Jay floated silently in space, surrounded by an endless ocean of stars. The stillness stretched endlessly, a quiet so deep that even his thoughts seemed to echo through the space.
Now that those who once made his life miserable were gone, the silence no longer felt empty. It carried a gentle serenity, turning the endless nothingness into something quite beautiful.
His gaze then fell on the Moon. It looked close, almost within reach with its pale surface glowing softly against the black expanse.
He wondered, 'With Starborne Horizon letting me travel through space… can't I reach there? Maybe even visit other planets?'
MJ's calm voice responded, 'Indeed, Master. Theoretically, it's possible. The Starborne Horizon runs on starlight, and the Sun's rays should be sufficient to recharge it during flight.'
Jay raised an eyebrow. 'Theoretically?'
MJ elaborated, 'At your current max speed of Mach 25, it would take approximately 12 hours and 27 minutes to reach the Moon. Even using the Inventory Plane would take 3 hours and 35 minutes. The latter isn't feasible, given your Phantom Form's limited duration. And the former wouldn't last either, since holding your breath that long would be impossible without oxygen support.'
Jay nodded in understanding. It wasn't the armor that limited him, it was his body.
MJ continued, 'Only after a Tier-7 evolution can one surpass the limits of a carbon-based life form. At that point, oxygen would no longer be necessary. One could survive in the vacuum of space and move freely by propelling themselves through pure energy manipulation.'
Jay exhaled softly. He was still Tier-3, and Tier-7 was a distant goal. But evolution wasn't his priority right now. He didn't need it, not with the sheer amount of stats and abilities he already possessed.
'If it's just about surviving in space,' he mused, 'I can always find skills to compensate.'
It was only a matter of time before he could traverse the stars freely.
The thought brought a faint smile to his lips. The idea of flying from planet to planet without restriction, it felt intoxicating.
'MJ,' he asked, 'can you craft spaceships?'
MJ replied immediately, 'Of course, Master. But with our current resources, we can only build Planetary and Galactic-class ships. Planetary ones are manageable, but Galactic ships, those capable of traveling across the Milky Way, require immense upkeep. The travel energy costs alone would burn a hole even in your pocket.'
Jay nodded, and after some consideration, said to MJ, 'Now that the Orion Citadel's branch cities are complete across all nine Trial Continents, begin developing the Planetary Ships and Long-range Teleportation Devices.'
He looked out toward the glowing curve of Earth below, thinking ahead.
'Maybe with this, we can establish large-scale bases on other planets once the Final Tournament ends. Let's plan that after everything settles.'
Just then, MJ's familiar voice echoed in his mind.
'Master, your siblings are less than a minute away from the base.'
Jay blinked, a faint smirk forming on his face.
'Alright… time to head back.'
With that, he tilted downward in a burst of golden-azure light and dove into Earth's atmosphere like a blazing streak cutting across the night sky.
...
A car flew silently through the dark night, its surface camouflaged to blend with the clouds. It passed the city outskirts and glided over the forest canopy.
Inside were four people. In the front seats, Esha drove while Moro sat beside her. Kay and Qew occupied the back in silence.
Kay leaned against the window, lost in thought. Qew finally broke the silence.
"Quit overthinking, Kay. We saved a lot of lives today. The ones who didn't make it were just… unlucky."
Kay's voice was quiet. "I know… it's just, all those families who lost their loved ones, their heartbreaking cries when they found the bodies. It's hard not to think about them."
He fell silent again, his expression heavy with guilt. Qew leaned closer and gently patted him.
"You did everything you could. You even covered the medical bills for those who couldn't afford it. We're not gods, Kay. We can't save everyone."
Kay nodded, still downcast.
Trying to lighten the mood, Qew said, "Besides, be ready to get scolded by Dad for spending so much of the company's money."
Kay let out a small groan and rubbed his forehead. "Maybe Brother can help me out…"
Qew rolled her eyes. "Geez, you're such a baby, always running to Brother whenever things go wrong. He spoils you too much."
Kay chuckled faintly. Despite her teasing, he felt lucky to have a brother like Jay.
Though only five minutes apart in age, Jay had always seemed older, mature, composed, someone he could always rely on.
Kay knew his brother would go to any length for him, but he didn't want to burden him either.
As he sat lost in thought, the car began its descent toward a hidden clearing. The ground below split open, revealing the concealed entrance to the Deep Underground Base.
Esha landed the vehicle smoothly, and the four stepped out. The car's camouflage shimmered off, returning to its normal state.
Just as they were about to enter, a sharp gust of wind roared overhead. Something streaked through the night sky toward them, fast as a meteor.
Moro immediately stepped in front of Kay, his blood aura flaring into a crimson barrier that wrapped them both in a protective dome. Esha, just as quick, formed an icy shell of aura before Qew.
A few moments later, the rushing blur slowed, and they saw who it was.
Jay.
He hovered gracefully before landing beside them, the howling winds around him fading as the air settled.
Qew exhaled sharply. "You scared us for a second there! A little heads-up wouldn't hurt, you know?"
Jay shrugged with a faint grin. "Just checking if you're all staying cautious."
Qew pouted, but Kay smiled faintly, shaking his head in quiet amusement. The weight in his chest lightened, even if just a little.
"Alright, let's head down and meet up with Rownak and Udhay," Jay said.
Kay asked, "Oh, they should've become Sigil Holders by now, right? What talents did they awaken?"
Jay replied casually, "Ask them yourself. I'm sure they'll be happy to share, especially Udhay."
Moments later, they reached the common living area. Rownak and Udhay had just returned from the gravity chambers after MJ had notified them of the group's arrival.
Udhay was the first to speak. "Well, well, if it isn't the Charming Prince and the Daring Princess," he said with a grin.
Qew frowned. "Eww… what's with that name?"
Udhay raised his hands in defense. "Ahem… not me. People are calling you that. If you don't believe me, see for yourself."
He picked up the remote and switched through a few news channels before stopping at one.
On the screen, a news anchor spoke with practiced urgency.
"The AMC Mall disaster could've claimed far more lives if not for the intervention of two brave heirs of Nav-Yuga Enterprise. Eyewitnesses report that they risked their lives to save hundreds. The footage you're about to see was captured by the livestreamer, Martin, during the rescue."
Clips followed of Kay and Qew pulling people from the rubble and helping them reach safety.
The anchor's voice continued, "They're now being hailed by netizens as the Charming Prince and the Daring Princess."
Qew crossed her arms and muttered in irritation, "Tch… whoever came up with that name has no naming sense at all."
She turned away from the TV, ignoring both the news and Udhay. Her eyes drifted to Rownak, who stood quietly, lost in thought.
A faint blush crept onto her face and thought, 'He looks even cooler now…'
Then Jay's voice echoed in her head. 'You tease Kay for being obvious with Olivia, yet you're no different around Rownak.'
Qew blushed even more and turned her head away, pretending to look at something else.
'Ugh… am I really that obvious?'
Jay didn't say anything more and only smirked faintly before turning toward Moro, who had remained silent in the back.
"I need a sample of your blood," Jay said plainly. "Just a drop will do."
Moro nodded without question. A thin drop of blood slipped out from his fingertip and floated toward Jay.
He caught it mid air and held it still with telekinesis before activating Rownak's first Innate Exclusive skill.
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