"You... you... how... how... how did you do that?"
Erika stared wide-eyed as she watched the Goku perform a simple gesture—and, seemingly out of thin air, conjure a glass of ice-cold Sprite for her. She was left utterly dumbfounded on the spot.
"It's magic! Don't you guys have magic here?"
The Goku handed the glass of ice-cold Sprite to Erika.
Through his conversation with Erika, he had gained a rough understanding of this world's history and general progression, as well as the current situation aboard the Lighthouse.
However, the details she provided were not specific enough to cover every nuance.
Consequently, he remained unsure whether this world possessed any forms of power or ability distinct from—or in addition to—technological advancements. Erica took the cup and took a sip; to her astonishment, it really was Sprite.
She was utterly stunned.
"What is magic?"
As a child born in the post-apocalyptic era—and gifted with extraordinary talent—Erica had been selected to join the "Wilderness Hunters" while still a minor.
Naturally, she had never had the opportunity to witness the "magical girls" of the old world, nor did she possess any concept of what magic entailed.
Moreover, given the current technological capabilities of the Lighthouse—their airborne city—it was simply impossible to conjure a beverage out of thin air the way Goku had just done.
Especially since Goku had achieved this feat through his own power, rather than relying on any advanced technological equipment.
In her eyes, it appeared nothing short of a miracle.
"Magic is... well, magic!"
Goku tilted his head; he, too, was at a loss as to how to explain the concept of magic to someone who had never witnessed it before.
"Goku, what other magic can you do? Can you conjure food?"
Erica gazed at Goku, her face brimming with anticipation.
If Goku possessed the ability to conjure food, wouldn't that mean the Lighthouse—and all its inhabitants—would never have to suffer from food shortages again?
Goku shook his head:
"I can't conjure food out of thin air, but I can transform one type of food into another."
Erica fished a compressed biscuit out of her pocket, tore open the wrapper, and handed it to Goku:
"Can you turn this into the steak we had at the restaurant earlier?"
"Flavordimension!"
Goku pointed his finger, and—sure enough—the compressed biscuit transformed into a steak, looking absolutely identical to the one served at the restaurant just moments ago.
She took a big bite—Awoo!—and the taste, too, was exactly the same.
"Although it's turned into a steak, once you swallow it and it reaches your stomach, it will revert back into a compressed biscuit," Goku explained casually.
"That's absolutely incredible! It's amazing!"
Erica devoured the steak in a flash, her eyes sparKrilling with wonder as she gazed at Goku.
She felt that, in stark contrast to the members of the "Church of Light"—figures like Charles and the Harbingers—who merely spouted empty rhetoric and failed to demonstrate any genuine miracles or supernatural powers...
Someone like Goku, who possessed such extraordinary abilities, seemed far more like a true messenger of the gods.
"I'm going to tell Captain Mark about your situation, Goku! Your very existence is bound to vastly improve life on the Lighthouse!"
Filled with excitement, Erica rushed out of Goku's room.
Food on the Lighthouse was scarce; most of the time, the "Dust People" had nothing but insect cakes to sustain themselves.
If Goku could transform those insect cakes into a variety of delicious delicacies, it would undoubtedly elevate the living standards of the Dust People.
Although she belonged to the "Upper Class," Erica—much like Captain Mark and the others—felt a deep sense of pity for the plight of the Dust People.
"What a truly wretched world this is!"
Gazing out the window at the vast, pitch-black expanse of the earth below, Goku couldn't help but sigh.
He wasn't the sentimental type, nor was he prone to brooding; yet, after listening to Erica recount the history of this world and the current state of the Lighthouse, he felt a genuine stirring in his heart.
Human survival in this world was simply too arduous.
Although Erica had painted a glowing picture of life on the Lighthouse, having traversed so many different worlds, Goku still felt—deep down—that the Lighthouse was far from being a truly wonderful place.
He didn't grasp the complex philosophical arguments.
Nor did he fully comprehend concepts like "Reproduction Quotas" and the like.
However—the suppression of human emotion, the abandonment of traditional family bonds from the old era, and the rigid segregation of "Upper Class" and "Dust People" based solely on genetic superiority...
All of these things struck him as fundamentally wrong—things he simply could not like.
And so, he resolved to lend a helping hand to the humans of this world—just as he had aided countless others in need during his own journey of cultivation and training.
To train diligently, to grow ever stronger, and to challenge the mightiest beings in existence—these were the things he loved most in life.
And along the way, to casually offer aid to those in distress—perhaps even saving an entire world while he was at it—was something that brought him genuine joy.
As for how to help?
That was simple enough.
All he had to do was exterminate every single "Phage Beast" in this world, thereby allowing the humans of the Lighthouse to return to the surface once more.
Thump.
It just so happened that this plan aligned perfectly with his own upcoming training regimen.
"Get some good sleep; the training begins tomorrow!"
Just as Goku was preparing to turn in for the night, Erica burst into his room, dragging Captain Mark and Bai Bing along with her.
"Captain, Ran Bing—I really wasn't lying to you! Goku..."
"He really can conjure drinks out of thin air, and even transform a compressed biscuit..."
"...into a steak!"
"Erica, have you been watching films from the Old World? Those are strictly forbidden by the Lighthouse's regulations."
Mark spoke with a hint of exasperation.
The things Erica was describing were simply impossible; he didn't believe a word of it.
Goku's body had mutated, granting him immense strength—he could even catch bullets with his bare hands. While such feats were certainly startling, they weren't entirely beyond the realm of acceptance.
After all, if the Phage Beasts could mutate and evolve, there was no logical reason why humans couldn't do the same.
Within the Lighthouse's established framework of knowledge, these phenomena could all be explained through science.
But talking about "magic"—conjuring water out of thin air, or turning a compressed biscuit into a steak—that was just pure nonsense.
It lacked even the slightest shred of scientific basis.
"Goku, I want a Coke! Get me a glass of ice-cold Coke!"
Seeing that neither Mark nor Ran Bing believed her, Erica hurriedly grabbed a cup from the table and held it out toward Goku.
Goku unleashed his "magic" once again, and moments later, the cup was filled with ice-cold Coke.
Erica then fished a compressed biscuit out of Ran Bing's pocket; Goku gave a wave of his hand, instantly transforming it into a steak.
"This... this is nothing short of a miracle!"
Mark and Ran Bing's jaws nearly hit the floor.
"It looks like I'll need to have another private word with the City Lord first thing tomorrow morning."
Once he had recovered from the shock, Mark immediately realized the immense value that Goku represented.
However, it was already quite late, and the City Lord was surely asleep by now; Mark decided he would wait until the next morning to report Goku's situation to him.
Just at that moment, Ran Bing's communicator suddenly rang out. Pressing the answer button, a mechanical and
cold notification issued from the communicator:
"Marauder Ran Bing, this is the Battle Damage Resupply Department.
Due to the death in action of Warrior Penny, Breeding
Mission No. 21449—originally assigned to her—is now reassigned to you for completion.
Report!"
Please proceed to the Dawn Hall at 9:00 PM tonight, on the dot, to report in.
"What?!"
Mark, Ran Bing, and Erica's pupils constricted simultaneously.
After a brief moment of silence, Ran Bing—looking utterly distraught—replied:
"Marauder Ran Bing... acknowledged..."
Breeding missions were mandatory assignments that the Lighthouse could not refuse; refusal meant execution.
Mark clenched his fists tightly, veins throbbing visibly on his forehead. He wanted to speak, but then he remembered his older sister—burned to death at the stake for falling in love with his own deputy.
In the end, he fell silent once more.
Erica glanced at Mark, then at Ran Bing; she parted her lips, unsure of what to say.
They were all members of the same squad; how could she possibly fail to see the feelings that existed between Mark and Ran Bing?
Yet, those very feelings were precisely what the Lighthouse forbade from existing.
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