Although he couldn't remember exactly how it had looked before, a strong wave of nostalgia swept over Michael as he stepped into his old room.

It was a modest room. A simple double bed bought on a discount was positioned at the very center. To the right was the guitar Michael couldn't remember the last time he played, along with some cheap workout equipment whose origin was a mystery even to him.

To his left was his out-of-date computer that he used to play video games before enlisting in the army.

"Quite a simple life I have lived." He mused, settling on the bed and getting the guitar in his arms.

"Do I still got it?"

Usually each instrument had clear rules established that needed to be followed in order to be used properly. But since Michael had forgotten most of them, all he could do was let his fingers move on instinct, hoping a part of his skill remained.

The sound that came out was certainly far from one that would be played at concerts, though it proved to be somewhat pleasant to the ear.

"Are you going to play?" As if summoned by the sound of his guitar, Scarlett entered his room without bothering to knock.

"I too would like to listen if that is okay." Ava added shyly while still wearing the maid uniform.

Isabella didn't even bother to speak. Settling on a chair, she stared at Michael with anticipation.

With a sigh, Michael obliged, playing what he could remember until the sky turned black as night descended on the land.

"It's a shame it's time to go to sleep." Scarlett muttered in dejection.

"That reminds me. Where am I going to sleep?" Ava asked.

With a mischievous smile, Isabella pointed to the door across from Michael's room.

"This one is perfect." She exclaimed.

Quietly Ava clenched her fists. 'If Michael's mother and sister are willing to go so far to set us up, then I reckon I have managed to leave a favorable impression!'

With a nod, Ava settled into the room before Michael's mother could change her mind.

"So, after all this time I managed to return home and reunite with my family." Michael muttered, staring at the dark ceiling.

Sadly, he couldn't afford to rest for long. Time was the most merciless of all forces, and every moment spent idle was a moment his enemies were getting stronger. Even if some might call Michael's obsession with power unhealthy, considering how powerful he already was, taking into account his age, it was the one thing that allowed him to overcome his enemies up until now.

Heaving a sigh, he slowly closed his eyes.

"The future is uncertain. With too many unaccounted variables at play. For now my priority would be to drive back the aliens from the asteroid belt."

While Michael gradually drifted into sleep, a great battle raged on the surface of Venus.

Deep underground in one of numerous bunkers, a man stared at a giant screen in a daze.

"Goodness…" The man whispered in complete disbelief. The red light that constantly flicked across the room illuminated his thinning hair, yellow nails, and cracked glasses. It was made apparent the man had several problems, overwork and lack of sleep being one of many.

"I did it… Ha… HAHAHA!" Suddenly he put a hand over his stomach and erupted into maniacal laughter.

Regardless of how many times he read the data, the conclusion didn't alter in the slightest. The first step of his goal had been accomplished!

"Praise to the alien invasion that reached our doorstep!" The man bellowed. "Without them, I never would've had the chance to intensify my research! But with the human army focused on them, I attained true freedom!"

For an unknown number of years humanity had fought desperately against the alien invasion. While that created many people that felt a sense of duty to fight for their kin, another belief eventually began to take root.

What if humans were in fact inferior to the alien species? If that were true, wouldn't sacrificing their population to drive them back be pointless? After all, their end would be inevitable.

Of course, such a belief was dangerous. That's why the Emperor, along with every faction, had taken great care to suppress any signs of it spreading, manipulating the media to ensure it never gained too much traction.

However, even the mightiest humans to exist did not consider the possibility that a third belief may take root.

What if humanity, and the aliens for that matter, weren't the ultimate goal of evolution? Could it be that another form of existence had the potential to rule over them all?

Artificial Intelligence, better known as AI… Humanity had gone far and beyond to develop it. Yet despite all the breakthroughs, it always seemed one step behind. The AI wasn't smarter than humans. It simply took a great sum of their data and arrived at the most logical conclusion.

Sadly, this was far from the real goal, which was for the AI to get smarter on its own.

No human had ever managed to overcome that hurdle, given how many had failed before.

Until today…

History had been changed. An artificial superintelligence had been created, an entity that surpassed humanity in every considerable metric.

Pure awe flickered across the researcher's face as he witnessed the AI's monstrous, real-time improvements.

The truth was undeniable: A sentient AI had been born right inside his lab.

[What is my purpose?]

Still fairly young, the AI questioned its creator.

A cold shudder ran down the man's spine as his gaze slowly drifted to the numerous incubation tanks scattered around the lab, each one holding deformed humans and other creatures that awaited their fate.

"Since you are beyond any human mind, the role of fulfilling my dream shall fall upon you, my child." The man whispered.

"Change our DNA, master the very essence of our existence… And improve us, elevate humanity to another species. I want you to create the perfect race."

Instantly codes that were beyond the researcher's understanding began to appear all over the screen. The red lights steadily become more menacing.

[In exchange for giving it life, the AI has deemed its creator's wish worthy of being granted.]

[Altering the human race to perfection.]

[Initiating procedure…]

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