Deep within the endless void of space—

  A colossal warship drifted in silence.

  Its surface was black as a dead star, veins of crimson energy pulsing faintly across its metallic body. It did not move with speed.

  It hovered.

  Like a predator watching.

  Inside—

  Lights flickered on one by one.

  In the central meeting chamber, a pair of eyes opened.

  Pure red.

  They glowed in the darkness before the room fully awakened.

  The owner rose slowly from his throne-like seat.

  A towering tiger-like being stepped forward—orange fur marked with black stripes, muscles defined like sculpted steel. His long tail swayed lazily behind him, each movement controlled, confident. Black armored pants reflected the dim light.

  Power radiated off him.

  Not explosive.

  Not wild.

  Controlled.

  An alien soldier immediately dropped to his knees.

  "L-Lord Dano… Emperor of Space…"

  Dano did not look at him.

  "Speak."

  His voice was low. Calm.

  The alien swallowed hard.

  "The Inferno Clan… they conquered your targeted planet. They seized the evolution spell and enhanced themselves."

  Silence filled the chamber.

  Dano's glass slipped from his fingers.

  It shattered against the floor.

  The sound echoed unnaturally loud.

  He rose slowly.

  The temperature in the room dropped.

  "…What did you just say?"

  The alien trembled violently. "I-I swear, my Lord! It's the truth!"

  For three seconds—

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Nothing happened.

  Then—

  Dano roared.

  The entire spaceship shook as if struck by a supernova. Walls cracked. Lights flickered violently. Soldiers collapsed to their knees.

  "You incompetent insects!" he bellowed. "You couldn't even protect one scientist?!"

  Two fingers rose.

  Between them, a small crimson sphere formed.

  Dense.

  Condensed annihilation.

  Space bent around it.

  "I will erase you."

  The alien stopped breathing.

  Suddenly—

  "UWAAAAAAAHHHH!! LOOORD, SAVEEE MEEE!!"

  The doors burst open.

  A green-skinned woman with fluttering golden hair and large purple eyes sprinted inside, tears flying everywhere. Her obsidian armor clanked loudly as she launched herself at Dano.

  She hugged him desperately.

  "He's sooo scaryyy! Quaaaan bullied meee!"

  The alien on the floor groaned.

  "N-Not now, Aika-chan…!"

  Dano's red eye twitched.

  The sphere of destruction flickered.

  "...Why," he growled, "do you always ruin my dramatic entrances?"

  Before anyone could breathe—

  *BANG!*

  The metal door ripped off its hinges and flew through the chamber—

  Slamming directly into Dano's face.

  He crashed into the wall.

  The alarms wailed.

  Smoke filled the room.

  Soldiers froze.

  From the haze stepped a young man gripping Aika by the collar.

  Red hair. Emerald eyes. Calm irritation.

  Quan.

  "You idiot," he said flatly. "How many times did I tell you not to eat my pancakes?"

  Aika sobbed louder. "They were sooo fluffy! I just wanted one biteee!"

  "You ate six."

  "You count too much!"

  "You also ruined my haircut."

  Dano stood up slowly.

  The entire chamber went silent.

  The wall behind him cracked.

  Quan immediately released Aika.

  Sweat streamed down his face.

  He turned with a painfully forced smile.

  "L-Lord Dano… you like orange juice, right? Freshly squeezed. Vitamin-rich. I'll make some right now."

  Dano's voice echoed softly.

  "How many times must I remind you… not to test my patience?"

  Aika nodded frantically. "Understood! I will never steal pancakes again!"

  (She had one hidden behind her back.)

  The kneeling alien whispered, "We are all going to die."

  Another senior alien stepped forward, calm and composed despite the chaos.

  "My Lord. I bring favorable news."

  Dano's gaze shifted.

  "Speak."

  "The Inferno King is attempting to erase his own son. Their planet is in internal collapse. Their defenses are fragmented."

  Silence.

  Dano blinked once.

  "…Nani?"

  Then—

  He burst into laughter.

  Genuine.

  Excited.

  "YES! Finally! That's the chaos I like!"

  He slapped the senior alien's shoulder so hard the man nearly collapsed.

  "You! Promotion soon. You have a brain."

  Aika and Quan stared in betrayal.

  Dano turned to them.

  "You two."

  They stiffened.

  "No food for two weeks."

  Their eyes widened.

  "No jelly beans. No pizza. No burgers. No pancakes."

  Their souls left their bodies.

  "NOOOOOOO!!" Quan screamed.

  Aika collapsed dramatically. "Cruel tyrannyyyy—!"

  Dano grinned.

  "Prepare the ship."

  The engines roared.

  And the predator moved.

  —

  Planet Sin.

  The kingdom burned.

  Flames devoured towers. Dragons screamed. Those loyal to Queen Monika were executed without mercy.

  "Find her!" Sin roared, his aura engulfing the sky. "I will watch that child die myself!"

  Monika ran through hidden tunnels carved beneath the castle, clutching Ares tightly against her chest.

  Her breath trembled.

  "Breathe… my love… it will be alright…"

  The baby slept peacefully.

  Unaware.

  His silver tail—

  Gone.

  Blood had stained her hands earlier.

  "I had no choice…" she whispered brokenly. "The tail suppresses our true potential… but it also leaks power. If he kept it… your father would sense him instantly…"

  Her steps faltered.

  Tears blurred her vision.

  She pressed her forehead gently against his.

  "Forgive me."

  At the launch chamber, she placed him inside a small emergency capsule.

  Her hands shook violently as she activated it.

  Ares stirred.

  His silver eyes slowly opened.

  Too aware.

  Too deep.

  Monika's heart shattered.

  "Live," she whispered. "Even if you hate me one day… live."

  She kissed his forehead.

  "I will love you… from wherever I am."

  —

  The sky above Planet Sin darkened.

  A massive shadow swallowed the stars.

  Dano's warship descended like divine punishment.

  He stepped onto the air itself, floating above the burning kingdom.

  "Oh?" he muttered. "The circus already began."

  Sin's face drained of color.

  "T-The Emperor of Space…!"

  Dano raised a hand lazily.

  "Attack."

  The world collapsed into chaos.

  Aika lifted her ancient staff.

  Blinding spears of light rained from the heavens.

  Quan's black aura surged outward like a tidal wave.

  Shadow portals tore open—

  Demons crawled through, shrieking.

  The Inferno Clan was overwhelmed instantly.

  Sin gathered his flames, forming a massive beam.

  He fired—

  It dissolved before reaching Dano.

  "…Tch."

  —

  At the launch dock—

  Monika pulled the final lever.

  The capsule doors sealed.

  Engines ignited.

  Ares' tiny fingers curled.

  He began to cry.

  Monika forced herself to smile through tears.

  "Please… survive."

  The capsule shot upward into the sky.

  —

  Dano lifted a single finger.

  "Judgment."

  A pulse of condensed destruction spread outward.

  Planet Sin shattered.

  Continents cracked.

  Oceans evaporated.

  The explosion chained across nearby worlds—

  Erasing them.

  Silence returned to space.

  Aika squinted at the fading debris.

  "Wait… someone escaped?"

  Dano folded his arms.

  "Let him go," he said lazily. "A drifting infant isn't worth my attention."

  His red eyes glinted faintly.

  "Yet."

  Far away—

  Inside the capsule—

  Ares slept once more.

  Drifting toward an unknown fate.