The Cost of War.

Scattered shards of metal tumbled out of the portal, Markus's fighter shattered beyond recognition. Silence gripped the bridge.

Arnik's eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat.

Rose took a step forward, her tail flicking uneasily. "No…"

Aika sat completely still, blinking slowly as if her mind was refusing to process what she was seeing.

Someone muttered, "No way… He… He didn't—"

Takashima's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold.

"Get a recovery team in the hangar. Now."

No one hesitated. The alarms rang through the ship as crew members rushed out, their voices barking orders as they sprinted toward the lower decks.

But on the bridge, everyone just stood there.

Watching.

Waiting.

The silence on the bridge was suffocating. Everyone was still, eyes locked onto the hangar doors, waiting for any word.

"He made it," someone muttered, half-convincing themselves. "Don't worry. Markus is too tough to go out like that."

"Yeah," another voice chimed in. "They're probably just digging him out of the wreckage. He's fine."

The tension didn't ease.

Aika clutched the sleeves of her uniform, her hands trembling as she stared at the comms console. She kept her breathing slow, trying to stop the pounding in her chest. Rose stood stiffly beside her, arms crossed so tightly her claws dug into her own skin.

Arnik didn't say anything. He just watched the door, fists clenched at his sides.

Then Andrew Handerfall walked in.

His expression said everything before he even opened his mouth.

Arnik's heart sank.

"I'm sorry," Andrew said. His voice was low, steady. It felt like a hammer to the gut. "Markus didn't make it through."

The words hung in the air, suffocating. No one spoke. No one moved.

Then he continued, and it somehow got worse.

"There's no sign of his body."

Rose's breath hitched.

"The explosion vaporized him."

For a moment, the world seemed to stop.

Then—

Aika let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!"

She collapsed to her knees, her entire body shaking as violent sobs tore through her. Her fingers dug into her scalp, nails scraping against her skin as she choked on her own breath. Her emerald eyes were bloodshot, filled with pure, raw agony.

"No… No, no, no, no—!"

She rocked back and forth, unable to stop the uncontrollable, violent cries that wracked her small frame.

Rose slammed her fist into the nearest console, cracking the screen. Her tail bristled, ears flattened against her head as rage overtook her grief.

"You better not be joking!" she roared, spinning to face Andrew, eyes blazing with fury. "Tell me this is a mistake! Tell me you got it wrong!"

Andrew didn't look away. He just stood there, silent, unwavering.

Rose's breath shook. Her entire body trembled as her nails dug into her palms.

Arnik didn't say a word.

His fingers curled into a fist, knuckles white. His chest felt tight, his stomach twisted into knots.

Markus was gone.

Just like that.

Arnik walked past Andrew, his movements stiff, his mind drowning in static.

As he reached the doorway, a firm grip caught his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Andrew's voice was steady, but there was something behind it. Caution.

Arnik didn't turn around. "Bathroom."

Andrew frowned, his fingers tightening slightly. He looked into Arnik's face—into his eyes.

They were dark.

Empty.

Like he wasn't even there.

Andrew hesitated, then slowly let go.

"…Okay. Go."

Arnik didn't respond.

He just kept walking.

Arnik turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run over his hands. He splashed it onto his face, trying to clear the heaviness from his chest, but it didn't help.

He gripped the edges of the sink, his breathing unsteady. Slowly, he looked up at the mirror.

And then, it hit him.

A raw, aching sob tore from his throat. Not the quiet, restrained grief he had shown on the bridge—this was something deeper, something broken.

"He's gone…"

His shoulders shook as he clenched his jaw, his face twisting with frustration, with helplessness.

"Down there… we didn't stand a chance against those demon users…"

His fingers dug into the sink's edges, knuckles turning white. His breathing grew ragged.

Then—CRACK.

His fist slammed into the metal sink, shattering it on impact. Water burst from the broken pipes, splashing over the floor, but he didn't care.

"I was completely useless…"

His voice trembled with rage. His whole body did.

Markus was gone.

And he hadn't been able to do a damn thing.

"I have the damn power of the Spirit!!!"

Arnik's voice echoed through the empty restroom, mixing with the hiss of water gushing from the destroyed sink. His fists trembled, veins bulging under his skin.

"Markus… he had none of it. Not a single drop."

He exhaled sharply, his breath uneven.

"Yet… he was so strong… He was able to go toe to toe with me…"

His gaze lifted to the ceiling, his eyes burning, not just from anger but from something deeper.

"Spirit… why…"

His hands curled into fists again, his nails digging into his palms.

Then he yelled.

"I need to get stronger!!!"

His voice rang out, raw, desperate, demanding something—anything—from whatever power was listening.

Because if he stayed like this… if he stayed this weak…

He would lose everything

Arnik curled up onto the wet floor, his knees drawn to his chest, water pooling around him from the broken sink. His breathing was uneven, ragged. He felt hollow, like something had been ripped out of him.

Slowly, his gaze drifted to the mirror, catching his own reflection through the fractured glass.

He looked so different from back then…

Only nineteen. Almost twenty.

It had almost been two years since he became a soldier.

His eyes—once darker, softer—had sharpened into a bright, piercing blue. His hair, longer and unkempt, clung to his forehead in damp strands. His face, once youthful, had grown more rugged, his features harder, more defined.

More like his father's.

He swallowed hard.

"I must win…" he whispered.

His fingers dug into his arms, gripping so tightly his nails left marks.

"And win no matter what…"

His breath shuddered.

"No matter who is lost."

Then, suddenly—arms wrapped around him.

Warm. Small. Shaking.

He stiffened.

Aika was holding onto him, pressing her forehead into his shoulder. Her grip was tight, desperate, like if she let go, he'd disappear.

"Aika…"

He was about to push her away—he needed to be alone.

But her grip only tightened.

"No!" she cried, her voice breaking. "Please… don't!"

Her entire body trembled against him, but she didn't let go.

"Don't… change."

Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper.

"Don't change, Arnik…"

He froze.

She was crying.

Her fingers clutched onto his uniform like she was holding on for dear life.

"You're still Arnik Handerfall! The Arnik Handerfall from Earth… the one I'm friends with…"

Her breathing hitched as she swallowed back her sobs.

"The one who, when Kai needed money for his tuition, got a job at the same restaurant to help him pay."

His chest clenched.

"The one who, when my cat died, helped me bury it far outside the city… into the woods. You stayed with me until sunrise."

Arnik's throat tightened.

Aika lifted her head, her emerald eyes burning through him, filled with raw emotion.

"Markus wouldn't want you to sob over him!"

She pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes, her grip still strong.

"What he'd want… what he'd want is for us to fight!"

Her voice grew louder, fiercer.

"To destroy every damn demon that took him from us!"

Her words hit like a bolt to the chest.

Arnik clenched his jaw, his breath shaking.

For a long moment, he just stared at her, his mind spinning, his heart aching.

Then, slowly… his hands stopped trembling.

Arnik gripped Aika and pulled her close, holding her tightly. His arms trembled, but he didn't let go.

"I won't change…" he whispered. "I swear."

Aika didn't say anything. She just held onto him, her small frame shaking against his.

Outside the bathroom door, Rose stood motionless.

She could hear everything.

Her tail flicked behind her, slow and restless, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She didn't cry—not here, not now—but her chest ached, and her throat felt tight.

With a deep breath, she turned and walked away, heading back to the med bay.

"Dummy…" she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible. "Why did you go and die on us…" Rose stepped into the med bay, the dim lights casting a soft glow over the quiet space.

Kai lay motionless, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. His body was wrapped in bandages, patches of his skin burned and bruised from the fight. The sight of him like this—so still, so fragile—made something in Rose's chest tighten.

She pulled up a chair beside his bed, moving slowly, almost hesitantly.

Her tail, which had been restless with frustration and grief, finally settled, curling gently over her lap as she sat down.

Without thinking, she leaned forward, resting her head lightly against his chest.

The warmth of his body, the slow but steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her ear—it was grounding. A reminder that at least he was still here.

Her breath was quiet, but her eyes were heavy, the exhaustion pressing down on her in a way she hadn't let herself feel until now.

She closed her eyes.

Just for a moment.

Her tail stretched out lazily, draping softly over the edge of the bed, unmoving for the first time in hours.

Kai didn't wake up.

But the steady sound of his heartbeat was enough.

 ***

It had been four days.

The med bay was quiet, the dim glow of the overhead lights casting soft shadows along the walls. The rhythmic beeping of Kai's heart monitor echoed through the silence, steady but weak.

Rose was still there.

She sat beside his bed, her head resting gently against his chest, fast asleep. Her breathing was slow, her tail draped lazily over her lap, rising and falling with each breath.

Kai's fingers twitched.

His body ached, his limbs felt heavy, but the warmth against him was the first thing he noticed.

Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open.

The blurry ceiling above came into focus, but his gaze drifted downward—to the weight against him.

Rose.

Her face was relaxed, peaceful, though there was a tiredness lingering in her expression, even in sleep.

Kai exhaled softly, his voice hoarse.

"…Rose?"

Rose woke up with a sharp inhale. Her ears twitched, and for a second, she looked disoriented, her sleepy gaze meeting Kai's tired, half-lidded eyes.

Then—her breath caught.

Her body tensed.

"Kai!!!"

Before he could even process what was happening, Rose lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Thank goodness! You made it!" Her voice was shaky, filled with relief that had been bottled up for days.

Kai grunted, his entire body flaring with sharp pain. His wounds may have healed, but the soreness ran deep—and Rose was crushing him.

"R-Rose—" he coughed, his voice strained. "You're—crushing—me!"

She immediately pulled back, ears flattening as she realized what she was doing.

"Oh, crap—sorry!" She let go, but not before giving him one last, firm squeeze.

Kai groaned, his head hitting the pillow again. "You sure? Didn't seem like you were gonna let go anytime soon…"

Rose huffed, crossing her arms. "Well, maybe I wouldn't have if you just died on me!"

Kai blinked. "That's a weird way to say 'I'm glad you're alive.'"

Rose's tail flicked, but she looked away, rubbing at her eyes. "…Shut up."

Kai let out a weak chuckle, his voice still hoarse. "This is out of character for you, Rose…"

She stiffened slightly, her tail flicking behind her.

"Did you stay here the whole time?"

Her ears twitched, and for the first time in a while, Rose looked embarrassed.

She turned her head away, crossing her arms defensively. "O-Of course I did!"

Kai raised an eyebrow.

"You know! I still owed you for saving me," she blurted out, her voice rising slightly. "So this makes us even!"

Kai blinked. "How does this make us even? You just took a nap and watched me sleep."

Slap.

A sharp smack landed on his arm—not enough to hurt, but enough to get his attention.

"Jeez!" Rose huffed, cheeks red. "Having a cute demi-cat cuddle you while you sleep wasn't enough?!"

Kai opened his mouth to respond.

Then—

"PERVERT!!" Rose screamed, her voice echoing through the med bay.

Kai's face twisted in confusion. "Huh?! What—"

Outside, footsteps rushed toward the room.

The door slammed open.

Aika and Arnik stood in the doorway, eyes wide.

Aika rubbed her eyes groggily as she shuffled toward the med bay, still half-asleep. Arnik, on the other hand, was already on his way, wondering what the hell all the commotion was about.

Then they saw it.

Kai.

Sitting up. Awake.

Their eyes widened.

"Kai!!!"

Before he could react, both of them rushed forward.

"Wait—no, no—"

Crunch.

Aika and Arnik tackled him full force, sending him crashing back onto the bed. The air rushed out of his lungs as he wheezed under the weight of his overenthusiastic friends.

"Ow—OW! I literally just woke up!" Kai groaned, pain shooting through his still-healing body.

Aika clung to him, sobbing into his chest. "You idiot! You almost died!!"

Arnik had an arm around him, his grip tight, but his face was turned away. "Tch. Took you long enough to wake up."

Kai gasped for breath. "I—I think you just put me back into a coma—"

Aika clung to Kai even tighter, her shoulders shaking as soft sobs escaped her. She buried her face into his chest, gripping his uniform like she was afraid he would slip away again.

"I'm so glad…" she choked out between shaky breaths. "I couldn't lose you too."

Kai's breath caught in his throat.

His arms, though weak, instinctively moved to hold her. There was something in her voice that sent a cold feeling creeping up his spine.

"What do you mean…" he asked slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Lose me too…?"

His eyes drifted around the room.

Aika didn't answer.

Neither did Arnik.

Or Rose.

Their faces—the silence.

Kai's heart began to pound.

His chest tightened as realization slowly crept in.

His throat was dry when he finally asked—

"Where is Markus…?"

Kai…

Arnik's voice was quieter than usual, almost hesitant.

"He… didn't make it."

Kai looked up and let out a short, breathy laugh.

"Oh, that's funny… But you seriously shouldn't joke like that."

No one laughed.

Rose and Arnik stood still, their fists clenched so tightly their knuckles had turned white. Aika wiped at her face, but the fresh tears kept coming.

Kai's smile faltered.

"You expect me to believe that…? Come on, guys…"

His voice wavered.

His hands gripped the sheets, his heart pounding against his ribs.

"Come on… say sike."

No one said anything.

"We're serious," Rose muttered, looking away.

Kai stared at them. His mind refused to accept it, refused to process the words being spoken to him.

Slowly, he leaned back against the bed, his head resting on the pillow. His chest felt hollow, his breathing slow.

"I… I see."

Aika turned first, sniffling as she wiped her sleeve across her face.

"Let's give Kai some space," Arnik murmured, his voice heavy.

Rose lingered for a moment longer, her tail flicking once before she finally turned and followed them out.

The door slid shut behind them.

Kai let out a quiet chuckle, but his eyes burned.

"I told you to be careful… You liar…"

His fingers curled into the blanket. His breath was uneven, a tear slipping down the side of his face.

"Now I'm gonna have to pick up the slack…"

His voice was quiet, but determined.

"Guess I'm gonna have to get twice as strong."

They heard muffled cries beyond the door.

Rose's tail flicked behind her as she stared at the floor, her voice quieter than usual.

"They were best friends."

Aika sniffled, wiping her sleeve across her eyes. "Yeah…"

Arnik exhaled through his nose, crossing his arms. His expression was tense, unreadable.

Out of all of us… he must have it the worst.

None of them spoke after that.

The only sound was Kai's muffled cries behind the door.

Footsteps echoed down the hall.

Andrew Handerfall approached, his expression unreadable. He stopped in front of them, glancing at each of them before speaking.

"Come with me."

His voice was steady, leaving no room for argument.

Aika hesitated, glancing back at the med bay door. Rose's tail flicked, and Arnik gave a slow nod.

Without a word, they followed him.

As they walked, Andrew spoke, his tone firm yet unwavering.

"I know you're all upset about losing a valuable team member… but right now, it's time for us to deal with the main issue."

No one responded. Their footsteps echoed through the metallic hallways, tension thick between them.

When they reached the bridge, the vast panoramic windows displayed Mercury in all its technological glory.

A world of steel and neon, its sprawling megacities stretched endlessly across the planet's surface, pulsing with circuits of energy that connected every building, every transport, every sector. Skyscrapers of metal and glass pierced the sky, their towering forms glowing with synchronized data streams running across their surfaces. Hovering trains and high-speed transports wove between them like arteries of a living machine.

But it wasn't the city's architecture that held their attention.

It was the fleet guarding it.

Massive warships hovered in formation, their sleek, black hulls lined with glowing red insignias. Orbital defense stations pulsed with stored energy, primed to release devastating planetary artillery if anything unauthorized tried to pass.

Dozens of patrolling fighter squadrons zipped through the air, their thrusters leaving streaks of blue light in perfect, disciplined flight patterns. Gunships stood docked at towering platforms, their weapons primed and ready for immediate deployment.

At the city's perimeter, mechanized sentries patrolled every sector, scanning every movement. Bipedal combat mechs stood like silent titans near military installations, each one outfitted with enough firepower to level entire districts. Automated drones darted through the air, feeding data back to command centers with an eerie, mechanical precision.

The entire planet pulsed with control, efficiency, and unyielding military dominance.

Breaking through that?

It wouldn't be a fight.

It would be suicide.

"It's… amazing," Arnik muttered, staring out at the vast, impenetrable defenses of Mercury.

"Of course it is," Andrew said, arms crossed. His gaze remained locked on the fortified city below, unreadable.

He turned to them, his expression firm. "Boys… Mars will not be in vain. All the information we gathered from our fights with Lionel has made our defenses even stronger."

He placed a hand on Arnik's shoulder. There was weight behind the gesture—not just authority, but expectation.

"Listen…"

The room was silent.

"You guys must get stronger. Way stronger."

Arnik clenched his fists. "How strong?"

Andrew exhaled, his grip tightening slightly. "Well… at minimum? As strong as your teachers."

The air grew heavy.

Aika's shoulders dropped. Rose's tail flicked sharply. Arnik's lips pressed into a thin line.

And just like that, any hope they had left felt like it vanished.

"If you guys want to keep being Angel Squad… you better get stronger," Andrew continued. His tone was final, unshakable. "Because if you don't, we're disbanding it completely."

He looked them over, his voice steady but weighted.

"That was our Sovereign's last order."

"Consider it done," Kai muttered as he limped into the room.

Andrew turned sharply. "You need to be resting."

Kai waved him off, his movements stiff but full of purpose. "As soon as possible… put me in the lab with Takashima. I'm going to build a weapon that will vaporize Lionel's forces."

Clapping sounds filled the room.

The sound echoed, slow and deliberate.

Crowne walked in, his usual smirk in place. Behind him, the rest of the teachers followed, their presence commanding without a single word spoken.

Vayne adjusted his gloves, looking at the scene before him with an amused expression.

"Elegant," he mused.

Takashima stood at the front, arms crossed, eyes sharp.

His smirk deepened.

"Now that," he said, "is what I like to hear."

Andrew smiled, then yelled loud enough to shake the room.

"Right! Now let's get started!"

He pointed at Vayne. "Get all the evacuees figured out."

Vayne gave a small nod, adjusting his cuffs. "Consider it done."

Andrew turned next. "Crowne, Miu, and Blitz—prepare a new training course immediately!"

Crowne smirked, Miu stretched her arms with a grin, and Blitz cracked his knuckles.

"As you wish!" they said in unison.

Finally, Andrew looked at Takashima.

"And Takashima… get to work!"

Takashima grinned, already turning toward the lab. "Right!"

Angel Squad gathered together in a tight huddle, the weight of everything that had happened still pressing heavy on their shoulders.

Arnik looked at each of them, his jaw clenched. "We're not letting Markus's fight be in vain."

Aika wiped at her eyes, her voice quiet but firm. "Not after everything he did for us."

Rose's tail flicked sharply. "Damn right. If he were here, he'd be laughing at us for getting all emotional."

Kai, still aching but unwilling to show it, managed a smirk. "Then let's make sure we give him something worth watching."

They all looked at one another, no more words needed.

Markus was gone. But his fight—their fight—was far from over.