On the southern reaches of planet Forlis, stood the mighty stronghold of the Guardians. Rising in the form of a massive square fortress, its four towering watchtowers pierced the skies, enclosed by colossal walls. Around it stretched wide courtyards and manicured gardens filled with rare plants and ornamental trees, giving the place the grandeur of a legendary kingdom. Within the base, Guardians moved briskly, each tending to their duties.
Just beyond the fortress walls, at the landing zone where rows of spacecraft stood neatly parked, sat a young cat-eared girl—Ruby. She rested in a wooden rocking chair built especially for her by Mas, her gaze drifting toward the vast, open sky. Her hair swayed gently in the breeze, a stark contrast against the steel hulls of the ships lined in perfect order.
Ruby spoke softly, "Mas, I wonder how Kai and the others are doing right now, meow…"
Mas, standing nearby and inspecting his spacecraft beside the fortress, fell silent for a moment before replying.
"Seems like their adventure's going well. They're safe. The GPS system on their ship shows they're on planet Teruda, southwest sector. Looks like they've been there for a while."
Ruby leaned back on her chair, her ears twitching slightly.
"Planet Teruda, huh… I'd love to go there with you someday. They say it's a place of breathtaking nature, meow."
As they spoke, a shadow began to descend from the vast skies above Forlis. A tall man, nearly two meters in height, with short brown hair and clad in a black bodysuit beneath a flowing dark cape, slowly floated down.
Gus – the Right Hand of the Northeastern Continent.
"At last… I've found it. The southern stronghold of the Guardians lies here on Forlis."
Without warning, Gus shot downward like a meteor, cleaving through the air with terrifying force before slamming into the fortress. The impact roared like thunder. Towers and walls crumbled as though made of paper, annihilated in a single strike. Countless lives were extinguished in an instant, their blood and bodies buried beneath the avalanche of stone and steel.
As the fortress collapsed, debris rained from above. Mas lunged forward, shielding Ruby with his own body. His back bore the crushing weight of falling stone and twisted beams. Dust and rubble exploded into the air.
The surviving Guardians scrambled, drawing their beam rifles and unleashing a storm of searing fire at Gus. Light bullets rained down in fury, yet not a single mark marred Gus's body.
Mas, straining under the wreckage, shoved the debris aside and dragged himself to his feet, his eyes burning with rage.
"Damn it… Anthea isn't here right now. What the hell do we do?"
He ripped a communicator from his belt and pressed it urgently.
"Southern Fortress under attack! Request immediate reinforcements! Enemy—single hostile!"
Gus's lips curled into a wicked smile as his eyes locked onto Mas.
"Still alive, are you? Looks like you've got some strength in you after all."
He lunged forward, his attack a blur. Mas twisted, narrowly evading, and snarled,
"Don't underestimate me, bastard!"
Mas seized Gus's arm and hurled him to the ground with a thunderous crash. He yanked Gus back up and slammed his fist into his gut, the impact launching Gus high into the sky, above the clouds.
"Not bad…" Gus chuckled midair. "You've got some real power."
Then, with the fury of a falling star, Gus plummeted down, killing intent radiating from him like a storm of destruction, aimed straight at Mas.
Mas glanced toward Ruby, who trembled with fear, her eyes wide with panic. His jaw clenched, and he roared, voice shaking the battlefield.
"Ruby—hide! Find somewhere safe!"
The words carried not only command but also a vow—his unyielding promise to stand against calamity, to protect her until his last breath.
The clash raged on. Gus's fist smashed into Mas's face, hurling him across the ruins. Gus ripped a colossal fragment of wall and flung it at him.
Mas braced himself, muscles taut as steel, his arms absorbing the impact until the stone shattered into fragments around him. With a defiant roar, he charged, slamming into Gus, seizing his throat, and hurling him skyward. Mas leapt after, delivering a brutal kick that sent Gus crashing into the ground with an earth-shaking boom.
Enraged, Gus sprang up and seized Mas by the leg, swinging him like a ragdoll and smashing him against the ground again and again. Blood sprayed with each bone-rattling strike.
He then dragged Mas across the courtyard, his body tearing through stone and wreckage, before hefting an immense slab of ruin and slamming it down.
Pinned beneath the crushing weight, Mas gritted his teeth, veins bulging as he strained to push back. With a final desperate roar, he heaved the massive debris aside, his entire body trembling, breath ragged and broken—his strength nearing its limit.
From behind shattered walls, Ruby watched, her hands clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms. Tears welled in her eyes as fear and anguish tore at her heart. She wanted to run to him, to fight, to help—but her body shook, paralyzed by terror.
Yet her gaze never wavered from Mas.
The man who fought, bled, and stood unyielding—for her sake.