Purple glimmers illuminated Vortex's face. Beneath the Red Moon, his complexion visibly turned pale.
"Captain... looks like this time, we really are done for." Vortex gave a bleak smile. "But you're different. Captain, you're already close to crossing that threshold and becoming a Human Apex. By then, you should be able to leave this place...
Our Mask Squad has to leave behind at least one survivor, right?"
King Mask froze.
"But..."
"There are no buts." The purple light in Vortex's palms grew increasingly dense, and his voice weakened, yet the smile on his face became ever brighter. "Captain, you're a man destined to become the God of Time. How can you die here?
Besides, don't you know how to travel through time? If you really escape from here, then just travel back in the future and save us.
Captain, remember this: as long as you don't die, the Mask Squad will never perish!"
Vortex's Mental Power surged madly into King Mask's body. His realm plummeted step by step, falling from "Klein" back to "Boundless," then from "Boundless" back to the "Sea" realm... By the time the two purple vortices had completely dissipated, he had become an ordinary man without any power.
Having drained himself dry, Vortex's face was white as paper, and stars swam before his eyes. His footing gave way, and he fell backward.
King Mask reached out and caught him, intending to gently lower him to the ground.
Having lost his Mental Power realm and become incomparably weak, Vortex's eyes were quickly stained red beneath the Red Moon's corruption. He suddenly flung King Mask's hand away and, with all his strength, shouted at him:
"Run! Captain!! Run!!
Keep running forward! Don't look back! As long as you can outrun the River of Time, one day, we'll all return