Chapter 42 of 50 in the Under Deepspace arc
Characters across this arc
Main Character Xavier Zayne Tara Rafayel Caleb Jenna Josephine Radio Host Hunters Association President
Other chapters in this arc
Under Deepspace · Under Twilight · 04-03
Within Reach
Back home, the Main Character and Caleb get into an argument: he calls her out for always hiding the dangers of her job, even from him — the person who helped raise her alongside Grandma — despite them both being adults now. She replies that she doesn't want him to worry, and that she's grown up now, responsible for protecting herself, no longer needing anyone to shield her forever. They part on a heavy note; Caleb steps into the house first, reminding her to hide the blood on her sleeve before going in — this time he won't cover for her since she's 'grown up.' In the very next instant — a massive explosion rings out. Both Grandma and Caleb are inside the house when it happens. This is the most tragic turning-point chapter so far: continuing directly from the mysterious chase in 04-02, it transforms what seemed like an ordinary family argument into an irreversible moment of loss, laying the emotional foundation for the grief and investigation that runs through the rest of Chapter 04.