Tension on the Deck

On the Main Fleet of Mercury Headquarters, something incredible had happened…

The fleet had doubled in size.

Using their mana, the top mages of Mars and Mercury had conjured entirely new warships—each one forged from shimmering magic metal that pulsed with raw power. It took tremendous energy to maintain, but with these mages, it was like watching gods build temples with a snap of their fingers.

But of course…

Tension followed power like a shadow.

And now, conflict had broken out between the mages of Mars and Mercury.

They glared at one another across the command deck, magic crackling faintly in the air. It was like a storm held back by the thinnest thread. One wrong look and the place would erupt.

Angel Squad was watching from the edge of the room.

All except Rose.

Aika blinked sleepily and leaned in close to Kai. "Um... who are those guys?"

Kai gave her the driest stare he could manage. "Seriously…?"

"Don't look at me like that," she yawned again. "I just woke up…"

Kai sighed and motioned toward the five standing at the front of the Mercury delegation.

"That one," he pointed with his chin, "is Zuberi Kaelani."

A towering black male with a chest like a steel wall and arms that looked like they could break boulders. His hair was cut short, clean and brutal, just like the rest of him. Even when standing still, his whole body seemed tense, as if he was constantly seconds away from throwing a punch. His glare alone could probably crack a ship's hull.

"Hot-headed doesn't even begin to describe him."

Kai's finger shifted. "That's Nova Greaves."

She stood with elegance that didn't match the setting—draped in a sleek battle dress adorned with faintly glowing runes. Her golden hair was tied back with silken ribbons, and every step she took seemed choreographed. She didn't so much as glance at the Mars mages, and yet it felt like she was silently judging all of them.

"She acts like a queen… probably because she thinks she is one."

He moved on.

"Echo Virell. Don't even try to understand her."

The green-haired girl was swaying slightly, a soft hum escaping her lips. Her expression was far-off, like she was watching a memory no one else could see. Her uniform was uneven—half buttoned, half not—and her boots didn't even match.

"She's smart. Scary smart. But totally spaced out."

"And that one…" Kai paused.

Aika followed his gaze to the tall figure cloaked in shadows.

His black hair hung long and uneven, a white streak curling over one eye. His presence was heavy, like a pressure against the lungs. His posture was perfectly still, but there was something deeply unsettling in that stillness—as though he was calculating everything, including how to kill you without lifting a finger.

"Hoshigane Riku. Their leader."

The tension inside Mercury's grand command hall was so thick it could be sliced with a blade.

"Why are they sooo... pissed…" Aika muttered under her breath, tilting her head toward Kai.

Kai exhaled. "Well… it's because of your—"

"I TOLD YOU, TAKASHIMA!!!"Zuberi Kaelani's voice exploded like a thunderclap, cutting Kai off mid-sentence and silencing the entire chamber.

The towering, muscle-bound mage pointed furiously across the deck. His face was red with fury, veins bulging along his arms.

"There's no way we're letting Nemizora join our military operations! He can't be trusted!!"

Takashima's brow twitched, fury simmering behind his sharp lenses."How so?! He's a war hero!!"

On the side, Crowne was openly snickering, barely holding back his laughter at the entire spectacle.

Kaelani shot back, "He hasn't been part of the military for years! And you've got some nerve trying to vouch for anyone when you couldn't even defend your own planet!!"

Takashima gritted his teeth and stepped forward, fist clenched—ready to strike.

Before he could move, Vayne let out a long sigh. Calmly, he placed a hand on Takashima's shoulder and shook his head once."Let me handle negotiations."

Vayne stepped into the middle, his coat brushing gently behind him, his presence alone cooling the air.

"It's foolish not to consider his return," he said smoothly. "But Kaelani has a point. Nemizora has been off the grid for over a decade. He was even declared dead."

Nova Greaves ran a gloved hand through her flawless blond hair, sighing.

"Indeed, we understand your stance," she said coldly. "But this is our jurisdiction. We decide if he stays or goes."

And then… a quiet voice broke through it all.

"Let him join," said Hoshigane Riku.

He spoke without inflection, his words precise and cold. Hands in his pockets, he simply turned and walked away, not looking back.

Kaelani spat at the floor in disgust before following him, muttering curses under his breath.

They left Echo Virell behind.

Still swaying in place, she blinked slowly. "Wait… where are we going again?"

Nova, already catching up, walked back and gently grabbed Echo by the arm. "Let's go, Echo…"

Once they caught up, Greaves hissed toward Riku. "I can't believe you're allowing this. He's dangerous."

Riku paused mid-step. His gaze turned slowly over his shoulder—sharp and soulless.

"I know," he said. "That's why we'll watch him."

Kaelani scowled. "Honestly… I think you're making a huge mistake."

Riku's glare sharpened like a blade in the dark."I never make mistakes. Got that? Know your place."

He walked away, cloak trailing behind him like a shadow.

Kaelani swallowed hard, his fury replaced with dread."Y-Yes… boss…"

As the tension dissolved and the Mercury delegation disappeared into the corridors, Crowne suddenly burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

"Gosh, Kai, you're so stupid! So dumb! You really are a pain in the ass!!"

"SHUT UP, IDIOT!!!"Takashima practically exploded, his face twitching with rage, a glowing vein popping near his temple.

Before it could escalate, Nemizora calmly stepped in, placing a hand on Crowne's shoulder.

"Now now, Crowne… no need for such teasing."

Crowne's laughter stopped in an instant. He smacked Nemizora's hand away with a sharp slap. "Don't touch me again. Or else."

Nemizora backed off with a nervous chuckle, both hands raised. "Alright! No touchy. Got it."

Suddenly, from seemingly nowhere, Miu came sprinting in and leapt onto Takashima's back with a bubbly giggle.

"Turn that frown upside down!!" she sang, gently nibbling on his ear.

Takashima flinched, completely flustered. "M-Miu! Come on—not here… not now…"

She leaned close, her voice dropping to a whisper, warm against his ear."Rintarou… I have needs… come on… let's go."

Takashima's entire face turned crimson.

"…R-Right…"

He stumbled forward awkwardly, clearing his throat as he called out, "Um, Blitz, can you… handle the rest? Announce the creation stuff to Angel Squad… I need to, uh… take care of something…"

With that, he quickly disappeared down the hallway with Miu clinging to him like a gleeful cat.

Blitz sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead.

"Those two… sheesh."

Arnik blinked, tilting his head. "What's up with them? They seem… close."

Vayne sipped his tea with a soft chuckle. "Trust me. They're more than close… they're lovers."

All of Angel Squad turned their heads at once, voices overlapping in disbelief:

"LOVERS?!"

Yes… I bet they're off to… do some stuff," Arnik muttered, grimacing.

Blitz let out a low chuckle. "To fulfill their needs, obviously."

Arnik cringed. "That's… some information I really didn't need. Right, Kai?"

Kai nodded stiffly, arms crossed. "So unprofessional. Who would even—"

His words caught in his throat.

A horrible realization crept onto his face.

He had done the same thing… with Rose…

His face went bright red."I-I mean—they're adults! It's fine?! Totally fine! Not like it's against protocol or anything!"

Aika had been looking down at her feet the whole time. Quiet. Distant.

"…What's up, Aika?" Arnik asked, his tone softer now. He noticed her fingers curling tightly around her sleeves.

"It's just…" she began, voice fragile, "we're already down two members. It's just us three now. Rose has that… that mystery illness…"

Kai flinched, his head turning away.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Mystery illness…"

Aika's hands tightened. "She hasn't told me anything… I'm supposed to be her friend. I just… I wish I knew what was going on."

Arnik took a deep breath and stepped toward her with a big smile. "Don't worry! I'm sure she'll talk to us soon!"

Aika glanced up at him, blinking. Then slowly, a small smile tugged at her lips."I hope you're right… Thanks, Arnik. You're the best."

Arnik blushed, scratching the back of his neck. "D-Don't mention it."

Suddenly, Blitz cleared her throat with a sharp cough, snapping them all to attention.

"Alright—enough chit-chat!" Her voice echoed across the command deck. "It's time for an announcement!"

She paused, letting her gaze sweep the room before continuing."First, let's give credit where it's due. Thanks to Takashima and Kai here, we've successfully developed a new super shield. Our fleet's durability has more than doubled. These ships are now protected by a defensive system Lionel's forces do not possess."

Arnik grinned and slapped Kai on the back. "Nice work, genius."

Kai's glasses nearly flew off his face. "Ow—warn me first!"

Blitz didn't wait for them to finish bickering. "Now listen carefully. Intelligence reports confirm that Lionel is preparing a massive fleet—one larger than anything we've seen so far."

Her voice grew heavier, more serious.

"They're gathering. Building. Preparing. And if he attacks with that size… we must be ready."

She folded her arms.

"I won't sugarcoat it. Lionel is strong. But the demons can only do so much. Humanity outnumbers him in the billions. His armored forces may number in the millions, but numbers matter."

She narrowed her eyes. "He's going to pull something. A trick. A strategy. Maybe worse. And when he does…"

She raised a hand.

"We will be ready."