Across the galaxy, the universe seemed to hold its breath.
In the Union capital, Gary lowered the reports in his hand. The words blurred as his gaze lifted to the stars beyond his office window. A restless tingle pressed in his chest, an instinct, though he could not place its cause. He put his glasses down.
Far away to the other side of the universe, On Earth, far from the political halls and chaos, Rimini stirred her morning coffee. She, too, paused by her window, eyes narrowing at the sky as if it had whispered her name.
At the same moment, in two separate worlds, their voices overlapped—
"What is that idiot thinking now?"
Neither lingered on the thought. Gary returned to his desk. Rimini sipped her coffee. But the unease remained.
Elsewhere, in the quiet dormitories of the Royal Academy, Benjamin sat hunched on his bed, hands clawing through his hair. The night had been sleepless, haunted by the net café encounter.
"No… no, it can't be him. Not Arron. Not all this time…" His breath came fast and shallow, panic flooding his chest. "I messed everything up."
The bracelet on his wrist clinked as the beads knocked together. His eyes fell to a faint scratch carved into one of the metal spheres. Almost desperately, he unclasped it and pressed the charm against his chest. The cool touch steadied him. Slowly, painfully, the storm eased.
Exhaustion overtook him, and Benjamin drifted into uneasy dreams, still clutching the bracelet like a lifeline.
Back in Zandora Academy, Elizha—hidden beneath his disguise as Professor Kautaro—scribbled the last line of tomorrow's experiment sheet. His script was neat, precise, betraying his discipline.
Stacking the papers, he rose and crossed to the tall window. The academy gardens stretched beyond the glass, sun dappling through the leaves.
"Edward," he murmured under his breath, "don't slip. It's hard enough for me to keep this mask in place. The adults can play spies forever, but me? I'm tired of hiding."
His reflection in the glass smirked faintly. "This time, I won't run."
Morning light spilled across the dorms, carrying with it the buzz of anticipation.
Henry and Lauran nearly skipped down the corridor, lab coats slung over their shoulders.
"Thursday!" Henry grinned. "Two labs and a sports class."
Lauran clapped in delight. "Best day of the week."
Behind them, Xiao groaned as though carrying the weight of the world. "You two are insane. It's just class."
Arron smirked. "Don't worry, Xiao. You'll get your spotlight soon."
The boy glared.
"What? You're human. Today's biology is literally about human anatomy."
Xiao muttered curses under his breath, nearly tripping over his own feet. The group giggled at him. He looked at them and chased Arron as he was a tease.
The class buzzed with restless energy. Students tugged on goggles and lab coats, voices rising in excitement—until the door opened.
Kautaro entered, his stride steady, his presence commanding. The chatter cut instantly.
"Roll out, everyone," he said, crisp and direct. "Today, we work on titration."
Benches filled with clinking glassware and the low hum of concentration. Henry and Lauran set up opposite one another, focused and diligent. Across the way, Louis, a young Maqarius, leaned forward eagerly.
"Lauran, can you check this? I keep losing my readings."
She nodded and explained, patient and clear.
Henry's eyes narrowed, a protective edge in his gaze. "Don't think I've forgotten, Louis. Not this time. You won't hurt her again. You got away in the previous timeline, but this time,I will keep her safe.", he thought. He was going to call her out to ask her about the colour of titrate when Haikai moved suddenly.
At another bench, Lady Haikai's lips curled in jealousy. A flick of her hand sent Lauran's setup tumbling into the wash basin with a crash.
Lauran gasped. Water spilled.
Kautaro was at her side in moments, his voice even but firm. "Safety above pride. This is a lab, not a stage. Remember that."
The girls bowed their heads.
Lauran 's data was spoiled and so was the stationary. The glass beaker containing water had locked over the chemical beakers.
"Figures. Now, I have to start again and clean up the mess.", she said.
Henry motioned Lauran over.
He said, "Not if I got the data. We started the experiments at the same time and the time for the reaction of the chemical clock is all noted down". His neatly timed data mirrored her lost experiment. She looked at it and her eyes sparkled. She gave a soft punch to his arm and gave him a pat.
[Important note: she is a spiker in volleyball and has super strength. Poor Henry, he got a hand imprint on his back.]
Together, they salvaged the report, shoulders brushing as they worked in quiet harmony.
From the front desk, Kautaro's gaze lingered on them. The faintest smile tugged at his lips. He turned to the window, sunlight spilling over the green.
"The gears are moving. The cycle has begun. This time, I won't be a coward.", he thought.
On the track field, Xiao and Arron dragged themselves through another lap.
"This… is… torture," Xiao panted. "Why didn't anyone say the pilot course included drills?"
Arron jogged beside him, only slightly winded. "We've got biology after this. You'll survive."
Xiao shot him a death glare.
Arron grinned. "What? It's about human anatomy. Today's basically your biography. You know it better than anyone."
Xiao stumbled, groaning loud enough for half the class to hear.
"Can you stop bringing my species all the time, Ronnie ", said Xaio.
They both started their banter.
From the sidelines, Gean watched with narrowed eyes.
"Just like him", he thought bitterly. "Another Alex in the making.", He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Galaxia help me, when I find that bastard, I don't care if it's treason. I'm beating him senseless. But first I have to deal with his mini version.", thought as he looked up in frustration. He cursed a bit on Alex as he walked to stop the kids.
Across the void, Alzenio—wearing Alex's body like a borrowed coat—stopped mid-step. A chill traced his spine. Impossible. He was the God of Death. He did not shiver.
Yet he did.
Memories slammed into him.
Alex kneeling on the floor, Gean's rage towering over him. A black-haired boy—Tio—trying to meditate. "Gean, calm down. He's our crown, yes, but he's also an idiot. Losing your temper won't fix him."
Gean glared at him and the boy jumped up and hid behind Elenore. She sighed as the group was chaotic.
Emma lounged nearby, 3D glasses perched on her nose, popcorn in hand. Rafael gawked. "Why does the demon woman always conjure popcorn during drama?"
Emma smirked. "I have a name, elf."
Their banter cracked like fire until Alex rose, throwing an arm around both sides. "We're a team. Don't waste energy on this. Besides, it's festival day. We promised we'd go together."
The memory broke.
Alzenio staggered, bracing against the wall. His breath came ragged.
"When gods ascend… the mortal fragment remains, bound to the cycle…" His voice cracked. "Alex… Alex is me."
Tears slipped free, unbidden. "My promise. Eras ago. My companions—how could I forget?"
He ran, faster than thought, until he burst into the Gallery of History.
Before him stretched a painting of Alex and his companions, weapons raised against the storm. Alzenio fell to his knees, fingers trembling as they traced every familiar face.
"My friends. My people are alive . My empire reborn."
His gaze slid to the next frame. His heart stopped.
A family portrait—himself beside a woman with hair black as the cosmos, her beauty etched in light. Four children nestled between them, two sets of twins. Opposite colors wove their garments together: dark and pastel in mirrored balance.
Alzenio pressed a shaking hand to the frame. "Her… my wife. My children.. okay this feels weird as that's my mortal self, the fragment roaming around."
A laugh, sharp and broken, escaped him. "While I rotted in the chaos realm, my mortal self built a life. A family. How did he pull such a woman? …Oh, right. He's me."
He leaned his forehead against the painting, voice barely a whisper.
"My world is gone. My people scattered. My empire is in ruins. All I have are fragments of a life I don't yet remember."
A single tear slid down his cheek.
"All I can do now… is wait for the pieces to finally become whole. Man, what is this fragment of mine? It feels weird. Like some in
stincts growing up. At least I know that my son is reborn as Edward. Torisa… why did you betray me and trapped me away?"