Sam and the others filed out of the hall in uneasy silence, their footsteps echoing faintly against the polished floor.
No one spoke.
They moved as a group toward the elevators, but Sam lagged behind.
His arms were folded, one hand resting against his chin as his thoughts spiraled.
System.
Four new continents.
Awakened… and non-awakened.
Everything he had just heard—it was real.
A quiet breath slipped past his lips.
Now what…?
A faint sigh followed.
What am I even supposed to do?
"Status… open."
A translucent window flickered into existence before his eyes.
Sam slowed his steps, his gaze sharpening as he examined it carefully.
His finger moved almost instinctively, tapping on the notification icon.
Another panel slid open.
[ Time Remaining: 16:2:52 ]
"There's still time…" he muttered under his breath.
"If it's really a unique system… it should be something special."
But even as he said it, doubt lingered.
He didn't know what to do.
Not next. Not ever.
For as long as he could remember, he had drifted through life without direction—no motivation, no real determination.
And now, when everything had suddenly changed… he felt even more lost.
By the time he looked up, the others had already gathered in the elevator.
The doors slid open, and one by one, they stepped inside.
Sam was the last.
Just as he was about to enter—
A firm hand gripped his shoulder.
His body stiffened.
"All of you go ahead," a calm yet commanding voice said.
"I have some business with this one."
Sam turned, his heart skipping a beat.
It was him.
The mysterious man from earlier—the one who had spoken about the four new continents… the one who called this the real world.
Sam hesitated. "Excuse me… I think you've got the wrong person."
"No," he said. "I've got the right one."
The elevator doors slid shut, cutting Sam off from the rest.
Silence fell.
Then—
"We're going to the top floor."
The man snapped his fingers, his other hand still resting casually on Sam's shoulder.
Nothing happened.
A brief pause.
The man clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Tch… damn barrier."
He removed his hand and stepped forward, pressing the elevator button.
The doors opened instantly.
He stepped in and glanced back.
"Come on. I don't have all day."
Sam swallowed hard, nerves tightening in his chest.
"R-Right… sorry."
He hurried inside. The doors closed behind him.
The man typed in a number—
101
Then placed his hand against the panel for authorization.
In the next instant—
The doors opened again.
Sam's eyes widened.
The speed… the security… none of it felt normal.
This wasn't a regular building.
The man stepped out without hesitation.
Sam followed, his steps uncertain.
And the moment he lifted his head—
He froze.
The floor before him looked, at first glance, ordinary.
But it wasn't.
There was something different. Something… otherworldly.
The architecture carried an elegance he couldn't explain. The air itself felt lighter, yet heavier at the same time—as if it was filled with something invisible, something powerful.
It was beautiful.
For a brief moment, Sam forgot how to breathe and thought,
This… feels like a fantasy world.
They walked down the corridor in silence, the faint hum of the building echoing around them. Sam stole occasional glances at the man beside him, but the latter seemed completely at ease.
They eventually stopped in front of a Ricardo office.
Without knocking, the man pushed it open and stepped inside.
Sam followed.
The office was spacious—far larger than he had expected. Clean, refined, and carrying an air of quiet authority.
Seated behind a polished desk was Ricardo, leisurely sipping tea as if he had all the time in the world.
Riana stood nearby.
Sam's eyes immediately shifted toward her.
He blinked.
She looked… perfectly fine.
Not a single sign remained of the lightning strike from earlier. No burns, no weakness—nothing. It was as if it had never happened.
Was that even real…? He wondered.
Pulling himself together, Sam straightened slightly.
"H-Hello, sir… Hello, ma'am," he greeted, his voice a touch unsteady.
Ricardo smiled warmly, setting his cup aside.
"Hello, Sam. Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing calmly toward the sofa in front of him.
Sam nodded and moved forward, sitting carefully, his posture stiff with nervousness.
Meanwhile, the man who had brought him in didn't bother with formalities.
He walked straight across the room, dropped onto another sofa, and stretched out as if he owned the place—completely ignoring everyone else.
The casualness of it made Sam even more uneasy.
The room fell into a brief silence.
And for some reason…
Sam felt like he had just stepped into something far bigger than he understood.
Ricardo slowly rose from his chair.
Instead of returning behind his desk, he walked forward and took a seat on the sofa directly across from Sam. The shift felt deliberate—less formal, more personal.
"Sam," he began gently,
"There's something I'd like to talk to you about."
Sam straightened, his nerves tightening.
"Y-Yes, sir… what is it?"
Ricardo leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His fingers interlocked, fingertips pressing together as he studied Sam carefully.
"Can you tell me about your parents?"
The question hit harder than Sam expected.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
Then, quietly—
"They… died in an accident. Four years ago."
A flicker of emotion passed through Ricardo's eyes—something between sadness… and guilt.
"I see…" he murmured.
After a pause, he continued, more carefully this time.
"Would you mind telling me their names? You see… we have access to extensive resources. Normally, finding someone's background isn't difficult."
His expression grew more serious.
"But no matter what we tried… we couldn't find anything about you. Other than your name."
Sam's brows tightened slightly.
"I… don't understand why that would be," he said, swallowing nervously. "I'm just a normal person. There's nothing special about me."
Silence settled over the room.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Sam lowered his gaze, his fingers slowly locking together in his lap.
"…Even now, I still remember it clearly," he said,
His voice is quieter.
"That day… in the hospital."
His throat tightened.
"They were lying there… cold. Not moving."
A shaky breath escaped him.
"They said a truck's brakes failed… and it crashed into their car."
The words lingered in the air.
Ricardo's expression softened immediately.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.
"I didn't mean to bring back painful memories."
Sam quickly wiped his eyes, though the tears had already begun to gather.
"It's… fine."
A pause.
Then, with effort—
"Jackah Sheridan… and Kate Lysh."
The moment the names left his lips—
Everything changed.
Ricardo froze.
Ariana's eyes widened.
Even the man lounging on the sofa suddenly sat upright.
All of them stood.
At once.
The shift in atmosphere was instant.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Something deeper.
Ricardo's expression trembled—caught between relief and sorrow.
"So it's true…" he whispered, almost to himself.
The man dragged a hand down his face, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.
"Ohhh, man…"
Riana remained still, her gaze fixed on Sam, unable to hide her astonishment.
And Sam—
Sat there in confusion.
Not understanding…
Why had those names just changed everything?