It Seems Like That Was Indeed the Case

The second floor of the museum, the corridor leading deeper inside.

Ichigo and the others were sprinting after Chizuru.

"Hey, Chizuru! Are you sure this is the way? The path ahead looks like it's broken!"

Ichigo stared at the floor that suddenly vanished ahead of them. Beneath it was a pitch-black abyss, and he couldn't help shouting.

Renji shot back, "Idiot, it's obviously another illusion."

He moved past everyone and reached the very front.

"Watch this!"

"If the lava was an illusion created with heating equipment, then this so-called abyss must be fake too. All I have to do is take a big step across..."

His voice was full of confidence. He planted his foot firmly, launched himself into the air, and leaped toward the other side.

"Just watch."

Renji landed right in the middle of the abyss, but the solid footing he had expected never came.

"Huh?"

For an instant, Renji's expression froze. Then he suddenly felt himself become weightless.

"Waaahhh~!"

With a shrill scream, Renji vanished from everyone's sight and plummeted straight down.

A moment later, a dull impact came from below, like something heavy hitting the ground... No, not like it. That was exactly what had happened.

Then Renji's furious roar rang out: "Damn it! Why is there a lobby down here?"

Ichigo, Ishida, and Chizuru stood at the edge of the abyss and exchanged glances. An awkward silence spread through the air.

Kon threw his head back and laughed on Ishida's back. "Pfft—hahahaha! That red-haired idiot! This is killing me!"

The corner of Ichigo's mouth twitched. He raised one hand to his forehead. "That idiot... he really jumped down."

Uryu Ishida analyzed the situation. "That fool said there's a lobby below, so this should be the railing at the edge of the second-floor corridor."

Before Chizuru