A week had passed since the fall of the Vampire Association and the defeat of the last Morningstar siblings, Alfie and Izumi.
The Cosmic Base was quiet, its halls echoing with the aftermath of war and the weight of victory.
In one of the command rooms, Paulo Satoshi sat beside Yuki Fujimoto, still grappling with the whirlwind of emotions stirred by her unexpected return.
Across from them, Riku Masusa and Amy Mori watched silently, sensing the tension and relief in the air.
Yuki broke the silence with a teasing smirk. "Miss me?"
Paulo's eyes widened, his voice low and tinged with sorrow., "Yeah… I did. I thought you were gone. That's why I ended Izumi with one punch."
Yuki's expression softened.
She leaned in and gently wrapped her arms around Paulo's head, cradling it with care, "You really thought I died? I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you worry."
Paulo exhaled slowly, then ruffled her hair with a faint smile, "It's okay. I've avenged everything. The Vampire Association is no more."
Yuki blushed, her cheeks tinged with warmth, and darted over to Amy, embracing her tightly.
Amy returned the hug, her eyes glistening with quiet joy.
Paulo stood, his tone shifting to focus, "Riku and I are heading to Gristle Hollow. We need more supplies if we're going to build beyond five structures in our empire."
Riku nodded, already geared up.
The two left the base, stepping into the vast expanse of Terra's version of Earth, a desolate, sandy wasteland where soul creatures roamed freely, their ethereal forms drifting like whispers in the wind.
The journey ahead was uncertain, but the path was theirs to forge.
***
As Riku and Paulo stepped into the dusty outskirts of Gristle Hollow, the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the cracked earth.
The air was dry, thick with the scent of sand and soul residue, a lingering reminder of the creatures that roamed this wasteland.
Paulo led the way, his boots crunching against the ground as he approached a familiar structure: the weathered bar where his journey had first begun.
The wooden sign above the entrance creaked in the wind, still bearing the faded name "The Hollow Ember."
Inside, the bar was dimly lit, its walls lined with old relics and cosmic maps.
A few patrons sat scattered across the room, nursing drinks and exchanging quiet stories.
Behind the counter stood the same old man Paulo had met weeks ago, the one who had first spoken to him about the universe and the legendary Cosmic Ten.
"Hey there," the old man said, his voice gravelly but warm. "You look tougher than you did when you first walked through that door."
Paulo paused, his eyes adjusting to the low light.
He gave a faint smile, tinged with melancholy, "Yeah… I've been through a lot since then."
Riku glanced around, intrigued by the atmosphere.
"Who's that?" he asked, nodding toward the bartender.
Paulo tilted his head, a flicker of realization crossing his face, "You know… he never told me his name."
The old man chuckled, wiping down a glass with a worn cloth, "Seijuro Takata," he said, finally offering his name, "Most folks just call me Takata. I've seen a lot of travellers come and go, but you… you've changed. I can see it in your aura. Cosmic green, it's rare."
Paulo's eyes narrowed slightly, "You can see that?"
Takata nodded. "It's not just a color. It's a resonance. A sign that you've touched something beyond the veil. You've faced death, and come back with purpose."
Riku raised an eyebrow, "Cosmic green? Sounds like something out of a legend."
"It is, 10 legends," Takata replied, "But legends are born from truth."
Paulo stepped forward, placing a small pouch of credits on the counter, "We're here for the usual, food, wood, anything that can help us expand the base. We've got plans to build more than five structures now. The empire's growing."
Takata took the pouch and slid a crate across the counter.
Inside were neatly packed supplies: dried rations, purified water, bundles of treated wood, and a few rare minerals.
Takata said, "This should keep you going for a while. But be careful out there. Gristle Hollow isn't as quiet as it used to be. Something's stirring beneath the sands."
Paulo nodded, his expression serious, "Thanks, Takata. We'll be ready."
As they turned to leave, Takata called out one last time. "Paulo… next time you come back, I'll tell you more about the Cosmic Ten. You've earned it."
Outside, the wind picked up, carrying whispers of the soul creatures that drifted across the wasteland.
Riku adjusted his gear and looked at Paulo, "You really have changed."
Paulo didn't respond immediately.
He stared out at the horizon, where the sun was beginning to dip below the dunes.
"We all have," he said quietly. "But the real change is just beginning."
***
As Paulo and Riku sprinted across the scorched plains of Terra's Earth, the wind howled around them, carrying whispers of soul creatures that drifted like phantoms.
The base was just beyond the horizon, but something shifted in the air, an unnatural pulse that made the ground tremble beneath their feet.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the dust.
Towering and twisted, it bore the shape of a soul creature, but its aura was unlike anything they had encountered before.
It shimmered with chaotic energy, part ethereal, part flesh. A hybrid.
Riku skidded to a halt, "That's not normal…"
Before Paulo could respond, the hybrid lunged forward with terrifying speed.
Its leg swung like a wrecking ball, striking Paulo square in the chest.
The force of the blow sent him flying through the air, crashing into the heart of a nearby mountain.
The impact echoed across the wasteland as the mountain cracked and crumbled, rocks raining down in a thunderous cascade.
Riku shouted, "Paulo!"
But beneath the rubble, Paulo stirred.
Dust and debris swirled around him as he slowly rose to his feet, his body glowing faintly with a divine energy.
The hybrid had made one fatal mistake, it didn't know Paulo was immortal.
Paulo's eyes burned with fury.
Lightning crackled around his limbs, surging through his veins like a storm reborn.
He clenched his fists, the air around him vibrating with raw power.
"Lightning Dragon…" he whispered, his voice low and thunderous.
He launched into the sky, a streak of electric blue cutting through the chaos.
"GOD KICK!"
With divine precision, Paulo descended like a meteor, his leg engulfed in lightning.
The hybrid barely had time to react before the kick tore through its chest, splitting its core with a deafening roar.
The creature shrieked, its body convulsing as the energy surged through it, then collapsed into the dust, its aura flickering out like a dying star.
Riku ran up, eyes wide. "You okay?"
Paulo nodded, brushing off the dust. "I'm fine. But that thing… it wasn't just a soul creature. Something's changing out here."
They both looked toward the horizon, where the wind carried whispers of more hybrids to come.