In the clearing behind Koro-sensei's house, Akira, Koro-sensei, and Ritsu—projected from the phone in Akira's hand—stood side by side, staring at the object before them with excited expressions.
Akira broke the silence first.
"It's finally done."
Ritsu nodded.
"Yes. It was completed 38 hours before the estimated time."
Koro-sensei clasped his tentacles together, beaming.
"Nuruhuhuhuhuhuhu! Congratulations, students! We completed our summer project ahead of schedule."
Akira grinned and gestured dramatically toward the ship.
"Ladies and... Octopus."
Koro-sensei puffed himself up slightly.
"You can just call me 'gentleman,' alright?"
"Anyway," Akira continued, "I present to you... the Moon Infiltrator."
In front of them stood a sleek, jet-black and purple spacecraft. It had a long, aggressive wedge-shaped nose that pointed forward like an obsidian blade. At the rear of the hull sat a spherical cockpit pod with purple observation windows that looked like eyes. A pair of crescent-shaped folded wings rested along its sides.
Ritsu tilted her head on the screen.
"Can I ask a question? Why does it look like the Sith Infiltrator, but black and purple?"
Akira shrugged with a proud smirk.
"Because it's cool. Too bad it wasn't used much in the movies. Besides, I made a lot of my own modifications to the interior."
Koro-sensei leaned forward curiously.
"Really? Well, I only helped you with the engine. I want to see the inside too."
Akira turned toward the ship.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go."
He opened the hatch with his phone, and the three of them stepped inside.
The interior opened into a spacious cockpit that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie. Unlike the more analog aesthetic of Star Wars, it reflected Akira's modern taste, with large holographic displays, sleek control panels, comfortable-looking chairs... and, for some reason, a giant fishbowl at the back.
"Welcome aboard," Akira said, spreading his arms. "This is the cockpit. Up front is the captain's chair, which also serves as the pilot's seat, and beside it is the co-pilot's chair. Behind you is Koro-sensei's tank, where he'll power the engine."
Koro-sensei looked at the large transparent spherical tank and frowned.
"Akira-kun... why did you have to make it look like a fishbowl?"
Akira shrugged.
"Because you're an octopus, Sensei."
Koro-sensei paused for a moment, then nodded.
"...You have a point."
Akira continued,
"Besides, it gives you a great view outside."
Ritsu suddenly appeared on the ship's main display after downloading herself into the onboard system.
"Download complete. Wait, Akira-kun, why does this ship have a built-in gaming system? It's even connected to streaming services and the internet."
Akira grinned.
"Well, space is boring, alright? We need some way to pass the time."
Ritsu continued scanning.
"And why do the seats have a mode called 'massage seats'?"
Akira shrugged.
"Well, to make space travel relaxing. These things are important."
Koro-sensei dashed over, eagerly looking around.
"Indeed! Comfort is important. Speaking of comfort, Akira-kun... where is the most important thing?"
Akira blinked.
"The most important thing? You mean the toilet? It's near the rear of the hull. Most of the ship is dedicated to mining equipment, but part of it has a bedroom and a full bathroom. You can even take a shower."
Koro-sensei waved a tentacle.
"Not that, Akira-kun. I'm talking about food. Where's the food?"
Akira walked over to the side wall and pressed a button. A hidden compartment slid open, revealing a fully equipped kitchen complete with a massive refrigerator, oven, blender, popcorn maker, and various other appliances.
"There. Fresh food, frozen food, spices, drinks... everything you need. You can cook almost anything in here."
Koro-sensei immediately zipped over and began gathering sweets at alarming speed.
"...Akira-kun, Sensei loves this ship."
Akira grinned.
"Anyway... now that both of you have finished the tour, are you ready for the ride?"
Ritsu's voice came through the ship's speakers.
"You want to fly it now? But we still need terabytes of calculations before an actual flight—"
Akira interrupted with a grin.
"Ritsu, sometimes you gotta run before you can walk."
Ritsu paused.
"…Is that from Iron Man?"
There was silence.
Akira completely ignored the question and said,
"Koro-sensei, to the fishbowl."
Koro-sensei, who was still munching on sweets, looked up.
"What?"
Akira gestured toward the spherical tank.
"Come on. We need to take off soon."
Koro-sensei quickly finished the last of his snacks and floated into the large glass sphere.
"Akira-kun, just asking... how do I get out of this thing?"
Akira replied casually,
"The same way you got in, Koro-sensei."
Ritsu sighed.
"Fine. If you want to fly, let's fly. I'll keep the parameters in check."
Akira nodded.
"Good. Then Koro-sensei, be careful with the antimatter injection, okay?"
Koro-sensei smiled confidently.
"Don't worry. Sensei is the best at controlling my powers."
Akira nodded.
"Alright then. Everyone to your positions."
Silence.
Then Ritsu spoke up.
"Akira-kun... you're the only one who's not in position."
Akira silently walked over, sat in the pilot's chair, and gripped the control stick.
"Alright then—"
Grrrrumble...
Everyone turned to look at him as he placed a hand on his stomach.
"Huh. I forgot my breakfast energy bar."
He pulled an Energy Bar Beta from his pocket. The overwhelming aroma of Rainbow Fruit quickly filled the cockpit.
Koro-sensei asked curiously,
"Akira-kun, what is that?"
Akira took a few quick bites before placing the rest beside him.
"My breakfast. Don't worry about it. Anyway, let's begin."
Ritsu activated the systems one by one.
"Mirage Colloid Stealth System... complete."
"Neural linkage... nominal."
"Ion density... normal."
"Meta Cortex parameters... updated."
"Antimatter reactor... critical."
"Power flow... stable."
"All systems green."
"Moon Infiltrator... activate~!"
The entire ship came to life.
Powered by the steady stream of antimatter supplied by Koro-sensei, the engines began to hum.
Akira smiled.
"Liftoff."
He pressed a button.
The landing gear retracted, and the ship slowly rose into the air.
Ritsu reported,
"Anti-gravity propulsion functioning normally~"
Akira tightened his grip on the controls.
"Alright... let's take it nice and slow."
He gently pushed the control stick forward.
The Moon Infiltrator instantly shot forward like a bullet.
In mere seconds, they blasted past the forest, crossed the mountains, flew over the city, and were racing across the open ocean.
Koro-sensei screamed,
"Akira-kun! Why are we going so fast?!"
Akira winced.
"Sorry, Sensei! The controls are a bit sensitive. I tuned them for maximum speed. Don't worry, I'll slow us down."
Ritsu immediately warned,
"But slowing down instantly could damage the ship. Try reducing speed gradually... or gain altitude first."
Akira nodded.
"Not a bad idea."
He pushed the control stick upward.
But instead of climbing...
The ship rolled ninety degrees downward...
...and plunged straight into the ocean.
Koro-sensei screamed again.
"Akira-kun! This isn't a submarine! Why are we diving into the sea?!"
Akira replied sheepishly,
"Sorry, Sensei! I got a little confused by the controls. Well... on the bright side, we definitely slowed down."
Ritsu quickly scanned the hull.
"Structural integrity confirmed. No damage detected."
Akira nodded.
"Well, I did build it to survive space... and even planets with extreme pressure."
He looked through the window.
"Oh, look, Koro-sensei. There are octopuses even bigger than you."
Koro-sensei corrected him.
"No, Akira-kun. Those are squids. More specifically, colossal squids. They live in the Southern Ocean..."
He paused.
"...Wow, we really are fast."
Akira smiled.
"Anyway, let's get out of the ocean first. We can admire marine life later."
He pulled the controls upward.
The Moon Infiltrator burst through the surface, sending a massive spray of water into the air before soaring back into the sky.
Akira looked ahead.
"Ritsu, prepare for atmospheric exit."
Ritsu blinked.
"What? Oh... okay."
Akira grinned.
"Let's goooo!"
Moments later, the Moon Infiltrator pierced through Earth's atmosphere...
...and entered space.
The moment they exited the atmosphere, the sky turned pitch black. The endless night stretched in every direction, filled with countless stars untouched by the light pollution of cities. This was the real, infinite cosmos.
Akira leaned forward in the pilot's seat.
"Ritsu, activate stealth mode."
Ritsu responded immediately.
"Sure. Activating Mirage Colloid Stealth System~"
A shimmering field enveloped the ship, and the Moon Infiltrator vanished from sight.
Ritsu reported,
"Stealth mode is functioning properly, Akira-kun."
"Good," Akira said before speaking in a mock tour-guide voice.
"Now then, ladies and... gentlemen, welcome to space. If you look to your left, you'll see Earth. And if you look to your right, you'll see our destination—the Moon."
Koro-sensei floated inside his glass tank, quietly gazing at the beautiful blue planet below.
"Sigh... Earth really is beautiful."
Akira nodded without slowing the ship.
"It really is. But anyway, we need to reach the Moon as soon as possible. I want to see Erika again."
Koro-sensei turned toward him.
"Akira-kun, at least enjoy the view."
Akira replied nonchalantly,
"I've seen it in movies too many times, Sensei. We can admire it on the way back. Right now, let's keep moving."
He pushed the controls forward, increasing their speed.
Suddenly, Ritsu spoke up.
"Akira-kun, the scanner detected something large."
Akira frowned.
"What is it? A chunk of the Moon?"
Ritsu scanned again.
"No... it's artificial. It resembles a satellite, but I can't identify it. It's not in any database... and it appears to be incomplete."
Akira immediately remembered the Spear of Heaven.
"Probably something they're building to kill Koro-sensei."
He shrugged.
"Not important right now."
Koro-sensei looked horrified.
"Akira-kun, Sensei's life is—"
Akira cut him off by casually tossing something into the tank.
"Here. Eat something during the trip."
A large Mushroom Pudding from the Toriko world floated toward Koro-sensei. The hatch of the tank opened just enough for him to catch it before sealing shut again.
Koro-sensei immediately forgot what he was about to say and began happily devouring it.
"Okay," he mumbled between bites.
Akira set the final course for the Moon.
The Moon Infiltrator surged forward at incredible speed.
Still eating, Koro-sensei muttered,
"I never imagined this thing would be so fast... even though I helped build it."
Akira smiled.
"That's thanks to your antimatter, Sensei. Actually, it can go even faster... but it'll be much harder to control."
Koro-sensei looked thoughtful.
"So... antimatter can be used for more than just destruction."
Akira's expression grew a little more serious.
"There is no such thing as an evil power, Sensei. For humanity, antimatter is like fire was to cavemen. It's dangerous, sure... but it also has the potential to change civilization. People simply need time to learn how to use it properly. Some will always choose to use it for destruction, but that was inevitable."
He looked ahead toward the Moon.
"Still... someday, humanity will learn to use that power the right way."
Koro-sensei and Ritsu quietly looked at him for a moment.
Then Koro-sensei asked,
"Akira-kun... getting serious all of a sudden."
He held up a chocolate bar.
"Are you hungry? Need a Snickers?"
Ritsu added teasingly,
"Or perhaps he's experiencing Erika Withdrawal Syndrome."
Akira groaned.
"Oh, shut up, both of you."
He pushed the controls forward once more, sending the Moon Infiltrator racing even faster toward its destination.
The purple thrusters glowed silently as the Moon Infiltrator cut through the endless darkness toward the Moon.
Along the way, they passed numerous satellites from different countries monitoring the shattered lunar surface. Thanks to the Mirage Colloid Stealth System, the ship slipped past every one of them undetected.
Within minutes, they arrived above the broken Moon.
Akira leaned forward.
"Alright, we're here. Now let's find them. Ritsu, activate the scanner at full power."
Ritsu saluted from the main screen.
"Roger that. Activating scanner."
The scanner swept across the lunar surface.
Nothing.
Akira muttered,
"Well... looks like this might take a while."
The Moon Infiltrator moved from one sector to another, scanning the Moon piece by piece.
Then—
Ritsu spoke up.
"The scanner picked something up."
Akira nodded.
"Let's go take a look."
He guided the ship closer before pressing a button.
"Deploying mining droids."
A hatch beneath the ship opened, releasing four spherical drones.
They landed softly on the Moon's surface before unfolding crab-like legs and heavy drilling arms.
Within moments, all four began boring deep into the lunar rock.
Koro-sensei watched curiously from inside his glass tank.
"Do you really think they exist?"
Akira replied confidently,
"Scientifically speaking... they should."
A few moments later, Ritsu announced,
"The droids found something."
Everyone looked toward the monitor.
The drills had stopped after striking a hidden mineral vein. The drones immediately began analyzing the sample.
A few seconds later...
"The analysis is complete. They're real."
Akira smiled proudly.
"Told you."
Koro-sensei looked genuinely impressed.
"I never thought you'd actually find them."
Akira shrugged.
"Doing the impossible is kind of my specialty."
He pointed toward the screen.
"Deploy the remaining mining droids. Begin full-scale excavation."
Dozens of specialized drones emerged from the cargo bay.
Some drilled.
Some transported ore.
Others sorted and stored the material.
Working together, they rapidly excavated the deposit.
After filling the cargo hold, Akira nodded with satisfaction.
"Alright. To the next site."
Over the next several hours, they repeated the same process at multiple locations until the ship's storage compartments were completely full.
Koro-sensei looked at the overflowing cargo bay.
"Akira-kun... why do you even need this much?"
Akira shrugged.
"Well... you never know when you'll need it. It's always better to stock up."
He stretched happily.
"Anyway... mission accomplished."
Everyone cheered.
"We did it!" Ritsu celebrated.
"Nuruhuhuhuhu! Then let's celebrate with a feast!" Koro-sensei said excitedly. "Actually, Akira-kun should cook. His food is much better than any restaurant!"
Akira laughed.
"Sure. Then it's time to head home."
Ritsu nodded.
"Yes, Captain. Setting course for Earth."
Akira turned the control stick, sending the Moon Infiltrator back toward their home planet.
A few moments later, his stomach growled.
Still piloting with one hand, he reached for the half-eaten Energy Bar Beta he had left beside his seat.
...
It was gone.
Akira frowned.
"Did it fall somewhere...?"
He turned around.
Inside the fishbowl tank, Koro-sensei was happily holding the energy bar.
Akira's eyes widened.
"Wait, Koro-sensei, that—"
Koro-sensei smiled innocently.
"Sorry, Akira-kun. The smell was simply irresistible."
Before Akira could stop him—
Crunch.
He took a huge bite.
"Hmmm... It tastes like seven different things at the same time... wait..."
Rainbow-colored energy suddenly erupted from his body.
His entire skin shifted into brilliant rainbow colors.
Koro-sensei blinked.
"What is happening?"
Akira shouted,
"That bar is—"
Ritsu suddenly interrupted.
"Warning! Antimatter reactor output increasing!"
"Two hundred percent..."
"Three hundred..."
"Four hundred..."
"Five hundred percent!"
Akira's face turned pale.
"Oh, crap."
The Moon Infiltrator instantly accelerated.
The stars outside stretched into streaks of light.
The ship shot toward Earth at a speed approaching the speed of light.
All three screamed together.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!"
Ritsu yelled,
"We have to turn or we'll crash into Earth!"
Akira fought the controls with all his strength.
The ship barely missed Earth.
Koro-sensei, still glowing like a rainbow, shouted,
"Brake! Brake!"
Akira gritted his teeth.
"We can't! We're going too fast!"
He glanced at the navigation display.
"Wait... where are we heading now?"
Ritsu answered,
"Mars!"
Akira's eyes lit up.
"We can use Mars' gravity to slingshot ourselves back... but first we need to reduce the reactor output!"
He pointed behind him.
"Koro-sensei! Get out of the fishbowl!"
Koro-sensei immediately floated out.
Even so, the ship's momentum carried it onward at incredible speed.
"Ritsu!" Akira shouted.
"Maximum shields! Then gradually engage the brakes!"
Ritsu saluted on the screen.
"Yes, Captain!"
The ship slowed slightly...
...but it was still unbelievably fast.
Soon, Mars filled the forward window.
Akira pulled the controls hard.
"We're using its gravity to turn around!"
The Moon Infiltrator skimmed across the Martian atmosphere before slingshotting around the planet and racing back toward Earth.
Ritsu quickly checked the telemetry.
"We're still moving too fast. Can we land safely?"
Akira took a deep breath.
"It can't be helped. Shut down the engines. Koro-sensei... back into the fishbowl."
Ritsu and Koro-sensei both looked at him.
"What?"
Akira shouted.
"Just do it!"
Without questioning him further, they obeyed.
The engines shut down.
Even without thrust, the ship continued hurtling toward Earth like a blazing meteor.
Akira shouted,
"Maximum shield output!"
With Koro-sensei once again powering the reactor, an enormous protective barrier surrounded the ship.
"Now! Hit the brakes!"
The braking thrusters roared.
Their speed dropped dramatically...
...but not enough.
Wrapped in blazing plasma, the Moon Infiltrator slammed into Earth's atmosphere like a giant meteor before crashing spectacularly into the middle of the ocean.
---
Meanwhile...
Erika was relaxing on the living room sofa when she suddenly paused.
"…Why do I suddenly have the feeling Akira did something stupid?"
Selena's voice echoed telepathically.
"You can actually sense that now? Honestly, it'd be a miracle if my idiot brother managed to go a whole day without doing something stupid."
She paused for a moment.
"...Oh. He's back."
The front door burst open.
Akira immediately rushed inside and threw himself into Erika's arms, hugging her tightly.
Erika blinked.
"What happened?"
Akira buried his face against her chest and whined,
"Erika... I'm so tired... Hug me... Pat my head... Mmmph..."
Erika sighed.
A small smile appeared on her face as she gently stroked his hair.
"There, there."
And so...
Their first successful trip to the Moon ended exactly as expected—
In complete and utter chaos.