"Brother, please stop now. It's not too late!"
Robin spread her wings and left Victor's arms, slowly descending until she landed in front of Sunday.
The sight completely stunned Victor.
Wait, she can fly? She should've mentioned that earlier!
Though, looking back, he couldn't deny he'd been enjoying the feeling of having the beautiful Halovian girl in his arms.
So maybe it was fine she hadn't said anything.
"Penacony requires absolute order, and I will not stop."
Despite his sister's well-intentioned plea, Sunday remained stubborn, his expression growing more determined.
"This so-called 'Harmony' is nothing but forced compliance, not true happiness! Only absolute order can reshape Penacony!"
"XIPE..."
Before anyone could react, the ground began to tremble violently.
A towering golden construct suddenly erupted from beneath the street, its emergence reducing the surrounding buildings to rubble in an instant.
This was the "Harmonious Choir", Dominicus on a Divine Day. It was one of the many incarnations of Xipe, the Harmony.
However, due to interference from the Order, it now appeared vastly different from its original form.
"I will never stop," Sunday declared from atop the massive construct, looking down at the assembled group. His eyes gleamed with contempt and arrogance. "If you want to stop me, then try. Let me see if you have the strength!"
Victor and the others exchanged glances. Then, slowly, identical smiles spread across their faces, the kind of smiles that promised violence.
"Did this guy just say he wanted to see our true strength?"
"I believe he did."
"Then what should we do?"
"What else? We give him what he asked for."
"Agreed!"
In perfect synchronization, a dazzling array of attacks launched toward Sunday.
A few minutes later, Sunday sat on the ground, his face bruised and swollen, knees drawn up to his chest. His eyes held nothing but pure bewilderment.
To this moment, he still couldn't process how he'd been defeated so thoroughly, and so quickly.
His "Harmonious Choir" now lay scattered across the ruins as nothing more than scrap metal. Because it had been constructed from the power of destiny, the construct's body began dissolving into golden particles that drifted away on the wind.
"Do you understand you were wrong now? Hmm?"
Stelle stood before Sunday with her hands planted firmly on her hips. A whip had materialized in her grip, which she kept cracking against the ground in sharp, echoing snaps.
"Do you still dare to cause trouble? Hmm?"
"What's the point of all this posturing?" Markh finally reached her limit. She snatched the whip from Stelle's hand, dragged her back to Victor's side, and cleared the space for Robin.
"Brother... you're wrong. You've always been wrong. Harmony has never forced anyone."
Robin knelt beside her twin. "Perhaps under the control of the five major families, Penacony isn't perfect, but this is the real Penacony, isn't it?"
"Dreamers from across the universe come here seeking joy and freedom. Your absolute order would become chains binding Penacony, not liberation."
Sunday lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe. But what does it matter? I've already lost. What's the point of this conversation?"
Robin turned to look at Victor and the others, then dropped to her knees.
"I beg you to let my brother go, and please don't spread news of what happened here."
"That's going to be difficult," Victor said, shaking his head. "I'm afraid we can't save your brother."
Robin had pleaded with them for one simple reason, to protect Sunday.
After all, Sunday was the head of the Oak Family, one of Penacony's five ruling families. If word got out that he'd attempted to overthrow Harmony itself and reshape the Order, his life would be in immediate danger.
The entire planet of Penacony might suffer consequences as well.
"Why not?"
Robin looked at Victor, confusion and desperation mingling in her eyes.
Victor's expression softened with sympathy. "You should ask your brother."
"To expand the influence of the Charmony Festival, your brother made a cooperation agreement with the IPC a long time ago."
"What he didn't realize was that in doing so, he invited a hungry wolf to the table."
"Now that wolf has its teeth around his throat. If Sunday had succeeded in overthrowing Harmony and establishing his new Order, he might have been fine. The company couldn't touch him then."
"But now that he's failed, the IPC will absolutely seize this opportunity. They'll use what they know as leverage at the negotiation table."
"So your brother's situation isn't good. Whether he can survive depends entirely on how the negotiations play out."
"How could this happen?" Robin slumped to the ground, her strength seeming to drain away all at once.
Sunday raised his head, meeting Victor's gaze with a flicker of surprise. "I didn't expect you to know so much. It seems you truly deserve your reputation as the strongest member of the Astral Express."
Victor blinked. ???
When did he become the strongest member of the Star Train?
He turned toward Himeko and the others, silently demanding an explanation.
Himeko smiled awkwardly and leaned close to whisper in his ear. "When I was applying for accommodation passes for you at Penacony, I may have arbitrarily listed you as a member of our crew. I hope you don't mind."
Victor waved dismissively. "It's fine. I'm happy to have my name associated with the Express."
"That's good."
Himeko nodded, relief flooding through her. Victor's willingness to officially be part of the train crew would benefit everyone involved, and it would deepen their already strong bonds.
"But you're wrong about one thing."
Ignoring the whispered conversation between Victor and Himeko, Sunday continued speaking. "I wasn't unaware that cooperating with the company would invite a hungry wolf. The IPC has never given up on bringing Penacony back under their control, I knew that from the start."
"I cooperated with them precisely to make use of their resources. I was gambling that I could win." His jaw tightened. "I never imagined that your interference would make me lose everything."
If these Nameless hadn't intervened, he might actually have succeeded in overthrowing Harmony and restoring Order to Penacony.
"Apologies," Victor said with a shrug, though his tone carried no actual remorse.
Just then, an airship appeared in the distance, drawing everyone's attention as it descended toward their location.
"Looks like someone's here to take you into custody."
Victor turned to the silver-haired girl standing quietly behind the group. "As a Stellaron Hunter, it wouldn't be appropriate for you to appear at what comes next. Want to go somewhere else with me?"
Firefly considered for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I have something I want to talk to you about anyway."
"I want to go too!" Stelle raised her hand enthusiastically.
"You can't." Victor rejected her request immediately. "In the upcoming negotiations, the Astral Express crew's Nameless are essential participants. This is a major event that will determine whether you actually get your share of Penacony, so you'd better not miss it."
"Oh. Okay then." After weighing the pros and cons, Stelle accepted Victor's reasoning with visible reluctance.
"See you all later."
With those parting words, Victor took Firefly's hand. In an instant, both of them vanished without a trace.