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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxt6Yks6Bm4
"The door... she broke the door," one Exoterran muttered in disbelief.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSXlBNGjKh
"Wasn't that made of Xenium Alloy?" another whispered.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡET8Nkw5qMq
"Yeah... that's one of the toughest metals around," came another hushed voice.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bB5XAblhl
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...*
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVXbGmauBW
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN8oDVsRJ7
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!"
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIWv9GGas1
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSK62IXyh4
(A Quart being equivalent to 20 years of age.)
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQq8He92Uvj
The white-haired man, hearing their disbelief, turned to the two Exoterrans with a playful smile. His expression was calm, yet brimming with confidence.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgCkei9M4Q
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dpjbxijmD
"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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtiachLlh0
"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."
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kpXl2Rawn
Nexus, like a lifeless doll, was pulled closer to the woman's face, her grip tight and unyielding around his scarf.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YS2ZlkdhN
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXN3rpzTFg
"I'm coming with you, huh?" Nexus chuckled, his eyes half-lidded. "You say that buuuut..."
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVc9JN7uRq
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.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSyj5kJ9pl
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtL2EUalMP2
"Damn you!" she snarled, her voice echoing in fury as she blinked against the light.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87uPATrzyZ
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmf2EGozba
When the brilliance faded and her vision cleared, she found nothing but an empty stool and the faint scent of smoke in the air.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5oCjqUIaP
"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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3FIF9KtwM
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE767QuP0K
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."
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ISBtBqy40
With a mocking salute, he turned and bolted out of the bar, leaving the patrons stunned and K seething with anger.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1UhMCdEpr
"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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwZzCR4j9W
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xxEklvxLN
"That woman... she was floating," an Anced, with green skin and long, slender arms, muttered as he inspected a few scratches from the chaos.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡji795p2w4E
"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."
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUW4KxurIRw
(Soufre meaning Bounty Hunter.)
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8epcWOAPw
The realization sparked an uproar. The bar, now in shambles, erupted in heated conversations as patrons began to piece together what had just happened.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4jny2Aw63
"A Vulcanari," someone shouted from the back.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJs5RXTCrOK
"The last Vulcanari, you mean," another voice corrected, awe creeping into their tone.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4KNPziMeq
"You'd think they were legends," someone else chimed in. "To see one in action... that speed, that strength..."
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IuBjHcsDZ
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxx2MQ0O4aO
"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."
***
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJoanOaA24
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhTXTkatRf
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYsTzbJHmZ
"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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiBapMBm0v
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.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPurNWGduV
"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."162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZWIxbmBj8
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscFLfJYW4F
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.
***
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcre7ykgU9
Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse
ns216.73.216.221da2
