The crowd has a mixed reaction to Gaia's desperate call for help. Some hesitate, but others act quickly.
On the Frostsilver ship, Terra thrusts her hand toward the window.
"Come on, everyone! Help my daughter!"
The crew follows her lead, raising their hands. Streams of magic dust pour from their palms into the air. Gaia's Pawn Team joins in, sending their energy skyward. Boa's and Kayle's teams add their strength, and even some Stars scattered across the arena release their power. All of it converges into Gaia's mecha suit, wrapping it in a brilliant glow.
Meanwhile, inside the cube, Lars is knocked back again and again by the Angel's attacks. His left gauntlet breaks, his metal boots explode, and blood splatters as he crashes into the ground from a devastating blow. His ice wand works desperately to heal him.
"This power… it's beyond anything I've faced," Lars mutters, staggering. "But I will not disappoint you, Father!"
The Angel dives in a blur of speed, weapon raised. Lars catches the shining blade with his one remaining gauntlet, straining to push back. To the Angel's surprise, corruption spreads across his light sword, half of it turning purple.
Lars shatters the blade, spinning and hurling the corrupted half. The shard pierces the Angel's stomach, black blood spraying as the divine being is send flying back. He steadies himself, staring at the fading wound.
"Such power should not exist… for mortals."
Lars gathers the rest of his strength to one attack as digital data and ice magic also surges into his Gauntlet fist. He roars, unleashing a massive punch-blast. The Angel restores his sword and cuts through the attack with ease, slashing past Lars in a single motion.
Blood bursts from Lars's wounds as his last gauntlet shatters. His body collapses lifelessly to the ground.
The Angel turns—and sees Gaia soaring from the sky, her glow funneling into Kayle. His eyes widen. Kayle's voice echoies through out the battlefield.
"This is for Tomi!!!"
She fires. The mighty arrow that tears across the cube, destroying ground and cracking walls. The Angel hurls his sword, but the arrow obliterates it. He braces, one hand pressing against the arrow's mighty force as it shoves him back.
For a moment, he recalls watching Kayle in space, when she first drew her divine arrow against to the oncoming planet. That moment had intrigued him.
Now, he releases two more wings. Six radiant wings flare, blinding. With a single pulse of divine strength, the Angel crushes the arrow in his hand. Its force vanishes in an instant.
Shock spreads across the cube and arena.
"We tried our best…" Nox mutters grimly. "Clearly, we're outmatched."
The Angel flashes forward and smashes Nox's head clean off. His body drops lifeless. Kayle and Boa stagger in loss of hope, but before they can react, a flash of light erases them both.
Ignis reels back, shouting, "Tobias! Look away!" His body then detonates in a bloody gore from the Angel's attack .
Gaia stumbles, her voice trembling. "Even though this is just a reset… why does it feel like the end?!"
In a flash of light, the Angel plunges his arm into Gaia's mecha. Sparks and blood spray as she screams—then her body is erased in holy light.
The arena falls silent.
God begins clapping.
"What a show!!! I hope you all enjoyed such an amazing battle! Now… for the reset!"
He does a mighty clap with his hands as God magic flows out. The magic floods through the cube. It then bursts into dust, as this magic dust then reforms every fallen Star from the cube, as they reappear, returning back to life in their sections of the arena.
"The reset is done! Be at ease! Their magic powers are all gone so you other Stars still have a fighting chance to win it all!" God voice booms. "Now, for the long-awaited break! For each game break it will be a week, so rest, recollect yourself, and prepare for the second stage of the Star Games. If you wish to quit, confirm that decision with the guide, and you will be returned home."
He vanishes in a shimmer of dust.
The colossal arena gates grind open, revealing the radiant Kingdom of God. A tide of mini polar bears flies out, their voices chiming together:
"We are the peace-bringers and your guides through the Kingdom of God! Ask us anything, and we will answer! Remember—no cheating, no killing allowed during the break!"
The Stars file forward, following the glowing guides, stepping into the kingdom beyond.
Moments later, inside a golden hotel, a polar guide leads Boa, Crank, and the rest of their team down a gleaming hallway. They arrive at their rooms. Just as Boa and Crank are about to step inside, a loud voice echoes down the corridor.
"Boa!" Ignis shouts. "You all knew we weren't actually going to die?!"
Crank glances back, but Boa says nothing. He slips into his room, shoulders heavy, his face clouded in quiet frustration.
Crank straightens and addresses Ignis firmly. "Boa must rest his mind. Please, do not disturb him."
Ignis's own polar guide steps forward. "Based on their reactions during the battle… yes, most of them knew. Does that answer your question?"
Ignis frowns. "Then why did we fight so hard?!"
Crank puffs his chest. "Because we have honor! We will not go down freely. You should understand that by now, after spending so much time with us in the Star Games."
Ignis's eyes soften. He lowers his head, rubbing his arms. "I'm sorry.... I should of known... I just… I would've acted less scared during my death, if I knew we'd be brought back!"
His polar guide blinks. "God did say, loud and clear, that it was going to be a reset. Anyone with a smart enough brain should have figured that out."
Ignis snaps at it. "Stop answering everything I'm saying!"
The polar bear bows politely. "As you wish."
"Good," Ignis mutters. "Now lead me to my room."
But the bear doesn't respond. Its little eyes glaze over, distracted, as it stares off into space.
Ignis stomps his feet, face red. "Tch!" With a sharp huff, he storms off down the hallway on his own.
In Gaia's room, she sits cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, her breathing steady as she is in deep meditation.
The door creaks open a little. Ortis peeks inside, concern etched on his face. Before he can step in, Hopper grabs his arm and gently pulls him back.
"Ortis, please," Hopper says softly. "Let Lady Gaia be. She has a lot on her mind."
Ortis scratches his head, glancing at the door. "I thought she'd be resting by now and I was… a little worried after everything that happened."
Hopper folds his arms. "She's tapping into her Ultra Syndicate. Letting her emotions flow into her other mind, so her current self doesn't have to carry such emotional scars."
Ortis's eyes widen. "She's even reached that level of Ultra? I haven't managed to even touch the first level of Ultra. But still, Rose's death hit us hard. For us, we'll have to live through it. But Gaia—she can just stack it away in her other minds."
Hopper nods slowly. "Yeah. That's the difference between us and them."
Meanwhile, Kayle, Tomi, and Lars rest quietly in their rooms.
Out in the golden halls, Nox walks alone, his footsteps echoing faintly against the gilded floor. His guide polar bear appears beside him.
"Sir," the bear asks, tilting its head, "You haven't requested much help. Is there anything I can answer for you?"
Nox turns slightly, "The only thing you can do is go away. I'm in no need of a guide."
The polar bear bows deeply. "As you wish." In an instant, it fades away like mist.
Nox stops before a tall golden door. From inside, a voice calls, smooth but amused. "You may enter."
Nox opens the door and steps in. Gilga sits in a high-backed chair, turning it slowly to face him.
"Finally," Gilga says, smiling wide. "The man of mystery appears. You must have your reasons for coming. Out with it."
Nox walks closer, his tone flat. "When you said you could hear the real God, what did you mean by that?"
Gilga's grin grows sharper. "Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but it's true. Only I've been selected to hear His voice. But if you want me to delve deeper, you'll first have to answer my questions. I assume that's the only question you came here to ask me—but me?" He taps the paper in his hand. "I have a ton for you."
Nox nods once. "Go right ahead and ask."
Gilga lifts the paper. "I simulated this moment knowing that we'd talk at least once during the break—so I wrote them all down." His eyes skim the first one. "First: are you from the restricted area on my home planet, Isha?"
"Yes," Nox replies immediately.
"Has that restricted area always existed on Isha?"
"No."
"How long?"
"Five hundred years."
Gilga's questions keep coming, sharp and fast. Nox answers each in clipped, short phrases. The back-and-forth goes on for nearly an hour, Gilga scribbling, Nox never once elaborating.
Finally, Gilga sets the paper down and leans forward. "You like to avoid a lot of details… but my final questions are these. Why are you here in the Star Games? What is your purpose? Why now?"
Nox exhales slowly. "I cannot answer that until you've proven yourself worthy to me. Which, I'm afraid, you've already failed."
Gilga leans back and laughs, low and bitter. "Base from your actions, you've only teamed up with those who have high morals. You're looking for those pure of heart—unlike me, who'll do whatever it takes to win. "
He relaxes on his chair and then says,
"To be honest, your answers haven't satisfied me at all. But since you're the only person interested in my obsession, I'll tell you. I probably won't get another chance to share this story with anyone else who's worthy… like yourself."
During Gilga's grueling training years in his tower, many men sought him out. Since his noble family held high rank, so invitations to secret meetings were common. Gilga attended them out of curiosity, stepping into circles of shady noblemen who whispered promises of forbidden knowledge.
One evening, he was introduced to a noble man named Gorbill Tinkertopaz. Together they traveled down to the slums, where a hidden golden elevator carried them deep underground.
The doors opened to reveal a sprawling testing lab. Illegal operations ran at full force—rows of workers grinding Nova Crystals into fine sand, then pouring it into vats of glowing purple liquid.
Gorbill led Gilga further inside, stopping before a room with a one-way window. On the other side sat two captives: a slummer and a commoner, both tied to chairs.
"Lord Gilga," Gorbill said smoothly, "you know all living beings in the world have a spiritual soul inside them, yes?"
Gilga leaned on the glass, unimpressed. "Of course. We nobles are taught that at the age of seven. But further spiritual practices above Level 3 are forbidden. Not that I care—I think it's useless. It won't win me the upcoming Star Games."
Gorbill chuckled. "Well, well. You are every bit the noble they say. But I am not bound by such restrictions. I run experiments… diving into uncharted territory no one else dares approach."
Gilga's eyes narrowed. "Your experiments… do they exceed World-Level boundaries?"
"Only a little," Gorbill said with a sly grin. "How about a demonstration? You'll see."
Gilga gave a single nod, granting his approval.
Gorbill gestured at the two captives beyond the glass.
"These are our test subjects," he said. "Both have at least a Level 1 spiritual level. The one on the left is a slummer. The one on the right, a commoner."
He pressed a button. From the ceiling, mechanical arms extended, each tipped with long silver syringes glowing faintly purple.
"We've developed a new drug," Gorbill continued, voice low and eager. "That contains rare components that force the brain into a state of deep relaxation without delusional highs. Add Nova Crystal dust, and the brain willbegin to radiate some kind of weird energy from within. Combining all of that with spiritual training…" He smiled. "You can go beyond."
The syringes plunged into the captives' necks. Both jolted, gasped, then slumped back into an eerie calm. On a nearby screen, Gilga watched their brain scans. Tiny sparks of energy flickered within the neural maps—then spiritual flames burst through the images, feeding the sparks until their brains scrambled into miniature cosmic galaxies of light and broken tissue.
Gilga's wrist-display blinked: World-Level 5 → 5.2
"I believe," Gorbill said softly, "they are being lifted into higher realms of existence. After hundreds of tests, they've all reported the same thing."
Through the glass, rays of light poured from the captives' eyes and mouths. Their skulls glowed like lanterns as both whispered in unison, voices hollow:
"God… is… here…"
Gilga froze. The screen showed the cosmic galaxies inside their heads collapsing, lightning crackling across the fragments as the brains tried and failed to reform.
Then—silence. The captives' glowing heads burst apart, white blood foaming over their restraints.
"But every test has failed," Gorbill said flatly. "Which is why I want you as the first noble subject. Of course you'd be risking your life. But you, Lord Gilga, are the best fit."
Gilga straightened, eyes gleaming. "I'll do it. Training has grown dull. This—this might by another way to push me beyond my limits. Start the spiritual training."
Gorbill's smile widened. "That was easier than I expected. Come this way."
Weeks passed. Under Gorbill's private tutelage, Gilga reached Level 3 spiritual mastery—able to release tiny bits of spiritual energy, dream-walk, and glimpse the spiritual world itself.
At last, he sat strapped to the very same chair he'd once looked through glass at, wrists bound, heart hammering. Gorbill's voice drifted from hidden speakers.
"You're sure you're ready for this?"
Gilga relaxes. "I've always wanted to meet God and I'll be back to tell you how it went."
"Let's hope so," Gorbill murmured.
The robot arms plunge the syringes into Gilga. His body loosens, and his eyes slide shut, drifting into a strange calm.
From behind the one-way glass, Gorbill leans toward the screen tracking Gilga's brain activity. At first—nothing. The monitor is flat, silent.
Then—
A violent flash of light erupts across the entire screen, bathing the room in a blinding white glow.
Gorbill jerks back, shielding his eyes. He turns to the window just in time to see Gilga's head burst apart—not into gore but into pure energy, swirling outward like a newborn galaxy.
The entire underground lab trembles. Gorbill stumbles backward, falling from his chair. He scrambles up, eyes darting to the digital display:
World-Level 5 → Level 7
He gasps. "This… This is the breakthrough we needed!"
Through the glass, the spinning galaxy grows denser, raw power spiraling in violent blues and purples. Spiritual flames erupt from the vortex, spreading across the room in waves of azure fire.
Then, clear as a bell, a voice echoes—
Gilga's voice
"God… I see… you."
Gorbill freezes, his mouth dry. The spiritual flames intensify, the galaxy pulsing like a heart.