**Paras City – Sai's Dojo Courtyard, Mid-Battle**
The world was ending in fire and ruin.
Astra stood frozen behind the cherry tree in the dojo garden, small hands gripping rough bark so tightly his knuckles turned white. His silver eyes—usually bright with wonder—were wide with terror, pupils trembling as they reflected the nightmare unfolding beyond the courtyard walls.
Buildings crumbled in slow, awful motion. Screams rose and fell like dying birds. The sky had turned a violent red, as though the heavens themselves were bleeding. Explosions bloomed in the distance—orange and black flowers of destruction. People ran. People fell. And in the heart of it all, three figures he loved fought a monster who looked like he belonged in nightmares.
Astra stepped backward.
His bare foot caught on a loose stone.
He slipped.
He fell hard—knees slamming into the dirt, palms scraping against gravel. Pain flared sharp and sudden in his right knee, but it was nothing compared to the ache blooming in his chest.
No one came.
No one called his name.
No one reached for him.
He curled into himself—small, shaking—tears spilling freely now, hot and silent against the cold ground.
*Why is everyone fighting? Why is everything breaking? Where is Sensei Sai? Where is Yuki-nee? Where is anyone…?*
The tears came harder. His small body shook with silent sobs.
And then—
The world blurred.
The sounds of battle faded to a distant roar.
The red sky dimmed.
And memory rose like a tide, pulling him under.
---
**Flashback – Planet Sin, The Inferno Castle – Days After Hatching**
Soft golden light filtered through towering crystal windows, painting the royal nursery in warm, gentle hues. The room smelled of starfire incense and fresh linens—clean, safe, eternal.
Astra lay in a cradle of woven starlight and obsidian, sleeping peacefully. His tiny chest rose and fell in slow rhythm. From his small mouth came faint sparkles—tiny motes of silver flame that drifted upward like fireflies before fading. A thin, delicate tail—silver-scaled, still soft from hatching—wiggled faintly in his dreams.
Queen Monika stood beside him.
Silver hair cascaded down her back like molten moonlight. Her eyes—pure silver, deep and kind—watched her son with a love so fierce it almost hurt. She reached down, brushing a gentle finger along his cheek.
"My little Ares," she whispered, voice trembling with emotion. "I wish you grow up as a man. Never hurt anyone without reason. Save everyone—that's what I want. Don't be cruel as your father… Never, okay?"
Astra snored softly—small, innocent, unaware.
A group of Inferno guards stepped quietly into the doorway, armor gleaming softly in the light.
One knelt, voice hushed with awe.
"The prince is really sweet and peaceful after all."
Monika smiled—small, fragile, but radiant.
"Yes… he is."
The moment shattered.
A soldier burst in—breathless, armor dented.
"Queen Monika! Lord Sin is calling for you. He needs to talk about Ares."
Monika's smile vanished.
Her tone shifted instantly—worried, sharp.
"Okay. Tell him to wait. I am coming."
She leaned down one last time—pressing a soft kiss to Astra's forehead.
"I'll protect you," she whispered. "No matter what."
---
**Royal Hallway – Minutes Later**
Monika walked quickly—silver gown trailing behind her like liquid starlight. Guards bowed as she passed, but she barely noticed. Her heart hammered against her ribs.
She reached the meeting chamber.
King Sin sat at the far end of the obsidian table—tall, imposing, crimson eyes cold as dying coals. His black armor absorbed the light. His tail—thick, scaled, red—curled lazily around the throne leg.
"Sit down."
Monika sat—back straight, hands folded tightly in her lap.
Sin smiled—calm, almost gentle.
"As you know… our child Ares finally hatched from the tube. Since he was born a prince… he must pay something."
Monika's eyes narrowed.
"I didn't forget your past words."
Sin continued—voice smooth, reasonable.
"Well… he is a mythical Inferno among all of us. This category is born every 250,000,000 years—one in existence. A miracle. That's why he already holds so much power… and has surpassed me in child form."
His tone shifted—cold, final.
"As he dared to surpass me—by himself or not—he must die."
Monika's breath stopped.
Her eyes widened in raw fear.
"No… No way! How could you say this!? He is your son! He is our son!"
Sin's smile never wavered.
"Rule over love. Judgment over family. That's my priority."
He leaned forward slightly—voice calm, almost kind.
"The rule I made… must be followed at any cost."
He stood.
And left the room.
Monika remained—frozen, stunned, alone.
Tears came then—silent at first, then violent. She remembered the nights she had begged Sin for Ares' life. The nights she cried until her voice broke. The nights he never came.
Sin never visited her.
Never.
From that day forward, Monika made her choice.
She would send Ares away.
She prepared a capsule—small, shielded, powered by starfire. She cut his tail herself—careful, precise—knowing it could leak his power and reveal him. Only she knew that secret.
When the news leaked—when Sin's ears caught wind—he ordered Ares destroyed.
Some soldiers disobeyed.
Sin genocided them one by one.
And in the chaos of betrayal and blood, the Space Emperor Dano struck.
The planet burned.
Astra was sent away—alone, innocent, tail-less—hurtling into the unknown.
---
**Another Planet – Years Later**
A different world. Harsh. Dusty. Red skies and cracked earth.
A 6- or 7-year-old boy sat on a rock, spiky black hair fluttering upward like flames frozen in time. Pure black eyes—almost cosmic—glowed with overwhelming power. A black tail twitched behind him. He wore white armor with black shirt, pants, and white gloves.
He bit into a cosmic fruit—then spat it out with a grimace.
"Tch… that clown child Ares really thinks he's the strongest!?"
Another voice—Fin—sighed nearby.
"Wait, Tenkai! You shouldn't say that about our Inferno prince! And we barely escaped this…"
Tenkai threw the fruit—shouting.
"Shut up, Fin! I should be the strongest instead of him! He doesn't deserve to be treated like this just because he's prince! I have value too!"
His tail wiggled with rage.
Fin gave an awkward smile—sweating, golden tail twitching nervously. Golden eyes glowed faintly.
He placed a hand on Tenkai's shoulder.
"Ahahaha!? Should we drop this already?"
Tenkai threw the hand off.
"No way! Don't dare touch me, you weakling!"
Fin frowned.
"Hey! I'm not weak! And how dare you say that!"
Fin punched.
Tenkai dodged.
Tenkai landed a kick—Fin crashed to the ground.
Fin held his head. "Ahh… are you crazy!?"
Suddenly—another Inferno survivor teleported between them.
A girl—pink eyes glowing faintly, pink tail wiggling nervously.
"Hey. Both of you—stop right now."
Tenkai snapped.
"Oh!? Piko, you think you're so tough huh!?"
Piko stepped back—eyes dropping to the ground, trembling.
"I didn't mean to… I just don't like chaos."
She started sniffing—tears welling.
Fin stood quickly.
"Hey hey—it's alright! Don't cry, Piko."
He turned to Tenkai.
"And you—don't act that rude. We should stay together so we can survive faster. And there's no adult here."
Fin rubbed his stomach.
"I'm kinda hungry though… ehehehe!?"
Tenkai shouted.
"You idiot! Shut your belly up!"
Piko sat beside another survivor—Kento—who was drooling in his sleep. His green tail swayed the dust lazily.
Piko shook him gently.
"Hey, Kento. Wake up!"
Kento blinked—eyes sleepy green.
"Huh…? Prince!? Ahh, you mean Ares?"
Fin nodded.
"Yeah… but he's too far. We don't even know which planet he's on. That's the main task."
Kento yawned.
"But how do we find him!?"
Another survivor jumped in—Yuro—hands on hips, gray eyes glowing, tail swaying slightly, one tooth peeking through her cute smile.
"Well… we need to fly across space for him."
Fin blinked.
"That's not as easy as you say."
Drashin sat nearby—hands in pockets, purple eyes deadpan, tail swaying faster—representing power of destruction and time.
"You dumb. You don't know how far he is!? And space isn't just a playground. It's endless. Unlike your brain."
Yuro glared.
"Watch your words, freak."
Fin sat beside Kento.
"That's pointless. We'll die like nothing—even history won't remember us."
Kento nodded sleepily.
"Yeah… I wanted to see myself in a newspaper even once."
Piko raised her hand suddenly—smiling through tears.
"Hey! I have an idea!"
Tenkai groaned.
"Don't give us any bad, failed ideas like before."
Piko pouted.
"I will not!!"
She stood straighter.
"We have to travel across planets to reach him. Ares can do something—make a home or something."
Fin cracked his knuckles.
Kento jumped up—suddenly awake.
"Yeah! Okay! Let's go then!"
The group—broken, young, defiant—looked at each other.
And for the first time since the genocide…
They had a purpose.
The memories faded.
Astra curled tighter behind the tree—tears falling faster now.
The sounds of battle roared on.
But inside his heart—quiet, steady—the memories of his past still burned.
Soft.
Warm.
Alive.