ZERO ONE: ONE HOPE!

"Welcome to... the Unbeatable Sky Conqueror Hariel's Zero Chaser Team, hahahaha!" Hariel exclaimed, striking a victorious pose on a wooden crate.

Niki could only facepalm slowly, trying to hide the faint smile that was beginning to appear on his lips.

"The team name... is a bit too long and excessive, don't you think?" he said, with his characteristic skeptical tone, though now there was a hint of amusement in it. "And you're so sure we're unbeatable since we just formed?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Hariel answered, his spirit overflowing. "With a member like me, a genius scientist like you, and a legendary guide like Lumi, we're bound to be unbeatable!"

Lumi floated gracefully between them, the soft golden light from her tiny body now glowing brighter, as if sharing the excitement.

"So, what's our grand plan now, O Captain Sky Conqueror, who just recruited a fugitive scientist?" she asked, her tone flat but with a simple note of curiosity.

"We need a Sky Ark!" Hariel answered. He pointed at Niki as if he had just found the most brilliant solution in the world. "And to build it, we need... lots and lots of cool and strong stuff!"

A spark of technical ideas lit up Niki's ice-blue eyes. The weight of despair on his shoulders began to lift, replaced by the passion of an inventor who had found a new challenge.

"I know a place," he said, his voice steadier. "Junkyard Junction. Don't underestimate it. There are many rare components hidden among the heaps of scrap, if you know where to look."

His face grew thoughtful again. "However, to build something as complex as a Sky Ark, we need more skilled hands. Specialized skills in carpentry and mechanics. Just the three of us... it would be an incredibly hard job."

Hariel, who had also been thinking, suddenly slapped his forehead hard. "Oh, man! You're so right, Niki! Skilled hands!" His eyes immediately lit up. "I just remembered! I have a crew! Those silly former members of the Doomsday Fang Gang, they're actually amazing carpenters and mechanics! We have to find them right now!"

Niki raised an eyebrow. "Former gang members? You really have a unique talent for recruiting people with the most unexpected backgrounds, Hariel."

"Of course! Recruiting great people is a skill too!" Hariel laughed proudly. "Well, your idea of finding skilled hands is genius, Niki. And I've already found them! Let's go!"

The three of them left the ravaged workshop and once again navigated the narrow alleys of Junkyard Junction. The smell of used oil and factory smoke permeated the air. Mountains of scrap metal loomed like a forgotten mechanical civilization. Among the piles of junk, people with oil-streaked faces scavenged for hidden treasures.

"Looking at it up close, this place... is truly amazing... like a paradise for scavengers!" Hariel said in awe.

"You mean unbelievably filthy and smelly, Kid?" Lumi quipped from inside the pendant.

Suddenly, a familiar, annoyed voice called out to him. "Hey, Fire Boy! We thought you'd either left Gizmograd or been swallowed by a giant gear!"

In front of a shabby canvas tent, Bolt, Grease, Pipe, Wrench, and Hammer stood with sour faces.

"Bolt! All of you!" Hariel exclaimed happily. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We were looking all over for you, you know!" Bolt answered curtly, folding his arms across his chest. "You just vanished after that explosion. We thought something had happened to you!"

"Oh, yeah, hehe, sorry about that," Hariel said, scratching his head. "I had some super exciting, urgent business!" He quickly introduced Niki. "This is Niki Stella, everyone! He's a super-genius, slightly mad scientist who's going to help us build the greatest Sky Ark in the world!"

The group of ex-bandits eyed Niki up and down suspiciously. "A mad scientist, you say, Captain?" Grease asked doubtfully.

"So... what now?" Hariel asked, unstoppable. "Ready to help us make this crazy dream come true? To build a Sky Ark?"

The group looked at each other for a long moment. They were still annoyed, but the idea of building a Sky Ark and adventuring around the world excited them. After a brief discussion of nods, Bolt looked at Hariel with new resolve.

"Alright, Captain. We'll help you and this Scientist Friend of yours."

After the surprising reunion in the middle of Junkyard Junction, the seven of them—Hariel the captain, Niki the scientist, and their crew of artisans—immediately gathered around a large metal plate.

"Alright, Unbeatable Sky Conqueror Hariel's Zero Chaser Team! Our first dream: to build the greatest Sky Ark that has ever existed!" Hariel declared, spreading his arms wide.

Niki sighed, a knowing smile on his lips. "Hold your wild imagination for a moment, Captain. Look around us."

He pointed to the towering heaps of scrap. "We can't build a flying palace out of this stuff."

"So?" Hariel asked, his enthusiasm deflating slightly.

"What we can build now," Niki said, beginning to draw a rough sketch on the metal plate with a piece of charcoal, "is the most viable form we can manage. A basic frame. Fast, functional, and... strong enough to get us out of here."

He looked at Hariel and the others. "It won't be big, just enough for the seven of us and some cargo. Think of it as a foundation. Our first prototype. Let's call it... 'The Rusty Bucket Mark I'."

Bolt nodded in agreement, his sharp eyes studying Niki's sketch. "The scientist has a point, Captain. We start small and sturdy. Something we can rely on."

Hariel looked at the simple yet functional sketch, then at the faces of his new friends. Niki's idea made sense.

"Great idea!" he exclaimed, his spirit blazing anew. "So, we'll have a Sky Ark that can continuously evolve and be improved on our journey! That's way cooler! Let's get started!"

Niki smiled with satisfaction. "Alright. For the main body, we can use the scrap metal frames over here," he said, pointing to a large pile nearby. "For the wings, maybe some reinforced canvas could be a temporary solution."

"And for the propulsion engine..." Niki paused, his expression turning serious.

"We have a fundamental problem," he said quietly. "The power source."

"There isn't a single engine in all of Junkyard Junction powerful enough to lift a frame this size off the ground."

Their soaring spirits seemed to dim slightly.

Just then, Hariel felt a gentle vibration from the pendant on his chest. A brief whisper echoed in his mind.

Primordial Energy.

With his eyes suddenly sparkling, Hariel blurted out, "What if we use... Primordial Energy?"

Niki immediately lifted his head in shock, his eyes wide. "Primordial Energy?! Where... did you hear that term?!" he asked in disbelief. It was a term from extremely rare, ancient texts.

"What kind of energy? A new brand of super glue?" Pipe asked innocently.

Hariel just grinned and tapped the pendant on his chest. "I have a great guide," he said simply. "And she says, she can show us the way to a place where we can find it."

Niki stared at Hariel, then at the pendant on the boy's chest. A flash of the legend of the Luminaria Clan crossed his mind again. A thin smile finally formed on Niki's face.

"Alright then," he said with new resolve. "In that case, let's finish the basic frame of this Sky Ark. After that... we'll go hunting for Primordial Energy."

With burning enthusiasm, they got to work.

The sound of Bolt's hammer striking metal created a steady rhythm of work. The hiss of Wrench's welding torch joined parts of the frame with precision. Grease and Pipe moved quickly, adjusting used gears and taking measurements. Meanwhile Hammer, with his great strength, lifted heavy beams as if they were toys.

Niki ran back and forth, giving technical instructions from his complex sketch. And Hariel... he became the unceasing source of spirit, occasionally helping to lift things, but mostly cheering and making sure no one lost motivation.

They worked tirelessly, turning a pile of junk into the foundation of a dream.

The Gizmograd sun began to set, painting the sky in gradients of orange and purple. Before them, the pile of materials had now begun to take the shape of a sturdy and promising main frame.

"This... this is a truly amazing start!" Hariel said, his face beaming with pride. "I can already picture it, Niki! We... we're really going to build our own Sky Ark!"

Niki nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead. A sincere, satisfied smile was clearly visible on his face.

"This is just a very small first step, Hariel. The journey is still incredibly long," he said. "But yes... with teamwork... we're going to make it."

Their fatigue seemed to be paid off in full by the glimmer of hope that now stood real before them. They all smiled, looking at the result of their first hard work as a team.

However, unbeknownst to them, high above...

From behind the peak of the tallest heap of junk, several dark shadows watched their every move.

A small glint of light reflected off a pair of binoculars.

A cold, muffled voice was heard from a communicator.

"Target confirmed. The entire team is on location."

A moment of silence. Then another voice, hoarse and full of authority, replied.

"Destroy them all."

"Begin the attack... now."