The gates hissed open with a sound like tearing silk, the thick layers of alloyed steel parting to reveal what lay beyond.
Commander Rhyes was the first to step out.
He moved with silent authority, boots tapping against the seamless metal as he descended onto the platform. Behind him, the Catalysts followed one by one, their eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness—until they realized it wasn't just light. It was technology beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
The ground beneath them gleamed—black reflective alloy, smooth yet alive with soft pulsing circuits that shimmered faintly blue beneath their feet. Towering structures of jet-metal curved and stretched into the distance like spires from a digital cathedral. High above, suspended neon bridges stitched the air, glowing with moving platforms ferrying troops, drones, and supplies. Flying crafts zipped by like phantoms—angular, sharp-edged, and eerily quiet.
But before they could take in the marvels of the architecture, their attention was yanked toward the army that awaited them.
The entire space was surrounded. Thousands of soldiers stood in perfect formation, silent and unblinking. They wore black combat uniforms made from reinforced woven polymer, matte in texture, segmented like an exoskeleton. The suits hugged their forms tightly but allowed for swift movement, the edges lined with red luminescent strips that traced down from the high mandarin collars to their gauntlets.
Their shoulders bore sharp pauldrons, and a small glowing insignia sat over the heart—a crimson fang piercing through a swirling galaxy, the red light of the insignia pulsing slowly, as if alive.
The soldiers were each armed with double energy swords, their blades composed of thin but powerful plasma currents that crackled faintly in the air like blue lightning. Attached to the backs of their suits were mag-locked guns, sleek and rectangular, humming with built-in energy coils. Their faces were mostly visible—save for visor overlays that snapped into place on command.
Zazm stepped out last, his hands still in his pockets.
His violet eyes slowly swept the area, soaking it in—the ranks, the weapons, the power.
He raised his eyebrows faintly.
"Such a wonderful welcome," he said with a cold smile, voice casual.
Commander Rhyes gave a rare smile and raised a hand.
Immediately, all energy swords were lowered. The gun-shaped turrets—mounted on rails at various corners of the landing bay—dimmed and recessed into the walls. The silence that followed was deafening, but it wasn't peace. It was order. Discipline carved into the bones of this place.
Rhyes turned toward the group as he walked forward. His voice echoed through the clean, wide expanse.
"The place you now stand in... is the main headquarters of the organization defending this world."
As he moved forward, every soldier snapped into a synchronized motion.
Their salute wasn't a simple hand gesture—it was ritualized. One energy sword rose vertically over their left shoulder their right hands grabbing the hilts tightly, its blade humming softly.
The other was held in front of the right thigh within their left hands, forming a poised diagonal stance that looked more like the opening of a battle technique than a greeting.
The entire formation saluted in unison, blades glowing like a grid of stars in formation.
Zazm and the others watched in stunned silence.
Rhyes turned back to them.
"This is the main headquarters of Obsidian Fang," he announced clearly. "And I welcome you here… as one of its Supreme Commanders."
He stepped to the center of the platform and opened his arms wide in a slow, deliberate motion, forming a T-shaped pose—not for theatrics, but as a symbolic gesture of trust and exposure.
The air buzzed faintly with tension, awe, and unspoken warnings.
This wasn't a place they had simply entered.
This was a fortress veiled in secrecy, driven by necessity, and run by the sharpest blades humanity had.
And now, they stood at its very heart.
As Rhyes stood center-stage, arms outstretched beneath the gleaming spires of the Obsidian Fang headquarters, the Catalysts took in the view — some in awe, some in suspicion.
Kiyomasa stepped forward slightly, mouth ajar. His usually carefree gaze sharpened as he looked at the sheer scale of it all.
"This place is… insane," he muttered, barely able to form the words. "It's like a sci-fi movie and a war base fused into one."
He instinctively reached to his side, as if getting ready to attack or perhaps defend.
Jennie stood close to Miwa, her eyes wide in both wonder and artistic hunger. The way the lights curved along the ringed towers, the shimmer of energy that laced each panel — her fingers twitched as if aching for a pencil.
"I could draw this for years and never capture it," she whispered. "Every part of it... it's like someone painted the future."
She smiled faintly, her awe slowly giving way to tension as she noticed the still faces of the soldiers watching them.
Miwa clutched her arms and spun in a slow circle, eyes darting up at the soldiers, the crafts, the towers above.
"It's so pretty but… weird. Like, everything looks super cool but also super dangerous."
She paused, then pouted slightly. "Even their uniforms look like villains from a mech anime…
She tried to lighten the mood, but her voice held a thread of nervousness.
Minos, arms crossed, tilted his head as he scanned the crowd, his quantum-sculptor's mind processing structural layouts, power flows, and material types. The polished floor beneath them caught his eye.
"So this is what humans are capable of?" he muttered. "I didn't think we'd find anything this... evolved. It's insane."
But the edge in his tone made it clear he didn't trust any of it.
Ai, standing slightly ahead, remained composed — eyes scanning everything. Even without her powers, she observed far more than the others: the gun placements, the tightness of the soldiers' grips, the frequency of their uniform glances toward Zazm.
"It's efficient," she said softly. "Too efficient."
She wasn't admiring it. She was analyzing it.
Jahanox, as always, spoke aloud what the others were still holding back.
"You guys noticing the stares?" he asked, turning toward the others with a half-smile.
"These people don't look too thrilled about us being here."
The moment he said it, they all looked again.
He was right.
The soldiers surrounding them might have lowered their weapons, but their eyes — sharp, trained, and piercing — never left the group. Their expressions weren't hateful, but they weren't welcoming either. Suspicion clung to the air like mist.
Fear. Uncertainty. Caution.
A few soldiers shifted their grips on the hilts of their energy blades. Others simply narrowed their eyes, as if calculating how fast they could react if something went wrong.
A low silence passed between the Catalysts. Even Miwa had gone quiet now.
Rhyes, still in his stance of welcome, lowered his arms. His gaze swept over the soldiers and then back to the group.
"Let's not waste time standing around," he said, voice steady, but the edge unmistakable.
"Come. We'll speak inside."
His tone allowed no room for argument — not from his soldiers, and certainly not from the newcomers.
Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and began walking down the wide central path.
Rhyes continued down the illuminated corridor, the smooth hum of energy panels resonating beneath their feet. The Catalysts followed behind him, silent but awestruck.
The metallic walls shimmered with veins of pale blue light, occasionally flickering with moving data like an electronic bloodstream. They passed rows upon rows of soldiers—each standing with impeccable posture, executing their salute: one energy blade raised across the left shoulder, the other aligned just beside the right thigh.
Yet beneath the pristine order, there was a palpable hesitation.
Their eyes lingered. Doubtful, curious… cautious.
None of the Catalysts said a word about it, though they felt it. Every stare was heavy, the unspoken judgment crackling through the air. Still, the beauty of the place was undeniable.
The corridor was sleek, paneled with reflective alloys, its ceiling stretching high into arcs lined with digitized constellations. This was the heart of a civilization far beyond anything they had ever imagined—and they were still adjusting.
They finally reached a massive circular chamber—its floor glimmering faintly with rings of golden and blue circuitry, the center marked by an intricate pattern that pulsed like a heartbeat.
Rhyes turned to face them.
"Please go and stand in the circle."
Ai stepped forward slightly, lips parting to question, but before she could speak—
Zazm moved.
He stepped calmly into the center of the glowing pattern, not saying a word. One by one, the others followed—Jahanox, Ai, Jennie, Miwa, Minos, and Kiyomasa—silently trusting his lead.
Rhyes approached the outer edge and raised his arm.
As his sleeve rolled up, a distinct mark became visible—etched not in ink, but in shifting light. A tattoo, or perhaps something else entirely. It glowed softly, its shape complex yet fluid.
Zazm's eyes widened, and at the same moment, Jahanox's head snapped to him. Their eyes locked.
No words were spoken, but an understanding passed between them. Something only the two of them noticed. Something in that mark meant more than Rhyes was letting on.
Rhyes noticed their exchange, his gaze flickering, but he didn't comment. Instead, he turned to a nearby screen and scanned his marked arm against it.
A pulse of energy surged through the circle.
The floor beneath them lit up, lines of energy spiraling outward like a glowing diagram. Then it happened—an intense rush of weightlessness. Vertigo slammed into them all at once.
Miwa stumbled slightly, eyes spinning. "Huh?! What the—"
Ai blinked rapidly, her gaze locked on Rhyes, trying to ground herself.
And then, just like that… it was over.
No sound. No visual transition. One moment, they were in the chamber—and the next, they were standing inside a new space entirely.
A room.
But not just any room.
This was Rhyes's office.
The space was enormous—circular in design, with wide glass walls that curved around the entire perimeter, revealing the vast stretch of Null-Flux Bastion below.
The interior was just as breathtaking—polished black floors lined with glowing veins of gold circuitry, minimalist yet grand. A sleek desk of obsidian alloy stood at the center, embedded with holographic displays. Around it, modern sofas and chairs shaped with soft angular design in matte crimson and gunmetal gray. A side alcove displayed various armaments suspended mid-air—relics, perhaps trophies.
Minos slowly walked forward, blinking. "Okay… where are we and how did we get here?"
Rhyes, now calmly buttoning his sleeve, turned toward them. He moved with the composed precision of someone always in control.
"You've been teleported," he said, his voice steady. "This is my office."
Minos stared at him. "Teleported? "
"Yes," Rhyes nodded, "Humans achieved teleportation a long time ago. Here, it's as routine as breathing."
Minos tilted his head slightly, unsure if he was impressed or unnerved.
He glanced at Zazm, an unspoken question flickering in his expression—something subtle, something that Zazm immediately caught.
Standing silently at the rear of the room, Zazm narrowed his eyes slightly.
Next to him, floating and unseen, Zephyra smirked lazily, hanging upside down with her arms folded behind her head.
"Well, that look says it all," she hummed. "Your boy Minos just figured something out. Either you explain how teleportation works to keep up the act... or you let him guess and end up exposing one of your powers. He's clever."
Zazm didn't move, but his thoughts echoed.
'Then I'll just play into his hands… for now.'
Zephyra's smile widened with amusement. "Ugh. Classic Zazm. Cool and cryptic."
But Zazm's eyes remained fixed on Rhyes.
The game of trust and secrets had only just begun.
---
The soft hum of circuitry filled the air as the Catalysts stood within the sleek confines of Supreme Commander Rhyes's private office. The circular chamber pulsed faintly with golden and blue light, the surrounding walls of glass giving them an unobstructed view of the sprawl of Null-Flux Bastion below—its towers, bridges, and military formations moving like clockwork.
Zazm's eyes wandered slowly, his mind already five steps ahead. Rhyes was calculated—he had brought them here for a reason.
"How does the teleportation work here?" Zazm asked at last, his voice as calm and unreadable as ever.
Rhyes turned to face him, offering a neutral expression. "Take a seat. We'll talk."
They moved toward the semi-circular lounge area. The sofas were firm yet comfortable, shaped with geometric precision. The group settled in—Jahanox beside Zazm, Ai seated on the edge with a quiet focus, Jennie and Miwa close together, Minos still standing for a moment before reluctantly sitting, and Kiyomasa perched upright with wide-eyed curiosity.
Rhyes remained standing for now, his arms behind his back. "Teleportation, as we practice it, involves a specific form of atomic information transfer."
That drew confused expressions.
He continued, "We don't move mass. We transmit the information encoded in your atoms—the structure, the quantum signatures, the energetic composition. That information is sent to a designated location, where compatible matter restructures itself into your exact form."
A silence followed.
Jahanox leaned forward, brow slightly raised. "So... you're saying our atoms carry data, and you're just... transferring that data to recreate us somewhere else?"
Rhyes gave a faint nod. "Precisely."
Jennie, looking thoughtful but visibly unsure, tilted her head. "But... doesn't that mean we're just... copies? I mean, if the original atoms don't move, aren't we just duplicates?"
Rhyes shook his head. "It's not the material that defines a person. It's the consciousness—the self. The information is not static data; it includes your neural pathways, memory layers, conscious state. What matters is that you remain you."
Kiyomasa blinked at that, then turned to Zazm. "Then... how do you teleport?"
Ai let out a short sigh, not of annoyance but caution. She had anticipated the question and already knew what Rhyes was doing—probing for power origins.
Zazm didn't flinch. He looked toward Kiyomasa and answered with quiet clarity, "I bend space. I connect two locations, collapsing the distance between them."
Rhyes stepped slightly closer, eyes narrowed with academic interest. "Like a wormhole, but condensed?"
Zazm met his gaze and nodded once. "Yes. Though I can use your method as well. It's just... less efficient."
Rhyes's expression didn't change, but internally, he had confirmed what he needed:
He had already known that the boy infront of him may look like a young man but his eyes are of someone experienced.
Rhyes's gaze once again scanned him, his mind calculating all the further moves already.
Zephyra, still invisible to all but Zazm, floated lazily upside down near the ceiling.
"Well, well," she mused, smiling. "He got what he wanted. Or so he thinks."
Zazm's thoughts were still, cold, but calm. Let him believe that.
Rhyes finally walked to his desk and tapped something. A floating screen appeared, its surface filled with shifting code and tactical displays.
As the screen shimmered to life, a quiet pulse rippled through the air. Then, without warning, the AMI suppression devices attached to the Catalysts' foreheads lost their grip and fell away with soft clinks to the floor.
Everyone's attention snapped to them.
Ai reached up, brushing her temple, expression tightening. "Why did you take off the devices? Does this mean you trust us now?"
Rhyes, already lowering himself into his chair, rested his arms on the black surface of the desk. "No. It means you were never going to be able to use your powers inside Null-Flux Bastion anyway. The entire base is laced with suppression modules. The devices on your heads were just protocol."
Ai smirked faintly, pushing her glasses up with a single finger. "Thought so."
Jahanox exhaled slowly, leaning back into the sofa. His posture relaxed, but his eyes did not. They were calculating, restless. "I think it's enough that we've stalled. How about we start the real topic now?"
Rhyes regarded him quietly before nodding once. "I was hoping you'd say that. But allow me to first brief you on what's going to happen to you."
Ai gave a one-shoulder shrug, arms crossed. She nodded slightly and said he could go on, just not to tell her they'd be skinned alive or something.
Rhyes intertwined his fingers, gaze scanning across the group. "Let's talk about remnants. Who they are. What they are."
He paused. The room quieted further.
"They are people with supernatural powers—like you. Some can manipulate fire, leap impossible distances, even fly. There are hundreds of abilities. And every one of them makes them a potential threat."
The Catalysts listened, eyes locked on him.
Jahanox gave a small nod. "So, remnants are essentially superhumans like us. Got it. But why the hatred? Why are they treated like enemies?"
Ai spoke next, voice sharper. "It's obvious the military doesn't like them. But there's something more, isn't there? Also… we overheard a term earlier—'Zero Star Threats.' What's that supposed to mean?"
Rhyes rose from his seat and walked toward the corner of the room.
Everyone watched in silence as he tapped a panel near the edge. The clear windows darkened to an opaque black, and the lights brightened overhead. A new hum entered the air.
In the center of the room, a large hologram ignited into view—a glowing pyramid of color-coded tiers.
Rhyes returned to the group and stepped beside the projection. With a gesture, he expanded the lowest section of the pyramid.
"The star levels are classifications," he said. "We use them to assess threat rankings of both remnants and our own soldiers."
He pointed to the bottom tier: [Four Star Threats]
"These are the weakest. Barely above human level. They can maybe destroy a building, run faster than normal, or throw a fireball. Some can be taken down by civilians, with enough strategy. They're dangerous, but manageable."
He pointed upward, his finger landing on the next tier: [Three Star Threats]
"These are where things start to escalate. A Three-Star Threat can have destructive capabilities ranging from wiping out entire cities to devastating regions equivalent to large countries."
Minos blinked. "Wait—hold on. We went from 'can destroy a building' straight to 'wipe out a country'? That's a huge jump. Did you skip a few levels?"
Rhyes turned his head toward Minos, acknowledging the question. "That's a valid observation. But let me simplify it.
The rankings aren't based on arbitrary jumps in scale. They're standardized across the entire known multiverse. That means: all threat levels are calibrated according to Earth's metrics—so that wherever in the universe you are, the terminology holds."
He continued, pacing slowly as he spoke.
"A Three-Star Threat might destroy a city or even an entire country—by Earth standards. But consider this: planets like Euphoria are hundreds of times larger than Earth. So what's considered a 'country' here might be the size of Earth itself. Does that mean a Three-Star can destroy Euphoria's countries? No. That same threat might only damage a minor province here—or it might devastate an entire planet that's half Earth's size."
He paused, letting it settle.
Jahanox let out a low whistle. "Whoever designed that system deserves credit. That's smart. It gives everyone a universal baseline. No matter where you are, you can strategize around a threat using Earth-level impact ranges."
Rhyes gave a rare nod of approval, then gestured to the next tier: [Two Star Threats]
"This is where it stops being local. Two-Star Threats can, in most scenarios, completely destroy Earth-level planets. Whether through raw destructive power, atmospheric destabilization, or other catastrophic abilities—they're considered planetary threats."
Ai stood up, walking toward the hologram. Her expression was cold and focused. "So that would make One-Star Threats...?"
Rhyes answered without hesitation. "Capable of destroying multiple solar systems."
Jennie raised her hand gently, her voice cautious. "Isn't that… a huge leap? From destroying one planet to wiping out star systems?"
Ai adjusted her glasses, her tone measured. "Not necessarily. Think of it like this. Our solar system has a handful of planets—eight major ones, a few dwarf planets.
A One-Star Threat could destroy all of that. But imagine a different system with a hundred or more planetary bodies. That same threat, scaled for raw output, could still obliterate all of them. The classification isn't about the number of celestial objects—it's about total system-level annihilation capability."
Jennie let out a soft "Ahh" as understanding finally dawned. Jahanox moved to stand beside her, his arms crossed, gaze narrowed on the projection.
"Before we get to Zero Star Threats," he said, "I have a question."
Rhyes gestured. "Go on."
"In the beginning, you said these rankings apply to both remnants and soldiers. So how does that work? How are normal humans expected to fight things like this?"
Rhyes opened another holographic window, displaying a rotating 3D scan of a human figure fitted with complex armor and embedded tech.
"Humans use specialized technological gear—armor, weaponry, neural systems, exosuits. These systems augment speed, strength, defense, and tactical response. It's how we've managed to fight remnants for decades."
Jahanox suddenly let out a short laugh, catching everyone's attention.
Minos stood up. "You good?"
Jahanox nodded, though his eyes were still focused on Rhyes. "You're telling me regular humans fight beings who can destroy solar systems?"
Rhyes met his gaze, unflinching. "Yes. But not without enhancements."
Ai raised an eyebrow. "What kind of enhancements?"
"You'll understand soon enough," Rhyes said, then turned back to the pyramid. "For now, let's finish this."
Ai narrowed her eyes slightly. "You've been in a rush since we got here. Why?"
Rhyes ignored her question and pointed at the final tier: [Zero Star Threats]
"That's where all of you fall."
Everyone froze.
"In all recorded history," Rhyes said, "only 28 Zero-Star Threats have ever appeared. And every time, the results were catastrophic."
His gaze landed on Ai. "Twenty-eight. Including you seven."
The weight of his words sank in.
"Until today, Zero-Star Threats only ever appeared alone. Even then, it took everything we had to bring them down. In one case—just once—two of them appeared together. We lost three of our own Zero-Star soldiers just trying to stop them."
Miwa shifted uncomfortably. "But... we've never hurt anyone. Why are we being classified like this?"
Rhyes looked at her. "That's exactly why we're talking now."
Jahanox let out a long sigh and returned to his seat. He turned to Ai. "Now I understand why he's in a rush."
Ai nodded slowly. "They're afraid."
Kiyomasa leaned closer to Jennie, whispering. "What do they mean?"
Jennie leaned in as well, her voice hushed. "I don't think we should interrupt yet."
Before confusion could set in further, Zazm's voice came quietly, directed at both of them.
"As Rhyes said, two Zero-Star Threats once appeared together. It nearly brought their world down. Now imagine what happens when seven show up at once."
Jennie gasped, realization hitting her. "Wait… so we're the first time something like this has happened?"
Kiyomasa's eyes widened. "This must've caused a huge ruckus."
Zazm nodded. "Rhyes might be cooperating… but others out there? They won't be so kind."
Jennie swallowed hard. "But… we can't use our powers. We're basically caged."
"That's why they're so calm," Zazm said.
Kiyomasa's voice dropped, fear creeping in. "Then… are they just waiting to kill us?"
Zazm didn't answer. He simply locked eyes with Rhyes.
"Just wait and watch," he said coldly.
As the last words echoed, Minos raised a hand slowly. "What are those two ranks on top?"
Everyone followed his gaze upward to the final tiers above even the One-Star designation. Two words hovered there, glowing with ominous weight:
[Omega Threats]
[Singularity]
Rhyes's expression hardened. "Those… are beyond classification. Their powers exist outside our comprehension."
He pointed at [Omega Threats]. "This level is assigned to two known individuals. They are the topmost figures among the remnants. They have never fought—at least, not publicly. Only once did one of them act."
Jahanox raised an eyebrow. "And what happened then?"
Rhyes's voice lowered, becoming almost a whisper.
"She got angry. Flicked her wrist. That alone… destroyed several galaxies."
Stunned silence.
Jaw after jaw dropped. Eyes widened. No one could immediately speak.
Jahanox slowly exhaled. "And how, exactly, does a human fight someone like that?"
"You don't," Rhyes said without hesitation. "The strongest humans in this universe never exceed the Zero-Star level."
Minos blinked. "Wait—so you're saying even the best humans… top out at Zero?"
Rhyes nodded once. "Yes. And as of now, only eight Zero-Star humans exist."
Before the group could process further, the hologram flickered—shifting. A new figure appeared, blurred and militarized. The voice was synthetic and direct:
"Supreme Commander Rhyes. You and the classified remnant group are to report to the Main Head Council Chamber within thirty minutes."
The message ended, and the figure vanished.
Rhyes's fists slammed onto the table with a sharp crack.
"I've told you what I can," he said firmly. "Now all I ask... is that you trust me."
The room fell into cinematic silence.
Zazm's gaze was unreadable, fixed straight at Rhyes.
Jahanox stared at the blacked-out window panels, his mind turning.
Ai remained standing, one hand tightening around her sleeve.
Jennie glanced between the others, her expression caught between concern and composure.
Miwa leaned slightly forward, her usual grin absent.
Minos was motionless, arms crossed tightly.
Kiyomasa looked overwhelmed but steady, eyes darting between everyone.
The room was no longer just a command office. It was a pressure chamber—filled with secrets, impossible truths… and the weight of what would come next.
_________________________