The open-field practice ground of the Astro Opera felt unnaturally silent.
A vast metallic plain stretched beneath an artificial sky, its surface faintly glowing with grid-like lines that marked distance and impact zones. Target boards floated far ahead, suspended in empty space by unseen fields. The air hummed—low, constant, and tense—as if the ship itself was holding its breath.
Clive stepped forward.
The moment his boots touched the marked circle, Untras's spine stiffened.
For an instant, the practice ground vanished from Untras's sight.
Instead, memory surged.
He saw Kraiton.
Kneeling.
Focused.
Preparing to fire.
Clive lowered himself into position. One knee touched the ground. His posture mirrored instinct more than training—balanced, precise, calm. Untras felt a chill crawl up his arms. It was the same stance. The same angle. The same stillness before catastrophe.
Clive raised his hand.
Two fingers formed a pistol-like shape, just as Delom had done earlier.
Light gathered.
Not normal light.
Not Skyph-standard output.
The blue glow around Clive's fingers intensified, compressing inward instead of spreading out. The air vibrated. The metallic ground beneath him trembled faintly, producing a sharp, high-pitched hum.
Naro frowned.
"Why is this glowing so much?"
Era narrowed her eyes, sensing something deeply wrong.
"I think surely its something epecial"
Clive began lowering his thumb.
Untras's breath hitched.
His instincts screamed.
This wasn't an aim test anymore.
This was a disaster waiting to happen.
"Everybody kneel and close eyes"
The command struck like a shockwave.
Untras's voice carried authority layered with urgency, sharp enough to cut through fear. Every student obeyed instantly. Knees hit the ground. Eyes shut tight. No one questioned him.
Untras moved closer, his voice lowering, controlled but strained.
"Clive... Dont pull your thumb up just let it down so slowly"
Clive nodded.
His thumb descended millimeter by millimeter.
The glow intensified.
Untras felt sweat bead at his temple.
"Skyel... Order: 5454. Assembler of destiny"
The air fractured.
Invisible pressure slammed outward as a localized storm erupted around Untras. Cracks of glowing energy spread across his arms and legs, veins of light forming geometric patterns. Small cube-shaped constructs burst into existence, spinning violently around his limbs. A thin ring of rotating cubes circled his neck like a crown forged from equations.
In a blink, Untras vanished.
He reappeared behind the target board, positioning himself directly in the firing path.
Memory struck again.
Flashback
"My fires are so powerful. Right all"
"Yes sir. Its light speed and a high tech fire"
"But a someone can stop it"
"Who sir?"
"Attrom, Tora and Untras"
"Sir are you kidding?"
"No. You 3 can... Just remember. If it out controlled open Skyel and full power withour Attrom"
Back on Present
Clive fired.
The ReLightech bullet didn't travel.
It erased distance.
At quarter-speed perception, the ground beneath its path tore open for nearly ten feet, metal peeling away as if reality itself had been sliced. The target board disintegrated instantly—no explosion, no debris—just absence.
Untras caught it.
The force dragged him backward, launching him off the practice ground and into open space.
Still gripping the bullet.
The universe stretched.
Stars blurred.
"De... Assemble"
Everything froze.
The bullet stopped.
Untras stopped.
Time snapped back to full speed.
Using Skyel, Untras pulled fragments of space together, assembling a pathway of condensed vacuum and light. Step by step, he forced himself back toward the Astro Opera.
His chest burned.
His limbs screamed.
"This is a difficult level power," Untras thought. "I have to meet with madam and help to understand clive"
He landed.
Silence returned.
Untras walked toward the students, his expression calm but pale. In his hand rested a one-inch bullet—black, dense, and impossibly smooth.
"Its Clive's bullet. So beautiful and cool right"
Oragi stared at it, her focus absolute.
"What a texture it have," she thought. "That admits Clive have a good power"
"So, next"
Plus stepped forward.
He didn't even finish moving before a shockwave erupted. The target board shattered instantly, fragments scattering across the field.
"They are more powerful than we seniors," Terrance thought, unease tightening his chest.
Era placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"Dont think bad about them. I can sense it. They are our next era. We should be glad"
"Y-you are right E-era"
One by one, the displays continued.
Angus sliced the air with a single finger.
The wind sharpened, cutting the board into two perfect halves.
Yuni summoned a massive, fang-bearing beast that crushed its target effortlessly.
Naro altered the zone's law itself. The board cracked apart simply by his words.
Shock rippled through the group as each power unfolded.
At last, Rusla destroyed the final board.
"With Rusla... The day finished. Now you all are free from now. Explore the ship,or practice or sleep its your choice"
"Ah... Sir what time is it?"
"Its 2:46pm. So everybody bye bye"
Untras turned and left.
The day dissolved.
Oragi scanned the area quietly.
"I think if i request Clive... He will accept," she thought. "But where is him?"
She found him with Delom.
"See your power. Teared the ground. Its awesome."
"Yes. And your too. The red aura and demonic energy was so cool"
Oragi approached from behind.
"Please can you give some time?"
She froze, realizing her words.
"I never meant to pressure you"
Delom smiled.
"Of course... Who knows if you are the wife of Clive"
Her cheeks burned crimson.
"I am no... I think... But it"
Delom walked away.
Clive turned.
"Hey... Oragi. Delom said he have some works. Will you go with me?"
"Yes..."
"Why are you acting shy. If you dont want i am going. Hey Naro..."
"Hey... Clive wait... Im coming."
Naro joined them.
"Lets go to our small adventure"
Oragi hooked an arm around Naro's shoulders playfully.
"Lets go Naro"
In the lead room, Untras stumbled.
Seuph stepped forward just in time.
"H-hey... What is going on?"
Her hand touched his forehead.
Hot.
Too hot.
"H-hey... How can it happen. I never seem you sick in my this long life. We are Lead and vice lead for 8 years right..."
Untras collapsed"
Unconscious.
And for the first time in years, fear crept into the heart of the Astro Opera.