"Sometimes..." I continued, "there are things we simply cannot control."
I lifted my hand and waved it lightly. The metal cube Dante had given me, the key to his ship, appeared in my palm.
North watched it quietly, her fingers tightening around mine.
"We’ll carry him with us," I murmured. "Not as guilt... but as a reason to keep moving forward."
She nodded, eyes glistening but steady.
I stepped toward the ship’s door. The runes on the hull flared to life, one by one. The engines hummed awake beneath our feet.
*****
The moment North and I stepped into the control room, the main panel lit up on its own.
A square compartment slid open at the center, its shape identical to Dante’s metal cube.
I walked forward slowly, and placed the cube into the slot.
It fit perfectly.
A soft hum followed, the cube sank into the console, and a bright blue glow spread across the panel like ripples across water.
Then a projection flickered to life above it.
Dante appeared but in the same disguise he had worn when we fought the Holts.
Calm expression, tired eyes, half-smile.
"Hello there," the projection said. "If you’re seeing this... I guess I’m dead. Good thing I always keep backups. Lots of them, actually."
North inhaled sharply. I exchanged a look with her, then faced the projection again.
"Well," Dante continued, scratching the back of his neck, "it’s not like I wasn’t old already. But if this message activated, it means you’re safe. That’s good enough for me."
The image paused, as if gathering thoughts.
"Billion," he said, voice a little softer, "I made this specifically for you. There were things I couldn’t tell you before. I planned to, eventually... but you grew too fast, and I couldn’t adjust my plans in time."
My brows tightened at that.
He smiled faintly and continued.
"To start with... I’m from the Prime Galaxy. And I’m quite famous there. Or rather, my real identity is. Not this disguise." He chuckled lightly. "Maybe one day you’ll figure out who I truly am. But for that... you’ll have to go to the Prime Galaxy yourself."
The projection flickered softly, stabilizing before the next segment began.
"Now... I can’t tell you my actual identity," Dante said, tone turning firm, "but I can tell you what I want from you. If you ever reach the Prime Galaxy, find the Order of Space."
I blinked.
The name hit me instantly, too similar to the Order of Time I had already encountered. A strange feeling crawled up my spine.
Dante continued speaking.
"The Order of Space is the greatest organization for those who comprehend and master the Law of Space. Not just anyone joins. Only the real geniuses. Saints, demi-gods, and the ones who bend distances like threads."
His projection’s expression shifted... almost bitter.
"But just like everything inside the Prime Galaxy, the Order of Space is in turmoil. Perilous, unstable, and filled with dangers. Still, it remains one of the cornerstones of higher law comprehension."
He paused as if remembering something heavy, something he didn’t want to say.
"I’m telling you to go there for a simple reason, Billion. You need more allies. More companions. People who won’t break when the universe shakes. People who can stand beside you when you face the things waiting for you."
His eyes brightened, glowing in that mysterious way only Dante could manage.
"And... the history."
"The real history," he emphasized. "Not the filtered scraps you get on backwater planets. Not the stories told by weakened systems. In the Order of Space lies the closest thing to the truth. The true creation cycles. The real records of the our universe. The ancient wars. "
He leaned forward slightly, voice dropping as if sharing a secret.
"But if there is any place in this universe where you will find answers... it is there. The Order of Space. I would bet almost everything on it."
I felt North quietly shift beside me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the projection.
My mind churned with thoughts. Questions. Possibilities.
The Prime Galaxy. The Order of Space. Real history. And why Dante, someone who had always known too much, wanted me to go there.
A soft pulse of blue light shimmered from the cube, hinting that the message wasn’t over yet.
The projection flickered again, then steadied and this time Dante’s expression softened.
"Before I continue..." he said, pausing with an unusually warm look in his eyes, "if North is there with you... I have something to say."
North straightened beside me, surprised.
"I’m here," she said quietly.
Dante’s gaze shifted as if focusing directly on her, even though it was only a recording.
"Good. Then listen closely."
His smile turned gentle, not the playful smirk he used when teaching, not the confident grin he wore during battle... but something softer.
"You were a great mentee, North. One of the best I’ve ever taken under my wing."
North froze. Even I felt my chest tighten hearing that.
Dante continued, voice steady but carrying emotion behind every word.
"Training you was... enjoyable. Rewarding. You always pushed past what you thought you could do. You always got back up. Even when you weren’t the strongest, you never lacked heart or clarity."
North’s breath trembled a little.
"And don’t," Dante added firmly, "don’t compare yourself to Billion. Don’t think of it like he’s speeding ahead while you’re falling behind."
He shook his head.
"That’s not how growth works. Not for warriors. Not for anyone."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Everyone has their rhythm. Their pace. Their flow. Billion walks one path, your path is different. You don’t need to copy him. And you don’t need to worry, or feel small, or frustrated."
North lowered her gaze, jaw tightening.
Dante’s voice softened further.
"Just keep moving forward at your own speed. That’s all you ever needed to do. Your talent, your heart, it isn’t something that needs to compete with anyone’s. Especially not with that idiot."
He chuckled lightly.
"If anything, he’s the one who should be grateful you’re walking beside him."
North’s hand clenched over her chest.
I felt a small sting in my chest too.
"Look after yourself," Dante finished gently. "Trust the path you’re building. I did. And I was never wrong about you."
The projection grew dim for a moment, as if giving her a second to breathe.
North wiped the corner of her eye quickly, pretending nothing happened, but her voice came out small.
"...Thank you, Master."