had been opened in that "sky," and they had slid down the rope from its edge.
They had never taken this route before. It had not even known there was a path above the ceiling, yet under Angel's lead, they had passed through a Flying Book Corridor, opened a section of flooring, and smoothly arrived here.
"Are we heading straight to the Mechanism Corridor now?" Gabriel asked. Though it was asking Angel, the Illusory Puppet's gaze was fixed upon the Sinking Full Moon in the distance.
Because the Mechanism Corridor was at the heart of that full moon.
"I remember that before we entered this simulated body of water in normal mode, there were Book Sprites and Book Demons outside. Should we follow the normal-mode route first, complete the trials, and then enter the Mechanism Corridor?" Gray Porcelain suggested.
Angel shook his head. "No need. We'll clear the Mechanism Corridor first, then look for the Book Sprites and Book Demons afterward... Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Since Angel had said so, Gray Porcelain and Gabriel stopped trying to persuade