On the second night of Phantasma, Ophelia wakes from an erotic dream about Blackwell when a bell tolls. She realizes she has slept through breakfast and lunch, but her Grimm magic has fully healed the claw wounds on her arm. While dressing, Ophelia reflects on Blackwell's offer to protect her in exchange for helping free him or forfeiting ten years of her life, and she reaffirms her decision to refuse because she believes she can find Genevieve on her own.

Hungry and hoping to find someone who might know something about Genevieve, Ophelia makes her way back to the dining hall. There she finds Luci, who looks exhausted and shaken after the previous night's ordeal. More contestants arrive, including Eric Greensborough, who introduces himself with arrogance and immediately proves obnoxious. Ophelia rebuffs him, mocks his misbuttoned vest, and wins a brief moment of solidarity with Luci, who quietly shares a rumor that Eric's family is nearly bankrupt.

As the rest of the group gathers, Ophelia stays guarded because she suspects Phantasma's forced grouping is meant to create danger rather than cooperation. The contestants anxiously speculate about the trials ahead. James shares what he knows from a past contestant, saying the levels are based on the Nine Circles of Hell and feel like dangerous illusions, while Cade and others make it clear they have little interest in helping one another.

The room suddenly goes dark, and a Devil named Zel appears in a dramatic burst of smoke. His horns and commanding presence confirm what he is, and Ophelia immediately worries about the range of abilities Devils can possess, including mind-reading. Zel introduces himself as the host for level one and explains the rules: each contestant will receive a clue, may still forfeit before entering, and once inside the portal, the only exits are victory, bargaining, or death.

Zel magically writes the riddle for the first level on the portal: the contestants must navigate a labyrinth in deepening darkness without relying on sight, sound, or touch, while avoiding a beast at its center and finding the door back out. One by one, contestants are called to enter. Luci goes first despite her fear, and after watching others disappear into the blank-looking doorway, Ophelia steels herself. Motivated by Genevieve, Grimm Manor, and her family's legacy, she steps through the portal into level one.