"Hah… Hah… Hah…"

Like a streak of lightning, Jack tore through the bunker's corridors, every step echoing his desperation. His breath came ragged, his pulse thundered in his ears, and his mind spun with a storm of frantic thoughts. He could not, would not, accept what his instincts were whispering.

'She can't be. She has to be fine. Maybe the essence didn't reach her. Maybe she's the exception.'

He clung to that thought with every ounce of his will, denying reason, denying logic, denying reality itself. This was not the Jack who usually accepted facts coldly, who confronted the world with unflinching eyes. That Jack would scoff at the man running now, blinded by desperation. But none of that mattered. Not here. Not now.

Because this was his mother.

Essence leaked from his body without him even realizing, his raw panic spilling into the air. In seconds, he was before her door. He didn't hesitate, didn't breathe, didn't think—he shoved it open.

And there she was.

His mother lay on the bed, peaceful, almost serene. Her eyes were closed, her lips curved faintly as though she were lost in a pleasant dream. For one agonizing heartbeat, he allowed himself the illusion that she was merely asleep.

Then he saw it.

That thin, transparent veil of essence wrapped around her body. It glimmered faintly, hugging her frame like a coffin of glass, sealing her away in a world he couldn't touch.

"..."

Jack froze. His breath faltered. His eyes widened, refusing the sight even as it seared into him. His mind emptied in a single crushing instant. The storm of thoughts, the desperate prayers, the frantic denial—gone. All that remained was silence.

A second later, Lune appeared at his side. She saw his face, and her expression darkened immediately.

"No…" Her voice was a low curse, trembling with dread. "No…"

Jack didn't answer. He moved forward slowly, step by step, until he stood before his mother. His gaze lingered on her calm, distant face. She was right there, only an arm's reach away… and yet impossibly far. Trapped. Untouchable.

He had just buried his father. The wound was still raw, still bleeding inside him. And now this—his mother, stolen by time itself.

He lowered his head slightly, voice breaking the silence.

"Lune…"

"..."

"There's a way to get her out of this, isn't there?" His words carried a chilling mix of coldness and uncertainty, a plea wrapped in steel.

Lune hesitated. She looked down, lips pressed tight. "…I…"

Jack turned sharply, eyes locking on her. "There is a way, right?"

Her throat tightened, but finally, she whispered. "…Yeah. There is. But…" Her fists clenched at her sides. "You might as well call it impossible, Jack."

"Impossible?" His eyes narrowed.

"Yes. The Anti-Essence Syndrome is one of the most dangerous ailments in existence. Not even the strongest Chronists are immune to it. Once it catches you, you're finished. To save someone trapped inside…" She paused, gathering herself. "You need three things."

Jack's voice was sharp. "What are they?"

Lune drew in a slow breath. "First… In Aevum, there's a region far to the north, buried in snowy valleys. A secluded tribe of Half-Yetis lives there. Because their environment breeds Anti-Essence, they developed a technique that allows them to touch those afflicted without being trapped themselves."

Jack's face hardened.

"You need that technique before anything else," Lune continued. "Without it, the rest is useless."

Jack asked flatly, "Is it difficult to get?"

"More than difficult." Lune's voice turned grim. "The Half-Yetis are vicious toward outsiders. Only a handful of people in history have been accepted by them. And even among those few, only some managed to learn the technique. Just reaching their home is a near-impossible task on its own."

Jack's eyes flickered. "…What are the other two steps?"

"After that, you'll need something called Anti-Stones."

Jack frowned. "Do you mean… like the Reverse-Chrono Stones?"

"Yes," Lune nodded. "They share a similar nature. Both can manipulate time. But while Reverse-Chronos move your body backward to a past state, Anti-Stones do something different. They don't push or pull time… they consume it."

"Consume time?"

"Yes. They absorb time itself from anything around them. Normally, they're catastrophic. Touch one without preparation and your life is stripped away instantly. But against Anti-Essence…"

Jack's eyes widened slightly. "…It cancels it out?"

Lune nodded faintly. "Correct. But the problem is that Anti-Stones are unimaginably rare. They form only in the most extreme, most violent places. The tallest peaks of Aevum where the air itself tears apart, or the deepest pits where heat and pressure could crush steel. And even then, there's no guarantee you'll ever find one."

Jack let out a cold, humorless breath. "…And the third step?"

Her gaze darkened. "The last step is the hardest of all. You must have flawless mastery over Essence and Time—perfect control—to channel the Anti-Stone's effect and absorb the Anti-Essence without killing the victim in the process."

Silence fell heavy in the room.

At last, Jack asked quietly, "Can you do it, Lune?"

She hesitated. "I… think I can. But even then, I can't guarantee your mother's survival. It's… incredibly complicated."

Jack's jaw tightened, his fists curling. Every word was a nail driven deeper into his chest. Even without hearing all the details, he knew. The despair on Lune's face said it all. This task was nearly impossible.

But—

"How many have ever done it before?" he asked suddenly.

"In my lifetime?" Lune murmured. "I only heard of one case. But… I don't even know if it was true."

"So I should assume it's never been done," Jack said.

"…Yeah."

Jack's lips curled in a bitter smirk. "Not bad odds."

Lune blinked. "Jack, what are you—"

"I'll do it," he interrupted, his voice calm but absolute. "I know the chances are almost zero. But I'll do it."

Lune's eyes widened.

He didn't know why, but instead of crushing him, those impossible odds fueled him. The despair, the losses, the endless cruelty of this world—he'd had enough. He had lost his father. Now his mother was being stolen. No more.

He would not allow it.

"You'll die, Jack," Lune warned, fear flashing in her eyes. "This never happened in my timeline. I don't know anything about this. I can't protect you. If you attempt this, it could mean your death."

"I don't care." He shook his head slowly, his eyes still fixed on his mother. "I really don't care."

Lune fell silent.

Jack exhaled. "…For now, I just need to make sure I reach Aevum. The next Skip happens in three days. After that… I'll figure out the rest."

"You're…" Lune's voice faltered. For once, she had no words.

"Jack!"

Evelyn's voice cut through the tension. She rushed into the room, breathless, but when her gaze landed on the bed, she froze. Her hand flew to her mouth.

"No… Not her too…" Her whisper trembled with despair.

Jack's jaw clenched. "…It seems all the survivors from that gymnasium were infected. Whatever this is, it's spreading among them. For now, we must isolate them. No human contact. We can't risk more people suffering the same fate."

"Jack…" Evelyn's eyes searched his, desperate.

"What?" he asked coldly.

"..." She couldn't speak. The emptiness in his eyes silenced her.

Jack turned back toward the bed. His voice was calm, but iron-hard. "Let's go. We have to figure something out."

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