The day had finally come.
Both the Fifth and Seventh Battalions now found themselves aboard a sleek spacecraft gliding through the vastness of outer space.
The ship moved smoothly, almost silently, as if it respected the emptiness around it.
Nury and Levi stood side by side in one of the observation halls. A long, curved window stretched before them, revealing the infinite dark beyond. Stars scattered across the void like distant embers. Nebulas shimmered faintly in the distance.
It looked unreal.
Beautiful.
Like an endless ocean — quiet, hypnotic, and impossibly deep.
Nury's eyes remained fixed on the view.
Nury: "What worries you?"
Her voice was calm. Not accusatory. Just aware.
Levi didn't answer immediately.
He studied the stars for a moment longer, his reflection faintly visible in the glass.
Levi: "Are we sure we can trust them?"
His tone was firm. Grounded. Not fearful — cautious.
Nury finally shifted her gaze toward him.
There was the faintest curve at the corner of her lips.
Nury: "You'll find out soon enough."
The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable.
It was heavy with expectation.
Footsteps echoed down the metallic corridor behind them.
Measured. Disciplined.
A towering bald man approached — broad shoulders filling the hallway. Earrings lined both ears, small pieces of metal catching the soft white light overhead.
He stopped a respectful distance from Nury and bowed his head slightly.
Man: "We're approaching the space border, Ma'am. The entire sector is flooded with patrol units — just as we anticipated."
His voice was steady and controlled.
Nury nodded once.
Nury: "Thank you, Lee."
Lee straightened.
Lee — Lieutenant of the Fifth Battalion.
Nury's unquestioned right-hand man.
Reliable. Precise. Unshakable.
Nury turned slightly toward Levi.
Nury: "We should begin."
Beneath the main spacecraft, a hidden gate slid open with mechanical precision.
From its underbelly, a smaller vessel detached and descended quietly into the void.
Inside that smaller craft were selected members from both battalions.
And at the center of the cabin —
Rumbler's body.
Secured. Preserved. Still.
Meanwhile, the primary ship continued its forward path.
The border patrol vessels surrounded the sector in tight formations. Scanners swept across the hull. Identification codes were transmitted.
Everything appeared legitimate.
Clean.
By the book.
No suspicious cargo.
No illegal activity detected.
The larger ship passed through inspection without issue.
And unnoticed —
The smaller vessel slipped beneath sensor blind spots, gliding silently past the patrol grid.
Unseen.
Unregistered.
The mission had officially begun.
In the distance, an orangish planet came into view.
At first it looked lifeless.
Barren.
Jagged terrain carved across its surface like scars. Massive volcanic storms raged across the outer atmosphere, spiraling violently around the planet in rings of ash and molten light. Lightning flashed within the storm clouds, illuminating the turbulence in bursts of orange and crimson.
It looked hostile.
Untouched.
Unforgiving.
Pilot: "We're at three hundred thousand feet of descent altitude, ma'am."
The planet's burning glow reflected in his eyes as he steadied the controls.
Nury didn't look away from the viewport.
Nury: "Inform them of our arrival."
Immediately, the cockpit filled with the rapid clatter of fingers across illuminated key panels. Holographic interfaces flickered to life. Transmission signals were encrypted and fired toward the surface below.
A message was sent to the Ancient.
Prepare.
The Red Moon has arrived.
The ship tilted downward.
Then it descended.
Fast.
The volcanic storm swallowed the vessel whole. Turbulence slammed against the hull as ash and fire scraped across the shielding. The aircraft trembled violently, metal groaning as it tore through the raging atmosphere.
Inside, several members braced themselves instinctively.
Levi stood still.
Unmoved.
Then —
They broke through.
The storm thinned, and the view opened up.
From inside the ship, the Red Moon members finally saw Nitchtron clearly.
Rocky mountains stretched endlessly across the landscape, towering spires of stone rising so high they seemed to pierce the clouds. The terrain was dry and harsh, with very little visible water anywhere on the surface.
Yet between those jagged mountains —
There was civilization.
Buildings appeared carved directly into the rock itself, structures blending seamlessly with the cliffs and terrain around them. Metallic walkways connected high ridges. Neon-lined architecture pulsed with energy, merging advanced technology with the planet's rugged landscape.
It was barren.
But alive.
The aircraft lowered its altitude and flew through the city.
Air traffic was minimal compared to Earth's megacities, but on the ground, life moved steadily. Groups of beings walked through stone-carved streets. Some conversed. Others carried equipment. Daily routines unfolded beneath the rocky skyline.
Shiba leaned closer to the window.
Shiba: "Wow… so those are Nitchtronians. I've never seen one before."
They were almost human in shape.
Tall.
Lean.
Orange skin reflecting the planet's glow.
Long, sharp ears curved slightly upward.
And in the center of their foreheads —
A third eye.
Nitchtronians were known across systems for their discipline, loyalty, and relentless work ethic.
But history told a different story.
Long ago, they were feared as warriors — a race that once spread chaos and devastation across entire sectors.
Now, they had changed.
Or at least… that was what the galaxy believed.
The cockpit lights dimmed slightly as the descent stabilized.
Pilot: "Approaching the Ancient's base in T-minus sixty seconds."
The ship adjusted its course.
Below, carved into the side of a massive mountain, an enormous structure came into view.
Ancient territory.
And the beginning of something far larger than a simple visit.
The aircraft descended steadily and landed on a massive platform carved deep inside the mountain.
The moment the landing gear touched the metal surface, enormous gates slid shut behind the vessel. A violent gust of wind and volcanic dust rushed across the bay before powerful vents swallowed the storm into silence.
The hatch opened.
Levi, Nury, and the rest of the Red Moon stepped out of the aircraft wearing sleek black high-tech spacesuits. Their armor-like suits hugged their bodies, and respiratory masks covered their faces.
Boots struck the platform in quiet echoes.
Someone was already waiting for them.
A tall Nitchtronian stood several meters ahead, hands calmly clasped behind his back.
Tactu.
Tactu: "Welcome. And with the utmost respect, it is my pleasure to meet the infamous Red Moon Clan."
A brief pause followed.
"My name is Tactu, and I will be taking care of you today."
Nury stepped forward.
Nury: "The pleasure is ours as well. I am Nury Taiyo, Fifth Blade of the clan."
She gestured beside her.
"This is Levi, Seventh Blade."
Tactu bowed respectfully toward them.
Tactu: "For now, you may remove your masks. The air inside the base is stabilized and safe for your biology."
He glanced briefly toward the sealed gates behind them.
"Although it will take some time for your bodies to adjust to the atmosphere outside."
One by one, the Red Moon members removed their masks.
The air felt different.
Dry.
Metallic.
Charged with something unfamiliar.
Tactu gestured down the corridor.
"Very well. Follow me."
They began walking through the base.
The interior was enormous. Metallic walls rose high overhead, reinforced with layered plating and energy conduits glowing faintly beneath the surface. Surveillance systems rotated silently along the ceiling.
Ancient soldiers patrolled the corridors in perfect synchronization.
Levi noticed something immediately.
There were no wasted movements.
Every patrol rotation was timed.
Every step calculated.
This wasn't simply a base.
It was a machine.
Nury broke the quiet.
Nury: "Will we be meeting your leader soon? I would like to ask him a few questions regarding Rumbler's transformation."
Tactu glanced at her briefly.
Tactu: "Soon."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
They reached a junction in the corridor.
Tactu stopped and turned toward them.
He pointed toward a large reinforced door.
Tactu: "The two of you may enter that room."
His gaze shifted to the rest of the battalion.
"The others will follow me."
Kayo looked at Levi.
Levi gave a small nod.
Without hesitation, the rest of the Red Moon followed Tactu down another corridor.
Levi and Nury entered the room.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The silence inside felt sharp.
Like a blade pressed against their throats.
The lights were bright enough to illuminate the room clearly, yet somehow the place felt dim.
Five individuals sat around a massive stone table.
Watching.
Waiting.
One of them leaned back with a grin.
Detrox: "Well, well… look at these two."
His eyes slowly scanned them.
"The Red Moon clearly isn't messing around. I can practically feel how dangerous you both are before you even enter the room."
Another man sighed loudly and adjusted his glasses.
Geyko: "Can you be any less subtle?"
He shot Detrox an annoyed glance.
"Next time just tell them you shitted your pants."
Levi ignored them.
He studied each person around the table carefully.
One pretended to be relaxed.
One pretended to be bored.
One tried not to look at him.
And one of them—
Was completely still.
Levi raised his hand and pointed.
Levi: "You."
His finger landed on one man.
"The boss."
His voice was calm.
"We have questions."
The room went silent.
Everyone turned toward the man Levi had pointed at.
The man chuckled.
Atrunt.
Atrunt: "And what makes you think I'm the boss?"
His tone carried mock amusement.
Levi didn't blink.
Levi: "Because you're giving me the creeps."
Silence spread across the table.
Atrunt: "What type of questions?"
Nury stepped forward.
Nury: "What exactly are you planning to do with Rumbler?"
Atrunt studied her carefully.
Atrunt: "I believe we have already discussed this."
A beat passed.
"We will turn him into a weapon capable of killing Archangels."
A pause.
"And once that exists… the galaxy stops belonging to them."
Levi scoffed quietly.
Levi: "Sounds like a whole lot of crap to me."
Atrunt looked at him with interest.
Atrunt: "Then why are you here?"
Nury spoke again.
Nury: "We've upheld our part of the agreement."
A pause.
"You held yours by providing the prototype. But retrieving it for you went far beyond what we were obligated to do."
Her gaze sharpened.
"The least you could do is be honest."
"How strong will he be? What stardust level will he reach? How much control will we have over him? What are the odds that this will actually work—"
Atrunt suddenly stood.
Atrunt: "Tell me something."
He began pacing slowly around the room.
"Have either of you heard the story of the Sky God?"
He looked between them with a faint smirk.
"Of course you have. Who in this galaxy hasn't?"
A pause.
"It appeared mysteriously, releasing radiant blue particles that mesmerized the galaxy and granted us power."
He stopped walking.
His expression hardened.
"And just as mysteriously as it appeared…"
"It vanished."
Levi spoke coldly.
Levi: "Get to the point."
Atrunt turned toward him.
Atrunt: "You misunderstand the story."
He tapped the stone table lightly.
"The Sky God did not vanish."
A beat.
"It decayed."
His eyes lifted slowly.
"Stardust is nothing more than its remains circulating through your bloodstream."
The words struck the room like a hammer.
Levi frowned slightly.
Levi: "What do you mean?"
Atrunt continued calmly.
Atrunt: "Our research shows that the number of gifters decreases with every decade."
He looked at Nury.
"Entire bloodlines that once carried stardust have already disappeared."
Nury remained silent.
Stone-faced.
Atrunt continued.
"At this rate, there will come a time when Fighters and Demons simply stop existing."
"No stardust."
"No abilities."
"No means to conquer the galaxy."
Nury finally spoke.
Nury: "So this entire plan is pointless?"
Atrunt laughed.
Atrunt: "No."
His grin widened.
"Quite the opposite."
"With our work, we will control the present… and the future."
A pause.
"We will rebuild Rumbler."
The council members began smiling.
Atrunt continued.
"We will turn him into a machine."
"A cyborg."
"Only his brain and heart will remain intact so his stardust remains active."
He leaned forward.
"Humans cannot sustain extreme stardust levels."
"Machines can."
Levi spoke again.
Levi: "By how much?"
Atrunt smiled.
Atrunt: "As much as we want."
Nury crossed her arms.
Nury: "That's amusing. Only a handful of individuals have ever reached eighty-five percent stardust."
"Anything beyond that is unheard of."
"Some say reaching one hundred percent is impossible."
Atrunt chuckled softly.
Atrunt: "With science, nothing is impossible."
A pause.
"It has proven to us time and time again that there are no limits to its applications."
He spread his arms slightly.
"Science is the gift that allows us to become gods."
His smile turned sinister.
"Does that answer your concerns?"
Nury nodded slightly.
Nury: "That will do."
Atrunt relaxed again.
Atrunt: "Very well. You may rest."
A pause.
"Tomorrow, we begin our work."
Levi and Nury exited the room, escorted by two soldiers.
The door sealed behind them.
Geyko scoffed.
Geyko: "Tch. You basically told them everything."
Atrunt kept his back turned.
His smile never faded.
Atrunt: "I told them just enough."
A pause.
"Enough to make them lower their guard."
The council fell silent.
Sinister smiles slowly spread across their faces.
Atrunt approached a black glass panel on the far wall.
The surface shifted.
Behind it, a hidden laboratory revealed itself.
Rows of ancient artifacts.
Massive metallic exoskeletons suspended from mechanical frames.
Half-finished machines.
Atrunt stared at them with satisfaction.
The arrival to Nitchtron had been a success.
But beneath the alliance…
something far more dangerous had already begun to unfold.