In the depths of space, countless souls raced at the speed of light like energy beams, breaking through the spatial barriers as they traversed realms of pure radiance. They glided along the luminous pathways before cascading down the massive World Tree, flowing along its branches like rivers of light. At a turn, the spirits pierced through another spatial barrier, entering a different space, drifting past innumerable planets on their journey.
Meanwhile, on Planet Isha, fleets of noble ships patrolled a vast ocean. In the command bridge of the largest vessel, Kairo's eyes scanned a digital display.
"What are you plotting?" he questions.
A noble pilot replied, "Sir Kairo, we are approaching the Leviathan in two minutes."
Kairo says with confidence. "These new high nobles took ages just to locate the restricted area. A Gem Noble like me built a tracking device for the Leviathan in only six days. That guardian won't stop us—we're coming for it."
The ocean trembled. A massive crater split the waters, and from it emerged the corrupted data Leviathan, its colossal form ascending into the sky. Noble ships fired salvo after salvo, lasers striking its armored hide, barely leaving a scratch. With a deafening roar, the Leviathan whipped its tail, obliterating fifty ships in a single strike.
"All captains, activate your data beacons!" Kairo commanded.
Green digital fields erupted from the ships, forming a digital net across the ocean as each vessel began converting its digital creations into weapons. The Leviathan tore through the barrier like fragile glass and it's roar shattering the digital constructs midair.
Kairo's eyes glinted. "It can destroy digital fields and disrupt data creation… interesting."
Summoning his mecha suit, Kairo launched into the air, activating his own digital field around himself. Spears of pure digital energy erupted outward, forming a lethal cage around him. The Leviathan roared but faltered against Kairo's impenetrable constructs.
"Seems my digital field is stronger!" Kairo laughed, launching a barrage of spears that erupted in explosions across the Leviathan's body. It tried to flee, but Kairo's relentless assault pursued it.
Then his scanner picked up a strange movement. A metal plate on the Leviathan's body shifted open.
"What is this?!" Kairo exclaimed.
A figure emerged: a woman clad in black armor, her face obscured by a black star mask. A grey digital field emanated from her chest as she surged forward, summoning a laser blade that clashed violently against Kairo's spears.
"Who are you?! Your digital field… it matches the level of mine!" Kairo shouted.
The woman ignored him, engaging in a flurry of strikes. Suddenly, a loud ringing in his mecha suit distracted Kairo, and the armored woman slashed him across the chest, sending him crashing into the ocean. She darted back to aid the Leviathan, devastating more noble ships.
Kairo surfaced, angry as he pressed a button on his wrist. A digital screen displayed the Gem Council, shadowy figures flickering in the display.
"This isn't the time to call!" he barked.
A maroon shadow figure replied, "Kairo, this is critical. High-energy waves are heading straight for your location. The world level is rising to level eight. Figure out the situation, prevent further world level escalations, and report back."
The screen goes dark.
"The world level jumped three entire levels… I need to see what's happening!" Kairo muttered, launching into the sky.
Above, streams of energy beams rains down from space. As Kairo flies up to it and scanned them repeatedly.
"These… these are spiritual energies!"
He isolated audio from the beams and played it. Voices echoed: "For Honor! We're saved! A new home… I'm glad to be back! We're alive!"
He reached out into these spiritual energy beams, capturing one soul in his palm.
Kairo's eyes widened. "These are souls!"
The armored woman returned, colliding with him in a flurry of strikes, pushing him away.
"What is the meaning of this?! You're risking the end of the world with this!" Kairo roared, expanding his digital field and launching thousands of energy spears.
She raised her sword, conjuring thousands of energy blades in response. The two clashed violently, explosions scattering across the sky.
The spiritual beams of energy cascades into the massive ocean crater.
In Black Paradise, near the borders of B&B Town, Basil rushes out with a legion of robots, Hank, and Wade pushing Yunbam in a wheelchair. They stop in the middle of the street before a towering city building crowned with a glowing orb.
Basil points sharply at it. "They're coming! Do you see that?!"
Hank squints at the orb and nods.
"That," Basil says, his voice buzzing with mechanical excitement, "is a spirit transmitter made by Susan. It outclasses mine by far when it comes to channeling souls! She only glanced at my blueprints for ten seconds and already build a superior version in her mind."
Hank adjusts his hat, awestruck. "She is a highly advanced AI. Of course she will."
The dark barrier above Black Paradise splits open. From it, a torrents of spiritual energy rain down, flooding into the massive orb atop the building. The orb blazes brightly, then fires a radiant stream of spirit energy across the city—straight toward the enormous orb mounted on Basil's B&B headquarters.
The energy bridge lights up the skyline like a sun.
Basil and Hank sprint back toward B&B Town. Hank shouts, "I get it now! That orb in Black Paradise is like a soul bank, storing the majority of the spirits. And yours—yours is the conversion point! The souls are then redirected straight into your lab for spirit transfusion!"
Basil's digital eyes flicker wildly in geometric shapes, his robotic voice buzzing with elation. "At last, you understand! Hank, you might become a great tech scholar in the future!"
Wade slows the wheelchair as he and Yunbam gaze at the blazing stream of energy that bridges both orbs, painting the city in bright brilliance.
Yunbam whispers, "Boa… you actually pulled it off. Project Soul… it's finally complete."
Wade nods as he speaks with a digital voice "This is incredible, but we're missing out the most crucial parts of the Star Games right now."
Meanwhile, on Doom Planet in the White Land, Gaia hears a voice and turns to see Hopper, Ortis, and Yuri has just arrived. She blinks in surprise.
"Why are you guys here?!" she demands. "You all were supposed to be on the spaceship that just left!"
Hopper bows, solemn. "I am your butler. I cannot process the Star Games without you."
Ortis shrugs, embarrassed. "Well… Yuri jumped first, and I didn't want to get left behind."
Yuri steps forward and takes Gaia's hand. He looks at her with steady, fierce calm. "I always said we're going to save the world, not run from it. And if we can't save it… I wouldn't mind dying with you. A life without you is no life at all—so I'd rather be here than alone up there."
Ortis is startled at Yuri's powerful choice of words. A pang of jealousy flashes across his face; he wishes he had been the one to say it. Hopper claps quietly, proud.
Gaia's expression softens. She reaches up and pats Yuri's cheek. "I'm glad to know even a non-Star like you cares about me." Then she pulls him into a hug.
Ortis, stung and awkward, collapses into Hopper's arms over jealousy.
Suddenly, everyone sees Melon soaring in and lands nearby. The great spirit fades away, revealing Boa and Prekayda still locked in deep spirit meditation, with Jen standing beside them. She waves to the group and says,
"Well, since I detected everyone was gathered here, I figured this was the safest place to be. I could also sense your souls calling for help—especially his."
She points at Tomi.
Tomi bows respectfully. "You are indeed correct… but what is going on with these two?"
Jen shakes her head. "I don't have much time to explain. All I ask is that you keep watch, okay?"
Everyone nods. Jen steadies her breath, then lowers herself into a seated position. She closes her eyes, entering spirit meditation. Her form shimmers, and in the next instant her spirit steps into the realm beyond.
She emerges in a vast land of flowers, but the realm is collapsing. The sky and ground splits with glowing tears. Nearby, Prekayda stands firm, her staff raised as she channels spiritual power, firing arcs of lightning at the rifts to hold the realm together.
Jen rushes to her side.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Prekayda warns.
"Focus!" Jen snaps back as she takes a look at Boa as the top half of his top of his spiritual body is a spiritual galaxy. She then yells "I'm here to help!"
She closes her eyes and calls forth her spiritual daggers, each glowing brightly in her hands.
"Alright… this will buy Boa enough time to return!"
Jen darts across the realm, slashing at the tears. Wherever her blades strike, the fabric of the spiritual realm begins to mend. Yet, just as quickly, new fissures rip open. She dashes again, striking them down one by one, determined to hold the realm together for as long as she can.
Meanwhile, on Planet Isha in Black Paradise, Wade pushes Yunbam's wheelchair back into B&B Town. A soul peels away from the spiritual beam and falls beside them—its shape resolves, and Boa stands before them. Wade and Yunbam freeze in surprise.
"Boa!" Yunbam cries.
Boa studies him with a soft, proud expression. "Yunbam—you've done a fine job from what I saw from the memories my blade recovered. You used it well. You carry great honor. I'm proud of you, kid."
Yunbam blinks, voice thick. "Thank you, Boa. But aren't you supposed to return to your body?"
Boa's features tighten with the weight of the truth. "It took awhile and too much spiritual power to bring everyone here. By the time I go back, the Spirit Realm of that world will collapse and my soul would be lost in space."
Wade laughs awkwardly, trying to lighten the moment. "So you're quitting the Star Games to become a battle super-robot like me?"
Boa shakes his head. "No. If I wanted to survive like that, I would have brought Crank and Jen with me. That would stain our honor for the Star Games. It's better if I die, with my death it could probably push their determination even further, especially Jen.. she'll probably win it all.... and once she does, she'll bring everyone back.
Yunbam's face hardens with quiet insistence. "I'm sorry, Boa, but you're wrong. Captain Jen wouldn't accept that. I'm sure she's doing everything she can to bring you back."
Boa exhales, conflicted. "I thought of that too, but there wasn't much time to think about it… I only hope they honor my wishes. I hope she understands."
Yunbam's next words cut deeper. "Have you ignored how she feels? Are you so busy with duty that you can't even see love?"
A tense silence follows as these words hits Boa hard—then Jen's voice pierces the air, urgent and fierce. "BOA! Come back right now! I'm with Prekayda, holding the Spirit Realm open just for you! Come! You could of asked me and Crank to stay back and help!"
Boa startles, guilt and surprise flickering across his face. "Keeping the Spirit Realm alive will cost your life force. It will eventually kill you!"
Jen snaps back, "Don't argue. Come now!"
Boa hesitates, scratching the back of his head, he then lifts a hand in a quick, awkward wave—then turns and rises into the sky. Yunbam smiles through his tears. "Told you."
Boa ascends, flying back into space.
Boa continues flying back, the spirit light trailing behind him. In the spiritual realm, both Prekayda's and Jen's spirits flicker—life force draining fast. Their breath comes heavy and ragged, their bodies wavering like candles in a storm.
Prekayda leans on her staff, using it to hold herself upright. Her voice trembles, yet carries a solemn strength. "I thank you again… for always being there for us. My people will carry your names throughout the generations."
She steps forward as the realm beneath them splits apart, the last fragments crumbling. With one last act of will, she slams her staff into the ground. The realm stabilizes for a fleeting moment—then her spirit fades into light.
Jen's cry rips through the collapsing realm. She slashes her glowing daggers again and again, each strike mending fleeting cracks. Her screams echo across the spirit plane, reaching Boa's ears as he rushes with all the strength he can muster.
The ground shrinks until only a single strip of spiritual land remains—just enough for Jen and Boa to stand. Jen's spirit flickers, threatening to vanish entirely. Then, with a sudden pulse, the spiritual galaxy on Boa then reforms back to his spiritual body. He grabs Jen from behind, holding her tightly as tears stream down his face.
In that moment, Boa jolts awake from his spirit meditation. His eyes fly open to see Tomi and the others gathered around the bodies of Prekayda and Jen. Prekayda lies still as she has passed away. Jen stirs weakly, her breath faint, life force almost extinguished.
Boa drops to his knees, cradling her. "Jen… I'm sorry. I should've thought of this—that you would…" His words break as he looks into her fading eyes. She can no longer form sentences; the light in her gaze flickers, her spirit nearly spent. Tears spill down her cheeks as she struggles to respond, but only broken sounds escape her lips.
Boa trembles, clutching her close. A thunderous sonic boom cracks the air—the sky itself screams. Midnight has come. The ninth day begins. The planet edges closer, tearing the ground of Doom planet apart, shattering continents as chunks of land fall into the void.
Boa rises with burning resolve. He summons the Blaze Dragon's core, setting it into alignment with the other four. The earth quakes beneath them. The group huddles together as fissures rip across the land.
Kayle's eyes snap open, fire sparking in her gaze. Boa stands beside her, summoning every shred of his remaining power. With a powerful roar he unleashes hundreds of spiritual arms from his palms, smashing into the incoming planet again and again. The Moon Path spins faster, generating power energy as the five dragon cores burns brighter than ever.
Kayle lifts her bow, her voice rising into a mighty roar. She releases the Divine Mighty Arrow!