Cosmic Catastrophe

Just as the Digger turned its bow and fled toward the edge of the nebula at sublight speed.

The bull-faced captain's voice rang out in the cabin: "Attention, passengers. Three 'Extinction'-class cultivators have been detected ahead of our vessel. We are carrying out standard evasion procedures. Please remain calm and stay where you are—"

The passengers, who had been wondering why the spaceship had turned around, instantly erupted upon hearing the captain's words:

"Cultivators?!"

"Extinction class? And there are three of them?"

"Heavens! Why are we so unlucky?"

"We're screwed! Fuck, just wait to die!"

"We're completely done for! I heard an Extinction-class cultivator can punch straight through a continental plate with one strike!"

The entire cabin descended into chaos, filled with shouting and wailing.

Carlo, the alien child from earlier, hurriedly grabbed his mother's hand as he looked at the chaotic cabin.

Terrified, he asked:

"Mom, Mom—what are cultivators? Are they some kind of cosmic disaster? Why is everyone so scared?"

But faced with his question, his mother only held him tightly, trembling all over and unable to say a word.

At that moment, an elderly alien nearby sighed. "Little fellow, cultivators are living cosmic calamities. They are more terrifying than star beasts, supernova explosions, even black holes!"

Carlo's father also sighed. Stroking his son's head, he said faintly, "Carlo, any cultivator, so long as he harbors ill intent and is willing to spend a little time, can blast the planet where you were born into a dead star."

"Blast it—into a dead star?!"

Carlo's eyes widened. He simply could not comprehend such power.

Then, as if something had occurred to him, he asked his father with both fear and curiosity:

"Dad, then—then what kind of cultivators are even more terrifying than Extinction-class cultivators?"

"World-Enders."

Carlo's father said gravely,