The photon forcefield activated and March found herself locked behind bars.

"Are you kidding me?! This is what we get for saving the base?!"

On the cell across her, Dan sighed while looking around his room. It was empty like the usual jail cell, with a small bed propped against one side. In fact, it wasn't even a bed. Just a steel plate chained to the wall at a 90-degree angle for someone to lie on. No bedding or a cot, just one blank plate.

This was going to suck.

"I wouldn't blame them. Not after what we just saw.­" He answered.

Stelle scratched her head while avoiding the questioning gaze Dan shot at her.

"D-don't heroes have powers? Hehe...we saved the engineers."

"...right."

"So...where did you get that power? If you uhh...don't mind?" March asked.

Stelle looked at her hands.

"...I don't really know. It just came out."

She really didn't. One moment, the Doomsday Beast unleashed its charged attack on them. The next, a similar white-colored energy discharged from her. The energy wave didn't just block the attack- but completely overpowered it. The white energy phased through everything. Bridge, walls, and even the Doomsday Beast.

The wave staggered back the monster, buying time for Stelle and her group to retreat and hide in another hangar bay in Sector 31. The Interastral Peace Corporation's fleet arrived to rescue the space station sometime after that.

They assumed the Antimatter Legion was pushed back and the station was back in safe hands.

...until they got arrested by an entire company of IPC soldiers and Herta Space Station guards.

While the ragtag teens were being escorted to their prison cells, Dan speculated as to why they were being arrested.

It was Stelle. Or possibly whatever she did. It was the only anomaly he could think about.

"Whatever it is, Herta Space Station and the IPC noticed it. Nobody could've missed that white pulse you released, and since it was us versus the space engineers, they were obviously known quantities whereas we're not."

"So you're telling me...that we've been dragged because of Stelle?" March confirmed.

"It's the only possible reason."

"How about you, Caelus? What do you think?" March and the group turned to look at the last prisoner with them.

-wait.

"What are you doing?"

Caelus had removed his cloak and laid it over the thing steel plate bedding chained on the wall.

"Getting ready to sleep."

"What? Now?" March gawked. "We just got arrested and all you want is sleep?!"

"You weren't the one running around fighting the Doomsday Beast."

'You- You- Arghhhhh!!!" March surrendered with a groan. She couldn't refute his words. Aside from running around with the engineers, most of them hid once the coast was clear.

Except for Mister I-want-to-get-us-weapons who turned into Mister I-just-dropped-an-entire-hangar-bay-on-a-monster over here.

"That reminds me." Dan turned to Stelle. "Don't you feel tired? After releasing that pulse?"

Stelle shook her head.

"We're going to be stuck here for a while. I suggest we all get some rest before they return."

Now that was an idea March agreed with. Her energy levels were low and seeing Caelus going ahead with a nap made her yawn.

"I hope this is all just a big misunderstanding."

.

.

.

"This might all just be a big misunderstanding. I don't understand what you're getting at."

March stared at the camera recording being played in front of the four of them.

"Now you see why we need your cooperation. Sector 31 has been sealed off for investigation, both the IPC and Herta Station personnel working on the scene."

Asta was explaining why the four had been arrested, and accompanying her was a little girl with grey hair and purple eyes. For some reason, said girl was eyeing Caelus and Stelle with a hungry gaze.

It was almost like she was deconstructing them before her eyes.

Caelus and Stelle took a step back away from the little predator, watching her warily.

"This isn't a dream, right?"

Even Dan Heng was caught off guard by what the videos showed.

The Doomsday Beast and Antimatter Legion retreating.

"By the time the IPC fleet arrived, the Antimatter Legion had organized into a defensive formation around the station. They were disposed of by the rescue fleet, but even they had never experienced this sort of behaviour from the Antimatter Legion."

"Indeed. Nanook's Antimatter Legion- who's sole goal is to destroy life and civilization- acting in defense. Quite interesting don't you think?"

The small girl's grin turned feral while staring at the two people hiding behind Dan and March

"Especially when their unusual behavior happened exactly after your little friend's energy pulse over there. Right, Mister and Miss Stellaron~?"

"Who's that girl?! She's creepy!"

"How should I know?!"

Caelus and Stelle anxiously whispered to each other.

"I can hear you." Said girl answered.

"Get away you creepy doll!"

"I didn't know possessed dolls really existed!"

March sweatdropped while Dan rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

"Can we focus on the problem at hand? This concerns you both." Dan urged the two.

"I'm not the one responsible." Caelus replied.

Asta sighed while swiping through the holoscreen in front of her.

"You're her twin. Both of you have the same biometrics, including the Stellaron readings you both have been releasing since the Antimatter Legion attacked."

"But we're not siblings." Caelus and Stelle blinked.

Their comment was ignored.

"Your Stellaron signal is through the roof. The pulse was the release of that power, and since the Stellarons and the Antimatter Legion were created by the same Aeon, it's safe to say that the Stellaron inside you awakened from their presence. Your activation pulse only supports this theory because they formed a defensive formation around you two." The small doll jumped in. At this point, the feral grin on her face could've grown larger if it wasn't limited by the physical boundaries.

"You two, whom I have never seen on this station, appeared out of nowhere during an Antimatter Legion attack. No records, no history, nothing. I would've called you creations of the Stellaron if my containment chamber wasn't disabled by an external party. I would've also interrogated you both as to who they are and what your connections to them are, but our psych analysis in addition to the testimony of your friends prove that you indeed don't have your memories."

"Can you repeat that? I got lost at interrogation." Caelus blinked.

Dan facepalmed.

The small girl narrowed her eyes while keeping the feral grin, now with a slight tint of murderous intent behind it.

"You're going to be my first test subject."

"Now, now! We still need them alive, Miss Herta!" Asta jumped in while sweating. "The Doomsday Beast is still flying outside!"

What.

"Wait, it's still out there?!" March gaped.

"The IPC couldn't eliminate it because it matched their firepower. For the most part, it's kept a significant distance from the station. We assume it is still tracking these two down."

"See now! This is why I need to experiment! The girl made the Antimatter Legion retreat and defend her. The boy is no different since he too exhibits the Stellaron signal."

"Miss Herta! What are we going to tell the IPC if we lose one of the two means to solve this problem?!"

"Simple, we say he went rabid."

He is rabid.

Dan couldn't help but think how much destruction Caelus caused. Was it because he was tied to the Path of Destruction due to the Stellaron? He wondered.

Caelus was already reaching out for one of the station chairs provided inside the interrogation room.

"Caelus, no!" March jumped in to stop the rogue teen.

"I need to protect myself!"

"Fighting is not the answer!"

A tug-of-war started behind Dan.

Stelle was tempted to reach out to another chair to defend herself with.

"Okay...so how do you plan to move forward with this? We can't exactly let you just...experiment exterminate them. They are...good people?" Dan Heng didn't know where the two stood exactly. They helped them sure, but they have a history no one knew about.

"The IPC wants data now. I have suggested to Miss Herta about complying with some of the IPC standard protocols...but she wants to use her own methods." Asta tapped on the holoscreen.

"The IPC have no idea what the possibilities are! Of course, I want to learn all about them!" Herta complained. "Those fools would just trade the information to help that Aeon of theirs anyway."

"Still, we need to placate them while also finding out how the Stellaron synched with these two." Asta pointed to the two targets. "I hope you both are willing to bring this up with Miss Himeko? Having both under the wing of the Astral Express and Akavili's Trailblazers would keep everyone satisfied. The IPC would become wary if we took them in without providing all the information we have."

"All they care about is protecting. They don't want to think about the power of an active Stellaron in the hands of someone following the Path of Erudition." Herta pouted. "I'm a genius! Not a warfreak! I don't create weapons of mass destruction."

Dan Heng swallowed audibly.

He just connected two worrying realizations.

Caelus was destructive.

He probably had access to the same Stellaron as Stelle.

They were all within distance of a ticking time bomb that could manipulate said power.

"Uhh...are you sure there is no other way around this?"

"Nope. / No." Asta and Herta answered.

The Astral Express crew were all going to die a horrible death, Dan just knew it.

.

.

.

Suicidal. All of them.

"Can't we say no?"

"Dan, what's gotten into you? Having two more passengers aboard the Astral Express is no big deal." Himeko answered.

"I can understand why they want those two with us. We have the means to seal Stellarons too." Welt Yang supported Himeko's decision.

"Ugh...Dan? You okay?" March asked. Her friend was acting weird.

"No, I'm not."

"Don't be so downhearted! The more the merrier!" Himeko smiled while patting Dan on the head.

We are so gonna die.

"So, why don't we meet these two joining us on the Astral Express? I'd like to get to know them." Welt said.

"They're to stay on Herta Space Station until the IPC is placated with information about them. IPC Standard Protocols and all that." March answered. "Miss Herta is also interested in them and wants to conduct a few tests of her own."

"Hmmm...we could stick around and help the station while they rebuild." Himeko suggested. "They'd need every hand on deck to fix this place after the Antimatter Legion attacked."

"That sounds like a plan." Welt nodded. "Once our new passengers are released, we can tour them around the train."

"I'd like to also meet them now. Do you two know where they are?" Himeko asked Dan and March.

"Errr...they should be around the station. Miss Herta told us that they were allowed to roam around as long as they wouldn't cause any trouble."

Knowing them, Dan could imagine the trouble they could start.

===

On the other end, the two Stellaron receptacles were exploring the station.

"They don't seem to see it."

"You know...it could just be a normal thing for them."

"Let's ask."

Caelus approached one of the station researchers. "Hello, we'd like to ask about this...big floating crystal thing?"

He pointed at the glowing object in front of him and Stelle.

"What are you pointing at? There's nothing there."

Caelus blinked.

"I told you! They don't see it!" Stelle whispered in his ears.

"Then how are we supposed to find out what it is?"

"I don't know...touch it?"

Caelus and Stelle exchanged looks.

"I call dibs."

"Girls first."

The two troublemakers raced each other to reach the floating crystal.

...and promptly disappeared.

.

.

.

When Stelle opened her eyes, she was no longer in the central base zone.

"Huh?"

Looking around her, she seemed to be in a small storage room filled with containers.

"No way..."

Her gaze returned to the floating crystal beside her.

Is this...?

She touched it again.

...

The next room she saw was the command bridge. Stelle had appeared from one of the corners away from the busy personnel rushing around. Ever since the attack, the base had shifted into overtime for repairs and recovery of projects. Noting how the convenient warp point's location meant nobody would notice her arrival, Stelle was beginning to see how handy this curious crystal was.

Wait...if she was transported to different places each time she used it, and that Caelus had been in neither of them, then it meant that there were more of them out there.

A slow grin crept over Stelle's face.

Oh, the possibilities.

"I think I'm going to have fun learning how to use this."

One moment later, she was whisked away to another part of the station.

.

.

.

Caelus on the other hand wasn't having fun.

"I thought the base was already cleared out!"

The Voidranger slashed at the boy while he desperately tried to avoid the attack. Caelus didn't have a weapon on him and the closest tool he could find was the potted plant at the end of the hallway.

Behind the monster, that is.

This is a hallway! How did the station miss this guy here?! Aren't their people using this area?!

He jumped back after the Voidranger swung his arm sideways, the blade connected to the arm slashing at his old position.

Alright, guess I've only got one choice.

The monster lunged forwards and Caelus snapped a kick right at his foot. The enemy tripped forwards and he dodged to the side, letting the enemy fall right on the ground. From there, he jumped on top of the monster and started curb-stomping its face into the ground.

Just die already!

When the Voidranger started to lift his weight up, Caelus dropped his full weight on top of it. Once again, the monster was pinned down. Grappling around each other awkwardly, Caelus fought to keep his position on top.

Suddenly, Caelus heard a few footsteps rushing to his location. Someone had heard his fight? It was about time the guards reached him! He could barely hold down the more powerful opponent.

"Hey! I'm going to have to dock your pay as punishment if you two keep fighting in the ha-" Asta rounded the corner with an annoyed tone. The station was meant for research! Not fighting!

"Get away! It's not safe-" The Voidranger managed to shake off his weight and twist them around. Caelus made a snap decision and decided not to fight with it, rolling with the momentum while grabbing the monster's arm. He needed to pin it down again while there was a civilian in the area.

Nevermind that Caelus was also officially a civilian himself.

The two bodies rolled as one, the monster going down under again. This time, Caelus made use of the arm as his makeshift weapon, aiming its blade into the head in the chaotic tussle. The Voidranger moved its arm enough to avoid hitting itself, but couldn't stop Caelus from shoving the arm down- along with its blade.

Then began to dissipate after the blade tore through its neck.

Whew, that was lucky.

Sweaty and tired from manhandling a monster alone, Caelus turned to the research station's head with heaving breaths.

"Uh...sorry about the damages."

The walls had a few slashes and the floor looked scratched. He on the other hand, must've looked like an absolute mess from the other person's perspective judging from the stunned look she had.

"W-was that a Legionnaire?! H-how did it slip past security?!"

Caelus shrugged.

"It was here when I arrived. It's gone now."

He said the words innocently, but his off-handed tone and gesture appeared cool and smooth.

It seemed as if fighting danger was just a normal thing for him.

Asta, on the other hand, couldn't take it anymore. She turned around hurriedly while trying to calm her beating heart. Her face was flushed red and she was shivering in place.

What was that?! That was so hot!!!!

It was just like those books she read online!

Watching Caelus fight a Voidranger and casually eliminate it looked impressive. That move to roll them over and beat them without a weapon was too smooth and skillful to be a coincidence!

H-he's part of the team who faced the Doomsday Beast to rescue the engineers in Sector 31!

News had spread of the Astral Express and two siblings who had fought off the beast once the engineers were saved. Of course, said engineers threw a little spin of their own excitement in the story, creating its own little offset of rumors.

Nonetheless, it only made the ragtag group of teens become celebrities. They just didn't know it yet.

A-and the light sweaty look he had while turning to me...

It didn't help that Caelus looked didn't look bad. He was definitely beyond your everyday run-of-the-mill type of guy.

"Miss Asta, right? I think you should send guards to check the ship again. There might be others that could've been missed." Caelus stood up while patting down his ruffled clothes.

Asta- who had been sneaking glances while turned, answered. "Y-yeah. I'll call security to do another sweep. You should get yourself checked by the doctor."

"No need. There's still something I have to do." Caelus waved with a smile and then left the station's head researcher behind. He still needed to study the floating crystal and why it brought him here. Was it possible that the monster had appeared in the area because of it? The same way he had.

Caelus couldn't exactly study the crystal with Asta around. It could spawn another monster. Plus, it seemed that she didn't notice the flying object at the corner of the hallway. So, he walked around the corner and left. He'd return sometime later instead to study the anomalous crystal.

He just casually beats a Voidranger and leaves like nothing happened!

Asta was shaking.

He's just like those boys from the web novels! So, they're actually real!!!

.

.

.

"So that's how it works."

Stelle touched the space anchor crystal and was teleported to her intended destination. Tagging along with her was Caelus after she appeared in the hallway he was at.

"You just need to find these anchor points and then you'll be able to jump between them?" Caelus asked.

"Pretty much. For some reason, there are a lot of them around the space station. I'm planning to just explore around and find more."

The boy brought a fist up to his chin in thought. "Do you have any idea if the crystal also teleports monsters? One appeared in the same area I was in."

"I don't think it's the space anchor. There are a lot of monsters scattered about the base from the places I've been to."

Caelus looked at Stelle seriously.

"What?"

"Nobody sees them either. Just like the space anchors. I even tried to stop some researchers from walking on a bridge that had the monster. They just walked right past it. No contact. It was as if both