LOWKEY INTERSTELLER CAPTAIN

It started as a whisper. A rumor drifting through the academy halls like a ghost, barely heard, easily ignored. But Cheno knew better. He had learned in his past life that whispers often carried knives.

“Cheno Bo’s family? A fallen house. He doesn’t belong here.”

The words stung, not because they were untrue, but because he had worked too hard to escape that shadow. And now, it was catching up to him.

His past life’s memories told him where this led—to isolation, to betrayal.

His girlfriend, Aeliana, had once stood by him. But in this life, would she make the same choice? Or had the wheels of fate already turned against him?

[System Warning: Loyalty Shift Detected. Aeliana’s Affinity: -10%]

Cheno’s chest tightened. “So, it begins.”

The cadet halls buzzed with speculation. Cheno ignored the sideways glances, the hushed conversations that stopped when he walked past. He had no time for politics, he had battles to fight, rivalries to crush, and a system guiding him toward greatness.

Yet, the betrayal loomed like a shadow.

That night, Cheno received a message. Aeliana’s name flashed on his wrist communicator. Hesitation gripped him, but he opened it.

Aeliana: We need to talk. Meet me at skybridge.

The skybridge was one of the few quiet places in the academy, suspended over the lower levels, overlooking the stars. When Cheno arrived, Aeliana was already there, arms crossed, gaze distant.

“I heard the rumors,” she said, voice barely above a whisper.

Cheno exhaled. “You know they don’t matter.”

She shook her head. “They do. Not just to me—to everyone.”

Aeliana came from a noble bloodline, her family still powerful in the empire. Their relationship had been fragile in his past life, but he had trusted her.

[System Alert: Emotional Instability Detected. Caution Advised.]

“Are you saying you believe them?” Cheno asked, his voice calm but sharp.

Aeliana hesitated—then looked away. “I have to think about my future.”

The weight of those words settled in his chest like a stone. It was happening again. No matter how much stronger he became, some things didn’t change.

[System Alert: Betrayal Event Progressing.]

“I see,” Cheno said, stepping back. His voice didn’t waver. His heart did not break.

Because this time, he was ready for it.

Aeliana reached out, as if to say something more—but he was already gone, disappearing into the night.

He was ready to prove the people wrong who underestimated him.

Memories of the Past

Cheno lay awake in his dorm, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. He remembered the first time he had met Aeliana—back in his previous life, long before he had returned to the past.

She had been different then. Or maybe, he had just seen her differently.

He could still recall the days they spent training together, pushing each other to the limit, laughing under the artificial moonlight. She had been his greatest motivation; the one person who made him believe he wasn’t alone in a world that despised his fallen lineage.

And yet, in the end, she had turned her back on him.

This time, he had hoped for something different. But hope was for the weak.

[System Notification: Mental Resilience +5. Emotional Resistance Skill Acquired.]

Cheno sat up; his eyes cold. The system taught him lesson emotions were liabilities.

He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

The Next Day – A New Focus

Training resumed as usual, but Cheno wasn’t the same. His movements were sharper, his mind focused. The whispers no longer mattered. The betrayal no longer mattered.

All that mattered was getting stronger.

Xian Ren noticed it first. “You’re different.”

Cheno looked at him, unfazed. “I learned something important.”

Ren scoffed. “And what’s that?”

“That nothing holds me back anymore.”

As he stepped onto the combat platform for the next evaluation, Cheno felt it—the fire of revenge, ambition, and self-mastery burning within him.

He wasn’t here for love. He was here to rise.