As the twin suns of Xylophia-IV dipped beneath the dusky crimson horizon, the atmosphere turned molten gold. The air shimmered with the last heat of day, casting elongated shadows across the alien terrain. Muhan strolled leisurely toward the central dome of the Nano Space Ship, a faint smile still lingering on his lips from his earlier encounter with Mi-cha. But that warmth would soon be replaced by something far more chilling.
Standing before the dormitory gates was Professor Ae-cha—or at least, someone wearing her face.
She was as graceful as ever, her long, auburn curls cascading over her shoulders like silk, and her deep brown eyes glinting with mystery. "Good evening, Muhan," she greeted, her voice dipped in honey and shadow. "You're adjusting well to the planet, I see?"
Muhan offered a respectful nod, though something about her seemed... off. The air around her felt heavier, charged with an eerie static, like the universe itself was holding its breath.
"Yes, Professor. The excursion's been incredible so far. I've learned more here than I ever thought possible."
Her smile deepened. "Good. Because what comes next… might teach you something even more unforgettable."
Before Muhan could respond, his internal system flared a brilliant red.
⟪ALERT: High-level demonic presence detected. Identity mismatch confirmed. Target is not Professor Ae-cha.⟫
His eyes narrowed sharply, adrenaline kicking in. "Who are you?"
The woman's expression shifted. Gone was the genteel smile. In its place was a wicked smirk that curled like smoke.
"Ah… you caught me," she said, her voice now sultry and echoing with an ancient resonance. "It was a charming little disguise, wasn't it?"
Her transformation was both terrifying and beautiful. Her eyes ignited with a blood-red glow, burning like dying stars. Smooth horns curled from her temples as her hair darkened into a shade of crimson so deep it was almost black. Her skin turned porcelain white, faintly luminescent under the rising moonlight. Power radiated off her in crushing waves, each pulse enough to make the atmosphere tremble.
"I go by Chae-min," she purred, stepping closer. "You're rather hard to ignore, Muhan Lockhart. That aura, that power... that face. Tell me—do all the pretty ones at Wysteria fight like gods?"
Muhan held his ground, the gears of his system whirring silently as his body prepared for combat. "And you're a level 300 demon. Disguised as a professor. What's your angle?"
Chae-min grinned. "Nothing sinister. Just curiosity. And maybe a little fun. I want to spar. No death, no tricks... just raw power."
Despite the warning bells in his mind, Muhan's lips curved into a smirk. "Then let's take it outside."
In a blink, the two soared through the atmosphere and breached the stratosphere, bodies like specks of stardust dancing across the cosmos. Planet Xylophia-IV faded behind them, now a glowing orb surrounded by rings of glittering crystal.
Above them, in the void of space, stars pulsed with indifferent beauty. Chae-min floated with regal poise, one hand on her hip, her gaze locked on Muhan. "Ready when you are, handsome."
Muhan answered by deactivating his Strength Suppression limiter. His aura exploded outward, staining the void with threads of prismatic Aether. With a single thought, he conjured an enormous cosmic shield to protect the planet below. Then he moved—at the speed of sound.
He struck.
A thunderclap tore through the vacuum, reality warping from the impact. His fist collided with Chae-min's cheek... but she didn't budge.
"What...?" Muhan barely muttered, shock flickering in his eyes.
Her playful expression turned feral. "My turn."
Her punch was faster than light, a blur that transcended time. The force slammed into Muhan's chest and hurled him across the stars. He tore through nebulae, broke moons like glass, and cratered into a distant, lifeless planet with a force that shattered its crust and cored its heart.
Silence.
Then, with a casual flick of her wrist, Chae-min snapped her fingers.
The ruined planet reassembled itself instantly. The universe, broken in the wake of her blow, realigned. Stars reformed. Galaxies stabilized.
Muhan rose, stunned. She hadn't just hit him. She had rewritten the fabric of space like a child piecing together a broken toy.
Hovering above, Chae-min chuckled, a sound that echoed across dimensions. "Was that a sufficient demonstration, Handsome?"
Meanwhile, light-years away…
Mi-cha stood by her dormitory window, freshly out of the shower, her damp hair cascading around her shoulders. She had completed her daily system quests, but tonight, her mind was not at ease.
Her thoughts spiraled around Muhan. His touch, his smile, the way he made her feel like the only one in the universe. And yet… something gnawed at her.
She suddenly straightened.
Her system chimed, detecting residual cosmic energy signatures just outside planetary orbit. One was unmistakable—Muhan. But the other… it was vast, volatile, and utterly foreign.
Mi-cha's breath caught in her throat. "What… is that?"
Fear and longing warred within her chest. She activated her internal comm-link.
⟪To: Muhan⟫
⟪Mi-cha: Hey… what's going on? I can sense you. You're outside the planet, right?⟫
Seconds later, the reply pinged back:
⟪Muhan: Yeah, I had to take care of something. I'll fill you in later.⟫
But before she could press further, her system flashed another alert.
⟪WARNING: Demon-Class Entity Detected In Orbit. High-Level Threat.⟫
Her fingers trembled as she typed out another message—only for the connection to sever mid-sentence.
"No…" she whispered, her heart slamming against her ribs. "Muhan…"
She rushed to her console, trying to reroute communications, but the signal had vanished. All she could do now was wait.
And hope.
Back in the vast abyss of space, Muhan stood across from Chae-min, his chest heaving, mind racing.
"I don't want to kill you," Chae-min said suddenly, her tone sincere—almost too sincere. "You're far too interesting. I just want to know how far you can go."
Before he could respond, she vanished.
One blink. And she was gone.
Muhan's eyes darted through the void, senses on high alert.
"Where are you...?"
No answer.
Just the silence of the stars—and the echo of her haunting laughter, trailing like smoke across the cosmos.