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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRv6zPAz3p
"The door... she broke the door," one Exoterran muttered in disbelief.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCH7K1x9yM
"Wasn't that made of Xenium Alloy?" another whispered.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6nCLUTlHm
"Yeah... that's one of the toughest metals around," came another hushed voice.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGJ7svCSCQ
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...*
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnt840zzZY
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpzeBdoEgc
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!"
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCkJ6QXkvn
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKe8WjVwYC
(A Quart being equivalent to 20 years of age.)
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UK5vam1OY
The white-haired man, hearing their disbelief, turned to the two Exoterrans with a playful smile. His expression was calm, yet brimming with confidence.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bPdsDi68I
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcERbo2ALcq
"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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerFqOfq9Dc
"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."
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyP9xAnupJ
Nexus, like a lifeless doll, was pulled closer to the woman's face, her grip tight and unyielding around his scarf.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOTqbggPVh
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gjxvSLcKb
"I'm coming with you, huh?" Nexus chuckled, his eyes half-lidded. "You say that buuuut..."
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugxletNWv8
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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPzQv5W3I8
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82KthIFF44
"Damn you!" she snarled, her voice echoing in fury as she blinked against the light.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdepmvX9hiv
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2G0p73QNi9
When the brilliance faded and her vision cleared, she found nothing but an empty stool and the faint scent of smoke in the air.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRUC1nLRbN
"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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyRSrxnTxY
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZdqYvN5wf
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."
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEiLp3RrKh
With a mocking salute, he turned and bolted out of the bar, leaving the patrons stunned and K seething with anger.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcbyf9bE2c
"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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLegzAMuUnT
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92jP0DgZlH
"That woman... she was floating," an Anced, with green skin and long, slender arms, muttered as he inspected a few scratches from the chaos.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2XQOSIZe9
"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."
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLTG9j3mBX
(Soufre meaning Bounty Hunter.)
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRRmJTcN01
The realization sparked an uproar. The bar, now in shambles, erupted in heated conversations as patrons began to piece together what had just happened.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuwBwX3xo6
"A Vulcanari," someone shouted from the back.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc2bctXZw3
"The last Vulcanari, you mean," another voice corrected, awe creeping into their tone.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bECqvvCju
"You'd think they were legends," someone else chimed in. "To see one in action... that speed, that strength..."
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlukrD0lvB
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi3CU072J3
"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."
***
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCjsFBwxWi
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpwmHStqMz
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBphRokhEqB
"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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMGGXDNXOG
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.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mnTjgrQiU
"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."39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9nGoft3mh
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUE1rGfmc6a
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.
***
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3Ia9wxeJc
Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse
ns3.19.75.212da2
and then Add to home screen.