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Eat recalls that day from long ago. With his crimson cape fluttering, he crossed the void of space and headed straight toward the gathering of armed Olfins.
A lower-ranked Olfin shouted first:
“It’s Eat! The Red Rooster is coming!”
The Olfins raised their weapons, glaring at the approaching Eat. It was clear they didn’t get along.
Eat walked toward the largest Olfin among them. He was the general of the Olfin ranks.
Eat: “I’ve come to see Polun. Let me meet Polun.”
General: “You insolent wretch! How dare you speak the name of the Olfin Supreme Commander so lightly! How many times must I tell you to watch your tongue?”
The Eat standing before the general looked completely different from now. Tall and sharp, though still smaller than the massive general—Eat was nonetheless larger than most ordinary Olfins.
Eat: “I’m busy, so step aside. Otherwise… you…”
General: “You dare threaten me? Otherwise, what? Fine, then! I’ll teach you a lesson for your arrogance today!”
In an instant, all the armed Olfins surrounded Eat. Silence thickened with the tension of impending battle.
Meanwhile, far off, Polun—the Golden Owl—watched with worried eyes, sipping his drink through a straw.
Polun: “Ah… this won’t do… hmm…”
At the general’s order, the Olfins charged at Eat. Polun simply looked on, calmly finishing his drink. Slurp, slurp—the sound of sucking the last drops through the straw.
In the dark void of space, the general’s black cape drifted. As it shifted, Eat’s clenched fist came into view.
Around him, countless Olfins floated unconscious in space. The general’s eyes lost their last glimmer, and he too fell senseless.
Polun: “Hey! What was that—one hit?! I told you not to mess with the Red Rooster! Why won’t anyone listen?!”
Eat flew toward Polun, waving at him as if to ask a favor.
Polun: “What now? Waving like you want praise? Has he lost his mind?”
Eat: “Polun, I’m desperate. This time I really found the cure. Just give me a little more time! I’ll fix everything. Please, Polun.”
Polun: “Sigh…” [troubled]
Eat: “It’s true, Polun! I’ll show you proof right away. Just hold off the judgment. Please, Polun, okay?”
Polun: “Ugh… Eat.”
Eat: “Yes, Polun…”
Polun: “I’ve already given you plenty of time.”
Eat: “What? Polun! Wait—”
Polun: “I’m sorry. It’s no longer within my authority.”
Polun created a shining doorway and stepped inside. Eat rushed forward, desperate to change his mind—
Thud!
He slammed into an invisible wall.
Eat: “Ugh… what is this? Polun! Polun! Don’t go! Listen to me!”
Polun: “I’m sorry. You had enough time… It’s truly beyond me now.”
Polun vanished before Eat’s eyes. No matter how loudly he shouted, Polun never looked back. Eventually, Eat calmed his hurt feelings and turned away.
But then again—
Thud!
Eat: “Argh…”
Not only behind him, but on every side, Eat was blocked. The invisible force was mysterious, impervious even to his great strength.
As he struggled to break through, he suddenly began to shrink. Each time he punched, his hands drew closer to his body. Looking down, he saw his hands, his feet—his whole body—growing smaller.
He screamed, calling for Polun.
“Hey!! Polun!! Polun!”
[…These were Eat’s memories of the past.]
As he relived that torment, Eat suddenly came to his senses—only to find the Olfin Supreme Commander, the Golden Owl Polun, holding his hand tightly.
Polun: “Eat, how have you been?”
Eat: “…You…”
Polun: “Yes, Eat. Say whatever you want. I’m listening.” [with an extremely gentle gaze]
Eat: “…You…”
Polun: “Hm?”
Eat: “You’re the one who did this to me. You dared to make me like this?”
At once, Eat grabbed Polun by the collar and shook him. Polun’s owl head wobbled, but he wasn’t surprised. He had expected this.
Eat: “Look at me! You made me like this!”
Polun: “No, that’s not true.”
Eat: “What?!”
Polun: “I don’t have the power to do this to you. Which means—I wasn’t the one who did it.”
Eat: “What?! Change me back!”
Polun: “I don’t have the power to change you back either. Which means it truly wasn’t me.”
Nearby, Polun’s subordinates, Rotor and Pad, whispered to each other as they watched.
Pad: “Seeing this… it’s true, Lord Eat really is a legend.”
Rotor: “Right?! I think so too!”
Pad: “I’ve never seen the Supreme Commander so flustered~”
Rotor: “Unbelievable! I think so too!”
Pad: “Lord Eat truly is a legend.”
Rotor: “Amazing, amazing~”
…Beneath the beautiful, radiant moonlight, the Olfins gathered that night—grabbing each other by the collar.

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