Shintaro and the party continued their journey toward the port. The road was harsh—monsters were constantly popping out of nowhere, forcing them to fight again and again.
"Shintaro, why the hell are there so many monsters? And… there are so many corpses lying around," Ziro thought silently, but chose not to voice it.
Riya glanced at him. "Umm, Ziro…"
"Yeah?"
"That guy… is he really human? When he saved me before, I didn't see clearly, but now I understand why you call him strong. It's not just strength—he's fast, really fast. We're witnessing… total annihilation."
Jamal nodded. "Yeah, that's true. It's like—monster shows up, monster dies. Instantly."
Ziro smirked. "Seeing him, and knowing his nickname, The black Mist, it's a worthy title. We're literally watching a mist cut down monsters."
Shintaro called back, "Hang in there, kids. We're close to the port."
Jamal grinned. "Yeah, there's nothing to fear when Shintaro the Mist is here!"
Suddenly, Shintaro stopped.
"Huh? Why did you stop?" Ziro asked.
"Hey, I was just joking to lighten the mood," Jamal added nervously.
Shintaro pointed ahead. "Look in front of you—that is the Blue Star Planet's Sky City Military Port."
Ziro, Riya, and Jamal's eyes widened in astonishment. It wasn't just a port—it looked like a colossal military fortress.
how come!? There wasn't anything like this in this place before but now....
Well it's blue star tech after all don't keep your mouth open..
"Let's go," Shintaro said, walking forward.
"Yes, sir!" they all answered.
A massive wall surrounded the entire port. Shintaro placed his hand on the gate's scanner, then leaned forward for an eye scan. The enormous steel doors slowly opened.
Inside, the sight was even more breathtaking—it was as if a massive spaceship had landed and merged with the city.
Curious, Riya asked, "Sir… may I ask… what exactly is a port?"
Ziro and Jamal looked at her, then exchanged glances. (Thoughts)Wait… we've been running for the port without rest and we don't even know what it is?!
Ziro quickly spoke up, "Uh… yes, sir. Riya must be curious. You should tell her…"
Shintaro smirked. "Why don't you two explain it to her?"
Ziro laughed awkwardly. "Ah, sir, how could we speak about something so important when the honorable one is here? Right, Jamal?"
Jamal nodded like a loyal servant. "Yes, we respect the lord and wish the lord would enlighten this poor girl."
Shintaro sighed. "Stop bullshitting. Follow me—I'll explain."
He began speaking as they walked. "The port is a military base of Planet Blue Star. There are many cities on this planet, and this is the Sky City Military Base Port. When a planet gets swallowed by a Black Star or Black Hole, survivors of Blue Star use the port to connect to that planet. You could call it a teleport base—equipped with military defenses to ensure its safety. We install ports in many places for quick travel, and defend them until the planet collapses from core failure."
Riya tilted her head. "But… is it really possible to build something this massive in just six or seven hours?"
"You're a clever one," Shintaro replied. "But what if I told you we have manpower far beyond normal humans—and technology superior to most planets in existence?"
Ziro shrugged. "At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me a spirit was glaring at us right now."
Jamal's voice trembled. "Uh… Ziro… there really is a spirit in front of you…"
"Don't be afraid," Riya said, stepping forward. "It could just be a hologram. See? I can walk right through it."
Shintaro shook his head. "It's a spirit."
The moment she heard that, Riya froze in place. Her fearless posture, however, encouraged Jamal and Ziro.
"What if it is a spirit? We've defeated plenty of monsters already!" Ziro declared.
Jamal raised an eyebrow. "It was Shintaro who killed those monsters."
"So what? Shintaro is right behind—" Ziro turned, and froze. "…Wait. Where did he go?"
Panic began to creep in. Crap. I heard spirits eat your soul and drain your blood…
The spirit suddenly spoke. "Hey."
Ziro jumped. "No, please! I'm not tasty! I'm full of germs! I haven't showered in five days—you should try someone else! I'm as dirty as a pig!"
"…Thanks for the nasty details," the spirit replied dryly. "But I'm not going to eat you. You can stop freaking out."
"Huh? You're not a spirit?"
"No. This is my ability—Soul Split: Spirit Form."
"Ohhh… right. Abilities. I forgot." Ziro waved to Jamal. "Hey! See? Not a spi—"
Jamal, meanwhile, was on his knees. "Oh God, please accept my life! I'm coming to meet you! My life was full of pain and suffering! I never got to marry! I never lost my virginity! I never—"
"Stop, man!" Ziro interrupted. "Open your eyes! He's not a spirit—it's his ability!"
"Huh? Then… my prayers?" Jamal looked confused.
"Will you stop with this nonsense?!"
"Anyway… why is Riya still standing there?"
The spirit guy scratched his head. "Well…"
"Riya?" Ziro approached and touched her shoulder. She collapsed instantly.
"She's been unconscious since she heard the word 'spirit,'" the man explained. "Her soul practically flew out of her body."
"…Great," Ziro muttered.
The man bowed slightly. "Sorry for scaring you. My name is Kai—I'm your guide. Please follow me to your rooms. You must have had a hard time coming here."
A few moments later, Kai led them through gleaming hallways toward their quarters. The rooms looked as modern as the most advanced luxury hotels—but strange, inhuman activities were taking place in the background. It was hard to tell whether some of the workers were human, cyborg, or something else entirely.
Ziro sat on his bed, lost in thought. Just yesterday, the world was alive. Kids playing in my backyard. Car horns blaring in Dhaka—the most densely populated city. Now… silence. As if no living thing remained. And everywhere… monsters.
Maybe it's luck we encountered Shintaro. Without him, we wouldn't have survived.
Suddenly—
Woop! Woop! Wooooop!!!
An emergency alarm blared.
"Attention! All survivors in the port, stay in your rooms! All rangers, report to the command center immediately!"
Panic spread instantly. Jamal dove under the bed. Riya sat in the corner, trembling. Every survivor on the port could feel the tension of whatever was coming next.
Ziro stood, thinking, Is it safe outside? Is there a monster invasion?
His thoughts were cut short when the door began to open.
Ziro raised his fists, ready to fight.
Standing in the doorway, Shintaro's expression was deadly serious.
"Ziro… we need your help. Come with me."
---
[TO BE CONTINUED]