Sylvain's boots scraped against the stone steps as he ascended the ladder that led him out of The quiet underground passages , to this forgotten place, a relic of a past that refused to stay buried.A clock tower, its ancient gears creaked as if waking from a long slumber. He felt it before he saw it—an oppressive presence, something lurking in the shadows, following his every move.The clock tower's bells rang out, their deep tones vibrating through Sylvain's bones. It felt like a signal, a prelude to something darker, something much more dangerous. He could feel the eyes on him now—Blood thirsty, glowing red, cold with intent. His every instinct screamed at him to turn and fight, but he didn't. Not yet.He stepped into a church linked to that tower, its massive, crumbling pillars casting long shadows across the cold stone floor. The air was heavy with incense and dust, a place that had long been abandoned to time. But not tonight.The soft shuffle of footsteps behind him echoed in the stillness, then two figures emerged from the shadows, their blades glinting under the faint light. In an instant, the cold steel of their swords pressed against his neck and chest. Sylvain didn't flinch."I could have deflected your attacks before you even moved," he said, his voice calm, as steady as ever. "But I'm not here to fight. I came to speak to you."The two masked figure didn't lower their weapons, but they didn't attack either. There was a long pause before the sound of chuckling and silliness filled the place.Perched casually atop the minute hand of the giant clock, a guy wearing a crimson mask reads a book with an air of utter nonchalance, as though he hadn't a care in the world. His eyes—those same glowing red eyes—lifted over the edge of the page to meet Sylvain's gaze. A smile tugged at his lips, warm, inviting, almost comforting."I was expecting you," the guy said,"we particularly made it obvious to be located for someone who acquires a labyrinth map " his voice smooth like velvet, though there was something unsettling in the way he said it. The words, the tone, the smile—all of it put together was like an invitation to trust him. But Sylvain wasn't fooled.Arthur dropped from the clock hand with graceful precision. He landed before Sylvain with a soft thud, his presence dominating the room in an almost predatory way. He seemed to radiate warmth, but there was something dangerous beneath that friendly smile."Where are my manners,It is rude to speak with a mask on your face huh?" The guy took of his mask and extended a hand, his voice light. "You've grown up quite a bit, haven't you? A year's a long time... but I've been keeping an eye on you." He chuckled softly, though the sound held no humor. "Our Raven always watched you, after all. It's nice to see how much you've changed."From the far corner of the church, Raven , the servant that caused the butterfly effect to happen waved at Sylvain, her face briefly visible before she quickly blushed, hiding her face behind her hand. "Why is he more handsome than before? No Raven, I should not show any feelings to anybody and certainly not Flamesworth !"The leader watched her with an amused smile before his gaze returned to Sylvain."I'm Arthur Welter," he said, offering a warm handshake that Sylvain didn't immediately return. "A forgotten son of the Welters—born in the slums of Steelgate, raised in the gutters of this world. Not exactly the heir they were hoping for, huh?" Arthur chuckled darkly, the warmth in his voice unchanged."Ah, Prostitution is a frequent hobby for the houses, only i was lucky enough to be its result..." Arthur said as if its joke to throw around,"You were never supposed to know about the loops, Sylvain," Arthur continued, his expression softening, as if this were all just a casual conversation between old friends. "But Raven—she's quite the observer, you know? She knew something fishy about you the moment you started to show your worth in the castle,until she eavesdropped on your interaction with the old librarian Lucas."Sylvain's gaze hardened. This wasn't just small talk. Arthur was playing a game, and he was very good at it."What do you want?" Sylvain asked, voice steady, yet with an edge of suspicion.Arthur's eyes gleamed with a knowing look. "We want the same thing. To set the world free. no more control, we want to take this oligarchy empire down, and let the people know about the time loops, let them take on the copper classified serum" He motioned around them, as if the very walls of the church were filled with the secrets he spoke of. Sylvain raised an eyebrow. "And you think I'm going to help you with that?" He did indeed mean that question. Sylvain's goal wasn't the same thing as Arthur's noble oblige , it was a darker goal , to end it all and take it down , collective humanity to dust.Arthur smiled, not the friendly smile of a kindhearted friend, but the smile of someone who knew exactly what you were thinking—who had anticipated your every response. "You've always been good at seeing things beneath the surface, haven't you? We need evidence. The truth about the serum, we need more chrono drug too. That's the key to waking them up."Sylvain's eyes narrowed. "Chrono?"Arthur's smile widened, a touch of pride in his voice. "A prototype drug. It gives you... glimpses. Visions of past lives. Not the full experience, like what the elites have, but enough to see the truth. The risk, though? There's a dangerous side effect—time psycho. The mind becomes trapped in an endless time zone and it will cease to live in the present—meaning dead.""Some of our members have gone through it. Their eyes glow red now—our mark, a reminder of the price we pay for the truth."Arthur stepped back slightly, gesturing toward Raven like a jester. She pulled her lenses down just enough for Sylvain to catch a glimpse of the glowing red of her eyes, then stuck her tongue out playfully before hiding behind the pillar again, clearly enjoying herself."She's one of us ," Arthur said softly. "And you could be, too."Sylvain's mind raced as he processed everything. This was more than just some rebellious group looking to topple the system. They were aware of the loops, they knew the secrets. And they were willing to risk everything to expose it.Arthur's tone shifted, becoming more serious, though the warmth never left his voice. "I know about your childhood past and I know you've been playing the game, Sylvain. You're good at it. But you can't do it alone. Not if you want to take down the system . You'll need allies. You'll need us."He paused, looking Sylvain straight in the eye. "Come with us. Join the Pit and Pendulum. We've got the power to change everything, to break the system for good. we will do it with or without you,but know that the moment you step out of this place, you will be considered an enemy of the pit.""Why do they trust me so easily?" Sylvain's thoughts echoed in his mind. His eyes flickered to the floor, but his mind was far from the cold stone beneath his boots. " Is it because they see me as a useful piece, a tool in their board?"Sylvain didn't answer right away. The weight of everything Arthur had said hung heavily in the air. It was an invitation—no, an ultimatum. The choice was his.Sylvain stood silently for a moment, his gaze drifting over the church's dimly lit interior. Arthur's warm invitation still hung in the air, too smooth, too perfect. Something about it didn't sit right with him.He felt the weight of Arthur's words pressing on him. The man had extended a hand, offered him a seat at the table, and all with that impossibly friendly smile. No hesitation. No suspicion. Arthur's eyes, glowing red like the others, had looked at him like they already knew everything there was to know about him—his past, his every move, his plans.Sylvain's fingers flexed, the cold weight of his hidden blade pressing against his wrist. "I've been playing this game long enough to know—people who invite you in that easily, they have something else in mind. Something they're not telling you. Arthur Welter—he's too friendly, too open. His smile doesn't reach his eyes. "He took a deep breath. "It's a gamble. The fight's in motion, I will use their power to bring an end to the suffering and end the timeloop, i should hide my real goal from them."Sylvain took another step forward to shake Arthur's hand, his resolve hardening like steel. "I'll play along. I'll see how deep this rabbit hole goes. And when the time comes... I'll be the one pulling the strings." Sylvain thoughts finally hit him"Fine,Arthur Welter...I am willing to be part of your little terrorist project,for exposing the timeloop and saving the world" Sylvain says as he stares Arthur in the eyeBut somewhere, deep down, Arthur felt off about his new partner , and that this game—this twisted, dangerous game—was only just beginning, and for Arthur to succeed he has to be the most hopeful among all."One more thing ,Sylvain...No one calls me by my real name,for my name here in the pit is Prometheus" Prometheus declared.