A hundred years into the future? And now I'm stuck in this corner of the universe? Kael Draven thought, a deep frown etched on his face. "F*ck, I really hate that b*tch," he muttered, staring at his reflection in the mirror.
Now inside a small bathroom, Kael examined his thin body. Far from the shredded, battle-hardened physique he once had, the sight made him sigh.
The scars of countless battles remained, but instead of a mark of glory, they made him look like a victim of constant bullying. In reality, these scars were trophies—proof of victories over powerful, planet-crushing foes. Shaking his head, he reached for the clothes Milan had given him: a loose white shirt and simple brown trousers. The attire felt earthy, almost nostalgic.
Having traveled across galaxies, Kael knew some planets bore striking similarities to Earth, especially in clothing styles. Yet, he also knew that the simplicity of these clothes suggested something about the planet's technological level.
Kael raised a hand, clenching it into a fist. His strength was a shadow of what it once was. The realization hit him again—this wasn't a dream. At first, he doubted Milan's words about the hundred-year gap, but his weakened state couldn't lie. Reluctantly, he had no choice but to believe her.
A hundred years ago, even without his Aegis Prime, Kael could shatter houses with a punch, lift a fully-grown elephant with one hand, and leap thousands of meters into the sky. Dodging a slap would've been a joke. All of this was thanks to his genetically enhanced body, a result of experiments conducted by mad scientists he preferred not to think about. But becoming the White Aegis Prime required sacrifices, and Kael had been left with no choice but to endure the experiments.
His gaze hardened as it returned to the mirror, his eyes glinting with fury. His mind drifted back to the one responsible for sealing him in ice. The memory felt fresh, like an open wound. Fortunately, Kael knew how to adapt to sudden changes and handle emotional turmoil. He refused to waste time dwelling on things beyond his control. And if this were a dream, he would've figured it out by now.
"I have to find my suit… and kill her," he muttered.
But first, he needed answers. The frustration of realizing they had been so close to winning the war—only to discover they were mere pawns in their enemies' game—gnawed at him.
After dressing and combing his hair, Kael stepped out of the bathroom. The scent of fresh clothes accompanied him as he headed downstairs, following the sound of voices.
Apparently, the house had a second floor, and Milan's voice drifted up from below, accompanied by a high-pitched cry.
Kael descended the stairs and entered the living room. Milan was seated on a black couch, gently rocking what appeared to be a one- or two-year-old baby in her arms.
"Is that yours?" he asked, taking a seat across from her. His eyes scanned the room.
The space was simple yet modern, exuding a cozy, homely feel.
"Yes," Milan replied softly, her attention focused on the baby, who was slowly falling asleep in her arms.
"I never thought someone as young and beautiful as you would already have a child," Kael said, glancing at the baby in her arms.
"Young? I'm almost thirty," Milan replied, glaring at him.
"It doesn't look like it. Still pretty young, though," Kael shrugged. "Some people live for hundreds of years, and others can even reach a thousand."
"You're referring to other species or those hybrid androids. We humans aren't like them," Milan shot back.
"True," Kael nodded thoughtfully. Come to think of it… have I returned to being a normal human? Or has my enhanced body been sealed somehow? Without any equipment to test his body, his questions remained unanswered.
Leaning closer, Kael locked eyes with Milan. "Where did your father find me?"
"I don't know the details, but apparently, it was in the mines." Milan's expression shifted, her eyes growing cold. "If you ask me, I think you committed some crime and were hiding there. Something must've gone wrong, and you passed out. And my foolish father decided to bring home a criminal."
"That's a wild imagination you've got there," Kael chuckled.
"I have a daughter," Milan snapped.
"Fair point. But if you really think I'm a criminal, why not kick me out now? Aren't you afraid I'll do something bad? Like what I did this morning?" Kael smirked, his tone teasing.
Milan's face turned red for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "That's… Shut up. Anyway, if you do that again, I'll kill you for real!"
"Hahaha," Kael laughed heartily before his expression turned serious. "The mine—where is it?"
A plan was already forming in Kael's mind. Revenge against the b*tch and those Anthi-Orgs burned in his chest. As for the war, he didn't need to research the outcome. He already knew. Yellow and the others would never have been able to defeat Pink. He had experienced her overwhelming strength firsthand.
A difference as vast as heaven and earth.
I need to get stronger—stronger than my peak—if I want to kill her.
"The outskirts," Milan replied, her tone cautious. "He works in several mines, so I don't know which one exactly."
"Alright," Kael said, standing up. "That's where I'm going."
"If you're looking for my father, don't bother. I already notified him," Milan said. "He'll be back in an hour or two."
"Oh." Kael sat back down. Aside from wanting to speak with her father, he hoped the man might know something about his suit. But this worked just as well—he could ask directly. "Do you have something I can use to look for information?"
Milan sighed, her suspicion of Kael lingering, but she decided to trust her father's judgment. Holding her baby in one arm, she walked to a nearby drawer, pulled out a circular device, and tossed it to him.
"Thanks," Kael said, catching the device effortlessly. It didn't take him long to figure out how to use it. With a faint hum, a holographic display materialized in the air before him.
...
Two hours later, Kael finished surfing the UniNet. The only thing he uncovered was what he already suspected.
As he expected, the Anthi-Orgs had won the war, and their plan to conquer every planet had gone without a hitch. One by one, planets fell under their might, and those who dared to resist were utterly annihilated.
Kael tried searching for information about the Exo Primeval, but it was fruitless. All he found were vague records of past achievements, as though their involvement in the war had been wiped from existence.
Even after scouring for more details, he found nothing of real value. What did catch his attention, however, was a peculiar discovery. The UniNet—the interstellar network connecting planets, galaxies, and clusters—had ceased providing updates to this planet fifty years ago. Now, it revolved solely around Taros, isolating it from the greater universe.
Kael understood the implications. This was likely Taros' way of staying off the radar. After all, the Anthi-Orgs possessed the most advanced technology in the universe. It wouldn't be surprising if they pinpointed a planet's location from something as trivial as an intergalactic pornographic signal.
The sound of footsteps echoed as Milan descended the stairs, her worried expression immediately catching Kael's attention.
"You okay?" he asked, setting the device aside.
"This is strange," Milan muttered, frowning as she glanced at her wristwatch. "He's still not here."
"Mr. Ponce?" Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," she said, her voice heavy. "If he says he'll be home on time, he's always home on time. And even if something came up, he'd send me a message."
"Something must've gone wrong," Kael commented, earning a sharp glare from her. "Just saying."
As if his words were a jinx, Milan's watch vibrated, and a holographic screen flickered to life. The display was visible only to her, so Kael leaned in and perked his ears.
"Uncle, what happened?" Milan's voice was laced with concern.
Her uncle's voice crackled through the device. "Your father… sh*t. A Fissure appeared, and he's been dragged inside during the process. The mine's been evacuated and shut down. This place'll be crawling with Primers soon, and you know how they are… they won't care about a miner's life."
"Fissure?!" Milan exclaimed, her face pale with shock.
"Fissure?" Kael muttered under his breath. His memory stirred, and the term suddenly clicked.
Milan exchanged a few more frantic words with her uncle before the call ended.
"I'm sorry, Milan. There's nothing I can do," her uncle said grimly before the hologram flickered off.
Milan's vision swirled as the weight of the situation hit her. She lost her balance, but Kael was quick to catch her.
"Let's sit here," he whispered, guiding her toward the couch. Along the way, his hand brushed her chest. He gave it a gentle squeeze, seemingly unbothered by the situation. Only after a few moments did he move his hand elsewhere.
"My father… I don't want to lose him," Milan choked out, her voice breaking.
"Don't worry. I'll save him," Kael declared with calm confidence.
Milan looked at him, startled. Then her expression softened into a bitter smile. "You can't. You're just an ordinary man. Going there is suicide. Besides, you don't even have an Aegis Prime."
"You're disrespecting the White Prime," Kael said, meeting her eyes with a serious gaze. "I'm Kael Draven. Even without a suit, I can handle a Fissure."
"Keep pretending," Milan scoffed.
"I'm not," Kael said as he stood. "Here's the deal: I'll save your father, and I'll prove to you that I really am Kael Draven. Technically, he saved my life. I'm just returning the favor."
Kael also wanted to use this opportunity to observe the planet and figure out his next steps, especially how to strengthen his weakened body, stronger than his peak. Although he already had a plan for revenge, it would be impossible to execute with his current strength.
Milan fell silent. She bit her lip, clearly conflicted. Seeing the determination in the man before her, she could only let out a resigned sigh. Rising from her seat, she disappeared into one of the rooms. When she returned, she was holding a sleek black bracelet.
Simple, yet elegant.
"Take this with you," Milan said, handing over the object. "With this, you can enter any Fissures in the city, even without a suit."
"Status Band?" Kael asked, inspecting the bracelet. It looked old and worn, but still functional.
"Yes. My mother was a Primer. This was hers. It's very precious to me... to us." Milan's voice wavered as she stared into his eyes, tears threatening to fall. But then she took a deep breath, determination flashing across her face. "If you save my father's life… I'll give you whatever you want."
"Oh?" Kael raised an eyebrow, his gaze shamelessly wandering over her body. Milan didn't flinch. Instead, she just let out a sheepish smile, holding his gaze.
"You have a deal," Kael said, smirking.
At that moment, a memory of Yellow, his former teammate, popped into his mind.
"For some p*ssy, he'll do anything."