As Rhyes left the room, the silence lingered for a moment.
Miwa sighed, flopping back against the sofa. "Cool, now we have to meet the Queen…"
Jennie clapped her hands together. "But on the bright side, we get to travel this world, right?"
Kiyomasa nodded eagerly. "I'm excited to see what the world actually looks like outside this bastion."
Minos leaned forward, thoughtful. "Wait—Sir Rhyes is one of the highest-ranked people here, right? So… are we gonna go on a dragon to meet the Queen or something?"
Jennie's eyes lit up. "Wait, seriously?! If that's the case, that would be amazing!"
Miwa butted in, grinning, "Then I'd love to go! Flying in the sky, wind in my face—YES!"
But before the excitement could grow further, a heavy slap echoed through the room.
Neo had slammed his legs onto the table, leaning back with his arms crossed. His tone, sharp as ever:
"Did you all leave your brains behind in your old worlds or something? What type of normal people arrives on a dragon to an academy?"
Jahanox nodded, trying not to laugh. "He's got a point. We're supposed to be laying low—not letting the whole world know we exist."
Ai added, "But… we'd be meeting the Queen first, right? The Queen already knows who we are."
Neo didn't miss a beat. "The Kingdom of Vliey, where the Queen lives, is the biggest and most powerful kingdom in all of Euphoria. The EIAA is inside Vliey, too. Either way, landing a damn dragon near the royal castle is gonna attract attention we don't need."
Asher, arms folded calmly, added, "What he means is—only a few high-level nobles or commanders have dragons. If one lands unannounced near the Queen's palace, people are gonna ask questions. Who came? Why? Is it a threat? And we're not here to make the Queen's life harder."
Jahanox nodded slowly. "Well, that makes sense. And honestly, traveling on the ground sounds more fun anyway—we'll get to see more of the world."
Neo rolled his eyes. "You won't be riding in some wooden cart pulled by donkeys, don't worry. The carriages won't be pulled by horses either—they'll be pulled by Corvins and Unicorns."
Miwa tilted her head. "What's a Corvin?"
Asher smiled slightly. "Think horse… but bigger, faster, and stronger. Sleek, tall, with shining fur like obsidian under moonlight."
Kiyomasa let out a long "Woooah…" before grinning. "So we're still going on something cool!"
Asher nodded. "Sir Rhyes can't arrive in anything less, otherwise the Queen would be insulted. She'd expect someone of his status to show respect through the mode of transport."
Ai tilted her head. "That's all fine and good… but Supreme Commander Rhyes also said you and Neo would be coming with us. Wouldn't people at EIAA recognize you two? Wouldn't that blow our cover?"
Neo gave an annoyed sigh. "That's exactly why Rhyes is going himself. I'm sure that man has something up his sleeve. Ask him if you're that curious."
Ai raised a finger to continue, but Neo groaned, cutting her off: "Please, don't give me a headache."
Jahanox, smirking, stepped in. "Alright, alright, leave that for now. When are we actually leaving? And how long will it take to get to the Kingdom of Vliey?"
Asher scratched his chin, calculating. "We'll leave next week. As for the journey… if we traveled entirely by carriage, it'd take three months."
"THAT LONG?!" Minos said, eyes wide.
Asher smirked. "Relax. Thanks to the Corvins and Unicorns' unique abilities, we'll be there in three weeks. Four tops."
Jennie blinked. "How is that even possible?"
Neo answered in his usual sharp tone, "A Corvin's speed triples when it runs through shadow or at night. A Unicorn, meanwhile, has infinite stamina. It heals nearby nature and animals while running—never needs to stop."
Asher nodded, continuing. "If you tie a Corvin to a Unicorn, the Corvin shares its speed and the Unicorn sustains the run. They create a link. It's some ancient bond-type thing. I don't understand all the science, but it works."
Miwa gasped. "That's… really impressive."
Jahanox groaned, rubbing his head. "That hurts my brain…"
Then he stretched. "Well, guess we've got one week left before departure. Might as well enjoy ourselves while we're still here."
He pushed open the door and casually walked out, waving over his shoulder.
---
The week leading up to their departure passed in a blur of new experiences.
Jahanox spent most of his time exploring every floor of the Nullflux Bastion—his curiosity unstoppable. He wondered around looking at different things and trying to understand the world a little more tho that didn't help much.
Jennie was often found in the lush green sectors of the bastion, surrounded by flowering plants and garden labs. She was fascinated by the strange fusion of biology and magic-tech that allowed flowers to bloom with programmable scent emissions.
Miwa made friends quickly—too quickly. She dragged Ai and Kiyomasa along into every single bizarre event happening in the accomodations zone. From "Gravity-Less Dodgeball" to "Laser Tag in Zero Light," she made sure no one stayed still for long.
Ai pretended to complain but secretly enjoyed the chaos. When not being pulled around by Miwa, she was in the knowledge archives, flipping through volumes on planetary travel, culture, and the history of Euphoria—half to understand, half to make sense of how strange this new life had become.
Minos trained alone most of the time, working silently in the isolated training zones. He was slowly refining his quantum matter ball control, trying to stabilize it mid-air while maintaining rotation. A task only he understood.
Kiyomasa went with the flow—sometimes tagging along with Miwa, sometimes trying (and failing) to keep up with Jahanox's lectures, sometimes just tagging along with Asher.
Zazm remained silent through it all. He never wandered far. But sometimes—only sometimes—he'd be seen standing at the edge of the observation deck, looking at the towers stretching into the skies… a distant look in his eyes, as if calculating something far beyond what anyone else could see. He would also sit at the top of the medical zone flower and look at stars and suns.
Neo, despite his complaints, never left the group's side. He kept watch. Observed. He didn't train much—but the air around him made it clear that he didn't need to. His presence was intimidating enough.
Asher tagges around with Miwa and others and soon enough he and Kiyomasa developed a good friendship primarily because they both shared somewhat a same power and thanks to Asher's playful and nice personality.
And as the days passed, the countdown ticked away—
Until the day of departure finally arrived.
Jahanox stood in front of the tall mirror inside his room, running a hand through his messy, slightly overgrown hair.
"…I don't look presentable at all," he muttered.
He glanced around the room, eventually spotting a drawer. He opened it—and to his surprise, found a pair of scissors inside. He tapped the scissors once, then pointed toward his own head.
"Alright. Let's do this."
Suddenly, the scissors lifted into the air, glowing slightly as a nearby comb floated beside them. In perfect sync, they began to cut, snip, and glide through his hair. Hair strands fluttered like feathers in the room as Jahanox stood still, arms crossed, watching himself in the mirror.
He looked at the halfway result.
"…It looks weird," he said, eyebrows raised. Then quickly added with a sigh, "Let's trust the process."
Once the haircut finished, a navy-blue coat floated toward him through the air, pants and a shirt trailing behind as if dressing themselves mid-flight.
"Oh?" Jahanox tilted his head. The coat stopped in front of him, seemingly waiting.
It was a deep navy-blue formal coat, slightly long with silver embroidery on the cuffs and collar. A matching navy-blue pant hovered behind it, and underneath was a simple yet sharp black shirt that hugged the frame just enough to stay classy. Jahanox dressed quickly, smoothing out the sleeves.
He reached for a tie and attempted to put it on. Within moments… disaster struck.
His fingers fumbled, twisted, and pulled until the fabric looked like a broken origami mess dangling from his neck. He tried again. And again. It just got worse.
"…It's moments like this I miss my dad," he sighed quietly, staring at the poorly tied tie in defeat.
He was about to toss it aside when—
ding-dong
—the door rang.
He opened it and found Jennie standing there, looking slightly nervous. Her brown hair was still untied, and she held a comb awkwardly in one hand.
"Jennie?" Jahanox asked, stepping aside. "Everything alright? You're not getting ready?"
Jennie walked in, her cheeks a little pink. "Um… I was just wondering if you had a power that could… help me with my hair or something?"
Jahanox smiled and handed her the floating scissors and comb. "I just used them. Put them near your hair and imagine how you want it to look. They'll do the rest."
Jennie brightened up. "That's actually… super helpful! Thanks!"
She paused, tilting her head as she looked at his hair. "You cut it too short though."
"Really?" Jahanox asked, rubbing the back of his head. "I thought it suits me. Don't you think so?"
Jennie hesitated, then gave a soft, warm smile. "It does… actually. It really does."
Their eyes met for a second, and then Jennie's gaze drifted to the tie still dangling hopelessly around his neck.
"…You're not gonna wear a tie?" she asked.
Jahanox gave an awkward grin, scratching his cheek. "I don't really know how to tie one."
Jennie giggled softly, and her fingers reached toward the tie. "It's no big deal… I can tie it for you."
Jahanox blinked. "Really?"
Jennie nodded, smiling. "My teacher used to attend a lot of formal meetings. She taught me how to dress properly for occasions like this."
She stepped in front of him and gently took hold of the tie, her fingers expertly folding and tucking the fabric. As she worked, her smile faded slightly—not out of discomfort, but because her cheeks were heating up.
I'm standing this close to him… why does this feel like one of those drama scenes…?
Her heartbeat quickened. She tried not to meet his eyes, focused on the knot instead. Jahanox, being Jahanox, stood calmly, unaware of the war happening inside her head.
"…All done," she finally said, stepping back quickly and fidgeting with her sleeves.
"Thanks," Jahanox said sincerely, not noticing how red her face had gotten.
Jennie nodded quickly. "I'll go get ready now," she muttered, practically dashing out the door.
Jahanox stared for a second, a bit confused. "Huh… she seemed in a hurry."
He turned back to the mirror, combed his newly-cut hair one last time. It was neat—brushed back, now half the length of his forehead, clean on the sides. With the navy-blue suit and black shirt underneath, he looked like a young businessman in a fantasy world.
"…Not bad."
Jahanox stepped into the elevator and rode down. He reached Zazm's room and knocked.
"Yoo, you done?"
Zazm opened the door.
He was wearing a sleek black three-piece suit, with a crisp white shirt underneath and a steel-gray tie. But what surprised Jahanox the most was his hair— neatly combed, and tied at the back in a small knot.
"You cut your hair?" Jahanox asked.
Zazm turned his head slightly. "Tied it back. Cleaned it up."
Jahanox grinned. "You're giving that extra character in an isekai anime vibe."
Zazm nodded with a blank expression. "The one who's the princess's fiancé but still cheats on her, right?"
Jahanox burst into laughter. "Got the impression on point."
As they walked down the corridor together, Jahanox spoke again, this time quieter.
"This reminds me of our school year-end ceremony."
Zazm looked ahead. "How long ago was that?"
It was directed at Jahanox, but somehow more at himself.
"Three years," Jahanox replied. "But it's probably longer for you, right?"
Zazm gave a small nod. The air between them grew heavier.
"How did we end up like this?" Jahanox asked, voice a little somber.
Zazm's face remained emotionless. "Does it really matter? We're here… brought by our own decisions."
Jahanox looked down. "…Did we make the right decisions?"
Zazm paused before replying. "That's something we'll only know with time."
"Yeah…" Jahanox whispered.
A beat passed before he looked back up. "Hey, where's your earring?"
Zazm touched his ear. "Just noticed that now?"
Jahanox shrugged. "Not really. I noticed back in that weird universe. Just never got the chance to ask."
"I still have it," Zazm said. "But it doesn't serve its purpose anymore."
"True," Jahanox said. "The Shadow Dimension's gone… and that was its key."
Zazm nodded. "That place was fun though."
Jahanox smiled faintly. "It was."
Zazm turned to him. "What about that eye of yours?"
Jahanox covered his left eye casually. "It doesn't glow anymore. Just… a different color now. Kinda disappointing."
They arrived at the ground floor.
Everyone was already gathered.
Asher stood in a deep crimson-red long coat, fluffy around the collar, paired with sleek black gloves and a calm expression.
Neo wore a white overcoat with fine silver lining and a black cravat tied around his neck that give him a noble aura.
Then came a voice.
"DON'T RUN—YOU'LL FALL!"
They all recognized Minos's voice but who was it directed towards?
It was Miwa, rushing up to them in a pink full-length dress with white floral embroidery. She wore long white gloves that went up to her elbows and heels she clearly hated.
Her face said one thing: I'm done with this.
She whined, "These clothes are so heavy! And don't even get me started on these heels…"
Minos walked beside her, trying to appear as calm as ever in a charcoal gray suit with black patterns etched onto the cuffs. "There's nothing we can do," he said plainly.
Then, Jennie arrived. She wore a light green, flowing dress, sleeved and cinched at the waist. Her brown hair was tied in a low ponytail with a matching ribbon.
"You look great," Jahanox said.
Jennie smiled. "Thank you."
Kiyomasa entered next in a pearl-white coat, slightly brighter than Neo's, paired with ivory trousers. A simple bow tie hung on his neck.
Ai walked in with him, wearing a beautiful golden-yellow gown, modestly designed with layers of silk and a traditional high collar. Gold embroidery glinted at the edges. Her hair was short now—just brushing her chin.
Asher blinked. "You cut your hair?"
Ai crossed her arms. "Long hair's a hassle."
Kiyomasa smiled, giving her a small nod. "Short hair suits you too."
Everyone was finally gathered—dressed with elegance, ready to meet royalty.
And with that, the journey to meet the Queen… was about to begin.
Jahanox walked closer to Neo, adjusting his collar slightly as he leaned in and asked, "Why are we dressed this heavily? Are we gonna wear this for three weeks?"
Before Neo could reply, Asher put a hand on Jahanox's shoulder with a grin. "My friend, you're lucky. The Queen has sent one of her own dragons for us. We'll reach there in a day."
Jennie smiled softly. "That's really good."
Miwa let out an exhausted sigh. "The quicker this is over, the quicker I'll burn this dress and these stupid heels."
They were all mid-conversation when a strong, composed voice called from behind. It was Rhyes.
He wore his usual military uniform — sharp and clean. His hair was perfectly combed, cape hanging over one shoulder, his aura as noble and commanding as ever.
"Looks like everyone is here," he said.
Kiyomasa raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you wearing any fancy clothes?"
Rhyes answered calmly, "For me, this is just another duty."
He turned, motioning toward the exit. "We'll go to the rings in a hoverer."
Ai tilted her head. "I'm guessing it's that car we were brought in?"
Rhyes nodded. "Yes."
The group entered the hover vehicle and were quickly transported to the rings.
Asher, gazing out the window, spoke as they arrived, "Guess what — look carefully at this ring. All the energy in this place is generated by the spinning of these huge rings."
When they looked around, their breath hitched — hundreds of thousands of soldiers in half capes stood tall, forming two long lines like a living red carpet for Rhyes. Their heads were bowed in perfect discipline.
Jennie whispered, "This is a little..."
Ai continued the thought, "Nerve-wracking."
"Yes," Jennie said.
Minos beamed. "Looks like my dream of becoming a celebrity has come true."
Miwa smirked. "Keep dreaming."
Rhyes took the lead, walking ahead. When the line of soldiers ended, there stood Myterl, waiting.
As Rhyes approached, he respectfully bowed his head. "Commander Myterl."
Myterl gave a slight nod. "You're leaving?"
"Yes, but you didn't have to come."
Myterl answered, "I had to wave goodbye to you either way. But I'm here for the kids."
"For them?" Rhyes asked.
Myterl nodded. "I'm still surprised at how powerful they are. I received Lorriel's report on them."
Rhyes nodded again. "And it's great that they're on our side."
Myterl's voice was firm. "It's not great — it's really great. With their help..."
—
The scene cut to Zazm, who walked at the end of the group, with Zephyra beside him. She was dressed properly for once — a dark violet dress that shimmered subtly in the light, her long silver hair as loose as ever. Her usual smile curved her lips, but her violet eyes were gleaming with something a little deeper — excitement.
"See? Everyone's been complimenting your tied hair," she said.
Zazm sighed. "Thanks."
Zephyra gave a smile. "No problem." She then shook her head. "You could've told Jahanox I have this earring."
Zazm replied, unamused, "No thanks."
"What can I do? The way you presented it to me, I couldn't deny it," Zephyra teased.
"I never presented you anything. You snatched it from my ear."
Zephyra smirked. "That's me being nice."
Zazm waved a hand in dismissiveness while Zephyra continued enjoying her moment. But then, his voice dropped lower, his tone changing.
"It all starts now."
Zephyra's smile vanished instantly.
Her entire demeanor shifted — no more amusement, no more light-heartedness. Her tone flat, cold, she responded, "That I know."
Rhyes raised his hand — a silent signal. Everyone knew what it meant. It was time.
Slowly, they walked out into the rings.
But everything suddenly changed.
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Ai spoke, saying, "If I'm not wrong, shouldn't we be in Ashburn Forest?"
Myterl spun around with urgency, her voice sharp. "STAY CLOSE. DON'T MOVE."
In an instant, Rhyes, Neo, and Asher leapt back. Everything around them darkened; the entire environment shifted into pitch black.
"Everyone, form a circle! Get ready to engage in combat!" Rhyes barked.
Myterl's expression twisted with dread. She turned to Rhyes. "It's her."
The moment those words left her mouth, Rhyes, Neo, and Asher's eyes shot open. Without hesitation, Asher drew his blood-red sword — jagged and sharp like a blade made of crystallized blood. Neo's mark lit up, turning into two sleek dual swords, and Rhyes unsheathed his long, regal sword — elegant and deadly, the kind wielded by kings. Myterl's own mark vanished, forming two short twin blades in her hands.
Jahanox, panicked, asked, "What's going on?"
Kiyomasa's arms lit up in red and white hues, preparing himself.
Myterl raised her voice, trembling, "None of you fight. No matter what, don't engage."
The Catalysts looked confused. Myterl continued, "Remember how there've only been two omega-class threat sightings until now?"
Everyone's eyes widened.
"Don't tell me," Minos muttered.
Myterl gave a twisted smirk. "This is exactly like when I fought her."
Neo clicked his tongue. "Why now, out of all times...?"
Rhyes growled, "Their target is you all. Without a doubt."
Kiyomasa demanded, "But why?!"
Myterl started, "They've been thinning out resources, isolating powerhouses one by one—"
Asher cut her off, urgency in his voice. "We don't have time for this. Hold formation!"
Myterl nodded. "If the worst comes to it—Rhyes, get the kids out. I'll deal with that bitch. She owes me an eye."
Before Asher could speak, Rhyes raised his hand. "Very well."
Suddenly, the black fog vanished — and they all found themselves in a massive, circular room.
Myterl's eyes narrowed. "There. That's her."
Standing before them was a towering woman — at least 8 feet tall. Spiral-shaped pupils, a wide-brimmed, crooked hat, and a dress that flowed like ink. Her eyes landed on Myterl.
"You're the worm that escaped that day."
Before Myterl could respond, another figure stepped into view. A tall man wearing a shallow mask — just two eye holes, no features, only a scar on the right side of the mask.
His voice echoed through distorted room and his tone and way of talking like a child. "These kids... they're the ones destined to kill us?"
Everyone's breath caught. The room froze. But their attention shifted to the man who sat silently on the throne between them.
He stood and walked forward.
Every movement was deliberate, commanding. His clothing was regal — a long, black and golden coat fit for a monarch. His white hair fell to his neck, not long not short just perfectly kept, but his face—
It wasn't visible.
It was blurred. Unfocused. As if the world refused to remember his visage.
Zazm's eyes narrowed.
Neo acted first.
In the blink of an eye, Neo dashed forward. His dual blades glinted—but before they reached the man's throat, they shattered like glass.
The man responded with a single punch. Neo dodged, but the sheer shockwave of it sent everyone flying.
They crashed to the ground like ragdolls.
Jahanox wasted no time. He unleashed an invisible arc slash—but the man leaned aside casually, dodging it with unnatural ease.
Zazm blinked forward, reappearing right before the man's face, unleashing a kick.
The man caught his leg mid-air. Calmly. Effortlessly. Then hurled Zazm away like paper.
Zazm reappeared, landing on his feet.
Ai whispered, "This is insane... how strong is this guy?"
Myterl and Rhyes remained by the others, shouting commands.
The man raised a hand. "Stop."
Then they saw him.
He was terrifying.
A monarch without a face.
Miwa, trembling, asked, "What... who is he?"
Rhyes clenched his jaw. "Are you... the False King?"
The blurry-faced man tilted his head. His voice came low, cruel. "I suppose that's what you people call me."
Myterl's blades trembled. "Impossible..."
Rhyes hissed, "If it wasn't enough that we had two omega-classes... now we face the one who was supposed to be a myth."
Asher backed up, his voice dry. "After the true king... he's the only one labeled as a singularity-class threat and he was only a myth. What do we do?"
"Myth or not we're out of options now."
Rhyes exhaled. "We fight."
He dashed forward, sword ready. The False King unsheathed his own weapon — a massive, abyss-black blade that was darker than the night itself. Elegant, monstrous, and reeking of dread.
"Greetings, False King," Rhyes muttered, blade crossing his.
The False King replied, voice smooth and dark, "So nice of you to greet me with a sword at my throat."
Rhyes jumped back as Neo and Asher launched a pincer strike.
Neo's newly healed blades sliced the air. Asher, red sword in hand, struck from the right.
The False King moved like water — dodging Neo, parrying Asher, then delivering a crushing kick to Asher's ribs. Bones cracked.
Asher flew across the room, grunting.
But as he did, droplets of blood separated mid-air — forming a barrage of crimson laser-like needles that darted toward the False King.
It looked inescapable.
He didn't flinch.
He didn't move.
Instead, he dodged everything like he had all the time in the world.
Neo attacked him in a speed that wasn't even visible to others, the false king went head to head with all his attacks.
"Six hundred seventy five strikes in nine seconds...." False King spoke his voice heavy and cold.
"Aren't you strong."
Neo's jaw clenched. "What a goddamn monster..."
The massive pillars surrounding them started shattering. Miwa rose, telekinetically hurling the debris into the air. She merged the fragments into a colossal pike and launched it.
The False King, still indifferent, raised his dark blade and cleaved it in two with a single slash.
Jahanox landed beside Zazm. "Why the hell aren't you erasing him from existence?!"
Zazm shouted, desperate, "It doesn't work on him!"
"What?!" Jahanox's eyes widened.
Ai muttered, "That wide-eyed freak is a monster."
Jennie whispered, "Can we even do anything...?"
Minos hissed, "We're dead. Nothing's working on him... and the worst part?"
Rhyes leapt next to them. "He's not even serious. He hasn't used his left hand."
Myterl's grip tightened. "There must be something..."
Then the False King turned, gaze heavy.
"You're all useless."
The masked man asked, "Shall we kill them, my liege?"
The False King paused.
"No."
And just like that — the black fog vanished. The warped reality unraveled.
The Catalysts found themselves standing again in the Ashburn Forest.
Silence.
They were alive — but their hearts pounded. The weight of that man's power still pressed on their souls.
He was real.
He was unstoppable.
They all fell to their knees still in shock. Ai and Jennie finally started breathing again.
Asher got up using a tree as support while holding his chest with his other hand. "What just happened."
Neo looked at his fingers that were cracked broken from the share impact between his and false king's blade.
Zazm's eyes were still widened in suprise his mind racing why didn't his strongest attack work. He was too stunned an attack that can remove an entity from space time itself had no effect on the man.
Jahanox let out a terried laugh saying "that slash I sent was supposed to be impossible to dodge or see and it was supposed to cut through 8 dimensions.....just how.."
_________________________