Darkness.
That was all Caelus could see.
Just an endless sea of darkness stretching as far as he could perceive.
Caelus slowly took a step forward.
Then another.
And another.
Yet no matter how far he walked, nothing changed.
The darkness remained absolute.
Until—
A spark.
Far in the distance, a tiny light appeared.
Small.
Faint.
Yet somehow, it immediately drew his attention.
Caelus didn't know what it was.
But instinctively, he felt it calling to him.
Guiding him.
So he followed it.
His pace quickened.
A walk became a jog.
A jog became a run.
Then a sprint.
The light grew larger and brighter with every step.
Caelus stretched out his hand toward it.
Almost there.
Just a little further.
The moment his fingers nearly touched the light—
It exploded.
Brilliant radiance erupted in every direction.
The darkness vanished instantly.
Caelus raised both arms to shield his eyes from the overwhelming brightness.
For a few moments, all he could see was white.
Then—
The light settled.
Slowly, Caelus lowered his arms.
And froze.
Gone was the endless darkness.
Instead, he stood beneath a vast blue sky.
Gentle winds swept across an endless green field that stretched toward the horizon.
The scenery felt peaceful.
Like a place where hope itself had taken form.
But what truly captured his attention was what stood before him.
On his right, an army.
Countless of armored warriors stood in perfect formation.
Each possessed their own unique armor and design.
No two looked exactly alike.
Yet despite their differences, they stood united beneath a single banner.
At the forefront stood their apparent leader.
A warrior wearing armor adorned with the image of a grasshopper.
The moment Caelus looked at him, he felt an indescribable sense of strength and determination.
Then Caelus turned toward the left.
And saw another army.
This one was composed entirely of giant machines.
Gigantic mechas towered over the field.
Each one stood dozens of meters tall, powerful enough to move mountains and challenge gods.
At the very front was the strangest machine of them all.
A bulldog-like VTOL aircraft supported by helicopter blades beneath its frame.
Before Caelus could wonder why it was leading an army of giant robots—
A red figure leapt from it.
The figure landed gracefully before him.
Dust rose around their feet.
Caelus stared.
The warrior wore a bright red suit.
A large yellow "1" adorned the helmet above a dark blue visor shaped like retro motorcycle goggles.
White eagle-like wings spread across the top of the helmet.
A sharp yellow V-shaped stripe crossed the chest.
A white cape flowed behind him.
Everything about the warrior radiated leadership.
Courage.
Heroism.
Then the grasshopper-armored leader from the other army stepped forward.
With a single leap, he landed beside the red warrior.
The two figures stood shoulder to shoulder.
Facing Caelus.
Neither spoke.
The red warrior slowly raised his right hand.
The grasshopper warrior did the same.
Golden light gathered around their palms, streams of energy flowed outward toward him.
Caelus instinctively stepped back.
But the energy reached him before he could react.
The golden light entered his body. It was warm and gentle.
He could feel it spreading through every part of his being.
A power represent support and protection, willing to save a life infront of them.
As though countless heroes were standing behind him.
Then—
Everything shattered.
Caelus' eyes snapped open.
"!"
He bolted upright from the medical bed.
His breathing was uneven as he instinctively looked around.
White walls.
Medical equipment.
The familiar interior of the Herta Space Station.
For several moments, he remained silent.
Trying to process what had happened.
Finally, he lifted a hand and pressed it against his forehead.
"A dream?"
The gray-haired young man frowned.
It certainly felt like one.
Yet somehow, the warmth of that golden energy still lingered deep within him.
As though whatever he had seen had been far more than a dream.
Caelus then heard a familiar voice from his right.
Turning his head, he saw the pink-haired girl standing beside his bed.
March 7th : "Hello there~"
March smiled as she looked at him.
March 7th : "Not bad. It would've been even better if you didn't faint. But thanks to you, the Doomsday Beast was as tame as a kitten. It had no temper at all."
Caelus blinked.
Caelus : "Did we win?"
March immediately brightened.
March 7th : "Get up when you feel better. Himeko wants you to go find her. I have something to do, so I won't go with you, alright?"
Caelus nodded.
March then seemed to remember something.
March 7th : "By the way, we should exchange beacons. If you get lost or something, feel free to text me."
As she spoke, March pulled out her phone.
Caelus did the same.
A few moments later, the two exchanged contact information.
March looked satisfied with the result.
March 7th : "Okay, off I go. Bye!"
With a cheerful wave, she left the room, leaving Caelus alone once more.
The room fell silent.
Naturally, his thoughts drifted back to the dream.
The endless field.
The armies of armored warriors.
The giant mechas standing proudly beneath the blue sky.
And those two figures who had shared their power with him.
The memory felt strangely vivid.
Almost real.
After resting for a while longer, Caelus felt a vibration from his phone.
He picked it up and found a new message.
March 7th :
Hey there, this is March :D Himeko wants to talk to you about something. Don't forget~
Caelus stared at the message for a moment before putting away his phone.
Right.
Himeko wanted to see him.
He climbed out of bed and left the medical room.
The Herta Space Station was much calmer now than it had been during the invasion.
Researchers were already returning to their work, and damaged sections of the station were being repaired.
As Caelus wandered through the station, he eventually found Himeko.
She was speaking with a red-haired man he had never seen before.
The moment Himeko noticed him approaching, she smiled.
Himeko : "Speaking of the devil, here he comes."
Caelus walked over to them.
Himeko greeted him warmly.
Himeko : "You're awake. I had March and Dan Heng stay by the Express to keep an eye on things."
Then she gestured toward the red-haired man beside her.
Himeko : "Mr Hayata here want to have a talk with you."
Caelus turned toward the unfamiliar man.
Caelus : "Who are you ?"
The man nodded as if expecting that question.
The man : "It's understandable that you don't recognize me. We never properly met during the battle. I was the one piloting God King-Ohger—the giant mecha that destroyed the two Doomsday Beasts chasing the station and severely wounded the third one. You were the one who ultimately finished it off."
Caelus froze.
Then his eyes widened.
Caelus : "You're the person that piloted the mecha !!!???"
The man smiled.
Then he extended his hand.
Kouga Hayata : "Kouga Hayata, nice to meet you, Caelus."
Caelus accepted the handshake.
Caelus : "Nice to meet you too ,Mr Hayata."
For a brief moment, neither of them realized that this simple handshake would mark the beginning of a mentor-student relationship that would change Caelus's future forever.