The Main Fleet of Mercery Headquarters buzzed with tension. A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the soft hum of machinery and the distant murmur of officers relaying reports.
Admiral Gabriel Engelhardt sat rigidly at the helm, his fingers tapping an uneven rhythm on the polished steel table. His sharp features were drawn tight, eyes flickering over the shifting holographic display of the surrounding sectors—each blip, each data stream, feeding into the gnawing pit in his chest.
By the window, Andrew Handerfall stood, arms folded across his chest, his gaze distant and cold as it lingered on the endless stretch of stars beyond the glass.
No sign of Lionel. Not yet.
Engelhardt's lips pressed into a thin line, the tension bleeding into the sharp set of his shoulders.
Then Andrew spoke, voice low, measured, a blade carefully drawn from its sheath."He's waiting. I'm not sure for what, though..."
Engelhardt's voice cut through the quiet, clipped and controlled, though the tremor in it betrayed a buried unease."If he attacks, we'll hold him back. This fleet... it's stronger than Mars's ever was. They held off Lionel for months before he broke through. We'll do better."
Andrew's brow furrowed. His fingers flexed slightly, the faintest twitch betraying his tension."That's not what concerns me."
Engelhardt's gaze snapped toward him, sharp as a blade."Then what?"
Andrew's eyes narrowed, the cold fire in them igniting as he spoke."That weapon Lionel has... we still don't know what it is. It came, it breached Mars's defenses like they were paper, and it left. No trace. Nothing."
Engelhardt leaned back in his chair, the weight of those words settling heavy in the air. He exhaled sharply, the breath hissing through his teeth."Indeed... We have Takashima and his apprentice working on a countermeasure. They've been at it day and night. It should be ready soon."
Andrew turned his head slowly, his gaze narrowing, something dark flickering behind his eyes—a predator's gleam.
"You really should be telling me this, huh, Admiral?"
Engelhardt froze, his expression hardening, eyes narrowing to sharp slits."How do you know I'm not a spy?"
The words dropped like a stone into the room, and the air seemed to still.
Andrew's gaze locked onto Engelhardt's, cold, unflinching, a faint smirk twisting the corner of his mouth.
"If you were..." His voice was quiet, each word deliberate, a whispered promise."I would have killed you already."
Silence.
The weight in the room hung like a blade, poised to strike.
And still—no sign of Lionel.
Engelhardt exhaled slowly and leaned forward, his hand sliding across the table. A small black data drive clinked softly against the metal surface as he pushed it toward Andrew.
"I can't trust the network. Too many eyes... too many leaks," he muttered, voice low, burdened with the weight of command.
Andrew's gaze flickered to the drive, his eyes narrowing.
Engelhardt's voice tightened, the words cutting with quiet authority."This is a record of everything that's entered Mercery over the past few weeks. Ships, cargo, personnel... everything."
He exhaled again, deep lines etched into his face."But... there's something on there we can't explain. A ship... or something... slipped through unnoticed. We don't know what it was. Just... that it got in."
His eyes locked onto Andrew's, the intensity behind them sharp, commanding."I need you to investigate it."
Andrew's fingers hovered over the drive for a moment—then gripped it tightly, the weight of it sinking into his palm. His gaze hardened, a flicker of something dangerous glinting in his eyes.
"Understood."
The tension in the room remained thick, like a storm waiting to break.
.....
Five hours later...
The outskirts of Mercery stretched endlessly—vast plains of cracked earth and rusted metal, swallowed by the shadows of the ever-drifting fleet overhead. The sky burned in streaks of dull orange, fading into the black void of space.
A low hum vibrated through the air as the hovercraft touched down, its landing struts sinking into the dust.
Inside, the comms crackled to life in Arnik's ear."We've had an unauthorized vessel... we believe it entered Mercery airspace. We need you to check it out. If it's Lionel... report back. We'll carpet bomb the entire sector."
Arnik's jaw tightened, his fingers curling into fists."Understood." The line went dead.
He turned to Kai, who sat quietly, arms resting on his knees, eyes distant, staring out the window like he could see through the miles of darkness.
"So," Arnik started, his voice steady, "think we'll find Lionel?"
Kai exhaled slowly, the breath fogging the glass for a moment before fading. His gaze didn't shift."I don't believe so... something feels off."
Arnik tilted his head."Off how?"
Kai's voice barely rose above a whisper, the words heavy with an unshakable weight."I don't know... call it a gut feeling."
Arnik let out a breath, a wry smile tugging at his lips."Well, you're the smart guy... no way I'm doubting you."
The hovercraft doors hissed open, the scent of ozone and dust rushing in. They stepped out, boots crunching on the gritty earth.
Silence.
No wind. No movement.
Just... the quiet.
Arnik crossed his arms, eyes scanning the emptiness."Well, this was a waste of time..."
Kai's eyes narrowed, a faint pulse of unease creeping up his spine.
No...
Something was wrong.
His breath slowed, hands rising in front of him, fingers weaving into precise, practiced patterns. Mana crackled faintly at his fingertips, subtle arcs of energy dancing in the air.
He spoke, voice low but resolute."Reveal the unseen."
A pulse of energy rippled outward, the very air shimmering, distorting like heat waves on metal.
And then—
A flicker.
A glint.
A small transport ship flickered into view, its outline ragged, its metal hull dulled by dust and decay.
Arnik's eyes widened, a laugh bubbling from his chest."Hah! This is why you're here!" He clapped Kai on the back with a grin.
Kai shot him a flat look, deadpan."Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and get inside."
Arnik cracked his knuckles, striding forward with the swagger of a man who knew no fear. Grabbing the shuttle's door, he wrenched it open, the metal groaning under his strength.
Inside—
Crates.
Rows and rows of them. Sealed, stacked, silent.
Kai's breath hitched, his brow furrowing.What the hell is this...
They pried one open—wood splintering, metal groaning. The seals hissed as the lock disengaged.
Inside...
Just guns.
And drugs.
Arnik blinked, his brows lifting in disbelief."Smugglers?"
Kai exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair, a scowl creasing his features."There are still space pirates around, I guess... but they're almost extinct." He knelt down, examining the packaging, his fingers tracing over the faded barcodes.
"These crates... they're from Saturn."
Arnik raised an eyebrow, curious."How can you tell?"
Kai tapped a symbol etched into the crate's corner."The packaging's specific. One of their factories on Saturn uses this pattern. Small detail... but it's there."
Arnik let out a low whistle, crossing his arms."Who the hell's running drugs in the middle of a war?"
Kai sighed, his voice tight, strained."A literal war is happening—and they risked all this to smuggle drugs and weapons across sectors."
He clicked his tongue, narrowing his eyes."They almost succeeded, too... I'm surprised they got this far. We'll need to inform Takashima. Security's too loose."
Arnik let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck."Well... we best get back."
Kai nodded—
And then his eyes narrowed, breath catching in his throat.
A flicker in the air. A shimmer.
A subtle distortion.
His voice snapped, sharp, urgent."Arnik! Maximum armor, now!"
Arnik's eyes widened—
Kai's own body moved on instinct, armor flaring to life in a crackle of energy—
BOOM.
The entire ship erupted, a shockwave tearing through the ground, throwing them backward like rag dolls.
Arnik slammed into a pile of debris, coughing, disoriented.
"Kai! You good?!"
Kai was already on his feet, the dust swirling around him, his shapeless blade humming faintly in his grip, his eyes sharp, alert.
"Yeah..."
The hiss of cocking weapons filled the air.
They looked around—
Surrounded.
The sound of boots scraping against gravel, the hiss of weapons charging—
Kai's eyes darted, scanning the field.
Six space pirates—ragged armor, cracked visors, weapons trembling in their hands but ready to fire.
One of them barked, voice cracking with adrenaline."Drop your weapons! Now!"
"We've got you surrounded!"
Arnik...
Arnik laughed.
Kai turned to him, disbelief flickering in his gaze."Seriously? This is funny to you?"
Arnik's grin stretched wide, teeth gleaming, a feral edge to his voice."Oh, it's hilarious. They think six soldiers... can take down a single member of Angel Squad—let alone two."
One of the pirates froze mid-step, his face draining of color."S-shit... they're Angel Squad?!"
Another pirate snapped, trying to hold the line."Shut up! We can take them! We've got them surrounded!"
Kai sighed, his grip tightening around his blade."Alright, Markus... I'll follow your lead."
Arnik's eyes flashed, a wicked grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.
The pirates opened fire—bolts of magic energy crackling through the air.
Kai moved, his blade shifting fluidly into a wide, curved shield—a gleaming barrier of pulsing energy that absorbed the bolts with a low hum. Sparks danced across its surface as the impacts were swallowed whole.
Arnik's plasma shield flared to life, a harsh, electric-blue glow surrounding him as he surged forward, taking the brunt of the fire with barely a flinch.
"Damn, they're fast!" one pirate hissed, panic blooming in his voice.
Kai's body blurred—a sudden burst of speed, a flicker of movement, and he was gone from their sights.
"What the—?!"
Three pirates swung their rifles in his direction, opening fire—
Poof.
Kai's decoy shimmered, vanishing into a wisp of energy.
"Idiots."
Kai was already behind them. His blade snapped back into its standard rod form, the metal glinting as he swung—
CRACK.
One pirate down.
THUD.
Two.
THWACK.
Three.
Each impact precise, calculated, brutal.
Arnik roared, his plasma blade tearing through the air. With a single burst of energy, he slammed the remaining three pirates backward—bodies tumbling like ragdolls as they crashed into the crates.
One struggled to his knees, but Arnik's blade was already leveled at his throat, the tip glowing faintly with searing heat.
Arnik's voice was low, cold."Surrender."
The pirate's weapon clattered to the ground. His hands rose, trembling in the still air.
The others followed, weapons dropping in defeat, faces pale and drained of all fight.
Arnik sighed, tapping his comm."This is Arnik. Just a bunch of smugglers. Don't worry—we took care of them."
The reply crackled back."Copy that. Get back here, now."
The engines of their hovercraft hummed softly as they rose into the sky, the ground shrinking beneath them.
Kai leaned back in his seat, gaze distant, fingers absently tapping against the armrest.
"It's strange..." he murmured, voice barely audible over the hum.
Arnik turned to him, brow raised."What?"
Kai's voice dropped lower, eyes narrowing into a sharp, distant stare."I don't know... I'm just... paranoid."
Silence settled between them, heavy and unspoken.
A weight in the air.
Something was off.
....
Down in the slums of Mercery...
A thin, damp fog clung to the narrow alleys, the air heavy with the scent of oil, rust, and decay.
A man in a shadowy cloak moved with purpose, his steps deliberate, barely a sound beneath him as he weaved through the maze of cracked pavement and makeshift dwellings.
He stopped in front of a weathered building, its walls crumbling, windows shattered, the faint flicker of a dying lamp barely illuminating the door.
He knocked.
The door creaked open, revealing a male demi-cat with a crooked snarl. His fur was patchy, one ear torn clean through, yellow eyes sharp and wary.
"Took you long enough," the demi-cat grunted, tail flicking with impatience.
The cloaked man didn't respond.
The demi-cat narrowed his eyes, then jerked his head inside."Well, come on. You better have what you promised."
The floorboards groaned under their weight as they entered. A threadbare, stained carpet lay in the center of the room, the air stale with the scent of mildew and old sweat.
With a grunt, the demi-cat kicked the carpet aside, revealing a metal trapdoor embedded in the floor."Down there. Go."
They descended the narrow ladder, the air growing colder, thicker, as if the shadows themselves pressed in.
At the bottom...
A cavernous room, dimly lit by hanging bulbs that flickered weakly, casting long, distorted shadows across crates, broken machinery, and rows of men in mismatched, dented armor.
Space pirates.
Their eyes glinted in the half-light, faces scarred, postures tense. The smell of oil and ozone mixed with sweat and stale alcohol.
At the far end sat a man in a rusted chair, his legs crossed, one hand tapping a slow, steady rhythm on the armrest. His gaze, sharp and predatory, flicked to the newcomer.
"We got you smuggled in," the boss drawled, his voice a gravelly rasp. "Wasn't easy. Soon enough, Mercery's dogs'll be sniffin' at my door... So—" He leaned forward, a twisted grin stretching across his face."You better have what I asked for."
The cloaked man stepped forward, placing a briefcase on the table with a heavy clunk.
The pirates crowded around as he flipped it open.
Inside—
A metal cylinder. Smooth, sleek, faintly pulsing.
And papers. Dozens of them. Faint, curling script covered the sheets—strange symbols, etched in ink so dark it seemed to drink the light.
The cloaked man's voice was soft, hypnotic."Sign your names... and you will become immortal."
The boss scowled, lifting one of the papers, eyes squinting at the alien text."Well... this is strange. But if Lionel promises immortality... I'll be the first to get it."
He barked, snapping his fingers."All of you—sign it!"
The pirates scrambled, grabbing pens, scrawling their names in greedy, messy handwriting.
The air grew heavy.
The boss licked his lips, anticipation gleaming in his eyes."Open it."
The cylinder hissed as it unlocked.
...Empty.
Silence.
A breath...
Then fury exploded.
Guns were drawn, weapons raised, voices snarling in rage.
"You bastard! You think you'll leave here alive—?!"
Thud.
One of the pirates collapsed, clutching his chest, blood pooling beneath him.
"W-what?!"
Another fired, the bolt striking the cloaked man square in the chest—
He didn't flinch.
One by one, the pirates began to drop, coughing, gagging, eyes wide in shock.
Until only the demi-humans remained.
The demi-cat's fur bristled, voice trembling."What the hell is this?!"
The cloaked man tilted his head slowly, voice cold, sharp as a blade."Sorry... demi-humans can't partake in immortality."
The demi-humans growled, lunging forward—
But then...
The fallen pirates began to stir.
The boss rose first, his grin splitting wider, teeth gleaming. He stepped forward, stretching his arms like waking from a long nap.
"Boss! You're alive—"
"Never better."
The demi-cat hesitated."So... you're immortal now...?"
POP.
The demi-cat's head burst in a sickening spray.
The others followed—skulls rupturing like overripe fruit, bodies crumpling in grotesque piles.
The boss wiped a speck of blood from his cheek, flexing his hands."Sheesh... I hate demi-humans. So stiff."
The cloaked man lowered his hood, revealing a cold smirk—Satsujin.
The boss cracked his neck, turning to him with a sharp grin."This really the best body you got, Satsujin?"
Satsujin's voice was low, smooth as oil."You'll get used to it, Emo. Most humans... they are worthless"
"Yeah, yeah... tell me about it."
The other pirates began to rise, one by one—eyes gleaming with a cold, unnatural light.
One stepped forward, voice rough."So, what's the plan, boss? It's been... what, 3,000 years since we fought anyone?"
Satsujin's smirk twisted into something sharp, dangerous."Patience, my brothers... Mercery's got a strong military. We'll need to... well, you know. Create some chaos."
A low, dark laughter filled the chamber, echoing off the cold metal walls.
"Well then... we'd better get started."