“Dude… are you alright?” Yon asked, unable to ignore the weight of Tyson’s words.

  The others were just as stunned, and for good reason.

  He had just called a stranger "king."

  Tyson, too, felt the urge to smack himself.

  It couldn’t be… He thought. The resemblance was undeniable—this man looked just like the king he saw in his dreams. But he was noticeably younger, and the aura he gave off lacked the nobility and dignity that defined the figure in Tyson’s visions.

  Still, something gnawed at him. The resemblance wasn’t something he could just dismiss.

  “Sorry… I was thinking about something else.” Tyson forced a laugh, brushing it off.

  Cosmo, however, wasn’t convinced. He could tell there was more to it. But now wasn’t the time to press for answers.

  “Argenta, it needs to be charged. Let’s go back to the base.” He directed his words toward the girl hiding behind Tyson.

  Argenta flinched, her expression darkening. “No! It hurts every time! I don’t like how it feels.”

  Cosmo sighed. “I know. But you and I both understand we don’t have a choice.” His voice softened. “How about this? We go home now, get your headset charged, and we can have free time twice this week. Sounds good?” He ended with a small, gentle smile.

  “Twice? Really?” Argenta’s mood lifted instantly.

  “Do I ever lie to you?”

  “Yes, a lot.” She frowned, eyeing him suspiciously.

  Cosmo scratched his cheek, looking away. “Well… this time, I promise.”

  Argenta hesitated before slowly stepping forward—only for Blue to extend an arm, blocking her path.

  “Hold on.” Blue’s voice was firm. “I don’t know what that was about, but it sounds like she’s about to go through something painful. I can’t just let her go without knowing what’s going on.”

  Argenta wrapped her arms around Blue’s. “It’s okay, nice lady. I was lying.”

  Blue’s frown deepened. “But if it hurts you, then—”

  “I have to do it. If I don’t, it’ll be trouble for everyone.”

  Silence fell. Anyone could have argued, but faced with the weight of her resolve, none of them could find the words.

  “Good girl.”

  The voice startled them. In an instant, Cosmo was in front of them, patting Argenta’s head. None of them had seen him move. One moment, he had been in the tree—the next, he was standing right there.

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  “I’ll bring you something nice from the city later, okay?”

  “Okay.” Argenta giggled, then narrowed her eyes. “But you better not be lying.”

  Tyson, still trying to make sense of everything, cleared his throat. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but… we’re looking for Base 56-37.”

  “Right.” Cosmo turned back to Argenta. “Take them home with you. I’ll meet you there.”

  “You’re not coming with?” she asked, puzzled.

  “You know I don’t like going home that way.” He stretched his arms and started walking in the direction they had come from. “Besides, it looks like a few flies followed them here. I’ll go handle that.” He waved without looking back.

  Argenta turned to the group, hands on her hips. “You guys ready?”

  The others exchanged confused glances. She spoke as if they were supposed to know exactly what was coming.

  “For what?” Yon finally asked.

  Argenta smirked.

  “~Invert~”

  The world twisted.

  One moment, they were in the white forest—the next, they were somewhere entirely different.

  A room.

  A house.

  And they were falling—falling upward.

  Their backs and heads hit the floor before they even realized what had happened.

  Meanwhile, Argenta remained standing, completely unaffected, as if she had never moved at all.

  Groaning, they picked themselves up. That’s when the scent of cooking reached their noses.

  They took in their surroundings.

  A spacious living room stretched before them, lined with silver-strand walls and rich hardwood floors. A large sectional sofa dominated the center, flanked by smaller, plush seats. A wide coffee table sat in front of a massive plasma TV mounted on the wall, its screen dark.

  To the right, a broad staircase with a sleek wooden railing led to the second floor, its steps wide enough for multiple people to walk side by side.

  To the left, an open archway led to the dining area. An oversized wooden table stretched long enough to seat a crowd, surrounded by matching chairs with cushions of various designs. Pendant lights hung evenly spaced above, casting a warm glow. A side counter held a neat stack of plates and a bowl of fruit, within easy reach of the open kitchen beyond.

  From that kitchen, a woman emerged, humming a lighthearted tune.

  She spotted them and blinked in mild surprise.

  “Oh? Do we have visitors?” She wiped her hands on her apron as she approached.

  “Mama Maria!” Argenta waved excitedly. “I’m back!”

  The woman placed her hands on her hips. “Oh my, don’t tell me you ran away again?”

  Argenta stiffened, then pouted. “N-no…”

  Mama Maria sighed. “Argenta, you know he might not let you outside to play if this keeps happening.”

  Then, her gaze softened. “Now, how about you go downstairs and have Oliver help you charge that headset, okay, sweetie?”

  Argenta groaned but obeyed, stomping toward a door to the right. Even after she shut it behind her, her loud, aggressive steps echoed as she descended a flight of stairs.

  With a small shake of her head, Mama Maria turned back to the group. “And how are you kids? Can I help you with something?”

  “Hello, ma’am,” Blue responded politely. “We’re supposed to meet someone here.”

  “Someone named Mary Sue,” Red added.

  Maria paused, tilting her head.

  “Mary Sue?”

  A moment later, realization dawned on her.

  “Ah! Jid sent you, didn’t he?” She chuckled. “That’s just a nickname. If you’re here, that means you’ve already met the person you're looking for.”

  The group exchanged skeptical looks.

  That couldn’t be right.

  A Captain of the Veil would be unmistakable.

  Captains commanded five hundred Eminents each—it took decades to even be considered for the position.

  They were the spearheads of humanity’s exploration and protection against the Shadow Continents—a force at the very frontier of survival.

  Surely, they would have recognized such a person.

  “Wait… don’t tell me—”

  Before Blue could finish, a door slammed shut behind them.

  A familiar voice rang out.

  “Nice to officially meet you, idiots.”

  They turned, eyes widening.

  Cosmo leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

  “As I said before—the name’s Cosmo. Your official Captain through the living nightmare you’re about to endure.”