The massive warship drifted away from the burning corpse of Planet Sin.
Behind it, nothing remained.
Only drifting debris and glowing cosmic ash, slowly fading into the endless black like dying embers.
Inside the command hall, silence hung heavy.
Lord Dano strolled in lazily, scratching the fur behind his ear as if he had just finished a light workout instead of erasing multiple planets. He dropped into his throne-like seat with a long sigh and stretched his powerful arms above his head.
"Well…" he muttered, tail swaying lazily. "That was refreshing."
He leaned back, arms folded behind his head, red eyes half-lidded with satisfaction.
"Now nobody will dare stand in my way toward becoming the strongest in all reality."
His voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
The words alone carried the weight of galaxies.
Aika stood nearby, forcing a bright smile onto her face even though her eyes were still red.
"Yes, my Lord!"
The engines roared once more.
Space twisted violently.
The warship vanished into a tunnel of blinding light.
---
Deep in the void, the ship reappeared, slicing through the darkness at terrifying speed.
In the navigation chamber, Quan stood at the control deck like a statue.
His expression was ice-cold.
Every movement — adjusting coordinates, pulling levers, entering warp calculations — was flawless.
But completely empty.
A senior alien approached carefully, voice gentle.
"What's wrong, Quan? You've been quiet since the battle."
No answer.
Quan's emerald eyes stayed locked forward, unblinking.
The alien tried a weak chuckle.
"Well… if something's bothering you, you can always—"
Silence.
The alien swallowed hard and slowly backed away.
Nearby, an elderly alien sat reading a glowing newspaper.
The headline burned brightly:
**GALACTIC BIG BANG: MULTIPLE PLANETS ERASED IN ONE NIGHT**
The old alien sighed dramatically and folded the paper with smug satisfaction.
"Kids these days… destroying entire planets in a fit of anger. When I was young, we captured whole systems before breakfast."
He smirked.
"That's why Lord Dano favors me."
Quan didn't react at all.
After several long, heavy minutes, he finally stepped back.
"My shift is over," he said flatly. "Take control."
Another pilot nodded and took his place.
Quan shoved his hands into his pockets and walked out without another word.
---
The lounge room was dimly lit, soft sofas lined the walls, and a gentle artificial breeze whispered through the air.
Quan dropped onto a couch, legs crossed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
His jaw was clenched so tight it looked painful.
Footsteps approached.
Then—
"TADAAAAA\~!"
He flinched hard.
Aika popped up from behind the couch like a jack-in-the-box, beaming with forced cheerfulness.
Today she wore a cute skirt, a bright yellow hat tilted playfully on her head, and a small blue bag slung over her shoulder. She spun once with dramatic flair.
"Ehehe\~! How do I look, Quan-san?"
He glanced at her for half a second.
Then looked away.
"Don't talk to me."
The words were simple.
But they cut like a blade.
Aika's smile faltered — just for a moment — before she forced it back brighter than before.
"Eh? Don't be like that…"
She sat down beside him and gently reached for his hand.
Quan pulled away instantly, as if her touch burned.
"Don't."
That single word carried the weight of an entire broken friendship.
Aika's fingers slowly curled into her palm. Her shoulders trembled.
She hesitated, then reached into her bag with shaking hands.
"I remembered…" she said softly, voice barely holding together. "Today is your birthday. January 7th."
She held out a small golden ring. A tiny gem at its center glowed faintly, warm and hopeful.
For one brief second, real hope sparkled in her purple eyes.
Quan took the ring.
Looked at it.
Said nothing.
Then he tossed it aside.
The ring clattered across the floor and rolled into the shadows.
"I don't need anything from you," he said coldly. "Just leave."
The impact of those words hit harder than any explosion.
Aika froze.
Her bright smile collapsed completely.
Her shadow seemed to swallow her whole.
"…Okay," she whispered, voice cracking.
She turned away quickly — before the tears could fall in front of him.
"If you don't want to talk to me… I won't talk to you either."
Her footsteps faded down the corridor, small and broken.
Quan remained on the couch, staring at the ceiling.
But his fingers were trembling.
---
In Lord Dano's private chamber.
A massive white bed dominated the center. A panoramic window showed the endless stars streaming by. Soft screens flickered quietly. A small fridge hummed in the corner.
Dano lay sprawled across the bed, holding an English fairy-tale book upside down.
His tail swayed lazily.
"Huh…" he muttered to himself. "Is my fur thinning? Maybe I'm using too much shampoo."
A soft knock interrupted him.
"My Lord…" Aika's voice came through the door, cracked and fragile. "May I enter?"
Dano's playful expression vanished instantly. His red eyes sharpened.
"Come in."
Aika stepped inside slowly.
Her eyes were puffy and red. Tear tracks still stained her cheeks.
She sat down stiffly on the edge of the bed.
"My Lord… I don't want to work with Quan anymore."
Dano raised one eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"He's mean," she whispered, voice small. "Nobody likes me. I'll just serve you instead."
Dano sighed softly.
He closed the fairy-tale book and set it aside.
"Is that truly what you want?"
Aika hesitated, then nodded.
"…Yes."
Dano stood and walked over to her.
For a moment, the terrifying Emperor of Space looked almost gentle.
He placed a large, warm hand on top of her head.
"Quan carries more pain inside than he shows," Dano said calmly. "When he gets angry, it burns quietly. But that fire… it never lasts forever."
Aika sniffed, looking up at him with watery eyes.
"…Really?"
"Mmm."
Dano ruffled her golden hair lightly.
"Don't make permanent decisions over temporary storms."
She wiped her tears and gave a tiny, grateful smile.
"Thank you… my Lord."
Dano smiled faintly, almost fatherly.
---
Far, far away from the warship…
A tiny silver capsule drifted through the endless darkness of space.
Alone.
Silent.
It sliced into Earth's atmosphere like a falling star, flames wrapping around it in a brilliant blaze.
In a quiet, untouched forest at night—
It crashed.
Trees splintered violently.
Birds exploded into the sky in panic.
Thick smoke rose toward the moonlit clouds.
A small curious fox crept closer, ears twitching, nose sniffing the strange metal scent.
The capsule hissed as its superheated surface began to cool.
Inside—
Ares slept peacefully.
Unaware of the destruction he had escaped.
Unaware of the emperor who had let him live.
Unaware that his new home… was Earth.
His silver eyes flickered faintly beneath closed lids.
A fragile new beginning.
And somewhere across the vast universe, two crimson eyes watched the stars with growing curiosity.
The game between death and life had only just begun.