This will be my first take on a story with multiple chapters with an actual structured plot (not completely but I'll try). Before anyone reads this, yes, this will be similar to those OC-Isekai scenarios (I know... totally original...) but of course with my own variation of the narrative. I would also like to point out that this will follow the main MGQ storyline with some alterations (think of it as an alternate universe of the canon one) and of course the added context of a completely different world.


"Everybody run for your lives!"

...

"It's here!"

...

"Where are you?"

...

"What is going on?"

...

"Look out!"

...

"Are you alright?"

...

"What's their results?"

...

"You'll be living here from now on."

...

"We're sorry."

...

"No! Stop!"

...

"What, why?"

...

"Of course I'm angry!"

...

"That we'll be together again."

...

"Brother."


Two groggy eyes widely opened from their slumber. A pained groan escaped from a young man's lips as he quickly rose from the mattress. His eyes darted around the room and after checking everything out, his composure relaxed as he gave an exasperated sigh. His eyes trailed back to the digital clock placed on his desk.

"5:23, huh? Not the earliest I've woken up to."

The man continued to stare at his clock, his mind slowly processing his most recent dream. It was a dream he always had, not a complete imitation but held the same context. It was as if he was being haunted by it, countless images that formed into an amalgamation of incomprehensible events that didn't make sense in hindsight, but something he completely understood nonetheless. His greatest fear, his most formidable enemy, his darkest demon—his past. He frowned, remembering the events that took place before. Albeit vague, he knew the full context of what they're trying to show. A scar from his soul, a reminder of the tragedies that would never go away, that always remained fresh from the depths of his mind.

Despite him moving on from it, it never seemed to move on from him. A fly that you just can't seem to kill. That one tiny piece of paper that stuck itself to your finger that you can't get rid of. A painful memory, one he wanted to completely forget but couldn't. One that seemed gone but always stayed at the back of his mind, almost as if it was waiting for him to make a move and it will make one as well, like a game of twisted chess.

It wasn't that the constant nightmares weren't bothersome, they sure as hell were, but they weren't bad to the point that they directly interfered with his daily life or that the after-effects became so obvious to him and for anyone else that they'll think that he was becoming insane or maybe they'll even accuse him of having hallucinations, at least it wasn't to that degree. And he had grown so much that he's used to them and if there was a cure, he sure as hell never found it, or that even if there was he probably wouldn't admit it to himself or to others that he needed it.

It was a thing for him, it wasn't that he's not a sociable person. It's just that he didn't want to involve anyone with his problems, especially to something so superficial such as irritating dream bugs. He could theoretically ask for a cure to the experts in the more-inclined medical divisions, but he'd just be too stubborn or too apathetic to care about it or himself over the issue.

Deciding that nothing can be done with the nightmare issue he kept having and that thinking about them too much won't do him any good, he stood up from the comforts of his mattress. He opened his wardrobe to grab his bath towel and went to the bathroom for a shower.

At least they were caring enough to install a bathroom in every personal quarter or I'll really be upset.

The nice hot shower certainly calmed the young man who was now walking in a corridor. He was wearing his signature attire: a casual red shirt, dark blue jeans, black paddings on his shoulders, functional goggles that were tied above his hair, a pair of black open gloves, a utility belt strapped on his waist with multipurpose holsters, a slick pair of machined-covered shoes, and his very own modified M.A.D. strapped on his left arm. He stopped in front of a machined door and placed his thumb on an apparatus. The light on top of the apparatus turned green and a message was displayed on the screen nearby accompanied by an A.I.'s voice.

"Access Granted. Welcome to the Omicron Division Training Grounds, Omicron User 011."

The machined door opened and he was welcomed by the sight of a giant room. The room had numerous racks filled with different forms of light weaponry and armor equipment, training dummies, sets of obstacle courses, and measuring equipment used for different evaluations. As he stepped into the room, a faint blue glow emanated from his M.A.D. before his body was wrapped in a holographic layering. Acknowledging that his protective field for training was automatically activated by the handy gadget, he grabbed a combat stick from one of the racks and started to hit the training dummies with moderate grace.

He wasn't an expert combatant but he had some experience in basic fighting techniques he learned in his three years of working for the organization. Though, the training he received was more focused on evasion rather than offensive maneuvers. His attention temporarily turned to the big slogan that was incredibly noticeable by anyone who walked into the hall as he kept hitting the training dummies.

'C.O.S.M.O. Bringing a brighter future today'

The mention of the organization in his mind brought up mixed feelings and emotions. It wasn't that he completely despised the organization or the people maintaining and working for it, hell he was close to practically everyone in Omicron. It was just that he had a rather interesting history with the other side of the organization, more accurately, the higher divisions.

They've shown to be good with a clear objective to help mankind after the unforgettable incident that occurred in 2032. The event that changed everything, from how modern humans live their lives to the drastic changes of the planet. The event that literally took the world by storm, the incident that continued to burn in the hearts and minds of the populace as clear as day. The man had never seen it himself but the changes it made were something that he will never forget.

He was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice the noise of the doors sliding open. It was only when a woman's voice he recognized, did he realize that he was no longer alone.

"Still not wearing the proper uniform, huh Valon?"

Valon, who immediately lost his focus, tripped himself to the floor. The woman stifled a chuckle before walking towards the dazed man, helping him stand up. She wore what seemed to be a military uniform: navy blue coat and pants, a few medals on the upper right part of the coat with a vertical silver bar insignia on top, a belt tied above the stomach, a pair of boots embedded with small pieces of machinery, a formatted M.A.D. customary to the organization's template strapped on her left arm, and the signature gold star inside a silver galaxy emblem on the center of the coat that marks the wearer a member of the esteemed military group—the Cosmoknights.

"Matilda, didn't see you come in."

"You're lucky I'm not like those other knights or I would've tazed you for not wearing the proper attire as well as not addressing the honorific."

"Like you won't try even if I did."

"Fair point."

Valon brought the combat stick back at the rack as Matilda grabbed a combat pistol and went near the target dummy sector, shooting all the targets with pinpoint accuracy.

"Didn't know you did karate. I know how well you perform with the organization's training program for the extractor's crash course, but I was sure they never taught karate."

"Uhh... how long were you watching me?"

"Not that long, I only just came in. But I was able to assess enough of your movements to know what you were doing."

"Yeah, I have some experience with karate, but I'm not an expert. I only know the basics. As for why I'm here, I guess I just felt like training myself, you know? Like an exercise."

Valon didn't notice Matilda's quick change of expression, which she reverted back to her usual snarky smile.

"So why are you early? Our poor baby technician had a bad dream?"

"Guess you could say that, yeah."

"Jee, I just can't seem to tease you can I?"

"You're gonna have to try a little harder than baby-calling me."

"Ha! I like that attitude of yours. I wonder if you'll still show me that amount of bravado after I beat you up here."

"As much as I like to see you try, I gotta go and eat something."

Valon was about to leave when he heard Matilda call up to him.

"Wait, before you go."

"Huh? What's up?"

Matilda went silent for a second as she tried to convey her thoughts into words that her interlocutor will understand.

"I know how busy you are developing that... thing you're doing."

"The makeshift Warpgate?"

"Yeah, and don't worry I haven't told the other divisions about it. It's just, you'd be leaving for an indefinite amount of time once you finish building that device, right?"

Valon remained silent, contemplating what he should say.

"As the head of this division, it is my duty to make sure that everyone is in good condition and safe from harm's way no matter where they are. You'll be entering a new environment by yourself with no guarantee of communication or assistance from us. I'm not underestimating your skills, Valon. I know how tough you are and how you quickly adapt to any given situation, well, most of the time. But, I just want to make sure that you're really prepared and that you know what you're doing."

"I'm ready, lieutenant," Valon replied with utter seriousness. "I know I can't convince you about it but this is something I wanted to do for a long time now."

Matilda kept her stone-faced expression as she tried to carefully consider one of her subordinate's reasoning. She'd known him for only three years in the organization but he'd shown to have potential and the skills needed for the extraction duty in a short time.

He'd be leaving them, however, for a quest that he wanted to fulfill for himself. She knew the reason of course and even if it wasn't a strong validation, she knew just how much important it was for the young man. They'd talk about this multiple times and he always provided her the same answer. Eventually, she gave in and decided on her final decision.

"Well, I know I can't convince you to stay. But I don't think it's ideal if the others join you, not when the higher divisions are keeping a close eye on all of us."

"That's fine, I know I can handle it myself."

"If you really want to do this and if you think you'd be able to pull it off, then I have no reason to stop you. I have my doubts but I've known you for quite some time now to know that burning desire of determination in your eyes. Three years and you've already shown me promise and skills that impressed me time and time again. And it's not just me who thinks this way. You've shown us all, here in the division, how your passion and your drive motivate you to do extraordinary things. From being our outstanding recon to our newest and best technician, you proved yourself to us every day that you're here or on missions."

Valon felt genuinely happy from the compliment, especially coming from the head of the division.

"I, uhh, don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything. Just come back to us safely, okay? That's an order."

"Yes ma'am! I promise to return safely."

"You better or I'm going to beat your ass into the next star system, you hear me?"

"Of course!" Valon chuckled at his superior's threat. He knew it was stated in a joking manner, but he also knew that she truly cared about him.

"Oh yeah, there's another extraction mission going to be announced later. I'm not sure considering I've only heard about it from the other divisions, but you should be prepared, just in case you're called."

"Great... another assignment. Yeah, duly noted. Catch you on the flip side, lieutenant."

Valon waved goodbye as he exited the training grounds. He greeted the people along the way as he headed towards the cafeteria. He noticed that there was already a crowd forming in the cafeteria occupying the numerous tables. He observed the food that was inside the display case and gave a slightly disgusted frown when he saw the food servers and the food that they were serving.

At least breakfast is always free...

It wasn't that the food was really bad. It was just that he knew that the food being served was no longer naturally made but rather artificially created in various cooking machines. It made up for the convenient service especially during work hours but the taste is nowhere near as good as handmade food.

Jee, I could only afford an electric stove back then.

Valon sighed from the inevitability and ordered a plate of bacon and eggs with a Caesar salad side-dish and a glass of water. He knew that even the vegetables used don't get the natural environment for their growth, but a vegetable was a vegetable.

He went around to pick a table to sit on when he saw two faces he recognized waving at him. One was a man, about the same age as him, who wore the official C.O.S.M.O. agency uniform labeled for the unit that Valon also belonged to—the extraction unit that consisted of a gray coat and slacks. The other was a young woman with a distinctive outfit that resembled a nurse's attire designed by the organization's template. He simply smiled in response as he sat beside them.

"Well if it isn't our favorite technician. What's up bro?" the man greeted. "You looked a bit stumped there."

"I'm fine, Allen," Valon answered. "It's just that I thought Eric would be on foodservice duty today. Turns out, it's just those lazy servers again."

"Haven't you heard?" the woman asked. "Eric was heavily wounded yesterday."

"Oh, so that's why Matilda told me that there will be another extraction, figures."

"Still refusing the honorifics, huh?" the woman asked with a slightly concerned expression.

"Felicia, do you really think you can convince Valon about that issue?" Allen replied as he pointed a thumb towards Valon. "I mean, look at him. The guy still refuses to wear his uniform."

"In my defense, my casual clothes feel more comfortable to wear."

"Why do I even bother?" Felicia sighed in resignation. "Well, if it makes you feel more at ease then it'll at least make you perform your job better, right?"

"He even modified his own M.A.D., he's the only one who even bothered tweaking the thing. I kinda want to tweak mine honestly. And plus, he actually wears the uniform during a collaboration with the other divisions."

"Yeah because if I don't then Matilda would probably beat me into swiss cheese. You know how hard she hits even without the MA4?"

"Speaking of which," Felicia started as she wiped her mouth with a tablecloth. "Are you still working on the... you know... thing?"

"Yeah, that makeshift Warpgate you're making. The Cosmoknights must have treated you so badly when you snuck into the investigation facility that you got a seemingly brilliant idea to make a Warpgate yourself.

The tension around the table suddenly became so thick you could cut it like a knife through butter.

"Yeah, I am..." Valon replied reluctantly.

Felicia held his hand tightly with the expression of utter concern for her friend as if she was trying to comfort him over the loss of a loved one, which in his case, wasn't too far from the truth. Valon, who was taken aback by her sudden gesture, slightly flinched from his position but composed himself afterwards when he saw his friend's expression.

"Valon, I know how much you miss him. I know that it bothers you every single day knowing that he's just out there, only waiting to be found, to be rescued from whatever place the Warpgate took him, along with the others to a place we have no idea where. But that's just it, we have no idea where they are or where the device took them."

"But I have the coordinates recorded when I snuck into the investigation facility."

"But the organization is already handling the search. It's not our job, it's theirs!"

"What, the higher divisions? Do you really believe they're doing anything? They haven't even developed a cure for this accursed virus yet and we've been waiting for over a year now for their search mission but they barely gave us any updates about it."

"But they have the technology and the needed skills to do it. They have access to nearly unlimited amounts of resources that we could only dream of having and they have more knowledge of the issue than any of us do, even if you did sneak into their facility. I'm not saying that you don't have the skills or the capabilities, but shouldn't you just let them take care of the issue? It is their responsibility after all."

"But I can't wait any longer! The longer I wait for them to search for something that we're not even sure that they're doing, the more it puts him to danger! I'm done waiting! I already have what I need. I have the resources and the knowledge I need to make this thing work!"

"Valon, you've been working on this stupid project of yours for months!"

"Don't call it stupid!" Valon yelled angrily, instinctively slamming his fist on the table which caught the attention of the people around them.

"Uhh... guys?" Allen interjected. "You're kinda causing a commotion here."

Before anyone said anything else, a voice from the PA system was heard.

"To the following extractors of the Omicron Division, if you're name is called or displayed in the monitors near you, please make your way to the Docking Bay for the extraction assignment. Further details will be discussed by the assigned overseer that will be waiting for you there."

Everyone turned their full attention to the speakers and monitors that were present all around the room.

"Allen McKinley, Amelda Reyes, Wyatt Uvers, Adrian Tabiolo, Kozuki Misako, Alvin Chong, and Valon Wakers. Please make your way to the Docking Bay. Thank you for your cooperation."

After hearing the announcement, those who weren't called went back to their normal activities.

"Guess we gotta get going then," Allen said as he turned towards the two who were once arguing.

Valon only nodded in response, leaving but not before giving Felicia a look of contempt. The two hurriedly made their way to the Docking Bay without saying a word to one another and entered through a machine door that revealed a massive room. They saw five other extractors including the two Cosmoknights who they assumed were the ones who will lead the current mission.

"Is everyone here?" Matilda asked before quickly doing a headcount.

"Yes lieutenant, everyone is here." the male Cosmoknight beside her answered.

"Good. Now, you may all be wondering why we only called seven of you today for this mission."

"I'm guessing that you found a safe extraction site with only undeveloped eggs?" asked one of the members present.

"Close... it's a small inactive hive" the lieutenant said with a slight hesitation to her voice.

The seven team members all reacted differently but all with the same emotion—uncertainty.

"Is this the same place that the other team was dispatched to?" Allen asked. "I thought we were supposed to continue ransacking that place."

"We're not ransacking, Allen." Matilda sighed in frustration. "Anyway, the units from the Lambda Division were able to scope an area around the Sahara Desert where they found a small hive. They verified it to be inactive considering the lack of adult Aresians inside the perimeter. Most of the eggs were undeveloped thanks to the temperature but some weren't. They already sent enough cargo for transportation in the area and all we need now is the extraction."

"Why couldn't they just send their own extraction unit?"

"Do you think I'd know, Amelda? They barely update me on any info. I swear those condescending wannabes..." Matilda annoyingly muttered the last statement while shaking her head in disapproval.

"Well, at least we'll get the extra paycheck, am I right gang?"

"I know but Adrian, you do realize that we're going to traverse inside a hive, right? Even if it is inactive and that most of the eggs are undeveloped, we'd still be running the risk of hatching those that are still living and growing."

"Kozuki, that's why we have these laser rifles."

"Yeah, but what if there were actually more live eggs? What if they didn't scan the place entirely and that they missed some spots that contained more live eggs than they first realized?"

"Uhhh... that's why we have Valon for that. He's not only our best technician but he's also our best recon here in Omicron."

"I'd personally have no problem going on this mission if we weren't so few. Why did they only assign seven of us?"

"The higher division didn't think more than seven was necessary for a low-tier mission such as extracting Aresoid in an inactive hive."

"And that's why the medical units have more members," Valon remarked bitterly.

Before anyone can respond, the widescreen broadcasted a live video where a white-haired woman stood proudly behind the recording with a bright smile on her face. The woman wore a red Cosmoknight uniform with the noticeable five-star insignia on her right pocket, indicating her rank. Everyone present around the room, including the janitors and mechanics that normally worked in the Docking Bay, organized themselves as they gave a salute. Allen slowly came to Valon as he whispered something.

"What's the marshal doing here? Why is she on the live broadcast?"

"I-I... d-don't know..."

The moment Valon saw the intimidating figure of the marshal, his body instantly froze. One particular bad memory rose up in his mind but he quickly discarded it back.

"Members of the Omicron Division, you might be surprised why I'm on the live screencast. Truth be told, I was going to just let the P.R.O. do it but I felt that I should announce it myself. Don't worry, it's not anything too serious. I just felt like doing this not just for the news but to also introduce myself to some who may not know who I am. Think of it as a way for me and you to get accustomed to each other. I've already notified the other divisions and now it's your turn. I would do a public broadcast but then I wouldn't be able to see you all individually."

The lieutenant hid her disgusted expression, rolling her eyes in disdain behind her superior's reasoning.

"Let's get started. My name is Delilah Brielle Everleigh. I am the Space Marshal of the Cosmoknights and the current CEO of C.O.S.M.O. It is my sworn duty to expand and fulfill the organization's objectives ever since I came to the position. I will do everything I can to help all of our people in need and to break the barriers of human limitations for the benefit of all as we learn to discover more about our universe and understand its nature. And I personally welcome the new recruits from the planetary divisions as well as the new members of our elite cosmic fighting force, the Cosmoknights."

The people present in the Docking Bay started to clap, with Matilda clapping like she was just forced to and Valon clapping in discomfort. Valon's hesitation did not go unnoticed by the Space Marshal. He turned to look at her only to quickly look away when he saw her give him a wink and a sinister smirk, swiftly changing back to her cheerful demeanor that went unnoticed by everyone else except for him. Valon fought the urge to just run away but held his ground to not bring any unnecessary attention.

"Now for the update. Our research team has finally developed a stronger and much more potent version of the MA4. I think you all know what the name is," Delilah chuckled from her own joke. "Yes, the MA5 will be officially released by the next three days. We already have a sufficient amount in stock and all we need now is the transport for delivery to Earth for the other divisions. There will be instructions for usage and proper handling of the drug that comes with the manual. Don't worry, the division heads will take care of that for you. Anyways, that is all for today. Good luck to all of you, bye~"

The widescreen switched back to its usual frame as the nine personnel pondered the latest news that they just received.

"MA5, huh?" Allen remarked. "Guess you guys are getting upgrades."

"It would appear so," the male Cosmoknight answered.

"Tch, I'm honestly fine with only these things," Matilda stated as she grabbed a jet injector and a few syringes and stored them all in her bag. "And of course they still haven't made the cure yet. The higher divisions are all bark and no bite."

"Eww... Adrian, you're drooling."

"Sorry, it's just that, Marshal Everleigh is so..."

"Keep your perverted thoughts to yourself weirdo," Matilda growled. "Although, that damn marshal's a pervert herself."

"Wait what?"

"Trust me, if you've been around her for some time like I did, you'd understand. I don't want to go over the details. I don't want to ruin your innocence, well, if anyone still has theirs."

Valon visibly flinched from Matilda's last statement.

"Valon? What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, uh... nothing. I-I'm fine..."

The lieutenant raised a brow but eventually ignored her subordinate's odd behavior.

"Okay, enough messing around. We have a mission to fulfill. Put on your S.P.A.C.E. suits and get to the jets."

"Yes ma'am!"

The seven members of the extraction team went to grab their suits placed on separated tubes across the room. They all went to their respective air vehicles and waited for the main gate to open.


"Wow, it really is small," Allen stated as he stared at the hive.

The extraction unit plus the two Cosmoknights were standing just outside a deformed-looking hive.

"Everyone knows their tasks?"

"Yes ma'am!" they all replied in unison.

"Well keep your voice down, we don't want to attract any attention from inside!" Matilda scolded in a hushed tone. "Activate your earpieces and your exoshields. Valon, you know what to do."

Valon nodded as he grabbed one recon orb from his backpack and threw it inside the hive with all his might. The orb rolled down inside the vicinity until little metallic legs appeared from the device, holding its place on the ground. A notification from Valon's M.A.D. appeared and he activated the device that enabled a camera feed and a small radar that came from his M.A.D.

"Recon orb is set and ready to go."

"Alright, team, let's move in. Valon, stay on comms."

"Got it."

Six members of the extraction unit, including the lieutenant, went inside the hive. Valon and the other Cosmoknight were left behind in case of an emergency. Valon manipulated where the orb would go with the built-in controller that was installed from his M.A.D.

"Seems that you've put a lot of modifications from your own M.A.D., huh? You even changed the external appearance of it. You're some skilled technician."

"Not really, it's just that the organization's design wasn't to my liking."

"Valon, right?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's my name. I didn't get yours though."

"It's fine. Name's Marcus. So are you really this famous Omicron's newest technician I kept hearing about?"

"News spreads fast, huh? Wait, you're not from Omicron?"

"No, I'm originally from the Rho Division. I just got transferred here after the Cosmoknight Initiation."

"That would explain why I didn't recognize you, I practically know everyone in Omicron. Wait, you're only a private? Uhh, no offense."

"Heh, none taken. I actually just joined three months ago."

"A rookie then?"

"Pretty much yeah."

"Hey, are you just going to chit-chat there or are you going to relay the area for us?" a commanding voice announced from Valon's earpiece.

"Oh, uhh... sorry about that."

"Well, I'm going to head out and organize the cargo system then, see ya Valon," Marcus called out as he ran towards the cargo truck.

"Okay, to start with, I see bundles of nesting grounds to the far left. You should start there because it's the nearest."

"Acknowledged."

Valon continued to guide the members inside with the use of the recon orb; relaying the locations of the undeveloped eggs, the live eggs, and possible threats, which so far were lacking in terms of activity. Through precise communication between each member, the mission for the Aresoid extraction in the assigned location was an overall success.

Eggs were strategically hatched, juvenile Aresians were silently and carefully dealt with, liters of Aresoid were extracted, and capsules were filled. All was going well when suddenly, Valon heard a faint sound coming from his M.A.D. Valon immediately checked what that noise was about on his radar when his eyes instantly went wide.

"Matilda, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, spotted something?"

Before Valon was able to respond, a loud familiar roar echoed throughout the area. It was so loud that Valon could hear it both from the earpiece and from the area itself.

"What was that? Did you hear that?" someone's voice came from the line.

"Uhh... Valon..." Marcus said, approaching him from the cargo point, as he pointed towards the three floating figures in the sky.

They had two large demon-like wings with spines growing across their entire bodies. They had long sharp claws and the weirdest-looking tails filled with spherical blobs that will make someone scream 'alien' just by looking at them. Their heads had a long snout with visible sharp teeth, their eyes pure red, and w-shaped horns adorned their foreheads. They looked like demons straight from hell.

"Valon, run!"

On cue, both Marcus and Valon ran before a terrifying beam of light struck the positions they once were.

"Guys, there's three full-grown Aresians outside the hive!"

"THREE!? HOW?!"

"I don't know but they're here and they're shooting beams at us!"

"Alright, just... hang in there, we're coming."

"Roger," Valon replied through his earpiece as he quickly sidestepped to his left to dodge a beam of laser that originated from one of the flying alien's tails. He then saw Marcus fumble in his pockets to grab a jet injector. He positioned the nozzle on his neck and pushed the button that injected a blue substance through his bloodstream. Marcus's eyes suddenly turned red as his veins started to become more visible throughout his body.

"RAGHHHH!" Marcus roared in fury as he jumped a good 40 feet off the ground, grabbing on one of the flying aliens.

Dang, if the MA4s were already that strong, imagine how OP the MA5s will be.

Marcus kept hitting one of the aliens with powerful punches until he was able to snap one of its wings with a strong grab. The Aresian, angered by the pain of having one of its wings getting snapped, retaliated with a breath of plasma aimed towards its assailant that caught Marcus off-guard as he was sent flying away. Valon saw the event as he prepared a foambomb to soften his ally's fall when suddenly one of the aliens snuck up on him, hitting him from behind with a lunging attack, dragging him along with it.

Valon quickly recovered by setting his foambomb quickly and jabbing it from behind, hitting the alien's face as its head was filled with expanding foam. He performed a simple front flip to regain his center of gravity from the unscheduled flight the alien gave him. He then ran back to where he last saw Marcus and saw him punch the Aresian with the broken wing with his fist straight through its chest that was emanating with immense power, killing the alien on the spot. Valon's amazement grew short when he saw the third Aresian suddenly swoop down from above as it sliced Marcus's head off with its sharp claws, making it rain blood and various other organs that made for a truly gruesome spectacle.

"NOO!" Valon screamed in rage as he threw one of his sharp-edged boomerangs towards the alien who murdered his comrade before vigorously shooting the alien with his laser rifle. The Aresian then flew towards the sky as it prepared to strike Valon down but as it went near him, the boomerang that stuck to its snout produced continuously loud sounds before suddenly exploding, knocking the wind out of the alien. Valon then heard footsteps behind him as he saw his other teammates run toward him.

His sense of relief was quickly washed away when he saw the unconscious form of one of his teammates being carried by friend Allen.

"What happened with Amelda, and where's Adrian and Kozuki?"

"W-well... when we were about to get out of the hive, an adult Aresian came crashing near the entrance, must be one of those you saw outside. The high velocity from which the alien came from caught all of us off-guard that it suddenly hit Adrian, and... crushed him from the... strong force of impact." one of the extractors answered as he continued to speak.

"We started to attack it while the lieutenant kept it busy, but as we were about to leave the hive, Kozuki suddenly pushed Amelda away from the incoming plasma breath but they still both got hit by it. Amelda's exoshield was shattered but the beam didn't get through to her suit, as for Kozuki however—" Wyatt was interrupted by a loud roar that originated from the hive.

"Allen, focus on carrying Amelda. Everyone else, cover Allen as we all run towards the jets!" Matilda, whose eyes were already glowing red, declared as she led the surviving members of the extraction team towards the cargo point.

One of the Aresians appeared from above and the extractors immediately began shooting it with their laser rifles, keeping the alien at bay. The alien tried to evade the laser beams coming from the guns but was always overwhelmed by the combined firepower whenever it moved in a different direction.

As the alien momentarily stopped from its position, trying to analyze a flight path of attack, Matilda calculatedly jumped off in the air towards the Aresian with her right arm aiming for a punch. With the alien's lack of quick response, Matilda's fist punctured the alien's chest as it then snap its head with her left arm, dropping the dead alien to the ground.

The extractors, who saw the whole thing, rejoiced from their superior's showcase of power and skill.

"That was awesome!"

"Amazing!"

"Did you all see that?"

"That's our lieutenant!"

But even as everyone was cheering for their lieutenant's victory, something still bothered Valon, like something was missing.

Wait aren't there three of the—

"Ack!" Valon's thoughts were cut short when he felt something pinning him on the ground. He looked to see what hit him when his eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks. It was the third Aresian, its frightening appearance increased more in his vision, as he looked at the menacing biostructure of the alien lifeform up close. Valon's senses suddenly felt numb as his ability to think slowly shut down. Intense fear quickly overtook his entire body as he tried his best to struggle but his body held no response.

Time slowed down as the ticking clock that was his consciousness was fading out. He didn't know if it was still from the initial fear he felt seeing the Aresian closely or from something else. He started to hyperventilate as his helmet started to blur from the condensation coming from his breath. His vision started to black out as the last thing he saw was the same monstrous appearance standing in front of a familiar-looking house.


The first thing Valon felt was the intense pain forming in his head. He groaned in pain and slowly stood up from something soft. He carefully opened his eyes and found himself in a room he recognized.

"W-why am I in a medical ward?"

"Because you passed out."

Valon turned towards the person who he didn't realize was sitting in front of him.

"Felicia? What happened?"

"From what our lieutenant told me, you passed out after being pinned down by an adult Aresian. Alvin carried you to safety as the lieutenant dealt with the alien. Fortunate for you, your exoshield saved you and you suffered no physical injuries, well except for the slight headache you had."

"How's Amelda and everyone else?"

"Amelda's fine, she had a broken arm and was put out of commission temporarily until she can recover. The others were fine too, but I have heard of Adrian's, Kozuki's, and the private's unfortunate passing."

Valon listened to every word that came out of his friend's mouth. He felt sad for losing such valuable teammates and friends again but there was really nothing he could do about it. Cruel as it may sound, but the possible risks of death came with the job. Being part of the extraction team means understanding that amount of risk you're putting yourself into.

But Valon's thoughts took a different turn as he tried to recall the events that took place. Countless thoughts started to bombard his mind, overlapping his most previous experiences. The image of the horrifying alien's face on top of him was what stood out from the rest. The inability to move nor scream for help dominated his thoughts as flashbacks from a similarly terrifying encounter surfaced before him, the fear he never thought he had felt before resonated from within the deepest parts of his mind.

He didn't know why he just laid still there as the alien was on top of him. He already had a contingency plan in case something like that happened, but he did nothing to perform it, or rather his body refused to move. It felt as if his entire body shut down and became motionless, unresponsive, and unaware of his surroundings before suddenly fading out of consciousness.

"Valon! Are you listening to me?"

Felicia's voice woke him up from his stupor. Valon shook the intimidating thoughts out of his mind as he came to face his friend.

"H-huh? Uhh... were you saying something?"

Felicia sighed in frustration, slowly shaking her head in annoyance.

"I said that I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier in the cafeteria."

Valon wanted to tell her that he was supposed to be the one to apologize but stopped himself.

"It's just that... Valon, I'm really concerned about you. Ever since you heard that your brother along with the other Delta Cosmoknights went missing after the Warpgate incident, you never stopped working on your device. You always obsessed over it, doing everything you can to make the device work despite your numerous failed attempts."

"And what's the issue with that?" Valon inquisitively asked. "Developing a complex machine like a Warpgate won't just take a day or two. Hell, I doubt that it'll even take a year to be finished. You gotta fully comprehend the science behind it, even the smallest detail or it won't fully operate.

"That's the issue Valon, how long? How long will you keep doing this? How long will you work on this machine?"

"As long as it takes."

"And even if you did finish it, what will happen then? What if something bad happens to you? What's stopping what happened to the Delta Warpgate, happen to yours? What if you were transported to an unknown place very far away? What if you couldn't contact anyone in the division if you were sent to that place? And if it did work, that would mean that you'll be leaving for an indefinite amount of time. You'd be leaving everything behind once you started your search. You'd be leaving your job, your friends, and your life here, even if you say you'd come back afterwards. How long will you be gone? Could you even get back even after finding your brother?"

Valon already knew about the risks that were involved if he was able to pull it off. He had already heard the same statements from the lieutenant as well as from his other teammates before. Building the device was already hard by itself, what more finding his brother in a totally unknown location.

Leaving would also mean that he would technically leave his life in the division behind, considering he himself didn't know how long this search mission would take. There were a lot of variables to consider but there was only one thing that persisted in his mind. It was the promise he made to his brother. The primary motivator that gave him the unyielding perseverance he needed to work on the complex machine.

He knew it was immature, quite selfish even, to continue pursuing what he intended to accomplish. He knew that his friend was right for the most part. He had been spending way too much time working on the Warpgate that it's becoming the dominant part of his everyday life. Not simply the Warpgate but the overall search for his missing brother that disappeared in an incident that has no guarantee of being found even with strenuous amounts of effort. But alas, his stubbornness and determination to fulfill the promise he made won over logic and reason, which was extremely ironic coming from a technician.

"Felicia, I know I'm being unreasonable right now, which I admit I am. But, I just can't. I can't stop now, not when I'm so close. I made a promise to my brother. I made a promise to him that no matter how far apart we were, we'd always be with each other. And I intend to keep that promise no matter what. I know the risks, I know everything that I would have to leave behind."

"But I'd happily leave all of them for my brother. We were already separated twice, I can't let that happen again, not when I have the way to look for him, not when I have even the slimmest chance of success in this mission. I'll do whatever it takes. I know I sound really cheesy and stubborn and immature and I really don't expect you or anyone to understand. And I know that I sound even dumber with every word that I'm currently saying right now because I'm a technician, being all technical and factual and all that. But this is an opportunity I can't pass up and I have already made up my mind."

Valon finished his speech that came from his heart. It was dumb, really really dumb—he was fully aware of that. This would probably be the most idiotic thing that he will ever do in his entire life, but he was prepared to face the possible consequences of his actions. Valon prepared himself for what Felicia was about to say or do but then she did something he didn't expect. She tackled him in a hug. Valon's eyes widened in shock, not understanding what was happening. He was expecting her to shout at him, slap him, or run away in rage. Being hugged was the last thing on his mind.

"That's just you, isn't it Valon?" Felicia replied as she continued to embrace him. "You never gave up on anyone no matter what happens to you."

Valon was still too surprised but he eventually decided to hug her back.

"Don't you remember? You said almost the same thing when my sister was trapped in the Boreal Hive." Felicia smiled. "That you decided to go back even if there were seven full-grown Aresians chasing after you. You told everyone that even if you had the tiniest chance of survival, you will not leave anyone behind."

"Y-you remembered?"

"Of course I did," Felicia replied as she let go of her friend. "Why wouldn't I?"

"You know, Allen's gonna be mad if he finds out about the fact that you're hugging me right now."

"Nah, I practically hug all my patients. What makes you any different?"

"Good point. Although, you should minimize the hugging of patients. You might get sick, you know?"

"I don't know, my immune system's pretty good."

The two just stared at each other with contented smiles on their faces.

"You know, if you leave, we wouldn't have the best technician in Omicron anymore."

"Best technician? I just recently got the job. Besides, I'm not the only technician in Omicron."

"Well, everyone thinks you make pretty good gadgets and stuff. And now you're developing your own version of a Warpgate. If you manage to pull that off then you'd literally be the best technician, not just in this division but in all of them combined."

"I don't know about that..."

"You're too modest," Felicia sadly smiled. "If you finished this device of yours, you'd be leaving immediately, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And we won't be able to see you for a long time?"

Valon gave a sigh as an answer.

"Did you inform the lieutenant about this?"

"I did and she was pretty upset too. But she eventually agreed and told me to get back safely or else she'll beat me up." Valon laughed, remembering how Matilda threatened to kick his ass to the next star system if he didn't come back to the division.

"Felicia from the Medical Team, your assistance is required in the ICU. Please come immediately." a voice from the PA announced, catching their attention.

"Looks like I'm needed again," Felicia stated as she turned to open the door. "Come back safely, okay? Everyone will miss you, you know?"

"I know and I already said my goodbyes to most of them."

"Alright," Felicia said one last time before running to the corridor. "Take care, Valon."

Valon nodded before walking across the corridors and eventually stopping outside his room. He slid his ID card and the door opened. Valon stepped inside his room and locked the door behind him. He turned towards his computers then to the small and rather unpleasant-looking circular machine that was on the far side of the room resembling a Warpgate, a very bad one at that. Memories of the past instantly bombarded his mind, recollections forming in organized chaos unified into a slightly vivid image of a young boy.

Ralph...

A name that he knew all too well. It was the reason why he was doing the things he was doing now. It was the reason why he even decided to make the machine in the first place. It was for him, for his brother.

Bittersweet memories formed in the depths of his mind, remembering the tragedies that they both survived to the time they were separated from one another. The worldwide situation that they coped into and the slight oppression of those in power, he lived through it all. But what was the point if he couldn't be there with him? Stepping out of memory lane, the man turned towards a news article posted on a board, the article that devastated him more than anything he'd been through.

'The Cosmoknights of the Delta Division: Went Missing After a Warpgate Mishap'

He couldn't stop crying after hearing the news over a year ago, he felt as if hundreds of knives continuously stabbed him. He felt heartbroken, lost, and hopeless. Countless nights deprived of sleep and the nightmares that followed, the pain he felt from them was nothing compared to the known fact that slapped him straight in the face the moment he heard it. The nasty salt from the wound was the realization that they were separated once again even further from before. It was a stinging pain, the sensation that even after a long time, still hurt.

But even if he felt as if he was falling in a bottomless pit, a single memory resonated from within him to do something. It was a promise—the promise that they both made with each other the first time they were separated. That someday, they will be in each others' arms again, that they will always be there for each other, and that nothing and no one, no matter how far they're apart, will ever sever their unbreakable bond. With the profound determination to hold on to that promise, he spent most of his free time working on the makeshift Warpgate that he made by himself.

When he heard about the divisions conducting an investigation on the incident, he was able to sneak into the facility to gather information as to what truly happened in the incident but he was caught by the authorities and was kicked out for trespassing on private property. During his time there, he wanted to gather every information he got his hands on. He grabbed the schematics for the Warpgate as well as other salvaged parts that he was able to obtain. He wasn't able to gather any information about the current whereabouts of the coordinates. All he knew was that the original coordinates were suddenly altered at the last minute before they were registered by the machine.

The weirdest thing about what happened was that the numerical coordinates were changed to three distinct symbols, symbols that seemed understandable at first glance but held a deeper meaning, whatever that meaning was.

The first one looked like a bomb that was lit, the second was a human's right hand with its pointer finger raised, and the last one was an upside view of an airplane facing right. Whatever they meant, must be something new or weird. The organization's official announcement left out that information to the public which even increased his suspicions more against the higher divisions.

His distrust towards the organization, especially the higher divisions, only grew as time went on. With all the secrets, the lies, and the half-truths that they made, Valon didn't trust them about their search for the missing Delta members nor anything else really.

And it didn't matter what everyone said, what everyone told him about. He didn't fully care about the higher divisions or what they were going to do with him when they found out about his secret project. No one was going to stop him from finding the whereabouts of his younger brother, and as an added bonus, he might even find the other members of the Delta Division. He knew it to himself that somewhere out there, the Delta Cosmoknights who were on that Warpgate were still alive.

Months were spent in the creation of the machine. He tried to apply what he learned from the schematics but it proved incredibly difficult with some of the things he didn't know yet and the fact that he was working alone on this. There were times when he thought he was done but when he switched on the machine, it never activated. From errors to the systems to missing parts, he felt closer and closer to finishing it. Despite his countless failures and attempts, he felt like he was almost done finishing the puzzle. And with even more information he obtained through reading various materials and continuous research, he might be able to do something magnificent.

It wasn't only for finding his brother as well as the other Cosmoknights who were MIA, this was also breaking the boundaries of science and discovery. Sure, the organization had made the other Warpgates before, and only happened to mess up the most recent one, but he'd be the first ever person to develop a Warpgate without the help of other people or any other complex forms of machinery that the organization normally used. He'd be having all of the credit if he was able to pull this off successfully.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Valon continued his progress on the Warpgate. Metallic parts were welded, wires were connected, miscellaneous parts were attached, regulators were calibrated, measurements were calculated, and the overall schematic was thoroughly followed. Valon then proceeded to assess and maintain both the internal and external conditional readings from the machine that was slowly gathering power from the central battery. When the online systems were optimal, all he needed was to input the coordinates to the registration unit.

Valon then prepared everything he was going to need for this voyage. He grabbed his backpack filled with a self-sustaining food and water technology with a built-in 3D fabricator for resource crafting and modification, his new utility belt that held his weapons that he designed and his power tools which also had more holsters, and a small suit pack reserved inside his backpack that contained attachable spare parts in case his S.P.A.C.E. suit gets destroyed. He already left a farewell message in a paper on his desk in his long-term absence, in case anyone asked about him. He also prepared a working lead cabinet mechanism that will instantly hide the Warpgate device in prying eyes immediately upon activation.

After preparing for supplies, Valon put his S.P.A.C.E. suit on and input the weird symbol coordinates on the registration unit by scanning the holographic image recorded from the original Warpgate. He didn't know how the symbols were registered but it just did and he wasn't in any position to complain so long as it works. He then pushed the button to activate the Warpgate, and sure enough, the gate opened revealing a strange purple-pinkish-colored vortex that was perpetually swirling in a mesmerizing manner. The vortex gave a warm and oddly tantalizing glow that Valon felt even through his suit.

Yes! It worked! It actually worked! For so long, I kept trying to pull it off and it did! I can't believe it worked!

Valon never felt so alive, he never felt so happy. He was able to break the boundaries of human comprehension and expand the understanding of science and technology advancement. Valon was always a lover of science, and his interest only grew as he learned more about how things work in the universe and why they work.

He always loved to learn new things alongside his brother, even once promising to each other when they grow up to help others through expanding humanity's scientific knowledge. And now he was able to create a working Warpgate with only half-imitating the original schematic and with only a handful of tools and resources. He would've shouted in excitement and boasted his masterpiece in the entire division but he had an even more important job to do.

Alright lil' bro, I'm coming to save you!

Valon slowly stepped inside the swirling vortex as suddenly, he was wrapped around an incredibly bright light, pulling him in by a powerful force. When Valon felt its pulling strength, he suddenly felt heavily disoriented as he felt like he was falling infinitely in a massive empty space filled with abstract shapes and colors. The peculiar sensation he felt as he went through the gateway to who-knows-where, overwhelmed his senses with stinging pain, it was as if his body was being pulled and pushed at the same time through the inside out. In fact, nothing made sense at all as he experienced everything and nothing at the same time he was there.

His senses were all over the place as he struggled to move from the suffocating force. There was no gravity, there was no physics, there was nothing he could put his mind onto nor the comprehension to figure exactly what was happening to him. He couldn't even speak nor scream and if he was already doing both, he couldn't hear anything. This hell of an experience continued on as his consciousness slowly faded away into nothingness.


That ends the first chapter of the story. I honestly didn't expect it to be this long, but I'm satisfied with how it turned out. I won't be answering any questions for now that I know will be asked by a lot of you (okay I might answer some). As for why I went with an OC-Isekai type of story, I uhh... stuck with it for now because I actually already had a structured plot for this one and this was the easiest among the other ideas that I had to write (considering it'll follow Luka's adventure alongside the OC-cliche-thing but with a few twists and alterations).

If you enjoy this trash then thanks anyway. I like to think that I at least make good trash. If you see any grammatical errors or anything of the sort then do tell me in the reviews and I'd really appreciate it if you provide feedback. Thank you and catch ya'll on the flip side!