After descending into the underground sector of the ruined headquarters, they entered a massive hangar hidden beneath layers of reinforced steel and concrete.
Despite the destruction above, this place remained untouched.
Row after row of city-sized spaceships stood in silence, their metallic bodies reflecting the dim emergency lights. They looked identical to the one previously used to reach the Planet of Discoveries — colossal, advanced, built for survival on a planetary scale.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
The quiet felt unnatural.
They quickly chose one of the ships and boarded through a side entry ramp. The interior was enormous — wide corridors, polished floors, reinforced walls, and countless sealed rooms lining each side. Everything felt automated. Prepared. As if humanity had always expected this day to come.
They made their way to the control chamber.
"Does anyone know how to fly this thing?" Adrian asked.
His voice lacked energy. Kenji's death still weighed heavily on him.
"I do," Ren said gently, smiling as if nothing in the world had changed.
"Of course you do," Cosmic muttered, his grip tightening slightly on Anthony, who was still unconscious over his shoulder.
Ren walked toward the main console without hesitation. His fingers moved smoothly across the interface, activating systems one by one. Lights flickered to life across the ship. The engines began to hum, first softly, then with a deep mechanical vibration that echoed through the structure.
Above them, a massive metallic gate slowly opened, revealing the ruined sky of Earth.
Without warning, the ship lifted.
The acceleration pressed them slightly backward as the vessel shot upward through the opening and into the sky. Within seconds, the burning city below became a shrinking scar on the planet's surface.
Soon after, Earth itself became a fading blue sphere behind them.
Silence filled the control room again.
Ren pressed several more buttons, entering coordinates with precise familiarity.
"I've inputted the coordinates of Earth B," he said casually. "The ship will now travel there automatically while avoiding any cosmic debris or obstacles."
He smiled again.
Slow. Intentional.
It was obvious he was doing it to irritate them.
"Now then," Ren continued, clapping his hands lightly, "it's time to enjoy ourselves. There are plenty of rooms. Choose whichever one you like. There's food stored in the ship, and a training facility as well."
He paused slightly.
"We should prepare ourselves."
The truth was simple.
He wanted them stronger.
So he wouldn't be bored when he killed them.
Cosmic suddenly stepped forward and pressed the tip of his sword against Ren's throat.
The blade barely touched his skin.
"I'll warn you again," Cosmic said coldly. "Do anything suspicious, and I will kill you."
Ren didn't flinch.
His smile didn't fade.
"Do anything suspicious? Why would I?"
Cosmic's eyes sharpened.
"I haven't forgiven you. You betrayed us. I am barely restraining myself from cutting you down right now."
"I am sorry," Ren said.
His smile said otherwise.
The room felt suffocating for a moment before Cosmic finally lowered his blade.
Without another word, they dispersed.
They each chose separate rooms along different corridors.
The ship's interior was surprisingly luxurious. Each room contained a bed, a small seating area, a desk, and a private bathroom. Soft lighting adjusted automatically to the occupant's preference.
Anthony eventually woke up.
Cosmic explained everything to him.
Rio's betrayal. The boiling ocean. Kenji's death. Lucius being sealed. Ren attempting to kill Riley.
Anthony didn't say much after that.
He quietly locked himself inside his room.
Grieving alone.
After eating in the large central dining area — which automatically prepared stored meals upon request — most of them decided to rest.
The exhaustion of everything that had happened finally caught up with them.
Cosmic remained alert even as he lay down.
Anthony stared at the ceiling in silence.
Ren returned to the control room.
Only Adrian and Riley stayed in the dining hall a little longer.
They sat across from each other.
Neither spoke for a while.
Riley looked nervous.
She kept glancing at Adrian before looking away again.
"Adrian… thanks for saving me," she said softly. "Again."
Adrian managed a small smile.
"No problem. That's what friends do."
Riley's hands tightened slightly.
"I want… to be more than friends."
Adrian blinked.
"Like best friends?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No. Like… L-Lovers."
The final word almost got stuck in her throat.
The silence that followed felt heavier than the silence of space outside the ship.
Meanwhile…
Ren sat alone in the control chamber, holding a warm cup of tea.
Stars stretched endlessly beyond the large front window.
His mind was calculating.
Anthony was grieving and would likely remain in his room all night.
Cosmic was alert and emotionally unstable — too risky to approach directly.
That left two options.
Adrian.
Or Riley.
Ren gently tapped his cup with a finger.
Adrian was the stronger one.
More dangerous long-term.
If he eliminated Adrian first, the others would fall much more easily.
Yes.
That would be the logical move.
Ren leaned back slightly in his chair.
Now he just needed to wait.
For the perfect moment.