CHAPTER 174: [DID YOU DO THIS?]

Eli’s voice came out sharper than he intended. "That’s not funny."

Zaira didn’t even flinch. Her expression stayed steady—serious in a way that made Eli’s stomach twist.

He turned to Mio, desperate for something, anything that made sense. "Mio, why are you letting them do this?"

Mio’s jaw tightened, his usual composure cracking slightly. Before he could answer, Punzo spoke—his tone low, uneasy. "As much as I don’t like defending anyone from Twilight Guild... Eli, our captain’s behind you."

Eli froze.

Punzo’s voice continued, hesitant. "And Twilight’s captain—he’s right beside Mio." He pointed as he spoke, first past Eli’s shoulder, then toward Mio’s left, where Mio’s gaze already lingered.

Eli followed the direction automatically—but saw nothing. Just air, and mist curling faintly in the forest’s dim light.

That wasn’t possible.

If they were there... why couldn’t he see them?

Mio’s expression shifted from tension to something worse—uneasy pity. "Eli..."

From the corner, Mel’s voice broke the silence, quiet but trembling. "The captain’s asking if you’re the one... messing with us."

Eli turned toward him slowly. "What?" His voice cracked. "What the hell does that even mean?"

Mel looked away, guilt flickering across his face.

"This doesn’t make any sense—" Eli’s breath quickened, the words tumbling from his mouth. "Unless... unless I’m still asleep, or trapped under something’s ability, but no—no, that can’t be it. Why just me?"

"Eli," Zaira said again, frowning as she took a cautious step forward.

He flinched when she reached out, stumbling back a little, eyes wide. "Are you even real?" he demanded.

Zaira blinked. "What are you saying? Of course we are! But it’s—" She hesitated, glancing toward Arman.

Arman exhaled, stepping closer. "It’s odd, though," he admitted, voice steady but wary. "Caelen’s been trying to touch you—he can see you, but he can’t touch you."

The words landed like a punch.

"Trust us," Arman continued, his tone careful, deliberate. "We wouldn’t joke about this. Everything you’re seeing is real. You’re not dreaming. But..."

He hesitated.

"It’s possible something’s wrong with you, Eli. Because of the dungeon."

Eli’s pulse thundered in his ears. The world seemed to tilt, the forest warping around him in dizzying waves. Shadows stretched between the trees, swallowing the faint light that filtered through the mist.

’They don’t sound like they’re lying.’

His chest heaved, each breath tight and uneven—not just from the remnants of water still clawing at his lungs, but from the sheer, creeping panic spreading through his veins.

Not seeing Caelen and Kairo was one thing. He could’ve blamed exhaustion, trauma, even residual illusion effects.

But the fact that they couldn’t touch him?

That shattered something deeper.

’No... that doesn’t make sense. That can’t be right.’

Except it was.

Zaira had touched him earlier. He’d felt her hand, her warmth, the pressure of her grip on his arm. He wasn’t a ghost—he couldn’t be.

"Is it..." Eli started, his voice shaking despite himself. "Could it be the serpent? Like how the octopus could control minds?"

He looked to Kairo’s team—Mio, Zaira, Mel—because they’d been in this dungeon longer. If anyone knew what kind of nightmare logic ruled this place, it was them.

Mio exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. "That’s what we thought too," he admitted, his tone heavy with frustration. "But why you? And why only them? The captains aren’t affected by anything like that."

He glanced toward the space where Kairo supposedly stood, then back at Eli. His jaw tightened. "It’s not like the octopus’s ink either. If it were a class-based effect, it wouldn’t single you out. We’re all S-Class. Unless..."

He paused, grimacing. "Unless it’s not about rank. Unless it’s something... else."

Eli’s mind spun. None of it made sense. Every explanation felt like trying to breathe underwater—too heavy, too wrong.

That was why, at first, he had thought they were joking. That it was some twisted prank, or a shared hallucination caused by exhaustion.

’But they’re all as clueless as I am.’

Eli swallowed hard, forcing himself to breathe through the faint static still humming beneath his skin. Every nerve felt raw—buzzing from leftover electricity, from panic, from the lingering weight of the voice that still echoed faintly in the back of his skull.

He tried to focus. Tried to pull himself back to the moment. "The serpent eel," he rasped, his throat rough and dry. "Where did it go? What did it do after... all that?"

Punzo was the first to speak. His usually cocky tone was gone, replaced by something uncertain. He scratched the back of his neck, glancing toward the jagged line of the forest. "That thing? It moved away. Just—slithered off like it suddenly remembered an appointment somewhere else." His eyes darkened. "Tore down half the forest doing it, too."

Jabby’s voice trembled slightly. "It was huge, Eli. Way bigger than before. When it came out of the water, it didn’t even look like a serpent anymore—it looked endless."

Mel shuddered. "It broke the trees like twigs. The shockwaves alone... if we weren’t thrown out of the cave, we’d all be dead."

Eli stared at them, unease curling in his gut. ’It just left? That’s... suspicious. Either it was thrown off by its own current—or it’s luring us somewhere.’

He exhaled shakily, trying to piece it together. "And... what about Kairo and Caelen?"

That question silenced everyone.

Their eyes darted toward one another—uncertain, hesitant.

Jabby finally spoke, her voice quieter than before. "Caelen’s... still trying to get to you." She hesitated, visibly conflicted, before blurting, "He said—uhm—he said you don’t—wait, no, I shouldn’t—"

Punzo cut in, smirking despite the tension. "Twilight Guild, seriously? You’re just gonna let him flirt with your sister like that?"

Mel frowned, folding his arms. "It’s her own fault. Captain’s right this time."

Eli blinked, completely thrown off. "...Excuse me?"

’Are they actually still fighting? Right now?’

Mio let out a long-suffering sigh, running a hand down his face. "Forget them, Eli. Kairo’s... not exactly thrilled either. He’s trying to figure out what caused this. Told us to look for mana distortions or serpent residue." He paused, tone grim. "He doesn’t think it’s an illusion."

Eli scoffed under his breath, rubbing at his temples. "Of course he doesn’t."

Zaira crouched beside him, her voice calm but edged with concern. "Eli... do you have any idea what could’ve done this? You’re usually the one who sees things first."

He hesitated. The words caught in his throat.

What could he even say? That he’d drowned and heard someone whisper my Orion before waking up in a completely different place? That maybe reality had split—and he’d fallen between the cracks?

His fingers curled into the mud beneath him, the cold seeping through his skin.

’Weird and stressful.’

That was one way to describe it. Maybe the only way. Everything had been spiraling since this dungeon started—his danger sense constantly flickering like a broken light, the serpent mutating mid-fight, Kairo and Caelen trying to kill each other while the system handed him new death wishes disguised as missions. Then there was the voice. That voice. The one that called him Orion.

And now this.

The cherry on top of his slow descent into madness.

To be fair, Caelen and his entire team appearing out of nowhere because of the system had already been a solid contender for "weirdest thing to ever happen to Eli."

But this... this was worse.

Something cold crawled down his spine—a slow, creeping realization forming in his head like a shadow.

’Wait... what if it’s not the dungeon at all?’

The thought hit him hard, unwanted and heavy.

’What if it’s the system?’

It made too much sense, and he hated it for that. Caelen and his team appearing had been the reward—or so he’d thought. But he hadn’t completed the missions yet. Not even one.

And now suddenly, the only people affected by whatever this was... were him and the two "targets" the system wanted him to get close to.

His throat went dry.

Eli’s eyes dropped to the ground, his bangs falling forward to hide his expression. The others were still murmuring, quietly arguing about serpent residue, injuries, or what to do next. He barely heard them.

He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. He just let the thought fester, cold and nauseating.

Then, in his mind, he called out—quietly but firmly.

’System.’

The world seemed to shift.

Sound dulled, like someone had pressed their hands over his ears. The forest blurred at the edges, colors draining into gray. His heartbeat was the only thing he could hear—a slow, heavy thud echoing through the stillness.

Then the faint, familiar shimmer appeared at the corner of his vision—thin blue light, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

’Did you do this?’ Eli thought sharply. ’Is this because of the missions? Because of them?’

No response.

The light pulsed once—soft, taunting—like it was listening. Aware. But silent.

Eli’s hands curled into fists. His pulse quickened, anger bubbling beneath the confusion. ’I know you can hear me. Don’t play dumb. Why can’t I see Kairo and Caelen? Is it your doing?’

For a moment, there was nothing. Just silence stretching long enough to make him doubt he’d even been heard.

Then—

Ding.

Another.

Ding.

Then again.

Ding. Ding.

Eli’s blood ran cold.

’...What the fuck?’