The battle is over.

  But the war is just beginning.

  The skyline of New Tokyo is still smoking, broken buildings lining the horizon. Emergency sirens echo through the empty streets, and in the distance, military vehicles move in, assessing the damage.

  I stagger back, my cosmic form flickering as I finally let go of the power. My body shrinks back to normal, and exhaustion crashes over me like a tidal wave.

  I barely stay on my feet.

  I won the fight.

  But it doesn’t feel like a victory.

  Because Ordis didn’t come to kill me.

  He came to confirm Akunon’s suspicions.

  And now...Akunon is coming.

  The moment I step into the safehouse, Dr. Bao and Dr. Lynn are waiting.

  Bao’s expression is grim.

  Lynn looks furious.

  “Sit down,” she says, already scanning me with a handheld device. “You’re covered in cosmic radiation.”

  I flop into a chair, groaning. “That was the worst fight of my life.”

  Bao doesn’t even look at me. He’s focused on the monitors, replaying footage of Ordis.

  Lynn slaps a cold compress against my shoulder.

  I wince. “Ow.”

  She glares. “You almost died.”

  “Almost,” I say. “Key word.”

  Lynn rolls her eyes. “I swear, I’m going to strangle you before Akunon even gets here.”

  Bao finally turns around.

  His face is pale.

  And that’s when I realize...

  He’s not looking at me.

  He’s looking at the data.

  I frown. “Bao?”

  He exhales sharply.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “I ran a full energy analysis on Ordis.”

  I lean forward. “And?”

  His hands tremble slightly as he adjusts his glasses.

  “If Ordis was fighting at full power,” he says slowly, “he could have erased the entire city.”

  My stomach twists.

  Lynn’s expression darkens. “You’re saying he held back?”

  Bao nods. “And that means one thing.”

  I exhale.

  “Akunon was watching.”

  We sit in silence for a moment.

  Then Lynn speaks.

  “Akunon isn’t coming to test you.”

  I nod. “He’s coming to end this.”

  Bao clenches his fists. “This has been his plan all along. Send the Harbingers, analyze your growth, and once you reach your peak...strike.”

  I shake my head.

  “No.”

  They both look at me.

  I stare at the flashing red markers on the map, tracing every battle.

  “This isn’t my peak.” I clench my fists. “This is just the beginning.”

  Lynn raises an eyebrow. “You sound confident.”

  I grin, stretching my fingers.

  For the first time, the cosmic power inside me doesn’t feel unstable.

  It feels right.

  Akunon thinks he knows what I can do.

  But he’s only seen glimpses.

  I stand up.

  “We need a plan.”

  Dr. Bao clicks through the star charts on the holographic display.

  “We’ve been so focused on defending Earth,” he mutters, “that we haven’t considered something else.”

  Lynn folds her arms. “Which is?”

  Bao’s glasses glint under the screen’s light.

  “Akunon’s army isn’t limitless.”

  I blink.

  Lynn frowns. “Explain.”

  Bao enlarges the star map, zooming in on a sector of space.

  “This is Akunon’s current war fleet. It’s powerful, yes, but it’s not infinite. His reach depends on maintaining strategic locations throughout the galaxy. And from our observations...”

  He highlights a section of space in red.

  “...Akunon has been pulling forces away from his outposts to focus on you.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “So he’s leaving himself open?”

  Bao nods. “Potentially.”

  Lynn exhales. “You’re suggesting we take the fight to him.”

  Silence.

  I grin.

  “Finally,” I say. “Something fun.”

  Lynn pinches the bridge of her nose. “Yuri, this is insane. We don’t even know if...”

  Bao cuts her off. “We do.”

  She blinks. “What?”

  Bao zooms in on a planetary outpost marked in red.

  “This is Jovalis-9—one of Akunon’s supply chains for his fleet. If we can hit it, we can disrupt his reinforcements.”

  Lynn narrows her eyes. “And you think Yuri can handle this?”

  I roll my shoulders. “I know I can.”

  Bao hesitates.

  “There’s one problem,” he mutters.

  I cross my arms. “There’s always a problem.”

  Bao taps a button.

  A holographic image appears.

  It’s another Harbinger.

  A massive, multi-armed warlord, its body covered in battle scars and arcane sigils.

  Lynn frowns. “Another one?”

  Bao nods.

  I stare at the name that appears.

  Morgath, The Tyrant Forge.

  Another challenger.

  Another war.

  I smirk.

  “Good.”

  I turn to Lynn and Bao.

  “Tell me where to go.”

  The Hyper Space God stands at the edge of his throne, staring at the holographic star map.

  His eyes narrow.

  A slow smile forms on his lips.

  “Ah. You’re finally making a move.”

  His fingers tighten into a fist.

  Behind him, Morgath kneels.

  “My lord,” the massive warlord rumbles.

  Akunon’s gaze burns through the stars.

  “The Cosmic Monster believes he can challenge me.”

  He leans forward.

  “Let him come.”

  Morgath grins, fangs gleaming.

  “As you wish, my lord.”