It was autumn in Fenriv, a season that painted the city in hues of red, orange, and gold. The air was crisp, carrying a faint chill that hinted at the approaching winter. The plaza, usually bustling with street vendors selling roasted chestnuts and artists sketching portraits, had transformed into a scene of tense anticipation. Fallen leaves, once scattered peacefully along the cobblestone paths, were now trampled under the feet of a growing crowd. Normally, the fountain in the plaza would have been a popular gathering spot, its gentle sound blending with the soft chatter of people enjoying the afternoon, but today, the usual tranquility was replaced by hushed whispers and nervous glances.

Groups of people crowded the edges of the military barricade surrounding the plaza. The horrifying video of a group of people vaporizing when they got too close to the glowing structure had sparked both panic and curiosity. Not everyone believed the footage was real; some thought it was a publicity stunt, a gimmick created to draw attention. As a result, more and more people gathered, eager to catch a glimpse of what they believed might be nothing more than a spectacle. Despite the military presence, the lack of an official statement from the government led many to take the situation lightly.

Among those drawn in was Altur Yazt, a green-haired man who had been excitedly anticipating this moment since seeing the viral video at 3 AM.

Altur stared wide-eyed at the towering structure in the middle of the plaza, its glowing form pulsing with an eerie light.

“HOLY SH*T MAN! This thing is gigantic!”

Joenie stood beside him, his posture tense.

“This… this feels... bad…” 

Joenie said, his voice tense as his eyes locked onto the glowing structure. The sensation of unease had washed over him the moment he stepped into the plaza.

Altur rolled his eyes, grinning as he nudged Joenie’s shoulder.

“What? Let me guess, your spidey sense again? Told you to turn it off, man!”

Joenie’s eyes remained fixed on the structure, his muscles tensing as if his body were on high alert.

“No, seriously, Altur, let’s get out of here. I don’t think we should be here at all.”

The feeling of dread intensified as he stood in the plaza. There was something deeply unsettling about the glowing object, something that made every instinct in his body urge him to run, to get as far away as possible. His instincts screamed at him to leave, but he couldn’t shake the thought that he needed to call his sister—now.

“Altur, trust me on this, let’s get out of here.” 

Joenie’s tone was firm, almost pleading.

Altur brushed him off, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Oh, come on! This is a fantastic contraption! The game company behind this must be insane! I definitely need to be one of their early players—what is it called again? Beta players?”

Joenie ran a hand through his hair, lost for words. Altur’s carefree attitude grated against his growing anxiety.

“Just… don’t get too close, okay? I need to make a call first.” 

He pushed his way through the crowd, weaving past clusters of onlookers as he searched for a quieter spot. His fingers fumbled with his phone, quickly opening his contact list as he ducked into the shadow of a narrow alley, leaning against the cold, damp brick wall. He glanced around, his eyes darting between the alley’s entrance and his phone screen, waiting for the call to connect. His grip tightened, knuckles turning white, each ring amplifying his agitation.

Finally, Reine’s voice crackled through.

“Brother? Sorry, I was about to call you, but things got hectic.”

Joenie’s grip tightened around the phone, his voice low and urgent.

“Just tell me it’s not about the glowing thing at the city plaza.”

Reine’s response was immediate, tinged with worry.

“You’re there?! Why are you there? Did someone order you to go there? F*cking sh*t! I should’ve known that slick bas—”

“No… What? What do you mean, order me? Reine… What exactly happened? Tell me in detail.”

Reine’s voice wavered.

“Oh... wait... you’re not there because of any order? Haaa... THANK GOD! Anyway, get out of there, Joenie!”

Joenie’s voice wavered, a mix of concern and frustration.

“Reine, please, explain.”

“Uh… It’s hard to explain right now. I’m really in a hurry, but don’t go near there, those things are real weapons. Those guys really got turned to dust, okay? So get out of there ASAP.”

Joenie’s jaw clenched, his knuckles turning white around his phone.

“No, Reine, explain now, or else—”

The line went dead. Joenie stared at his phone, anger and frustration bubbling inside him. The worst of his fears had been confirmed—Reine was tangled in something dangerous, just like their parents had been. He slicked his hair back with both hands, raking his fingers through in agitation. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her, not if he could help it.

Steeling himself, Joenie emerged from the alley and made his way back to Altur. Without a word, he grabbed Altur’s collar with one swift motion, yanking him back forcefully.

“Go home.”

Altur stumbled, eyes wide with surprise.

“Hey! Wh—”

Before Altur could finish, Joenie dragged him toward the sidewalk, his grip unrelenting. He flagged down a cab, nearly pulling the door off its hinges as he shoved Altur inside.

“Just go home first, you can’t be here. I’ll call you and explain.” 

Joenie’s tone left no room for argument.

Altur, bewildered and disoriented, barely managed a protest.

“Wha—What?!”

Joenie quickly gave the driver an address, shoving money into his hand before slamming the door shut with a loud bang. The car rocked slightly from the impact, and Altur was left inside, stunned and speechless.

Joenie turned back toward the center of the plaza, his gaze locked onto the mysterious glowing object. The light flickered ominously, casting strange, shifting shadows around him. Joenie’s eyes narrowed, his mind filled with questions. He took a deep breath, the air heavy with anticipation and dread.

“Just what are you…”

Archael was busy exploring his system interface, examining the various windows and options, when he suddenly noticed a familiar figure striding toward him with purpose. His heart skipped a beat, panic setting in as he realized it was Joenie. 

Did he see me? Did he figure out I’m here? 

Archael's mind raced, scrambling to come up with an explanation. He thought of what to say, what kind of cover story he could use, but before he could settle on anything, Joenie stopped walking.

Joenie leaned against the cold, damp brick wall of the alley, his shoulders sagging slightly as he pulled out his phone. Archael watched from the shadows, still tense but now slightly relieved as he realized that Joenie hadn’t spotted him—he was just there to make a call. Still, Archael took a few cautious steps back, delving deeper into the dark alley. He found a spot behind a clutter of discarded boxes and silently crouched down, ensuring he was well hidden.

From his hiding place, Archael could clearly hear the conversation. Joenie was speaking with Reine, his sister. The sound of her name stirred something inside him, a complicated mix of emotions. When he was a Guide, emotions had felt distant, like faint echoes; it hadn’t mattered what happened or who it happened to. He had functioned without sentiment, driven solely by purpose. But now, he could clearly feel something, something distinctly human. 

What is this? Why do I feel this way now? 

The realization unsettled him, this newfound sense of humanity creeping into his consciousness.

The call didn’t last long; it seemed Reine had abruptly hung up on Joenie. Archael could see Joenie's frustration as he tried calling her back multiple times, only to be met with the dead tone of a phone that had been switched off. Joenie clenched his fist briefly, then slipped the phone back into his pocket. He didn’t linger in the alley, turning instead to head back toward the plaza, his stride determined.

Archael remained in his spot, watching as Joenie left. There was nothing else he could do but wait for the dungeon break. 

Joenie had been the one to kill the boss before, and without him, the other heroes wouldn’t stand a chance. In the previous life before the time turned back, the other heroes had only emerged one by one after more of these Gates appeared. They were survivors, destined to make it through those early trials on their own as long as the first dungeon boss died. 

But Joenie? His survival had hinged on the Rainbow-Tier Skill Card, a card that had just been used by him.

There was no way Joenie could survive this without help.

Archael came to a simple but firm conclusion: “Save Joenie, save the world.”

The scene at the plaza was chaotic, filled with the sounds of heavy machinery being moved and soldiers barking orders. The military trucks were parked in a neat line, their cargo beds filled with various instruments and devices that were being hurriedly set up around the glowing structure. If the plaza had once been bathed in sunlight and crowded with curious onlookers, now it was shrouded in the last remnants of daylight, fading into an eerie dusk, with only the glare of floodlights piercing through the growing darkness. The crowd had thinned, many people losing interest after nothing significant had happened for hours.

Reine observed from the edge of the barricade, her eyes following every piece of equipment being placed. She could only hope that, if anything were to happen, there would be as few casualties as possible. The government, however, seemed unconcerned with public safety; their primary focus was to contain the situation without drawing international scrutiny. Admitting the glowing structure was a potential weapon would mean admitting their own vulnerability, or worse, signaling hostile intentions to other nations. To keep the peace, they preferred the narrative to remain unclear—neither confirming nor denying the reality of the threat.

After the last instrument was unloaded from the truck, Reine made her way to one of the makeshift tents near the plaza. Inside, the tent was bustling with activity; tables were crowded with reports, blueprints, and specialized equipment wired up to screens displaying fluctuating data and live video feeds of the glowing structure.

Reine pulled out a chair and sat down, feeling the rough fabric against her back. She rested her elbows on the table, rubbing her temples as she stared at the organized chaos around her. She still couldn’t believe that Cherra had sacrificed their safety for a chance to keep their research going, all for the sake of new investors. For over a decade, their team had dedicated themselves to researching a way to harness unknown energy sources.

Their research had led to the development of a groundbreaking technology called Quantum Energy Mapping, a process that allowed them to trace and analyze the patterns of unknown energy fields. It was an invention meant to explore theoretical energy signatures in the atmosphere, but now it was being used for something far more dangerous. The government had seized on their work, convinced that Reine and her team’s technology could help identify and possibly control the pulsing, glowing energy that was radiating from the mysterious structure in the plaza.

But they all knew the truth. The research was still just a collection of theories and incomplete models. They hadn’t been able to complete the process, let alone produce any tangible results. Even the government wasn’t that foolish; they weren’t expecting miracles.

What the government needed was a scapegoat—someone to blame when things went wrong. They needed to show the public that they were trying to handle the situation, that they were making efforts, even if those efforts ended in failure. And if anyone was to take the fall, it would be her team. Reine knew this all too well. But what she didn’t understand was why. There were many other research teams out there, many with similar projects focused on new energy. So why hers?

As Reine sat in the tent, lost in her thoughts, she was jolted back to reality by a sudden commotion outside. The loud clamor of shouting voices filled the air, and Reine’s head snapped up. She jumped to her feet, the metal chair scraping harshly against the ground. She rushed outside, her heart pounding in her chest as she pushed past the flaps of the tent.

The scene that greeted her stopped her cold. Joenie, her brother, was in the middle of a struggle with one of the military officers. Joenie had tackled the officer to the ground, his body tense as he pinned the man beneath him. The sound of boots scuffling on the ground mixed with the shouts of other soldiers. Within seconds, a ring of officers had formed around them, and all of them were pointing their guns directly at Joenie.