I raised my sword, its edge trembling slightly in the open white room. My confidence swelled despite the exhaustion on my body.
"Yosh... I can do this," I said, a faint grin spreading across my face.
"You can't," she said flatly.
Nebula's voice cut through my resolve like a whip.
"Huh? Why not?" I turned to look at her, confusion etched on my face.
"Because they're much stronger than you," she said, her gaze fixed on the two figures ahead of us.
One of them, a hulking man with rippling muscles and arms folded across his chest, scoffed loudly. "Pathetic. So, this is the company you've chosen, Nebula? A weakling who will destroy our family na?"
Family na? My grip on the sword tightened as I turned to Nebula for answers, but she stepped forward before I could speak.
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"Back off, brother. We're not here to fight you. We need to see Father," she said firmly, her tone sharp as a blade.
Wait. Brother? That giant mass of muscles is her brother? I blinked in disbelief. He looked nothing like the mischievous and teasing Nebula I'd co to know. Where she was playful and sly, he radiated pure intimidation and power.
The other figure, a man with fiery red hair cascading down his back, chuckled softly. His voice was smooth, but the malice in it made my skin itch. "You're not going anywhere, Nebula. You're coming with ."
Nebula's expression hardened. "You stay the fuck out of this."
The red-haired man raised an eyebrow, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "That's no way to talk to , Nebula. Have you forgotten who I am? I'm Gram, the man you're supposed to marry."
Nebula's shoulders stiffened, but she didn't back down. "I'm not marrying you, Gram. Not now, not ever. Get out of my way—I must see Father."
Her brother's eyes darkened, his voice low and filled with venom. "We'll kill you both before we let that happen."
My pulse quickened as his fists began to glow, a fiery energy radiating from them. This wasn't a bluff—he was serious.
With a roar, her brother lunged forward, his massive fist crashing into the ground where Nebula had been standing a mont ago. The impact shattered the floor, sending dust and debris into the air.
When the dust settled, Nebula wasn't there.
I stood off to the side, clutching her tightly in my arms. I had grabbed her just in ti, the adrenaline surging through making my movents faster than I thought possible. My chest heaved as I caught my breath.
He was really going to kill her, I thought, staring at the devastation he had caused.
Nebula squird in my grip, her voice urgent. "Zero, let go. He won't kill , don't worry. Just leave—I'll talk to Father later and make sure you get out of here safely."
"No," I said firmly, setting her down but keeping a protective arm in front of her. "He wasn't just trying to scare you, Nebula. That punch could've seriously hurt you—probably worse than hurt. You might not have been able to walk after that."
"It's fine," she said, brushing herself off. "I have authority of witches. I'd heal eventually."
I Sighed*** running a hand through my hair. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Before I could say more, her brother growled, his aura flaring dangerously. He charged toward us again, his massive form bearing down on us like a freight train. Without thinking, I grabbed Nebula's hand and bolted in the opposite direction.
"Hey! Let go!" she protested, trying to pull her hand free.
"Shut up and run!" I snapped, my heart pounding as I dragged her down the twisting corridor.
Behind us, her brother skidded to a stop, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What the…? They're running?"
Gram's voice rang out, mocking and amused. "You think you can run or hide in this realm?"
I didn't reply, slamming a door shut behind us and leaning against it. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath.
"Sighhh. You're stubborn, Zero," Nebula said, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the situation.
"Aren't you sa?" I said, smiling back at her.
Before her brother could break through the door, Nebula flicked her fingers. The air around us shimred, and in the blink of an eye, the scenery changed entirely.
We were now in a serene, blue-hued room. A gentle pond surrounded the space, its surface rippling softly. It feels like I am in heaven.
"Whoa... What just happened?" I asked, looking around in awe.
Nebula shrugged. "It's my Authority. This is my personal room within the realm. Obviously, I can't walk all the way here when I need to rest, so I just teleport."
"You can teleport and didn't think to do that earlier?" I asked unbelievingly.
She smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"
I sighed heavily, collapsing onto the soft bed that materialized behind . "Today's been insane. I nearly died—again."
Nebula sat beside , her expression softening. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting my brother to be there. If I had known, I would've taken precautions."
I muttered under my breath, "I almost died today even in this new life…"
"What do you an?" she asked, her tone curious as she leaned closer.
"Nothing. Leave it," I said, turning my head away.
She didn't let up, though. Instead, she lay down beside , pulling my face against her chest in a way that left both flustered and oddly comforted. "You're too weird, you know that?" she whispered, her fingers brushing through my hair. "That's why I love you so much."
I didn't reply, my mind racing. After a mont, a thought struck , and I pulled away slightly to look up at her.
"How were your brother and Gram able to use their aura? I thought this realm cut off any energy brought from outside."
She nodded. "It does. But the energy they used wasn't from outside—it was generated here. Aura created within the realm doesn't vanish imdiately; it takes ti to deplete. And it won't go away for my brother because he is favorite child of my father."
Her explanation clicked into place, and my mind began racing with possibilities.
"Oh…" I murmured, relaxing against her chest. But then, as the realization dawned on , my eyes shot open.
"I can use it if it's generated from inside," I said, the excitent in my voice unmistakable.
Nebula tilted her head, looking at curiously. "What are you—"
Before she could finish, I moved quickly, reversing our positions so that she was lying on her back beneath . I leaned over her, our faces inches apart, my heart pounding in my chest.
Her eyes widened, her breath hitching as she t my gaze. "What is it?" she asked softly, her hands coming up to cup my cheeks.
Her chest rose and fell steadily beneath , and I could feel the warmth of her body through my own.
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