A drop-pin silence spread around the space shuttle. Thankfully the space vehicle was soundproof, isolating any noises that could have disturbed Michael and his crew's cultivation.

Initially the soldiers had trouble absorbing the spiritual energy. Quite understandable since they had yet to get used to their new powers, and they were already absorbing the essence of an Overlord.

Fortunately it didn't take them long to get used to the potent energy. Their pores opened, senses sharpened to the very limit, as their souls dedicated themselves to absorbing every drop of energy around them.

'Considering the rate we are going, the heart should last us until we reach Earth.' Michael thought inwardly, making sure to not disturb the cultivation of his crew.

Because he had essentially mastered the art of meditation, he was able to absorb the spiritual energy around him and simultaneously be lost in his thoughts.

Undeniably that proved to be greatly beneficial, though it came with a certain side effect. At moments when he would stay in one place for days, his mind tended to go absolutely wild.

'Earth… How long has it been since I went there? I can't remember… Would they really be there? After so many gruesome years, would I really be able to meet my family again?'

By now Michael had learned that there was no point in fighting against his own mind. He was determined to capitalize on the Overlord's energy the best he could. As for any unpleasant memories that may arise in the meantime, he would make sure to not let the past affect him negatively.

Slowly the hours blended together. The soldiers intensified their focus even further, entering a dreamlike state where cultivation was their sole goal.

As one by one they began to explore the deepest depths of their minds, Michael began to relive a part of his past.

"..."

The rain echoed outside the white interior of the room where two people stood.

"She… is dead." A woman wearing a black dress muttered softly, clutching the edges of her dress. Her long black hair cascaded down her waist, and her emerald eyes were hidden by the sunglasses she used to hide her tears.

Michael remained silent. He shifted his gaze to Scarlett momentarily, the woman next to him. Knowing that there was nothing he could say to relieve her mind, he gulped dryly, forcing himself to focus on the coffin that stood next to them again.

Gone was the smile that the woman would normally welcome them back home with. Now Isabella, their mother, lay lifeless in the coffin. After Gabriel, their father, succumbed to his illness, their family had never been quite the same. Especially their mother, who took the loss quite hard, evidently by her thinning cheeks and weak arms.

Perhaps it was due to shock or grief, but just a few years after their father had passed away, so did their mother, leaving the siblings to fend for themselves.

The fact that only Michael and Scarlett had shown up to the funeral was proof no one cared about them.

"Wasn't there… another way?" Scarlett uttered quietly, clutching the dark suit of her brother tightly.

"You… You're a genius, right? At least that's how the other soldiers called you for managing to reach the Grandmaster realm while barely being 24 years old." Her voice sounded ragged.

"Unlike me, you have the power, the knowledge... So tell me, is it really so unreasonable to simply wish for our family to have been happy?"

By now Scarlett's tears had dried up as she stared at her brother. Slowly the sadness she felt was being replaced by frustration. She hated the way her brother's eyes looked now. Gone was the warmth that would always soothe her when she found herself struggling. Now they looked hollow and tired, as if every desire had been purged out of them.

There was no doubt in her mind that the reason for that was the war. That was why, more than anything, Scarlett hated herself.

Could things have been different if she hadn't relied on her brother all this time but had chosen to help him instead?

Wasn't it incredibly selfish to let him fight on the front line while the only thing she was doing was burying her head in her studies?

"I—I hate it." She stuttered. "This weakness is something that I want to get rid of. It is high time I stop relying on you and start to carve my own path. I want to fight as you do. I want to join the battlefield for humanity!"

Instantly Michael's eyes darkened.

"No."

He spoke void of any emotion.

"I failed to save my father or my mother. You are the only thing I have left. I refuse to let you risk your life out of stupidity. You are close to finishing your university course of bioengineering, right? Do that and become somebody that would get rid of the illness that plagued our father, like you always wanted. Follow your passion and don't compare yourself to me."

Putting a hand over her sunglasses, Scarlett gently removed them, showcasing her teary eyes.

"This is in the past now! I can't continue to follow my passion anymore! How can I when you yourself, the one that deserved it the most, can't? Before our father fell ill, you wanted to become a guitarist, right? What happened to that dream?!"

Michael heaved a sigh. "I sacrificed it so that you and our family can live the lives you want to."

A bitter taste spread in his mouth, regretting that he hadn't sacrificed more to aid them. Perhaps if he had, his father and mother wouldn't have perished.

Slowly Scarlett nodded. "That's right. You disregarded your emotions for us. Well, I am 22, a full-fledged adult. And I know what I want… To join the frontline. Will you let me follow my passion, or will you try to dictate my future?"

Not answering immediately, Michael observed the corpse of his mother, making sure to memorize all of her features before she was buried.

"I am going to regret this." He muttered, shifting his gaze to her. "Fine then. If you really want to enter the battlefield, I will permit it. However, under three conditions. First, I would be responsible for your training. Second, you will follow my order to a tie. Third, you will not leave my line of sight regardless of what happens."

Tilting her head upward to meet Michael's gaze, a flash of surprise passed across Scarlett's face. In her life she had never seen her brother seem so fearsome. A testament to how much he disliked the idea of letting his last family member take part in the bloody war.

"I want to exterminate the aliens. For bringing the illness that ended our father, for complicating our lives so much, and for giving rise to humanity's greed, giving power to people that should have never been allowed to wield it!" She proclaimed, her gaze not faltering.

"From now on I will be in your care. Please, make me into an intimidating soldier, one that can stand shoulder to shoulder with you!"

Michael narrowed his eyes as he softly put a hand over her slender shoulder.

"If that really is your wish… I shall make it true."

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