On the plane, they explained the situation to us. The EDI had launched its final counterattack—an overwhelming offensive that guaranteed their victory. Not only had they wiped out our defenses, but they had also sent all their generals to different systems. The four strongest ones were here, on Earth.

  The atmosphere on the plane was tense, suffocating. No one spoke. We were all trying to think of a strategy, something we could do against those monsters... but our minds were blank. All that remained was the weight of fear and uncertainty.

  I approached Naoko.

  —Naoko...

  She lifted her gaze, noticing the seriousness in my voice.

  —What is it, Zein?

  I took a small object from my pocket and held it in my palm. It was one of the earrings Thailon had given me before he died.

  —I want you to keep it. —I handed it to her carefully—. It will protect you and bring you good luck.

  Naoko took it in her hands, her eyes shining with both sadness and surprise. A warm, sincere smile appeared on her face.

  —Zein...

  Before she could say anything else, the pilot's voice warned us that we were about to arrive. Everyone started getting ready.

  That was when a barrier of energy enveloped Naoko, preventing her from moving.

  —What is this? —she asked, her tone shifting from confusion to alarm—. Zein…

  I couldn't look her in the eyes.

  —I'm sorry… but I can't let you come with us.

  —What are you talking about? We were supposed to win together, all of us! —Her breathing quickened, her voice turning desperate.

  —Forgive us… —It was all I could say as I watched her struggle against the barrier.

  —We’re a team! Or am I wrong? Tell me, Zein!

  She pounded on the barrier with all her strength, her voice breaking with anguish. Finally, her hands trembled, and she collapsed to her knees, fists clenched against the floor.

  —It’s not fair…

  I lowered my gaze.

  —It’s for your own good.

  —And what does that matter?! We’re supposed to be a team! We do things together, we support each other! So… why?

  Leaving her behind was for her own good. I knew it. From the moment I saw the generals, I understood that we couldn’t win against them. But we also couldn’t leave them free to wreak havoc.

  Naoko had a future. We… we only had this mission. There was no one waiting for us at the end of the road.

  —Before I go, listen carefully. That barrier won’t disappear until I’m dead.

  —Don’t say that! —she screamed, pounding the barrier in desperation—. Let me out, Zein!

  I gave her a sad smile.

  —Take care. And live… live for us.

  I placed my hand on the barrier, and she, through her tears, did the same on the other side. It felt as if, in that moment, all the noise in the world had faded away. Only our eyes remained, her muffled sobs, and the distance I had created between us.

  Without another word, we jumped from the plane, leaving Naoko behind, hoping… wishing… that at least she would survive in this cruel world.

  As we landed in the area, the landscape seemed empty, too quiet for what was about to come. Until suddenly, four figures emerged from nowhere.

  The ground seemed to creak under the weight of their mere presence. From the shadows, a towering figure stepped forward, his gaze carrying the weight of countless battles… and the certainty of victory.

  His body was a sculpture of pure strength—defined muscles beneath a suit as dark as the night, gleaming with crimson patterns forming the symbol of a black sun, vibrant and ominous. A leather belt held his long, weathered tunic, billowing with each step, partially concealing his reinforced boots, designed for both the battlefield and glory.

  His face was that of a predator hardened by a thousand wars—an angular jaw, a prominent nose, and a thick, meticulously groomed mustache, the mark of a warrior who needed no ostentation to command respect. His black hair, streaked with just a few silver strands, did not speak of age, but of experience.

  He was no aging veteran… he was war itself—young, eternal, and ruthless.

  Then, his gaze—deep, searing red—fell upon us… and time seemed to fracture. It was not a gaze that judged, but one that condemned. Cold. Absolute. The gaze of someone who had never known mercy because he had never needed it. Yet on his lips, a confident smile made him all the more terrifying.

  In that instant, the world seemed to hold its breath… and then, he spoke.

  —Pleasure to meet you. My name is Eroberer. —His voice, deep and commanding, fit perfectly with his imposing presence.— At my side are Krieger, Stahlwand, and Henker, my loyal companions.

  Krieger, the relentless warrior, emerged with a presence that seemed to steal the very air around her. Her stature, just slightly shorter than Eroberer’s, did nothing to diminish her aura of dominance. Her lean yet toned figure was that of a born predator, with sculpted muscles that spoke of countless battles.

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  Her long black hair, tied in a braid of interwoven strands, swayed behind her like a banner in the wind, adding a wild edge to her martial stance. She wore the same distinctive uniform as her companion—a fitted suit in red and black tones, adorned with patterns forming the Black Sun, an emblem of both her loyalty and power. Over the suit, a dark tunic fastened by a belt fluttered with each of her firm steps. Her reinforced boots struck the ground with heavy echoes, as if her approach heralded the end of all resistance.

  Her gaze, sharp as a blade, assessed us with icy calculation—like a wolf sizing up its prey. Crimson eyes brimming with cold intelligence and an insatiable hunger for battle. Her lips barely curled into a smirk that wavered between mockery and challenge, as if every fight was nothing more than a passing amusement.

  She needed no words to impose her dominance. Her mere presence conveyed a clear message: Your fate is sealed… and I will be the one to execute it.

  With Stahlwand, the metallic echo of his steps preceded his arrival—heavy and firm, as if the very ground feared breaking beneath his advance.

  He emerged like a living wall of flesh and power, his presence imposing and unshakable. His physique was not as sharply defined as Eroberer’s, but his stance alone evoked the resilience of a mountain. His suit, identical to that of his comrades, was a dark canvas adorned with the crimson symbol of the Black Sun, vibrant and defiant, as if burning with a will of its own.

  The tunic, fastened by a sturdy belt, billowed heavily behind him, and his reinforced boots echoed like a hammer striking the battlefield’s anvil.

  His face, serene yet hardened by a thousand battles, reflected the unbreakable composure of one who understands the weight of duty. His steel-gray eyes observed with the patience of a predator in no hurry… because he knew nothing could bring him down. A well-kept beard gave him an air of solemnity and strength, matching the color of his hair—black as the night.

  Then, with heavy steps that rang like hammer blows, Henker emerged from the shadows—a colossal presence radiating menace. His torso, wrapped in the dark suit emblazoned with the Black Sun’s insignia, stretched the fabric with every movement of his powerful muscles. Though his build was not as chiseled as Eroberer’s, the sheer force emanating from his body was undeniable.

  A hooded executioner’s mask concealed his face entirely, amplifying the ferocity of his eyes, which burned like embers behind circular crimson-tinted lenses.

  In his hand, he gripped a massive, broad-bladed axe, its edge worn by countless battles. He did not merely carry it—he wielded it as an extension of himself, with the ease of one who had taken countless lives.

  His suit, identical to that of his comrades, clung to his form like a living armor—black, form-fitting, with crimson patterns forming the Black Sun symbol on his chest. His reinforced boots, built to crush and advance, struck the ground with every deliberate movement.

  The longer we stood in their presence, the more grateful I was for leaving Naoko on the plane. They belonged to a different world. Far too powerful.

  —Shall we begin? —

  Before anyone could react, Eroberer lunged at me with terrifying speed, his cloak billowing behind him like a war banner.

  At the same time, Krieger pounced on Kiomi, her silhouette swift and lethal; Henker advanced toward Sora with the weight of an unrelenting executioner, and Stahlwand marched directly toward Miguel, his mere presence an indestructible wall of steel.

  I barely had time to brace myself before the first strike landed. Eroberer wasted no words—his fist tore through the air like a projectile, crashing against my guard with such force that the ground beneath my feet cracked. I barely managed to stay standing.

  Each impact was like an avalanche of pure brutality, forcing me back with every blow.

  Eroberer grinned with an almost savage excitement.

  —Come on, kid! Don’t disappoint me! —he roared, his voice brimming with exhilaration—. Show me what you can do!

  I drew my swords in a desperate attempt to even the fight. My blades carved swift arcs through the air, trying to break through my opponent’s relentless assault. But Eroberer only laughed. He dodged the first slash effortlessly, and when the second came, he simply raised his arm and let the blade strike his skin.

  The sound of metal shattering rang out like an echo of despair.

  I had only a second to process it before my other sword met the same fate, destroyed by the sheer brute force of my enemy.

  No weapons. No options.

  I tried to retreat, but Eroberer was too fast. In one swift motion, he seized my arm with a crushing grip and, with seemingly no effort, hurled me toward a distant building.

  The impact was brutal.

  The concrete fractured like glass, and a searing pain shot through my entire body as my shoulder completely dislocated.

  Before I could even catch my breath, Eroberer was already upon me.

  —Don’t tell me that’s all you’ve got —he said, and with a sharp movement, he grabbed my arm and snapped it back into place.

  I choked on a scream of pain, but before I could react, my enemy stepped back, smiling.

  —Come on, fight seriously!

  I launched a flurry of punches, each one carrying my full strength.

  My fists struck Eroberer’s torso, but the warrior didn’t even flinch. With a disappointed grimace, he tilted his head forward and slammed me with a devastating headbutt.

  My vision blurred for an instant, and before I could recover, my body was slammed against the ground.

  Eroberer wasted no time. He grabbed my legs and, with superhuman strength, hurled me violently into the sky. I felt the air slicing against my skin as I ascended at a terrifying speed. But my torment wasn’t over.

  Eroberer appeared above me in a blink, as if he had pierced through the sky in a single leap. He brought both fists together and hammered them down onto my body with brutal force, sending me plummeting straight toward the ground. The impact sent a cloud of dust and debris into the air.

  I could barely move. On the ground, my body trembled from the pain as I struggled to stand. In the distance, I saw Kiomi fiercely battling Krieger. Her chains lashed at her opponent from every angle, but they failed to inflict any real damage.

  Eroberer landed right in front of me.

  Without thinking, without a plan, without strategy, I gathered everything I had left and threw one last desperate punch with all my strength, my fist crashing directly into Eroberer’s face.

  For a moment, time seemed to freeze.

  A single drop of blood trickled down the warrior’s nose.

  Then, Eroberer smiled.

  —Not bad —he muttered.

  And with a single punch, he sent me crashing to the ground. I barely managed to stay conscious for a few more seconds. In that brief moment, I saw the others arriving, carrying the unconscious bodies of Kiomi and Miguel— but there was no sign of Sora.

  Zein and his group lay unconscious. Sora, by sheer luck, had managed to escape the warriors' grasp.

  A little farther away, Paul observed the scene. He had come in case something went wrong, though he knew that nothing he did would make a difference. Still, he had come.

  When he realized what had happened, he immediately reported the situation.

  The problem was that the current government had been completely wiped out. Everything was in chaos. The invasion had begun. Aware that there was nothing left to do, he gave one final order.

  News broadcasts aired across every screen in the world, in every language, delivering a devastating message: they had lost. Soldiers were given one last option.

  They could abandon their posts and save themselves.

  They could keep their weapons and equipment.

  But they would be on their own.

  Before Paul could retreat to a safe place, someone appeared before him in the blink of an eye. It was Judas.

  —Judas? What are you doing here? It’s dangerous, let’s go —Paul said, grabbing his hand to pull him away. It was sheer madness that Judas was in this place.

  A gunshot.

  The sharp sound echoed through the empty city, shattering the silence like a thunderclap.

  Paul fell to the ground. Dead.

  Judas stared at the body without expression, as if the scene meant nothing to him.

  —You know, you and Alexander have caused me a lot of trouble… whether you realize it or not —he murmured with a hint of satisfaction—. I’m glad everything went according to plan.

  Then, he shifted his gaze toward Zein’s group, his eyes filled with a strange sense of interest.

  —I expect great things from you, Zein. Don’t disappoint me.