Jorak's head popped out of the rubble with a huge smile as he dramatically brushed dust from his shoulders.
"Wow! What a kick!" He said while giving an exaggerated thumbs-up.
"You've got some serious talent, kid! Ever thought about putting those skills to use in the ring?"
Kaito stared at him dumbfounded.
"Wh–What is with this guy? He took that kick like it was nothing. No scratches, no blood, nothing…" He thought to himself in shock.
Jorak's expression froze mid-pose, his eyes widening as he leaned in closer to examine Kaito from the distance.
"Wait a minute…" His jaw dropped exaggeratedly.
"Your ears are round… you're not an elf… you're a human! A real, flesh-and-blood human! This is amazing!" He said as he began to strike numerous bizarre poses.
Enaros glanced at Kaito and muttered out.
"What's… a human?"
Jorak spun on his heel, pointing exaggeratedly at him.
"What's a human?! Only one of the rarest and most dangerous species in this galaxy… no, the known universe! They're like… like cosmic artifacts! Or at least they were… But that's perfect! Because of that, this guy—" He gestured dramatically at Kaito.
"—is the ultimate underdog set for the best revenge story the cosmos have ever seen! The perfect protagonist for an epic blockbuster series! Imagine the trailers: 'The Last Human Standing'!"
He struck a series of bizarre poses, flexing and mock-boxing at imaginary cameras.
"Oh the drama! The merchandising opportunities! This is gold—pure gold!"
"No seriously… where in the stars did we land?" Kaito thought to himself as the second hand embarrassment rubbed off onto him.
Jorak, now posing with one foot propped on a broken log kept going.
"Picture it—'Against all odds, the lone human rises to challenge the galaxy's strongest!' THAT'S BOX OFFICE!" He said enthusiastically.
It was as if he forgot they were fighting in the first place. Kaito shook his head and took a deep breath, forcing himself to refocus.
"Hey you…wrestling…theater guy. Return Enaros's daughter and leave these people and this planet alone." He demanded, trying his best to ignore the second hand embarrassment.
Jorak and the group of star travelers erupted into laughter.
"HOHOHOHOHOHO, kid, you've got jokes too! You're killing me here."
His laughter abruptly stopped and his expression turned stone cold serious.
"That's not how this works."
A sharp pain shot through Kaito's body, causing him to grit his teeth.
"Damn it... my body hasn't fully recovered from the crash yet."
Jorak smirked, noticing Kaito's discomfort.
"What's the matter, little hero? Already feeling winded?" He gestured to his lackeys.
"Boys, bring him to me. Alive, if you can manage it."
The group swarmed Kaito. Chains, blades, and improvised clubs swung at him from all sides. Kaito dropped low into a defensive stance as his eyes assessed their movements.
He slipped under one of the attacker's swings and landed an elbow strike to the side of their head. He jumped and spun before kicking the same lackey, sending them crashing into two others.
Three other lackeys darted forward, but it was too late. Kaito's hand was already raised and aimed towards them.
"Raiden Garden!"
Thin lightning bolts zipped from all five of his finger tips before branching off into over two dozen. All three were electrocuted and fell to the ground, smoke rising from their bodies.
The rest of the lackey star travelers slowly backed away, realizing Kaito was no mere pushover. Nix watched wide-eyed, clutching the edge of the shack's window.
"He's… so incredible… just like elder sister."
Jorak clapped slowly as he walked up.
"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. But…" He raised a finger.
"You're still not ready for the main event."
Before Kaito could respond, Jorak shot forward, burying his huge fist in his gut. The blow broke two of his ribs and the air was knocked out of him instantly.
"So…heavy…" He thought to himself, almost blacking out.
The force of the punch launched him through the air, crashing through several of the stone houses. He tumbled through the dirt before finally skidding to a halt near the edge of the treeline.
Villagers screamed and scrambled for cover. Nix stood frozen, his eyes darting between his father and the wreckage where Kaito had landed.
Jorak dusted off his hands.
"And that, folks, is how you handle the hero. But don't worry…" He raised his arms, addressing the terrified villagers like an audience.
"The show's just getting started!"
Back aboard the ship, Elara gritted her teeth as the strings tightened around her body, digging into her skin. Sera paced in front of her. Her eyes followed her every step, a subtle irritation layered behind them.
Sera sighed dramatically and began to pout.
"Oh, don't look so serious, darling! We're going to have so much fun together." With a flick of her wrist, the strings coiled tighter, lifting Elara slightly off the ground.
"And by fun, I mean you screaming."
She began to trace a finger along the strings.
"How did you fi–?" She tried to say before Elara abruptly cut her off.
"Where is my crew?!" She grunted out.
Sera grinned wider. She tugged on the strings, forcing Elara's body to arch painfully.
"Ohhh, you're going to be reunited with your crew soon enough. I'll make sure of that." She chuckled softly.
"You landed on Draconis Prime, in the Dravalar star system… never heard of it, have you?"
"Dravalar star system…" Elara thought to herself.
"No… I haven't." She said.
"Hehe… Of course not. It's a star system not originally from this galaxy… one that's fairly hard to track down without crucial information and preparation."
The strings tightened more. Sera leaned in closer and whispered in her ear.
"Now tell me dear… how in the stars did you find this place?"
Before Elara could respond, the door hissed open, and a flustered lackey burst into the room.
"C-C-Captain Sera! J-Jorak and his crew have encountered resistance." He stuttered out.
"Huuuhhhh? Resistance? From who?" Sera asked, confused.
The lackey gulped, hesitating before answering.
"A… a human."
"A human…?" She repeated slowly to herself before turning her head sharply toward Elara.
"Explain."
"His name is Kaito. He's a member of my crew." Elara said dryly.
For a moment, Sera said nothing…
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! A human!? Oh, darling, you're hilarious!" She clapped her hands together.
"What a wonderful joke Elara! You know, I'd never take you for a comedian!"
Elara didn't respond, her face remaining dead serious. The laughter died down as Sera noticed her lack of reaction.
"Wait… You're serious…"
Then, she smiled…
"A human... on my planet. Oh, they're going to be so proud of me when I bring them a human." She muttered under her breath.
Little did she know, Elara's sharp hearing caught the muttered words.
"They? Who are… 'they'?"
Sera spun toward the lackey.
"Tell Jorak to keep the human alive. I want him captured—at all costs."
The lackey nodded furiously. She spun back to Elara.
"Don't worry. Jorak and my crew will handle your dirty little secret."
Elara began to smirk slightly.
"Handle him? You clearly don't know Kaito. He's not someone you should underestimate."
Sera froze for a second.
"Oh, you're right! You're absolutely right!" She said as she clapped her hands again, startling Elara with her sudden agreement.
Her demeanor shifted in an instant as she spun to the lackey again.
"Send word to the other two. I want reinforcements backing Jorak immediately."
The lackey nodded furiously before scurrying out of the room.
The strings around Elara tightened and twisted, turning her upside down and lifting her higher in the air. Sera stepped in front of her, stopping mere inches from her face.
"This is going to be fun… for me, at least."