Kenji rushed toward Lucius.
For the first time ever, Lucius looked slightly worried. His usual smile disappeared, replaced by something unfamiliar.
"Hm… it seems all the robots in this area have been destroyed. And you even possess the infamous Noah's Box," Lucius said calmly. Then, strangely, he smiled again. "However, even if you trap me… I will return. Remember my words."
He spread his arms.
He accepted it.
The device touched him.
"Ah… what a perfect feeling…" Lucius whispered with a wide smile.
Then he vanished.
An empty void swallowed him whole.
"We defeated him!" Adrian shouted, joy breaking through his exhaustion.
"You… are… right…" Kenji replied, struggling to breathe.
"Teacher? Don't worry. You'll be fine. We'll get you medical help—"
Kenji collapsed.
The light in his eyes disappeared.
A second later, his heart stopped.
"TEACHER!"
Adrian fell to his knees, shaking him, begging him to wake up. He tried chest compressions. Again and again.
Nothing worked.
Kenji was gone.
The deaths of his father, Jake… and now Kenji.
It was too much for his young heart.
Adrian stood there in silence, unable to move.
On a nearby rooftop, Ren watched everything while calmly sipping tea.
He had observed the entire fight.
"Impressive," he murmured, finishing his drink. "I never thought that boy could actually do something against Lucius… let alone trap him."
He stood up.
"But I have a feeling… he'll return."
Meanwhile, on the Planet of Discoveries…
Leo and Rose had been torn apart.
Barely recognizable.
Cosmic stood alone, heavily wounded but still standing.
Rio's upper and lower body had been split in half by his blade.
Cosmic leaned down, his face inches from hers.
"Tell me. How do we escape this planet?"
Rio was still smiling.
She handed him a strange-looking gem.
"Use this… to teleport back to your planet. I wouldn't normally give this to someone… but you can have it. Our fight was fun."
She smiled.
Then she died.
Cosmic's expression softened.
"Giving me something to escape with… maybe you aren't so bad after all."
He returned to the cave and found Anthony lying there peacefully. Cosmic gave a small smile, lifted him onto his back, and activated the gem.
They teleported.
And appeared directly in front of Adrian.
And Kenji's lifeless body.
Cosmic froze.
He slowly looked around at the destroyed robots, the ruined headquarters, the silence.
Then he saw Noah's Box.
He understood.
And he broke.
Tears fell freely as he collapsed beside Kenji.
Anthony still slept peacefully, unaware.
Adrian was too lost in his own grief to notice Cosmic's arrival.
Ren teleported away, annoyed.
"Tsk. What are they? Third graders?" he muttered.
He wanted entertainment.
And soon, he heard a scream.
A girl's voice.
He turned toward an alleyway.
A robot was about to strike a terrified girl.
"Please! Go away!" she screamed.
Ren ignored her panic and focused on the machine instead.
"Hm… finally, some entertainment."
With a flick of his hand, gravitational force dragged the robot toward him like a magnet.
"Hey robot," Ren said calmly. "Entertain me, will you?"
The robot lunged at him.
Ren tilted slightly to the side, effortlessly avoiding the strike. The machine followed up with a barrage of rapid attacks, striking from multiple angles with mechanical precision. Ren weaved between each one with minimal movement, his expression barely changing. After a few more failed attempts, he sighed.
"Boring."
He raised his hand and crushed the robot with overwhelming gravitational pressure. Metal crumpled inward before the machine collapsed entirely.
"Thank you so much for saving me!" the girl rushed toward him.
It was Riley.
"Huh? I wasn't saving you. Don't get ahead of yourself," Ren replied coldly.
Riley flinched but continued.
"I'm really scared… can I stay with you? So I'll be safe?"
Ren smiled faintly.
"Oh? And if I say no?"
"Please! I'll do anything."
"Anything?" Ren leaned closer. "Would you kill yourself if I asked?"
"Well— no—but please!"
"Hm. No, I won't help you. In fact… I'll end your misery."
He formed a gravity sphere in his palm and aimed it at her.
Riley screamed and ran.
Ren fired.
Before it could hit her, Adrian appeared instantly and pulled her out of the way.
Ren blinked.
"That was unexpected. Where did you come from?"
"I sensed strong gravitational energy," Adrian replied coldly.
"Riley, are you okay?"
She nodded.
Ren sighed dramatically.
"I can't catch a break, can I?"
He looked back at Adrian.
"What exactly is your plan now? Earth is destroyed. Everyone is dead."
"I'll figure that out after I kill you" Adrian replied coldly.
Ren smiled.
"The only option is Earth B."
Adrian paused.
"Earth B?"
Ren continued casually. "A planet far away. Extremely similar to Earth. A species nearly identical to humans lives there. I've been there before. I'm even friends with their king."
"Do you know how to get there?"
"Of course. There are spaceships beneath the Hero Headquarters base."
"Are you messing with me?"
Ren smiled wider.
"I could defeat you easily. But I feel bad for you. Why not all go there and live peacefully?"
In truth, he was simply too lazy to fight them now.
It would be easier to eliminate them one by one later.
"So," Ren said smoothly, "shall we go?"
Adrian's eyes were cold.
"If you even think about harming my friends, I will kill you."
Ren smiled.
Exactly what he wanted.
Cosmic stepped forward, still carrying Anthony.
"I'll be watching you, Ren."
"Feel free," Ren replied lightly.
Together, they walked toward the ruined headquarters.
Toward the hidden ships.
Toward Earth B.