BEEEEEEEEP—
Shagun's eyes opened.
He stared at the ceiling.
For three seconds, there was complete silence.
Then his expression twisted.
"Overwatch."
"Good morning, Captain."
"That alarm."
"Yes?"
"I hate it."
"Noted."
"Change it."
"Negative."
Shagun slowly sat up.
"…What?"
"The current alarm has demonstrated a one-hundred-percent awakening success rate."
"You know what else has a one-hundred-percent success rate?"
"I am listening."
"Getting punched in the face."
A pause.
"That would indeed wake most individuals."
Shagun stared at the speaker.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
The System entered the conversation.
You survived it better this time.
I have adapted.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
You are still complaining.
That is because your definition of adaptation is apparently "becoming less likely to throw something at the ceiling."
Progress.
Shagun groaned.
His first instinct yesterday had been to wake up angry.
Today, the irritation was still there—but muted.
His body had already begun adapting to its new environment.
His muscles no longer felt like they belonged to someone who had spent two thousand years inside a cryogenic chamber.
His breathing was more natural.
His awareness sharper.
Even the faint stream of cosmic energy beneath his skin felt less foreign.
He stood.
The floor was cold beneath his feet.
A faint light from the artificial morning cycle filtered through the room's window.
Shagun walked toward it.
The transparent panel displayed the surface of Fua Thay.
The barren mountains were still there.
The black-gray plains.
The drifting dust.
The distant star.
Nothing had changed.
And yet—
It looked different today.
Yesterday, Shagun had seen a prison.
Today, he saw a world.
A hostile one, admittedly.
But still a world.
He watched the light crawl over the mountains.
Beautiful.
In a bleak sort of way.
A civilization could conquer galaxies.
Build ships capable of crossing the void.
Manipulate cosmic energy.
Construct weapons powerful enough to reduce cities to ash.
And yet—
The dawn still looked like dawn.
Shagun smiled faintly.
"Not a bad morning."
You are growing sentimental.
"I'm appreciating scenery."
You almost called this planet a dead rock yesterday.
"People can change."
You have known this planet for approximately one day.
"Exactly. Personal growth."
The System made no reply.
Shagun grinned.
"Come on."
He turned away from the window.
"Let's see if my body's improved."
The Morning Routine
The training room was silent.
Shagun stood in the center.
He loosened his shoulders.
Rolled his neck.
Breathed.
Then closed his eyes.
The imperial breathing method began.
Air entered his lungs.
Cosmic energy followed.
Not much.
Just a trickle.
But unlike yesterday, the energy no longer felt like something attempting to overflow from every pore of his body.
It flowed.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Like a river finding its channel.
Shagun guided it downward.
Chest.
Abdomen.
Spine.
Arms.
Legs.
Then back upward.
He repeated the cycle.
One.
Two.
Three.
The first few minutes were uneventful.
Then Shagun moved.
A straight punch.
Simple.
He exhaled.
The punch stopped a hair before the training target.
No impact.
No wasted movement.
He reset.
Again.
This time—
He imagined a tiger.
Not the animal itself.
The concept.
Predatory certainty.
Explosive violence.
The willingness to commit completely to one movement.
His next punch accelerated.
BOOM.
The training target shook.
Shagun's eyes opened.
"Better."
He changed stance.
This time, he imagined a serpent.
Flexibility.
Redirection.
Movement without rigidity.
His body twisted.
His feet glided.
His shoulders turned.
A strike came from an angle that felt almost unnatural.
He stopped.
"Interesting."
Next—
A crane.
Lightness.
Balance.
Precision.
He shifted weight to one leg.
His body became almost weightless.
His movement became narrow and exact.
Next—
A wolf.
Persistence.
Adaptation.
Group awareness.
Then—
A bull.
Weight.
Stability.
Unyielding force.
Then—
A dragon.
He hesitated.
Not because the concept was difficult.
Because it was too broad.
Power.
Authority.
Dominance.
Sky.
Storm.
Life.
Destruction.
The moment he tried to force all those ideas into a single concept, the cosmic energy inside him became turbulent.
Shagun immediately cut the circulation.
The energy settled.
He frowned.
"Too much."
Correct.
"I thought you'd say that."
You are attempting to construct an image of a creature whose symbolism encompasses too many contradictory concepts.
"Then I need something simpler."
Perhaps.
Shagun narrowed his eyes.
"You're enjoying watching me experiment."
I find your attempts statistically entertaining.
"That's a fancy way of saying yes."
Perhaps.
Shagun smirked.
He changed again.
This time—
He imagined something from the old stories of his world.
Something he had always found fascinating.
A creature that was not merely powerful, but carried the symbolism of death, fear, and predation.
An oni.
He did not summon one.
He only imagined the intent.
Fear.
Aggression.
Dominance over weakness.
His aura changed.
For an instant, the air around him seemed heavier.
The room's sensors flickered.
Then—
Nothing.
The effect vanished.
Shagun frowned.
"Not bad."
He tried the tiger again.
The response was stronger.
Serpent.
Almost as strong.
Crane.
Moderate.
Wolf.
Moderate.
Dragon—
Weak.
Oni—
Unstable.
He catalogued the results mentally.
Tiger.
Serpent.
Then perhaps wolf.
Interesting.
Rather than a single affinity, it looked as though his spiritual structure was receptive to several forms of intent.
His eyes narrowed.
Maybe that's the advantage of my altered soul.
He remembered the System's explanation.
His spiritual aptitude had improved.
His energy comprehension.
His manipulation.
His absorption.
Everything.
Perhaps instead of pursuing one narrow path—
He could construct his own.
A martial system built from multiple traditions.
Filipino movement.
Chinese body coordination and internal intent.
Japanese discipline and precision.
The concepts of the creatures he'd grown up hearing about.
And cosmic energy.
Not copying those traditions.
Not replacing them.
Synthesizing them.
His.
Shagun's eyes gleamed.
"That's promising."
He spent another hour experimenting.
Tiger.
Serpent.
Crane.
Wolf.
Oni.
Dragon.
Then he stopped.
His body was sweating.
His breathing was heavier.
But he did not feel exhausted in the same way as yesterday.
The vessel was adapting.
Good.
Very good.
He showered, changed, and looked into the mirror.
The reflection looked back.
A young man.
Golden eyes.
Auburn hair.
Lean but athletic frame.
Not particularly large.
Not particularly imposing.
Yet there was something about the gaze.
Something sharp.
Calculating.
Alive.
Shagun smiled at himself.
"Not bad, Rex."
He paused.
Then corrected himself.
"Shagun."
That distinction mattered.
He left the residential section.
Morning Reports
Overwatch began speaking the moment Shagun entered the corridor.
"Good morning again, Captain."
"You say that like we're on a schedule."
"We are."
"Fair."
Shagun walked.
"What happened while I was asleep?"
"Minor atmospheric fluctuations."
"Anything dangerous?"
"No."
"Planetary scan?"
"Completed three additional passes."
"And?"
"The planet contains significantly more subterranean material than initial scans indicated."
Shagun stopped.
"How much?"
"Insufficient data for an accurate estimate."
"Meaning?"
"The outer geological layer interferes with long-range scanning."
"Interesting."
"There are also multiple underground cavities."
"Natural?"
"Uncertain."
Shagun continued walking.
"Anything else?"
"I detected several faint energy fluctuations beneath the western mountain range."
"What kind?"
"Unknown."
"Can you determine if they're technological?"
"Not remotely."
Shagun smiled.
"Then we'll investigate."
"Naturally."
"And the ship?"
"Power reserves remain stable."
"FTL?"
"Still damaged."
"Communications?"
"Still offline."
"Mecha?"
There was the faintest pause.
"Fully functional."
Shagun raised an eyebrow.
"Why did you pause?"
"I did not pause."
"You did."
"Your perception may be mistaken."
Shagun smiled.
Interesting.
He decided not to press.
Not yet.
They reached the command room.
The doors opened.
Shagun sat down.
The casual expression disappeared.
Now came the serious part.
The Road Home
"Overwatch."
"Captain."
"Bring up the FTL repair requirements."
The central display changed.
Espoir's rear propulsion system appeared in blue.
Several sections flashed red.
Shagun studied them.
"What's the biggest bottleneck?"
"The primary phase stabilization assembly."
"Why?"
"The current stabilizer is damaged beyond conventional self-repair."
"And replacing it?"
"Requires three major components."
The list appeared.
FTL REPAIR REQUIREMENTS
1. Aetheric Conduction Filament
2. Quantum Phase Lattice
3. Gravitic Resonance Core
Shagun read the descriptions.
The first carried energy through the FTL field.
The second maintained dimensional stability during translation.
The third regulated gravitational distortion.
"Which can we fabricate?"
"The Aetheric Conduction Filament can be partially synthesized."
"Partially?"
"Current fabrication capacity lacks sufficient refinement quality."
"So we need an external source."
"Correct."
"The Quantum Phase Lattice?"
"Cannot be fabricated with current equipment."
"And the Gravitic Resonance Core?"
"Likewise."
Shagun leaned back.
"What about substitutes?"
"Possible."
"Better?"
"Temporary substitutes may reduce repair efficiency and increase risk."
Shagun nodded.
"Then no."
He enlarged the planetary scan.
The western mountain range appeared.
"We find the proper materials."
"Likely."
"You sound unconvinced."
"Planetary scans have detected compatible mineral structures beneath the surface."
"Compatible with what?"
"At least one of the required components."
Shagun tapped the display.
"Which one?"
"Unknown."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Then let's find out."
He began building a plan.
Survey.
Locate deposits.
Secure materials.
Return.
No unnecessary combat.
No unnecessary exposure.
No heroics.
And most importantly—
No dying.
Simple.
The System appeared.
That is an ambitious objective.
What?
"Do not die."
It's basic.
Many people fail at it.
You're remarkably supportive.
I try.
Shagun ignored her.
"Anything in the System Shop that can help?"
There is always something.
He smiled.
"Bituin."
The golden panel appeared.
COSMO EMPEROR SYSTEM
Host: Rex Azerith Lexus (Shagun)
Lifeform Level: First Echelon
Cosmos Points:0
Galaxies: None [Locked]
Sectors: None [Locked]
Star Systems: None [Locked]
Stars: None [Unlocked]
SHOP
Search Mode: Available
Specialized Search: Available
Resource Search: Available
Shagun tapped Resource Search.
Nothing.
No results.
He searched again.
Still nothing.
He tried a different query.
Aetheric Conduction Filament.
Unavailable.
Quantum Phase Lattice.
Available — 19 Cosmos Points.
Gravitic Resonance Core.
Available — 34 Cosmos Points.
Shagun stared.
Then looked at his balance.
0.
"…Right."
He was poor.
Interstellar civilization.
Royal heir.
Cosmic System.
Zero money.
Apparently, some things transcended universes.
Shagun sighed.
"How much do I need?"
53 Cosmos Points.
He leaned back.
"Of course."
The System remained silent.
Shagun stared at the panel.
Then said:
"Can I borrow some?"
No.
"Loan?"
No.
"Installment plan?"
No.
"Do you accept labor?"
No.
"Kidney?"
That would be biologically inefficient.
"Worth asking."
He rested his chin on his hand.
"System."
Yes, Host?
"You are supposed to guide me toward becoming Emperor of the Cosmos."
Correct.
"And right now I'm stranded on a poisonous planet with a damaged ship."
Correct.
"And you have the resources required to help me."
Correct.
"And yet you are making me suffer."
Correct.
Shagun narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
A pause.
Then—
Because you are supposed to earn your progression.
"That's reasonable."
I know.
"So give me some points."
No.
Shagun groaned.
He could almost imagine the System smiling.
He stood.
"Fine. We'll do it the old-fashioned way."
The System spoke before he could leave.
Host.
"What?"
There was something strangely pleased in its voice.
Since you are apparently so pitiful…
Shagun froze.
"…Excuse me?"
And because your current resource situation is, frankly, embarrassing…
"You sound happy about this."
I am merely observing.
"Sure."
The System's tone became grand.
Almost regal.
I shall extend my grace.
Shagun stared into empty space.
"You're doing this on purpose."
I do not know what you mean.
"Go on."
Very well.
A golden chime rang through his mind.
DING!
The sound was different this time.
Louder.
Deeper.
Almost ceremonial.
HIDDEN SYSTEM PROTOCOL CONDITION SATISFIED.
Host has successfully completed the first independent resource analysis and established a viable path toward technological advancement.
Supplementary Development Reward Issued.
Cosmos Points +60
Shagun's eyes widened.
60.
He immediately looked at the System panel.
Cosmos Points: 60
He slowly smiled.
"So…"
The System responded.
Yes?
"You had that the whole time."
Perhaps.
"You absolutely did."
The System was following protocol.
"Meaning you were waiting for me to meet some condition."
Perhaps.
"And then pretended you didn't know when I asked for money."
Perhaps.
"You are insufferable."
Thank you.
Shagun laughed.
He hated that he was beginning to enjoy this.
He immediately spent 53 points.
The resources appeared in the System inventory.
Quantum Phase Lattice ×1
Gravitic Resonance Core ×1
His smile disappeared.
"Wait."
He stared at the inventory.
"The Aetheric Conduction Filament isn't here."
Correct.
"Why?"
Unavailable for purchase.
"Why?"
Current Shop inventory does not contain it.
"So the System gave me exactly enough to make the trip possible…"
Perhaps.
"…and left one thing out."
Perhaps.
Shagun slowly smiled.
"Fine."
He closed the panel.
"Then we'll find it ourselves."
Into the Dead World
The Maharlika stood inside the mecha bay.
Shagun approached.
This time, he placed his hand against its armor.
The surface felt cold.
Then—
Warm.
Very slightly.
He frowned.
He removed his hand.
Nothing.
"Probably the reactor."
Probably.
Again, that tone.
Shagun looked at the System panel.
You know something.
I know many things.
About the Maharlika.
I know things.
That's not an answer.
It was not intended to be.
He sighed.
"Whatever."
The cockpit opened.
Shagun entered.
The armor closed around him.
The neural interface connected.
For a split second—
He felt something.
A presence.
Awareness.
Then it vanished.
He shook his head.
"Focus."
Overwatch's voice appeared.
"Perimeter route uploaded."
"Show me."
A map formed.
Several resource locations appeared.
"One hour out?"
"Approximately."
"Good."
He equipped the laser rifle.
Checked the pistol.
Confirmed missiles.
Ten medium-range.
Five concussion.
He frowned.
"After we use these, can we fabricate replacements?"
"Not currently."
"Then we conserve them."
"Agreed."
Shagun exited the bay.
The hatch closed behind him.
Then—
THUD.
He stepped onto Fua Thay.
The morning light had changed.
The world was brighter now.
Still gray.
Still barren.
But the mountain ranges glimmered under the star.
A strange beauty existed in the emptiness.
Shagun started walking.
The expedition was surprisingly peaceful.
At first.
He crossed a shallow valley.
Found several mineral outcroppings.
Collected samples.
His scanners recorded everything.
Then the landscape changed.
The terrain became greener.
Not with normal vegetation.
Thin translucent growths emerged from the soil.
Almost fungal.
Some glowed faintly.
Others appeared completely dead.
Shagun stopped.
"Interesting."
"Biological material detected."
"Collect samples."
"Already done."
Shagun smiled.
"Good."
Further ahead—
An underground cavity.
He entered.
The cavern was enormous.
And the walls—
Were not natural.
Shagun slowly turned his head.
Ancient structures.
Broken.
Half-buried.
Massive.
Not human.
Not V'tuen.
Not anything in Rex's memories.
He walked deeper.
There were strange symbols on the walls.
A humanoid figure.
Surrounded by what looked like tendrils.
Another figure kneeling.
A circle.
Then a shape resembling an open eye.
And beneath it—
A field of bones.
Shagun stared.
"This wasn't natural."
"No."
"What happened here?"
"Unknown."
He approached a broken pillar.
The scanner activated.
Material composition: Unknown.
Age estimate: Inconclusive.
Energetic residue: Present.
Classification: Unknown.
Shagun frowned.
He looked at the floor.
Several grooves had been carved into the stone.
Almost like something had been dragged.
Or—
Something had escaped.
A cold sensation ran through his body.
He dismissed it.
"Take samples."
"Already collecting."
He continued.
Eventually, he found the deposit.
The scanner chimed.
Compatible material detected.
A deep vein of shimmering mineral crossed the cavern wall.
The Aetheric Conduction Filament.
Not pure.
Not refined.
But usable.
Shagun's eyes brightened.
"Yes."
He began extraction.
The mining tools in the Maharlika's arms extended.
The machine started cutting.
Hours passed.
The material was difficult to extract.
But eventually—
Enough.
Shagun checked the storage compartment.
Complete.
He had everything.
Almost.
Then—
His sensors detected something.
Shagun turned.
"Overwatch?"
Silence.
"Overwatch."
"I am here."
"Did you detect that?"
"Detect what?"
A tiny fluctuation.
Gone.
Shagun frowned.
"Nothing."
He turned back.
Perhaps he had imagined it.
He secured the cargo.
Then started back.
The first sign was the sound.
A scraping noise.
Something dragging itself over stone.
Shagun stopped.
The Maharlika's sensors activated.
Nothing.
Another sound.
Closer.
Scrrrrk.
Then—
A shape emerged from behind a ridge.
Shagun's eyes narrowed.
Insectoid.
Large.
Four limbs.
Then he realized there were supposed to be six.
Two were missing.
Its carapace was cracked.
Part of its torso was gone.
Its head was split nearly in half.
And yet—
It was standing.
Shagun stared.
"…What?"
The creature moved.
Fast.
He dodged.
The Maharlika shifted aside.
The creature slammed into a rock.
Shagun immediately raised his rifle.
The scanner activated.
Biological Lifeform Detected.
Vital organs: Severe failure.
Life activity: Unstable.
Energy signature: Unknown.
The insectoid stood.
Its broken head turned toward him.
A dark liquid moved through the cracks in its body.
Not blood.
Something thicker.
Black.
It glowed faintly.
Shagun's expression changed.
"That isn't normal."
More shapes appeared.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Then twenty.
His tactical display filled with red markers.
Shagun's heartbeat accelerated.
"Overwatch."
"I am aware."
"Why weren't they on the scan?"
"Their energy signatures are severely distorted."
Shagun understood.
The creatures had been almost dead.
Cold.
Still.
Invisible.
Until—
They sensed him.
His life.
His energy.
His presence.
On a planet where almost everything was dead—
Shagun was a candle.
And the darkness had noticed.
The creatures attacked.
"Move!"
The Maharlika sprinted.
Shagun fired.
Zzzzzzzt!
The laser rifle punched through the first insectoid.
Its torso erupted.
The creature collapsed.
And—
It stood again.
Shagun's eyes widened.
"What?!"
The black miasma surged through the wound.
Tissue twisted.
The creature moved.
Still.
"That's disgusting."
Another charged.
Shagun fired.
Its leg was severed.
It crawled.
Still alive.
He drew the pistol.
ZAP!
The creature's head vaporized.
It finally stopped.
Shagun stared.
"So they can die."
"Eventually."
"Very reassuring."
He fired again.
Another fell.
The swarm closed in.
Shagun stepped backward.
The Maharlika's movement was perfect.
A blade-like limb struck.
He dodged.
Another came from the left.
He blocked.
A third came from behind.
He turned—
Too late.
The Maharlika moved.
Before Shagun completed the command.
CLANG!
The creature's limb smashed against the armor.
Shagun blinked.
"…Did I do that?"
"Combat systems responded."
"Right."
No time.
Another creature lunged.
Shagun ducked.
The Maharlika pivoted.
A thruster-assisted punch exploded forward.
BOOM!
The insectoid flew.
Shagun laughed.
"Okay!"
He fired.
Three targets.
Four.
Five.
The rifle hummed.
Shots remained.
412.
Good.
He moved.
Tiger.
His intent sharpened.
Aggression.
Straight forward.
He charged.
The Maharlika responded.
A strike.
Another.
A knee.
A shoulder.
A punch.
Each movement became more fluid.
His intent and the machine's motion began aligning.
Serpent.
He twisted.
Slipped between attacks.
Crane.
Precision.
He targeted joints.
Wolf.
Persistence.
He kept moving.
The creatures surrounded him.
He activated the concussion missiles.
WHOOM!
The blast tore through the swarm.
Bodies flew.
Shagun coughed.
"Worth it."
Remaining missiles:
4
Then something larger appeared.
It crawled from behind the others.
A malformed insectoid nearly twice the size of the rest.
Its limbs had fused together.
Its body was split open.
The black miasma poured from every wound.
It roared.
The sound was not animal.
It sounded almost human.
Shagun's smile vanished.
"That one's different."
"Confirmed."
The creature charged.
Shagun fired.
The laser hit its chest.
It staggered.
Then kept coming.
"Not good."
It slammed into him.
The Maharlika flew backward.
Shagun's head struck the restraint.
Pain exploded through his skull.
Warning lights flashed.
The creature climbed over him.
Its limbs struck.
Shagun blocked one.
Two.
Three.
The fourth slipped through.
A blade pierced toward the cockpit.
Shagun saw it.
Too late.
He tried to dodge.
The Maharlika moved.
SHRRRK!
The blade scraped across the armor.
Shagun stared.
That should have hit.
He froze for half a second.
The creature attacked again.
No time.
He pushed forward.
The Maharlika's fist ignited.
Thrusters fired.
BOOOOM!
The blow smashed through the creature's chest.
Black fluid sprayed across the armor.
The creature staggered.
Shagun ripped the rifle free.
Point blank.
Fire.
Fire.
Fire.
The laser burned through its torso.
The black miasma surged.
Then—
The creature collapsed.
Shagun breathed heavily.
"Die!"
It twitched.
He fired again.
Silence.
The creature finally stopped.
Shagun stood motionless.
Around him were dozens of corpses.
And—
The black miasma was beginning to dissipate.
His sensors struggled to analyze it.
Unknown energetic compound.
Warning: Low-level contamination detected.
Recommendation: avoid prolonged exposure.
Shagun frowned.
"Can you identify it?"
"Negative."
He looked around.
The swarm was dead.
Finally.
He started walking.
Then stopped.
There.
Half-buried beneath one of the larger creatures.
A small stone.
Black.
Smooth.
Too smooth.
It almost looked polished.
Shagun crouched.
"What is that?"
The scanner returned nothing.
Not unknown.
Nothing.
As though it did not exist.
Shagun's instincts immediately screamed.
"Overwatch."
"I cannot identify the object."
"That's comforting."
He picked it up.
It was strangely warm.
And—
It pulsed.
Once.
Very faintly.
Thump.
Shagun looked at it.
"…It's a rock."
Another pulse.
Thump.
He frowned.
"Rocks don't do that."
The System was unusually quiet.
Shagun looked around.
"System?"
No answer.
"System?"
A moment passed.
Then—
Host.
"What?"
Take it.
Shagun blinked.
"Why?"
The response was immediate.
I do not know.
He stared at the object.
Then placed it into the Maharlika's storage compartment.
"Fine."
He stood.
The mountain range was visible in the distance.
Espoir was beyond it.
Shagun began walking.
He was halfway home when the first warning appeared.
COSMIC ENERGY RESERVE: 21%
Shagun frowned.
"Already?"
"Your combat energy expenditure was significantly higher than predicted."
"I noticed."
His body felt heavy.
The Maharlika moved slightly slower.
The connection between his mind and machine was becoming more difficult.
He checked the remaining weapons.
Rifle.
Low.
Pistol.
Still usable.
Missiles.
Almost gone.
And there—
A flash.
Another insectoid.
Shagun raised his rifle.
The creature attacked.
He shot.
Missed.
His arms felt slower.
The Maharlika moved—
Ahead of him.
Dodged.
Shagun frowned.
He didn't remember giving the command.
Adrenaline was already flooding his system.
He didn't think about it.
He only fought.
More creatures emerged.
Not as many.
Maybe five.
Then eight.
Then twelve.
Shagun cursed.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
The creatures attacked.
He burned through more ammunition.
One dropped.
Another.
Third.
His energy fell.
15%.
His body screamed.
He pushed harder.
Tiger.
Serpent.
Wolf.
Everything.
No refinement.
Just survival.
The Maharlika moved with increasing precision.
Too precise.
A blade came from the left.
The armor ducked.
A strike from the right.
It twisted.
A creature leaped.
The machine's foot moved half a second before Shagun realized the attack existed.
He survived.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Eventually, the final creature fell.
Shagun stood panting.
The horizon was visible.
Espoir.
There.
His ship.
Home.
He started walking.
One step.
Two.
Three.
His vision blurred.
10%.
"Come on…"
He forced the machine forward.
8%.
His chest hurt.
6%.
Cosmic energy was draining too quickly.
He remembered the System's warning.
His vessel couldn't contain his potential.
The Maharlika's synchronization amplified everything.
And now—
He had pushed beyond his limits.
4%.
The ship was closer.
"Just…"
His voice shook.
"…a little more."
3%.
The Maharlika stumbled.
Shagun corrected.
Or—
The machine corrected.
He couldn't tell anymore.
2%.
The ship's outer hatch opened.
Shagun smiled.
"Made it…"
The Maharlika took another step.
1%.
His vision went black around the edges.
He could barely feel his hands.
His breathing became shallow.
He reached out.
The machine's fingers touched the edge of the ship's hatch.
Then—
A final step.
The Maharlika entered.
The doors began closing.
Shagun exhaled.
"We're…"
His consciousness faded.
"…home."
He slumped against the restraints.
Silence.
The ship's emergency systems immediately activated.
But before Overwatch could complete the initial medical assessment—
Something else happened.
Deep within the Maharlika's systems—
A pulse.
Thump.
Another.
Thump.
The strange object in the storage compartment responded.
Thump.
The armor's internal systems activated one by one.
Its power distribution changed.
The neural interface disconnected from Shagun—
then reconnected.
Not through command.
Not through protocol.
Through instinct.
The cockpit's interior lights dimmed.
Then—
A single crimson line appeared across the Maharlika's visor.
For exactly one second.
Then vanished.
Overwatch remained silent.
No alarm.
No notification.
Only a new record was quietly stored.
UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALY
Origin: Maharlika Unit
Status: Observational
Threat Level: Undetermined
The ship's doors closed.
Outside, the winds of Fua Thay continued to howl.
Beneath the earth, ancient ruins slept.
In forgotten caverns, traces of an old war remained etched into stone.
And somewhere beneath the soil—
something else stirred.
The dead world had noticed its new inhabitant.
And it had answered.
Shagun knew none of this.
He was unconscious.
For now.
And buried within the Maharlika's storage compartment lay the strange black stone.
It pulsed once.
Then again.
Like a heartbeat.
Thump.
Thump.
And beneath its smooth outer shell—
something began to grow.