Chapter 8: Arkadia, the Ghost Ship

Little by little, the smoke from the missiles began to fade.

In the silence that followed the attack, only the charred remains of a few Invader creatures lay scattered across the ground.

General Shepard inspected his portable scanner, its sensors displaying traces of dual particles dispersed throughout the area.

"Without a doubt… we arrived late. Again," he muttered, his voice heavy with frustration.

Armored Liberty trucks began arriving at the scene.

Containment and repair teams quickly disembarked, setting up barriers, clearing debris, and deploying drones to collect samples.

A young soldier approached and handed him a satellite phone.

"General, they need you on a secure line."

Shepard took the device.

"This is Shepard.”

“…Yes, I understand, sir, but Project Nexus does not have approval from the Japanese government.”

“…I see.”

“…We’ll do as you command.”

He hung up without another word.

He returned the phone to the soldier and, for a moment, his expression hardened, as if a bad omen had passed through his mind.

He signaled his squad, and Liberty’s soldiers closed formation, taking off and leaving the area.

Before activating his thrusters, Shepard paused for a second, staring at the destroyed façade of a video game store. One display case had somehow survived intact.

Inside, life-sized posters showed a bearded American commander, a cheerful Korean girl, and a military robot standing behind them.

Shepard tilted his head.

"I wonder what General Ventura would do in a situation like this…"

He powered up the thrusters of his exosuit and slowly ascended.

As he rose, his mind churned like a turbulent river… doubts, contradictory orders, and memories he thought he’d buried years ago.

In the gray sky, Shepard vanished over the horizon.

When they finally regained consciousness, Hayato, Valjfreya, and Luminelle found themselves lying on the floor.

The place looked nothing like the destroyed park.

The metal beneath them was warm, and a soft light shone from the ceiling.

It was as if they had been ripped from the scene by an invisible force… almost like they’d been abducted by a UFO.

The valkyrie was on top of the magical girl, pinning her down without realizing it.

"Hey, dumb blonde, get off me before I beat you to a pulp," Luminelle said angrily, waving her fists.

"Ill-mannered cow… Excuse me. I thought you were a welcome mat," the valkyrie replied, standing up with exaggerated elegance.

Luminelle shot to her feet and began cracking her knuckles, a spark of pink energy flickering from her fingertips.

"What did you say, you flat-chested twig? Want me to knock out every tooth you have with magical punches?"

"I’d love to see you try," Valjfreya answered, looking at her with absolute disdain.

Hayato, slowly recovering his sight, staggered closer.

"Stop fighting, you two…" he murmured, rubbing his forehead. "Do either of you know where we are?"

Only then did the three of them lift their gaze at the same time… and freeze.

The floor vibrated gently, as if they were in motion.

Large windows showed clouds rushing by at high speed.

They were no longer on solid ground.

And in front of them, sitting on a big command chair, a man in a floral shirt with an impressively styled pompadour watched them with a relaxed smile.

"Finally, you notice me, kids. I thought you’d keep arguing all morning," he said in an easygoing tone.

Hayato’s eyes flew wide open.

"You're the old guy from the hospital!" he shouted.

Valjfreya and Luminelle reacted instantly, ready to launch an attack.

But before either could move, a woman with long, flowing red hair stepped forward, placing herself between them and the commander.

Her expression was an adorable pout… yet filled with authority.

"How rude…" she said, puffing out her cheeks. "Attacking us on our own ship?"

She raised her hand gracefully.

"Calid Paradise!"

At once, a floral field blossomed across the entire room.

Luminous petals floated in the air, spreading a gentle fragrance, while a comforting warmth wrapped around them like a winter fireplace.

The effect was immediate.

Both girls slowly lowered their arms, their furious expressions melting away.

A tiny flame danced around their wounds, sealing them with a golden glow.

Hayato inhaled deeply.

"So warm… it feels like… home," he whispered, amazed.

The spell dispelled their transformations.

Asley and Sakura returned to their human forms, exhausted but now calm.

"Thank you, dear," said the large man as he rose from his chair.

The red-haired woman returned a warm smile and nodded with elegance.

"Welcome to Arkadia, brats. We’ll protect you from Liberty," the man announced, wearing a confident smile that filled the entire room.

"My name is Kai Ventura, commander of this ship.”

“And she—" he pointed proudly "—is my wife."

"I’m First Officer Hestia. It’s a pleasure to meet you," said the redhead, bowing her head softly.

The three youngsters responded with a quick, awkward bow.

"Behind you is our head of data analysis: Minerva," Kai added.

The three turned around… and were completely bewildered.

In a corner sat a tiny girl with extremely long green hair, wearing a lab coat far too big for her.

She was lounging comfortably on a swivel chair… while operating four touchscreen monitors at once, using her hands and feets.

She didn’t even look up to greet them; only a rebellious lock of hair moved on its own, as if waving at them.

Hayato swallowed hard.

Asley blinked, unsure what to say.

Sakura smiled sweetly.

"And lastly… Apollo," Kai continued, lowering his voice a bit. "We’re not exactly sure what he’s the chief of, but… he knows a lot about Duals."

The black-haired young man was fully reclined in his chair, watching with total disinterest as an old screensaver bounced around his monitor.

"Hi…" Apollo whispered, as if even breathing was too much effort.

"Hi…" the three replied in unison with the same reluctance as him.

Kai descended the steps of the command bridge and, without warning, pulled them into a powerful, overflowing hug—as if he’d known them all his life.

"We are Lighthouse," he declared with conviction, squeezing them against himself.

"And starting today… we are your new family."

A soft silence filled the room.

For the first time since the attack, Hayato felt something close to peace.