Transmigrated as the Cuck.... WTF!!!

"You sure they need help, Art?" Zyon's voice came out low but impatient as his figure blurred across the shifting desert, moving at an insane speed that tore the sand apart in his wake.

"Yeah, definitely. Evelyn's little toy is buzzing red. She activated it herself. I'm telling you, that only means one thing—danger," Art replied, juggling a small circular item in his palm. Its silver surface gleamed against the dying sunlight, and with every second, the faint red glow inside it pulsed harder.

Zyon didn't ask anything further. His jaw tightened and he poured more strength into his stride. The desert blurred past him. They had already left Amelia, Lilith, and Freya behind at the base, and now it was just the two of them racing across the sands.

The group's exact location was being dragged out of the desert by the tiny device in Art's hand. The red light vibrated, buzzed, and the closer they drew to Evelyn's signal the more it burned against his palm.

"I hope we're not too late…" Art muttered. His voice was low, almost swallowed by the wind, but Zyon caught it anyway. "I don't want to lose another person close to me."

His eyes hardened, his body lowering as he kicked off the air again, faster.

Moments later, zipping through the empty horizon, Art's sharp gaze caught something. Vague figures, clustered together several kilometers away, tiny shapes cut against the desert's haze. His eyes lit up, and he squinted to make them out.

"Yes!" he shouted, punching the air as relief surged through him. "Zyon, I see them! Just keep straight. You'll run right into them."

Below him, Zyon raised a hand without slowing, flashing a quick thumbs up. Then his legs hammered down harder. The ground beneath his feet wailed as sand exploded outward, every step cracking against the desert like a drumbeat.

In a matter of moments they reached the group. Four figures came into full clarity—Evelyn, Celeste, Verena, and finally Mia. All of them were standing, all of them alive. But they weren't untouched.

Evelyn clutched her head so tightly it looked like she wanted to rip her hair out. Her face twisted in visible agony, veins straining against her pale skin.

Celeste and Verena carried ashen expressions, their eyes wide with lingering terror, though neither seemed physically injured. Mia sat in silence, too quiet for comfort, her small form still coated in sand.

Art went straight for Celeste, his broad frame cutting a shadow over her. "What's the matter? What exactly happened? And where's Leon—did he go to seek help?" His words came fast, piling on each other.

Celeste lifted her hands quickly, almost defensive, trying to calm him down. "Hey, big guy. One question at a time. I'm stressed out too, okay? Let me answer them properly." Her voice cracked at the end, betraying her effort to stay composed.

Art groaned, dragging a heavy hand across the back of his neck. His jaw clenched, but seeing the drained looks on their faces, he swallowed down his anger. He exhaled, shoulders dropping with a sigh. "Fine. Let's do it one by one. What's the matter, then?"

"Good." Celeste nodded firmly, steadying herself before she spoke. "We were training, fighting those Dissect Scorpions. After Leon killed them all, we were on our way back to base. From the horizon, something came toward us. I can't even say what exactly. We saw it… and after that, nothing. I don't remember anything beyond that moment."

"Sand Globe," Verena cut in, her voice sharper. Her body stiffened as she crossed her arms, glaring into the sand like it would cough up the memory she hated.

"We all saw a Sand Globe. And that's where the problem began. Mia, Evelyn, and I remember it. Celeste doesn't. And Evelyn…" She glanced sideways at the girl who was still gripping her head. "Evelyn heard something. Screams. The rest of us didn't."

Art's head tilted, his eyes narrowing as his attention shifted fully onto Verena. He stayed silent for a long moment, processing, his fingers tapping restlessly against the silver device in his hand.

"So basically… you ran from the Sand Globe. During that escape, Evelyn heard something the rest of you couldn't. Celeste lost her memory completely. And you and Mia are perfectly fine."

His brow furrowed as the desert wind whistled between them, carrying the weight of his words. "Strange. Very strange."

"It's strange for me too." Verena's voice cracked as she rubbed her temple, trying to steady the whirlwind in her head. "Evelyn and Celeste were the closest to the Sand Globe, along with Leon. Maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe it's about proximity. Frankly, I don't know anything for certain."

Art hummed, the low sound rumbling in his throat as he digested her words. His sharp gaze softened for only a second before hardening again.

"Then it must have been an ability of the Sand Globe. They aren't exactly a documented species of monster. We barely know anything about them."

Evelyn shook her head weakly, clutching the sides of her skull as though trying to hold it together. "No. I'm sure it wasn't the Sand Globe. We were already out of its range. Whatever it was, it felt… wrong. Threatening in a way that doesn't belong in this world." Her voice quivered, each syllable strained like it was being dragged through broken glass.

Art crouched slightly, his shadow falling over her. "You should calm yourself down first. We'll get you back to the base. Rest, recover, and try to piece yourself together. We'll handle whatever comes next."

Then his eyes shifted toward Mia. His tone turned deliberate, almost commanding. "Mia. Do you have any ability that might help her? Even something minor. Try it. Maybe it'll work."

Mia hesitated, glancing at Evelyn's trembling body, then at Art's expectant stare. She pressed her lips together, drew a breath, and finally stood. Her small frame carried itself forward with quiet resolve.

She knelt beside Evelyn, placed both palms near her shoulders, and whispered, "[Restore]."

A green glow spilled from Mia's hands, soft at first, then blooming brighter as it engulfed Evelyn completely. For a heartbeat it looked like salvation had answered. Evelyn's complexion brightened, her breaths steadied, and her clenched features began to ease.

But hope shattered as quickly as it came.

Her face twisted violently, her lips trembling. A deep, searing pain erupted across her expression. Her body lurched, her head tilted back, and her mouth opened to release guttural sounds no human throat should make.

"Haaahhh… haaaahhhhhh… haaasaahhhhhh…" The noises slithered out of her like something alien had crawled into her lungs.

The others froze in horror, their expressions tightening as Evelyn's convulsions worsened. Even Mia flinched, her hands recoiling as if she had touched fire. She had doubted her strength before, but never had she imagined this.

"No… no, no, no!" Mia stuttered, falling backward onto the sand. Her small frame hit the ground with a thud, eyes wide as Evelyn began to thrash.

Evelyn screamed then, a blood-curdling sound that ripped through the air and pierced the desert silence. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Her limbs spasmed, clawing at herself. Nails raked across her own skin, tearing lines of red. Her hands tangled in her hair, pulling, ripping. Her body twisted as if trying to rip itself apart from the inside.

Zyon appeared behind her in a flash, his hands locking around her wrists like iron vices. "Stop." His growl carried no hesitation, only grim necessity. Evelyn bucked and kicked, but he held firm.

At the same time, Art thrust his hand forward. From the air, chains of polished silver materialized and wrapped themselves around Evelyn's arms and legs. They clamped down, rattling tight until her body was bound, her thrashing reduced to violent jerks against unyielding steel.

Only when he was certain she was restrained did Zyon release her, stepping back with narrowed eyes. His breathing was steady, but his shoulders were tight.

"This doesn't seem normal." His voice was sharp, heavy with suspicion. "Are you sure it was a Sand Globe and not some rift-born monster?"

Verena's head snapped up at him, her eyes bloodshot, her voice hoarse. "No. I'm sure. It was a Sand Globe. I saw it with my own eyes. Besides, have we ever seen rift monsters here? They shouldn't even exist in this region. How would they appear now?"

Zyon's lips curled, though whether in doubt or irritation, no one could tell. "Never seen doesn't mean never possible. Just because we haven't doesn't mean they can't. You can't say that for certain."

Art's jaw tightened, his chains rattling as he clenched a fist. His voice turned grim, every word deliberate. "This feels different. This feels worse. Something tells me… we're dealing with something far more dangerous than a Sand Globe. The rift monsters do have an uncanny streak to them... but I can't explain how? But trust me on this... they are very blunt... this... whatever this is... feels very cowardly..."