Unit 350's Ship
Juli was SLEEPING. Completely out. Drooling on the seat. His body sprawled in the most UNDIGNIFIED position imaginable.
One leg hanging off the seat. One arm dangling. His head tilted back. Mouth WIDE open. Drooling. SNORING.
Like a feral animal. Like a puppy that had passed out mid-play. Completely unselfconscious. Completely CHAOTIC.
The ship was cozy. Warm. Temperature controlled. Perfect for sleeping.
And Juli was taking FULL advantage.
Members of Unit 350 watched. Curious. Amused. CONFUSED.
A squirrel girl officer approached. Small. Fluffy tail twitching. Her name was Milana. She poked Juli's cheek. Gently. Then harder.
"Is he even HUMAN? Why does he sleep like THAT?"
Juli didn't wake. Just snored louder. Shifted slightly. More drool.
Milana's nose twitched. "Captain Barragan. Is this... normal?"
Barragan stood nearby. Observing. That ever-present smile. "I've observed that when Captain Weiper is sleeping in utmost comfort, he sleeps... like that."
He gestured. "Completely at ease. No guards. No awareness. Pure, unfiltered REST."
"It's kinda cute," Milana admitted. "In a weird, feral way."
A Cephalari officer stepped forward. Tentacles moving gracefully. His voice was REFINED. Posh. EXAGGERATED in its sophistication.
"I say, he looks FRIGHTFULLY different here compared to the Inter-Academy Tournament, wouldn't you agree? Quite the contrast, indeed."
The others nodded.
"Especially when he fought Captain Rossi. His aunt, if you will." The Cephalari's accent was THICK. Every word elongated. Proper. "The young chap looked rather MORE demon than boy, I must confess. Quite unsettling, actually. Magnificent, naturally, but TERRIBLY unsettling nonetheless. Positively spine-chilling, if I'm being perfectly honest."
His tentacles gestured elegantly. "One might say it was rather EXTRAORDINARY viewing, wouldn't one?"
Unit Head Figlio approached. His sunflower head turning. His voice was SERIOUS. Deep. A stark contrast to his cheerful appearance.
"Captain Barragan. May I ask you something?"
"Of course, Figlio."
"The match between Captain Rossi and Captain Weiper. If it had continued. If there were no time limit." His petals didn't move. His tone completely professional. "Who would have emerged victorious?"
Barragan was silent for a moment. Thoughtful. Analytical. His green serpent eyes distant.
Then he spoke. Measured. Precise. CLINICAL.
"Captain Rossi's Pride's Domain would have BARELY allowed her to endure that final attack from Captain Weiper. Her enhanced durability. Her growing strength. Just enough."
He held up one finger. "Then, she would have finished off a Captain Weiper who was still inexperienced in the mastery of his Resonance skill. Star Hopper drains enormous amounts of energy. His reserves would have depleted before hers."
Another finger. "I also suspect Captain Rossi held back. Unconsciously. She has found new familial love in her nephew. That bond... it affects combat. Makes one hesitate. Even subconsciously."
Then Barragan's tone SHIFTED. Became more excited. More ANIMATED. His voice taking on that smooth, hissing quality. His serpentine nature showing.
"However. What Captain Weiper DID accomplish." His smile widened. Eyes gleaming. "That RIDICULOUS opening blow. Damaging her throughout the match. Actually FORCING a squad captain to use her trump card. Then pummeling her with his newly learned Resonance skill."
He leaned forward. Almost reverent. "Despite being so YOUNG. So INEXPERIENCED. It's beyond marvelous. Beyond EXCEPTIONAL. It's something to be admired. Studied. CELEBRATED."
His hands gestured. Enthusiastic. Passionate. "The boy is a PHENOMENON. A once-in-a-generation talent. Perhaps once-in-a-CENTURY. I'm honored. THRILLED to witness his growth firsthand."
The unit members looked at each other. Their captain was EXCITED. Genuinely excited. That was... rare.
Milana whispered. "I've never seen him this hyped about someone."
The Cephalari nodded, his accent still thick. "Quite remarkable, indeed. Most extraordinary display of enthusiasm from the Captain, I must say."
Scene Shift - Planet Balda, Blizzard Sector
The ship began its descent. The engines humming. Preparing for landing.
Juli's eyes SNAPPED open. Alert. Awake. Like someone had flipped a switch.
He yawned. Stretched. "Are we there?"
"Indeed, Captain Weiper." Barragan turned. Then remembered something. His smile widened. "Oh! Before I forget. Happy birthday. You're officially fifteen now."
Juli blinked. "Oh yeah! Forgot about that."
"How does one FORGET their own birthday?"
"I dunno. Just did." Juli grinned. "Thanks, Sammy!"
Then Juli looked out the viewport.
And FROZE.
His red eyes widening. His breath catching. Unable to PROCESS what he was seeing.
Planet Balda
The planet was BREATHTAKING. Otherworldly. MAGNIFICENT.
It looked like a gigantic SNOWFLAKE. Crystalline. Geometric. PERFECT.
The entire planet's surface was covered in ice. But not just ice. STRUCTURED ice. Architectural ice. Ice shaped by technology. By civilization. By ARTISTRY.
Massive hexagonal platforms floated above the surface. Connected by bridges made of frozen light. Glowing. Pulsing. ALIVE.
Buildings rose from the ice. Not built ON it. But GROWN FROM it. Crystalline spires. Geometric domes. Structures that defied conventional architecture. Some upside down. Some spiraling. Some IMPOSSIBLE.
The ice itself glowed. Bioluminescent. Blues. Purples. Whites. Greens. Shifting colors like the aurora borealis. But CONSTANT. Everywhere.
Technology and nature merged. SEAMLESSLY.
Ice formations housed holographic displays. Digital information flowing through frozen channels. Data streams visible as light within the ice itself.
Transportation systems ran along the ice. Sleek vehicles gliding without friction. Some THROUGH the ice. Visible as shadows beneath the surface. Moving at impossible speeds.
The SKY was different too. The atmosphere created prismatic effects. Multiple suns visible. Refracted. Creating halos. Light behaving STRANGELY. Beautifully. ALIEN.
And the COLD. Oh, the cold.
It reached INTO the ship. Despite the heating systems. Despite the insulation. Juli could FEEL it. Seeping into his seat. His bones. His CORE.
Not uncomfortable. Just... PRESENT. Undeniable. The planet asserting itself.
Various civilizations moved across the surface. Visible even from this height.
Ice-dwelling species. Native to cold. Moving with ease. Their homes carved into glaciers. Into frozen mountains.
Tech-enhanced beings. Wearing thermal suits. Utilizing technology to survive. Their structures more metallic. More geometric. More ADVANCED.
Nomadic tribes. Moving across the frozen plains. Their caravans visible as small dots. Following ancient routes. Living as their ancestors had for millennia.
All coexisting. All thriving. All part of Balda's strange, beautiful TAPESTRY.
The ship descended further. Heading toward the capital. The HUB.
A massive city. Built INSIDE a frozen canyon. Walls of ice rising thousands of feet on either side. The city nestled between them. Protected. Hidden. MAGNIFICENT.
Buildings spiraled upward. Defying gravity. Connected by ice bridges that looked too thin to support weight. But DID. Technology and ice working together. Creating something IMPOSSIBLE.
Markets were visible. Even from here. Bustling. Beings of all species. Trading. Living. THRIVING in this frozen paradise.
Juli's face was pressed against the viewport. His breath fogging the glass. His eyes WIDE. Unable to blink. Unable to LOOK AWAY.
"This is... this is INSANE."
Barragan smiled. Pleased. "Planet Balda. One of the crown jewels of the Blizzard Sector. A merger of ancient ice-dwelling civilizations and modern technological advancement. Quite spectacular, isn't it?"
"It's BEAUTIFUL."
"Indeed. The UGC representative we're meeting resides in the capital. Ice Haven." Barragan gestured toward the canyon city. "We'll land shortly."
Milana appeared beside Juli. Also looking out. Her fluffy tail swishing. "First time seeing an ice planet, Captain?"
"Yeah. We don't have these in the Outer Rim."
"It's cold," she warned. "REALLY cold. Even with thermal gear."
"I can feel it already." Juli grinned. "But that makes it cooler. Literally."
Milana giggled. "You're funny, Captain."
The ship entered the canyon. The ice walls towering on either side. Glowing. Pulsing with that strange bioluminescence.
The city grew LARGER. More detailed. More REAL.
And Juli couldn't stop staring. Couldn't stop MARVELING.
This galaxy. This UNIVERSE. It was bigger than he'd ever imagined. More diverse. More BEAUTIFUL.
And he was going to explore ALL of it. See EVERYTHING. Experience the IMPOSSIBLE.
His journey was just beginning.
And Planet Balda was showing him just how VAST that journey would be.
The ship descended toward the landing platform. Toward Ice Haven. Toward their mission.
Toward the UNKNOWN.
And Juli's smile widened. That demon's smile. That hungry, eager, EXCITED smile.
Let's see what this frozen world has to offer.