Chapter 13: For a Peaceful Belobog (+ Omake)

Everwinter Hill

"Give it back, you thief!"

"Jonathan is mine now, accept reality!"

…The scene unfolding before them had completely lost the seriousness it held just moments ago when it was still a battlefield. Now, there was no dignity left in it.

Aleph ran with all his might, clutching the bat with a determination that defied logic, considering the injuries he had sustained. Behind him, Stelle chased after him with a fury and stubbornness that matched Aleph's own, their heavy footsteps echoing against the snow.

March 7th, watching from a safe distance, frowned in confusion.

"Why would anyone name a bat? And more importantly… why Jonathan?"

"His name is Steve now, damn it!" Aleph shouted without stopping.

Dan Heng, who had been silently observing, sighed and looked at March 7th with total disbelief.

"That's really what's bothering you?"

As the chaos unfolded, Welt Yang arrived at the scene.

He stopped in his tracks upon seeing Stelle attempting to tackle a semi-naked, unfamiliar man, missing him by inches as he dodged at the last second.

Welt then looked at Dan Heng, who simply shook his head.

The two men exchanged knowing looks.

A headache was approaching.

Years of dealing with troublesome people—and March 7th—had sharpened Welt's instincts enough for him to sense it.

Deciding it was time to put an end to this, he raised his voice.

"Stelle, could you bring your friend over here for a moment? I need to talk to him."

Aleph came to a sudden halt.

Stelle took the opportunity to lunge at him.

"Gotcha—!"

But before she could reach him, Welt raised a hand.

In an instant, the gravity around Aleph and Stelle shifted, forcing them to stay still.

Both froze in place, barely floating a few inches off the ground.

"That's enough." Welt sighed. "Kid, you're coming with me."

Aleph, still floating, crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Is it really necessary to use gravity to stop us?"

"Yes."

Aleph groaned.

Stelle frowned, clearly upset, but she understood there was nothing more to be done.

Welt released the gravitational hold, letting them land on their feet.

"Alright, alright." Aleph sighed, hugging his bat nostalgically before handing it back to Stelle. "Fine, you got it back, but one day I'll return for you, Steve… I mean, Jonathan."

Stelle took the bat and lightly smacked him on the head.

"That's for stealing it."

"Hey!"

Before things could escalate again, Bronya approached the group.

"Seele and I will take my mother to the Overworld," she said firmly, though a hint of exhaustion was evident in her tone. "After discussing it with Seele, I've concluded that what happened here must remain secret. It's best to hide it and come up with a different story."

Dan Heng nodded.

"If people found out that their Supreme Guardian was the cause of all this, it could lead to instability."

March 7th raised an eyebrow.

"But… isn't it dangerous to keep it a secret?"

Bronya closed her eyes for a moment.

"Dangerous or not, Belobog has already suffered enough. If this becomes public, the city could fall into chaos."

Aleph silently observed Bronya. He noticed how tightly her hands were clenched, yet her expression remained firm.

In the end, he let out a sigh.

"I won't say anything. But make sure Cocolia is properly watched."

Bronya nodded in gratitude.

Dan Heng, Stelle, and March 7th stated they would head to the Underworld to deliver the good news to Natasha and Oleg.

"Aleph, you'll catch up with us later, right?" Stelle asked.

Aleph nodded. "Yeah, according to this guy, I just need to go with him for some kind of check-up first."

The group split up.

Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng headed for the Underworld, while Seele stayed behind with Bronya.

Before Aleph could leave with Welt, Bronya approached him.

"A moment," she said.

Welt observed the situation and stepped aside to give them some space.

Bronya remained silent for a few seconds, lowering her gaze slightly.

"…Thank you," she finally said. She knew that the boy in front of her probably hated her mother enough to want to kill her himself, yet he had chosen to save her in the end…

She could only be grateful.

Before Aleph could respond, Bronya stepped forward and hugged him.

Tightly.

Very tightly.

Aleph immediately felt his still-weakened body protest.

"Aaagh—! Bronya, please, a little gentler!"

Bronya quickly pulled away, visibly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry!"

Aleph clutched his side with a grimace.

"Ah… Don't worry, at least you didn't break anything."

Bronya coughed, trying to regain her composure.

"I wanted to tell you that I'll be organizing a banquet tonight to commemorate our victory."

"A banquet?"

"Yes. It's the least I can do for all of you after everything that happened."

Aleph's mood seemed to brighten slightly as he smiled.

"If there's free food, I guess I have no choice."

Bronya rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Then, see you tonight."

Without another word, she turned and walked over to Seele.

Welt waited a few seconds before stepping back toward Aleph.

"Are you done with your little couple's moment?" he asked with a slight smile.

Aleph sighed. He'd have to clear up this misunderstanding later.

"…Let's go before someone else comes to interrupt us."

Welt let out a small chuckle and started walking toward the Astral Express, with Aleph following closely behind.

**********

Astral Express

The Astral Express had always had a cozy atmosphere, but for Aleph, at that moment, it felt like an interrogation room.

Sitting in a chair inside the train's observation area, he crossed his arms while Welt and Himeko reviewed the readings on a holographic screen.

The equipment Herta had given them to monitor Stelle had really come in handy this time.

"So… am I going to explode or not?" he asked, a mix of exhaustion and irony in his voice.

Welt gave him a patient look while adjusting some parameters on the screen.

"For now, it seems not."

Himeko, arms crossed with an analytical expression, sighed.

"But that doesn't mean you're completely out of danger."

Aleph scoffed.

"Well, considering I survived something that probably should have killed me… how bad is it?"

Welt turned his gaze from the screen to look at him directly.

"The Stellaron's energy is still inside you, though in a way different from what we saw with Cocolia."

Aleph raised an eyebrow.

"Different how?"

Himeko was the one who answered this time.

"The Stellaron corruption in Cocolia was chaotic and unstable because her body couldn't process it naturally. In your case..."

She paused, choosing her words carefully.

"...it looks like you're absorbing and containing it in a more stable state without any immediate harm."

Aleph blinked.

"...So basically, I'm a Stellaron filter."

Welt adjusted his glasses.

"If you want to see it that way, yes. Though I'd call you more of a battery."

Aleph rested his elbow on the armrest of his seat and propped his cheek on his hand.

"Great. Now I can say I'm a seed of chaos. Anyone seen a dimension-cutting sword and some hair gel? I think I'm gonna need them."

"The problem," Welt continued, ignoring his complaint, "Is that we don't know what long-term consequences this might have."

Aleph felt a little uneasy. He didn't like where this was going.

"You mean...?"

Himeko nodded.

"We know that the Stellaron's energy isn't destroying you now, but that doesn't mean there won't be side effects later."

Aleph frowned, but before he could respond, Welt added,

"That's why we need to monitor you regularly. We need to understand exactly what's happening with your body before a bigger problem arises."

Aleph sighed, sinking a little into his seat.

"Perfect. As if I didn't have enough weird things in my life already."

Himeko patted his shoulder with a calm smile.

"At least you're still alive to complain, right?"

Aleph rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile a little.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Welt crossed his arms and gave him one last serious look.

"Just remember, Aleph. We still don't fully understand what this means."

Aleph held his gaze for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be careful."

Welt nodded, satisfied.

"Good. You can go."

Aleph stood up and stretched his arms.

"Then, if there's nothing else, I'll go see what everyone else is up to."

And with that, he left the observation area of the Astral Express.

Himeko watched him go before letting out a sigh.

"What do you think?" she asked Welt in a low voice.

Welt adjusted his glasses and looked at the screen displaying Aleph's energy readings.

"...Hopefully, Herta can help us learn more about his situation."

Himeko didn't respond.

Because deep down, she had the same thought.

*********

The journey back to Underworld was quieter than he had expected.

After the check-up with Welt on the Astral Express, Aleph had decided to keep his promise and catch up with the others in the underground city.

The trip felt strangely nostalgic. Despite his short stay in that place, Underworld had a certain charm... a different atmosphere from Overworld—more rustic, but once you got used to it, it even felt cozy.

As he walked along the rocky paths, he heard familiar voices ahead.

Turning the corner, he found Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th, who seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with Oleg and Natasha.

"So you finally decided to show up," March 7th said, crossing her arms with a smile.

"I got a little sidetracked on the way." Aleph shrugged before turning his gaze to Natasha. "By the way, Natasha, could you check me out? I had some tests done, but I think a medical check-up wouldn't hurt."

Natasha nodded with a smile.

"Of course, let's head to the clinic. But before that..."

The doctor glanced at the children playing in the distance, then looked back at them with a thoughtful expression.

"Could you tell them the news? They've spent their whole lives in Underworld. Knowing that they can now visit Overworld will mean a lot to them."

Aleph exchanged glances with Stelle and the others before shrugging.

"I don't see why not."

It didn't take them long to find Hook and the Moles.

The girl was with Julian and some other kids, apparently arguing about who was the real leader of the Moles.

"Obviously, it's me! I'm Boss Hook, the one in charge here!"

"That's just because you said it first! We never voted!" Julian protested.

"Leaders aren't chosen by votes! They're chosen because they're awesome!"

Aleph cleared his throat slightly to get their attention.

The kids turned to look at him, Stelle, and the others.

"Oh? What are you guys doing here?" Hook asked, crossing her arms.

Dan Heng was the first to speak.

"We have good news for you."

March 7th grinned.

"Underworld and Overworld are connected again! You can go up whenever you want!"

Silence.

Hook and the Moles blinked.

And then…

"…No… Julian, don't you dare."

"B-But, Boss…"

Julian, Hook, and the others started trembling.

Their eyes welled up with tears.

"…This means that…"

"That we've failed!"

Suddenly, the kids dropped to their knees, covering their faces dramatically.

"Our dream was always to free Underworld!"

"It was our destiny, our legacy…!"

"And now that it's free… we have no purpose!"

Aleph, Stelle, and the others exchanged confused looks.

"Uh… guys, are you okay?" Aleph asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hook looked up, her eyes red from crying.

"You! You took away our purpose!"

She stood up and pointed at Aleph and the others.

"From today on… you will be the eternal enemies of the Moles!"

The other kids immediately stood up and mimicked her.

"Yes! Eternal enemies!"

"We'll bounce back from this, just you wait!"

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow…"

"But one day, we'll defeat you…!"

Aleph just blinked at the spectacle.

March 7th, on the other hand, was already laughing out loud.

Dan Heng ran a hand over his face.

"Of course this had to happen…" He let out a tired sigh before pointing to the exit. "We should leave before this gets any worse."

And without giving the kids more time to continue their dramatics, they walked away.

...…

After the unexpected drama with the Moles, the group decided to visit Clara and Svarog to deliver the news.

When they arrived at the base, they found the girl checking on some of the robots while Svarog, who seemed to be fully restored, supervised her.

Clara greeted them with a bright smile.

"Aleph! Stelle! Dan Heng! March 7th!"

She quickly ran up to them.

"I didn't expect to see you all so soon!"

March 7th grinned.

"We come bearing good news!"

Stelle nodded.

"The people of Underworld can now go up to Overworld without any problems."

Clara blinked.

"Huh?"

Aleph crossed his arms.

"That's right. You can go up whenever you want."

Clara's eyes widened with amazement.

"R-Really…?"

[I see,] Svarog interjected. [With this, Mission No. 001 is complete.]

Clara placed both hands over her chest.

"Then… we can really see the sky…?"

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, with a radiant smile, the girl threw herself into a hug with Aleph, Stelle, and March 7th.

"Thank you!"

Aleph, though surprised, simply patted her head with a small smile.

"Yeah, yeah. It's nothing."

Stelle, meanwhile, just nodded calmly.

Natasha, who had come with them, watched the scene with a fond expression.

"Well then… it's time to go."

...…

Natasha's clinic was filled with excitement.

The kids, Clara, Oleg, Hook (who still hadn't gotten over her "defeat"), and an elderly man who claimed to be the cable car operator were all gathered.

"After ten years, I'll finally return to my profession!" the old man said, tears in his eyes.

Aleph watched the scene with a small smile.

Natasha, Oleg, and the others were getting ready to head up.

As the kids stepped into the cable car, their eyes sparkled with excitement.

Aleph crossed his arms, watching as the machine slowly began to rise.

March 7th let out a deep sigh, wearing a big smile.

"We really… did it, huh?"

Dan Heng nodded.

Stelle simply watched in silence, a faint smile on her face.

The sky of Overworld awaited them.

The ascent in the cable car was silent but filled with emotion.

The children from the Underworld watched in awe as the scenery changed around them. For the first time in their lives, sunlight touched their faces without filters, without metal structures blocking their view.

"Look! Everything is so... bright!" one of the girls exclaimed, pressing her hands against the glass of the cable car.

Hook, still with her arms crossed and pretending dignity after her "declaration of war" against Aleph and the others, couldn't hide the sparkle of excitement in her eyes as she saw the city stretching out before them.

"Wow, what a huge blue ceiling!"

Natasha placed a hand on her chest with a smile.

"That's not a ceiling, Hook. It's the sky."

Oleg watched everything with a calm expression, but anyone who knew him well could see the contained emotion in his gaze.

"There's less rust and geomarrow particles floating in the air here. Take a deep breath, kids—this is the smell of freedom."

Aleph, Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th stayed at the back of the group, simply watching in silence.

Finally, the cable car arrived at its destination.

When the doors opened, Bronya was there, waiting for them.

The young leader's eyes softened upon seeing them.

"Welcome to the Overworld," she said in a firm voice, but with a warmth rarely seen in her.

Clara was the first to step forward, looking at Bronya in awe.

"A-Are you... the new Supreme Guardian?"

Bronya nodded.

Clara hesitated for a moment before giving a clumsy bow.

"I'm Clara. And this is Svarog."

The large robot stepped forward.

Bronya observed them both with interest before nodding.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and this time under much better circumstances than before. I hope that from today on, we can work together."

The others began to step out of the cable car, the children still overwhelmed by amazement.

The elderly cable car operator sobbed.

"After ten years, I can finally take people to the Overworld again!"

Seele, who had been standing beside Bronya, smiled at the scene.

"It feels strange seeing people from the Underworld up here."

Bronya nodded.

"But it's the first step toward changing everything."

Aleph crossed his arms as he looked over the city.

The air of Belobog felt... much warmer than before.

There was hope.

After so many years of separation, the Overworld and the Underworld were together again.

And while the reconstruction would take time...

It was the beginning of a new era for Belobog.

**********

A couple of hours later

The air was filled with the aroma of freshly prepared food, the laughter of citizens echoed through the streets, and music resonated in every corner of the main plaza.

Flags and decorations adorned the buildings, and long tables were set with plates overflowing with meat, warm bread, and sweets prepared especially for the occasion.

The group arrived just as the celebration was beginning.

The crowd erupted in cheers upon seeing them.

"There they are!"

"The ones who saved Belobog!"

"Hooray for the new Supreme Guardian!"

People approached to congratulate them, some shaking their hands, others simply thanking them with genuine smiles.

Aleph took in the atmosphere with a mix of surprise and slight discomfort.

He wasn't used to receiving so much attention.

"Wow... this is bigger than I expected," he murmured.

Seele, who had stepped beside him with an amused smile, crossed her arms.

"I didn't think you were the type to attend parties."

Aleph glanced at her before shrugging indifferently.

"I'm just here for the food."

Seele let out a laugh.

"Well, at least you're honest."

....

During the celebration, Aleph had several encounters with the others.

The new Supreme Guardian looked more relaxed than before, though she still maintained her firm and elegant posture.

As they watched the plaza from a balcony, Bronya sighed.

"It will be a long road, but today is a day Belobog will never forget."

Aleph nodded.

March 7th crossed her arms with a thoughtful expression.

"You have a lot of work ahead of you."

Bronya smiled slightly.

"I know. But at least I'm not alone in this. Seele said she'd help however she could."

She turned to look at all of them directly.

"Thank you, Stelle, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Aleph. Not just for everything you did for this world."

Stelle simply nodded absentmindedly before heading toward the nearest table full of food.

Dan Heng shrugged and finally went to sit on a chair placed in a corner, away from the noise, with a drink in hand.

March 7th walked away while shooting Aleph a teasing look.

Aleph scratched his neck, averting his gaze with an awkward gesture.

"I just did what I thought was right."

Bronya smiled, warmer than usual.

"And that's what I value the most."

.....

Near one of the tables, Natasha and Oleg shared a glass of wine while chatting with Aleph.

"The Underworld will never be the same," Oleg said with a satisfied smile. "Now we can look toward the future."

Natasha nodded, her tone more reflective.

"But change won't be easy. There will be many challenges... but I have faith that the people of the Underworld will adapt."

Aleph took a sip of his drink before responding.

"If they managed to survive all this time under those conditions, they can handle anything."

Natasha chuckled softly.

"You're right about that."

.....

As Aleph rested at one of the tables, March 7th plopped down beside him, looking excited.

"Hey, Aleph! We have news!"

Dan Heng, with his usual calm demeanor, sat on his other side.

"Himeko and Welt have received information about our next destination."

Aleph raised an eyebrow—honestly, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited about joining the Astral Express on its journey.

"Oh? And where are we going?"

March 7th dramatically raised a hand.

"Let me guess! It's... a planet made entirely of chocolate."

Dan Heng closed his eyes in resignation.

"No."

"A place where the clouds are made of cotton candy?"

"No."

"The floating city of talking cats?"

Dan Heng stared at her, wondering if her questions were serious or just another way she had found to annoy him.

March 7th puffed out her cheeks.

"Let me dream, Dan Heng!"

Aleph chuckled as he watched their interaction.

Even after everything they had been through, the atmosphere felt so light.

It was a pleasant feeling.

And as the celebration continued, Aleph couldn't help but smile.

Maybe… these kinds of moments were worth it too.

In the past, he used to think that a life full of adventure was the best thing to strive for. But even if that were true, moments like this made him truly appreciate peace.

Gazing into the distance with a melancholic expression for the first time in a long while, he wondered.

"Sister… what would you have done in my situation?"

***********

After the celebration, while laughter and music still echoed through the streets of Belobog, Aleph stepped away from the noise and made his way to one of the castle's balconies.

From there, the city was illuminated by the warm glow of torches and lamps, the firelight dancing on the snow-covered rooftops.

He leaned against the railing and let out a sigh.

It was over.

His hand unconsciously tightened around a bat that was no longer there.

Ice filled his palm, forming a bat identical to Stelle's.

His new power… The Stellaron's energy was still inside him.

He no longer felt the same uncontrollable rage as during the battle, but the sensation of that energy was still present, like a persistent burn deep within.

It was hard to describe.

He wasn't sure whether to consider it a blessing or a curse.

And then there were… the demons.

Aleph closed his eyes, recalling the moment he was forced to summon them.

Centaur, Nappea…

He had tried not to draw attention to it amidst the chaos, but now that the battle was over, there was no doubt that the others would eventually ask about it.

What excuse could he come up with?

"Uhh… I bought them at a space auction."

He shook his head.

No, that was stupid.

"They're highly advanced holograms created by Burroughs."

Yeah, right, because that sounded totally believable.

Aleph sighed and rubbed his temples.

He was definitely going to need something better than that.

"Thinking about something important?"

Aleph turned his head and saw Bronya approaching.

He remained silent for a moment before answering.

"Something like that."

Bronya leaned against the railing beside him, silently observing the city.

"Now that it's all over, how do you feel?"

Aleph crossed his arms and looked up at the sky.

"...Tired. Confused… A little hungry."

Bronya let out a soft laugh.

"Well, there's still food downstairs. But I suppose that's not what you meant."

Aleph spun the ice bat in his hands.

"It's not that I'm not happy we won. But… I have the feeling that this isn't the end. Not for me, and not for you all."

Bronya nodded slowly.

"You're right. There's still a lot to do. Belobog won't change overnight, and the Fragmentum is still active. But at least now we have hope. It will take a long time, but Jarilo-VI will regain its former glory."

She turned to him and gave him a grateful smile.

"And a lot of that is thanks to you."

Aleph looked away, uncomfortable.

"You keep saying that. But what did I even do? In the end, it was Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th who knew what they were doing and even came here to help in the first place," he said, leaning a bit more against the railing. "I... I only joined because I wanted to have fun. It was a pretty childish and selfish reason. I didn't do anything heroic—I just caused trouble everywhere, for everyone… and for you."

"Maybe. But without you, things would have been different."

She leaned in slightly and, before Aleph could react, gave him a small hug.

Aleph blinked in surprise.

Somehow, he could feel it was different from the hug she had given him on Everwinter Hill, but he couldn't quite understand why.

When she pulled away, her expression was more relaxed than usual.

"I hope you enjoy the rest of the celebration. There will be more to discuss tomorrow, but for now… get some rest."

And with those words, she turned around and left.

Aleph stared at the spot where she had been for a few seconds.

Then, he let out a small laugh and shook his head.

"I definitely need to come up with a better excuse."

"You seem to be getting popular."

Aleph blinked and looked to the side.

Stelle was there, arms crossed, a playful smile on her face.

"If I wasn't here to see it, I'd never believe Bronya was capable of giving hugs."

Aleph shrugged.

"Well, it's the end of an era or something like that."

Stelle sat down beside him, gazing at the illuminated city.

For a moment, both remained silent.

Then, she spoke.

"About what happened with Cocolia and the Stellaron… there was something strange."

Aleph looked at her with interest.

"Strange how?"

Stelle frowned slightly.

"When I woke up… I felt something. I don't know how to explain it. It was like… something else was there with you."

Aleph felt a chill run down his spine.

For a moment, he thought about what he himself had felt when absorbing the Stellaron.

It hadn't been just power.

It had been something more.

Something that had been watching him.

Something vast, yearning for destruction.

It had felt so terrifying.

As if just being in its presence could erase him completely...

Aleph averted his gaze.

"…Yeah. I felt something too."

Stelle said nothing, but her gaze studied him for a moment.

She didn't press the issue.

But Aleph could tell she suspected something.

He let out a sigh.

"Well… what now?"

The tension in the air disappeared when Stelle changed the subject with a smile.

"Now… you give me back my bat," she said, pointing at the ice bat.

Aleph smirked.

"Sorry, darling. But this baby is mine, and it's exactly where it belongs. The almighty Aleph and his faithful companion, Steve. Mark my words, in a few years, we'll be legends across the cosmos."

Stelle shot him a glare.

"His name is not Steve."

Aleph pretended to think.

"How about… Jonathan 2: The Revenge?"

"Give it back!"

They both laughed as Stelle tried to snatch the ice replica of her bat from him.

But after a few moments, she simply gave up and leaned against the railing.

Together, they watched the city lights flicker in the snow.

Aleph sighed, eyes on the sky.

"What comes next?"

He didn't have the answer.

************

Astral Express – Control Room

The interior of the Astral Express was silent.

Himeko and Welt watched the data projected on the screen in front of them. The image of Aleph, surrounded by the Stellaron's energy, played over and over, while real-time analysis showed abnormal fluctuations in his body.

Himeko sighed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"This is really troublesome..."

Welt, frowning, nodded.

"When Aleph absorbed the Stellaron, he temporarily contained it… and now he's begun to assimilate it."

Himeko slowly lowered her cup.

"What exactly does that mean?"

Welt adjusted his glasses, his expression grave.

"A normal human who comes into contact with a Stellaron is consumed by its corruption. But Aleph… shows no signs of instability. In fact, it might be the opposite. That is, of course, if the data we're seeing is correct."

Himeko exhaled in concern.

"Then what's going to happen to him?"

Welt didn't answer immediately.

"I don't know. And that's what worries me the most."

An uncomfortable silence filled the train cabin.

Finally, Himeko set her cup aside.

"The Astral Express won't be leaving Jarillo-VI immediately. We still need to restock and make a few adjustments."

Welt nodded.

"That will give us time to analyze his condition more thoroughly before taking him to Herta. It was a blessing she accepted your proposal for him to join the crew."

Himeko chuckled softly.

"The charm of a lady like me isn't easily resisted~ If I were the one inviting, who would say no?"

...

Astral Express – Later

Aleph yawned as he walked down the train corridor toward the room he had been assigned.

After the banquet and his chat with Stelle, he just wanted to rest. But before he reached his room, something made him stop.

In front of his door, there was a neatly wrapped package with a blue ribbon.

He stood still for a moment before picking it up.

"What the hell is this?"

Opening it, he found something that left him in shock.

It was a new outfit, elegant yet functional. Clearly tailor-made.

Along with it, there was a note.

Hope you make good use of it. – Bronya

Aleph blinked.

First, surprise.

Then, disbelief.

Finally…

"…I'm going to make March 7th pay if this is one of her pranks."

But even as he said that, his fingers traced the fabric with curiosity.

He couldn't deny it.

The uniform looked pretty good.

...

That night, in his room, Aleph received an unexpected message on his gauntlet.

It was from Clara.

[Clara: "Hi, Aleph! I'm learning how to use this phone. Can you read me?"]

Aleph raised an eyebrow and replied.

[Aleph: "Yes, Clara. I can read you. Do you need something?"]

A few seconds passed before another response came in.

[Clara: "Svarog has something important to tell you all. Could you come to Underworld tomorrow?"]

Aleph sighed.

[Aleph: "Understood. We'll come in the morning."]

Just as he was about to turn off the device, another message arrived.

[Clara: "Thank you. Sleep well, Aleph."]

The young man smiled slightly before lying down on his bed.

Finally, a well-deserved rest.

**************************************************************************

Omake: The Adventures of Galactic Bat and Daredevil

Act 1: Chaos Comes to The Herta-City

In a forgotten corner of the universe, where the fate of countless worlds hangs by a thread, a new threat emerges...

A ruthless villain.

A nefarious plan.

A city in danger.

But fear not...

Because the heroes are here!

...Unfortunately, it's them.

...

The sky over The Herta-City turned an unsettling shade of purple. The citizens, usually busy with their daily lives, were now acting... strangely.

"It can't be!" shouted a man in a suit as he clung to a lamppost. "After all these years, I've discovered that my arch-nemesis is… my long-lost twin brother!"

"Oh, Jorge, my beloved!" sobbed a woman dressed as a maid, clutching a complete stranger. "Our love is impossible, but… I love you!"

Amidst the chaos, a massive screen appeared over the city.

On it, a violet-haired woman smiled in satisfaction.

Enchantress (Kafka).

"Welcome to my masterpiece!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I have turned The Herta-City into the stage of the greatest dramatic novel of all time! Every citizen is now a character trapped in their own conflict! And you, heroes… you're just pawns in my grand spectacle."

Cries of anguish and exaggerated revelations echoed throughout the city.

"Dad, I can't marry her because… I'm her son!"

"NOOOOOOOO!"

A camera cut to a group of figures observing the scene from a skyscraper.

...

At the top of the Astral-Tower, our heroes gathered in their headquarters.

Mister Dimension (Welt) frowned as he watched the broadcast.

"This is a problem."

Beside him, Dragon-Man (Dan Heng) stood with his arms crossed, his white cape billowing dramatically.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. "Do we really have to deal with this?"

Crimson Nova (Himeko) sipped her coffee calmly.

"Could be worse," she shrugged.

March 7th, dressed in a blue and white suit with a giant snowflake emblem on her chest, stepped forward with a confident smile.

"Fear not, citizens! Frost Byte is here!"

Mister Dimension sighed.

"Where are the other two?"

As if summoned by his words, a figure burst into the room with a spectacular leap through the window.

"Daredevil has arrived!" Aleph shouted, landing with an unnecessarily flashy roll.

Behind him, Stelle—wearing a blue heroine suit with golden accents and a large bat emblem on her chest—walked in calmly.

"…Galactic Bat is here too," she muttered, far less enthusiastically.

Dan Heng pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why do you always make such an over-the-top entrance?"

Aleph crossed his arms proudly.

"Because I'm the best."

Himeko chuckled.

"Alright, now that everyone's here… We have a problem. Enchantress has turned the city into a soap opera asylum."

Galactic Bat tilted her head.

"…And that's a problem because…?"

Mister Dimension looked at her seriously.

"Because it's even worse than a Mexican telenovela. And amidst the chaos… Cyber Overlord (Silver Wolf) has launched her cyber attack. She's trying to turn reality into a video game where she's the absolute admin."

Daredevil whistled.

"Now that sounds problematic."

"And that's not all," Himeko continued. "Rumor has it that Star Inferno (Firefly) is planning to burn the city down as a 'reset.' And to top it off… Blood Claw (Blade) has been spotted on the rooftops looking for his eternal rival."

Dan Heng closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"Let me guess..."

Suddenly, an explosion echoed through the air.

From a nearby building, a dark, hooded figure leaped, landing in an absurdly dramatic pose.

"Dragon-Man!"

Aleph rolled his eyes.

"…Again?"

Blood Claw pointed a massive sword at Dan Heng.

"Our battle is not yet over! We fought 13 moons ago! But I never claimed my long-awaited victory!"

Dragon-Man sighed.

"…I don't even remember that fight."

"That wounds me more than a thousand sword cuts!" Blade cried, his face twisted in emotional agony.

Mister Dimension cleared his throat.

"Anyway… our enemies are on the move. We can't stay here."

Crimson Nova stood up.

"Then it's time to do what we do best."

Frost Byte grinned.

"Yeah! Save the day!"

Galactic Bat and Daredevil bumped fists.

Mister Dimension closed his eyes in resignation.

"I knew you were going to say that..."

**********

Act 2: The Assault on Silver Wolf's Fortress

Cyber Overlord is about to hack reality…

But Galactic Bat and Daredevil are ready to ruin her evil plan.

Will the heroes save The Herta-City?

Or will they cause more destruction than the villains themselves?

Coming soon, in The Adventures of Galactic Bat and Daredevil!

.....

The Astral-Tower team loomed over the city like a beacon of hope… or at least, that's what Welt—er, Mister Dimension—hoped.

In their command center, holograms floated around the main table. The situation was clear: Cyber Overlord had taken control of the city's central server and was transforming reality into an open-world MMORPG where she had absolute admin privileges.

"If we don't stop her," Mister Dimension explained gravely, "we'll be reduced to mere NPCs in her game. No free will. No autonomy. Forced to complete ridiculous quests for miserable rewards."

Frost Byte paled.

"Are you saying we could be reduced to living tutorials?!"

"Exactly," Welt confirmed with a solemn nod.

"Monster!" Galactic Bat shouted, slamming her fist on the table. She was a 5-star! How could she accept being reduced to a mere NPC?

Daredevil, on the other hand, just looked intrigued.

"...Could I get good skills if I join their team?"

Crimson Nova smacked him on the head.

"This is no time to think about stat farming!"

Daredevil scoffed.

"You guys don't understand true build optimization..."

******

The team landed at the entrance of The Digital Fortress, a futuristic building with neon lights flickering in strange patterns.

A giant screen at the entrance showed Cyber Overlord sitting in a gaming chair, legs crossed, with a bored expression.

"So, you finally made it," she muttered, typing on her RGB-lit mechanical keyboard. "I had it all calculated. You're going to go through the corridors, defeat my minions, and reach the final room, where I'll throw a boss fight at you. Why not save yourselves the trouble and join my guild?"

Frost Byte pointed a finger at her.

"We don't join villains!"

Cyber Overlord sighed.

"Seriously, you all have the mindset of Western MMORPG players. Always picking the 'good guy' faction without thinking."

Mr. Dimension adjusted his glasses.

"It doesn't matter what you say. We're going to stop you."

Cyber Overlord rolled her eyes and pressed a button on her keyboard.

"Fine. Initiating base defense event."

An alarm blared throughout the fortress, and pixelated enemies began pouring out of the corridors.

From floating spheres with laser-shooting eyes to minions resembling generic MMO players with names like Novice_Player78 and DarkLordXxX.

Cyber Overlord laughed.

"Good luck, heroes! Don't forget to check out the microtransaction shop if you need to boost your stats!"

The screen turned off.

Galactic Bat frowned.

"She's more dangerous than I thought... Microtransactions are pure evil."

Daredevil spun his bat with a confident grin.

"Yeah, but we're a bunch of idiots with abilities beyond all logic. Plus, the story is on our side."

Dragon-Man sighed.

"That's not a valid strategy."

"It's THE strategy!"

...

Frost Byte fired ice blasts, freezing enemies in place, while Crimson Nova unleashed fiery explosions that disintegrated minions into showers of pixels.

Dragon-Man moved swiftly, blocking attacks with his cape and knocking enemies down with precise strikes.

Galactic Bat charged ahead, using her star bat to send minions flying.

Daredevil… well, Daredevil was fighting with his chaos bat while shouting catchphrases he made up on the spot.

"Take this! 200% EXTRA DAMAGE CRIT!"

BAM!

"Five-hit combo! LABOR EXPLOITATION!"

WHAM!

Mr. Dimension just watched everything with the patience of a tired dad on a school trip.

Finally, after clearing the minions, they stood before a massive door labeled FINAL BOSS in neon lights.

Cyber Overlord appeared on a screen next to them.

"Congratulations. You made it to the final boss."

Galactic Bat pointed her bat.

"Surrender!"

Cyber Overlord smirked.

"Hahaha. No."

She pressed another button.

"Initiating Raid Boss battle."

The door opened...

And a giant pixelated dragon emerged.

"You've GOT to be kidding me!" Frost Byte yelled.

Cyber Overlord pulled out a joystick.

"Let the game begin."

The heroes glanced at each other.

Daredevil grinned.

"Well… this is gonna be fun."

**********

Act 3: Boss Fight Against the Code Dragon

Will our heroes survive the enrage phase?

Will Daredevil pull off some ridiculous exploit?

Will Silver Wolf admit that, deep down, she actually cares about these idiots?

Coming soon in The Adventures of Galactic Bat & Daredevil!

...

The headquarters of the Code Syndicate was a floating neon fortress, filled with holographic screens and data cables hovering in the air. In the center, seated on a throne that looked suspiciously like a gaming chair, Silver Wolf—or rather, Cyber Overlord—toyed with a control console featuring a golden joystick.

Before the heroes, a colossal beast began materializing in a whirlwind of code and electric sparks. Its body was a mess of unstable pixels, with data fragments floating around it like glitched assets from an old video game. Its eyes were two red error messages, and every time it roared, a distorted glitch sound shook the room.

[Code Dragon - Level ???]

[Error: Stats Out of Range]

Galactic Bat blinked.

"Why does it say 'Error' instead of a level?"

Mr. Dimension adjusted his glasses.

"Because its programming is broken. This is a trap."

Cyber Overlord spun her joystick, and the Code Dragon moved at rapid speed, as if its settings were cranked too high.

"Welcome to my domain, heroes. Ready for a Game Over?"

Daredevil clicked his tongue.

"I hate unfairly programmed bosses."

The dragon roared, and the fight began.

Our poor heroes were about to face… the inevitability of the Meta.

Galactic Bat was the first to strike. She charged in with her bat wrapped in blue flames and slammed it against the dragon's head.

CLANG!

The sound of an error echoed in the air, but…

[Immune]

Her attack did absolutely nothing.

Galactic Bat frowned.

"…Seriously?"

Cyber Overlord chuckled, tilting her cap smugly.

"My dragon is completely immune to melee attacks. It's meta."

Dragon-Man unleashed a barrage of wind slashes.

[Immune]

Frost Byte fired a freezing arrow.

[Immune]

Crimson Nova shot a plasma beam.

[Immune]

Daredevil gritted his teeth.

"This is ridiculous."

"Right?" Cyber Overlord teased with a smirk. "The problem isn't you, it's the game's balance."

The Code Dragon twitched erratically and started firing glitch projectiles. The team quickly scattered to avoid them.

Mr. Dimension muttered as he analyzed the creature's movements.

"This fight is a joke… this boss has way too many unfair mechanics."

Daredevil raised an eyebrow.

"Unfair mechanics?"

"Yes." Mr. Dimension gestured, summoning a holographic screen beside him. "No attack wind-ups, arbitrary immunities, and hitboxes that change at will. No matter what we do, Cyber Overlord can just rewrite the rules."

Frost Byte sighed.

"What kind of monster designs something like this?"

Cyber Overlord laughed.

"ME! And I love it!" She shot them a mischievous grin. "Do you think I had to hack or steal anything for all my funding? Nope! It's all thanks to mobile games filled with microtransactions!"

Frost Byte looked at her like she was a true abomination.

Daredevil clenched his teeth.

"If we can't play by her rules…"

He spun his bat in his hand.

"…then we'll do what I always do in these situations."

Galactic Bat tilted her head curiously.

"And that is?"

Daredevil grinned.

"Abuse exploits!"

Cyber Overlord's smirk vanished.

"Wait, what?"

Daredevil ran to one of the corners of the battle arena and repeatedly slammed his bat against the ground.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Suddenly, the Code Dragon stopped moving and began to vibrate strangely.

[Error: Script Not Responding]

Cyber Overlord jumped to her feet in panic.

"What did you do?!"

Daredevil smirked with satisfaction.

"I trapped it in a collision bug."

The Code Dragon wobbled and suddenly…

[Glitch Detected]

…started looping its animation.

Galactic Bat instantly understood what needed to be done.

"Oh! It's an infinite stun bug!"

She jumped and struck the dragon with all her strength.

CLANG!

[Critical Damage]

The dragon let out a distorted roar as its code began to fragment.

"Nooo! That's not fair!" Cyber Overlord screamed.

Daredevil smirked and looked at Galactic Bat.

"Break the game."

Galactic Bat grinned happily.

"With pleasure."

She soared into the air, her bat glowing with an intense blue energy.

"GALACTIC BAT—SUPER THOUSAND-HIT COMBO!"

In mere seconds, she unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks on the Code Dragon.

Cyber Overlord screamed as she watched her boss's health bar vanish completely in less than five seconds.

And then…

[ERROR: GAME CRASHED]

The Code Dragon froze.

The sky turned black for a moment before exploding into a rain of corrupted data.

Cyber Overlord fell from her throne in utter shock.

"No… no way…"

Daredevil dusted off his shoulders.

"Done. Next."

The heroes regrouped, ready to face their true enemy.

Galactic Bat spun her bat in one hand and looked at Cyber Overlord with a confident smirk.

"Well, well… what now, Overlord?"

Cyber Overlord remained silent for a moment.

Then, she smirked.

"…Now, I play for real."

Her joystick glowed with a crimson light.

She stood up, her digital cape rising with a dark energy.

"Did you think that was all? I still have one last trick up my sleeve."

The heroes' eyes sharpened.

Mr. Dimension adjusted his glasses.

"…This isn't over."

The next showdown was about to begin.

**********

Act 4 – Final Showdown Against Cyber Overlord

The headquarters of the Code Syndicate trembled as Cyber Overlord activated her last move.

The holographic screens flickered, displaying a red line of code:

[Activating Protocol: Secret Final Boss]

Beneath their feet, the ground began to distort. Fragments of data floated in the air as the entire room transformed.

Cyber Overlord grinned confidently as her joystick radiated a sinister glow.

"If you think breaking my game is enough to defeat me… then it's time to raise the difficulty."

With a single motion, she slammed a button on her console.

[Loading Final Form: Cyber Titan]

Cyber Overlord's body became engulfed in a vortex of corrupted data. Her silhouette stretched, her pixelated outfit shifting into black armor with streams of code running along her limbs. Her cap disappeared, replaced by a digital helmet that covered her face—its screen displaying a glitched-out skull symbol.

When the vortex vanished, Cyber Overlord now stood nearly ten feet tall, with six mechanical arms, each holding a different hacking device.

Galactic Bat swallowed hard.

"Tell me I'm not the only one seeing how bad this just got."

Daredevil spun his bat in his hand.

"Well… at least it looks cool."

Dragon-Man narrowed his eyes.

"Focus. Something tells me he's serious this time."

Cyber Overlord moved with absurd speed, as if physics didn't apply to him. His six arms unleashed torrents of corrupt data, creating unblockable attacks.

Mr. Dimension tried to analyze his attack pattern, but…

[Error: Inconsistent Pattern]

"He doesn't have a fixed pattern!" he shouted, barely dodging a barrage of projectiles.

"What does that even mean?!" Frost Byte yelled while firing an ice arrow.

"It means his code changes every second! We can't predict him!"

Daredevil gritted his teeth.

"Perfect, a boss with pure randomness mechanics… What a complete trash design!"

Galactic Bat rolled across the ground, dodging a devastating strike from one of Cyber Overlord's arms.

"How do we beat him if he doesn't even follow his own rules?!"

Cyber Overlord laughed, his voice distorted.

"Exactly. You're players, but I make the rules."

Mr. Dimension adjusted his glasses.

"Then…"

Everyone looked at him.

"If we can't follow his rules… we have to break them even more."

Daredevil blinked.

"Wait… are you saying we should exploit more glitches?"

"Exactly."

Dragon-Man frowned.

"That sounds… ridiculously risky."

Galactic Bat grinned.

"…But it sounds fun."

The entire team changed their strategy.

Instead of fighting with logic, they started acting like true speedrunners.

Frost Byte fired an arrow at the ground, causing Cyber Overlord to accidentally teleport inside a wall of data.

Dragon-Man used a speed ability to clip through the stage boundaries, appearing right behind Cyber Overlord and landing a strike before he could react.

Daredevil hit a weak point in the floor where the code was unstable, causing the enemy to crash for half a second.

Galactic Bat activated a precise movement combo, making his attack multiply for no reason at all.

Cyber Overlord started to panic.

"THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!"

The surrounding screens flashed red with alerts:

[ERROR: DATA ALTERED]

[ERROR: PLAYERS OUT OF CONTROL]

Daredevil laughed.

"Welcome to your own nightmare, Overlord!"

The villain roared and channeled his final card.

"It doesn't matter, if I fall… I'm taking you all with me!"

The room's lights flickered violently.

[Self-Destruction Procedure Activated]

The floor began to collapse.

Cyber Overlord erupted into a vortex of corrupted data.

The only exit sealed shut.

Galactic Bat frowned.

"Oh, come on! Now he's pulling the 'If I can't win, nobody wins' move?!"

Mr. Dimension pulled out his portable console and typed rapidly.

"I need a minute to disable the self-destruction!"

Daredevil nodded.

"Everyone, protect Mr. Dimension!"

Cyber Overlord, now a pure glitch, lunged at them in a last attempt to drag them into the abyss of code.

Galactic Bat and Daredevil exchanged a glance and nodded.

With synchronized movements, they charged at Cyber Overlord.

The villain rushed toward them, unleashing a blast of corrupted data.

Galactic Bat spun his bat at absurd speed.

Daredevil did the same.

"Final combo, Galactic!"

"Devil Strike!"

Both attacks landed at the same time.

The impact created a golden and blue shockwave.

Cyber Overlord let out one last distorted scream before being completely deleted.

Mr. Dimension pressed the final button on his console.

[Self-Destruction Canceled]

The digital world stopped collapsing.

Silence.

And then…

The whole team let out a relieved sigh.

Galactic Bat dropped onto the floor.

"…I am never playing another Silver Wolf MMO again."

Daredevil chuckled.

"At least it made for a good story."

*********

Extra Act: A New Day for the Star League

Back in the city, the heroes were greeted with cheers.

The Code Syndicate had been defeated.

The criminals were imprisoned.

And the world was a little safer… for now.

From a rooftop, a figure watched the scene with a calm smile.

A golden emblem was engraved on their armor.

"The Star League is strong… but the war isn't over."

The figure's eyes burned with a fiery glow.

"We will meet again… Galactic Bat, Daredevil."

The wind blew.

The silhouette vanished.

END?

[Coming Soon in The Adventures of Galactic Bat and Daredevil…]

A new enemy lurking in the shadows?

An intergalactic hero tournament?

And why won't Dragon-Man admit he actually liked his dragon pajamas?

"It's NOT pajamas!"

Find out in the next big adventure!