Silence. The once lively bar, filled with the laughter and noise of Exoterrans indulging in their desires, had gone completely still. No one dared to speak as all eyes locked onto the floating woman and the white-haired man. Unlike the rest, he wasn't afraid—just smirking, casually leaning against the bar with a drink in hand.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQBqjDjBlr
"The door... she broke the door," one Exoterran muttered in disbelief.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb8eSiyxmd
"Wasn't that made of Xenium Alloy?" another whispered.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1iorM1hp8
"Yeah... that's one of the toughest metals around," came another hushed voice.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhBKdpAKPY
In the corner, a blue-eyed Exoterran, like the others, watched silently, his gaze fixed on the woman. A single thought crossed his mind: *Could she be...*
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wQyBn8tL3
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fcO2Bxy8L
Kaeli, however, wasn't staring at the woman. Her wide eyes were glued to the white-haired man. "She called him Nexus," she said, catching Lysara's attention. "But he's no older than a Quart!"
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMq52YqStT
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQvcaxiZNJ
(A Quart being equivalent to 20 years of age.)
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdhh1UPygB
The white-haired man, hearing their disbelief, turned to the two Exoterrans with a playful smile. His expression was calm, yet brimming with confidence.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoybtKEsdG
Standing from his seat, he spread his arms wide. "Allow me to introduce myself," he announced loudly, his gaze shifting back to the blonde woman floating before him. "Devilishly charming and irresistibly handsome—Nexus, at your service." He followed his words with a dramatic bow, leaving the entire bar speechless.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqKcXkR5SZ
"Enough of your boasts," the woman coldly interrupted, gliding closer to him. Nexus's smirk didn't waver, his eyes still playful and unbothered by her approach.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4xl326e5g
"I don't see the point in asking you to come with me quietly," she continued, reaching out and grabbing his white scarf. Her eyes began to glow, shifting to a bright, burning red as they radiated intense heat. "But make no mistake," she said, her voice dripping with authority. "You will be coming with me."
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWw0UQ0xds
Nexus, like a lifeless doll, was pulled closer to the woman's face, her grip tight and unyielding around his scarf.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xVh9T3cYC
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq9GvnaqcH
"I'm coming with you, huh?" Nexus chuckled, his eyes half-lidded. "You say that buuuut..."
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkui1bxlQLY
He closed his eyes, the smirk never leaving his lips, waiting for the right moment. Then, in an instant, his left eye shot open, unleashing a blinding flash of light that flooded the entire bar. Exoterrans shielded their eyes, and the woman, too, was forced to release her grip, throwing her hands over her face.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxcL0ZkCne
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJ1wAXIocf
"Damn you!" she snarled, her voice echoing in fury as she blinked against the light.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQl9uWwkwh7
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRk5oo3yrZk
When the brilliance faded and her vision cleared, she found nothing but an empty stool and the faint scent of smoke in the air.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSPDLHYa7d
"I still don't think you have what it takes to catch me, K," came a voice from just behind her. Her eyes snapped in the direction of the sound, her heart racing. There he was, standing smugly by the bar's entrance, arms crossed and grinning like he had just won a game.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinE9IpIpuM
K's fists clenched, her glowing eyes burning hotter than before. She could feel the frustration boiling up inside her. "Nexus!" she screamed, her voice filled with rage.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv75B6ClxY
Nexus just laughed, tapping the side of his temple. "Oh, did you forget about my cybernetic eye? It's got plenty of tricks up its sleeve," he said with a teasing wink. "Better luck next time."
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW32fGBoEOb
With a mocking salute, he turned and bolted out of the bar, leaving the patrons stunned and K seething with anger.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ29fiXHCBv
"You're not getting away!" K roared, her voice booming as she shot toward the exit. In a blur of motion, she exploded through the doorway, leaving nothing but destruction in her wake. The sheer force of her speed obliterated what remained of the entrance, and countless patrons were tossed aside like ragdolls, crashing into walls and furniture.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVphVctc1y3
The once rowdy bar had been reduced to a mess of overturned tables, splintered chairs, and groaning patrons sprawled across the floor. Pained murmurs filled the air as Exoterrans slowly picked themselves up from the debris.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcisrNnop4
"That woman... she was floating," an Anced, with green skin and long, slender arms, muttered as he inspected a few scratches from the chaos.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uDfTUDrcp
"Her name was K, if I remember right," a Rultod grunted, leaning heavily against the wall, its massive crimson shell covered in dust. "She must've been Soufre K."
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LIyd4ry2U
(Soufre meaning Bounty Hunter.)
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPH3V4On8d
The realization sparked an uproar. The bar, now in shambles, erupted in heated conversations as patrons began to piece together what had just happened.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspNFcfgjEr
"A Vulcanari," someone shouted from the back.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKLXqrZiJN
"The last Vulcanari, you mean," another voice corrected, awe creeping into their tone.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLZibFygKs
"You'd think they were legends," someone else chimed in. "To see one in action... that speed, that strength..."
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zIZhUJPTc
Amongst the chatter, one Exoterran remained silent, watching the chaos with sharp, yellow eyes. It observed the other patrons, the corner of its wide jaw curling into a sinister smirk as a low, eerie laugh escaped its throat.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdOWNWcH5M
"A Vulcanari," it mused softly, its voice barely audible amidst the noise. "A species that can absorb energy from their surroundings... gaining godlike strength. Nexus," it chuckled darkly, "you've met your match this time."
***
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7QB6bVhAV
Nexus, his grin widening, darted across the metal rooftops of the dark zone, his movements fluid and confident. The cityscape beneath him blurred as he leapt from one rooftop to the next, every surface slick with the residue of industrial fumes. The wind whistled past his ears, but he barely noticed. His focus was on the horizon, the towering structures, and the path ahead.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDJDlHn1Tp
He took a brief moment to glance up, catching sight of the darkened sky above. Distant transport vehicles zipped between the high-rises, their lights blinking like distant stars, while the occasional stellar bridge arced beyond the planet's atmosphere. Among the chaos of the night, the massive moon shone bright and full, casting a pale glow across the city.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMdRHTvzrZ
"The moon looks beautiful tonight," Nexus mused, his eyes lingering on it for a heartbeat. He felt a sense of calm wash over him—brief, fleeting, and gone in an instant.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSxZUashWL
A thunderous boom ripped through the air behind him, the force of the sound rattling the very rooftops beneath his feet. Nexus instinctively turned his head, his silver hair catching the wind as it picked up in intensity.
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrrKXZmu6a
"Oh?" His eyes gleamed with excitement as he felt the surge of power approaching. A smile tugged at his lips, wide and eager. "She's coming."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIPy8KW1ee
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5vTXUKDXY
With a quick inhale, Nexus bolted forward once more, his pace increasing, leaping across the ever-shifting metal rooftops. The chase had begun, and the game was on.
***
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj3GZ3RELJ
Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse
ns216.73.216.70da2
and then Add to home screen.