Re:Awakening with Ultimate Power as a Cosmic God-Chapter 88: Ch : A Reward for You - Part 4
The shipโs engines whirred to life the moment Nova and Malrik stepped inside. The artificial lighting cast a cool glow across the metallic walls as the door sealed shut behind them. ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐ท๐๐ซ๐๐ก.๐๐ธ๐ถ
Nova barely gave Malrik time to catch his breath.
"Nyx. Take off. Immediately."
A gentle hum vibrated through the floor as Nyx responded.
"Took you long enough. Do you want me to do a little more damage before we part ways with this charming rock?"
Nova paused by the control panel, fingers gliding across its surface.
"No. That wonโt be necessary."
"You sure? The Queen did try to use you and chain you here. Would be a shame if we left without leaving a mark."
Nyxโs voice held a teasing edge.
Novaโs eyes glinted.
"Sheโll find the other โgiftsโ I left behind soon enough."
Malrik, leaning against the wall behind him, narrowed his eyes.
"What kind of gifts?"
Nova turned slightly.
The smile on his face was... unsettling.
Malrik immediately raised his hands.
"Actually, you know what? I donโt want to know."
Down the hall, Annaโs familiar voice broke the tension.
"Youโre back!"
She rushed over, a mixture of relief and fatigue in her features.
"You made it out in one piece."
"We always do. Can you show Malrik to one of the empty rooms? Let him rest a bit before I finish up his vow."
Nova replied smoothly.
Anna glanced at Malrik and gave him a nod.
"Come on. This way."
Malrik followed her without argument, barely keeping his eyes open.
He could feel something inside him still rotting, his insides tugging with each breath, but the pain was dulled. Not goneโjust... stalled.
Not long after, Malrik returned, his armor stripped off, a plain tunic covering his frame.
He found Nova waiting in the shipโs central common area, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the center of the room where a sealed containment chamber pulsed faintly with glowing green light.
"You ready?"
Nova asked without looking at him.
"As ready as I can be."
Malrik answered honestly.
Nova motioned toward the chamber. A cylindrical glass tube, reinforced with swirling rings of aetheric metal, stood upright in the middle.
Suspended within it, like a star frozen in time, was the Core of Lifeโgently swirling with threads of pale gold and shimmering emerald energy.
"This is the thing that kept you from collapsing entirely. And the reason youโre still breathing right now."
Nova said.
Malrikโs expression hardened.
"You said I needed to complete one last step?"
Nova nodded.
"The bondโs in place, but your body hasnโt fully adapted. The coreโs influence is keeping your organs from falling apart, but if you want to survive beyond the next few days, youโll need more than borrowed strength. Youโll need resonance."
"Resonance?"
"Put your hand on the glass."
Malrik hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and placed his palm flat against the tube.
The response was instant.
The Core of Life surged with light. Thin strands of energy wrapped around Malrikโs hand, winding up his arm like living vines.
He gasped, instinctively trying to pull away, but Novaโs voice cut through the rising panic.
"Donโt move. Let it sync."
Malrik clenched his jaw and held his ground.
The energy spread across his chest, seeping under his skin. His heart thudded loudly in his earsโthen steadied.
His breathing grew smoother. The burning pain that had plagued him since the battlefield ebbed away, replaced by a soothing warmth.
His body shimmered faintly with the same greenish glow, and for a moment, his reflection on the glass wasnโt that of a broken soldier. He looked... reborn.
Then the glow settled.
Malrik stepped back slowly, blinking.
"What just happened?"
"Youโve been partially synchronized. Itโs not a perfect bond, but itโs enough to keep you aliveโand fighting."
Nova explained.
"I feel like I could punch a mountain."
Nova chuckled faintly.
"Donโt get cocky. Youโre still adjusting. The core is sustaining you, not empowering you. Think of it like... a graft keeping your body stable. Your strength will return with time."
Malrik flexed his fingers, then looked at Nova with renewed focus.
"This core... where did you even find it?"
Nova gave him a sideways glance.
"Thatโs not something you need to know. Yet."
Malrik didnโt push. Not tonight. Whatever Nova had gone through to obtain this thing, it had saved his life. That was enoughโfor now.
He bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you. I wonโt waste this life."
Nova met his gaze, and for once, his expression softened just a touch.
"See that you donโt."
______
The shipโs bridge hummed softly with the sounds of idle systems and distant star engines.
Outside the viewport, the expanse of space stretched endlessly, broken only by the occasional drifting comet or distant starflare.
Inside, a rare silence had settled over the group, each of them nursing some measure of exhaustion or thought.
Anna broke the stillness first.
"So... whatโs our next destination?"
She was seated near the edge of the console, legs crossed, trying to sound casual, though the tension in her shoulders said otherwise.
Everyone was waiting for Novaโs answer.
Before he could speak, Nyxโs voice cut clean through the air.
"Actually, before you answer thatโthereโs something you should know."
Nova raised an eyebrow, silently granting her the floor.
"I wasnโt able to trace the ones who took the Core of Reason, but I did manage to track the general direction of their escape route. I ran projections on where they couldโve gone, and thereโs one place along that path that stood out to me."
She began,
The screens flickered, and a projection of a planet came upโan orb of vibrant greens and deep silvers surrounded by tight orbital rings of artificial satellites.
"Rikaidou. A closed-off world that enforces absolute security."
Anna leaned forward. "Iโve heard of it... Thatโs the planet that refuses all trade and diplomatic contact, right?"
"Exactly. Despite having rich aether deposits, advanced tech, and high living standards, theyโve kept their borders sealed for decades. Voluntarily. No explanation. No outside influence allowed."
Nyx confirmed.
"Thatโs suspicious," Malrik muttered.
"Thatโs why it interests me. And if I had to guess, itโd be the perfect place to hide a stolen core. Hidden in plain sight."
Nyx added, tone dry.
The crew turned to Nova.
He stared at the projection for a long moment, then gave a small nod.
"Weโll take the risk."
Anna looked hesitant.
"You sure? Theyโre known for shooting on sight."
Nova shrugged.
"Then theyโll just have to miss."
Malrik snorted.
Nyxโs voice crackled again.
"Plotting a course to Rikaidou. Letโs see how welcoming this hidden world really is."
The stars shifted as the ship angled forward, ready to burn toward a new unknown.
The engines began to power up, a low thrum rising beneath their feet as the ship reoriented toward its new path.
Rikaidou shimmered on the map like a distant secret, veiled behind its silence and isolation. Anna glanced at Nova once more, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
"You really think the coreโs there?"
She asked quietly.
Nova didnโt answer right away. His gaze stayed locked on the glowing planet, unreadable as ever.
"I cannot say anything about that just yet."
He finally said,
"How reassuring. Letโs hope they enjoy surprises."
Nyx muttered.
With that, the stars stretchedโand they vanished into the void.
