The afternoon sun's heat began to filter through the gaps between the trees along the path back to the dorm. I walked at the front of our small group—together with Adi, Aulia, and Selena. Our steps felt heavier after exploring the puzzle-filled Main Building. Our clothes were damp with cold sweat, caused not only by physical exhaustion but also by the lingering chills from the top floor. My mind spun like a broken gear: the massive locked door, the strange carvings that seemed like secret signs, and the explosion-resistant material that was far too advanced for this remote island.
What was hidden behind all of it? And who had the power to build a fortress like this amid the destruction of the outside world?
Adi walked beside me, closing the notebook he had filled with notes from our exploration. "That third floor… was really weird. It felt like a place deliberately hidden for something bad. We should tell the others—maybe there's a similar pattern in their zones."
Aulia nodded slowly from behind. Exhaustion was now clearly visible on her face. "Yeah. We should gather at the dorm first. It's the only safe place we have right now. While we wait for information from the others… we can start putting the puzzle pieces together."
Selena walked beside Aulia. "I hope the others didn't find anything worse…"
As we approached the dorm—the building with doors carved with our pixelated faces, now feeling like an ironic reminder that we were "special"—we ran into the group that had explored the Sacred Forest. They emerged from the dense tree path on the eastern side. Their faces were dirty with dust and clinging leaves, but their eyes held a mix of exhaustion and confusion.
Sinta walked in front, her woven bag swaying, full of the leaves she had picked. Yusuf was beside her, carrying a pot that now contained a different plant, like a flower. Zahra followed with her hat slightly tilted, walking unsteadily. Krisna trailed behind, silently gazing at the sky.
"Hey, you're back already!" Sinta called out, waving cheerfully while brushing leaves from her short hair. "That forest… wow, it was super strange. We just found some things that make you think twice."
Aulia smiled in greeting. "Same here. We should head inside the dorm first—so it's safer."
We entered immediately. The dorm's common room felt warmer now with everyone gathering. The simple wooden table in the center became the focal point. The dim afternoon light from the stone windows made our shadows blend together like a group slowly bound by the same fate. The air inside carried the fresh scent of flowers and leaves from Sinta's harvest, mixing with the dust on our clothes, turning the room into something like a secret headquarters on this puzzle-filled island.
We sat in a circle. The MonoWatches on our wrists pulsed softly like a reminder of our limited time. We began sharing stories, but the first focus was on the Sacred Forest group's findings, following Aulia's patient request to hear the others first before we spoke.
Sinta started, placing her woven bag on the table with a rustle of herbs.
"The Sacred Forest is huge, like a living green labyrinth. In the middle, there's an area divided into several plots—like an abandoned giant garden. I found a deserted greenhouse in one plot. There were still traces of soil on the cracked glass floor, planting tools like shovels and broken pots scattered everywhere, but it was completely empty—no plants at all, not even seeds. It was like someone had run a huge experiment there, then suddenly abandoned it."
Yusuf nodded slowly, gently stroking the new flower he had found. "I found a small wooden hut elsewhere, tiny but full of old books about plants that have gone extinct since the disaster. There were also experiment notes—records of cross-breeding plants, like trying to create new species resistant to volcanic ash or floods."
Zahra continued, taking off her straw hat and using it as a fan because of the heat. "As for me… I found a small garden with strange statues—stone carvings of gods or ancient animals being overtaken by flora, covered in roots and moss. The statues looked like ancient symbols, but their positions were weird—like they formed a pattern or some kind of sign… I didn't understand it."
Krisna spoke flatly. "Deep inside the forest… there was an abandoned well. The water below was clear, even though it's really strange to have a well in the middle of a dense forest. It seemed deliberately built as a water source, or maybe to hide something at the bottom—"
We exchanged puzzled glances. Our voices echoed softly in the common room like whispers that refused to leave. Adi tapped the table. "Why is all of that in the forest? On this remote island? It feels like a big experiment that was suddenly abandoned—extinct plants, cross-breeding, statues swallowed by flora, a secret well. What does it have to do with us?"
Aulia nodded. Her large eyes tried to connect the pieces. "Maybe the mastermind is trying to create a new world from the ashes of disaster—engineering plants for eternal food or something. But why was it abandoned? Or… was it left on purpose for us to find?"
Suddenly, the dorm door creaked open, and the Stone Mountain Zone group entered. Zayn came first, his clothes covered in dry dirt that clung like war wounds, his hair messy. He was followed by Nova in his long black coat, now wet and dusty, Lira whose skirt and top were torn in several places, and Anya whose thin veil was dirty but whose gaze remained sharp. They looked like survivors of a small disaster—wet from cave water, torn by sharp rocks, and covered in clinging dust.
Everyone in the room looked confused, eyes widening. Sinta immediately spoke up. "You guys… why do you look like that? Like you just came out of a war!"
Adi tapped the table, his voice rising. "What happened in Stone Mountain? You all look beaten up!"
Aulia stood up, her large eyes full of empathy. "Are you all okay? You should sit down first and tell us calmly."
Zayn sat in the nearest chair, wiping sweat from his forehead with his dirty sleeve. His voice was filled with shock. "That zone… was far beyond what I imagined. It was so dark and winding. At first it was just normal rock caves, but because it was wet, dark, and extremely slippery, we kept slipping. I nearly fell into a sharp rock crevice twice."
Lira sat beside him, shaking her head in annoyance while fixing her torn skirt. Her voice was soft but irritated. "My skirt and top got ripped because I fell into thorny bushes. If Nova hadn't reacted quickly, it could have been worse."
Zayn continued, wiping dust from his face. "The deeper we went, the interior changed completely—from natural caves to corridors with smooth walls, like man-made tunnels."
Anya spoke up. "It was more like a secret experiment laboratory. Iron doors were tightly locked with numbers on the panels—like digital locks but rusted."
Lira added, her voice soft but tense. "There were traps in those corridors—slippery floors that suddenly tilted, or rocks that shifted. If Nova hadn't been alert and cleared the way, we would have run into danger many times."
Zayn nodded, his face exhausted. "I even almost fell into a small chasm in one cave—the cliff was steep and pitch black. If Nova hadn't pulled me back in time, things could have gone really bad. That place is too dangerous to explore without proper preparation."
Nova sat in the corner, wiping his long coat covered in water. "The darkness there… was like an abyss with no bottom. We'll need proper exploration gear if we want to go back in—helmets with lights, safety ropes, climbing tools, and so on. Without them, we're just looking for death."
Several minutes passed after we finished sharing our individual findings. Everyone sat in a circle, talking while restlessly killing time. Their eyes occasionally glanced at the MonoWatches that pulsed softly, waiting and watching for the last group.
Sinta chattered while stirring a small potion in a wooden cup she had found in the dorm, sharing it with everyone. "That forest made me think—if we could use those plots to grow something ourselves, maybe we could make extra food supplies. But the experiments there… were really weird, like leftovers from a failed project deliberately left for us to find."
Yusuf nodded slowly. "The books in the hut were very detailed about extinct plants. It was like someone tried to save nature but failed. Maybe the mastermind had a big plan, but why is the forest empty now?"
Zahra leaned back, her hat removed and placed on the table. "I think that forest isn't just some random place—maybe it's connected to the main building you told us about earlier, Reno."
Krisna smiled faintly, twirling the paintbrush in his hand as if drawing imaginary patterns in the air. His empty eyes looked toward the window. "Experiments… experiments must have been conducted on this island."
Aulia listened while sipping the potion from Sinta, then spoke. "Thank you for all your findings. Everything does feel suspicious. Even so… we should wait for the others before drawing any conclusions."
We spent the time with small talk. Everyone began tasting the calming potion Sinta had made from the leaves she found in the forest. Occasional soft laughter broke out, like a fragile bond beginning to form in the darkness. The day was turning into evening. The dim yellow light started filtering through the windows, making the room feel warmer but also more urgent, as if time was running out.
Finally, the dorm door creaked open, and the last group—Dion, Bima, and Vina—entered running, breathing heavily. Their faces showed exhaustion but also strangely happy smiles, like they had found treasure in the middle of a storm. Dion was in front, his captain's jacket soaked with sweat. Bima followed with his leather jacket covered in sand. Vina came last, her clothes full of dust and spider webs.
"Sorry if we took so long!" Dion called out, calm but breathless. "That harbor… was crazier than we imagined."
Everyone expressed their tiredness from waiting, voices murmuring softly. Sinta chattered. "Finally! We've been waiting forever—my stomach is starting to get hungry again."
Adi tapped the table. "You guys are really late! What did you find that made you run like that?"
Aulia nodded politely. "I'm glad you all returned safely. I was quite worried waiting for you. So… could you tell us what you found?"
At that moment, Rian came in from another room. He had just woken up, his eyes still sleepy with dark circles, his thick glasses slightly askew. He yawned softly, seeing that we were all gathered. "Eh… you're all here already? I just woke up. What did I miss?"
"Perfect timing, Rian. Okay—the last exploration team has just arrived. Let's start discussing each group's findings."
Aulia began explaining our group's findings from the Main Building. Her voice was polite and slightly stiff, like she was giving an official report. "First, I apologize if this isn't clear or detailed enough. Our findings on the first floor include the hall where we met yesterday, abandoned classrooms left open with dusty benches and cracked blackboards, and three doors with unclear carvings that were tightly locked. The material felt… strange."
She glanced at me. "Reno, please explain your findings about the material."
I felt a bit nervous because I had never explained something like this in front of others. But with every face now looking at me… waiting, I gathered my courage and began to speak.
"Uh… yeah. The material of the building and doors is rare, resistant to explosions and massive disasters. It's the kind usually used for bunkers of important figures like former presidents. I've seen samples in the ruins of military warehouses—imported from abroad and very limited after the disaster."
Everyone looked confused, eyes widening. Sinta interrupted. "Material that rare? For a school on this crazy island? Why? Where did they get it from?"
From the other side, Zayn chimed in. "That's proof the mastermind has huge access. Not just anyone could get material like that."
"Big secrets are always hidden in concrete, impenetrable evidence," Anya replied.
Selena continued, laughing softly. "The second floor wasn't much different—more locked classrooms, but there was a cool cafeteria with ticket-exchange machines for food. I tried pressing one, and hot fried rice came out right away!"
Adi added with his loud voice. "Yeah, I was confused. This island looks empty, just us here, but the food served was super fresh, tasted real, as if someone was cooking behind there. The iron bars were thick and dark—you couldn't see anything inside."
Bima immediately spoke up. "You should've said that earlier! I've been starving all day—the harbor made me even hungrier."
The others agreed, and soft laughter broke out for a moment.
Sinta: "True, I'm hungry again too!"
"Fresh food on an empty island? Weird," Yusuf added in disbelief.
And finally, Aulia explained rather stiffly. "The most shocking finding was the third floor. It was different from the other places, so eerie, full of unclear scribbles like scratches from a mad person. And at the end of that floor, there was a large door with a unique mechanism."
Krisna looked interested. "Those scribbles might have another meaning—hidden patterns. And you said there's a large door with a unique mechanism at the end of the corridor?"
Aulia nodded. "Exactly. Reno, please explain that part."
Once again, I could only nod and reply. "That door won't open unless the time comes. There's a mechanism behind it—maybe it's waiting for certain conditions."
Everyone looked at each other skeptically, eyes narrowing. Sinta: "The time comes? What does that mean? Like waiting for something bad to happen?"
"I'm skeptical about that too. But if Reno says so, there must be a reason. He understands buildings, after all…" Adi replied.
Krisna chimed in, "Maybe the scribbles are code. I could try to read them if we go back there."
After the Main Building group finished speaking, all eyes turned to Dion, Bima, and Vina, who had arrived breathless earlier.
Bima spoke first. He wiped the sweat from his forehead while chuckling softly. His voice was relaxed but carried a hint of disappointment. "The harbor was exactly like Dion said this morning. Totally abandoned. The pier wood was rotten, rust everywhere. I don't know when it was built—maybe before the disaster, or even longer ago."
Dion nodded slowly. His captain's jacket was soaked with sweat, but his voice remained calm and strategic despite his slightly ragged breathing. "I explored the pier and there were small boats there. The boats were badly rusted, but the interior was still intact. When I checked the engine—it could still be used, though it stuttered a bit when I tried to start it earlier. If we can repair it, there might still be hope."
Vina sat beside him. Her straight hair was slightly messy, but her thin gold necklace still sparkled. "There was a small warehouse at the end of the pier, containing several tightly locked iron containers. I couldn't open them, but from the size, there might be important items inside—tools, or anything we could use. We just need to find a way to break them open."
Bima added while shaking his head. "Not far from the pier, there's a lighthouse tower at the edge of the harbor. There's communication equipment inside—old radio, antenna, everything. But it's completely broken, cables snapped, no power. I tried turning it on—nothing. Though if it could work… we might be able to contact the outside world and ask for help."
The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone looked at each other. The small hope that had appeared that morning seemed to wither again. Sinta bit her lip. Yusuf stared at the floor. Zahra took a deep breath. Even Aulia, who was usually calm, looked slightly gloomy.
Zayn leaned forward, his voice full of spirit but still controlled. "How's the boat's condition, Dion? Can it be fixed?"
Dion shook his head slowly. "The boat is small, it can only fit five people at most. The engine is fairly safe, but when I tried to start it, it kept stuttering. I don't know if it's badly damaged or just needs repair. But the worse part… there's no fuel around."
Bima added while rubbing his chin. "True. I looked everywhere around the pier—nothing. If we want it to run, we need solar or whatever can power that engine."
Aulia turned to Vina. "Vina, was there any fuel or something like that in the warehouse?"
Vina shook her head, her hair swaying gently. "None. I checked every reachable corner. Only locked containers, nothing more."
The room fell silent again. Everyone looked at each other, shoulders slumping, long breaths full of disappointment. The hope that had flared up that morning seemed to die once more, replaced by a heavy feeling of being stuck.
Zayn stood up, his voice firm. "Hey, don't give up so quickly. We can find solutions for all of this. There's a boat, there are containers, the engine can be repaired. We just need to be smart about it."
Adi nodded quickly, his notebook open again. "Right. We are Ultimates—the symbol of hope for the people out there. There must be a way through this difficulty. We can't give up now."
Their words hung in the air. Slowly, the slumped shoulders straightened again. Sinta smiled faintly. Yusuf nodded slowly. Zahra took a deep breath. Even Selena, who had been nervous earlier, began to show a small smile again. That small hope returned.
Aulia sat quietly for a moment. Her eyes swept over all of us, her fingers gently bitten as her mind spun, searching for a middle ground in this big conflict. She let out a soft breath, her voice polite and stiff.
"Thank you for the information from every group. I will summarize it all. From the findings in the Sacred Forest with plant experiments, Stone Mountain with secret labs and traps, the Main Building with rare materials and locked doors, and the Harbor with the broken boat… the conclusion is… the most appropriate way to try to get out of here is to use the boat Dion found. However, to achieve that, we need to repair it first."
Rian opened his mouth, still sleepy, but his voice was sharp. "If we move to repair the boat, MonoGaru will definitely get suspicious. It won't let anyone leave easily… I'm sure of that."
Zayn immediately chimed in. "Then we need another division. Not just exploration, but a real escape plan."
Everyone asked questions, voices overlapping.
"What kind of division?"
Adi's voice sounded clearest. "Preparation will definitely take a long time… but it should be done as soon as possible."
Yusuf, quiet: "What's the plan?"
Zahra, fiery: "Just say it, Zayn!"
He paused for a moment to organize his words, then finally spoke again. "We need three teams: one diversion team to distract MonoGaru's attention, one repair team to work on the boat secretly, and one execution team to run the boat and escape once it's ready."
Aulia nodded politely. "Zayn's idea is quite good. This time, let me suggest the division. For the diversion team, we need Bima who can handle arguments if MonoGaru gets suspicious, Selena to divert attention with her acting, Lira to disrupt focus with her singing, and Krisna to cover tracks or movements with his symbol drawings."
Bima chuckled casually. "Okay, I can do some trickery if needed."
Selena immediately put on a ready face. "Okay~"
Lira replied softly. "Eh… you want me to sing or something?"
With his paintbrush already ready in hand, Krisna nodded. "I'll confuse that bear with the patterns I create."
Aulia continued. "For the repair team, we need Rian to fix the boat's engine. And besides the engine, what else is damaged, Dion?"
"The hull might not withstand rough seas. It needs reinforcement."
"Then we'll need Reno too."
I, who had only been observing until now, was startled by Aulia's words. I immediately denied it.
"M-Me? Why?"
"Your observation skills are needed," the girl replied straightforwardly.
Still confused, I only shook my head as I answered. "Me? I only know how to build houses from rubble. How can I build a boat—"
Zayn cut in. "You're an architect, Reno. Even if you say you're just a builder… you definitely understand arranging materials to strengthen a boat. If you understand structure, you can do it. We need that."
"Reno, I hope you can join. Besides those members… we need Yusuf, Zahra, Sinta, and Zayn to keep watch around the area."
Yusuf nodded weakly. "If you need strong wood or fibers that can withstand destruction… I know where to find them."
"I don't really understand what you need from me… but… okay, I'll join!" Zahra replied with burning enthusiasm.
"If you need strengthening drinks… I'll make them," Sinta replied while pulling out a dark-colored potion from her bag.
"While you work, I'll stand guard around the area. I won't let anything unwanted happen," Zayn said firmly.
"And for the execution team: Me, Anya, Adi, Vina, and Dion. Our abilities will be needed if we manage to break through the sea—I know some people who can be negotiated with, Anya will strengthen everyone's arguments, Adi… I'm sure you have connections in high places, Vina to help with execution, and Dion for navigation."
Aulia then stood up from her chair. Her batik scarf spread out like the current hope of everyone present.
"I apologize if this plan is still not perfect, but I think this is the best step for now. Does everyone agree?"
Nods and agreeing murmurs echoed softly in the room. Adi closed his notebook with the rustle of paper.
"Agreed. We don't have any other choice—that boat is the only way out. We can start tomorrow."
Zayn nodded, arms crossed over his chest. "Yeah. Today has been long—exploration, planning. Let's rest first. We'll execute tomorrow."
Sinta yawned softly, slinging her woven bag over her shoulder. "True. I'm so tired."
Zahra raised her hand. "Tired… let's do it tomorrow."
Lira chimed in. "We're too tired right now."
Nova whispered from the corner. "Time passes quickly here."
Selena laughed softly. "Finally… we can rest."
Anya only shook her head. "If this works, great. If not… well, that's that."
And so the day ended like that—after a long and exhausting exploration and the tense determination of the next steps, everyone began spending the rest of the day with their own activities, as if taking a brief breath in the middle of an island that felt increasingly oppressive.
Bima stood up first, stretching lazily in his dust-covered leather jacket. "Dion… Zayn, want to join? Let's go to the cafeteria on the second floor of the Main Building. My stomach is growling so much!"
Dion stood up immediately. "Count me in. Eat first before curfew."
Zayn lightly punched the air with both fists. "Let's go! I wonder how big the portions will be."
The three of them left, walking quickly toward the Main Building. Bima's soft laughter echoed in the corridor like a light attempt to chase away fatigue.
Lira, Selena, and Vina talked among themselves in the corner of the room. Their voices were soft but full of curiosity.
"I heard there's a small building not far from the dorm—maybe there's something inside. Let's check it out?"
"Come on! I'm really curious. Vina, join us?"
Vina shook her head at first, but finally nodded after being pressured by the two girls. "Okay, okay, but if there's anything good… I get to take it first, okay?"
Aulia, who was actually reluctant, sat quietly with her batik scarf. Selena laughed softly and dragged her. "Aulia, come on! Don't just sit there."
Aulia smiled, trying to refuse. "I-I… no… it's okay."
But her efforts were in vain because the girls had already dragged her along. In the end, the four of them left, leaving the room with Aulia showing a resigned face, unable to resist.
Rian, who had just woken up, eyes still sleepy, stood from his chair with his MonoWatch glowing in his hand. "I'll walk around for a bit. I'm curious about the mechanism of those robots that almost attacked us yesterday—how stone could move and turn into robots like that."
Krisna approached. "I'll join. I'm curious about the symbols on those robots—maybe they have meaning."
Sinta also stood up, looking at Zahra. "Zahra, come with me. Be my assistant to look for new types of plants—I want to mix another potion that might be useful."
Zahra picked up her hat again. "Sure. While we're at it… I want to try planting around here too."
They then headed toward the Sacred Forest.
On the other side, Yusuf, pot in hand, was already approaching the exit door. "I want to go back to the hut in the forest—I want to find out more about that plant research."
"The hut in the forest… hehe. Maybe there are old notes or the island's history there. I'll follow you, Yusuf," Anya said softly, following from behind.
And… Nova had already disappeared without anyone knowing where—his long black coat vanishing into the shadows, leaving the room silently.
Now the common room was left with only me, still sitting frozen, watching everyone leave one by one like a slowly fading current. My mind spun about the fragile escape plan.
Adi sat across the table, his notebook wide open. His pencil moved quickly across the page with hurried strokes, as if composing something. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes narrowing toward me.
"Reno, why aren't you going out like the others? There's still afternoon time to explore the island again. Aren't you curious about what's out there?"
I stayed silent for a moment, looking at the window where the evening light was beginning to fade. The sound of the wind outside was like a soft whisper that refused to leave. "There's nothing interesting for me. I'd rather stay here."
Adi suddenly stopped his pencil. The scratching sound halted like a pause in the middle of a storm. Then he looked straight at me, his eyes sharp as if reading a political opponent.
"You're not uninterested, Reno. Honestly, you're scared, aren't you?"
I was startled, eyes widening for a moment. My heart beat faster like a hammer striking wrong. "What do you mean? Scared of what?"
Adi smiled faintly and placed his notebook gently on the table.
"I can't be easily fooled, Reno. I've seen many conversation opponents, political rivals, even my own supporters often show faces full of lies. Your expression earlier… was the same as those hiding their fear."
I smiled cynically, letting out a small, bitter laugh that sounded hollow in the quiet room. My hands clenched slowly in my lap. "Heh, everyone really is amazing, huh. Every Ultimate really is amazing. Not like me."
Adi shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving me. "You're underestimating yourself too much, Reno. You're underestimating your own Ultimate too much."
I quickly denied it, raising my voice without realizing. "What's so good about Ultimate Architect? I only understand building structures, I can build things quickly. That's it. I can't save the world, build a nation, or anything. I can only build buildings, houses, tents—and even that isn't enough. Sometimes my buildings can't even save people from destruction."
Adi was silent for a moment. He placed his pencil on the table with a soft sound. His voice became gentler now. "You're too hard on yourself, Reno. That's what's holding you back."
I stood up from the chair, unable to bear the heavy conversation that felt like it was stabbing an old wound. I walked toward my room door with clenched fists. "Hah, maybe. I'm going back to my room."
Before I left, Adi spoke again, his voice firm but full of hope. "You need to trust people more, Reno. Including yourself."
I stopped at the doorway, my voice rough but bitter. "Trust can actually cause destruction, Adi. You'd better not trust me completely."
I left immediately. The door to my room closed softly behind me. Inside the room, I lay down on the soft bed that still felt foreign, staring at the plain ceiling like a blank canvas.
My thoughts spun again—regretting the words I had said, but they could not be taken back. Everyone was trying to find hope, trying to get out of here, but why did I feel like I was left behind, unwilling to step forward like the others? As if the old wound from the ruins still held me back, making me doubt whether I was worthy of being part of this "hope."
Then slowly everything blurred… returning to darkness, which swallowed me whole.