Previously on Captivity...

In the real world, panic ensued as Eichi's sister struggled to understand the ominous message on his screen. Despite her desperate attempts to restore the connection, the words "Entered" remained, leaving her on the brink of despair.

Meanwhile, inside the digital world of CAPTIVITY, survival was a daily struggle, even for something as basic as food. Anex, Florida, and their group navigated this bizarre reality, where even virtual meals came at a cost. As they adapted to their new environment, Anex and Florida’s banter was laced with unease, masking the deeper fear lurking beneath their lighthearted conversations.

In a quieter moment, Awandea tried to check on her teammates in solitude, but was startled by Demnin, who questioned her sudden secrecy. Tensions rose when Awandea revealed that she was partnered with someone named Lumin—a player known for ruthlessly eliminating others in the selection round. Demnin’s alarm was palpable as he tried to comfort Awandea, who was clearly terrified of her future within the game.

Across the hall, Florida confessed to Anex about her strange, sudden breakup with her fiancé—a decision she made inexplicably, just days before their wedding. Haruto speculated whether this unsettling event was somehow tied to the game, hinting at a deeper connection between their real lives and the world of CAPTIVITY.

The uneasy atmosphere thickened when a mysterious silver-haired boy appeared, his presence sending chills down the group's spine. As he repeatedly whispered Awandea's name, the tension escalated. When the boy summoned a weapon with a violent strike of his staff, the group realized they were dealing with a formidable and terrifying entity. Despite their fear, Li pointed him towards Awandea and Demnin, her hand trembling as she did so.

As the boy approached Awandea and Demnin, a dire alert flashed on Demnin’s screen: Lumin is heading your way. The impending encounter with the dangerous player loomed over them, leaving everyone on edge, wondering what would happen next.

REVELATIONS

Demnin's eyes darted around nervously, scanning the surroundings as he processed the message Anex had sent him. The dense crowd made it difficult to distinguish faces, and for a moment, he felt disoriented, uncertain of where to look. That was until a figure with silver hair emerged from the throng, moving with deliberate, heavy steps that seemed to resonate with an aura of quiet intensity. It wasn't just the striking hair or the fact that he had met this boy before the selection rounds as well that caught Demnin's attention, but the palpable energy that surrounded this boy—an unmistakable signal that this was the one he had been searching for.

"L-Lumin?" Demnin's voice trembled as he stood up, his heart racing. The name triggered an immediate reaction in Awandea, who had been sitting beside him. She sprang to her feet, her eyes wide with both curiosity and caution. Lumin's face was partially obscured by his long hair, which fell in a messy curtain over his eyes. Without a word, he nodded, dragging a staff behind him, its tip scraping ominously against the ground.

The three of them now stood face to face, the air between them thick with tension. Lumin slowly lifted his head, his gaze settling on Demnin first. "So you are Awandea?" His voice, though soft, carried an eerie weight. Demnin shook his head awkwardly, feeling the pressure of the moment.

"I am," Awandea stepped forward, her voice steady despite the unease bubbling inside her.

Lumin's eyes peeked through his hair, narrowing slightly as he stared at her. "Oh. It's you," he murmured, his tone inscrutable. There was a brief pause before he introduced himself. "I am Lumin. From Japan." He extended his hand, the movement slow and deliberate. Awandea hesitated for a fraction of a second before accepting his hand, the contact feeling colder than she had expected. "From Philadelphia," she replied, her voice almost a whisper.

After the brief exchange, Lumin turned away without another word, his back now to them as he began to walk in the opposite direction.

"T-that's it?" Demnin muttered under his breath, watching the boy's retreating figure, his jacket swaying slightly with each step. He felt a strange mix of relief and confusion, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. With a heavy sigh, he sank back into his chair, trying to shake off the lingering tension.

Meanwhile, the group of friends, who had been observing the interaction from a distance, collectively let out a sigh of relief. Lumin hadn’t done anything dangerous, at least not yet. Their moment of relaxation was abruptly interrupted when another group of players appeared before them, their presence carrying a different kind of energy.

"Are you Anex, maybe?" one of the new players asked, stepping forward.

Anex blinked in surprise before nodding. "Huh? Oh. Yes, I am. And you are?"

"Caleb. I am called Caleb. From Australia." The boy gestured towards the others. "They are Arlo and Benjamin. Also Australians. And the girls are Hyun and Meechan. Korean. Nice to meet you."

Anex smiled, finding comfort in the familiar tones. "Nice to meet you as well. Anex Jung. Korean."

"Amazing. You’re Korean too!" Meechan exclaimed, bowing respectfully. Anex returned the gesture. "I’m probably older than all of you," she said with a light sigh.

"Really?" Hyun tilted her head slightly, curiosity piqued. "How old are you?"

Anex smirked. "Heh. Well, your Eunnie. I’m twenty-five."

"Haha. What made you think you’re the oldest?" Caleb asked with a playful smile.

"Hm? I’m the oldest in this group at least…right?" She turned towards the rest of her friends, who nodded in unison. "See?"

Caleb chuckled and extended his hand. "Well then, suit yourself."

"Wha-" Anex started but found herself shaking hands with him before she could finish her thought.

"Welcome," Caleb said with a firm grip, his smile widening. She followed the rest of her team, still a bit dazed by the sudden welcome. "Wow. Those guys are amazing," Florida remarked with a scoff.

At that moment, another female player approached Florida, waving hesitantly. "Uhm, hello," she greeted. "Are you my teammates?" she asked, her voice soft but clear. Florida turned to her, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of meeting new people. The female nodded to her question. "I’m Maria from Belgium, and he is Angelo from Italy."

"Aha, I’m Florida. From Indonesia. Nice to meet you both. Shall we get to know each other well then?" Florida’s friendly demeanor seemed to instantly put them at ease as they nodded and followed her.

Demnin, watching from a distance, sighed with a mix of amusement and relief. "Florida is easy-going, isn’t she?" he mused, leaning closer to Awandea. "I’ll be with my teammates then?" He waited for her response, and when she nodded, he smiled to himself, reassured.

With newfound determination, Demnin called out to his newly formed team. "Team B, let’s have a chat." He waved them over, and they responded with a collective scoff before standing up. "Yes, yes," they chorused, gathering around him.

As the various teams began to form and bond, Nicole found herself alone on the mat, snacking absentmindedly. She scanned her surroundings and let out a small sigh. "Only me?" she murmured, her voice tinged with mild frustration. "Yup. Only me." She sighed again, realizing she was the only one left without a team. The others had already grouped up with their assigned players. Crumbling a chip in her palm, she decided she couldn’t just sit around waiting. "Okay. That’s it. I’ll look for them instead." With that resolve, she summoned her player’s screen, following the steps until the names of her teammates glowed on the screen. "Pierre. He’s from France. And Veerle. She’s from Belgium as well. Great, a countrymate." Nicole stood up, dusting off the crumbs from her clothes, and, clutching the packet of chips in one arm, plodded off to find her teammates.

In the midst of the bustling hall, the group chatroom buzzed with activity, the familiar comfort of their conversations making the chaotic environment feel a little more manageable.

---

Group Chatroom:

Anex: Six member team AA.

Florida: Three member team AB.

Demnin: Six member team B.

Nia: Six member team C!

Awandea: Two member team E...

Nicole: Three member team AC, though I haven’t met them yet.

Anex: @Nicole really? Did you check your player’s screen?

Florida: @Anex yes got their info from there so hehe it’s fine I’ll get there.

Demnin: @Awandea don’t worry, you’ll be fine.

Awandea: Where are you @Demnin?

Demnin: @Awandea near the entrance of the hall.

Anex: @Awandea where are you?

Awandea: @Anex some corner of the hall.

Florida: @Awandea why??

Awandea: @Florida because I don’t want to talk to him. cries in alien.

Nia: Don’t worry, sister Awandea. He is not a bad boy. Hugs.

Awandea: aw~ thanks. Smiles intensively.

---

Demnin couldn’t help but smile as he read the messages in the group chatroom they had created to stay connected despite being on different teams. "She’s so different when texting," he muttered under his breath, amused by Awandea’s contrasting behavior.

"You’re her guy, aren’t you?" a voice interrupted his thoughts. Demnin looked up, startled, to see Haruto standing nearby.

"Who? What?" Demnin blinked, trying to refocus.

"That female. Awandea," Haruto clarified, a knowing look in his eyes.

"What about her?" Demnin asked, trying to play it cool.

"Aren’t you dating her?" Haruto’s question was straightforward, catching Demnin off guard.

"Oh gosh, no," Demnin responded quickly, waving off the notion.

"But when that dude Hinata called her your girlfriend, you didn’t say anything against it," Haruto pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, you were there... but... uh... he said that?" Demnin stammered, a bit flustered.

"You didn’t hear?" Haruto asked, genuinely surprised.

"I guess not," Demnin shrugged, trying to remember the conversation.

"He, sir, was too fixated on saving his princess," Ahira chimed in, jumping into the conversation with a teasing tone. He grabbed Demnin and Haruto by their shoulders, grinning widely.

"Ah, no. Gosh. He was eyeing her weirdly," Demnin defended himself, his face heating up slightly.

"So you aren’t dating, you’re saying~" Ahira continued to sing his words, clearly enjoying the teasing.

Demnin’s laughter echoed around the room as he playfully pushed Ahira back, locking his hands around his friend’s neck in a mock chokehold. “I. Am. Not,” Demnin insisted, a wide grin on his face. Ahira, struggling half-heartedly, grinned back.

“Ah, okay, okay! My bad! Apologies!” Ahira said, his voice exaggerated as he raised his hands in surrender. The two friends stumbled around, their laughter mingling with the hum of conversations around them.

“You don’t look sorry in the slightest,” Demnin retorted, letting go of Ahira and shaking his head, still chuckling. The boys were caught up in their banter, the light-hearted mood infectious.

Just then, Li joined them, her curiosity piqued by the playful exchange. “But you do like her, don’t you?” she asked, her voice teasing but also sincere. The question caused Demnin to pause, his hands dropping to his sides as he looked at her. The room seemed to quiet just a little, the weight of the question settling between them.

Demnin’s expression softened, and he finally released Ahira completely, his posture shifting from playful to contemplative. “I guess I do,” he said quietly, almost to himself, as if he hadn’t fully acknowledged it until that moment.

Li’s eyes widened in surprise. “Eh? Wha—”

“What?” Ahira blurted out at the same time, both of them caught off guard by Demnin’s admission.

“I didn’t expect you to own it up like that, Demnin,” Li said, her surprise turning into a warm smile. She had always suspected, but hearing him admit it so plainly was something she hadn’t anticipated.

Demnin’s lips curled into a soft, almost sheepish smile as he shrugged. “Haha. I do, I do,” he repeated, more confidently this time. There was a certain lightness to his tone now, as if a burden had been lifted.

“You’re just saying it to tease us, aren’t you?” Li accused playfully, her pout returning as she tried to decipher if he was being serious or just messing with them.

“Whatever you want to take it as~” Demnin replied, his tone teasing as he gave her a mischievous grin. He shrugged again, this time more dramatically, as if to dismiss any further questions.

The three of them burst into laughter, the moment of surprise dissolving into their usual camaraderie. Even though the topic was light-hearted, there was a sense of truth beneath Demnin’s words that lingered, unspoken but understood among them.