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Reaching into his coat, Mitch exhales his smoke, a sly grin playing on his lips. "You wanted to know what happened, right?" He pulls out a small, weathered notebook and hands it to Kael. "We got lucky this state only got a magnitude four earthquake. Hmhmhmhm, remember how everyone thought the world was going to end?"

"Come on, Boss," Jim sighs, scratching his head as he glances at the notebook. "There were magnitude nine earthquakes detected all over the world. We even lost contact with everyone overseas."

"That's not it..." Kael mutters, his brow furrowing as he flips through the pages. "It's weird. How could all the satellites suddenly fail at the exact same time the earthquakes appeared?"

"Pfffhahahaha," Mitch laughs, dropping his cigar and grinding it into the ground with his heel. "For Christ's sake, monsters suddenly appeared, ruins have popped out of the ground all over the country, and you're focused on the satellites?"

-

*Cough*

*Cough*

"Hmm?" A dark blue liquid slowly drips from his eye, staining his cheek as it trickles down. His hands twitch involuntarily, and he pushes his golden, glowing hair back before touching the eye that had leaked. "Interesting..." he murmurs, a curious smile creeping onto his face as he stands up. "To think I was kicked out. Just what are you hiding, Kael? Why is there such a strong barrier surrounding your memories?" he asks, floating closer to Kael, who remains motionless.

*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*

*Cough* *Cough*

*Cough*

Controlling her coughs, Ryua opens her eyes, "Were... were those his memories?" Ryua's voice cracks, her wide eyes filled with disbelief as her body shivers uncontrollably. 'I couldn't understand a single word, but what he did... to torture someone in such a way...' She covers her mouth, swallowing the bile that rises in her throat. 'Everything about his memory is confusing—the homes, the moving metals, the night sky, the people. Kael... Kael... that's what they called him. That must be his real name.' She looks up, sweat beading on her forehead.

"That's right," the creature mumbles, looking down at Kael, who is sprawled face-first against a floating wall. "You must be wondering how real his memories are. Rest assured, unlike humans who mix illusions with truths while viewing memories, I directly access true memories; everything you saw is real. Isn't that right, Kael?"

Ryua starts hyperventilating. 'What... how... I might not have understood anything, but I felt it... He didn't feel a shred of remorse or hesitation while torturing that boy in all those ways. And the girl... when he saw what she did, he felt uncomfortable? Compared to him, she's a saint. I don't recognize anything from his memories—that country does not exist.'

"Ughhh!" Kael grits his teeth, digging his fingers into his scalp. 'Why, why, why, why, why, why did I do that... I did it, but why don't I remember?' Gasping for air, Kael tries to calm his racing heart. 'What is going on? I feel dizzy—'

[+75 Intelligence]

'Huh? Was it you?'

[Huh? You're blaming me? (ಠ_ಠ)]

'Who else? Did you mess with my memories? And why did my intelligence increase?'

[Pfffft, I have no reason to mess with your memories. I am unaware of anything from your forgotten past. The reason your intelligence increased is because fundamental knowledge has increased. Don't go blaming me for anything, or I won't give you any rewards ¬_¬]

'Ugh, my head,' Kael groans, gripping his head tightly as a wave of confusion crashes over him. 'What is all this... how did I forget how to do all of this?'

The creature's voice interrupts his thoughts, a mixture of curiosity and amusement lacing its tone. "You truly are a mystery..." The creature's eye glows with an intense, ethereal light. "So you're one of them, one of the few born without restraints." A smile tugs at the corners of his lips. "Interesting, very interesting. I'd love to continue this chat, but..." The creature turns, his gaze piercing the confusing space around them. "I wouldn't want you to die so early; that Leena has been corroding my barrier for a while now." With a flick of his finger, a rift appears, shimmering with an otherworldly glow. "You passed my test. A portal to the next test will appear 24 hours from now. Feel free to rest," he adds nonchalantly as the misty figure grasps Ryua and tosses her through the rift.

"Wait," Kael grunts, his voice steady but tinged with urgency. "I'll tell you why I seem familiar if you give me information on Leena." His face remains calm and cold, masking the turmoil within. 'I need to know the truth.'

The creature pauses, a hint of intrigue in his expression. "Oh? What makes you think I care?"

"You have nothing to lose," Kael counters with a smile. "Aren't you curious?"

The creature's interest piques, and he taps his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... I am awfully curious," he admits, settling back as if contemplating a decision. "Leena... don't trust her. Her goal is to sacrifice the adventurers. However, she won't kill them until they reach the bottom floor. You, on the other hand..." He covers his mouth, his voice dripping with amusement. "Hmhmhm, she won't kill you specifically; you're too weak in her eyes. That's all I'll say for now." With a flick of his finger, the floating platform Kael stands on rises, bringing him face to face with the creature. "Now, tell me."

Kael sighs, frustration flickering in his eyes. "That doesn't help me at all..." He clicks his tongue, looking down at his glove. "Stop hiding, get out here!" Kael grunts, forcefully pulling Ilka out.

"Dammit, Kael! How dare you betray your master!" Ilka yells, floating around indignantly.

"Hey, Ilka, you know him, right?" Kael asks, grabbing hold of her with two fingers, his tone demanding answers.

"I-Ilka?" The creature's eyes widen in surprise before a wide grin spreads across his face. "PFFFHAHAHAHAHA!" He clutches his stomach, wiping away tears of laughter. "Hmhmhmhm, Mother Earth must be fed up with the gods. I thought the gods destroyed your soul after you died, nearly taking down the entire demon army and fighting the demon king's left hand."

"Ehh..." Ilka smiles awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. "My soul kinda bonded with the sword that killed me. It's good to see you, Mirelith..."

Kael raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Wait, can you see her?"

Mirelith's smile widens, his expression a mix of nostalgia and amusement. "Somewhat. I can see and hear her soul; how could I not? It's hard to miss such a burning bright soul."

"Mirelith... You were supposed to ascend. Why are you still—"

Mirelith's expression darkens, cutting her off. "I would love to chat," he mumbles, his voice tinged with regret. "But unfortunately, there's no time. I wish you the best of luck," he says, his tone carrying an unsettling finality as he grabs Kael and hurls him through the rift. As it begins to close, Kael catches a glimpse of the space in front of Mirelith cracking open, with Leena stepping through.