While Kai lay unconscious for a brief moment, strange visions flickered in his mind. Shadows, indistinct and unfamiliar, surged like broken fragments of memory. Suddenly, he jolted awake, eyes blazing with fury.
Kazat saw the opening and lunged forward, fingers spread and stiff like spears, aimed straight at Kai's throat. One strike meant certain death.
Fwoosh—thrust!
The five spear-like fingers shot toward Kai, who raised his right hand just in time, catching the deadly blow in his palm.
Thud!
"What—?!" Kazat exclaimed in disbelief. "How could he stop it?"
Kai lifted his head and locked eyes with him, his voice suddenly cold, darker—like someone entirely different.
"You thought you could defeat me with that, boy?"
His eyes, filled with rage and something inhuman, burned into Kazat's. The moment Kazat met them, his instincts screamed. He leapt backward immediately, but his body froze, paralyzed. Every hair on his body stood on end.
Behind Kai's shadow, Kazat saw them—countless grotesque shapes writhing, creatures beyond comprehension, things no human should ever witness.
Blood seeped from Kazat's nose and eyes. Overcome with terror, he collapsed where he stood.
Thud!
Kai remained on his feet, but visions overtook him again. Like a broken television, images flickered and blurred. Flashes of light and distorted echoes rang in his skull.
"…Don't forget… Don't forget…"
The voice reverberated through every corner of his mind before his consciousness slipped away once more.
Eugene, her face pale, body battered and bleeding, watched everything with wide eyes.
"What… what did Kazat see? Why did he drop like that? …No time. I need to get Kai out of here."
She hoisted Kai onto her back and sprinted through the chaos.
Just then, Rese appeared from an alley and shouted,
"This way! Redhead sis, our ship's over here!"
The three of them ran, Rese leading the way. They arrived at a vast clearing—an open field of green where countless spacecraft were parked, people scrambling desperately aboard their vessels.
Rese stopped and said nervously, "We'll have to wait for boss to wake up… I don't know how to pilot a ship."
Eugene, still carrying Kai, shot her a hard look.
"Forget that. I'll fly. Which one's ours, Rese?"
Rese fidgeted, trembling, hands clasped above her head in mock prayer.
"P-Please don't kill me, Redhead sis. I swear I don't want to die! I still want to eat sweets, and I want to explore space with boss too…"
Eugene's expression hardened.
"Cut it out, four-eyes. Point me to the damn ship before that bastard catches up!"
Rese squeaked and pointed at a sleek vessel parked nearby—its body gleaming white, strangely shaped like a brand-new van.
"That one!"
Eugene's brow furrowed, anger flashing. She muttered under her breath,
"You couldn't say that sooner, glasses girl? You trying to get us killed?"
Rese puffed her cheeks, voice rising in indignation.
"Ah! So this is your true nature, huh? You're just pretending to be nice so you can steal boss away from me bit by bit—I knew it!"
Eugene ignored her, hauling Kai aboard. She let out a sharp sigh.
"…Hopeless idiot."
"Wait! Don't leave me behind!" Rese yelped, scrambling after them into the ship.
Inside, Eugene laid Kai down on a small bed, then turned to Rese.
"You know first aid or anything? Can you keep him stable?"
Rese straightened up with a grin, confidence sparking across her face.
"Hmph! Fear not. I'm basically a doctor, you know."
Eugene shot her a quick glance, already sliding into the pilot's seat.
"Good. Then get to work. I'll get us off Terra. After that… you're leading us to our next destination, right, Rese?"
While tending to Kai, Rese answered firmly,
"Siw Venus. The northwestern continent."