The sterile white light of the Xenocides Central Medical Wing was suddenly drowned out by a wave of boisterous noise, completely shattering the heavy tension that had just lingered over Elias and Rook.
The sliding doors hissed open wider, before Elias could ask one more question, the hospital room went from a quiet sanctuary to an absolute circus.
A fresh influx of visitors poured through the entrance, swelling the ranks of the 10th Division until the room felt fit to burst.
Stepping in first was Mira Ice from the 5th Division. Her sharp eyes immediately scanned the room, landing squarely on Elias sitting up in bed.
Behind her strode Temi Nova, the 5th Division's vice captain, whose gaze drifted almost immediately toward Cipher standing near the diagnostic monitors. Tucked right beside them was Kiki, another 5th division member.
And as if that weren't enough, the 9th Division—Kross, Kahn, and Sora—also came to the hospital as soon as they heard the news.
For a moment, the sheer volume of people in the room left everyone blinking in disbelief.
Vela, who was still happily munching on Elias's stolen sandwich combined with potato chips, waved a hand toward the newcomers. "Oh, wow, grab a ticket, everyone! The line to see our resident sleeping beauty wraps around the hallway!"
Sloane snorted, leaning back against the wall with an amused smirk. "What is this, a parade?."
"Relax, Sloane. Some of us actually care about whether our comrades wake up with their brains intact," Mira Ice shot back instantly, her tone dry and sharp, though she crossed her arms as she stepped closer to the foot of the bed. She looked Elias up and down, her gaze softening just a fraction. "Though... I have to admit, it's good to see you, Elias."
Elias offered a tired, smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, Mira. Hard to stay down permanently when you've got people yelling at you to wake up."
Temi Nova smiled gently, stepping up beside Cipher. She glanced sideways at him, her voice dropping into a softer register as she murmured, "Looks like your vitals monitoring is paying off, Cipher. The telemetry data you pulled from his body during the first week saved the medical team hours of guesswork."
Cipher blinked, a faint, subtle flush rising up his neck beneath his collar.
He quickly adjusted his wrist console, avoiding her gaze for a split second before looking back up with a composed nod. "Ah—well, standard diagnostic protocols, Temi. Someone had to make sure his neural pathways didn't fry completely. Just doing the math." Temi let out a soft, knowing chuckle that made Cipher's heart skip a beat.
Kiki bounced forward, planting both hands on the edge of the mattress. "Elias! You have to tell us everything! Did you really pull off a true evolution against Malkor? The rumors in the mess hall are completely insane—some people are saying you tore the sky open with your bare hands!".
"It wasn't quite like that, Kiki," Elias chuckled, wincing slightly as a lingering ache flared in his shoulder. "It was more like... a nightmare I barely survived."
NYX, who had been standing quietly near the head of the bed, crossed her arms tightly, her dark eyes flashing with protective intensity as she looked at Kiki. "He needs rest, not an interrogation, Kiki. If you guys keep crowding the bed, I'm throwing every single one of you out into the corridor."
"Relax, Nyx, we're just celebrating!" Jaxen laughed, throwing an arm around Kealen. "Right, Kealen?"
"Absolutely," Kealen grinned, turning his attention to the 9th Division who had just filed in. "So have you guys found any Zethrians or heard anything ".
Kross stepped forward, as he shook his head. " Nope nothing all , it's pretty wired"
Kahn crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe next to Sloane. "He's right. The silence from the Zethrians isn't normal. Their probably planning something "
"Let them plan," Sores muttered darkly from the back, his hand resting casually near his sidearm. "We survived the collapse of a continent-sized planet. I don't think the zethrians would plan anything like that".
Lyra, who was still standing right beside Elias's bed, looked around at the packed, noisy room. Seeing the sheer number of people gathered—all of them united by the fact that Elias had survived—helped lift the heavy fog of guilt that had been crushing his chest just moments before. She looked down at Elias, her eyes warm and reassuring.
Elias looked back at her, then at NYX, Vela, Cipher, Mikasa, and the rest of his squad and allies. For the first time since waking up, the terrifying reality of what he had done began to anchor itself into something manageable. He wasn't alone.
Meanwhile: The Star Eyes Clan
deep within the territory of the Star Eyes Clan, the atmosphere was stark, cold, and dripping with an ominous silence.
Renji walked briskly through the grand, sprawling corridors of the main estate. His boots echoed sharply against the polished floors.
The heavy weight of everything that had happened on the Moving Planet, the attacks, the chaos of the war—was still fresh in his mind, but right now, a much more immediate dread was gripping his chest.
He reached the heavy double doors leading to the head of the clan's private quarters—his father's study.
Without knocking, Renji shoved the doors open and strode directly into the room, expecting to find his father working at his desk.
Instead, he was met with empty space.
Renji stopped dead in his tracks.
The room was deathly quiet. The desk was meticulously clean, untouched by any active paperwork, and the large leather chair sat vacant, pulled slightly backward as if someone had just stood up in a hurry.
"Dad?" Renji called out, his voice echoing slightly in the vast, high-ceilinged room.
No answer.
A cold knot formed in Renji's stomach. He rushed deeper into the chambers, checking the rooms and the entire house but he Found no one.
His heart hammering against his ribs, Renji sprinted back out to the main desk.
As his eyes swept across the polished wood, something caught his attention—a small, gleaming metallic object resting right in the center of the l surface, accompanied by a folded piece of paper.
Renji stepped forward, his breath hitching. He reached out and picked up the note, unfolding it with trembling fingers.
Scrawled in his father's sharp, unmistakable handwriting were just a few chilling words:
Key to the family secrets.
Renji stared at the paper, his mind racing a mile a minute. A cold sweat broke out across the back of his neck.
"What is this? Renji thought to himself, panic and confusion warring inside his chest." What family secrets and more importantly where are my parents".
Clutching the heavy key and the note tightly in his fist, Renji turned on his heel and bolted out of the room.
He slammed the doors behind him and sprinted down the grand corridors, bursting out into the bustling central courtyards of the Star Eyes estate where clan members, guards, and lower-ranking officials were moving about their daily routines.
He needed answers, and he needed them now.
Renji spotted a familiar face near the outer training grounds—an older clan retainer who had served his family for years.
Renji rushed over, his boots skidding to a halt in front of the man.
"Hey! Young Master! You're back!" the clan member greeted him warmly, bowing slightly with a respectful smile. "We heard rumors that you survived the catastrophe on the Moving Planet, but seeing you here in one piece is—"
"Cut the pleasantries," Renji interrupted, his voice laced with urgent panic as he grabbed the man by the shoulder. "Where is my father? And where is my mother? Where are they right now?"
The clan member blinked, caught completely off guard by the aggressive urgency in Renji's tone.
The warm smile faded from his face, replaced by a look of profound confusion and hesitation.
"Y-Young Master...?" the man stammered, looking around nervously before meeting Renji's intense gaze. "What do you mean? Where are who?"
"My parents! The head of the clan and my mother! Where are they?!" Renji demanded, shaking the man's shoulder slightly.
The clan member's expression fell into a grim, solemn mask. He lowered his eyes, shaking his head slowly.
"Oh... Gods above," the retainer whispered, looking back up at Renji with genuine pity. "It looks like... you haven't heard the news yet."
Renji's breath caught in his throat. The world around him seemed to tilt on its axis. "What news?"
"Your uncle..." the clan member swallowed hard, lowering his voice as if speaking the words aloud were dangerous. "Your uncle is now the new head of the clan."
Renji narrowed his eyes. The words hit him like a physical blow, sending a chilling shockwave straight down his spine.
Deep inside his mind, the pieces of a dark, horrifying puzzle snapped together instantly. The memories of the Moving Planet rushed back with terrifying clarity.
Back on the Moving Planet... Renji thought to himself, his jaw clenching so hard his teeth ached. I was ambushed. I was attacked by elite assassins... and they mentioned my uncle sent them. They tried to eliminate me while everyone was distracted by the war. Wait... they failed to kill me out there, they should be back by now...
Renji stared at the clan member, his voice dropping into a dangerous, icy whisper.
"What...?" Renji forced the word out, his fists balling up so tightly his fingernails dug deep into his palms. "I see... so what happened to my family? If my uncle is the head of the clan, where are my parents?"
The clan member shook his head, looking genuinely distressed. "I'm not sure, Young Master. No one really knows what happened to them. One day they were here, managing the estate, and the next... they just disappeared. It wasn't a public transition of power; it happened overnight. It was really a big deal among the upper elders, but nobody dared question it. Don't worry, though—there's an official investigation going on as we speak..."
"Investigation," Renji repeated bitterly, a cold, humorless scoff escaping his lips. "Right. An investigation run by the very people who probably orchestrated the whole thing."renji thought to himself .
"I see," Renji said, his tone entirely flat, devoid of any warmth. He stepped past the retainer, not waiting for another word. "Thank you. You've told me everything I need to know."
Renji walked away swiftly, blending back into the shadows of the massive stone pillars lining the courtyard. His mind was racing at lightspeed, every instinct screaming at him to be careful.
I wanted to ask about the people from the Star Eyes who ambushed me on the Moving Planet, Renji thought to himself, his eyes narrowing into cold, calculating slits as he clutched the heavy family key in his pocket. But if I start asking about assassins now, I'll alert my uncle before I even know the full scope of his coup. He controls the estate now. He controls the guards. My parents are gone... and if I'm not smart, I'll be next.
Renji ducked down a narrow, shadowy corridor away from the main courtyard, his heart pounding a heavy, dangerous rhythm.
He needed to use that key. He needed to unlock the family secrets, find out what his family had hidden, and figure out h
ow to take back his clan from the monsters wearing his family's face.