Three months had passed since the dawn of the Astro Opera's new era.
The training ground was busy, students practicing below while instructors observed from a distance. Above them, the Astro Opera moved steadily through the sky, its massive form responding to Detro's careful control.
Everything seemed normal. Too normal.
Then, without warning, the sky split open.
A burning slash cut through the ship.
Once. Then again.
The Astro Opera shuddered violently. Alarms blared. Control systems failed. The ship spiraled downward, crashing onto an unknown planet with a thunderous impact, metal tearing apart as it fell.
When the dust cleared, silence followed.
Bodies were scattered across the wreckage.
No one moved.
Another spaceship descended and landed with eerie calm in front of the crash site—as if it had been waiting.
The hatch opened.
An alien stepped out.
Daizo.
Vice Head Untras struggled to his feet, barely able to stand. Blood streaked his face. His breath came in ragged gasps.
Someone else was standing, too.
Clive.
Daizo stopped, stunned.
What? How is a student still standing after that blast?
His gaze lingered on Clive for a moment, then a smile crept onto his face.
"A coincidence," Daizo thought.
Clive swayed, his right arm broken, dangling uselessly at his side. He wiped the blood from his mouth with his left hand, gritting his teeth to keep himself from collapsing.
Daizo walked toward Untras.
"Look at that," he sneered. "Your student's still standing. How weak. Just a student."
Untras moved, his fist slamming into Daizo's face.
Daizo was thrown backward—but he didn't fall. He stopped mid-air and stood up straight again.
Untras froze.
"You're still alive?!"
"Of course," Daizo replied calmly. "I am, Untras."
Clive's mind raced. How is he… still alive?
Untras lunged at Daizo again.
Tiny cubes appeared at the corners of his eyes—one at the right corner of his right eye, the other at the left corner of his left. His eyes glowed green, and the same color spread across his arms as his outfit tore under the strain.
"Come again," Daizo smirked. "This will be fun."
He raised his hand.
A sword appeared.
Its blade gleamed, unnaturally sharp, covered in strange red symbols that pulsed faintly.
Untras closed the distance and threw a punch.
Dozens of cubes exploded from his eyes, slamming into Daizo and pushing him back. Daizo slid across the ground but rushed forward again.
His sword descended toward Untras's head—but more cubes immediately formed to block the strike.
"Sir!" Clive shouted. "You can't hold him!"
"Escape," Untras ordered. "Get your classmates out of here!"
Daizo pushed harder, the sword pressing down. The cubes trembled.
Untras dropped to one knee.
"I said escape, Clive!" Untras shouted again.
Daizo laughed.
"What a coward," he mocked. "Telling a student to run."
Then his smile vanished.
"Remember how you hit me last time?" Daizo whispered. "Feel it."
Tiny, blade-like particles appeared beside Untras.
They rushed toward him—and stopped.
Daizo's eyes narrowed.
"Why... aren't they moving?"
Clive stood between them.
A soft, sky-blue energy flowed from him, freezing the particles in place.
"You weak thing," Daizo snarled. "When lions fight, a mouse should stay out of the way!"
He increased the pressure on Untras.
"Stay away from my sir," Clive said, his voice steady.
His eyes turned completely white, thin white lines spreading outward from them.
Blood dripped from Untras's mouth as he struggled to breathe.
The particles shattered.
A sword formed in Clive's hand.
Can I win? Clive thought. No... but I'll fight for my sir—even if I lose.
That's what he always does.
He moved.
The blade cut through Daizo's back.
Daizo staggered forward.
"How dare you?" he roared.
Untras collapsed onto the ground, barely conscious, struggling for air.
In an instant, Daizo was in front of Clive.
Tiny move? Clive thought.
Clive's slash came faster—sharp enough to tear the air itself.
A violent blast erupted.
Clive was thrown, crashing across the ground.
"He dares too much," Daizo said coldly. "Speed alone doesn't make a fighter."
He turned back toward Untras.
Broken blade particles rose again, circling him.
"What will you do now, Untras?" Daizo taunted.
His sword scraped against the hardened ground.
Sparks flew.
Small flames followed.