Beep... beep... beep...
On the third bridge, within the dim laboratory, several blinking red lights flickered in the darkness. Inside the sealed compartments of the lab stood several circular, glass-like transparent vessels.
"..."
"Why not just kill her outright?" The ice-blue figure set down the analysis report in her hand and looked up at Selene, whose expression remained indifferent.
"Do you think I'm like you—warlike and bloodthirsty without regard for necessity or value?"
Selene shot Esdeath a sidelong glance.
You're not bloodthirsty anymore. Your policies are even more 'bloodthirsty' than mine. Esdeath very much wanted to nod—but she did not dare.
Ignoring the increasingly cheeky little ice queen—she would beat her again sooner or later—Selene stood before the console. Her pale violet hair, shimmering with a galaxy-like glow, was loosely tied behind her head as she fell into thought.
"From a functional standpoint, killing her directly would be a waste. I can't serve as the fleet's 'power bank and healing pack' forever. She's perfectly suitable..."
Selene pointed toward the sealed compartment opposite the console. "Durable. Tough. Capable of absorbing and controlling nearly any form of energy in the universe... and at a sufficient magnitude. Perfect as a backup 'generator.'"
Hum...
Golden hair wrapped in radiant cosmic photon energy drifted gently without wind. The woman's complexion was pale, her eyes closed, her mind struggling faintly.
Within the circular glass vessel filled with pale violet nutrient fluid, bound in suspension, was none other than the origin of the codename "Avenger"—Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers.
Considering that Captain Marvel had once smashed through a Kree starship with her head and single-handedly annihilated an entire fleet, a woman like this left unrestrained was a disaster waiting to happen.
Naturally, she had received the respectful "treatment" reserved for the strong.
Her hands and feet were pierced and restrained by layers of black nanometal and bands of energy particles, suspending her upright in the fluid. Beneath the tight combat suit, her slender yet powerful waist and abdomen were pulled taut. Dense arrays of energy-extraction conduits pierced into meridians throughout her body.
Layer upon layer of shackles—each one a custom-made energy siphon pipeline, confinement chain, and stasis field.
"...A work of art." Selene curved her lips, stroking her smooth chin. A pleased glint flashed in her crimson serpentine eyes.
It looked miserable, but in truth she had not done much to Captain Marvel. She had merely maximized the use of her talents.
Captain Marvel could absorb and control any form of energy, channeling it into other abilities. Her photon energy could ignite explosive flashes of light from her fingertips, radiate outward in all directions, and be absorbed to enhance her physical capabilities.
Now, the 'cage' crafted from nano-soul steel before Selene was an integrated system of hypnosis, mental control, and energy shielding. At the same time, it extracted and absorbed the refined photon energy within Captain Marvel's body, transmitting it through specific frequencies to serve as the warship's power engine.
Perfect.
Most importantly, Selene had adjusted Captain Marvel's brainwaves, causing her bodily systems to continuously generate signals to absorb cosmic energy and convert it into 'quasi-nutrient elements' that enhanced her physiology.
What Selene did was extract those 'quasi-nutrient elements' from Captain Marvel's body, collect and analyze them, and attempt to dilute and blend them into the nutrient solutions required for the 117th Fleet's soldiers' transformation.
Seen this way, both a 'generator' and a 'blood pack manufacturer'—wasn't that a work of art?
Unfortunately, the output of the latter was not particularly high.
Compared to this, Chaos Magic and the Phoenix Force were far too uncontrollable.
As for why not rely on Heroic Spirits—please. Maintaining their manifestation already consumed energy. It was difficult enough for them to absorb Marvel Universe energy to release Noble Phantasms and mana bursts. To expend energy to create energy... 1 - 1 + 1 = 0, and that was not even accounting for losses. Why bother?
This was the problem a lone force without logistical support had to solve.
Selene could borrow the identity of the Beast Goddess Gorgon, divide her will into countless fragments, and project them outward with Master Chief John as an anchor. The mana maintaining manifestation was supplied by the cosmic energy emitted by the Gemstones.
Otherwise, John would have been drained dry long ago.
"How pitiful..."
Compared to Your Majesty's 'ingenious ideas,' my battlefield execution would be kinder. If this woman could choose, she would probably rather die by my hand. Esdeath gazed at Carol Danvers within the vessel and thought silently.
Selene soon withdrew her gaze, no longer dwelling on Captain Marvel. "Judging by the time... how is the Master Chief's condition?"
Bzzzt—
"Imminent awakening. Estimated fifteen minutes." Pale blue streams of digital light intertwined as Cortana appeared.
"Wow... this is really something..."
She looked at the prison woven by 'Gorgon' in astonishment. As expected of the Beast Goddess of myth, the Gorgon—ruthless indeed.
"Keep watch over her."
Leaving those words behind, Selene transferred control of the console to Cortana and departed the laboratory, heading toward the combat deck.
...
"Haa..."
Exhaling slowly, Scáthach supported her graceful yet athletic body and rose to her feet. The wounds on her limbs had already healed. Even her tight gauze-like combat attire had been restored by surging mana, immaculate as if the days-long battle had never occurred.
"The 'Limiter' is quite excellent."
Without replacing her veil, the Queen of the Land of Shadows revealed a breathtakingly beautiful face filled with sharpness and dignity.
Her skin glowed as if illuminated from within. Muscles and blood brimmed with pure internal mana—Od—that should be called cosmic energy. By presence alone, she could dominate the atmosphere.
Her planetary eyes shimmered faintly as she felt the surging power within her undergoing transformation.
After the EX Descender amplification from Selene, the Swirl of Honkai, this Heroic Spirit body once again allowed her to experience an unprecedented fullness.
When her battle against Captain Marvel—a foe at least on the level of a Beast—concluded, the intense focus brought by heightened emotion purified the power within her further. That vast, inexhaustible strength made every mana particle composing her body moan in pleasure.
With a single thought, the abyssal wisdom she had gained by surpassing humanity, slaying gods, and placing herself outside the world deepened once more. The laws of the world seemed to unfold before her eyes. With each breath, her body grew imperceptibly lighter.
It also made this body of hers more perfect—more complete.
"Root Empress..." The Queen of the Land of Shadows sighed. "The path of destruction and finality is far from its end."
The Honkai-rooted arcane technological tree of the Divine Empress...
The more one understood where her true strength lay—that endless ascent—the more it stirred unease and a weight upon the soul.
At first, Scáthach had been somewhat dissatisfied with Selene's indiscriminate habit of kicking chosen individuals off the Throne of Heroes without so much as a question and throwing them into a domain so distant that the very concept of 'far' lost meaning, using them as cosmic labor. Now, she was more than willing.
"Hahahaha... as expected of this king. What a pity Enkidu did not participate in this grand feast. I have a premonition—when this journey's consciousness returns to the Throne of Heroes and we meet again, Enkidu will have no room for negotiation."
The golden king pressed a hand over his once-disheveled bangs and laughed heartily. "Hey, Queen of the Celts. This time, the greatest fruit was yours to hunt. Next time, this king will not yield a single prey."
"If you can manage it."
Scáthach crossed her arms, her eyes blazing with surging battle intent and eager anticipation.
Just as the gathered Heroic Spirits on the deck were quietly summarizing their gains from the battle, a familiar light cough interrupted them.
"General Esdeath."
"And Gorgon... milady?"
For the lower-ranked Heroic Spirits, it was one thing. But for those like Scáthach and Gilgamesh, who knew certain things—and had once been beaten by 'Gorgon'—their expressions became rather colorful.
"Call me Medusa."
Selene clasped her hands together and rested them against her cheek, even her voice turning bright and lively. "By order of the Master Chief—you, you, and you... coordinate with the transport flotilla and proceed to Earth's recruitment stations. Bring back the mutants and outstanding ordinary soldiers who pass the examinations. The situation in the Earth sector is concluded."
"Yes."
Some Heroic Spirits moved at once. Others paused briefly before departing.
Gilgamesh seemed about to say something, but when he raised his head and met the serpent-deep gaze of 'Gorgon,' his hesitation dissipated.
Forget it. Better safe than sorry.
A wise king does not suffer immediate losses.
"Let's go wake the Master Chief. I'm rather curious—if Captain Marvel's photon energy is supplied as a special nutrient solution for him to continuously absorb, will he, whose energy discharge remains unshaped and blank, acquire some of her traits?"
"A pity the Tesseract isn't in hand for now..."
...
One day later.
The Imperial military's efficiency in carrying out orders was extremely high.
As troop carriers and transport ships once again descended en masse upon the recruitment stations and material distribution hubs, and the 'taxes' were handed over, the main fleet of the Divine Empress Order had already departed the Solar System—leaving behind only a handful of liaison officers, technical support personnel stationed on Earth, and a special rapid-response unit concealed within the lunar base.
The Divine Empress Order would not return until the next scheduled tax handover.
That day, Earth seemed noticeably more peaceful. The chaos that once roared without end had diminished considerably.
One of the primary sources of social unrest—adult mutants—had been removed in batches. Numerous street-fighting hero organizations were disbanded. National prison systems underwent sweeping purges. Former ticking time bombs—death row inmates and serious criminals—were conscripted into military service. Even various social organizations had grown more disciplined under the recent harsh crackdowns.
Government officials celebrated, adjusting their caps in satisfaction. This act of selling out the nation—cough—this friendly treaty had been signed correctly!
Some lamented that the Divine Empress Order did not accept child soldiers. Otherwise, underage mutants and habitual offenders from juvenile detention centers would have been sent along as well. After all, minors with mutant abilities were also a major source of campus conflict and social tension.
See? We may not solve contradictions, but we solve the people who create them. It's all the same—social stability is what matters.
Kamar-Taj.
A bright moon hung high in the sky.
"They've left."
The Ancient One withdrew her gaze from the moon, bright as a silver disc. The dark silhouette once cast by the 117th Strike Cruiser Fleet of the Divine Empress Order had vanished. She spoke to the bald man in the training grounds who stood in a horse stance, repeatedly tracing spark-like circular Sling Ring portals in the sand.
"Oh."
Saitama responded, relaxed his stance, and sat on the steps at the edge of the training field. He looked down at the brass Sling Ring worn between his index and middle fingers, and at the golden-red sparks he had conjured.
"Spatial gates... once I learn this, traveling will be much more convenient. No more worrying about using too much force and causing public property damage... hmm, and supermarket discount days—I won't be late anymore..."
He muttered to himself, then looked up at the moon. His drooping eyes remained devoid of enthusiasm, though something seemed to stir within.
"As the Divine Empress Order's stationed tax officer, the outer world's society will grant you various privileges. Why worry about living expenses? Hmm... reluctant to part with it?" The Ancient One teased.
"No, I was just thinking—since even I can learn it, maybe I'm not working hard enough. If I also master the method of teaching it... um, Senior Ancient One, if I pass this on to others, would that violate the sect's rules?"
"It would not. You are my student. Those you teach would count as my grand-disciples. Of course, the premise is that you assess their character and do not teach indiscriminately."
"That's great. To be honest, I'm technically a teacher too, but I don't think I've really taught my disciple much. On the contrary, he often takes care of me—especially when my wallet's empty... His name is Genos, a young hero with a strong sense of justice."
"A hero? Is he human?"
"He's human... well, does a cyborg count? I think Genos doesn't have any flesh left."
"..."
As the night deepened, a wind rose.
It was somewhat unfortunate that both were bald, leaving the night breeze nothing to toy with.
"Then I cannot give a definitive answer. Whether a robot—or half-robot—can learn it, I am quite curious as well." The Ancient One laughed openly and looked up at the sky.
The star-speckled night sky shimmered like jewels embedded in darkness.
And it was also a deadly deep sea.
It concealed bloodshed, cruelty, darkness, death... all the dreadful words woven together into perilous unknowns. You never knew what might burst forth in the next instant.
"No sooner do they withdraw than those in the inner dimensions begin testing again?"
Turning around, the Ancient One lightly dusted off her sleeves. Hum. A spiraling portal opened with a resonant sound. "Saitama, a mage is no different from a hero. Come—let us shoulder the responsibility that is ours." She stood sideways within the swirling gateway and looked at him.
"Okay."
Saitama rose and stomped the sand from his feet. He knew what 'responsibility' meant—the Ancient One had explained it to him before. Invasions from the inner dimensions, just like monsters.
"Even without a mission request, I'll protect this planet!"
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