After two UY (Universe year) inside the chamber.....
"2997, 2998... ahh... 2999... 3000..."
Kichu was training. Surprised by his push-up count? This planet's gravity is much lower than Earth's, making things easier. But still, he had become much stronger.
"Kichu, are you finished?" Saas approached him.
"Yeah, just finished."
"Then come, let's eat." Saas walked toward the kitchen.
"Even after all these years, I still haven't awakened my Sin. I really wonder why..." Kichu thought to himself as he followed.
At the dining table, Saas noticed Kichu's troubled expression.
"What's wrong, Kichu? You seem upset."
"I'm really worried about my Sin. Why hasn't it awakened yet?" Kichu asked, frustration clear on his face.
"Don't worry. It'll come. And even if it doesn't, these two years of training haven't been in vain." Saas reassured him.
"So you're saying there's a chance my Sin might never awaken? Didn't you say God gave a Sin to every living being?"
"Yes, God granted a Sin to all living beings. But most creatures don't even realize they have one. Take you, for example. If all of this hadn't happened, would you have ever known about Sins? You need a connection between your soul and your Sin to awaken it.
There are two ways to awaken a Sin. The first is through intense training—pushing yourself until it feels like your body is being ripped apart. You've already experienced that over these two years. The second way is soul-breaking. You have to go through extreme emotional pain, to the point where it feels like everything you love is vanishing, and you're helpless to stop it. This is the hardest way to awaken a Sin because if you go too far, your soul will shatter. You have to awaken your Sin at the exact moment before that happens. If you fail, you'll be torn apart."
Hearing this, Kichu clenched his fists.
"Then I'll train even harder to awaken my Sin."
"That's the spirit! But you still look troubled. Are you missing your parents?" Saas asked.
"I can't say I don't… But I can't just sit here crying all day. I have something important to do, and besides, there's no reason to go back anymore."
"Why not?"
"Because before they took us, I heard them talking about memory erasure. My parents and friends won't remember me anymore," Kichu said, his voice tinged with sadness.
"I have a question, Kichu."
"What is it?"
"When they took you, were they speaking English, Xemi*, or another language? Or was it a language you didn't know, yet somehow understood?"
"It was English... Why?"
"Hmm... Don't worry, I understand now."
"What do you mean?"
"The memory erasure... I can fix that."
"Really? Oh, you're the greatest researcher in the universe, Saas!" Kichu said excitedly.
"By the way, Kichu, didn't you say they used time-freezing on all of you?"
"Yeah."
"Then how did you hear them talking? Could you move during that time?"
"No, I couldn't move my body. But I could hear everything and even see what was happening. I could even move my eyeballs. I really wish I could've moved my body and smacked that big guy's ass," Kichu grumbled.
"Wait… the time-freezing didn't fully work on you? How? Could it be...?" Saas fell into deep thought.
Just then, an alarm blared through the lab.
"SOM HAS ARRIVED... SOM HAS ARRIVED..."
Who is Som? Som is Saas's beloved wife. She lived on a distant planet and visited him occasionally.
"Daddy!" Saas's two young children ran up to him and hugged him tightly.
"Som, didn't I tell you not to come here without informing me? It's not safe," Saas said with concern.
"It's fine, Saas. What are you so afraid of? No one's going to harm me while you're around," Som said playfully.
She then turned to Kichu with a warm smile.
"Oh, Kichu, how have you been? You look so thin. He's not feeding you enough, is he?"
"N-No, I mean, yes! I'm eating a lot," Kichu stammered.
"I know you're lying. Come, I'll cook something for you," Som said as she headed to the kitchen.
Som treated Kichu like her own son. She visited often, and every time, she cooked tons of food. To be honest, the food was amazing—until Kichu asked what the ingredients were.
"Come, Kichu, let's eat!" Som called.
They sat around the table, enjoying their meal. Meanwhile, Saas was still worried.
"Som, I'm serious. Don't come here without telling me first."
"Okay, okay, fine. But who exactly are you afraid of?"
"There are many threats. You know I'm one of the top researchers in the universe. There are plenty of people who want my knowledge for themselves," Saas said.
"Yeah, yeah! But even if they come, I have the strongest researcher in the universe to protect me, don't I?" Som teased, laughing.
Kichu smiled as he watched them. But then, suddenly, Saas's face turned pale.
At that exact moment, the lab exploded.
Everyone was thrown back by the blast.
Some time passed before Kichu slowly regained consciousness. His ears were ringing, and everything was blurry.
"Ahh... my head... What the hell is happening?" He stumbled through the wreckage, searching for Saas.
Saas was kneeling beside Som. A massive metal beam had crushed her lower body. She was trying to speak.
"Som, please don't talk," Saas whispered, holding her hand.
"Saas... please listen. Take our children and go. Don't worry about me. I can't even move, you see?" she said with a weak laugh.
"Don't say that. I'm not leaving you behind."
"Saas, now is not the time to play husband. You have to protect our children."
"I'll tell Kichu to take them away from this planet. Don't worry."
"By 'children,' I meant all three of them. Kichu is still a child himself. He can't do it alone," Som said, her voice cracking.
Saas clenched his fists.
"I told you to be quiet. Kichu is capable of protecting them. He will save our children," he insisted, though his voice wavered.
Saas knew the truth. His two children were already dead.
"Haha... Is that how you talk to your dying wife?" Som smiled weakly.
"Please... Don't die. I'll… I'll find a way," Saas pleaded, tears streaming down his face.
"Oh, Saas, we both know there's nothing you can do."
Som took one last deep breath.
"Saas… I see him. The God. He's calling me. My only regret... I never got to visit that planet you always talked about. You said it was beautiful... Like heaven. What was its name? Merh? Ahh… now, I feel... just a little pain. But at least… you and the kids… are safe. That's enough for me…"
She touched Saas's cheek, her eyes slowly closing. Her hand fell to the ground.
Saas's lips trembled.
"It's called Earth, you idiot," he whispered. Then, he broke down in tears.
Kichu was still searching when he saw a large shadow cast on the ground. Looking up, he spotted a massive figure sitting on a flying metal rod.
"Oh, I'm really sorry… I accidentally crushed your wife, Mr. Saas Exon."
It was Savon, the right-hand of Immortal.
"It's your own fault. We gave you plenty of chances, but you rejected us," Savon sneered.
"It wasn't an offer. It was a threat," Saas spat, placing Som's hand down and standing up.
Savon smirked.
"Kichu, there's a pod in Room PT-6. Take it and leave this planet," Saas ordered to kichu who was searching around in the collapsed debris.
"What?! What about Som? And your sons?"
Saas remained silent.
Kichu understood.
"So… you're saying they're… gone…"
He clenched his fists, staring at Som's lifeless body.
"Then… listen here—I'm not going anywhere until I kill this bastard."
Kichu sprinted toward Savon, rage burning in his eyes.
"KICHU, NO!" Saas shouted.
Savon chuckled.
"Oh? You want to fight me? Fine. Show me what you've got."
Kichu leaped toward him, sword drawn—
"SHUT UP!"
Kichu swung his sword at Savon with full force.
Savon, still seated on his flying metal rod, blocked the strike effortlessly with his weapon.
"Hah! Not bad. But you'll need more than that."
With a flick of his wrist, he countered, sending Kichu crashing to the ground.
Kichu landed on his feet, breathing heavily.
"Kichu, stop! You can't win this! Please, do as I said and leave! I can't bear to lose another person!" Saas pleaded.
Kichu looked at him. Saas had already made up his mind.
Gritting his teeth, Kichu clenched his fists and glanced at Som's lifeless body one last time. Then, reluctantly, he turned and sprinted toward the pod's location.
"Hey, hey! Where's he going?" Savon asked, watching Kichu flee.
"This is between us now, isn't it? Let him go. You want me, right?" Saas said, stepping forward.
Savon smirked.
"Yeah, that's right. But I was a little interested in him. Anyway, let's get back to business. Are you coming with me alive or dead? Your choice."
"Aren't you a little too confident, showing up here alone?" Saas asked with a smirk.
Savon grinned wider.
"Oh, Saas! The student of the great Casimir. You think I came alone?"
He snapped his fingers.
Hundreds of spaceships appeared above, surrounding the planet.
"Never underestimate your enemy. Immortal says that all the time," Savon said mockingly.
Saas sighed.
"I'm glad."
Meanwhile, Kichu was still running toward the pod.
"I'm really afraid. I'm not doubting Saas's skill, but... God, I don't know what to do."
As he ran, his mind raced. He clenched his fists.
"Damn it! Why am I running away?! I'm just abandoning him, just like that?!"
He stopped for a brief moment, hesitating.
Then—
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted behind him, shaking the entire area.
Kichu turned around, his heart pounding.
The battle had begun.
- To be continued...
*Xemi: Mostly spoken language in the universe. English is also uses in so many planets other than earth. Kichu learned Xemi from Saas in the two years.