Mark sat back slowly, hands steepled. "That's why I'm telling you this… because if you really want to stand on the side of 'right'—then maybe the best thing you can do is... not choose a side at all."
Jahanox went quiet for a second before he spoke, his voice calm but laced with conviction. "You are right. The best course of action for us would be to do nothing—but that's only because we don't know anything yet. Perhaps there is a reason for this war… perhaps we can help solve it?"
Mark looked at him, eyes faintly shimmering with something nostalgic. "Do you want me to tell you why this war is happening?"
Jahanox lowered his head. "Yes. Please tell us—so we can decide."
Mark's gaze hardened. "And what if your decision isn't one that acts in our favor? Then would you die quietly?"
Jahanox didn't look up. "I don't know. But I'll try my best."
Mark leaned forward, his tone heavier. "This universe exists as a stabilized cluster of twelve interconnected universes. They hold one another in place, balancing each other out. That's why this multiversal structure still survives."
Jahanox nodded. "We know. That's why we came—to fix the distortions threatening that balance."
Mark continued, his voice gaining a slow, weary rhythm. "These twelve didn't just collide out of chaos. They hold history—a long, horrifying story."
He leaned back, a tired weight in his shoulders. "A Thousand year ago—perhaps longer—there was a man. A man who called himself The King."
Jahanox's attention sharpened. The name pulled at something primal. The King…
Mark went on. "He was the first being to ever awaken supernatural powers. At first, he cooperated. Told the world about his gifts. But then… one day, he got bored. And when he did, he decided he would rule the world. It took him less than a day."
Jahanox's eyes widened. "Why would he do that?"
Mark let out a joyless chuckle. "As if anyone could truly know. He treated humans like toys. Burned people for amusement. Killed for entertainment."
Jahanox exhaled sharply. "So he was the definition of evil."
"You haven't even heard half of it," Mark replied. "He grew tired of Earth. Tired of its people. He wanted more toys. So he searched the stars—looking for life in the vastness. But there was nothing. That made him furious. So, he did the unthinkable—he breached the boundary between universes."
The room was silent. Even the Commanders sat still, tension etched into their faces.
Mark continued. "He couldn't conquer the multiverse alone. So he distributed his powers to his servants. Created an army—not of loyalists, but of enslaved monsters."
Jahanox frowned. "Why give his power away? Couldn't he have just done it himself?"
"He could have. But no king reigns without an army. And this king… he didn't want soldiers. He wanted living weapons."
Mark's voice deepened. "They rampaged through universes. One after another. He seperated universes with humans, elf's, Giants so he can rule each specifies alone. And then he did something worse. He fused those remaining universes into one singular plane—a multiverse within a universe."
Everyone's expressions shifted. Even Zazm's brows furrowed slightly.
Mark went on. "Elves. Fairies. Humans. Every race brought into proximity. But instead of dividing them, he made a mistake. That union sparked rebellion. Entire species united with one goal—kill the King. And they did."
Shock settled over the Catalysts. Jahanox blinked slowly, absorbing the immensity of the tale.
"The King's tyranny ended," Mark said. "But his legacy didn't. His army—those twisted remnants—lived on. Once arrogant, now hunted. But not gone. They started living in fear and they were almost wiped out when another man walked forward and boosted their morale. That man who appeared 300 years ago called himself the new King and also the one who started this war."
Mark looked at Jahanox. "So. How much of that did you understand?"
Jahanox hesitated. "Not everything. But I think… I understand the heart of the problem."
Mark raised an eyebrow. "And what's that? Who's to blame, then?"
"The remnants," Jahanox said at first. Mark was about to interject when Jahanox continued. "That's how it may look. But it's not them either. It's the King that King who gave them powers to began with, the one who enslaved them and used them as weapons."
Mark's surprise morphed into a soft, knowing smile.
He nodded. "You're correct. Most remnants don't want to fight but are forced to because they know if they won't fight they'll be killed and humanity knows that if we don't fight we'll be killed."
Jahanox looked at Mark with curiousity across his face, "But still I don't understand can't we save these remanants or something?"
Mark smiled a little, "They don't need saving anymore."
"Pardon?"
"If you have said that a few hundred years ago perhaps then it would've held a value but now remnants have nothing but hate for us. They believe their true king would appear some day again and then they'll kill us all or enslave us till then they'll continue fighting."
Jahanox looked visibly confused, "Wait they believe a dead man would reappear again?"
Mark laughed a little, "Who said he died?"
"What, didn't you just mention he was killed?" Jahanox asked now even more confused.
Mark nodded saying, " Yes he was killed but that doesn't mean he actually died."
Jahanox was about to say something again, but Mark's voice halted him. "That's enough for now. Let's keep this information as it is," he said, his voice loud and commanding as it echoed across the room. His gaze swept across the room as he continued, "I've made my decision regarding whether we should allow them to live or not."
All eyes snapped to Mark with sharp anticipation.
Mark leaned forward, fingers interlocked before him, and declared, "All of these Catalysts are to be put under observation and subjected to tests—tests to determine their powers, their potential. Until we confirm whether they pose a threat or not, they are to be kept within the Dome. During this period, they will study our world and will be kept under 24/7 surveillance."
He paused and then added, "Asher Ellis Ried and Neo Surnine will be responsible for them."
At the mention of their names, the two shadowed figures that had stood silently behind Mark stepped forward. The entire chamber stood in formal respect.
Asher was the red-haired boy from earlier, his kind eyes and casual attire contrasting the formal atmosphere. He wore a sweater and pants, his demeanor warm and unthreatening, though the thick, blood-red sword he wielded told a different story. It looked like it was wrapped in interwoven blades, like sharpened wire, and yet, it had vanished back into his arm like liquid earlier.
Neo, by contrast, was sharp. Dressed in a gray coat and slacks, his black hair was trimmed and proper, and his gray eyes held a soldier's weight. He had the composed air of someone burdened with authority—the strongest human alive.
Asher jumped down lightly, and with a bright smile, he waved. Just as he did, the blood restraints binding the Catalysts vanished in a mist of red particles.
Everyone stumbled, stretching their limbs. Ai rubbed her wrists, Jennie staggered slightly before catching herself, and Minos audibly sighed with relief. Kiyomasa flexed his hands, his face still pale from the experience, while Jahanox straightened, rolling his shoulders. Only Zazm and Miwa remained still, their expressions unreadable.
"Hello! I'm Asher. Nice to meet you all!" Asher beamed, as if the room hadn't just moments ago been filled with deathly tension.
Neo dropped down beside him, scanning the group with his usual stoicism. "These kids don't look like they could kill a fly," he muttered.
Rhyes stepped forward, cloak trailing behind him. "It's been a while, Neo. Asher."
Asher's smile widened. "It really has, Supreme Commander Rhyes. Don't worry, we'll take care of these kids."
Neo walked up, his sharp gaze focusing on Zazm. "What's up with you?"
Zazm said nothing, remaining stoic.
Jahanox quickly stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Jahanox. Please don't mind my friend—he's the quiet type."
Before Neo could respond, Asher bumped him to the side and enthusiastically shook Jahanox's hand. "It's really nice that we can talk like this without fighting. Makes me really happy."
"Asher," Rhyes interjected sternly, "Don't call them that. They are not remnants. They are Catalysts."
"Oh!" Asher blinked, then scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, nice to meet you, Catalysts!"
Kiyomasa stepped forward timidly. "Umm… was that blood manipulation that restrained us earlier?"
"Blood manipulation?" Asher tilted his head. Then realization hit. "Ah! You mean my ability? Yeah, I guess you could call it that."
Ai now approached, arms crossed, her eyes sharp. "You also have superpowers? So are you… remnants too?"
Neo's eyes narrowed. His voice turned bitter. "Don't compare us to those damned pieces of shit. We're nothing like them."
Asher stepped in quickly, his tone softer. "It must be confusing right now, but as Sir Mark said, you'll be taught everything. But first—we need to know your powers."
Paul's voice cut in, directed at Asher. "Don't get too attached, Sir Asher. You wouldn't want to get your heart broken."
Asher turned toward Paul with a disarming grin. "That's my problem, not yours, Sir Paul."
Paul scoffed and turned to Gilgamesh. "We're leaving."
Without a word, Gilgamesh followed him out.
Neo crossed his arms. "If that guy ran half as much as he ran his mouth, he might actually be fit."
Asher let out a laugh. "Right?"
Rhyes then addressed the group. "These two—Asher and Neo—are both Zero-Star threats."
Minos stepped forward, eyes wide. "So… these two are the strongest?"
Asher gave a playful laugh. "Yep! We're the strongest top brass!"
Suddenly, Lorriel descended from her chamber, landing gracefully. Her long, embroidered white coat rippled behind her, her hair shimmering under the chamber's light.
"We'll also need to run a health inspection on them," she said with a clinical tone. "Besides, you'll need me anyway."
"I was just about to request your assistance," Rhyes replied respectfully.
Aina quietly descended behind her, her pale features calm, her smile kind but nervous.
Lorriel glanced at Rhyes, smirking. "Aren't you going to introduce us properly, or should we do it ourselves?"
"My apologies," Rhyes said. He gestured. "This is Lady Lorriel and Aina—both heads of the Sable Veil."
He pointed upwards. "Teroth and Renzo, up there, are heads of Ember Forge."
Renzo waved from his large frame, jovial as ever. Teroth gave a lazy half-salute.
Rhyes's expression shifted as he continued. "Paul and Gilgamesh, who just left, are the heads of Iron Halo."
Before confusion could spread further among the Catalysts, a calm voice spoke from behind them.
"The forces here are divided into four factions. As you've seen, Rhyes is from Obsidian Fang—our frontline fighters against the remnants. Sable Veil handles medicine, health, and AMI regulation. Ember Forge are our engineers and creators of combat tech. And then you have Iron Halo, our internal city regulators—political enforcers."
The Catalysts turned. The speaker stepped into view with sharp eyes and a voice like tempered steel.
Rhyes bowed slightly. "This is Lady Myrtle. First Head of Obsidian Fang."
Myrtle continued, her voice measured. "Each faction has two heads. If you haven't pieced it together by now… you will soon."
Myrtle spoke, her voice calm yet firm, "Perhaps it's about time you kids introduce yourselves?"
Asher chimed in with his usual energy, "Yeah! I've been waiting for that too!"
Jahanox stepped forward first, respectful in his tone. "My name is Jahanox Nova."
Ai followed right behind, a composed nod accompanying her words. "Ai Hoshino."
Miwa skipped forward with a peace sign. "I'm Myeong-hwa, and this guy here is Min-Seok."
Min-Seok crossed his arms with an unamused look. "I can introduce myself."
Neo raised a brow. "You two have Korean names?"
Min-Seok gave a sigh of relief. "Finally someone acknowledges other countries exist."
Asher tilted his head. "Korea? That's on Earth, right?"
Neo nodded. "Yeah."
Kiyomasa gave a slight bow. "I'm Saito Kiyomasa. But you can just call me Kiyo."
Jennie followed softly. "I'm Jennie Aurelia."
Last was Zazm. Hands still in his pockets, his voice cold and calm. "Zazm."
Rhyes gave a short nod. "Now that introductions are done, let us proceed to other procedures."
Myrtle stepped forward, her single eye scanning each Catalyst. "We may begin to trust you… but the people outside this room won't. No matter what you call yourselves—Catalysts or not—they will still see you as remnants. Curses responsible for countless losses."
Rhyes added, "Prepare yourselves. This is the path you've chosen."
Ai nodded quietly. "If that's how it is..."
Minos sighed but stood firm. "Then we'll just have to earn their trust."
Lorriel agreed, "That's the most realistic option."
Asher smiled. "You can hang with us! Everyone trusts us."
Neo side-eyed him. "No one trusts you, joker."
"Rude," Asher laughed.
Neo crossed his arms. "Does it look like I care?" He turned to Rhyes. "Let's get moving. I need to find those shitheads."
Aina sighed. "Can't you call your teammates by name?"
Neo shrugged his shoulders lightly. "Could. But I'm referring to what they are."
Myrtle raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't your team be with you?"
Neo muttered, "They were supposed to be. But they vanished the moment we arrived."
Rhyes finally spoke. "Enough. We've talked enough. Let's move."
Myrtle looked at Rhyes and spoke, "You stay here I'll take care of the work for as long as you're busy."
"You are doing me quite a huge favor."
Myrtle turned as she walked. "I'm not doing you a favor, Rhyes. This is simply what matters right now."
Rhyes nodded respectfully.
Asher took the lead. "Let's go!"
Neo followed beside Rhyes. Lorriel motioned the others forward, and the Catalysts began walking.
Aina walked just ahead of Zazm, but something slipped from her pocket. A small object wrapped in soft paper. Zazm, without a word, reached out with his right hand, crouched, and picked it up.
"You dropped this," he said.
Aina turned, surprised. She stepped closer. "Thank you."
Jennie leaned in curiously. "What's this?"
Aina smiled, slightly shy. "It's a flower. It was dying, so I wrapped it in a pouch."
Lorriel came closer. "That's a recovery pouch. Aina made it herself—it heals plants and even injured paws. A medical product of hers."
Minos's eyes lit up. "That's really cool!"
Asher nodded enthusiastically. "Totally agree!"
As Aina accepted the flower, her gaze shifted to Zazm's right hand. Her eyes paused.
"Is that a tattoo, Mr. Zazm?"
Asher perked up. "Tattoo? Let me see!"
Zazm subtly tried to hide his arm.
Neo caught the movement. "What are you hiding?"
Jahanox quickly stepped in, rolling up his sleeve. "Here. This is what we've got."
Everyone's attention turned to his forearm.
The mark was a mesmerizing tapestry of intricate designs, with swirling patterns that resembled chains falling from a hand, each link shimmering with an ethereal glow.
Interspersed among the chains were complex geometric shapes that twisted and turned, creating an illusion of depth and movement.
At the center lay a symbol pulsing with dark allure—both captivating and ominous, exuding otherworldly energy.
Asher blinked. "That doesn't look like a tattoo."
But Lorriel's reaction was immediate. Her hand grabbed Jahanox's arm, eyes wide with disbelief.
Rhyes, Aina, and Neo mirrored her shock.
Lorriel's voice trembled. "Where did you get this?"
Jahanox blinked. "I… it just appeared one night."
"What do you mean?" she snapped, fingers tracing the mark.
She turned to Rhyes. "It's an AMI mark."
Asher stepped back in shock. "Wait, what?! An AMI mark?"
Rhyes walked forward, gaze sharp. "Tell the truth. How did you get it?"
Jahanox responded honestly. "I don't know. One night, we all just had them."
Neo scoffed. "You're telling me you just woke up with an AMI mark? Ridiculous."
Zazm stepped forward and silently rolled up his own sleeve.
His mark was a complex design of lines and shapes that flowed in a mesmerizing pattern. At its center, a stylized hourglass with sand suspended in mid-fall. Around it, concentric circles rippled outward like water, adorned with tiny stars and crescent moons—symbols of something far beyond comprehension.
"They're telling the truth," Rhyes finally said, voice calm but resolute.
Lorriel looked at him skeptically. "Are you certain?"
Rhyes nodded. "Yes."
Minos stepped forward. "Can someone explain what these are?"
Asher answered, "They're AMI marks. They let you conjure weapons—and sometimes powers—with unique abilities."
Miwa tilted her head. "Then why do Jahanox and Zazm have them?"
Neo walked up beside her. "Smart girl. That's what we're trying to figure out."
Lorriel let go of Jahanox's arm, looking deeply unsettled.
"A lot of things here… aren't making sense."
Neo walked closer saying, "Let's make sure if they really are AMI marks or not."
He walked straight to Zazm and grabbed his arm. Aina's voice broke out, laced with concern.
"Wait, Neo, don't just—"
But Neo ignored her. He placed his hand over Zazm's mark. A faint glow began to pulse from Neo's palm, and in response, the mark on Zazm's arm began to shine as well, flickering like it was resonating with the energy.
"Are you looking at this, Lorriel?" Neo asked, his tone sharpening.
Lorriel stepped closer, narrowing her eyes.
"Just… how?" she murmured.
She moved in beside him. "Neo, try to drag the weapon out," she said with urgency.
"Huh?" Neo blinked.
Lorriel repeated firmly, "If they really don't know how they got it, the best way to inspect it is by pulling the weapon out."
Asher strolled in with a chuckle, hands behind his head.
"If you can't do it, Neo, I can help."
Neo ignored him completely. The glow from his hand intensified—but then, without warning, it sputtered and vanished.
Neo's eyes narrowed, a flicker of surprise in his usually blank expression. He tried again—but again, the glow vanished.
Jennie tilted her head slightly, her voice soft but curious.
"Um… is something supposed to happen?"
She caught Neo's face and blinked in confusion. For once, his stoic mask cracked.
Rhyes took a step forward, his tone composed but sharp.
"What's wrong?"
Neo looked back at him, eyes slightly widened.
"Whatever's inside this… it's on par with my mark."
Asher stopped mid-grin. "You're joking, right? There's no way."
Lorriel's gaze sharpened.
"Keep your hand there, Neo." She turned to Asher.
"You try it on Jahanox."
Asher gave a small nod and quickly placed his hand on Jahanox's mark. The glow sparked—and fizzled, exactly the same as before.
His eyes narrowed. 'You've gotta be freaking kidding me...'
Neo stepped back and muttered, "What the hell is going on…"
Lorriel clenched her jaw, her mind racing. 'How is this possible… AMI marks… on par with that of Asher The Blood Reaper and Neo who's known as Humanity's Last Hope?'
Neo hissed, "This is too damn insane. Not only do they have AMI marks… it's one of the strongest ones I've ever seen."
Aina walked closer, her tone gentle. "Mr. Zazm, could you… try to conjure the weapon?"
Zazm stared at her, then at his arm, voice flat.
"How?"
"Look here."Asher stepped in between them.
He pushed up the sleeve of his sweater, revealing a thick sword-like mark across his forearm, surrounded by crimson droplets. It resembled his actual weapon.
"This is an AMI mark. It stores a weapon with unique abilities," he explained, his voice light but serious.
"The ability flows through you, but its source is the mark. You have to pull that energy into one point."
As he spoke, thin streams of blood leaked from his arm. The mark glowed, brightening as the sword pattern shined like fire—and then it vanished. In its place, a massive blood-red blade materialized in his hand.
Gasps echoed.
Miwa's eyes sparkled.
"That's insane…"
Jennie beamed.
"That looked amazing!"
Minos scoffed, hands behind his head. "And that, chat, is how we know we picked the cooler side."
Asher laughed. "Appreciate the compliments. But yeah, that's what's inside an AMI mark. The weapon, the ability… everything comes from here."
Jahanox asked, "Right… but can we do that?"
Rhyes nodded, his presence calm and firm. "The weapon's there. You just need to draw it out. Try."
Jahanox closed his eyes, focused—and nothing.
He tried again. Still nothing.
Zazm gave it a try too. The mark flickered, but didn't activate.
Neo crossed his arms. "They're too clogged. It's like the marks haven't been used in ages. Or worse—someone sealed them."
Zazm looked at him."Can you break the seal?"
Neo stared straight into his eyes."I can… but it'll hurt like hell."
Zazm didn't hesitate. He raised his arm.
Neo immediately understood. He stepped forward. The group around them held their breath.
As Neo's hand touched Zazm's mark, the pressure exploded outward. Neo's entire sleeve was torn apart by a violent shockwave of energy. His palm glowed—brighter and brighter—and Zazm's mark responded in kind, illuminating like a small sun.
And then—
BOOM.
Zazm's forearm burst open—flesh, muscle, and blood tearing as if a cannon fired through it.
Neo staggered back.
"Aina!" he called.
Aina sprinted forward without hesitation.
Zazm collapsed to one knee, his breathing sharp, eyes still steeled through the pain. His arm was mangled, raw red exposed beneath shredded skin.
Jennie flinched, and Jahanox instinctively stepped in front of her.
"Don't look," he muttered, eyes turned away.
Miwa nearly gagged, covering her mouth.
Zazm clenched his teeth, silent through the agony. Aina gently held his arm. Her hands glowed a soft green.
The wound began to close. Tissue reknit. Muscle reformed. Blood pulled back beneath skin. In seconds, the arm was whole again. Not even a scar.
And the mark… was still there.
Ai stepped forward nervously.
"Is… is he okay?"
Zazm nodded once, still catching his breath.
Rhyes exhaled, his tone steady.
"That was unexpected. But don't worry—we knew Lorriel and Aina were here. You were never in real danger."
Lorriel crossed her arms, her voice tight. "Whatever's sealed inside that mark is too strong. Your bodies can't handle it."
Neo added,"The seal isn't a restraint. It's protection. You break it now—it'll destroy you."
Lorriel sighed, her expression tense, her mind clearly still spinning from the earlier revelation.
"There's nothing we can do for now," she muttered. "Let's go."
The group began walking again, but the air had shifted—tainted by unease and a quiet, buzzing tension that hung over their heads like an invisible fog.
As they walked, Aina tilted her head slightly and asked with gentle curiosity,"Wait… how did you all awaken your powers?"
Jennie, calm and ever-polite, answered first, "We all awakened with Zazm's help."
Rhyes, walking at the front, caught the phrase and repeated it slowly, "Zazm's help?"
Minos, hands tucked behind his head, continued nonchalantly, "Yeah. Zazm told us we had powers and asked if we wanted to join him. Then he… did something. Next thing we knew—we could use them."
Lorriel groaned lightly, placing a hand over her forehead.
"How did Zazm awaken his ability, then?"
Zazm, walking quietly with his hands back in his pockets, responded in his usual cold tone.
"I just woke up with it one night. The mark was there. After that, the powers came naturally."
Lorriel narrowed her eyes and asked more seriously, "Wait a second—you all know what your powers are?"
Jahanox nodded firmly.
"Yes. We do."
Neo, walking beside Rhyes with his arms crossed, frowned.
"Then why didn't you tell us that earlier?"
Miwa, cheerful as always, pouted and tilted her head, "Maybe because… no one asked?"
Lorriel looked toward Zazm, her expression growing sharper.
"How were you able to identify what powers each of them had? And how did you help them awaken it?"
Zazm replied coolly without pausing his steps.
"I can manipulate space and time."
He paused a moment before elaborating,
"Threads flow from every living being. They carry information—memories, instincts, even latent potential. Using those threads, I can look into someone's past... or their possible future. I read the information imprinted on them. That's how I figured out their powers."
Lorriel fell silent, processing. "So… you're saying everyone's threads have powers already imprinted on them?"
"I don't know for sure," Zazm admitted, expression blank. "I haven't looked at anyone's threads that closely beyond the Catalysts. But it seems that way."
Lorriel narrowed her eyes again. "And you're sure the powers you told them about are accurate?"
Jahanox answered for him. "Seems like it. We're all able to do what he said we could."
Aina chimed in from the side, her tone soft and bubbly as she clasped her hands together. "A remnant awakens their powers after a while naturally. It's not taught—it's like breathing. The knowledge just… appears."
Kiyomasa blinked in confusion.
"They just know?"
Aina nodded. "Mm-hmm! Like how a baby knows how to breathe when it's born."
"Makes sense," Miwa said thoughtfully. "Kind of weird, but… it tracks."
Rhyes spoke again, authoritative as ever.
"Then it's likely that all of you awakened too early because of Zazm. That may be why you couldn't understand the nature of your powers in full."
Asher leaned forward, a curious smile on his face.
"So then—there might be some mistakes, right? Maybe Zazm didn't get every power right?"
Jahanox shrugged."Maybe. Maybe not. We had no way to know at the time."
Lorriel finally cut in."Well, we'll know for sure now. Because we're going to run full scans—powers, health, everything."
"Wait, really?" Jennie asked politely, surprised.
Rhyes turned his head slightly toward her,
"It's necessary. And we'll be issuing identity cards as well."
Asher looked toward Rhyes with growing seriousness. "You planning to send them to EIAA?"
Rhyes nodded, slowly.
"That would be the best course of action. They don't know anything about this world. That academy would give them structure."
Neo stepped beside the two of them, his tone firm.
"People there won't just accept them. You're right—they'll learn everything from the Academy. But…"
"But the problem remains." Rhyes finished the thought.
"Exactly," Neo replied coldly. "You want to put them in with other students, pretending nothing's wrong. It could create fear, even hostility."
Asher grinned lightly. "They'll be with us. That should keep things from escalating, right?"
Neo gave him a side glance. "That'll just make things worse. Students will think we're favoring dangerous remnants."
Asher scratched his head. "Then what's the best way to do this?"
Rhyes answered calmly. "Simple. We won't tell anyone they're remnants."
"What?" Neo frowned.
"Their cards won't say it," Rhyes clarified. "No one has to know. All they need to do is keep their powers hidden while they're inside."
Neo scoffed lightly. "Which they can't use anyway while inside here."
Rhyes nodded."Exactly. That makes it easier. We just need to get them enrolled."
"What about their backstories?" Asher asked.
Neo said in an uninterested tone. "That's not an issue. We'll just make something up."
Rhyes turned to him. "Then have Luna handle it."
Neo sighed. "If I can find her first."
Asher smirked. "How much does your own team hate you, man?"
Neo shrugged, voice flat. "Like I'd know."
Rhyes asked dryly, "Can't you just call them?"
Neo frowned slightly.
"Already tried. They're not picking up."
He exhaled . "Don't worry. I'll find them."
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