Location: Planet Downstream
The Chrono Slice Drive descended through the clouds.
Below it stretched a peaceful world.
Green forests.
Calm oceans.
Rolling hills.
Warm lights scattered across distant towns.
Lazard watched the planet through the windshield.
The warning from the stranger still remained in his mind.
"He's coming..."
"Aza—"
Lazard shook his head.
"...Whatever."
The Chrono Slice Drive continued downward.
Moments later, it landed near one of Downstream's major trade districts.
The doors opened.
Lazard stepped outside.
The atmosphere was calm.
Almost too calm.
He looked around.
Weapon shops lined the streets.
Armor repair workshops stood between large trading buildings.
Merchants moved through crowded markets while travelers carried equipment between districts.
Lazard looked down at his damaged armor.
Several sections were still cracked from the events at the Motherplace and the Null Chamber.
He sighed.
"First things first."
He walked toward the nearest repair district.
---
Meanwhile...
Planet Hurricane
Morning had arrived.
Strong winds moved continuously through the city.
Oblivion stood inside one of Hurricane's abandoned training grounds.
Across from him stood Veyron.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Veyron finally looked toward Oblivion.
"You said you wanted to train."
Oblivion nodded.
"I need to get stronger."
Veyron studied him.
"Why?"
Oblivion's expression remained serious.
"Because what happened before won't be the last time."
Veyron understood the meaning.
He didn't ask for more.
"Then start."
Oblivion stepped forward.
Veyron raised one hand.
"First, show me what you can already do."
Oblivion hesitated.
He looked at his right arm.
The black fractures were still faintly visible beneath his skin.
"I don't completely understand this."
Veyron noticed the cracks.
"What happened to your arm?"
Oblivion looked at him.
"Something I can't explain yet."
Veyron didn't push.
"Fine."
He stepped backward.
"Then don't use it."
Oblivion frowned.
"What?"
"If you don't understand something, don't build your entire fighting style around it."
Veyron lowered himself into a fighting stance.
"Fight me normally."
Oblivion nodded.
He rushed forward.
Veyron disappeared.
BOOM.
A fist stopped inches from Oblivion's face.
Oblivion barely moved his head in time.
Veyron was already behind him.
Oblivion turned.
Another strike.
He blocked it.
The impact pushed him backward across the training floor.
Veyron stopped.
"Again."
Oblivion charged.
Again.
And again.
Every time, Veyron moved faster than him.
But he wasn't simply overwhelming Oblivion.
He was testing him.
Oblivion slowly began recognizing patterns.
The angle of Veyron's shoulders.
The movement of his feet.
The direction of his gaze.
After several minutes, Oblivion finally predicted one of his movements.
Veyron appeared beside him.
Oblivion turned at the same moment.
His fist connected with Veyron's shoulder.
Veyron slid backward.
He smiled slightly.
"Better."
Oblivion breathed heavily.
"You were letting me hit you."
"At first."
Veyron raised his hands again.
"Now I'm not."
Oblivion's expression changed.
They continued.
---
Several hours later...
Oblivion collapsed onto one knee.
His body was exhausted.
Veyron stood several meters away.
"You rely too much on reacting."
Oblivion looked up.
"What should I do?"
"Move first."
Veyron pointed toward the training field.
"Speed isn't only about moving quickly."
"It's about deciding where the fight happens."
Oblivion stood slowly.
He remembered the strange ability his body had used before.
Compressing distance.
Changing positions.
He had been using it instinctively.
Maybe Veyron's advice could help him understand it.
But he still didn't know what the phenomenon inside him actually was.
And he wasn't ready to tell Veyron.
Not yet.
---
The training continued.
Oblivion eventually attempted to use the strange distortion in his arm.
The space around his hand warped.
Veyron immediately noticed.
He stepped backward.
"What was that?"
Oblivion stared at his own hand.
"I don't know."
The distortion disappeared.
Veyron remained silent for a moment.
Then he said:
"Then learn."
Oblivion looked at him.
Veyron continued.
"I don't need to know what it is."
"But if you're going to use it..."
"You need to understand what it does."
Oblivion nodded.
That was enough.
No trust.
No friendship.
Just two fighters training together.
For now.
---
Elsewhere...
Planet Hurricane
Serak walked alone.
He had spent the morning exploring parts of the city he hadn't seen before.
Eventually, he left the populated districts.
The sound of the city slowly disappeared behind him.
He entered a dense forest.
The wind became quieter beneath the trees.
Serak continued walking.
Then—
ROAR.
A massive predator emerged between the trees.
Serak stopped.
The creature charged.
Frost formed around his hand.
One movement.
CRACK.
The creature was frozen instantly.
Serak continued walking.
A few minutes later, he noticed something unusual.
An old stone structure stood between the trees.
Most of it had collapsed.
Serak approached.
He brushed vines away from the entrance.
A faded symbol was carved into the stone.
A library.
Serak entered.
The interior was almost completely destroyed.
Broken shelves covered the floor.
Old books had been scattered across the ruins.
Dust covered everything.
Serak slowly picked up one surviving book.
He opened it.
The pages described the history of a kingdom.
And its king.
King Veyrath.
Serak continued reading.
At first, the writings described Veyrath as a compassionate ruler.
A wise king.
A protector.
But later pages told a different story.
Executions.
Political manipulation.
Disappeared citizens.
Secret prisons.
Entire families punished for speaking against him.
Serak's expression slowly changed.
He turned another page.
The final section explained why the library had been abandoned.
The information inside threatened Veyrath's reputation.
So the king ordered the library destroyed.
The evidence was supposed to disappear.
Serak looked around the ruins.
"...So this is what happened."
He closed the book.
For several moments, he remained silent.
Then he placed it back on the broken shelf.
The past could not be changed.
But now he knew the truth.
Serak left the library.
---
Later that evening...
The sun began disappearing beyond Hurricane's horizon.
Oblivion sat on the edge of the training field.
His body was exhausted.
Veyron stood nearby.
"You improved."
Oblivion looked at him.
"That's it?"
"For one day."
Veyron turned away.
"Tomorrow, we'll continue."
Oblivion stood.
"Alright."
He still didn't know Veyron well.
Veyron still didn't know much about him.
But they had established something important.
Respect.
Nothing more.
Not yet.
---
Planet Downstream
Lazard sat inside an armor workshop.
A mechanic tightened the final component of his damaged armor.
"There."
Lazard examined it.
"Better."
He stood.
His armor was repaired.
But his weapon was another matter.
The old weapon had suffered too much damage.
Lazard needed something better.
He walked through the weapon district.
Rows of swords, rifles, axes, spears, and strange mechanical weapons filled the shops.
Then he stopped.
A large forge stood at the end of the street.
Above its entrance was a simple sign.
THE MOURNING
Lazard entered.
An elderly smith looked up from his work.
"Need repairs?"
Lazard placed his damaged weapon on the counter.
"I need something new."
The Mourning examined it.
Then looked at Lazard.
"You don't need a normal weapon."
Lazard frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The Mourning picked up the weapon.
"The way you fight."
"The equipment you use."
"And the kind of enemies you're expecting."
He placed the weapon down.
"You need something specially made."
Lazard crossed his arms.
"What kind?"
The Mourning smiled faintly.
"Come back tomorrow."
"I'll tell you."
Lazard nodded.
"Fine."
He turned toward the exit.
Outside, Downstream remained peaceful.
But somewhere far away...
Oblivion continued training.
Serak continued exploring.
Veyron continued learning about his new companion.
And Lazard had just begun searching for a weapon that would eventually take him somewhere far beyond Downstream.
To be continued.