Ryutaros?
Sunday silently repeated the name in his mind, but in the end, he could find no trace of it in his memories.
But the name was not what mattered. What mattered was this ability.
The ability to control another person's body against their will.
And Sunday keenly noticed something else.
If his mind had not been strong enough, he likely would have fallen unconscious the instant the other party forced his way into his body.
And once he lost consciousness, he did not even dare imagine what the other party might do while controlling his body.
"Are you an enemy sent by the IPC to stir up chaos from within?"
Sunday directly named the force most likely to be responsible for this phenomenon.
Right now, the IPC was eyeing this place from distant space, ready at any moment to reclaim it.
If Penacony, which had only just settled down a little, erupted into internal rebellion at a time like this, it would undoubtedly become the last straw that broke the camel's back.
"Nope. What's the IPC? Can you eat it?"
Ryutaros, however, only seemed confused by Sunday's words.
Unfortunately, in Sunday's eyes, that was not worth believing at all.
After all, who would believe someone who had suddenly taken over their body?
But Ryutaros very quickly explained why he had taken over Sunday's body.
"Because I made a bet. If I could bring you out, I'd get to see the cutie!"
Sunday could not help freezing for a moment after hearing this.
"The cutie?"
Was that the name of a contact?
But when Sunday saw this "cutie," his brow still could not help twitching twice.
"This is the cutie you were talking about?"
He looked at the pet perched on the child's head before him, feeling deeply incredulous.
"Isn't it cute?"
Ryutaros asked back.
Sunday was directly choked speechless by that.
He recognized this pet. Its name was Kraz Hound.
It was not particularly famous in the universe. As long as one had a certain level of financial means, one could keep this kind of pet.
So of course, it was possible to see one in this Frontier Prison as well.
But what Sunday had never expected was that the reason someone of his status had appeared here would be this.
"You, what exactly are you trying to—"
Before Sunday could finish, he suddenly felt his body loosen.
Ryutaros had actually left his body directly.
Regaining control of his body so easily from the other party's grasp left Sunday faintly surprised.
He then watched as Ryutaros skillfully went over to the two children, excitedly taking the pet down from the other child's head.
"Condition complete! According to our agreement, you have to let me hold your pet for a while!"
Don't tell me this bastard brought me out just because he wanted to play with this young Kraz Hound?!
Seeing this scene, Sunday's brow twitched twice more.
This was far too damaging to his dignity!
However, something in the other party's words just now also drew his attention.
"What did you mean by agreement?"
Ryutaros briefly explained.
It turned out that after escaping from under the fruit tree that day, he had acted on the idea that happiness should be shared and had taken fruit around, giving it to people all over this place.
And it was then that two children and a young Kraz Hound had drawn his attention.
Faced with such an adorable alien puppy, Ryutaros had no resistance whatsoever.
But he also understood that this sort of thing could not be touched casually, so he went up and asked whether he could pet the little dog.
When the two children saw Ryutaros's face, they were a little surprised, but their emotions remained fairly steady.
After all, many people in this prison looked rather fierce and menacing too.
However, they naturally wanted to refuse Ryutaros's request to pet it.
But under Ryutaros's persistent pestering, the two of them finally named a condition.
"In Uncle Badar's room, there's a strange guy. If you can get him to come out, then we'll agree."
And so, this was the reason Sunday had been possessed by Ryutaros.
The more Sunday listened, the more helpless he felt. He had never imagined that he would be brought out of the room by a strange fellow for such a ridiculous reason.
However...
"Why were you two little ones looking for me?"
Sunday looked at the two children who had made the deal with Ryutaros.
There was a boy and a girl. The boy was a little younger and was currently being held in the older girl's arms.
Sunday had some impression of these two children. It seemed he had seen them before, when Badar had lost a leg.
Which raised the question: why were these two little ones looking for him?
"We're very sorry for disturbing you. Mainly, we didn't expect that he could actually bring you out."
The girl apologized to Sunday very sincerely. "The reason we wanted to see you is because of this child."
Hearing this, Sunday shifted his gaze to the boy beside her.
And when he first saw the boy, he seemed to understand something.
Inside the boy, he sensed the power of ORDER.
It was just that this power was extremely weak, so weak that it could almost be ignored.
But it did indeed exist.
Could it be that they were also twins of the Order?
Such a question instantly surfaced in Sunday's mind.
But when he turned his gaze to the older sister, he frowned again.
Because he did not sense any power from her at all.
These two children were not twins of the Order.
Then where did the power of ORDER in this child come from?
The girl had no idea what Sunday was thinking. She simply brought the boy before him.
"This child used to say there were annoying voices by his ear all the time. But after he saw you that day, he said those voices disappeared for some reason."
The boy did not speak, but he nodded repeatedly to show that what the girl said was right.
"He always wanted to thank you, but he never found the chance. Today, he can finally thank you in person."
As she said this, the two small figures bowed to Sunday.
Sunday silently watched the two children straighten up, then watched them communicate something with their hands.
The boy's expression was very excited, but he did not utter a single word.
The girl rubbed the boy's head.
Sunday immediately understood one thing.
This child had a problem with his voice.
In this interstellar age, treating a vocal disorder was not really a major issue.
But for the current Penacony, it was an extremely difficult matter.
However, judging by this child's age, the rebellion should not have begun when he was born.
Even an IPC prison should have had a certain level of human rights protection.
No matter how one put it, they should not have left a child with a congenital vocal disability untreated.
Then what exactly had happened to leave this child mute until now?
Sunday immediately sensed that something about this was wrong.
And with a simple inquiry, his doubts were answered at once.
After hearing Sunday's question, Badar, who was missing one leg, directly explained everything.
"Because of this child's father. The IPC judged the child too much of a threat, so they didn't provide humanitarian treatment."
Through Badar's narration, Sunday learned what the child's father had done.
He had been the leader of a galactic cult, said to be capable of casting spells that made people see the most beautiful scenes in the world.
In that place, it was said one could see lost loved ones and fulfill all dreams.
Precisely because that place was far too perfect, the believers who woke from it became obsessed with the sweet dream, unable to free themselves, and became the cult leader's subordinates.
Relying on that miracle, the cult leader had amassed the resources of an entire star system.
By the time he was finally exterminated, his influence had even infected IPC employees.
As for that cult leader, his final outcome was naturally execution on the spot.
And his wife eventually ended up in Asdana, where she gave birth to this child inside the prison.
Sunday already understood what happened afterward.
Because of the past, when this child was born with a problem in his voice, he did not receive humanitarian treatment.
Moreover, every day, countless voices would clamor and trouble him by his ear.
Only on the day he saw Sunday had those symptoms eased.
After hearing all this, Sunday fell into deep thought. Only after quite a while did he ask Badar,
"Do you think someone who has lived a life like this would choose to sink into a beautiful dream?"
A person born without a voice was like a bird whose wings had been broken. And because of certain special reasons, perhaps that bird's wings could never heal again.
Would someone who had gone through the suffering of the world, who had been worn down by life like this, choose to sink into the dream he once had?
"Of course not. Isn't it just that he can't talk? Look at me. I'm missing a leg, and I'm still living just fine, aren't I?"
Badar knocked Sunday on the head, wanting to knock that thought right out of him.
"And that kid's mother believed her son would accomplish great things one day!"
Sunday held his aching head. Badar's strength was no joke.
But compared to the pain, he cared more about what Badar had just said.
"How do you know that?"
That was something his mother said. How did a big oaf like you know it?
"We were comrades who went through life and death together. That kid's mother was the first one to answer the call when the rebellion began."
Badar's gaze seemed to return to that day.
On that day, Hanunue raised the banner of rebellion and charged against the IPC forces within Penacony.
On their side, the first to respond had been that woman who usually seemed so timid and submissive.
"That mother of his never once let go of dreams and hope. The reason she joined the rebellion was because she felt this place would definitely limit her son's development in the future."
So she stood up.
For the sake of her child's future, she fought on.
It had nothing to do with freedom or anything like that. What she wanted to protect was simply that child's still-embryonic dream.
After hearing this, Sunday fell silent for a moment.
He remembered that debate from the past.
The wind that had been spoken of in that debate, the wind that lifted them up.
But...
That mother could indeed stand up to protect her child's dream, but the current result had already proven what had become of her.
"She's dead."
Sunday stated the present situation directly.
"Yes, she's dead."
Badar lay on the bed and nodded, one hand stroking his severed leg as his thoughts seemed to return to that battle.
In that battle, he had lost a leg, and that child had lost his mother.
After hearing his words, Sunday could not help freezing for a moment.
Was this rough man actually agreeing with him?
The sun must truly be rising in the west.
But then Badar finished the second half of his sentence.
"But just because she's dead doesn't mean she left nothing behind."
"You've seen him too. Did you see him trying to run away from this world?"
Sunday shook his head.
He had not seen anything like that in the child.
In fact, after Sunday resolved the rampaging Path power, the child had done everything possible to find him and thank him.
"That's what his mother left him. It's also what she fought for."
It was something called freedom and ideals.
They did not need the IPC, nor did they need so-called humanitarianism.
She only hoped that this innocent child could live beneath the blue sky.
And her child had inherited his mother's wish. He was still living properly.
"Just because someone dies doesn't mean they leave nothing behind. If you're alive, then you have to do something."
As long as you were still alive, you had to do something!
Badar clapped Sunday on the back again, nearly knocking the breath out of him.
"So you, kid, don't keep hiding in here every day either. Tomorrow, you're coming with me to harvest!"
He laughed loudly again.
If even an old, weak, sick, and disabled man like him could go out there, then Sunday should not even think about lazing around these next few days!
Unfortunately, Sunday was still immersed in the conversation just now.
"Just because someone dies doesn't mean they leave nothing behind. If you're alive, then you have to do something..."
Sunday pondered in silence.
Then what have I done while alive?
Thinking carefully, the only things he seemed to have accomplished while alive were one grand failure, and a humiliation from Gopher Wood...
Was his life really going to end there?
No. He was still alive in this world.
"As long as I'm still alive, I have to do something."
With that soft murmur, his voice slowly faded into the distance.
...
The harvest Sora had brought could not be fully gathered in only a day or two.
However, some vegetables could not be left exposed to the wind and sand for long.
So, in order to ensure that this effort would not go to waste, Hanunue still mobilized many people to come here and harvest the vegetables together.
Originally, everyone had been frowning over the counting of supplies.
Now that supplies were far too abundant, they had fallen into busyness instead.
The turn of events was simply beyond expectation.
Sunday was also dragged to this place by Badar.
Although he had never done such things before, he could still copy the movements of the people around him.
Unfortunately, after working for a while, he already felt his back aching and his legs cramping.
Because this body had previously had its power overdrawn, its depletion was far too severe.
Although he had spent some time recuperating, that was only a drop in the bucket compared to the losses within him.
So after working for only a short while, Sunday sat down to the side, out of strength.
This gave Badar a perfect opportunity to mock him.
"With stamina like yours, you might as well go sit with the children."
Sunday rolled his eyes, but he did indeed do as the other party said and sat down on the children's side.
Not for any other reason, but because there was shade here where he could avoid the sun.
However, what he did not expect was that he would actually run into the person from yesterday here again.
"What a coincidence, Birdie-chan."
In the span of a single day, Ryutaros had somehow acquired several more pets.
There was no need to think about it. This guy had clearly been doing these things the whole time.
"It's you. Sigh..."
After seeing him, Sunday felt exhaustion rise from the depths of his heart.
Most importantly, for some reason, the moment he saw this fellow, he felt an inexplicable irritation.
Ryutaros clearly had nothing to do with him, no matter how one looked at it, yet Sunday still felt a faint annoyance from the depths of his heart.
Not long after Sunday sighed, he felt his clothes being tugged by some unknown force.
Looking down, he found someone familiar in this place.
It was the child who had lost his voice, yet was earnestly living on.
He was making comforting gestures with his hands, indicating that Ryutaros meant no harm.
"I know. Thank you."
Sunday understood that as well.
But after seeing the child, that question surged up inside him once more.
As long as you were alive, you had to do something.
"Hey, purple guy."
"My name is Ryutaros! Birdie-chan, you have to call my name properly!"
Ryutaros immediately messed Sunday's hair into a complete tangle.
Sunday no longer cared about it.
He sat there, watching the patch of shade he was in grow smaller and smaller under the light of the star, and asked the question in his heart.
"You're alive in this world, and you have this power. Have you ever thought about what you want to do?"
Although this guy seemed childish and liked pets, with this power alone, he could become someone of minor fame in the universe.
So what would he do with this power?
This question finally made Ryutaros quiet down for a while.
He squatted beside Sunday and played with his wings. Even when Sunday reached out to swat him away, he remained tireless.
"Something I want to do?"
"Yes. Have you never thought about using this power to do something?"
"I have."
Ryutaros's answer made Sunday pause.
He had not expected such a childish fellow to be able to give that answer.
"Are you sure? I'm not joking with you."
"Birdie-chan, do you think I'm joking with you?"
Ryutaros tugged at Sunday's feathers.
And very soon, he stated his decision.
"This power of mine originally existed to protect Big Sis. But Big Sis likes Ryotaro, not me, and Ryotaro is my good friend, so this power of mine is for protecting him."
Wanting to protect someone?
Sunday's mind surfaced with his younger sister's figure.
But very soon, beside Robin in his mind, an extremely detestable man suddenly appeared.
It was Sora. Sora stood beside Robin with a wicked grin on his face.
Damn bastard. Once I find a way back, I'm definitely giving you a good beating!
And just as Sunday made up his mind, Ryutaros continued with the second half of his words.
"Ryotaro's wish is to protect others, so I'll use my power to protect others too. I'll fight evil to the end for love and justice! Hehe!"
Ryutaros played with Sunday's wings and said proudly, "Birdie-chan, don't underestimate me!"
Sunday nodded, but his thoughts had already drifted off somewhere unknown.
Only after Ryutaros grew bored did Sunday finally gain a brief moment of peace.
"Love and justice?"
It certainly suited this guy.
Then what about me? What can I do while alive in this world?
Sunday looked up at the sky, feeling that it was strangely clear.
But very quickly, a purple dragon face blocked his view.
"Oh right, could I ask you for a favor later?"
Ryutaros asked with a cheerful smile.
"I refuse."
Sunday, whose emotional buildup had been interrupted, rejected him directly.
Unfortunately...
"Your answer doesn't matter!"
Ryutaros laughed and charged into Sunday's body again.
"You bastard!!!"
...
Since it was a harvest festival, naturally, it needed the sort of things a festival ought to have in order to be complete.
So, under the strong suggestion of a certain golden bear after he possessed Sora, a festival performance began very quickly.
Hanunue also wanted to use this opportunity to dispel the effects of the earlier scarcity of supplies and the continuous fires of war.
So he supported the matter from behind the scenes as well.
It was time for the people of Penacony to rest and relax a little afterward.
And so, with many robots working together to build it, a stage soon appeared here.
News of what was happening here also very quickly spread to everyone.
When everyone heard there was something this good, they naturally wanted to take part with great enthusiasm.
They all wanted to perform special skills from their hometowns.
Including, but not limited to, all kinds of acrobatics, circus acts, and singing...
In short, the livelier, the better.
And so, after today's harvest ended, the day's festival began at this moment.
Only, the first person to come on directly left Sora stunned in place.
"Wait, why are you here?"
Sora looked at Sunday's familiar face and felt utterly incredulous.
After beating Sunday up previously, Robin had been worried about her brother's condition, so the two of them had practically searched Penacony from top to bottom.
But in the end, they had still found nothing.
It was as if he had evaporated from the world. They had no idea where he had hidden.
Now the case was solved. So this guy had been hiding here!
Unfortunately, Sunday did not answer Sora's question directly.
Because at this moment, Ryutaros was possessing him.
"Of course I'm here to take part in the performance."
Ryutaros thought Sora was asking him, so he directly twisted his hat and snapped his fingers.
Immediately afterward, a strange sound began playing through the speakers.
The sound had a strong rhythm, and along with it, several strange figures slowly gathered on the stage.
"Th-those things are..."
Once the spotlight converged, everyone immediately saw what those things really were!
"They're pets! The pets are dancing to the rhythm!"
That was right. The ones dancing along to Ryutaros's music were not the people nearby, but the pets that had been spending day and night with him.
When Sora saw this scene, he immediately...
Pfft!
Forgive him. He really could not hold it in.
After all, the Sunday from before had always stood with his hands behind his back, looking all mysterious and unfathomable.
Now, dancing together with these pets, he looked like some kind of pet overlord.
Putting everything else aside, the comedic effect was absolutely maxed out.
Faced with this scene, if Sora did not secretly take out his phone and record it, he would not be Sora.
Although he did not know how Sunday had come here, being able to see this scene already made the trip worthwhile.
When he got back, he absolutely had to show Robin.
And naturally, Sora's face, which was struggling to hold back laughter, was also caught by Sunday.
Add to that the conversation between Ryutaros and him just now, and there was no need to think to understand that the two of them were definitely connected.
This made Sora's image, already rather poor in Sunday's heart, become even worse.
Now Sora was no longer just wickedly grinning as he carried Robin off. He was wickedly grinning beside Robin while dancing some inexplicable dance.
"You bastard. You had better not let me catch you!"
In the current Sunday's mind, there were no more doubts or confusion.
There was only the need to vent the resentment in his heart!
And at last, this Dynamic Gai Dance accompanied by countless pets came to an end.
Although once the dance was finished, the little creatures who regained their senses immediately scattered like birds and beasts, Ryutaros still used Sunday's body to bow very properly.
After their initial shock, the audience below offered applause for this unique group dance.
"I didn't really understand it, but it was pretty interesting!"
"Good dancing!"
"So you've got that much energy, huh? Then don't even think about resting tomorrow!"
Hearing Badar's words, Sunday's heart trembled.
Can you not see that my entire body is shaking nonstop right now?
If the one controlling this body wasn't that purple dragon, I would have collapsed on the ground long ago!
And in the end, Ryutaros also controlled Sunday's body to say farewell before leaving the temporary venue.
After leaving the stage, the two of them found a secluded place and ended the possession.
Without Ryutaros's support, Sunday directly collapsed onto the ground.
"Birdie-chan, your body is too weak. You can't go on like this."
"I really thank you."
Sunday spoke with heavy sarcasm.
"No need to thank me. I just love doing good deeds!"
Unfortunately, Ryutaros could not hear any of those implications. He only felt that Sunday was praising him.
After ending the possession, Ryutaros bounced away again, going off to find the little animals that had fled.
Only Sunday remained, leaning against the wall as he worked hard to recover his strength.
Only after recovering more or less did he stand and look in the direction of the stage.
It was time to go settle accounts with that bastard!
Sora, just you wait!!
Sunday pursed his lips and walked over with a serious expression.
But after he arrived, he did not find any sign of Sora.
Where did that bastard run off to?
In the end, from the mouths of several people who knew what was happening, he learned that Sora had gone toward the ruins where something had crashed earlier.
After asking where that location was, he continued following after him.
No matter what, he had to make Sora delete what he had recorded just now!
It concerned his good name! He absolutely would not allow that thing to exist in this world for even one more second!
Only, after he went over, he found that the situation there seemed a little off.
Sora's current appearance was clearly different from what Sunday had seen just now.
In particular, at some point, he had changed into a loose golden kimono.
At this moment, he stood with his arms folded, discussing something with Mikhail.
And once Sunday drew closer, the contents of their conversation entered his ears.
"The IPC has made a special move. It seems they've sent a squad to prepare to come from the side..."
Before Mikhail could finish, Sora interrupted him.
"I understand. Leave this side to me."
He would never forgive anyone who disrupted the festival!
"It just so happens that there are still a few rear carriages left here. You can drive the engine over first."
Mikhail briefly reported the repair progress on this side.
Although he had already left the Astral Express, his repair skills had not weakened in the slightest.
"Much appreciated!"
Sora nodded and prepared to enter the carriage.
"Wait!"
Sunday hurriedly followed.
"I'm going too."
He would use this opportunity to make Sora delete those things!
"You are?"
Mikhail frowned.
Sunday did not know what to say, but at that moment, Sora spoke from ahead.
"Then keep up!"
After saying that, Sunday showed Mikhail and the others an apologetic expression, then followed Sora onto the train.
After entering the train, Sunday intended to get straight to the point.
But he quickly discovered that this place seemed a little different from what he had imagined...
"Uh... hello?"
Sunday looked at the several figures before him, each a different color, and felt that something seemed rather wrong.
Had he boarded a pirate ship?
However, Sora did not care about any of that at this moment. He clapped his hands, startling even Sunday.
"Let those guys weep before my strength!"
After saying that, he pulled out the ticket and pressed the golden button on top.
"[HENSHIN]!"
'[AX FORM]!'
Golden armor covered Sora's body, and the axe-blade-like face gave off a special majesty.
Most importantly, once the transformation finished, countless slips of paper instantly drifted down around him.
Looking at the scene before him, Sunday could not help the corner of his mouth twitching.
Don't tell me... Sora has finally gone insane?
But immediately after, his expression brightened.
Then doesn't that mean my sister is saved?