Vicki gasped, her face turning a sickly white. The realization of facing the First Commander under God Wolf had utterly paralyzed her.
"You stupid woman! Apologize for whatever you did, now!" the official shrieked at his wife, his tone having shifted from entitled rage to sheer panic.
"I... I am so sorry, General! It was my mistake! I am stupid!" His wife frantically bowed, the sha and fear finally overwhelming her previous arrogance.
"You shouldn’t apologize to ... but to my niece, the one you pushed!" Star hissed, her voice cutting through the panic like glass.
"Yes! Yes!" The woman spun, dropping her head towards Ellen. "I am so sorry! I made a mistake, please forgive !" she pleaded, her voice trembling.
Ellen simply stared at the woman for a few silent seconds. Then, she turned to Jinx.
"Let’s go inside," she said, dismissing the groveling official’s wife entirely.
Jinx grinned, a satisfied, cold smirk playing on her lips. She shoved the four tickets at the utterly stunned gate attendant and walked through with her sister:
"That four is for the four of us," she called out, as she disappeared through the gate.
’Did the Commander just call that little girl her niece?!’ The official’s mind raced, a single, frantic prayer forming.
’Thank goodness she’s only her niece, and not God Wolf’s actual daughter... Phew. If she were, I would be dead by now, and my whole lineage with .’ He wiped the clammy sweat from his brow.
"I will forgive you," Star stated, sliding her Grand-Class sword back into its sheath, then storing it.
"But let be clear: if this happens again, I won’t hesitate to wipe out your family." She followed the girls.
The man could only nod numbly, watching as Blood Eye trailed after Star.
’Wait! Isn’t that the Third Commander? Why are two Commanders following that little girl? Who in the cosmos is she really?’ The official’s earlier relief evaporated, replaced by a profound, chilling dread.
"Husband... I’m sorry, I truly didn’t know," the woman quickly apologized, her voice now genuinely contrite. The mory of the First Commander’s threat was a fresh, searing burn.
"Next ti, be careful! We should be happy that little girl didn’t take any offense, if not..." He exhaled, his fra shaking. He then rounded on his wife’s personal guard.
"Vicki, next ti, ask before taking action. Don’t just jump into a fight... I do not want this to repeat itself!"
Vicki stood straighter, her gaze lowered, the shock of her near-fatal mistake was a heavy weight on her shoulders. She had blindly defended her employer, nearly inviting destruction.
"Co on, we are here to watch our son partake in the race. What is the reward this ti?" he asked, forcing a semblance of normalcy.
"I don’t know, the royal family is keeping it a secret," Tyson said, his face still throbbing, his arrogance thoroughly beaten out of him.
"Tyson, get your face treated, and get ready." He then glared at the remaining onlookers. "There is nothing to see here! All of you can leave!" he bellowed.
Seeing the man and his fearso-looking personal guards, the gathered people quickly dispersed, their gossip replaced by silent, terrified contemplation. Those who ca for the race got back in line, eyeing the official’s family with a new, respectful distance.
___
[On the building.]
"You saw that? Everything got sorted out." The leader, turned and walked away.
The lady, her fists still clenched, stared at the gate for a few monts longer. With a sigh, She finally followed the leader, the eighteen other mbers trailing them.
"Get going now," the leader commanded, not bothering to look back.
___
[Back To Sunny.]
Sunny stood in front of the mansion, waiting for Josephine. He was shirtless, displaying his lean, powerful physique, wearing only black pants and a flamboyant red fur coat.
"Hmm... I should make things fun." Sunny activated his system’s screen and sent a quick ssage to Lola.
At that mont, Josephine walked out of the mansion. She wore a simple black shirt and tight pants, topped by a stylish leather jacket, her hair pulled back into a practical ponytail. A bright, confident smile played on her face.
"You look beautiful," Sunny said, his gaze fixed on her.
"Beautiful? I didn’t dress up to impress you," Josephine countered with a slight, challenging frown.
"But you are still beautiful," Sunny insisted, taking her hand in his.
"Then who did you dress up for?" he asked with a smirk.
"I don’t like these clothes, that’s why I put them on. Don’t you rember, we’re going after Xanor? After I deal with him, I’m throwing these clothes away," she said, moving closer, her eyes gleaming. She lowered her voice to a suggestive whisper in his ear.
"And... you will help put on a new dress." She sealed the tease with a light, provocative lick of his earlobe.
Sunny swallowed, his composure montarily breaking. He held himself back and forced a steadying exhale.
"You are right. Co on, let’s go get him." Sunny snapped his fingers, and a shimring gateway opened before them. "Let’s go see the one supplying the slaves."
___
[Back To Ellen.]
"Wow!" Ellen exclaid, moving her gaze across the incredible racetrack. It was divided into twenty giant, clear tubes, each holding a heavily armored race car.
"Ellen, those tubes are the tracks. The drivers race inside their own tubes," Jinx explained with a pleased smile, enjoying her sister’s genuine shock.
"Where is the finish line?" Ellen asked, looking up at the paths that stretched far beyond the massive building.
"Look at the starting line," Jinx pointed. Ellen, Blood Eye, and Star followed her gaze.
For Star, the spectacle was overwhelming. Her life had been defined by poverty, then servitude, then command.
For Blood Eye, the notorious pirate, such public events were rare and risky.
"That line behind the cars is the finish line. The cars will pass through the tubes, and then... they drive out of the planet."
"...?!"
Jinx’s words stunned the three won into silence.
"The tracks are built around the planet! Yes! That is the craziest thing! We are going to drive around the whole planet and finish right back here! The first to get to the finish line wins!" Jinx practically vibrated with excited energy.
Ellen turned to Star and Blood Eye, who were staring at Jinx with expressions of disbelief and shock.
"I think you are the one crazy, Jinx! Ellen is twelve! Can she do this?" Star hissed.
"Co on! She is not a child! And Ellen will enjoy the ride, right?" Jinx countered, looking to her sister for support.
Ellen paused, then nodded, a glint of steel in her eyes. "Got to try new things. And if sothing goes wrong, I have my armor."
"Yes! That’s my sister! Now! Let’s wait for Lola’s speech, and the race can finally start!" Jinx cheered.
"I don’t know she can talk this much," Blood Eye whispered to Star, a rare hint of amusent in her voice.
"Sa," Star whispered back, still processing the concept of a planetary racetrack.
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