A somber memory from the past surfaced, leaving a hollow ache in his chest. He clenched his fist and closed his only eye. When he opened it again, the light of Serenity illuminated his iris.
He sighed, calm once more, and continued on his way.
'If I'm going to feel like this all the time, it's better to let Serenity do its job. I'm no longer under the influence of the serpent's gas, but that doesn't mean I can go back to being as calm as before.'
Ever since the serpent, Nova had felt a certain instability in his emotions. At first, that might have seemed like a good thing—it gave him the chance to obtain new Spectrums—but from his point of view, it ruined his eternal calm.
Sure, staying calm while trying to survive was great. In fact, it was vital if he didn't want to die. Still, it bothered him that he could no longer control situations the way he used to.
Without his perpetual calm, Nova felt naked in the face of danger. Feeling fear, anger, or paranoia was horrible. Being constantly afraid, waiting for a monster to appear and kill him, was one of the worst experiences he could imagine.
'If I'm not calm, I'll die—but if I am, I'll die too. If I don't gain new Spectrums, I'll die. If I don't strengthen the Spectrums I already have, I'll die just the same.'
Thinking so much about the possibility of death was starting to irritate him.
'And besides, how am I supposed to get stronger? It took three years after becoming an Empath just to obtain a new Spectrum. And I didn't even get it in my own world!'
Maybe years would have passed and Nova would have never obtained another Spectrum. He would have remained the serene, laid-back guy everyone knew—an Eternal Seventh-Level Empath. But now he was here, he had a new Spectrum, and he was heading toward the exit of this world.
'Who knows how long it would've taken me to get stronger if I'd stayed on Terra… Even so, I want to go back home. I don't want to keep running, fighting, or hiding just to survive.'
Only now did he realize how well he had lived in his original world. Aberrations were always controlled by Empaths, the food was good, most people were pleasant, and the beautiful landscapes were relaxing.
He had truly been fortunate to live in such a peaceful world.
'I just want to live in peace, without anyone bothering me.'
Over the next few hours, he walked through the wide streets. After thinking more deeply than ever before, he felt calmer, his mind clearer. He focused on what he had come for and refused to take his eyes off his destination.
At some point, he reached an area filled with purple lights and pink hues. Strange Aberrations were everywhere, behaving as if they were trying to draw the attention of those walking by.
At first, Nova didn't understand that this place was somewhat special. However, the further he went, the clearer it became. Some of the Aberrations with feminine appearances cast hungry, provocative glances his way.
A chill ran down his spine.
'This place can't be that kind of place… right?'
With a sour smile, he quickened his pace, gripping his hood.
Imagining himself approaching an Aberration with those kinds of intentions was disturbing. And now that he thought about it, many of the lightly dressed Aberrations around him were leading other creatures into buildings—or slipping into alleys with intentions that were unclear, yet obvious.
As he analyzed the situation, he felt he was taking too much of a risk by staying in this area. Unlike the surface, down here the alleys seemed to be far more frequented by Aberrations, meaning Nova couldn't hide the way he usually did.
'How big is this place? It never ends!'
The pink and purple lights stretched far into the distance, glowing softly and casting neon reflections across damp puddles on the concrete and metal ground. Nova stepped into one of those puddles as he passed very close to a strange woman with pale green skin.
At first, he thought no one would approach him because of his hood, his timid way of moving through the crowd, and his concealed identity in general—but that way of thinking was his mistake. He was in a strange version of Terra's red-light districts, so that wasn't going to happen.
The green-skinned woman, moving quickly without making a sound, approached Nova and grabbed his arm.
He reacted instantly, trying to pull away, but she held onto him with tremendous strength. She pressed her chest against his arm with clear intent to seduce him. Nova swallowed—not because the seduction was working, but because he was afraid of being discovered.
If only his Spectrum of Anticipation let him see the future the way Miyu's did, this wouldn't be happening.
'Damn it! I let my guard down for just a second and…!'
On the outside, he remained calm, but inside he was already screaming at everyone.
The woman, on the other hand, was very beautiful. Her hair was snow-white, cut in a punk style that covered one eye—her visible eye was amber-yellow. She wore attire similar to android-like Aberrations. Draped over her shoulders was a long brown fabric cape decorated with geometric line patterns resembling metal welds. On top of it, she wore a pair of silver pauldrons that made her stand out among the other Aberrations. Beneath the cape, she wore a black top made of a rubber-like material, tight long pants of the same fabric, and brown boots with thick heels.
While Nova struggled with his own thoughts, the woman smiled mischievously. In a strange turn of events, with a sweet, playful tone, she said:
"I've been watching you for a while. You seem very shy. Where are you going in such a hurry? To work? Are you visiting the planet?"
Nova was startled. Hearing her speak reminded him of the red woman.
'Her voice… She…'
The woman sounded as if she were speaking twice at the same time, in two different languages. One of them was the language of Terra.