The massive warship drifted away from the burning remnants of Planet Sin.
Behind it—
Nothing remained.
Only scattered debris and fading cosmic ash.
Inside the command hall, silence settled like dust after an explosion.
Lord Dano entered lazily, scratching the fur near his ear as if he had just finished a mild workout instead of annihilating multiple worlds. He dropped into his throne-like seat with a heavy sigh and stretched his arms above his head.
"Well…" he muttered, tail swaying slowly. "That was refreshing."
He leaned back, arms folded behind his head, red eyes half-lidded.
"Now nobody will dare stand in my way toward becoming the strongest in reality."
His voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
Aika stood nearby, posture straight, forcing cheerfulness back into her face.
"Yes, my Lord!"
The engines roared again.
Space twisted.
The warship vanished into a tunnel of light.
—
Deep in space.
The ship reappeared, gliding at extreme velocity through the void.
Inside the navigation chamber, Quan stood at the control deck.
His expression was different today.
Colder.
He adjusted coordinates with mechanical precision. Pulled levers. Entered warp calculations. His movements were flawless.
But empty.
A senior alien approached carefully.
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
"What's wrong, Quan?" he asked gently. "You've been quiet since the battle."
No answer.
Quan's emerald eyes remained fixed ahead.
The alien forced a small chuckle.
"Well… if something's bothering you, you can talk to—"
Silence.
The alien swallowed and slowly retreated.
Nearby, an elderly alien sat reading a newspaper.
The headline glowed brightly:
**GALACTIC BIG BANG: MULTIPLE PLANETS ERASED**
The old alien sighed dramatically.
"Kids these days," he muttered. "Destroying planets in a fit of anger. When I was young, we captured entire systems before breakfast."
He folded the paper smugly.
"That's why Lord Dano favors me."
Quan didn't react.
After several long minutes, he stepped back.
"My shift is over," he said flatly. "Take control."
Another pilot nodded and replaced him.
Quan shoved his hands into his pockets and walked out.
—
The lounge room.
Dim lighting. Soft sofas. A calm artificial breeze.
Quan dropped onto one couch, legs crossed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Footsteps.
Then—
"TADAAAAA~!"
He flinched.
Aika popped up from behind the couch, beaming.
Today she wore a skirt. A bright yellow hat sat playfully on her head, and a small blue bag hung from her shoulder. She spun once dramatically.
"Ehehe~!" she giggled. "How do I look, Quan-san?"
He glanced at her for barely half a second.
Then looked away.
"Don't talk to me."
The words were simple.
Sharp.
Aika's smile faltered—but she forced it back.
"Eh? Don't be like that…"
She sat beside him and gently reached for his hand.
Quan pulled it away immediately.
"Don't."
That one word carried weight.
Aika's fingers slowly curled into her palm.
She hesitated.
Then reached into her bag.
"I remembered," she said softly. "Today is your birthday. January 7th."
She held out a small ring.
A golden band with a tiny gem glowing faintly at its center.
For a brief moment—
Hope shimmered in her purple eyes.
Quan took it.
Looked at it.
Said nothing.
Then—
He tossed it aside.
The ring rolled across the floor.
"I don't need anything from you," he said coldly. "Just leave."
The impact of those words echoed louder than explosions.
Aika stood frozen.
Her smile collapsed completely.
Her shadow swallowed her expression.
"…Okay," she whispered.
She turned away quickly before her 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.
Quan remained staring upward.
But his fingers trembled slightly.
—
Lord Dano's private chamber.
A massive white bed sat at the center. A panoramic window revealed the endless stars. Screens flickered softly. 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. "Is my fur thinning? Maybe I use too much shampoo."
A soft knock interrupted him.
"My Lord…" Aika's voice cracked faintly. "May I enter?"
Dano paused.
His expression sharpened instantly.
"Come in."
Aika stepped inside slowly.
Her eyes were red. Puffy.
She sat down stiffly.
"My Lord… I don't want to work with Quan anymore."
Dano raised one eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"He's mean," she said quietly. "Nobody likes me. I'll just serve you instead."
Dano sighed softly.
He closed the fairy-tale book and placed it aside.
"Is that truly what you want?"
Aika hesitated.
"...Yes."
Dano stood and walked toward her.
For a moment, his red eyes lost their usual sharpness.
He gently placed a hand on her head.
"Quan carries more inside than he shows," Dano said calmly. "When he gets angry, it burns quietly. But it never lasts forever."
Aika sniffed.
"...Really?"
"Mm."
Dano ruffled her hair lightly.
"Don't make permanent decisions over temporary storms."
She wiped her tears.
"Thank you… my Lord."
Dano smiled faintly.
—
Far away—
A tiny capsule drifted through endless darkness.
Alone.
Silent.
It pierced through Earth's atmosphere, flames wrapping around it like a falling star.
In a quiet forest—
It crashed.
Trees splintered.
Birds scattered in panic.
Smoke rose into the night sky.
A small fox approached cautiously, ears twitching.
The metal pod hissed as its surface cooled.
Inside—
Ares slept peacefully.
Unaware.
Unburdened.
His silver eyes flickered faintly beneath closed lids.
A new world.
A fragile beginning.
And somewhere, far across the universe—
Two red eyes watched the stars.
Not with concern.
But with curiosity.
