Lucas and Blade were still coughing as they stepped out of their thick, smoking ship when a teenage boy suddenly appeared.

  ?The boy didn’t ask if they were injured or in need of emergency aid. Instead of caring about their lives, he ran right past them and hugged the ship’s engine, which was still steaming hot.

  ?"Whoa! This is a Combustion Viper! A first-class antique!" he exclaimed, eyes sparkling behind the oversized goggles perched on his forehead. "Too bad the pilot must be a complete moron—the coolant hose is installed backward!"

  ?"Hey. The moron pilot is standing right behind you," Blade said flatly, looking offended as he patted thick dust off his cloak.

  ?"Whoa, you can tell the engine type just by the smell? Amazing! Are you a machine wizard?" Lucas asked with genuine, innocent wonder.

  ?The teenager twirled his massive wrench with a show-off flair, then pointed it at the two of them. "Hey, you two! Don't just stand there gaping! You're lucky you crashed right in my backyard. If you’d landed just two kilometers to the north, you’d already be on the breakfast menu for the Iron Worms."

  ?Blade snorted roughly. "Iron Worms? What kind of nonsense is that? Don't try to scare us, kid."

  ?"Believe what you want," the teenager shrugged indifferently. "The name’s Niko. And that floating iron ball staring at you cynically is ROT."

  ?BEEP-BOOP! A spherical robot hovered out from behind Niko’s back. Its camera lens narrowed into a red glare as it looked at Blade, then let out a long hissing sound: "Pfffft."

  ?"He says you smell like burnt oil mixed with sweat," Niko translated casually.

  ?"What?!" Blade’s eyes widened. His hand reflexively moved toward the hilt of his katana. "...I’m going to slice this talkative ball in two."

  ?"Don't!" Lucas hurriedly held Blade's arm. "He’s so cute! Hello, ROT! My name is Lucas and this grumpy guy is Blade. Nice to meet you." Lucas waved cheerfully.

  ?ROT spun once in the air, then emitted a joyful "Tuing!" sound and landed briefly on Lucas's shoulder as if seeking protection.

  ?"See, ROT likes you," Niko said with a wide grin, revealing teeth slightly stained with oil. "Come on, follow me. Your hunk of junk needs more than just duct tape and prayers to fly again. We need a real workshop."

  ?They walked through a valley filled with giant machine skeletons. The view was surreal and breathtaking. Rusted industrial robotic arms towered like dead trees, remains of battle tanks were overgrown with glowing alien moss, and mountains of used tires rose as high as three-story buildings.

  ?"What is this place, exactly?" Lucas asked, kicking a discarded can that rolled far away.

  ?"The Technology Graveyard," Niko answered without looking back, his steps quick and agile as he hopped over broken cables. "The place where engineers' dreams are thrown away after being deemed trash by the UCO. But for me? This is a paradise of free spare parts."

  ?After walking for about ten minutes up a hill of scrap, Niko stopped at the peak. Lucas and Blade were panting slightly, but Niko looked as fresh as if he were on a casual afternoon stroll. The boy spread his arms theatrically, his silhouette blending perfectly against the orange sunset.

  ?"And that..." Niko shouted proudly. "Is my masterpiece!"

  ?Blade and Lucas stared at the sight before them with their mouths slightly open.

  ?Niko's "Palace" was the wreckage of a giant cargo plane—likely a remnant of a war from hundreds of years ago—half-buried in the ground. The difference was, this wreckage was covered in colorful neon lights, thick cables dangling like vines, and dozens of satellite dishes spinning without a clear purpose.

  ?"This is... very unique," Lucas commented, trying to be polite.

  ?"This is a pile of trash," Blade corrected, flat and merciless.

  ?"It’s vintage!" Niko shot back defensively.

  ?Dinner at Niko's "Palace" was a confusing experience. They sat on old shipping crates repurposed as chairs. In the middle of a dented metal table sat a large bowl of neon green porridge that... flickered.

  ?"Niko's Radioactive Algae Soup!" Niko announced proudly.

  ?Blade stared at the bowl with deep suspicion. "Are you sure this isn't radiator fluid?"

  ?"Just eat it. It’s high in nutrition," Niko said, devouring his portion greedily.

  ?Lucas, who was basically an eater of all things, immediately scooped it into his mouth. His eyes instantly lit up. "Whoa! It tastes like... bubblegum mixed with pure oil! Yummy!"

  ?As they ate, Blade's gaze fell upon a worn photo taped crookedly to the metal wall nearby. It was a photo of a husband and wife in white lab coats, hugging a cheerful toddler—a young Niko.

  ?"Are those your parents?" Blade asked.

  ?The cheerfulness on Niko's face dimmed slightly, though his smile didn't entirely vanish. "Yeah. Genius scientists. They used to be very famous on this planet."

  ?"Used to be?" Lucas asked with a full mouth. "Where are they now?"

  ?"They’re gone," Niko answered casually, but his hand squeezed the spoon tightly. "Captured by Thor. One of The Big 3. And from the rumors I’ve heard... he killed them."

  ?The atmosphere suddenly went silent. Even ROT stopped its noisy beeping.

  ?"They discovered a theory about 'Inter-Dimensional Doors'," Niko continued, breaking the silence. "Thor wanted to monopolize that technology for his own military ambitions. My parents refused. So... well, Thor sent his troops and raided our lab. My parents hid me in the garbage chute right before the door was breached. Now, all that’s left is me and ROT."

  ?Lucas slammed the table so hard that the green soup bowl rattled. His innocent face was flushed with genuine anger. "That’s so evil! Why didn't the UCO help?! Isn't it their job to protect good people?!"

  ?Blade snorted softly, staring at his untouched tea. "The UCO isn't as holy as you imagine."

  ?"Really??" Lucas asked, confused. He then turned. "Niko... you mentioned Thor and... The Big—what was it? Uncle Garp once forbade me from reading books about them. He said it was adult business."

  ?Niko choked slightly on his green porridge. He patted his chest, then looked at Lucas with a look of disbelief. "Are you serious? What rock have you been hiding under? They’re celebrities! Walking natural disasters! Rulers of half the galaxy!"

  ?Blade just clicked his tongue. "Don't poison the kid's mind with cheap gossip."

  ?"It’s not gossip! It’s common knowledge!" Niko protested. He stood on his shipping crate, spreading his arms like a professor starting a lecture. ROT floated beside him, projecting a blurry hologram into the air.

  ?"First, THOR," Niko said bluntly, pointing at a hologram of a figure in armor wreathed in lightning. "The God of Thunder. He controls all the black market trade and weaponry sectors. He’s made the Techno Tribe Planet his base and is worshiped like a King there."

  ?Niko leaned in, lowering his voice. "But something is off. Ancient tales say the real Thor died thousands of years ago in a cosmic war. That’s why many believe the being there now is just an impostor using the god's name, or a synthetic reincarnation. His power is too... mechanical. Too synthetic for a god's magic."

  ?Lucas nodded in awe. "Whoa... Like the legends in storybooks."

  ?"Second, ZAROS," Niko continued. The hologram changed quickly. The room felt slightly colder. The projection showed an alien silhouette with unnatural body proportions. His skin was deathly pale, his body hulking and muscular, with white eyes and five strange eyes decorating his chest.

  ?"The Nightmare," Niko whispered, his voice almost trembling. "He isn't human, and maybe not even a normal biological entity. He is a Tyrant Alien. He leads a terrifying armada nearly as large as the UCO. They say his aura alone can shatter an ordinary person's mind with terror. Anyone who deals with him rarely returns whole—neither in body nor in sanity. Even UCO elite troops tremble at the mention of his name."

  ?"S-so scary!" Lucas swallowed hard, his eyes wide.

  ?"And the last one..."

  ?Niko snapped his fingers. The hologram changed again, now showing the silhouette of a man with long, loosely tied hair and two katanas at his waist. The aura emanating from the hologram felt sharp, as if it could cut the air.

  ?"RADAGON," Niko exclaimed with a tone of clear respect. "The Ronin. The strongest swordsman in this universe. He leads the rebel organization STARFALL. Rumors say he can split a mountain with just a wooden sword! He strongly opposes the UCO ideology; his followers are everywhere. For those who are oppressed, he is a symbol of true freedom!"

  ?CLACK!

  ?The sound of a spoon slammed hard onto a metal bowl cut off Niko's enthusiasm instantly.

  ?Blade put his spoon down roughly. His usually stiff face now looked incredibly sour, as if he had just chewed a whole rotten lemon.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  ?"What's wrong, Blade?" Lucas asked innocently. "The food isn't good?"

  ?"It’s not the food," Blade grumbled coldly, his eyes narrowing sharply at the Radagon hologram that was slowly fading. "It’s the story that makes me nauseous."

  ?"Nauseous how?" Niko immediately defended his idol. "Radagon is cool! He fights the corrupt system! He’s a hero!"

  ?"A hero?" Blade laughed cynically, a dry laugh devoid of any humor. "Don't be naive."

  ?Niko and Lucas looked at each other, confused by Blade's sudden sensitive reaction.

  ?"What's wrong with him?" Lucas whispered softly to Niko.

  ?"Maybe he’s secretly a big fan of Zaros?" Niko guessed randomly, then shrugged.

  ?Niko sat back down and concluded his story. "Basically, Zaros and Radagon have combat power equal to the UCO. If either of them moves or goes to war with each other, the entire universe has to go on high alert, and the ten High Generals of the UCO might have to step in to stop it."

  ?Lucas gaped with a look of silly amazement. "Whoa... Their influence is that big, and the UCO has ten high-level generals?! I just found out... I thought the UCO only had Reinhard."

  ?"Exactly. And this dumping ground planet is part of the Gray Zone. Thor's influence is very strong here. That’s why I have to disguise myself and live in a pile of trash. If his lackeys find out the son of the scientist they killed is still alive, I'm history."

  ?"What kind of god kills a scientist just because his offer was rejected?" Lucas grumbled crossly.

  ?"Forget it!" Niko slapped the table hard, forcing his cheerful mode back on. "Let's not discuss the depressing past. Better we discuss your fate. Your ship... well, technically it’s already scrap metal. The stabilizer is completely melted."

  ?Blade massaged his temples. "Damn it."

  ?"BUT!" Niko jumped up onto his chair. "I have a solution! Follow me!"

  ?Niko guided them to the back of his massive, dimly lit hangar. There, covered by a thick, dusty tarp, stood a ship three times larger than their previous junk ship. The design was sleek yet looked very sturdy, with aerodynamic wings that could fold.

  ?"Project X!" Niko shouted as he pulled the tarp dramatically. "My dream ship. Twin engines, pure titanium shielding, and an automatic coffee maker in the cockpit."

  ?Lucas's eyes sparkled like he was seeing a new toy. "So cool..."

  ?"But the plane isn't finished," Niko added quickly, ruining the mood. "The core engine needs one vital component. A Sonic Capsule. Without that, this fighter jet is just an expensive decoration with blinking lights."

  ?"And where can we get that thing?" Blade asked to the point.

  ?Niko grinned widely. "In Core City. The main research center of Planet Cerebra. The most modern, most advanced place, and... most heavily guarded by fully armed police."

  ?"Wait," Lucas interrupted. "You mean... we have to steal it?"

  ?"Borrowing, Lucas. Borrowing without permission and without the intention of returning it. Besides, my parents were the first to find out how to make it, so it's not fair if I don't take a little profit, right?" Niko corrected with a wink. "Tomorrow morning we leave. Prepare your mental state!"

  ?The next morning, instead of using a cool exhibition plane, Niko forced them to squeeze into a rickety cargo van that levitated stutteringly toward Core City. The cabin smelled like a mix of used oil and stale cheese.

  ?They parked the van in a dark alley directly facing the Main Logistics Building. The view of Core City was indeed extraordinary—skyscrapers plated with anti-aircraft glass, streets made of bright light tubes, and many drones busy buzzing like steel bees.

  ?But Blade didn't care about the beautiful view at all. His focus was on the embarrassing object in his hand.

  ?"I. Am. Not. Wearing. This," Blade hissed, staring sharply at a thick fake mustache, tacky sunglasses, and a neon pink beret.

  ?"You have to wear it, Mr. Grumpy!" Niko forced, adjusting his own goggles. "Facial recognition cameras are everywhere! Unless you want them to send a missile straight to your face, put it on now."

  ?Five minutes later, they were walking toward the back door of the building. Lucas looked very happy wearing an oversized lab coat that made him look like a toddler who stole his dad's clothes, complete with an empty clipboard in his hand. Meanwhile, behind him, Blade walked stiffly with a maximally scowling face, his fake mustache crooked, and a pink hat that contrasted sharply with the sword on his back.

  ?"Remember our plan," Niko whispered as they approached the cargo door. "We are cleanliness inspection technicians. Lucas, you're the boss. Blade, you're... well, you're the stupid and grumpy porter."

  ?"I am definitely going to cut you after this," Blade grumbled from behind his fake mustache.

  ?Thanks to ROT slipping in through a small vent and shocking the control panel from the inside, the steel door opened without triggering an alarm. They crept into the facility, hiding behind stacks of logistics boxes whenever a patrol drone passed.

  ?Their dynamic was a complete mess. Lucas almost waved cheerfully to a security drone before his hand was quickly slapped down by Blade. Niko had to hack three layers of doors while constantly whispering in a panic for Blade to stop snorting so loudly.

  ?Finally, they arrived at the main vault. In the center of the room, stored in a bulletproof glass tube, was a glowing blue object pulsing slowly: the Sonic Capsule.

  ?"That's it!" Niko whispered enthusiastically. He trotted over and plugged a cable from his glove into the panel below the tube. His fingers danced quickly over a virtual keyboard. Click. Tit-tit-tit.

  ?"Niko..." Lucas murmured softly, his body shaking slightly. "Uncle Garp said stealing is a sin that keeps us from going to heaven..."

  ?"God is busy, Lucas," Blade replied flatly while pushing the boy's back forward. "Just grab it. The longer we're here, the faster we go to the real hell."

  ?"Just think of it as us saving this capsule from the dust," Niko coaxed without looking back. "A little more... Aha! Done!"

  ?The tube’s glass hissed open. A cold mist billowed out. The blue capsule was now unobstructed.

  ?Lucas swallowed hard. He hesitantly reached out his hand. His index finger almost touched the cold surface of the capsule. However, suddenly his nose crinkled. The musty smell of the old lab coat he was wearing tickled his nose.

  ?"Hatchi—!"

  ?Lucas held back his sneeze with all his might. His face turned red. He managed to hold it, but due to the jerk of his body, Lucas's elbow slammed hard into a large red button next to the tube that read: DO NOT TOUCH.

  ?A second passed in a gripping silence.

  ?WEOO! WEOO! WEOO!

  ?The room lights suddenly turned a bright, flashing red. A deafening siren echoed throughout the building. The giant iron door behind them began to slide down.

  ?"LUCAS!!" Blade and Niko shouted in unison.

  ?"Sorry! This lab coat smells like mothballs!" Lucas defended in a panic, immediately snatching the blue capsule from its place.

  ?"RUN!"

  ?They scrambled out just before the iron door slammed shut. A dozen spherical Security Drones were already waiting in the corridor, starting to fire yellow stun lasers.

  ?"Get in the car!" Niko shouted, pointing to his junker van.

  ?Blade jumped into the driver's seat, almost tearing the steering wheel from its place. "Hold on!"

  ?The chase on the light-tube streets was inevitable. Their van swerved extremely to avoid other levitating vehicles, while behind them, police cars with blinding blue sirens continued to push closer.

  ?"Turn left! Left!" Niko shouted, hugging a terrified ROT.

  ?"That's a dead end, Idiot!" Blade snapped. He instead threw the steering wheel to the right extremely, hitting a road barrier. Their van jumped out of the glowing lane and free-fell to the slums below.

  ?"WAAAAAA!" Lucas screamed in joy (or fear, it was hard to tell). "This is more fun than a rollercoaster!"

  ?The van landed with a terrifying BAM, sparks flying from the exhaust, but miraculously kept going.

  ?"Niko! Do something!" Blade ordered as two police drones began aiming at their tires.

  ?"ROT! Launch Smoke Bomb!"

  ?ROT opened its body, and PUFF! A thick, dense pink smoke—which for some reason smelled like pungent strawberries—enveloped the street. The police drones lost visibility and crashed into a giant hologram billboard with a series of small explosions.

  ?"Good job, Iron Ball!" Blade praised, stepping hard on the gas until they disappeared toward the dark city limits.

  ***

  ?The next three days were spent installing the Sonic Capsule into Project X.

  ?Their work dynamic was weird but somehow very effective. Niko took care of the main electrical panel while singing off-key. Lucas, who was always curious about everything, kept asking nonstop: "What cable is this? If I cut it, will it explode? Why is it blue? Can I lick it?"

  ?Blade? He got the rough physical tasks. Lifting steel plates weighing hundreds of kilos, turning giant plate-sized bolts, and occasionally hitting Lucas's hand with a wet rag if the boy almost pressed the seat-eject button.

  ?The night before departure day, the plane was finally fully ready. The twin engines roared smoothly yet very powerfully, its shields flickering active. It far exceeded Lucas's previous junk ship. Under the moonlight, its titanium body looked incredibly tough.

  ?"So..." Blade spoke up, folding his arms. He stared intently at Niko’s back. "What’s the price?"

  ?Silence for a moment. The night wind blew through the cracks of the scrap metal in the hangar, leaving only the sound of creaking metal.

  ?"You mean this plane?" Niko asked softly, his back to them.

  ?"Yeah. You couldn't have assembled and given a fighter jet this sophisticated for free to two strangers you just met, right?" Blade’s eyes narrowed sharply. "Name your price. I'll pay it off... even if I have to pay in installments for the rest of my life."

  ?Niko turned around. He tapped his chin, pretending to think hard. "Hmm. This plane uses a pirated military-grade Hyper-Drive, pure titanium shielding from an aircraft carrier wreck, and a first-class stolen Sonic Capsule... The total is roughly..."

  ?Niko looked at Blade and Lucas with an incredibly serious expression. "75 Billion Omni Credits."

  ?Lucas's jaw dropped so low it almost touched the floor. "Seventy... five... billion..." His eyes suddenly turned blank white, his body went limp, and he collapsed, fainting on the spot. Thud.

  ?Blade froze. "You... you want me to sell a kidney? The kidneys of the entire population of this galaxy wouldn't be enough to pay for it!"

  ?Suddenly Niko exploded in laughter until he had to hold his stomach. "Hahaha! Your faces! Oh man, ROT, you recorded that, right?!"

  ?Blade scowled, realizing he’d been played. Hearing the laughter, Lucas immediately woke up from his faint and blinked in confusion. "Eh? Just kidding?"

  ?Niko wiped his tears of laughter, then smiled thinly. He stared at the curves of the ship for a long time, then looked down at the rusted iron floor. The atmosphere suddenly turned quiet and somber.

  ?"Free," Niko said softly, almost like a whisper.

  ?"But... there is one condition."

  ?"What’s the condition?" Lucas asked, brushing dust off his pants, looking at Niko with his remaining innocence.

  ?Niko took a long breath. His teenage hands gripped the edge of his goggles tightly, as if seeking strength from the inanimate object.

  ?"You have to take us with you. Me and ROT. We’ve been planning to leave this junk heap for a long time."

  ?Blade raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Why? You have genius-level mechanical skills, you assembled this plane from scratch yourself. Why haven't you left on your own before?"

  ?The cheerful smile that always stuck like a mask on Niko’s face slowly faded, replaced by the fragile expression of a teenager carrying far too much weight alone.

  ?"Because I'm a coward and I'm weak," he admitted honestly, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "The world out there is too vast, cold, and cruel. Here, I’m just a lowly mechanic hiding behind a pile of trash. I can’t fight. I always thought, as long as I stay hidden and unseen, I’ll be safe. And... I don't have the reckless courage like you guys."

  ?Niko lifted his face, looking at Lucas and Blade in turn with teary eyes that were nonetheless filled with a new spark of determination.

  ?"But if I'm with you guys... I feel like I can do it. Seeing you break through research center security for just a silly reason made me realize. Rotting in this place is the same as waiting to die slowly. I want to see the outside world too. I want to prove that my father and mother's science didn't die with me in this dump. There's no way I was allowed to live for no reason while both my parents are gone."

  ?Lucas smiled broadly, a warm smile that could light up the darkest room. He stepped forward and hugged Niko’s shoulder tightly. "Of course! We are a team! The Capsule Thieves!"

  ?"Don't ever use that name again," Blade snapped quickly, cutting the moment. But for some reason, the corner of the stiff man's mouth lifted slightly, forming a thin smile—a very rare sight. "Alright. Besides, this ship needs a brain to maintain it, because two people here—" Blade pointed to himself and Lucas, "—only have muscles and a logic-defying recklessness."

  ?"YAY!" Niko jumped with joy, his sadness evaporating instantly, blown away by enthusiasm. "ROT! We're leaving! Prepare the travel playlist!"

  ?BEEP-BOOP! (The ship's interior speakers suddenly played a classic rock song at a deafeningly maximum volume).

  ?"Turn off that damn song!" Blade shouted, covering his ears in annoyance.

  ?"NO WAY!" Niko and Lucas replied together while running to compete for a spot in the cockpit.

  ?Blade took a very long sigh, staring at the starry night sky through the hole in the hangar roof. Crazy, troublesome brats, he thought.

  ?But strangely, for the first time in a long time of wandering, Blade felt the empty space in his chest fill up a little. Tonight, he didn't feel alone anymore.

  ?He walked in to join the two noisy teenagers. Project X's twin engines roared fiercely, spitting blue flames, splitting the night sky, and leaving that junk planet forever... maybe...

  ?Their adventure had only just begun.

  ?To be continued...

  CREDIT SONGS :

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