The first night in the wilderness passed in relative peace.

  Rie slept soundly inside a small, handmade tent—a simple structure made of sturdy branches and layered with thick cloth to keep the night air at bay. It was surprisingly comfortable, thanks to a layer of soft moss and leaves beneath her bedroll. The slow, steady rhythm of her breathing blended with the sounds of the nocturnal forest, creating a soothing harmony.

  Gamma, on the other hand, had no interest in sleeping. He sat perched on a massive tree branch, high above the ground, his dark figure barely distinguishable from the shadows of the towering canopy. From up here, he could see far beyond their makeshift camp.

  Hanamura Village was now a distant memory, lost beyond the thick treetops.

  Above him, the night sky stretched endlessly, filled with unfamiliar constellations. Yet, even across the vast distances of space, some things remained the same—the cold stillness of the night, the distant hum of unseen life, the quiet hum of loneliness.

  Gamma let out a breath, his visor reflecting the dim glow of the stars as he got to work.

  With methodical precision, Gamma reached into one of his pouches and pulled out the damaged antenna module from his escape pod. He had salvaged what he could, but the damage was extensive. Still, he had no choice but to try.

  He climbed higher, stopping at the very tip of the tree, where the wind howled through the leaves. With a few precise adjustments, he attached the module to a sturdy branch and powered up his PDA.

  A soft, rhythmic buzzing noise crackled from the device.

  Lines of data flickered across the screen, at first distorted and unreadable, but slowly, they began to stabilize. A new transmission had been received.

  Gamma narrowed his eyes behind his visor.

  The first message was from the ship’s emergency protocol—an automated distress response confirming what he already knew:

  Perseus-class escape pod severely damaged.

  Reinforcement unavailable.

  Survival protocol initiated.

  That wasn’t the part that bothered him.

  A second notification blinked at the corner of his screen. A direct message.

  Gamma’s breath hitched for a split second. This wasn’t an automated system—this was sent by someone.

  He tapped the message. The sender’s code flashed across the screen:

  Gia.

  Gamma’s grip on the PDA tightened slightly.

  Gia… a former comrade from the same warzone. A fellow soldier who had been aboard the Perseus, the ship designed for the retirement of battle-worn veterans from the Aquarius War.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  So why now? Why a DM, instead of an official transmission?

  More importantly—why were coordinates attached to the message?

  Gamma exhaled sharply. He didn’t like this. Something was off.

  And yet, before he could focus on that mystery, another notification appeared—a signal from a nearby cargo container.

  Gamma quickly checked the location. Not far. If it was from the Perseus, it might contain supplies or weapons. He needed to recover it first. After all, this world had already proven itself dangerous—the creatures here weren’t just wild animals. They were mutated, oversized nightmares with unpredictable aggression.

  He couldn’t take any chances.

  Glancing down at the campsite one last time, he made his decision.

  He would leave Rie behind.

  For her own good.

  Gamma moved swiftly through the dense underbrush, his steps silent and calculated. His training had conditioned him to blend into the shadows, to move with precision, and to strike only when necessary.

  Minutes passed. Or maybe hours. Time felt distorted in this unfamiliar place.

  Eventually, he saw it.

  A glowing metallic box, wedged high in the branches of a colossal tree.

  The cargo pod had deformed upon impact, its sleek exterior warped from the crash. But the embedded security panel still flickered, indicating that its contents were intact.

  Gamma clicked his tongue. “Of course it’s up there.”

  He studied the tree’s height, estimating the climb. It wasn’t impossible—he had scaled worse. Still, this tree was a pain in the ass.

  He took a deep breath and began the ascent.

  Hand over hand, foot over foot, Gamma climbed, his sharp claws digging into the bark for grip.

  Halfway up, the wind picked up, making the tree sway slightly under his weight. He gritted his teeth. “Damn tree…”

  The closer he got, the more the cargo’s blue glow pulsed, illuminating his visor with faint light. The security panel flickered erratically—its system was damaged, but still functional.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached out and grabbed the crate. With a solid pull, he dislodged it from the branches.

  Gamma landed with a heavy thud, the crate secured in his grip. He wasted no time—prying it open with brute strength.

  Inside, he found something unexpected.

  Experimental V7.5 Scout Armor.

  “…No way.”

  He ran his fingers over the sleek, reinforced plating, noting the lighter weight compared to his EVA suit. Attached to the armor were prototype enhancements:

  Night Vision Visor – Enhanced perception in darkness.

  Integrated Cloaking Device – Temporary invisibility.

  Gamma let out a low chuckle. “This… is illegal.”

  The V7.5 was banned from military use due to its stealth capabilities—it was a ghost suit, meant for infiltration and assassination. But since no one was here to stop him...

  “Screw it, this is mine now.”

  He quickly donned the new armor, adjusting the straps and listening to the satisfying clicks of its mechanical locks engaging. A soft hiss of pressurized seals activated, and his HUD lit up with new tactical readings.

  A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

  This was an upgrade.

  Soon

  He checked the coordinates from Gia’s message.

  Not far.

  As he moved, a shape began to form on the horizon—a massive stone structure standing against the dark sky.

  “…A castle.”

  Gamma scoffed. He had seen fortresses, war bunkers, orbital bases—but even across the galaxy, everyone knew what this kind of building was.

  What the hell was Gia doing there?

  No time for questions. He activated the cloaking device, his form blurring into invisibility.

  Then, without hesitation, he slipped into the darkness, heading toward the castle’s towering gates.

  Whatever was waiting for him there—he was already part of it.