Chapter 8: The Space

Yaxoc and Yaxocara dashed through the dimension, their movements steady until an unseen force tripped them, sending them tumbling into another realm entirely.

As Yaxoc got to his feet, he glanced around in confusion. "Is this... space?" he murmured, taking in the sprawling expanse around them.

"This feels... awkward," Yaxocara replied, scanning the environment. "Not to mention, we're not even floating. Gravity in space? That's new."

The pair began to explore, marveling at the strange sights. Stars glittered like scattered jewels, and swirling black holes loomed ominously in the distance.

"Huh. Whoever made this place really has a thing for cosmology," Yaxocara observed, gazing at the celestial scenery.

"Yeah, look at that massive star," Yaxoc added, pointing to a glowing giant.

As they continued, an eerie sensation crept over them. The floor beneath their feet felt solid, yet oddly unnatural.

"Do you feel that?" Yaxocara asked, slowing her pace. "It's like we're walking on something..."

Yaxoc nodded. "Yeah, and there are all these boxes lying around. What's the deal with those?"

Ahead, they noticed a group of people. Some were gathering boxes, while others relaxed, gazing at the cosmic vista.

Yaxocara strode up to one of the workers, her voice blunt. "Hey, you! Where are we?"

The startled worker turned to face them, looking surprised. "Oh, you must be new... Right, right. Welcome to The Box. This... this 60,000-foot cube." They gestured around. "It's a phenomenon that shields us from cosmic dangers, like supernovas or black holes. Without it, we wouldn't last a second out here."

Yaxocara raised an eyebrow. "And these boxes? What's the deal with those?"

The worker scratched their head. "The boxes? They come from the cube itself, though no one knows how. Our scientists say it's some kind of supernatural behavior."

Yaxoc folded his arms. "Weird. Any idea how we got here?"

The worker shook their head. "No clue. Most of us got here by accident, just like you, I'm guessing. Anyway, make yourselves comfortable." They gave a nod and wandered off to continue stacking boxes.

"Is this some kind of... cosmic job?" Yaxoc muttered.

"Seems like it," Yaxocara replied, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the strange surroundings. "But something about this doesn't add up..."

The strange, shimmering glow in the air grew brighter as Yaxoc and Yaxocara continued through the eerie dimension. Their conversation was interrupted when they spotted an ominous figure heading straight toward them.

"What's that?" Yaxoc asked, his voice cautious as he pointed to the distant shadow.

Yaxocara squinted, her eyes narrowing. "Wait... I think I recognize—"

Before she could finish, the massive form of Eburiwan crashed into a nearby cube. The impact shattered the structure, sending shockwaves across the landscape and sucking all the people clutching their precious boxes into oblivion.

"Eburiwan?!" Yaxoc shouted in disbelief, his fists clenching instinctively. "That thing's back?!"

The towering demon cracked its knuckles, a malicious grin spreading across its face. "Miss me? I've brought a gift this time," it growled, revealing a massive, radiant gem clutched in its clawed hand.

Yaxoc grimaced. "A gem? That can't be good."

Yaxocara's eyes widened in alarm. "That's the Universe Gem! It's using that to boost its power!"

Eburiwan roared, the sound tearing through the air and shaking the dimension violently. Yaxoc groaned as the energy wave made him stagger.

"Enough talk!" Yaxocara shouted, springing into action. She charged at Eburiwan, unleashing a flurry of strikes. But the demon was fast, dodging each blow with precision.

Eburiwan countered with an elbow strike, but Yaxocara caught it mid-air, twisting with enough force to break the joint. Her follow-up right hook sent the demon hurtling into the void.

Before it could recover, Yaxoc teleported behind it, delivering a brutal kick to its back that sent it crashing downward. Appearing above the demon, he slammed it into the ground with a thunderous blow.

Yaxocara didn't miss a beat. She appeared by the fallen demon, grabbed it by the throat, and drove her blade into its body repeatedly before launching it into a distant moon.

The impact shattered the celestial body, scattering debris. Yaxoc and Yaxocara followed up with synchronized strikes, stomping on the moon's fragments to create shockwaves that propelled Eburiwan into more moons, each collision leaving trails of destruction.

As Yaxoc approached for another attack, Eburiwan roared and released a massive energy explosion, sending Yaxoc flying. The Universe Gem began regenerating as cracks in its surface healed.

"This is bad," Yaxoc muttered, steadying himself mid-air.

Yaxocara appeared beside him, her tone grim. "Even with our enhanced powers, this isn't enough. That gem makes it practically invincible."

Eburiwan charged toward them with blinding speed, landing a devastating blow that sent them both careening into a chain of moons.

Yaxoc groaned as he struggled to stand. "You've messed with the wrong angel!"

With a burst of radiant energy, Yaxoc ascended to his final form: Disciple of the Strongest Angel. His halo burned brightly, and his glowing fists pulsed with divine energy.

"It ends now!" Yaxoc roared, lunging at Eburiwan. The sheer force of his charge split the moon beneath him. In an instant, five rapid strikes hit Eburiwan, leaving the demon stunned and staggering.

"Such... speed..." Eburiwan gasped, visibly shaken.

Yaxoc unleashed a flurry of brutal punches, each one reverberating through space. With one final, earth-shattering blow, he struck the Universe Gem, sending Eburiwan flying out of the dimension and into the void beyond reality.

Outside the Reality Realm, Eburiwan floated in confusion. "Where...?"

Yaxoc appeared behind him, his voice cold. "This is where it ends."

With a series of devastating strikes, Yaxoc shattered the demon's body and delivered the final blow, an Angelic Flash that exploded with divine energy. The blast erased Eburiwan from existence, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.

Yaxoc floated back into the dimension, his power subsiding. He found Yaxocara staring at him, her jaw practically on the floor.

"How the hell did you pull that off?" she muttered, shaking her head. "Never mind. The portal's open thanks to your over-the-top nonsense. Let's just get out of here."

"Sorry," Yaxoc said sheepishly as he helped her up.

"Save the apologies for later, moron. Let's move."

The two stepped through the glowing portal, leaving the shattered moons behind.

Far away, two figures observed the scene from the remains of a distant moon.

"Told you," Xavy said smugly. "Yaxoc's strength keeps growing, surpassing even Yaxocara."

Liski scoffed. "You're just obsessed with hyping him up."

"Facts are facts," Xavy replied, gesturing to the obliterated reality panel before them.

Liski sighed, crossing their arms. "And who's fixing this mess?"

Xavy waved his hand, using his power to repair the fractured reality. "There. Good as new. Let's go—the others are waiting."

With a flicker of light, the two vanished into the void.