Chapter 996: Conflicted Encounter

I stood there, suspended in shock, my gaze fixated upon Ciara, studying her intently.

'This is... Ciara?'

I didn't think it would be so easy to find her. I thought we would have to take some time investigating and exploring before we finally encountered our comrade in this world, to think it happened so fast.

'And it's Ciara this time, huh? That leaves Edward and Neron...'

Still, I had an odd feeling as I kept staring at her.

There was something undeniably amiss, a nagging feeling that crawled under my skin, warning me of an inconsistency that transcended the physical realm.

'The very wavelength of her energy seemed distorted. It didn't align with what I knew...'

Doubt began to gnaw at the edges of my consciousness. Could this truly be the Ciara I knew?

The notion of variants, alternate versions of individuals from different dimensions or timelines, flickered through my mind. It was an unsettling thought, one that had become all too familiar in my travels across the branches.