Somewhere in the outer reaches of the Imperial Galaxy, aboard a vessel that didn’t officially exist on any flight recorded, Ethan sat in the cramped quarters of a cargo starship repurposed as temporary living space.

The vessel was a Star Pirate’s starship, registered under seventeen different names across twelve different systems. Its original paint job had long since been stripped and replaced with the matte gray coating favored by ships that preferred not to be noticed.

Ethan had been aboard for three days now, ever since the authorities managed to find his traces at a border planet.

Three days of nutrient solution meals. Three days of sleeping on a fold-out cot that creaked every time he moved. Three days of replaying the newest footage he acquired of Neville.

The 3D holographic display hovering above his light brain interrupted his reverie.

His master’s obscured face flickered in the projection. Heavy optical filters distorted his features into something unrecognizable, and the voice modulator reduced his speech to a flat, mechanical drone.

Yet despite all the layers of concealment, Ethan saw a bright, almost childish smile playing across those obscured lips.

[I couldn’t believe how easy it was,] his master said, his modulated voice crackling with static satisfaction. [All those details about the security protocols, the staff rotations, the maintenance schedules, updates around Maxwell’s—all gathered just from keeping an eye on that Gringer woman. And would you look at that? Every single piece of information was spot on.]

Gringer? Did the master finally kill that annoying Baron?

The hologram changed, splitting to show a second feed.

Azure Depths Aquarium.

Smoke billowed from a section of the building, emergency drones swarmed like agitated insects, and tiny figures scrambled across the evacuation routes.

Why was he showing this to me? It’s just blowing up some building.

[Watch closely,] the old man instructed, his tone taking on the patient cadence of a teacher addressing a particularly slow student. [This is how it’s done. No grand displays. No dramatic confrontations.]

The footage looped—the moment of detonation, a mecha contained the explosion, the chaos that followed.

[Just a single cleaning robot, reprogrammed with a modest explosive charge.] His master’s tone was dyed with disgust and disappointment. [But even though it was just a single robot, they never saw it coming. Panicking like that...tsk tsk, How pathetic.]

Ethan watched the whole thing blandly. He had seen far worse in his master’s laboratories, back when the experiments were still in their testing phases.

But something in this particular explosion made his stomach clench.

[They managed to contain it, of course,] his master continued dismissively. [The former general is still as sharp as ever. But that wasn’t the point. Still, I had fun.]

His master leaned closer to the holographic screen, his distorted face filling more of the projection.

[Now. You are to return to Planet Xylos. Establish a new operational base.]

Ethan shook his head and said, "But it would be hard."

[You think I don’t know that?] His master’s tone became light as if rolling his eyes at him. It seemed that he was really in a good mood if he was acting like a child. [Ethan, would I let you come back if it wasn’t needed? You need to grow some spine if you want to continue living in this side of the world.]

Ethan was silent for a second; he felt like he had been slapped out of nowhere.

His master’s sharp eyes narrowed and said, [Are you still fixated on that kid? I’m telling you, he’s of no use.]

"Master," Ethan warned.

[Either way, building a place in Xylos really makes it much easier to do our operation.] Then, as if he remembered something, his master suddenly said, [You know what, I’ll do you a favor and keep that Hunter kid busy. Do we have a deal?]

Ethan had learned a lot of things under this man’s tutelage. But maybe because his master mentioned Neville, his lips went a little loose.

"What’s so good about Xylos anyway?" he spouted, sounding petulant, almost challenging.

The moment the words left his lips, Ethan felt a chill race down his spine.

His master’s smile vanished.

[Are you trying to say something?] That flat, mechanical voice somehow made Ethan’s mouth go dry.

He had seen what happened to people who challenged this man. He had personally helped dispose of some of that evidence.

He was on a different level of craziness compared to him.

"No." Ethan forced the word out steadily, keeping his expression neutral. "I’m just curious."

Ethan felt as though his master could see straight into his skull and read the thoughts swimming there.

[Then you just have to keep doing what you’re doing until we succeed. Understood?]

"Understood." The word came automatically, but behind Ethan’s carefully blank expression,

The holographic connection was cut off, leaving Ethan alone in the dim cabin.

For a long moment, he simply sat there, staring at the empty space where the old man’s face had been.

Then, slowly, a smile crept across his features, cold and sharp.

The old man had his plans.

But he also had plans of his own.

He couldn’t forget seeing Neville there with Grayson.

There was only one reason Neville would go out with Grayson in casual clothes and be that close with each other, to the point of touching each other’s faces without hesitation.

Neville and Grayson were dating.

Ethan’s fingers curled into fists as his mind raced.

And that changed everything.

He couldn’t blame Neville for this. Neville was just a simple, super capable, and loveable employee.

What could Neville do if he caught Grayson’s eyes? Nothing.

With Grayson’s power in the office, influence in the outside world, and his wealth, how dare Neville refuse him?

That’s right, Neville was not at fault.

Grayson was.

Ethan could somehow understand now why his master repeatedly targeted Grayson. Why he needed to be gone from the equation for our plans to succeed.

He was a thorn in our lives.

Grayson had everything, had been born into privilege and power and continued to climb even higher through a combination of talent and brutality.

But—

Neville was his and his alone.

Therefore, he needed to somehow kill Grayson and save Neville.

That way, they would both be free.

That way, they could finally be together.