Who…" Carter steadied himself, his tone turning hostile. "Who are you?"
"HAHA!" The white being burst into laughter, the sound reverberating through the void. "You're really not the same kid who used to pester the system with childish questions anymore, are you, Carter?"
Though the being laughed, Carter felt no mirth—only a creeping sense of concern. This guy knows about the system… but I've never told anyone else about it. Who is he?
Carter instinctively drifted back, his untrusting gaze locked onto the glowing figure. System… System! he called out internally, but for the first time, there was no response.
Panic bubbled beneath the surface as he tried again. Still nothing.
"Don't bother," the white figure said, his tone calm but firm. "Kreos already agreed to give me some alone time with you. Without that agreement, I wouldn't have been able to enter your subconscious while Kreos was active."
Kreos? Carter's thoughts raced. Is he talking about the system? If Kreos—or the system—allowed this, then he must not be a threat. He could have easily wiped my consciousness by now in this state.
But Carter's eyes narrowed as doubt crept in. No. Even at my strongest, I wouldn't be able to match this guy.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Carter steadied himself. The white being simply stood there, motionless yet unnervingly present.
"Alright," Carter began, his tone sharp but resigned. "I've already figured out that you're not hostile, at least for now. And you said you came to tell me about my purpose. What purpose?"
The glowing figure's form shimmered faintly, his presence growing heavier. "You must have many questions, and I have answers. But I can only share what I am permitted to reveal. Before we dive into the true topic, I must explain something crucial—how you should approach 'Worlds' moving forward. Take heed, for your very existence depends on this knowledge."
Carter's gaze deepened, his posture firm. "Let's hear it."
Meanwhile, in the depths of space, far from the all-out battle between the X3X and Carter's Knights, the Sentinels prepared for their own confrontation.
Ralak and the other Sentinels flew before Ashira and the other X Champions, both sides locking eyes with unspoken hostility.
"If I'd known you called us out just to get a good look at us, I would've dressed for the occasion," Ralak said mockingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ashira scoffed, his lip curling into a sneer. "Hm, who would want to look at you, slave dogs? The battle's been raging for a while now, and your precious leader hasn't even shown himself. You've been abandoned, and after I take all your heads, I'll be going to find that worthless coward and take his as well."
The Sentinels tensed, their power simmering just beneath the surface. Energy crackled around them, especially from Lorna, who looked as if she was barely holding herself back from tearing Ashira's throat out right then and there.
Ralak remained composed, though his eyes burned with cold fury. "For someone who talks such a big game, you sure are doing a lot of staring. How about you shut your trap and let your strength do the talking?"
Ashira laughed, baring his fangs. "I struck a nerve, didn't I? The only reason we're not tearing you apart right now is out of pity. We outnumber you, after all. But to make it fair, I'll tell you what: I'll fight you. My big friend, Hungriv, over here wants to pulverize that four-armed punk standing across from us. You can choose the rest. How's that sound?"
Ashira's laugh echoed, joined by the arrogant chuckles of the other stars.
Ralak tilted his head, his smile cold and confident. "Jirak, you take that one." He pointed to the third star, Esra. "Drenok, you deal with him." His gaze shifted to the fifth star, Heven. "Sinith, that one's yours." His eyes landed on the fourth star, Khal. "And Zhala, you and Lorna clean up the rest."
The other stars—The sixth star, The star of Vengeance, The seventh star, the star of Illusions, The eighh star, the star of Lust, and the ninth star the Cowardly Star—smirked, their arrogance thick.
"Quite bold of you, pinning four of us against just two of you," Ashira, taunted. "But why should I care? You're all going to die anyway."
Ralak smirked and began to fly off, his voice calm yet lethal. "How about you shut the fuck up and come this way."
Ashira clicked his teeth, his eyes narrowing. "Tch. You're so quick to die."
With that, Ashira shot off, and the other stars followed suit, spreading out to face their chosen opponents.