I raised my sword, its edge trembling slightly in the open white room. My confidence swelled despite the exhaustion on my body.

    "Yosh... I can do this," I said, a faint grin spreading across my face.

    "You can''t," she said flatly.

    Nebula''s voice cut through my resolve like a whip.

    "Huh? Why not?" I turned to look at her, confusion etched on my face.

    "Because they''re much stronger than you," she said, her gaze fixed on the two figures ahead of us.

    One of them, a hulking man with rippling muscles and arms folded across his chest, scoffed loudly. "Pathetic. So, this is the company you''ve chosen, Nebula? A weakling who will destroy our family name?"

    Family name? My grip on the sword tightened as I turned to Nebula for answers, but she stepped forward before I could speak.

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    "Back off, brother. We''re not here to fight you. We need to see Father," she said firmly, her tone sharp as a blade.

    Wait. Brother? That giant mass of muscles is her brother? I blinked in disbelief. He looked nothing like the mischievous and teasing Nebula I''d come to know. Where she was playful and sly, he radiated pure intimidation and power.

    The other figure, a man with fiery red hair cascading down his back, chuckled softly. His voice was smooth, but the malice in it made my skin itch. "You''re not going anywhere, Nebula. You''re coming with me."

    Nebula''s expression hardened. "You stay the fuck out of this."

    The red-haired man raised an eyebrow, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "That''s no way to talk to me, Nebula. Have you forgotten who I am? I''m Gram, the man you''re supposed to marry."

    Nebula''s shoulders stiffened, but she didn''t back down. "I''m not marrying you, Gram. Not now, not ever. Get out of my way—I must see Father."

    Her brother''s eyes darkened, his voice low and filled with venom. "We''ll kill you both before we let that happen."

    My pulse quickened as his fists began to glow, a fiery energy radiating from them. This wasn''t a bluff—he was serious.

    With a roar, her brother lunged forward, his massive fist crashing into the ground where Nebula had been standing a moment ago. The impact shattered the floor, sending dust and debris into the air.

    "You can teleport and didn''t think to do that earlier?" I asked unbelievingly.

    She smirked. "Where''s the fun in that?"

    I sighed heavily, collapsing onto the soft bed that materialized behind me. "Today''s been insane. I nearly died—again."

    Nebula sat beside me, her expression softening. "Sorry. I wasn''t expecting my brother to be there. If I had known, I would''ve taken precautions."

    I muttered under my breath, "I almost died today even in this new life..."

    "What do you mean?" she asked, her tone curious as she leaned closer.

    "Nothing. Leave it," I said, turning my head away.

    She didn''t let up, though. Instead, she lay down beside me, pulling my face against her chest in a way that left me both flustered and oddly comforted. "You''re too weird, you know that?" she whispered, her fingers brushing through my hair. "That''s why I love you so much."

    I didn''t reply, my mind racing. After a moment, a thought struck me, and I pulled away slightly to look up at her.

    "How were your brother and Gram able to use their aura? I thought this realm cut off any energy brought from outside."

    She nodded. "It does. But the energy they used wasn''t from outside—it was generated here. Aura created within the realm doesn''t vanish immediately; it takes time to deplete. And it won''t go away for my brother because he is favorite child of my father."

    Her explanation clicked into place, and my mind began racing with possibilities.

    "Oh..." I murmured, relaxing against her chest. But then, as the realization dawned on me, my eyes shot open.

    "I can use it if it''s generated from inside," I said, the excitement in my voice unmistakable.

    Nebula tilted her head, looking at me curiously. "What are you—"

    Before she could finish, I moved quickly, reversing our positions so that she was lying on her back beneath me. I leaned over her, our faces inches apart, my heart pounding in my chest.

    Her eyes widened, her breath hitching as she met my gaze. "What is it?" she asked softly, her hands coming up to cup my cheeks.

    Her chest rose and fell steadily beneath me, and I could feel the warmth of her body through my own.