I am not scared of devils; I fought demons my whole life.... I was fighting them before I was born, I am still fighting them and I think I will be fighting after my death too.

June 26 2086

TIME 8:47 AM

Horikawa hurried up the stairs to the building, muttering, "Late again... gotta pick up the pace." When he finally reached, he stopped, noticing the place felt unusually empty.

"Where is everyone?" he wondered, glancing around. He looked for his lab coat, but unable to find it. He spotted a coworker and he walked over.

"Good morning! sir" she greeted him with a quick smile.

"Morning! Have you seen my lab coat anywhere?"

“Oh, right! I think the director left it in your office yesterday.”

Horikawa sighed, making his way to his office. Sure enough, there it was, draped over the chair. He picked it up, squinting at it. "It looks worse than before… and why does it have holes?"

Just then, he heard faint music drifting down the hall. “Music? What, do we have a DJ here or something?” Curiosity piqued, he dropped the coat back on the chair and headed toward the sound.

He made his way to the main hall, and to his surprise, it was filled with lively music and people dancing, the atmosphere more like a party than the usual workday scene. Horikawa paused, a bit stunned—it wasn’t something that happened here, ever. But instead of questioning it, he shrugged, smiled, and joined in with everyone, letting himself get lost in the unexpected celebration.

After dancing with the crowd and sampling the delicious food, a thought struck Horikawa. "I should invite the kid here—he'd love this." Excited, he pulled his phone out and dialled Jace.

Meanwhile, Arecus glanced at the phone buzzing in his hand but dismissed it with a shrug, tossing it back onto the bed.

“Ah man, why isn’t that kid picking up?” Horikawa muttered, holding the phone to his ear. But his attention quickly shifted when he saw a dessert table piled high with treats. “Is that a choco moco?!”

He slid his phone back into his pocket and eagerly rejoined the party.

Arecus got up, stepping outside just as the first light of dawn painted the sky. Watching the sun rise, he stretched his muscles, feeling the cool morning air fill his lungs. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking it all in, then raised his hands to the sky, a determined look in his eyes.

“It’s time to conquer the world,”

Arecus got ready for school, he noticed a change—a rush of energy he wasn’t used to feeling in the morning. Usually, his walk to class felt heavy, marked by fatigue and a lingering haze of sleepiness. But today was different; each step felt purposeful, his senses sharpened, and his mind unusually alert.

When he reached the classroom, he headed for his usual seat. That girl waved and greeted him as he passed. He glanced at her briefly, his face expressionless, then continued on, sitting down without a word. Settling into his seat, he let his eyes roam around the room, taking in every small detail as if seeing it all for the first time, yet with an intense focus.

The sports festival was in full swing, the air filled with shouts and cheers as students competed across the fields. Jace stood near a tree, dressed in his sports uniform, watching the events unfold with his arms crossed, a steady, unreadable expression on his face.

Spotting him, the girl jogged over, also in her sports uniform. "Hello, Jace! What's up?" she greeted him with a cheerful smile, catching her breath as she stopped by his side.

He gave her a glance but stayed silent,

"Oh, right! I remember—you qualified for the race," said her

"Yes," he replied simply, his tone detached, before turning his attention back to the events, his eyes distant as if his mind were somewhere else entirely.

She stood beside him, quietly watching the events unfold. After a moment, she asked, "So, which class do you think will win?"

"I couldn’t care less who wins," Jace replied, his tone indifferent.

She tilted her head, frowning slightly. "You’re acting a little different today… is everything alright?"

Without breaking his focus from the field, Jace answered, "I’m all good."

Just then, an announcement crackled through the speakers, calling the boys' race to the starting line. She nudged him gently. "It's starting, Jace—you better get going."

"Yeah, yeah, I’m going," he said, starting to walk toward the track.

She gave him a pat on the back. "Good luck! I’ll be cheering for you," she called out, her smile warm and encouraging as she watched him go.

Arecus took his place on the track, lining up alongside Joel and the other finalists. His eyes blazing with newfound determination.

I am going to win this today no matter what, no more second or third anymore.

As the starting signal echoed through the air, the runners exploded off the line. Jace trailed behind as Joel immediately took the lead, pushing ahead with powerful strides that seemed unmatchable. Jace felt the adrenaline course through his veins, steadying his breathing as he set his focus on the runners ahead. This time, I’m not settling for anything less than first.

He dug in, his pace increasing with each stride. As his feet pounded against the track, he wove past one runner after another, his speed building as he moved through the pack with smooth, determined power. The world around him seemed to blur as he picked up even more speed, catching up to the frontrunners, one after another.

Jace felt a thrill as he finally passed the second-place runner, and soon he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Joel, who noticed him and glanced over, his expression twisted in disbelief.

“What’s going on with him?” Joel muttered, eyes narrowing. Refusing to be outpaced, he poured all his energy into his stride, determined to keep up with this relentless push from Jace. They were neck-and-neck, each refusing to yield as they sprinted down the track, their footsteps in perfect sync.

Joel, drenched in sweat, shot a fierce look at Jace. "Why are you trying so hard, dammit? We’re not the same."

Jace met his gaze, his cold stare piercing. "I’m better."

And with that, Jace unleashed a final, unstoppable burst of speed, his body stretching forward as he pulled away from Joel in the final stretch. The gap widened with each step as he left his rival in the dust, surging ahead to cross the finish line with an overwhelming lead.

“Yeahhh… I won!” Jace’s voice rang out, his face bright with exhilaration. "I did it. I actually did it!" He was practically beaming as he held it up, savouring the victory.

Joel, watching from a distance, didn’t share the excitement. His jaw clenched, eyes darkening with a mixture of frustration and disbelief as he watched Jace revel in the win.

Jace, headed back to his classroom, still admiring the medal in his hands. He turned it over, grinning as he muttered to himself, “I’m just better.” He put the medal in his pocket

He stepped inside. His classmates carried on with their routines, indifferent, barely noticing his entrance.

He sat on his seat and looked at his classmates “Bunch of fools…... not everyone is like me after all”

After sitting through a few lectures in the classroom, the bell finally rang, signaling break time. Arecus got up and made his way out of the classroom

He wandered throughout the school, observing everything, he walked through the playground, the hallway and then the basketball court

As Arecus was walking out of the basketball court, with hands in his pockets, a smile on his face, suddenly, a loud crash echoed behind him. Something had fallen from the sky, smashing through the upper floor and crashing to the ground not far from where he stood.

He stopped, turning back in reaction to the sound. He saw a creature emerge from the debris. It was of the same kind he had defeated on his first day, “So, there was still one of you left, huh?” Arecus said with a straight face.

Few students that were present there quickly gathered, clustering near the beast, their faces a mix of awe and confusion as they tried to figure out what was happening.

Arecus glanced at the students and sighed, “Don’t they all think too highly of themselves…”, he mused, a hint of annoyance in his thoughts.

Arecus, unfazed, walked towards the chaos. "Step aside," Arecus said, his voice steady but filled with confidence. "Let me show you all how it’s done."

Arecus charged at the beast, he clenched his fist, throwing a punch with all his strength, but the beast barely flinched. "What?" His voice wavered, surprise and confusion flashing in his eyes.

The beast retaliated, slamming its massive head into him. Arecus went flying back, hitting the wall with a brutal thud. Blood oozed from his wounds, trickling down to form a dark pool on the ground. The crowd looked on, some scoffing, others laughing. “What a fool, what is even thinking? Is he crazy?” they muttered.

Leaning against the cracked wall, Jace’s gaze fell to his reflection in the blood beneath him. Tears welled in his eyes. "What’s wrong with me? I thought… things were finally starting to turn around," he whispered, his voice breaking. He dipped his hands into his own blood, staring at his tear-streaked face reflected back at him. “You’re nothing. You were always nothing. An average nobody thinking he could be special—what a joke.” he screamed, choking on a laugh as tears ran freely.

He looked back at the beast “I’m done with all of it, Screw this…. I’m done with all of it."

He charged again, leaping onto the beast, landing another punch but still it was no different.

"Why did I feel that tiny glimmer of hope that it might actually work?" he muttered, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Now I’m about to go down… just where I belong."

Time seemed to slow as the beast swung its paw toward him. In that moment, Arecus accepted it, the weight of everything pressing down, but with a strange calm in his heart, as the beast’s paw connected sent him crashing to the ground.

Jace laid on the ground, motionless, staring blankly at the ceiling as blood pooled around him. Mocking laughter echoed in his head, replaying over and over like a taunting chorus. He was trapped within his own mind, struggling against a torrent of self-doubt and despair.

From above, through the cracks left in the structure by the beast's fall, a figure watched him with steady eyes. "Come on, get back up once again, Jace," the figure urged, his voice firm and edged with encouragement. "Just like you got up before.”

But Jace didn’t respond. He simply lay there, lost in his turmoil.

The figure shook his head slightly, watching Jace’s unmoving form.

“I came here to fight you…..but it seems like, you’re busy fighting yourself.”

The beast noticed the vulnerability and charged toward Jace, its monstrous presence making the crowd scatter

But then, in an instant, a figure appeared—a humanoid shape clad in gleaming white armor with a golden sheen, almost surreal, as if molded from plastic

The armored figure spread its arms, shielding Jace, placing itself between him and the charging beast

The beast leapt, its claws poised to strike, but the figure clenched its fist and threw a single powerful punch, meeting the beast mid-air.

In an instant, the beast was obliterated, a red mist filling the air as even the remnants of its form dissolved. The crowd was silent, stunned, as the figure stood before Arecus

Jace struggled, his palms pressing against the cold, blood-smeared floor as he tried to push himself up. His arms shook violently, his entire body screaming in protest.

"Come on... get back up," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. "And run... run like the weak person you are supposed to be."

He gritted his teeth, his legs wobbling as he forced himself to stand. Blood dripped down his face, and his vision blurred, but he didn’t stop. His trembling body betrayed his strength, yet he refused to collapse again.

Without sparing a glance at anyone or anything around him, Jace stumbled forward, his head low and his steps uneven. He made his way out of the hall

Jace's breathing slowly steadied with each step he took. The chaos and humiliation behind him faded into the distance as he emerged outside the school gates. He paused, leaning against a lamp post, the crisp air filling his lungs.

“Ah, my back hurts!” he groaned, lowering himself carefully onto the footpath beside the road. He sat there, head tilted back, watching the clouds drift in the sky.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

The world around him seemed oddly peaceful in contrast to the storm that raged inside. After a while, the sharp pain in his back dulled, his body beginning to feel more manageable.

He exhaled deeply and got to his feet. Though his steps were slower, they were steadier now. he began walking toward a nearby hospital.

Jace managed to get a quick appointment, explaining to the staff that he had fallen down the stairs at school. The nurse nodded sympathetically and quickly attended to him, applying bandages to his back. They guided him to a hospital bed, where he lay down to rest for a while.

After about thirty minutes, Jace sat up, blinking in surprise. The pain that had been nagging him earlier was completely gone.

“I feel completely normal, like it never happened,” he muttered, touching his back cautiously. There was no sting, no ache—nothing.

His fingers traced the area where the beast’s attack had landed, but even there, there was no soreness. He pressed gently against his face where he had been struck and again felt nothing out of the ordinary.

“What the heck?” he whispered. “I recovered so quickly... but that was pretty bad, what happened to me at school.”

Jace walked toward the house, his steps heavy with exhaustion. As he approached the door, he saw his mother standing on the doorstep, arms crossed and her expression stern.

"Where have you been, and why did it take you so long?" she asked, her voice sharp. "More importantly, you left your phone at home! Can you at least try to be a little more responsible?"

Her words hit him like a barrage, adding fuel to the simmering frustration already boiling inside him.

"Let me go inside," Jace muttered, his tone cold and curt. "I’m already tired."

But his mother didn’t let up, stepping in his way and grabbing his arm. "No, you’re not going anywhere until you give me an explanation," she said firmly.

Jace’s patience snapped. "Let me go," he said, swatting her hand away with more force than necessary.

The hurt flashed across her face, but Jace didn’t stop to notice. He brushed past her and stormed into the house, heading straight to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Horikawa strolled through the streets, carrying bags of treats in his hands.

“So, that kid never picked up the call…” he muttered, shaking his head with a faint smile.

He soon reached Jace’s house and opened the main door. Inside, Jace’s little brother was kicking a football around the garden, playing by himself. When the boy noticed Horikawa, his face lit up with excitement.

“Yo, sup, Uncle! What are you doing here?”

“Hey, kiddo no. 2,” Horikawa greeted, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Playing football again, huh? You sure love your sports.”

Still catching his breath, Jace’s little brother grinned widely. “Yeah, I love ’em!”

His eyes drifted to the bags in Horikawa’s hands, curiosity sparking. “What’s in those bags, Uncle?”

“Oh, these?” Horikawa said with a broad smile, holding them up slightly. “I brought some treats for all of you.”

The boy’s eyes widened with delight. “Hehe, come inside fast!”

“Yeah sure”

They walked into the living room together. Horikawa placed the bags on the table and flopped onto the sofa. Lil bro dashed off to the kitchen to find his mother.

“Mom, uncle’s here!” he called excitedly.

Moments later, Jace’s mother joined them in the living room and sat beside Horikawa. Lil bro eagerly grabbed one of the sweets from the bag and popped it into his mouth.

“This is so tasty, uncle!” he exclaimed, his face lighting up with happiness.

Horikawa chuckled. “Glad you like it. Hey, why don’t you share some with your mom?”

Jace’s mother gave him a grateful smile and took one of the treats. “Thank you, Horikawa. These are wonderful.”

As they enjoyed the sweets, Horikawa leaned back on the sofa and looked around. “By the way, where’s the kid?” he asked casually.

His sister frowned slightly. “I’ve told you before not to call him ‘kid.’ He’s in his room.”

“Want me to go call him, Mom?” asked lil bro, already munching on another sweet.

“Yeah, go call him,” said Horikawa, waving his hand.

Lil bro grabbed a few more sweets and scampered off to Jace’s room.

Lil bro opened the door to Jace’s room. Inside, Jace was curled up, hiding himself under a blanket.

“Brother, you awake? Uncle’s here, and he brought sweets for us all. Come join us!”

Jace’s muffled voice came from under the blanket. “No, I don’t wanna.”

“But—”

“I said I don’t want to!” Jace shouted, his voice cracking with frustration.

Lil bro stood silently for a moment, then turned around and made his way back to the living room.

Horikawa was sitting on the sofa, a sweet poised at his lips, ready to take a bite. The boy's words stopped him mid-motion.

“He said… he doesn’t wanna join.”

The sweet slipped from Horikawa’s fingers, landing on the table with a soft thud. His jaw dropped in disbelief. “Wha—what? He doesn’t want to join his super cool uncle? How’s that even possible?!”

Jace’s mother, seated nearby, sighed. “He’s been acting like this since he came back from school. Don’t mind him, brother.”

“NO!” he strode toward Jace’s room.

He barged into the room. “Yo, kid! Come join us all,” Horikawa said firmly.

“No! I already said no. Please just go,” Jace mumbled from under the blanket.

For a few moments, silence filled the room. Jace waited under the blanket, wondering if Horikawa had left.

Suddenly, Horikawa’s hands darted under the blanket.

“What are you—” Jace barely managed to say before getting grabbed by the legs, uncle yanked him out with force.

“You’re joining us, kid!” he said, hoisting Jace onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Let me go! I don’t want to!” Jace protested, squirming and trying to free himself.

“Nope! You are extremely light if you don’t want anyone to just pick you up and take you anywhere, do something about it” Horikawa replied cheerfully, ignoring his resistance.”

Jace’s face, a deeper shade of red. “Wha—” he stammered, glancing around in embarrassment.

He carried Jace out of the room and into the living room, finally dropping him onto the sofa.

Jace sat there, his face blank just looking down.

Horikawa grabbed a sweet from the table and held it out to Jace with his signature broad smile. “Here, kid, you can have it,” he said warmly.

Jace stared at the sweet for a moment, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He was holding back tears as he thought, As long as I have these people by my side, everything is all good.

Finally, he leaned forward and took a bite from his uncle’s hand.

“Ay! You wanna make me feed you now? You sussy baka,” Horikawa teased, grinning mischievously.

Jace couldn’t help but laugh through the mouthful of sweet. “Come on, uncle—”

“All right then, here, have one more,” Horikawa said, grabbing another sweet and holding it out.

Jace chuckled, barely keeping the tears from spilling. “I can eat by myself, you know,” he said, his laughter breaking through his defechnses.

“Listen, let’s go for a walk. Come with me,” said Uncle, a gentle smile on his face.

Jace hesitated but eventually followed. They stepped out into the open fields, the evening air cool and soothing. Uncle walked ahead, his hands in the pockets of his pants, while Jace trailed a few steps behind, his thoughts heavy but unspoken.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of deep orange and red. Uncle suddenly stopped and turned to look at the horizon. He pointed towards the glowing sun dipping below the hills.

“Sunset is beautiful, isn’t it?” he said softly, his tone calm and reflective.

Jace stopped too, lifting his gaze from the ground to the brilliant sight before them. The light of the setting sun reflected in his eyes as he silently nodded

It’s really beautiful I never realised it

“We are lucky that we get to see today’s sunset…. Cause there are many people who wasn’t able to make it today”

“Yeah, you’re right, Uncle,” Jace replied, his eyes fixed on the fiery horizon.

Their both faces glowing orange with the sunlight of setting sun

Uncle turned to face him; his expression soft but serious. “Now tell me, what’s wrong?”

Jace froze, caught off guard. He opened his mouth to respond but stopped.

I can’t—I can’t tell him that. If I say it, Uncle will think I’m some kind of psycho… he thought to himself, keeping silent instead.

Uncle stopped for a moment, then placed his hand on Jace’s head, ruffling his hair gently. “I hope you win the battles you don’t talk about,” he said with a smile.

The words hit Jace hard, and he couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears welled up in his eyes and began streaming down his face. He tried to wipe them away quickly with his hands.

“Are you crying?” Uncle asked, his tone teasing but light. Jace didn’t respond, the tears falling silently.

Uncle sighed, shaking his head. “If you’re this sensitive, man, the world is going to break you. You’ve got to grow up, kid. Grow up.”

“But I don’t want to… I don’t want to grow up,” Jace replied, his voice trembling.

Uncle crouched slightly, meeting Jace’s gaze. “Listen, every part of life has its own joys. Things change; they always do. You can’t stay the same forever. I know you love the way things are—how simple and familiar they feel—but there’s a whole world of new experiences out there. It’s hella fun, kid. You just have to give it a shot.”

Grow up kid

"Man, I should be the one crying here," Horikawa said dramatically, throwing his hands in the air. "I’m surviving on instant noodles because I bought you that fucking ice cream!"

“AYY... DON’T USE BAD WORDS!” Jace shot back, glaring. Then, softer, he added, “Bu-But why’d you buy us all sweets if you’re struggling like that?”

“I didn’t buy them,” Horikawa replied. “I just picked them from a party at work. I even called you to invite you, but guess who didn’t answer their phone?”

“Wha—” Jace huffed, kicking a small rock. “By the way, Uncle… you know what? Sometimes life’s a bitch.”

Horikawa immediately grabbed Jace by the ear, pulling lightly

“You’re a kid. Don’t use that kind of language!”

And there was Arecus, he used curse word more times than people used me.

HCR Headquarter

Two men walked briskly through a dimly lit corridor, their footsteps echoing off the walls. One was middle-aged, calm and composed, while the other, much younger, seemed on edge.

“Sir, the aliens… they’re targeting us,” the younger man said, his voice trembling slightly with fear.

“I already know that much,” the older man replied, his tone measured and unbothered.

“Then why aren’t we taking any action? The entire world is being kept in the dark,” the younger man pressed, his frustration growing.

“We must not take any action,” the older man said firmly.

“Why not? Are we just going to let humanity be wiped out? We were sworn to protect humanity—that’s our job!” The younger man’s voice grew tense, his frustration boiling over.

The older man turned sharply, grabbing him firmly by the arms. “Come with me,” he ordered.

He led the younger man down the corridor and into an empty room. In the center was a long table, sleek and futuristic. The older man flipped a switch on the table, and a holographic map of the entire country illuminated before them. A single spot on the map glowed bright red.

“Do you see this?” the older man asked, pointing to the glowing mark.

“Yes, sir,” the younger man replied, his brow furrowed. “That spot is glowing red, but why?”

“That,” the older man said, his voice heavy with significance, “is the city of [city-name].”

“What’s so special about it?” the younger man asked, confused.

“The extraterrestrial beings,” the older man began, his tone grim, “are only targeting this specific area, within a radius of 30 kilometres.”

“What? Why is that?” the younger man asked, his voice tinged with both disbelief and curiosity.

“We don’t have a complete idea why this is happening,” the older man said, his gaze fixed on the glowing red spot on the holographic map. “But one thing is certain—they’re after something specific. They have a purpose. If their goal were pure destruction, humanity would already be wiped out.”

The younger man furrowed his brow, deep in thought. “But what… and why?”

The older man paused for a moment, then spoke deliberately. “Perhaps it’s what they mentioned on the first day…”

The younger man’s eyes widened, his tone shifting to one of sudden realization. “The Blood of Amberion.”

“Probably,” the older man nodded. “Most likely. And if that’s the case, the source of it must be within that radius. To be precise, it’s likely tied to that singular unknown ancient structure, at the heart of the city—the Pyramid of Creed.”

"But then why aren’t we taking any kind of action? This makes no sense!" The younger man’s voice was filled with frustration. "Even if they’re after something specific, it’s clear they mean no good, and we must do something!"

The older man sighed; his expression grim. "What would you have us do? Besides observing like spectators, we lack any weapons of mass destruction. That’s thanks to the decisions of the previous leaders of HCR."

“Then build one, dammit!” the younger man snapped.

“We’ve already started,” the older man replied, his tone steady but weary. “But it’s going to take months to create something from scratch. All we can do is hope they don’t find the source they’re seeking—or worse, turn hostile toward the rest of the world.”

The younger man clenched his fists, his voice trembling. "But why keep the world in the dark? This isn’t right!"

The older man looked at him intently and asked, “Do you remember House No. 98 in the [name] colony?”

The question caught the younger man off guard. “Yeah... they were my neighbours. A tragic accident. The whole family, including their two kids, died in a car crash. But why are you asking about them?”

The older man leaned closer, his gaze piercing. “That’s not what happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“It wasn’t a car accident,” the older man said, his tone grim. “The man of that house stabbed his wife and two children to death. Then he took his own life. We made it look like an accident.”

The younger man froze, his mind reeling. “W-wha—?”

The older man didn’t let him finish. He straightened and began pacing the room, his voice growing heavier “Listen, as humanity progressed, humans didn’t become any better. The feelings of hatred, greed, and violence never left us. The world is still a sick place as it was before, we just made it seem that way that our new world is a beautiful place. the truth is, evil breeds more evil. We cannot erase evil, the best we can do is suppress it.”

The younger man’s thoughts raced. This is insane. It’s straight up brainwashing. Fear crept into his chest, but he forced himself to calm down.

“Still,” he said, "why keep humanity in the dark?"

The older man turned to face him, his gaze piercing. “If we reveal the truth, it will only create panic. And if the end of the world is truly near, it would be better for humanity to spend its final days in happiness and peace rather than chaos?”

They are all insane

“But what about the people in the affected area? Can’t we isolate or evacuate them?” The younger man’s voice grew desperate as he tried to find a solution. “We could claim there’s been a nuclear leak or something like that to justify the isolation. It would save lives without causing mass hysteria!” He stopped, catching his breath.

The older man paused, considering his words. “We could do that,” he admitted, “but what if the aliens change their strategy in response? If we act rashly, we could provoke them into unleashing destruction across the entire world. This isn’t just about protecting one city—it’s about humanity’s survival. For now, the best course of action is to wait... and hope we’re ready before they decide to become purely hostile.”

The younger man turned to leave, frustration and unease evident in his tense movements. As he reached the door, the older man called out from behind him, his voice calm but laden with finality.

"Sweetest lies are always better than bitter truths."

The younger man stopped in his tracks, standing still for a moment. He didn’t reply, nor did he turn back. Instead, he resumed walking, exiting the room with countless questions swirling in his head.

As he stepped outside, the bright blue sky stretched above him, starkly contrasting the heavy thoughts weighing him down. Cars zipped past on the road, the bustle of life continuing as if everything were normal. He stood there, watching the mundane scene unfold, the world carrying on oblivious to the looming reality he now grappled with.

A thought struck him, piercing through the noise in his head. "Is this the real world?"

He lowered his gaze to his hands, staring at them

"But I would rather live in a real-bitter world, than a fake one,"

……….

The young man’s eyes lit up with a sudden idea, as though a spark had ignited in his mind.

"Alliance," he muttered under his breath before breaking into a sprint back toward the building.

Fumbling for his cell phone, he dialled a number, his breath quickening with every step. As soon as the call connected, he shouted into the receiver, “Book me a chopper! Right now!”

The voice on the other end hesitated, startled by the urgency. “W-what, sir? This is so random!”

“Just do it!”

“Sir, that would cost you 80% of your monthly salary—”

“I don’t care! Just make it happen!” he barked, cutting the conversation short as he reached the building’s entrance.

Hanging up the call, he tossed the phone aside without a second thought, Adrenaline surged through him as he tore up the staircase, his feet pounding the concrete steps. Eight floors later, he burst onto the rooftop, gasping for breath.

Above him, the chopper descended, its powerful blades whipping the air, causing his clothes to ripple and sway. He threw his head back, a wide, exhilarated grin splitting his face.

“I’m coming, city of Mulan!” he yelled into the wind, his voice brimming with thrill and excitement

Sicus made his way back to the ship, pitch dark room Zexus was sitting on his throne

“Where were you gone?” asked Zexus

“I have successfully pin pointed the location of blood”

“Is Arecus still there?”

“No, I don’t think so…”

“Yeah, we saw him die with our own eyes. So where is it… The blood”

“I wasn’t able to get it…. Just like he said to us, we are not worthy enough”

“What is the next step”

“I know a person for this task”

PLANET- 0T0B [ HOMELAND OF GODS]

There was expanse of grasslands, the sky painted in shades of blue mingled with soft hues of grey. The hills were gentle, covered in short grass that gleamed with a faint bluish tint. At the heart of this tranquil landscape stood a simple white hut-like structure—open, without walls—and inside were a white table and two matching chairs.

A woman sat gracefully on one of the chairs. Her flowing pink hair shimmered softly under the muted sunlight, and a delicate white crown adorned her head moving down till her chin, giving her an ethereal presence. And he was sitting across her, his posture relaxed, sharing the peaceful moment with her.

On the table between them rested an elegant tea set, steam wafting gently from their cups. The air carried the subtle aroma of tea leaves and sweetness.

“Here, try this,” the woman said, her voice warm and melodic as she handed him a small plate with a neatly arranged cookie or cake.

“Oh, thank you,” he replied, accepting it with a smile. He took a bite, savouring the taste, and they both chuckled softly, lost in the simple joy of each other's company.

The moment felt timeless.

But suddenly, he glanced away, as though hearing a distant call. “Suna is calling me,” he said, his voice gentle but resolute.

He stood up, placing the half-eaten cookie back on the table. Reaching for his helmet, which rested beside the teacups, he gave the woman a parting smile.

“I have to leave, but I’ll be back soon,” he promised, his tone steady yet kind, as he waved to her and walked away.

She did not turn to watch him leave, nor did her expression shift. she reached for her cup with a quiet grace, taking another sip of tea.