SwoooooooSh!

From behind Steller, a sword struck at light speed. White blood spurted from Steller's mouth as its eyes widened in shock.

"Good work to the both of you," said Setka, standing firm in front of Steller.

Their eyes locked as Henu Safir and Menes slowly recovered and began to walk towards Setka, joining him.

"This thing is making me bring back my prime," joked Menes.

Henu Safir, cleaning the blood from his lips, laughed. "Oh boy, even I wouldn't want to fight that."

Kasib questioned himself, "Was Commander Menes that strong in his prime?"

Yune, smiling wickedly, said, "I want to fight this thing as well," struggling to contain his urge.

Noya looked at Yune, "You're not alone."

"So let's do this thing," announced Setka.

And so began the fight that would change the course of Jack's life forever...

"Where am I?" spoke an innocent voice.

Standing in an endless void of black, a domain that didn't exist in the real world, Jack found himself facing a being resembling Steller but without its armor. Its skin seemed to be made of the cosmos, stars like the pillars of creation.

Jack stood still in awe as the surroundings changed. From the darkness grew stars, shooting from above and surrounding him with the cosmos. Then it all changed to a hill from Jack's childhood. Jack was next to a tree, overlooking his old house where he lived with his father as a child. The green stood out like oil in water. Soon he heard a thud and slowly walked to the side to look. "We caught one! Finally." Jack's eyes filled with tears; it was his younger self and his father catching a rabbit (CH39). "Dad," Jack cried in his inner voice.

Soon his surroundings disappeared, and Steller stood in front of Jack.

"I would ask who you are, but my eyes won't stop tearing," Jack cried, wiping his eyes.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel," Steller replied.

After wiping his tears, his eyes red, Jack finally asked, "Who are you?"

"I am you," Steller replied.

"Me?" Jack pointed at himself.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, confused.

Steller began to speak. "The Chronotex is something that grants a human immense power. However, it cannot be used by just anyone; it must choose its wielder."

"The Chronotex can be used by any living being, but to wield its power effectively, it should be near you. Even if stolen, it cannot be utilized by anyone else unless the original user has died. If the user has passed away, the Chronotex will either destroy itself or choose a new wielder if it deems them worthy."

"There are a few rules: the Chronotex is bound to a soul, not a body. Dark energy is a hard counter to the Chronotex, but at a certain point, it conflicts with its powers. To use the Chronotex to its fullest, one must abandon dark energy and all other forms of power."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Each Chronotex has its own identity based on its power, and it reflects that in its user. It will select someone whose identity aligns with its own."

Jack, annoyed, shouted, "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Don't you get it?" Steller slowly began to walk towards Jack and used its finger to point at his heart. "I am you, and you are me."

"I am a Chronotex, Steller" Steller whispered in his ear.

Jack's eyes opened wide in shock.

"Wait, what's going on outside?" Jack questioned Steller.

"Outside? Well, see for yourself," Steller pointed upwards, and the cosmos turned into a projector, showing Jack the outside world.

Injured Henu Safir was running towards Steller, his eyes burning blue. "Slash of a Thousand Suns!" Henu roared, slashing his sword towards Steller.

Menes added to the attack, "Absolute Destruction, Sword of Death!" he bellowed, throwing his sword to accelerate Henu's attack.

Jack, surprised and worried, cried out, "General Setka, he came too!"

"Yes, he joined while we were talking," Steller clarified.

"Steller, let me out! This isn't right; these are my allies!" Jack argued.

With a raised voice, Steller answered, "NO! Until they prove to me that they are your allies, I cannot let you go. You are a crucial pawn in my plan."

"Steller, you have injured them enough! I command you to let me out and end this. These people are my allies!" Jack demanded as he pushed Steller.

Back to the outside...

Setka, with blood all over his face, yelled, "Speed of Light," and used his sword to slice through Steller, absolutely destroying it.

Steller's body was ripped apart and disintegrated into nothing as the attack created a massive crater.

Setka walked out slowly, victorious, holding his sword high. The soldiers cheered.

Kasib, his forehead filled with sweat, thought, "This is strength. This is what it will take for me to become a warrior. I am so far behind."

Noya, worried, said, "The real question is if that thing is still alive."

Soon, a light appeared at the impact site. Steller's body regenerated slowly, becoming whole again.

Setka, Henu, and Menes, shocked and injured, looked annoyed.

Henu questioned, "When the hell will this thing die?"

Menes answered, "Soon," with serious emotion in his eyes.

"Menes, don't tell me you're going to use it here," Henu Safir questioned.

"Don't question it, Henu. You clearly saw this thing. Us three using our powers together still couldn't defeat it. We may have to use our final weapon," Setka advised.

"I will use Absolute End and erase this being from existence," Menes declared.

Henu, worried, cried out, "You will lose five years of your life, Menes. Don't!"

Ignoring Henu Safir, Menes slowly started walking toward Steller.

Back in the domain...

"Steller, you're doing too much. What do you want?" Jack questioned.

"I want you. I want you to give me yourself, your life, so I can access the outside world without restrictions," Steller said with an evil smirk.

Menes lifted his sword and spoke, "ABSOLUTE END."

"Steller, this is the end for you!" he proclaimed.

"The Chronotex is bound to a soul," Jack repeated Steller's quote. "Which means that my soul, if it has a great enough will, can overshadow whatever you are doing!" Jack asserted.

"Damn it," Steller exclaimed, his face angered. "I will to go back!"

Soon, on the battlefield, Steller's mask slowly ripped off but not fully. Behind it, Ramon saw Jack.

Jack whispered, "Save me," in a broken voice. Menes, still unhinged, didn't notice this as he was looking down. However, the only person who saw this was Ramon.

"This is it," Menes said as he began to lower his sword on Steller.

However, in a sudden move, Ramon shielded Steller and shouted, "Commander, we can't! Jack is inside this thing!"

Menes, shocked, demanded that Ramon move.

"No, I won't. I cannot let Jack die. This being is controlling him. I saw him! Jack's cry for help, that hair, and those eyes are Jack's. If you want to kill him, you will need to surpass me," Ramon insisted, his eyes closed, looking down at the ground, knowing full well he couldn't defend Jack from Menes' attack.

"Hmm," Steller wondered, "is this your friend?"

"Yes, he is the one whom I would trust my life with," Jack answered.

"Correct answer," Steller smiled. "I guess you met my requirements. You do have allies. That helps me a lot now," Steller explained.

Steller spoke, "I'll let you go for now, but I'll be back. Prepare your body for the power I give..."

Soon, Steller disappeared, and Jack's consciousness returned to the real world. The Armor of Steller fell off Jack's skin like ashes, revealing his face.

Menes dropped his sword. "Ramon, you really are a coward, but a brave one."