A few minutes after the earth-shaking landing, Commander George marched toward the entrance of the carrier's main base.
As the heavy hydraulic doors hummed open, he encountered General Koby cutting a path through the interior.
Soldiers from the earlier commotion had already scrambled into two perfectly straight lines, their hands snapped to their brows in rigid salutes as the General passed.
Commander George offered a lopsided smile, waving a casual hand at the stone-faced Koby.
"Heya, Koby," George called out, his voice echoing with a teasing lilt. "Did you cry when I left you back there in Malaysia all by yourself? I bet you did. Probably ruined your favorite uniform with all those salty tears."
General Koby himself just glared down on the Commander. He remembered the poem, and suddenly. He's acting all loony.
"Shut it, you old geezer," Koby snapped, his voice a low, vibrating rumble. "I was the one who ordered you to depart early and handle the logistics because I was occupied with a far more pressing matter. Now, I'm here, and I expect nothing less than absolute results."
Koby didn't slow his pace, forcing George to turn and walk alongside him. The General thrust his hands into his pockets, his gaze fixed straight ahead as they transitioned from the deck into the sterile, metallic bowels of the ship.
"How rude... I am technically of a higher rank, you know!" George complained, though his grin suggested he was enjoying the friction.
"And I possess a significantly higher reputation among the men and the public, thank you very much," Koby retorted without a hint of irony.
George let out a long, theatrical groan. "Ugh... it seems the basic rules of military hierarchy still don't apply to the 'Hero of the Front.'"
"Like I care whether they do or don't," Koby said, his stride eating up the floor. "Just give me the status report. Did you secure the clearance?"
"Alright, alright! Have a bit of patience, would you?" George sighed, relenting. "Yes, I've already finalized the task force. My men are prepared to return to Malaysia and infiltrate the La Luna Sangre Hotel. We'll initiate a short-term covert investigation starting late Monday. Are you satisfied now, General?"
"That's better," Koby muttered.
"Seriously now...?" George shook his head in disbelief.
The two men stepped into a reinforced elevator.
George pressed the button for the command level, the doors sliding shut with a heavy thud. For a moment, the only sound was the hum of the lift and George's frustrated breathing.
"I do hope you enjoy speaking with the guest waiting for you," George said, his tone shifting to something more cautious. "He's a weird guy in a black cloak who specifically requested an audience with you."
A man, someone is waiting for the General. And that General himself remembered something—what about the so-called attack? What was it?
"And… speaking of results, earlier, you seemed to have toyed with me with that damned poem of yours." General Koby hissed, almost punching the soul out of the Commander.
"Not toyed, it was a true result until the 'guy' decided for a temporary truce. Not going to lie, but his interception of bypassing the natural area of the carrier left us no choice but to annihilate him directly."
Suddenly, he stopped walking. His face became deadpan, and it left with an expression of uncertainty.
"Did we manage to annihilate him? Of course. Not." He gulped, looking up, as if contemplating, as General Koby listened throughoutly. "All of us in there—we all thought that this was the last day of our lives; we fought, and lost, and almost… lost everything, from just one man holding a freaking 'magical' book."
General Koby's eyes narrowed at that word—Magical Book—and began analysing and sensing Commander George for any sense of bullshiting.
But there wasn't any that flashed in his face. His cheek bones don't even look like they are about to rise up and smirk.
Koby's eyes shifted slightly toward George. "Someone wants to speak to me? On this ship? Who uses a magical book?"
"Yeah," George replied, leaning against the elevator wall. "He used that thing to incapacitate several of my best security details after he was flagged for trespassing."
Koby frowned, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion. "How exactly does one 'trespass' on a heavily guarded aircraft carrier in the middle of the open ocean? Did he fly in? Submerge?"
"Don't ask me," George said, shrugging. "All he would say is 'it's a bit complicated' or some other cryptic nonsense. In other words, he's an annoying cryptic."
The elevator chimed and came to a smooth halt on the third floor. The doors hissed open, and the two officers stepped out into a hallway that felt markedly different from the rest of the ship.
"You'll find him in the primary interrogation room," George said, stopping at the threshold of the hallway.
"Got it," Koby replied, beginning to walk away.
However, Koby paused mid-step and turned back toward his colleague. "Did you happen to catch his name? Or is he just another 'complicated' mystery?"
"Oh, I definitely didn't catch it," George admitted, his expression becoming uncharacteristically grim. "But I suppose that would be my question as well—he never offered a proper name. He simply goes by 'V'."
"V?" Koby let out a short, dry huff of a laugh. "So he's one of those 'binary' idiots who would rather die than be called anything other than 'they/them'?"
"Not exactly," George replied, his voice dropping an octave. "If my gut is right, he isn't occupied with any of the existing social or political platforms of this world. He's... something else."
"I see," Koby said, his eyes narrowing. "A fantasy 'nerd' with delusions of grandeur."
"I wouldn't be so quick to label him that,"
George cautioned. "Anyway, off you go. The guy didn't exactly look like the patient type when I left him."
"Is that so? Fine then," Koby said, turning to continue his journey.
As the General began to walk away, George called out one final time, his voice lacking its usual humor. "Oh, and by the way... well, this might sound rude coming from me, especially since the person I'm saying it to is you. But..."
"Careful in there, Koby."
Koby stared back at George for a few seconds, letting the weight of the warning settle in the air.
He didn't offer a witty retort. Instead, he simply gave a sharp, single nod before turning toward the interrogation wing.
As he walked, Koby's no-nonsense demeanor remained intact, but his internal sensors began to spike.
He saw the "results" George had mentioned.
The corridor leading to the interrogation room was a nightmare of biological anomalies.
Great, twisted branches and thick, gnarled tree trunks had erupted directly from the steel floor and walls.
The wood looked ancient and otherworldly, requiring a level of botanical knowledge that didn't exist in standard textbooks.
There were deep scratches and jagged gashes in the reinforced metal walls, as if a great beast—or the trees themselves—had fought to claim the space.
Branches and trees scattered all across the interior of a carrier... Koby analyzed, his boots clicking rhythmically against the metal between the roots.
"I see no soil, no dirt, only the debris of shredded steel. These woods... they feel wrong. They feel hungry." He thought to himself.
After a few minutes of navigating the surreal forest, Koby reached the heavy steel door of the interrogation room. He stopped at the one-way mirror, looking inside.
Sitting calmly at the table was the figure in the black cloak.
It's V.
V looked perfectly at ease, his arms crossed over his chest, his head tilted back as if he were napping.
Koby pushed the door open and stepped inside. The atmosphere in the room tensed instantly, the temperature seeming to drop as the General's presence filled the small space.
V's head snapped up, his gaze fixing on Koby. He raised a hand in a casual, mocking wave.
"Good afternoon, General," V said, his voice smooth and annoyingly melodic. "I am honestly honored that you decided to grace me with your presence. I know how busy heroes can be."
"Don't flatter yourself," Koby replied, pulling out the chair opposite V with a sharp screech of metal. "I happened to have a gap in my schedule."
Koby sat down, his expression a wall of cold, professional intensity. He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. "Now speak—what are you here for? I don't care about interactions or pleasantries."
"Oh, there is no secondary motive," V chuckled, the sound muffled by his hood. "I'm here for the main point. But does sending the First Division Commander's regards count? We've all been quite busy guarding the Unending Paradox while you're out here playing soldier, taking care of the mundane 'stuff' that we folks really should have handled. Not to mention, you're protecting an old friend of ours who used to be quite the asset—"
"Hold it right there," Koby interrupted, his voice like grinding stones. "You're pouring more salt into a very deep wound. Why don't you try leaving some bandages instead?"
V paused, tilting his head. "What do you mean by that? Oh—oh! I see! You wanted an actual explanation instead of my charming banter! Haha, my bad, my bad."
V laughed to himself, waving his hand dismissively while Koby's jaw tightened in irritation.
"Although, I really can't tell you much," V continued, his tone turning playfully smug. "It's complicated, as you can probably see. Trust me, a man of your... limited perspective... would never understand. At least, not a mere 'Representation' like you."
Representation.
A few days ago, he swore that Commander George had mentioned that same word. A concept whereas one represents another…
There's one thing that a General like Koby hates—and that is… being left clueless.
Koby slammed a fist onto the table, the sound like a gunshot. "Okay, that's enough. What the hell is a 'Representation'?"
"Like I said," V smiled, "it's a bit complicated~"
"Stop mocking me, V," Koby growled, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light.
"Yes, sir," V replied, though the grin remained.
The two stared at each other in a silence that felt heavy enough to crush a lesser man. The air in the room vibrated with the collision of their conflicting energies.
Finally, Koby pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"Just... let's change the subject," Koby said, trying to regain control of the room. "How did you get on this ship? What exactly did you do to those guards? and what is the deal with the trees growing in my hallway?"
"Now that is a whole lot of questions," V remarked, leaning back. "It's like you're putting even more salt in the wound now. Get it?"
"I just told you not to mock me," Koby said, his voice dangerously low. "But let me guess, every answer I want is going to be 'it's complicated'."
"Precisely," V said, snapping his fingers. "Except for the second question. You can rest easy. Your men just received some rather harsh physical feedback. Nothing brutal, nothing permanent. They'll live."
"Well, that's some small comfort," Koby said. "Does that mean we're on good terms now?"
V leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Is that a threat? Are you trying to scare me off to take back the momentum I stole from you? Because let me tell you, General…"
He paused, then continued with a wide smirk.
"...It's working. I'm shaking in my boots."
"Alright, that's it," Koby snapped, his patience finally snapping as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Enough with the games. You're leaving."
Koby stood up aggressively, the chair flying backward. He reached across the table, his hand moving like a viper to grab V by the collar of his black cloak.
He hauled the mysterious figure out of his seat and toward the door. V didn't fight back, but he did struggle against the grip, his voice sounding uncharacteristically frantic.
"Alright, alright! I'll be serious! Put me down, you brute!"
Koby shoved V toward the center of the hallway, letting go of the cloak with a look of pure disgust. "Then finish the talk. Be serious for once in your life. You haven't mentioned your real motive for being here. Speak, or I'll throw you overboard myself."
V straightened his collar, muttering a silent "geez" as he smoothed out the fabric. When he looked back up at Koby, the playful mask had finally slipped, replaced by a gaze that was cold and terrifyingly focused.
"You're heading toward the La Luna Sangre Hotel in Malaysia, aren't you?" V asked. "Well then, let me give you a special directive on behalf of the Timeline Society, my dear sir."
"...Exterminate the 'Alter Being' hiding within its walls."
The words hung in the air, cold and definitive.
Koby shook his head, looking at V with an expectant expression, waiting for the catch.
"Oh—right!" V exclaimed, remembering his audience. "My bad. Just... exterminate the individual with the Eyes of Cruel Freedom—wait, that's also a complicated thing for you..."
"Not my problem," Koby stated flatly.
"Fine. To put it in terms you can grasp: Exterminate the man with like uh… red eyes with broken-glass like irises," V explained. "The ones that burn with malicious intent. It shouldn't be that hard to find him. No one is naturally born with red eyes unless they're an albino, and this man is certainly no albino."
V turned around, taking a slow step away.
"Well, that's about it. My mission is complete. I'll be taking my leave, just as you requested."
Koby watched V walk away, his eyes catching a glimpse of a golden emblem on the back of the cloak—a symbol of five conjoined four-pointed stars. He stood there for a moment, processing the information, before turning to walk in the opposite direction.
Alter Being... it can't be a coincidence, Koby thought, his mind racing. That boy on the bus that day... the one with the weird sense of presence... he didn't have the red eyes thing. If V guy is telling the truth… then there's someone else in there. Someone much worse."
As he contemplated the presence of a demon, Koby realized he was back in the corridors he had navigated only minutes prior.
He looked around, and his blood ran cold. The hallway was empty.
There were scratches on the walls, yes, but the massive trees, the gnarled roots, and the otherworldly branches had completely vanished.
That's... odd, Koby noted, stopping in his tracks. Where did the trees go? There isn't even a leaf left behind.
Suddenly, the realization hit him. V had dodged the question about the trees because they weren't permanent. They were manifestations of whatever 'magic' he possessed.
"I need more information... he hasn't answered me!" He thought to himself.
Behind him, a sudden burst of unknown energy ripped through the air. Koby spun around instantly, his hand moving toward his side.
V was still there, but he wasn't walking. He was standing in front of a swirling, shimmering tear in reality—a portal.
V looked over his shoulder at Koby, offering one last, infuriating smirk before stepping into the light. Koby didn't hesitate; he lunged forward, his body moving in a blur of superhuman speed.
He reached out, his hand inches from V's cloak.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Koby roared. "Hoy!! Get back here!"
His fingers grazed the fabric, but most of V's body was already consumed by the shimmering rift.
Koby was desperate for answers, but his mind was reeling. A portal? In the middle of his ship? This was the stuff of fairytales and nightmares.
Before Koby's fingers could close, the portal collapsed. It shrank into a single point of light and disappeared in a nanosecond, leaving behind nothing but the hum of the ship's engines.
Koby skidded to a halt, his hand still outstretched. He stared at the empty air where the portal had been, his face a mask of profound disbelief.
There hasn't been a mission as interestingly dangerous as this, Koby admitted to himself, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"The closer I get to completing it... the further I am dragged into the unbelievable. Every answer just births a dozen more questions."
And then, he added.
"Truly..." Koby whispered to the empty hallway. "What a weird world we live in."
***
An hour after his unsettling encounter with the mysterious "V," General Koby Frantzes practically exploded out of the aircraft carrier's sterile, pressurized interior.
He didn't walk; he ran, his boots clattering like gunfire against the metallic deck as he headed directly for the idling transport helicopter.
Commander George was already there, leaning against the fuselage, but his casual posture vanished the moment he saw Koby's face.
He had seen the General in the heat of battle, facing certain death, and even then, the man had been a statue of blonde-haired stoicism.
Now, Koby's eyes were wide, darting, and filled with a raw, primal desperation.
"Young Koby? Hey, what's going on?!" George shouted over the rising whine of the turbine.
"Call for the rest of the fleet and head directly to the Calypso Residence!" Koby roared in frustration, his voice cracking with the strain.
"The damned cloaked guy told me that someone—a monster—is in there right now!"
The General didn't wait for a response. He hauled himself into the helicopter without a moment of hesitation, his movements jagged and frantic.
Inside the cabin, Koby slumped into a seat, but his mind was racing at a speed the helicopter couldn't hope to match.
One name, a title he hadn't heard spoken aloud in years, began to repeat in his mind like a funeral bell.
Alter Being.
He had heard that name before, etched into the classified archives of the world's most guarded secrets.
One thing was certain: the memories associated with it were far from pleasant.
"What do you mean there's something in the Calypso Hotel?!" George yelled as he climbed in after him, gesturing toward the horizon. "That's sovereign territory, Koby! We can't just storm a Calypso property on a whim!"
"Someone is there... someone like Gabriel, goddammit!!" Koby screamed back, slamming his fist into the bulkhead.
The metal dented under the force of his "Heroic" strength.
The name hit George like a physical blow. "Gabriel...?" he thought, his confusion momentarily paralyzing him. Gabriel was General Koby's brother—a man whose name was usually spoken only in hushed whispers or not at all. "You're talking about that guy? Now? After all this time?"
"What the heck are you standing there for?! Move out! This is a direct order!" Koby shouted once more, his irritation reaching a boiling point.
The rotors of the helicopter began to spin with a deafening roar, their pitch rising until the landing skids finally lost their touch with the carrier's deck.
As the vehicle began to hover, the downwash pushed away the debris and seawater surrounding the vicinity, and the soldiers' uniforms whipped like waves in a violent thunderstorm.
The association was clear in Koby's mind. If an Alter Being was at the hotel, and that being was anything like his brother, then the world was standing on the edge of a precipice.
That type of person wasn't just a threat to a building or a city. They were capable of bringing down an entire civilization.
Specifically... they were responsible for the fall of Indonesia.
Below them, the aircraft carrier transformed into a hive of lethal activity. At General Koby's command, the entire strike group began to pivot.
For those who had to fly, engines ignited with a thunderous roar.
For those who had to swim, the massive engines of the escort destroyers churned the sea into foam.
They all moved with the grim, practiced efficiency of men preparing for the inevitable.
This wasn't a rescue mission. It wasn't a standard investigation.
This was War.
Under General Koby's absolute authority, the plan was clear: they would invade the outskirts of the La Luna Sangre Hotel and neutralize the Alter Being by any means necessary.
"Head back to the Malaysian Military Base," Koby ordered the pilot, his voice now cold and focused. "We'll take shelter there for a few days to coordinate with local command and then send the full weight of our troops toward the hotel."
His men nodded, their faces grim. They knew better than to question the General when his "Heroism" was directed toward a singular, violent goal.
They flew past islands, over the endless expanse of the sea, and through the humid air of the Bay of Bengal.
Until they reached the site of the Great Erasure.
As the helicopter fleet moved toward the coast, they passed over a region that looked like a scar on the face of the Earth.
These were the ruins in the middle of the sea—a world erased, lost to history forever.
It was a sight that most people only saw in heavily redacted textbooks, yet here it was, manifesting before their very eyes.
As the men looked out the windows, the ocean simply... stopped. All they saw was a gigantic, circular hole in the middle of the sea.
It wasn't a natural formation.
It was a void so large it could have swallowed a minor country whole.
In fact, it had.
Because this was all that remained of Indonesia.
This was Indonesia.
The total collapse of that nation was the primary reason a massive part of modern history had been lost, sunk into the depths like a modern-day Atlantis.
It was a catastrophe caused by the unchecked power of an Alter Being—the same kind of power Koby feared was currently sitting in a hotel room in Malaysia.
General Koby stared down into the blue-black abyss of the hole, his reflection in the glass looking hollowed out.
He would never let the same thing happen twice.
He would never let his home country be swallowed by the same darkness that took his brother's soul.
Even if it meant igniting a diplomatic firestorm.
Even if it meant causing another bloody, world-altering war with the Calypso Family.
"We're coming for you," Koby whispered, his hand tightening around the grip of his sidearm until his knuckles turned white.