Chapter 11

-In Void World-

Thanks to Kierra’s help, Remon and Leo stepped into the Void World. Kierra followed closely behind.

The moment they arrived, they were met with a breathtaking sight—an advanced civilization with towering skyscrapers stretching into the sky. Holographic advertisements flickered on massive screens, and sleek, futuristic vehicles zoomed overhead. The streets were packed with people, all moving in a hurry, seemingly headed for work, school, or other obligations.

“It seems your friend really likes the futuristic aesthetic, huh?” Leo remarked, scanning the city with a curious gaze.

“WOOHOO!!” Kierra cheered, leaping with excitement. “These are so cool!”

“Hey, Kierra, don’t run off!” Leo groaned, immediately chasing after them.

Remon trailed behind, her eyes carefully studying their surroundings. A strange familiarity crept up on her, like a memory just out of reach. Then, it clicked.

“This place…” She paused.

Leo glanced at her. “Hm? What about it?”

“This world—it’s from Rein’s book.”

“Oh?”

“In his story, everything was transformed into an advanced technological society. Everything followed a strict structure, ruled entirely by order.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” Kierra asked, curiosity piqued.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

As if on cue, two people nearby moved in perfect synchronization, their steps mirroring each other exactly. Further ahead, a crowd was walking toward the same destination in eerie unison, their expressions blank, their movements mechanical. It was as if they were all being controlled by some unseen force.

Leo shuddered. “Why do they seem so… weird? Uncomfortably weird…” he whispered to the twins.

“Ugh… this place just went from cool to creepy real fast,” Kierra muttered.

Remon took a deep breath. “We came here for a reason, our goal is to help Rein remember his past, right? We just need to find him.” She stepped forward without hesitation.

“W-Wait up!!” Leo called, hurrying after her.

Kierra quickly followed, sticking close to the two as the unsettling city loomed around them.

With no clear direction, they decided to ask the people around them for help. No answer. They tried again. Nothing.

After several more failed attempts, the realization sank in—these people couldn’t communicate with them.

“Ugh… This is useless.” Kierra grunted in frustration. “What if I force them to talk?”

“Please don’t do that.” Leo immediately shut the idea down. “I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks here.”

Kierra crossed her arms, pouting. “Remon, you said you already read his book! Where is he now?”

Remon hesitated. “I… don’t remember.”

“WHAAT?!” Kierra’s voice echoed through the empty spaces between the towering buildings.

“I think he wrote himself as the main character, but he never mentioned where exactly he was in the book,” Remon explained.

Kierra groaned. “Then what are we supposed to do?! Wait! I know! Let’s use my power! I can—”

“NO.”

Both twins rejected the idea in perfect sync, without a moment’s hesitation.

“We spent way too much time training you not to use your powers randomly,” Leo scolded.

“I never want to go through that again,” Remon muttered, visibly drained by the memory.

“Hahah! Just kidding~” Kierra laughed, clapping her hands together. “It’s so funny watching you two get all worked up!”

Remon let out a long, exhausted sigh. “Anyway… let’s focus. We should try to find his house first.”

“Do you know where it is?” Leo asked, tilting his head.

“Not exactly… but I have an idea.”

“Sweet!! I can’t wait to meet him! I wonder what kind of person he is!” Kierra bounced excitedly on their feet.

Remon turned to Leo, lowering her voice. “It seems Kierra takes after you a lot.”

Leo grinned, striking a dramatic pose with both hands on his hips. “Hah! Of course! I, the charming Void Traveler, must naturally pass my charisma onto our dear clock person! Hahaha!”

Remon sighed, letting him enjoy their moment before continuing forward. 

As they continued searching for Rein, a presence emerged behind them.

“Well, well… what do we have here?” a voice drawled, laced with displeasure.

The three turned around to see a tall figure standing before them. He had sharp red eyes, light gray hair with a bold black streak running through the middle, and wore a white T-shirt layered under a black vest.

Leo immediately stepped in front, standing protectively. “Who are you?”

The stranger smirked, eyes narrowing. “Hah. No, I should be the one asking you that. Unregistered civilians...”

Remon tensed, in this moment, she recognized the stranger, but her usual composure shifted into something more serious. Kierra instinctively prepared to step forward, ready to defend the twins if necessary. Meanwhile, Leo remained calm and unwavering.

Then, with a confident smile, Leo spoke. “Apologies for disrupting your incredible city. I’m Leo, this is Remon, and that’s Kierra. We are Void Travelers. Our job is to assist you in whatever way you need.” Leo goes beyond, bow to the stranger.

For a brief moment, the stranger’s eyes widened in intrigue.

“Void Travelers?” he repeated, tilting his head slightly. “And you’re here to help me?”

“Yes,” Leo affirmed without hesitation.

The stranger studied them carefully before scoffing. “And what exactly is a Void Traveler? And why would you want to help me?”

A brief silence filled the air before Leo finally responded.

“Void Travelers are… an assigned team meant to assist in resolving this city’s crisis! We were sent here specifically to help you!”

The stranger continued to stare, skepticism clear in his expression. Before he could respond, Remon stepped in.

“Yes, we’re here to help you conquer this world and shape it exactly as you wish,” she added smoothly as she understood of what Leo was trying to do.

“Oh? Really?”

Leo and Remon nodded, maintaining their act.

“But first…” Leo hesitated before asking, “Is your name… Rein?”

At that, the man’s eyes widened before he let out a loud, arrogant laugh.

"You really had to confirm? I thought my reputation spoke for itself."

Leo and Remon exchanged troubled glances. This guy is ridiculously full of himself…

Meanwhile, Kierra, looking confused, turned to the twins. “Uh… I thought we were supposed to make him remember his past?”

Silence fell upon the group.

Leo and Remon froze. Rein’s grin instantly faded.

“...Remember my past?” His red eyes narrowed in cold suspicion.

Leo and Remon panicked, scrambling for a convincing answer.

“N-No! This little one must be confused!” Leo blurted out.

“I’M NOT A LITTLE ONE!” Kierra shot back.

“Yeah! We—we just—”

Before Remon could continue, Rein abruptly raised his hand. “Enough.”

His expression darkened.

“...GUARDS!”

“W-WAIT! JUST LISTEN—”

Rein’s sharp glare silenced them.

Leo, desperate, spoke up. “We—we need you to remember your past! It’s important!”

“Yes! You must remember your past if you want to move on peacefully!” Remon added. “This world isn’t real!”

“What?” Rein’s tone turned ice-cold.

“You already died, Rein,” Leo said, voice firm. “This world is temporary. Soon, you’ll vanish without a trace.”

Rein’s expression flickered—shock, then anger.

“I don’t believe you.” His voice was steady, controlled—but filled with something dangerous. “Fakes. Civilians. GUARDS! SEIZE THEM!”

The city erupted into chaos.

“RUN!” Leo turned on his heels, yanking Remon and Kierra with him.

All around them, the seemingly normal civilians turned, their movements eerily synchronized. One by one, they began chasing them, their footsteps pounding in unison.

The trio sprinted through the futuristic streets, dodging grasping hands and pushing through the crowd. After what felt like an eternity, they finally managed to slip into a narrow alleyway, panting heavily.

“We need to retreat to White Space! Now!” Leo ordered.

Kierra didn’t hesitate. They stretched out their hand, opening a swirling portal. Without wasting a second, they leaped through.

On the other side, in the safety of White Space, they collapsed onto the ground, catching their breath.

“Why the hell did he try to capture us?!” Kierra demanded.

“Because he doesn’t trust us!” Leo snapped, still frustrated. “We were so close! But you ruined it!!”

“EH?! DON’T BLAME ME!! YOU GUYS WERE THE ONES BEATING AROUND THE BUSH!!”

Remon sighed, stepping between them. “Let’s not fight. It’s our fault, not just Kierra’s.”

Leo groaned, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Ughhh…”

Then, after a moment of silence, he turned to Remon. “Remon… do you remember what his book was about?”

Remon hesitated before answering.

“Yeah… His entire story is about how he’s misunderstood by everyone. His ‘solution’ was to control them—using mind control and clones to force everyone into the same mindset. That way, he’d finally feel ‘understood.’”

A chilling silence settled between them.

“…That’s seriously messed up,” Kierra muttered.

Leo clenched his fists. “Then that means… convincing him won’t be easy.”