Michi suddenly came out of his shock and turned sharply to Depri.
"How do you know all this?" he demanded.
Depri let out a quiet sigh. Her eyes dropped to the floor.
"Because… somehow, from the beginning, I've been connected with that being," she said softly. "Our first meeting… it was planned by that deity too."
Michi's eyes widened again. His lips parted, but no words came out. He slowly looked down, the weight of it all pressing on him again.
Depri stepped closer. "Michi… tell me honestly. Do you want to help? Not just us, but yourself too? Do you really want to spend your life with Airi?"
"YES!!" Michi screamed.
His voice echoed in the room like a crack of thunder.
"I will! I can't be stopped now! Now I know my origin… my pain… and now, I can only care for those who cared for me—my Airi, Henu, Tadashi, Ken… my friends!"
Depri smiled slightly, just for a second.
"Michi… last time, you only spent your time in one continent. But this time, your journey will be much bigger. So I've prepared a team for you."
She stepped aside.
Four figures walked into the room.
Depri gestured to each of them. "Let me introduce—
Lior Virellis"
"Kael Rhenfyr"
"Junia Araw"
"Tieu Buwan"
Michi's eyes widened in complete shock.
"Junia?! Tieu?! You're alive?!"
The two girls blinked.
Junia tilted her head slightly. "Umm… have we met before?"
Tieu exchanged a look with her and added, "I don't think we've met you before… sorry?"
Michi's smile faltered. He stepped back a little, confused.
Depri quickly walked over and grabbed Michi by the arm, pulling him into the next room and shutting the door behind them.
"Michi… they don't remember you anymore. For now, at least."
Michi froze. "Wait—'they'... you mean all of them? Airi? Henu too?"
Depri nodded slowly. "Yes. That's why we need to stop that being. Only then can we restore your memories into your friends. Okay?"
She opened the door again. "Now come on. Let's go back. Introduce yourself as Michi. They know the case and the basics—not your past."
Michi followed her back into the room. The others were waiting, quietly curious.
He straightened up and gave a calm nod.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Michi."
As he looked at each of them one by one, something suddenly caught his attention. His eyes narrowed.
"Wait… why do all of them have some kind of forehead mark… just like me?"
Depri glanced at the others, then nodded.
"That's the source of their powers, Michi. Like your forehead mark represents emotions—and you draw power from them—each of theirs has meaning too."
Lior stepped forward, tapping the glowing mark on his forehead.
"My mark represents weather. I can manipulate it."
Kael crossed his arms and added, "Mine helps me draw powers from different elements."
Junia smiled. "Mine gives me the power of the sun."
"And mine…" Tieu's soft voice followed, "allows me the power of the moon."
Michi stood still, absorbing each of their words with a stunned expression. Then he slowly nodded.
From behind, Zaryon's calm voice chimed in.
"Mine is for nature."
Michi looked down for a moment, lost in thought. Then he turned slightly to Depri and spoke quietly.
"Junia and Tieu… they're still the same age as when I saw them before. That was two years ago…"
Depri gave a small sigh.
"I told you, Michi. Time is distorted. Everyone's ages have been manipulated… even the people you know. Nothing is consistent anymore."
Michi sighed deeply, eyes lingering on the group gathered before him. A team of strangers… and yet not.
Kael took a step forward and placed a hand on Michi's shoulder.
"Michi… we'll gather information. We'll find sources. And we'll get to that being together. Okay?"
He smiled warmly. "Trust us. We'll definitely stop this calamity."
Michi looked at him. Then at Junia, Tieu, Lior.
And then… he smiled.