Planet Noon.
The evening was drawing to a close as the last rays of sunlight bathed the magnificent Palace of Solis, floating above the radiant city of Olympus. White marble towers and crystalline spires shimmered beneath the golden sky while bridges of stone and Stardust connected districts suspended high above the earth. It was the heart of Planet Noon, one of the oldest civilizations in the universe, where peace had flourished for centuries under the watchful protection of the Fighters.
Upon one of the palace's vast marble terraces, overlooking the entirety of Olympus from high above the clouds, sat a lone figure upon the edge of a stone balustrade. His posture was relaxed, yet carried the quiet confidence of a seasoned warrior. The evening breeze drifted through his crimson hair and stirred the ivory mantle draped across his shoulders as his golden eyes calmly overlooked the magnificent city below.
Like every Noonian, he possessed an almost ethereal beauty. His refined features, smooth sun-kissed complexion, and elegantly pointed ears gave him the timeless appearance of an ancient race untouched by age. Yet there was nothing delicate about him. Standing six feet five with a lean, powerfully compact physique, every scar upon his body spoke of countless battles fought in defense of others. Resting beside him lay Sunpiercer, the legendary spear that had accompanied him through each of those victories, its golden shaft gleaming softly beneath the fading light.
The man rubbed one of his eyes after covering his mouth with a long yawn. He stretched both arms toward the sky, loosening the stiffness that had settled into his body after spending hours resting beneath the open heavens. Despite the peaceful scenery surrounding him, exhaustion still clung to his face. He let out a quiet sigh as he absentmindedly scratched the back of his neck.
...It's been quite the week.
This whole Auction has everyone on edge.
His thoughts drifted toward the coming operation.
I wonder who King Tryon is planning to send.
Void seems like the obvious choice... but we'll still need one of us Seraphims to accompany him.
The thought lingered only briefly before the faint sound of approaching footsteps disturbed the silence. His expression sharpened almost instantly. He glanced over his shoulder from the corner of his eye, and the moment he recognized the figure walking toward him, he sprang to his feet. His spear was already in his hand by the time he lowered his head in a respectful bow.
"My King."
The greeting came with practiced discipline, though the surprise behind it was impossible to hide.
Truthfully, Tryon's appearance shouldn't have caught him off guard. With the Auction drawing near, the King had been busier than anyone else on Planet Noon. Still, the man never expected him to seek him out personally.
...Please don't think I was slacking off.
The thought alone made him feel oddly self-conscious. Remaining bowed, he silently hoped the King hadn't mistaken a moment of rest for laziness.
Tryon, however, merely raised a hand, signaling him to relax.
"I've been looking for you all day, Kira. I assumed you'd be somewhere out there making Noon an even safer place than it already is." A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Though I suppose even our hardest workers deserve a moment to breathe."
Kira's shoulders stiffened.
...He definitely noticed.
Heat crept into his face.
He opened his mouth trying to explain himself, but the words refused to come out. Every excuse he thought of sounded worse than the last.
"Uhh... I..."
Before the embarrassment could consume him completely, Tryon let out a quiet chuckle. It wasn't mocking, nor was it the laughter of a king reprimanding his subordinate. It was warm enough to dissolve the tension that had gathered between them. The weight on Kira's shoulders vanished almost immediately. He straightened his posture, steadied his breathing, and finally met the King's gaze once more, ready to hear whatever had brought him here.
"I've spent the last few days thinking about it, Kira. And I've decided that I won't be sending Void to the Auction."
Tryon said, his gaze drifting toward the night sky where the first stars had begun to appear above the floating palace. The announcement caught Kira completely off guard. Among all the inhabited planets, Noon stood as one of the galaxy's greatest military powers, and much of that reputation rested upon the existence of its Archangel. If there was ever an operation worthy of deploying the Fighters' strongest warriors, surely this was it.
In Kira's mind, Void's participation had never been something to question; it had simply been the natural course of events. Countless reasons immediately surfaced, each urging him to ask why the King had come to such an unexpected decision. Yet before he could gather the words, Tryon calmly continued, as though he had already anticipated the question forming in his mind.
"Commander-in-Chief Benson informed the Council that Earth will be deploying Hope alongside one of their Tier B Seraphims. With Hope already committed to the operation, I don't see the need to risk our own Archangel as well."
The explanation settled naturally in Kira's thoughts.
On paper, sending both Hope and Void would undoubtedly strengthen the Fighters' chances of success. But war was never fought on paper. The Auction would gather some of the most dangerous High-end Leviathan Demons in existence—enemies whose power stood frighteningly close to that of the Archangels themselves. If both Hope and Void were to fall in the same battle, the galaxy would lose two of the greatest pillars preserving its balance. The operation was important, but protecting what remained afterward was just as important.
"As commanders, we're forced to prepare for the worst before we ever hope for the best. If something were to happen to Hope, the galaxy would still have Void. Sending both of them into the same battlefield would leave us without a contingency, especially now that demonic activity continues to increase across every sector. Sometimes the hardest decision isn't choosing how much strength to commit..."
He paused briefly before finishing, and then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"...it's deciding how much strength you must keep in reserve. I've already spoken with Benson and he reached the same conclusion."
Kira quietly nodded. It wasn't the answer he had expected, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Leadership demanded looking beyond the battle in front of you and preparing for the one that might come afterward.
Yet one thought lingered.
If Lord Void wasn't going...
Then who?
The question barely had time to settle before Tryon answered it himself.
"Noon will still commit ten thousand militia soldiers and two hundred Guardians to the operation."
"..And I want you to lead them."
His eyes shifted toward Kira, carrying the same quiet confidence they always had. For a brief moment, Kira simply stared at him. Then realization swept through him. He immediately bowed, unable to conceal the excitement rising within his chest. Out of every Seraphim serving Noon, the King had entrusted him with commanding their entire force during one of the most important operations in recent history.
"Thank you, My King. I won't disappoint you."
His voice carried unwavering conviction.
Tryon stepped closer and rested a reassuring hand upon his shoulder.
"I know you won't." A warm smile crossed the King's face before he added, "After all... you're the man destined to become the greatest Fighter in history."
Kira slowly lifted his head until eventually their eyes met, and before he realized it, a determined smile had already formed across his face—the very same confidence reflected in the King's own expression.
"You better believe it." Kira said.
Tryon gave a quiet nod before turning away, his footsteps gradually fading into the silence of the palace. Left alone once more, Kira found himself looking toward the starlit sky, the determination on his face never once wavering.
Planet Noon had chosen its pieces.
With every passing day, the Fighters' preparations for the Auction continued to move forward. Yet while one side steadily assembled its forces, another battle had already begun far away. Hidden deep within the forests of Earth, a young Demon was beginning a journey that would one day make the entire galaxy fear his name even more than they already did.
Mount Jukai.