The week spent in the spaceship with Tatehan was boring by normal standards. He didn't even step out of the vessel, just stayed inside doing light gym work and reading.

He spent most of that week immersed in books, consuming science fiction novels and even venturing into fantasy before the week's end. He read everything, ranging from serious stories to humorous ones. And while he never stepped out to do actual fighting, he did so on the pages, immersing himself in worlds he'd never been to, experiencing countless adventures.

Five days into this supposedly boring life, he received a message from the commander asking when he would visit, his help was needed.

Tatehan stared at the message in mild surprise. He hadn't messaged her prior to receiving it, and reading it made him realize how distant he'd been from the real world.

It was then he decided that after three more days, he would store the spaceship in his inventory and journey to Waython Hollow using the Dust Rider.

He felt reassured going on this trip because of the shadow cores in his inventory. There were already a damn lot of them.

He'd replied to the commander that he'd be on his way in three days. Now, laying on his bed with a novel in hand, he decided it was time to leave the wastelands and return to civilization. It was time to go to Waython Hollow.

He hadn't made any decisions about where to live, what to eat, or any of that, he decided he'd rely on the Red crest clan to help him with things like this. Since he'd be working part-time for them, he might get paid.

With that thought, Tatehan closed the novel in his hands and set it on the bed. Standing up, he left the room and headed to the main cabin, where he greeted the spaceship's AI.

"Morning."

[Good morning, Host]

He placed his hands on the panel by the wall. The wall slid open to reveal the library. Tatehan walked in.

"Fantasy!" he called.

The fantasy shelf descended and he selected five novels about dragons, mages, and ancient medieval times.

After selecting the titles he wanted to read, the shelf returned to its original position.

"Science fiction," Tatehan called, and the shelf descended. He selected eight titles.

When he was done, he left and the door slid shut behind him.

He had gotten used to the futuristic nature of the library by the way. He wasn't so surprised by it or in awe like when he first restored it.

The day after he restored it, going to the library was like going to a dream land, he always looked at the place in glad surprise. Whenever he commanded a shelf to come down, the process was always satisfying, it was like summoning a dragon and watching it come to life right in front of your eyes.

He found the backpack he'd used when preparing to fight the Mauler and picked it up. He put the books inside, then went to the kitchen area where he grabbed bread and butter from the storage compartment and added them to the backpack, along with a bottle of water.

After zipping it up, he returned to the main cabin.

"I'm heading to Waython Hollow today," he told the spaceship's AI.

[Time to send the spaceship to your system space, right?] the AI asked.

"Yes," Tatehan replied. "If I find a large garage in a safe place, I'll summon it back to continue repairs and hopefully restore it to a hundred percent."

Tatehan didn't know why he felt this, but to him it seemed like the spaceship's AI nodded.

[Restoring the spaceship to full capacity should be your top priority, Tatehan. If you store the spaceship in your inventory, I'll be gone with it, and that means I can no longer give you advice or guide your decisions. Though you rarely listen to me anyway.]

Tatehan nodded, a faint smile on his face. The AI was right—he hadn't exactly followed its advice often. He always chose his own path, and the AI just went along with it. Apart from the first tasks—hunting for the Hexapod Mauler's core and doing manual repairs on the spaceship—Tatehan wasn't sure he'd followed the AI's advice again.

And those were mandatory instructions anyway. Repairing the spaceship was necessary, so completing tasks toward that goal was normal.

But the big decisions, like when the AI advised he use the Hexapod Mauler's core on the spaceship rather than on Kael's daughter, Tatehan hadn't followed that. He'd chosen his own will. But then, that was testament to the fact that he had free will on this planet.

He wasn't bound to the spaceship, the AI, some man, or some god—he had free will. Even repairing the spaceship to its full potential so it could soar high in the sky was something he genuinely looked forward to doing, rather than being forced by the AI.

He wanted to explore, soar high in the endless sky, discover other civilizations…

And after reading the novels about Commander Vetri, the fleet commander, Tatehan now wanted to engage in spaceship warfare high in the skies—in space!—with his own vessel.

All of this he could do if he restored the Red Dragon spaceship to full capacity. There was still work to be done on the vessel, and now that he was about to store it in his inventory, the work would remain undone and take much longer to complete.

But this was necessary. The Obscuron and his forces were expanding toward this region, and if he didn't act fast, they might discover the spaceship, discover what it truly was and wield its power.

By wield, he meant they would fully repair the spaceship and use it for obliteration.

The Red Dragon spaceship was a very powerful vessel, and in the wrong hands could bring about the end of humanity.

"I always listen to you," Tatehan said with a smile. "But if I don't..."

He paused, then summoned the backpack to his inventory. He turned toward the ceiling and said:

"I'll try my best. I'll find the right equipment to repair the spaceship and do so, little by little. I'll get this thing back in the skies again."

[Good luck, Host. Now step out of the spaceship with your Dust Rider. Best of luck.]

"Before I go, let me check the damage assessment of the spaceship," Tatehan said.

Immediately, a holographic interface appeared in front of him, displaying:

[RED DRAGON VESSEL - DAMAGE ASSESSMENT]

[Overall Condition: CRITICALLY DAMAGED]

[BROKEN SYSTEMS]

• Hyperdrive Core: OFFLINE - Cannot achieve light-speed travel

• Quantum Jump Engine: DESTROYED - No inter-galaxy capability

• Navigation Matrix: CORRUPTED - Limited directional control

• Weapon Systems: DISABLED - All offensive capabilities down

• Shield Generator Network - Restored to 62% capacity

• Six primary shield emitters - Fully operational

• Communication Array: DAMAGED - Cannot contact other vessels

• Power Coupling System - Restored to 93% capacity

• Fourteen energy coil segments - Replaced and sealed

• Multiple power conduit lines - Restored throughout vessel

• Hull Integrity: COMPROMISED - Multiple breach points detected

[FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS]

• Life Support: STABLE

• Emergency Power: ACTIVE

• Basic Sensors: OPERATIONAL

• Holographic Interface: WORKING

[RESTORATION STATUS]

Current Progress: 50/100 Repair Points

Required Materials: Advanced Alloys, Energy Cores, Quantum Components

As Tatehan read through the display, he realized the spaceship was significantly more repaired than when he'd first arrived on Mars. Though only two systems were actually repaired—the shield generator network and the power coupling—it was progress nonetheless.

[During the days you spent doing nothing but reading, you should have repaired more. But we don't have the right materials to do so,] the spaceship's AI said.

Though it had never crossed his mind to do further repairs, all he'd wanted was to lie down, read, and just chill until he returned to Waython Hollow.

But now that the spaceship's AI had given a reason for why he hadn't done more repairs, he thought about it. If only he could have done more, tried to look for the necessary tools to repair the spaceship.

With a shrug, he dismissed it as unnecessary worrying.

He didn't have the right knowledge to look for any tools, and even if he found a way to get them, acquiring them would be a problem—stressful and putting himself at great risk.

With the Red Crest Clan, he'd be able to get the right tools much easier and faster. He might literally be commanding troops sent to stop the Obscuron forces. He could slowly direct them to acquire the tools he needed to repair the spaceship.

He'd be able to get advanced alloys and quantum components much easier.

With Riven, he'd be able to get energy cores, cores like the bio-neutral core he'd used to save Kael's daughter's life. And now, going to Waython Hollow, he'd be able to see her as a functioning person. Maybe even make friends with her.

Tatehan walked over to the Dust Rider, looked at the door leading out of the spaceship, looked at pilot seat and nodded slowly. It was time to leave.

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