All teams flew at immeasurable speeds, streaking through the void while following General Caecus. Space blurred into ribbons around them planets, stars, nebula-winds passing like dust. They didn't slow until Caecus finally halted, hovering above a star field.
He turned to face them.
"This is the section we're assigned to conquer," General Caecus said. "Multiple universes in this region. Since this is only the mortal realm, I doubt there are many tough opponents or planets worth worrying about. There may be a few super planets, but those are rare in mortal realms."
Dallas raised a hand mid-flight. "What's a super planet?"
Caecus answered without expression.
"A super planet is a world inhabited by a god. The god's presence increases the planet's size and durability. Depending on the god's strength, the planet may transcend space, time, and dimensionality. Destroying one could be impossible unless the god allows it."
Dallas blinked. "Okay… good to know."
Caecus continued.
"Since we're working together, I want you all to know each other's strengths. I'm pairing everyone in groups of two."
He waved his hand magic radiating outward like a sorting algorithm.
The students shifted into new formations as he mixed them deliberately.
Ava found himself paired with Lilith.
Star was paired with Vesperos.
Dallas with Uzuhana.
Demeter with Ryujin, and so on.
Caecus folded his arms.
"Remember: do not destroy these planets or universes. We're here to conquer. Do not waste resources. Kill as many as possible, enslave as many as possible, make them submit to the Dark Lord. Collapse their governments and break their societal structure."
No one spoke.
He continued, raising his hand.
A glowing hypercube materialized shifting geometry, infinite folds. With a flick, he duplicated it, handing one to every pair.
"These hypercubes allow you to summon demons from the Dark Lord's legion. They'll assist you during conquest, but their real purpose is occupation. Once you conquer a planet, leave demons behind to keep it suppressed until larger forces arrive."
He smiled slightly.
"The best method is simple cause so much damage that rebuilding becomes impossible. Then the demons maintain control."
Another twist of his hand.
"Hypercubes also allow communication. Contact each other if you need assistance and contact me if the situation becomes deadly."
He pointed downward at the planet beneath them lush, blue, and full of life.
"I'll be here. Waiting. I heard this planet has excellent food." He spread his arms. "You have twenty-four hours. Then we return to the Academy. You're dismissed."
Pairs of students scattered in opposite directions each diving toward their own assigned universe. Each universe was infinite in size. Each was now a target.
Ava drifted forward, wings still sealed, flying through the dark vacuum.
Lilith kept pace beside him, silent, eyes sharp.
Their conquest had begun.
Lilith broke the silence as they flew through endless black.
"Don't you think it's destiny?" she asked lightly. "That we were paired together?"
Ava said nothing. He kept flying, expression flat.
Lilith rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry for what I did earlier, okay? Come on. Get over it already. We have to work together, team leader. Without communication, how do you expect to get anything done?"
Ava finally answered. "What you did earlier was uncalled for."
"That's a boundary I won't cross again," she said quickly. "Just forgive me."
"Yes," Ava replied. "I forgive you. Just don't do it again."
He pointed downward, eyes narrowing. "Look. A planet. There's a lot of life. Let's go."
They both slowed, hovering near the world's orbit.
Ava scanned. "No powers. No magic users. The plan is simple. We hit the world leaders. I'll use my higher-dimensional cards to seal them away. Once I re-summon them as slaves, they'll command the rest of the nations to bow to the Dark Lord. Easy conquest."
Lilith laughed. "That doesn't sound fun at all. I don't get to do anything."
"It's the most effective method," Ava said. "Controlled chaos. No resistance. No infrastructure collapse. The leadership becomes puppets and you can help locate them."
Lilith tilted her head. "That's boring. I'm pretty sure the general told us to cause damage. Make sure they can't rebuild before the larger armies arrive."
She stretched a hand toward the planet black energy surging around her palm and fired.
The blast punched into the surface and a continent erupted, the explosion vaporizing landmass into molten air.
Ava stared. "What are you doing? That wasn't necessary!"
Lilith grinned. "It was definitely necessary. And fun."
She dropped into a dive her speed folding space and in an instant she hovered over burning land. Citizens screamed and ran beneath her. Smoke devoured the sky.
Lilith unfurled her bat-wings.
One flap.
Wind pressure spiraled.
Multiple tornadoes ripped the land apart tearing buildings, cities, bodies translating life into debris.
Ava landed beside her, grabbing her wrist. "What are you doing? You're slaughtering civilians. That accomplishes nothing. We target armies and leaders."
Lilith laughed, jerking her arm away. "No. We target everyone. Leave the planet in ruin. You may be team leader but the generals outrank you. He said weaken them. You care too much about civilians. You care too much about control chaos."
She shoved him back and blurred away less than a second around the world.
Energy blasts tore through continents. Tornadoes erased coastlines. Super-storms shredded entire nations.
She reappeared beside Ava just as fast. "See how easy that was? No hunting world leaders. No brainwashing. No boring manipulation."
She drew out her hypercube.
It cracked open.
Demons poured out.
First were the Ravagers humanoid demons with red skin, horned heads, spiked limbs, elephant-tusk jaws, and high-tech demon rifles, swords, and shields.
Next came the Trevanarch towering monsters, anywhere from twelve to fifty feet tall, plated in demonic armor, dragging swords that warped physics with every swing.
The final wave emerged: Trevanox.
They hovered above ground, horns glowing black-and-red, their telekinesis bending matter. They barked orders and the demon legions began teleporting already enslaving survivors, stamping the world underfoot.
Lilith stretched and smiled. "You see? Less than a second. Now demons will keep the world weak until heavy troops arrive. We move on. Planet to planet. Universe to universe."
Ava exhaled. "It was fast… but if you can commit chaos with less suffering, why not do it?"
His golden eyes activated.
He winced, clutching his forehead. "Ah"
The Tenshi no Me ignited in full force.
Golden life strings filled his vision billions of them hyperversal threads that transcended every layer of reality and non reality, each one containing a being's existence and non-existence, their essence and their entire timeline mapped across eternity.
He could feel them.
Every scream.
Every fear.
Every death.
He heard all the pleading voices of the planet billions of strands vibrating directly against his mind.
Not this again… he thought.
This new human body still can't control it. These damn eyes… I remember when they first awakened forcing me to feel suffering I never asked for.
He forced the ability to flicker out, jaw tightening but the empathy-pain kept spiraling, stabbing through his skull.
Lilith drifted higher, bored.
"You have fun. I'm going to conquer more. The faster we finish, the better."
She vanished immeasurable speed slashing from planet to planet.
A blast here. A tornado there.
She didn't even bother checking targets. If something moved, it died.
Warriors tried to intercept her.
Super-powered elites.
Sorcerers.
Champions.
None of them slowed her down.
She devoured their souls mid-flight only the ones who stood in her way leaving bodies to fall like empty shells.
She opened another hypercube.
More demons poured out in disciplined formation.
Entire civilizations buckled in seconds.
Enslavement began immediately cities stripped of freedom, leaders dragged away, children tagged for obedience.
Then she moved on.
Planet by planet.
World by world.
Sometimes she needed minutes.
Often she needed only seconds.
She conquered a world, opened a hypercube, and released a fresh wave of demons to lock it under her control. Then she turned away, floating back into the void, back into space, already moving on to the next world.
Eventually she cleared the last world in that universe and didn't even pause already breaking out of its boundary, heading toward the next universe waiting to be taken.
Ava stayed floating.
The life strings of every ruined world clung to him.
Pain.
Terror.
Dying hope.
He could see every strand latching onto his body.
Every scream had shape.
Every fear had weight.
Every death stabbed into his bones.
The holy side of him, still chained to a fragile human body, could not steady the overload.
Deep in his stomach, the scar of the Chaos Mouth began to stir.
Chaos reacting to empathy.
Chaos Hunger reacting to suffering and turmoil.
The wound answering pain, suffering, and chaos like they were food.
It twitched.
It moved under the armor.
It opened just a little.
Red chaos phenomenon energy seeped through the gaps, bleeding into the air around him.
Every voice slammed into his skull at once.
Every dying fear throbbed through his nerves.
I need to control this chaos… before I become it.
The Chaos Hunger wanted to be released.
I have to control it.
There is no way this human body can handle this.
Ava's golden eyes pierced across the void across the universe searching for Lilith.
He saw her immediately.
A universe and change away.
Black Lotus wings unfurled behind him.
His demonic halo ignited.
One flap and he crossed the distance, tearing through cosmic space, intercepting her.
He caught her by the arm.
"Stop."
Lilith ripped her wrist free.
"Why should I?"
"You said you'd do whatever I tell you. We don't conquer this way."
She smiled like he was adorable.
"Yes but that was under the pretext that you claim me."
Ava stared.
"That's all you want? For me to claim you so you get stronger?"
"Yes."
Lilith leaned in.
"I want to stand beside the alpha. I want to stand beside the strongest."
She tapped his chest.
"That is the only reason I'm here. I studied the Dark Lord. I watched how he conquers. His potential is enormous. My plan was simple let him claim me, gain strength from him, then kill him once I surpassed him."
Her smile widened.
"But then I saw you."
She gripped his chin lightly.
"Your potential your power surpasses his. Your power is inexorable."
Ava's eyes narrowed.
"You planned to kill the Dark Lord."
"Yes. I still do. My world my people what little is left are enslaved because of him."
Ava swallowed.
Can I trust her? She sounds like she means it. I feel like she could be loyal.
He spoke aloud.
"Fine. Let us make a deal. I claim you now and we do things my way."
Lilith's smile bloomed like a weapon. The moment he said it, her aura surged. She did not copy his strength or speed. It rose from the essence of being claimed by him.
"You really do not want to kill civilians," she said, stepping closer. "So you will claim me? Is it strategy… or are you starting to like me?"
Ava did not flinch.
"There is no need to hurt the innocent. That is not part of the war. They did not sign up for the chance of death. The warriors did. I think I can trust you. And yes, I want to kill the Dark Lord too. I like your willingness to win."
Lilith exhaled like she had been waiting for that.
"I knew it. Someone like you wants to rule, not follow. Every day you prove my instincts right."
Ava held out his hand.
"If you want the Dark Lord dead, then we are allies. If claiming you gives you strength to help my mission, I will do it. But it goes no farther than that. Understand?"
"Understood." She placed her hand in his. "A deal. And if you want to make me even stronger, there are other ways to claim besides just saying the words."
She leaned forward to kiss him. Her lips touched his. At first he stood still, then he kissed her back. Her power spiked.
Ava pulled back and caught her hand as it slid toward his neck.
"I cannot do this."
Lilith tilted her head.
"Why? Is it because of that goody-goody you cling to? We work perfectly together. It is destiny that we both want to kill the Dark Lord. It is destiny we met. I can feel it."
Ava shook his head.
"For now, let us stay partners."
Lilith smiled.
"That is what they always say. But yes… my master."
"One more thing," Ava said quietly. "This stays between us."
Lilith licked her lips.
"Oh, I am counting on it. I am glad you want to kill the Dark Lord just like I do. But this claim will grow. Soon it will not be strategy. You will want me for real."
Ava's hand tightened.
The pact sealed.
They shook.
The life strings clinging to his mind began to loosen.
The screaming, the suffering, the chaos around him dulled into silence.
Under his armor, the Chaos Mouth twitched once more, then slowly began to close.
Ava exhaled.
Control returned, if only for now.
Ava and Lilith streaked toward the next planet, two blurs of light cutting across the vacuum.
Mid-flight, Lilith glanced at him.
"So tell me why do you want to defeat the Dark Lord? I want his power. I want to free my people. What about you?"
Ava didn't hesitate.
"The Dark Lord is my great-uncle."
Lilith's eyes widened.
"Interesting. That explains your overwhelming strength and potential."
Ava shook his head.
"I'm strong, but nowhere close to him. I need allies people capable of helping me. His armies are too vast to take on alone. I'm glad I have someone like you… and finally another student I can speak honestly with."
Lilith smirked.
"So who else knows?"
"Star."
Lilith frowned.
Ava ignored the reaction and kept planning aloud.
"I've been thinking through every strategy. How to infiltrate. How to break his command structure. How to get close enough to kill him."
They descended toward a planet bristling with civilizations sprawling kingdoms, armored legions, legendary warriors.
Ava pointed downward.
"This is why my plan is better. If we brainwash the rulers of each planet and the Dark Lord's own soldiers without anyone realizing it, then when the moment comes, he'll be surrounded by spies already embedded in his empire."
Lilith nodded.
"I see. Smarter than my method."
"Yes," Ava said. "Destroying planets only strengthens his rule. Conquering his way only feeds his ego. We infiltrate. We rewrite."
They landed.
Warriors everywhere.
Citadels.
Armies.
Ava grinned.
"Watch."
He flew to the nearest kingdom and drew one of his higher-dimensional cards.
With a flick he sealed the concept of time inside it.
The entire planet froze.
Every motion.
Every breath.
Stopped.
Only a few warriors still moved those who transcended time.
Ava gestured at them.
"Now we know who matters."
He descended into the kingdom.
Warriors raised swords.
Their king demanded his name.
Ava spoke calmly.
"Surrender peacefully. Or else."
The king shouted for his men to attack.
Golden life strings erupted from Ava's hand, binding warriors like glowing chains. He blurred forward one punch per soldier sending them crashing into walls and stone.
He summoned his cards again, sealing each warrior inside a higher-dimensional rewrite.
He pulled them back into actuality rewritten.
"You obey my every command. For now, obey the Dark Lord. Wait for my signal."
He sealed the king, rewrote him, and returned him.
"You serve me. But pretend to serve The Dark Lord."
A planetary narrative rewritten.
Ava and Lilith swept across the world, repeating the process.
Lilith hunted warriors biting necks, infecting minds, brainwashing them into loyal thralls. But she repeated the same order:
"You obey the Dark Lord… for now."
Pretend loyalty.
Sleeper cells.
When they finished, they rose back into the sky.
Ava summoned a hypercube unleashing demons.
Immediately, he and Lilith destroyed them
Ava sealing them, rewriting them as agents.
Lilith biting them, brainwashing them as her own infiltrators.
Billions of demon soldiers now under joint control.
All sleeper agents.
All waiting.
Lilith laughed.
"He thinks we're doing his work. But these are all spies."
"That's correct," Ava said.
They continued on planet to planet immeasurable speed, effortless conquest.
Seconds per world.
Minutes at most.
Fifty-two universes fell to infiltration.
Dozens of mythic warriors defeated and rewritten.
But mid-flight to the next planet Ava stopped.
He grabbed his hypercube.
"What's going on?"
It shook violently images flashing.
Dallas appeared distorted screaming:
Help help
Explosions echoed through the footage.
Ava shouted into the cube.
"Where are you?! What's happening?!"
The image flickered.
Signal gone.
Ava cursed.
"Why can't I find his location? What's wrong with this thing?"
Lilith snatched it, channeling her perception.
"Someone's hiding his position. They blocked communications. Someone powerful."
Ava's voice darkened.
"We need to find him. Maybe he was attacked by a god…"
Lilith stiffened.
"I don't know but I sense someone coming toward us."
Ava turned.
Two energy signatures closed in fast.
As they approached, forms sharpened.
Star.
And Vesperos.
Star and Vesperos dropped out of warp in front of Ava and Lilith both breathing hard, both shaken.
Star spoke first.
"Did you see the distress signal from the hypercube? We received it hours ago."
Ava blinked.
"Hours ago? We just got it now."
Vesperos nodded grimly.
"Yes. Ours came through a couple of hours back. We saw a good portion of it. It looked like they were ambushed."
Lilith's eyes sharpened.
"Did anyone die? Don't tell me one of my teammates is dead especially Uzuhana."
Vesperos shook his head.
"We don't know. All we saw was the ambush."
Star's voice trembled.
"We can't stand here. We have to go look for them. I pray Demeter is still alive. We need to move now."
Ava reached out and grabbed Star's hand.
"She's alive. We'll find both of them. We'll find all of them."
Star pulled away, jaw clenched.
She said nothing.
"You're still mad at me," Ava murmured.
Star didn't answer.
She simply lifted into the air.
"Come on. Let's go."
Ava, Star, Lilith, and Vesperos all prepared to launch when a pressure dropped in front of them.
A new force blocked their path.
Four figures floated in a line radiating challenge.
Team Game Over arrived first.
Gula hovered forward, her massive coffin strapped across her back, the lid rattling like something inside wanted out.
Rakshasas drifted beside her, two heads, four eyes, both grinning.
Khepri loomed overhead riding a giant scarab, sand swirling around him like a personal desert.
And Nullius Oxxion stood at the center white aura rippling off his body in perfect stillness.
He grinned.
"It is time," Nullius said, voice dripping superiority, "to teach the new students some respect."
He raised his hand, smile widening.
"You are not going anywhere. Remember what I said. There are no generals around. That means I am in charge. My team gives the orders now."
Vesperos lost control of his voice.
"Are you crazy?" he screamed. "We are supposed to work together as a team. My teammates, my own brother, were captured and we still do not know where they are. Move. Get out of my way."
He tried to blast past them, but the air cracked.
Rakshasas vanished.
Speed beyond the concept of speed.
He split his body into two streaks of motion, each head leading a blur. Both struck Vesperos at once.
Two fists.
One hit.
Vesperos flew backward, tumbling.
Ava rushed in and caught him.
"You all right?"
Vesperos grit his teeth.
"I am fine. Thanks. But we cannot stand here and let them bully us. My brother is out there. I cannot let anything happen to him."
Ava placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.
"Do not worry. We will find our friends. We will find our teammates."
He looked up as the full weight of Team Takeover came into view.
"It is time," Nullius said, voice dripping superiority, "to teach the new students some respect."
He raised his hand, smile widening.
Ava roared back at him.
"Get out of our way. Move. Now."
Nullius shook his head.
"No. Especially not you, Ava. We need to be the top team here. The more worlds we conquer, the higher our rank. So we have been… adjusting things. Sabotaging other students' progress."
His eyes gleamed.
"The worlds you conquered? All you have to do is say we conquered them. Simple."
He pointed directly at Ava.
"You are not going anywhere. Especially you. You think you can step to me like you did back there in front of my father? You think you can ignore my orders? Think again, freshman."
Star snapped at him.
"You are a jerk and a horrible teammate. We are all supposed to be working together."
Team Game Over erupted in laughter.
Ava glanced at his own allies, then back at Nullius.
"Looks like we are going to have to fight him and his teammates before we can start searching for our friends."
Golden and purple energy circled Ava's body.
Star ignited beside him, pink energy burning like newborn supernovas.
Lilith stretched her wings, black and purple energy curling around her limbs.
"I have been itching for a good fight," she hissed. "I have been dying to try brand new strength and speed I inherited recently."
Vesperos unleashed black and gray energy, a shadow figure materializing beside him like a living omen.
The battlefield formed.
The tension snapped.
A war between students was about to begin.
Would they crush Team Takeover in time…
or would their missing teammates pay the price?