Chapter 307: Mission On Peanu

Chapter 307: Mission On Peanu

Before I’d left for the mission to track the Ferans, I’d asked Grandma to tell me the real story behind my parents’ deaths. She hadn’t answered back then, only promised that she would, once I returned.

Now, sitting in the quiet warmth of our home, the air heavy with all we had discussed, I brought it up again.

She let out a long breath, lowering her gaze to the table. Her fingers tightened around the cup in her hands. For a few seconds, she didn’t say a word.

Then she finally spoke.

"It was nearly ten years ago. You must’ve been only seven."

I gave a slow nod, remaining silent.

"There had been rumors... about Peanu preparing two of their most talented soldiers for Grandmaster rank.

Both had climbed the ranks fast and had been responsible for orchestrating smaller strikes on our territories. We knew that if they completed their rise, they’d become a serious threat. So we made a decision."

She glanced at me, then continued.

"A raid was planned. Deep into Peanu territory. The goal was clear, eliminate both targets before they could stabilize their power and progress further into the Grandmaster rank. The team consisted of forty-three of our best Master-ranked warriors. Your parents were among them. The strike was led by a Grandmaster."

I listened, my heartbeat gradually picking up.

"It was meant to be quick. Precise. The kind of mission that gets remembered for how cleanly it was executed. And for a time, it was. They caught the enemy off guard. Pushed through defenses, cornered both Grandmasters, and... they succeeded."

Her voice dropped slightly.

"But the cost..."

She looked at me fully now.

"They were deep in enemy territory. After the kill, escape wasn’t easy. Peanu’s response was brutal. Their counter-offensive crushed any path to retreat. The entire unit... your parents included... didn’t make it back."

My breath caught in my chest.

"They died completing their mission," she added, softly. "We couldn’t bring back bodies. Nothing was left except some materials. The two Grandmasters were eliminated, and Peanu felt the blow. It was a harsh strike."

Her eyes lingered on mine, grief buried deep in them.

"We launched more retaliations afterward. Hidden attacks. Sabotage. We made them pay, in our own way. But what was lost... was lost."

I swallowed hard, my fists clenched under the table.

"They died doing what they believed in," Grandma said gently. "Doing what had to be done. And their success saved thousands, maybe more."

I nodded, slowly. "Thank you... for telling me."

She smiled faintly. "You deserved to know."

The room fell into silence for a few moments.

Then Steve finally spoke, breaking it.

"But why would our enmity with Peanu even go that far? Why start something like this in the first place? Aren’t we both human worlds? We already have an enemy out there."

Grandma looked at him, her expression firming.

"What Peanu wants is control," she said simply. "And they hate the Rayleigh family more than anything."

She leaned back slightly as she explained.

"The Max family, who rule Peanu, are ruthless. They run their empire with fear and force. Think of their leadership as a beast—always hungry. Doesn’t matter if it devours its own people or outsiders."

She turned toward me.

"If you were born in Peanu," she said softly, "you’d likely be dead by now. Or enslaved. Your kind of talent? They’d never allow it to grow."

I frowned.

"They’ve sunk so far," she continued, "that anyone not considered ’productive’ gets sold. Even children. Slavery is normal there. Life has no value."

Steve’s face twisted in disbelief.

"They don’t care about the bigger picture," she finished. "Not about humanity. Not about peace. To them, we’re just another rival to conquer."

I exhaled slowly, my mind racing. I had spent my life believing my parents died facing monsters. But it turned out... the monsters wore human faces too.

Grandma placed her hand on mine.

"I’m sorry it had to be this way," she said softly.

I nodded. But strangely, knowing the truth made something inside me... lighter. Simpler. The uncertainty, the doubt that had always been in the back of my mind....it faded.

Now I knew what really happened.

And I realized something. If I had been in their place, I would’ve chosen the same path.

I would’ve gone on that mission, no matter the risk. It wasn’t just a sense of duty—it felt like, through her words, I’d been given a silent message. A green light from my parents themselves... to walk the dangerous path without fear.

Grandma continued.

"That mission wasn’t the only one," she said, her voice firmer now. "There have been many such operations over the years. On both sides. We raid them. They raid us. It’s a quiet, never-ending war in the shadows. Each side trying to cripple the other’s strength before the real war comes."

She looked down at her cup, then back at me.

"And the reason it keeps happening is because we’re not strong enough to matter in the bigger war.

The one against the Eternals.

We don’t control the battlefield out there. So the main fronts ignore us. That leaves us down here... playing our own deadly games, while the larger galaxy looks the other way."

I frowned, listening carefully.

"But if the frontlines against the Eternals reopen," she went on, "if they call for reinforcements again, then maybe, just maybe, this infighting between human worlds might stop. Because our forces will be pulled away. Probably to be used as fodder... but even then, at least we’d be united again."

Her expression grew grim, the mood in the room shifting again.

"You must always be alert, Billion," she said, her eyes locking with mine.

"Right now, you’re not on their radar. You’ve grown too fast, faster than anyone could’ve predicted. They won’t suspect just how far you’ve come yet. But the moment they get even a hint..."

She let the thought hang.

"...things will start moving behind the scenes. Plans will be made. People will be sent. They won’t take chances with someone like you. If they come, they’ll come to kill you for good."

I held her gaze.

"Of course," she added, her voice softening just a little, "there will be strong people protecting you. I’m sure of that. The Empire won’t leave you undefended. But remember, if we can sense your power, so can others. And if the threat you pose grows high enough, they won’t come lightly. Their attacks will match your potential."

I let out a slow breath and nodded.

We sat together a while longer, continuing to talk about the state of the Empire.

She shared what she knew about our military strength, the rising tensions within the Empire with the arrivals of the Ferans, and her assessment of Peanu and Sukra’s current position. It was a quiet but heavy conversation—one where every word carried the weight of possible futures.

Eventually, the hour crept closer to midnight. That was when I checked the time and looked up at her.

"We need to go," I said quietly. "There’s something we must take care of. We have to return to the realm."

She didn’t ask what or why. She just gave a gentle nod, like she had known all along that this moment was coming.

I turned toward Steve. "You ready?"

He met my gaze, his face serious, his back straight. "Always," he replied, determination glowing in his eyes.

Without wasting another second, I reached out to the realm core through my connection. The link responded instantly.

I raised my hand slightly, focusing and a swirling violet portal opened beside me, humming softly with raw energy.

I turned back to Grandma one last time bidding her goodbye.

She gave me a soft smile. "Be careful, both of you."

I nodded.

Then, without another word, I stepped into the portal and Steve followed right behind me.