"Mm..."
"Why did they all retreat?"
Inside the Master Control Zone, Asta had just finished organizing the evacuation and shelter procedures. She stood with the Astral Express crew, staring at the now empty compartment, completely bewildered.
Aside from some damage to the dome above and signs of chaotic fighting scattered around, there wasn't a single person left.
"This..."
"The invasion is over? Why...?..."
She was still dazed and about to order a damage assessment when—
[Alert—Alert!—]
[The Containment Zone has been breached!]
The Nameless Domain alarms began ringing one after another.
"That's Madam Herta's private storage room! Not good!"
"There are still intruders!!!"
Asta, Kiana, Himeko, and the others hurried deeper into the space station.
At the same time.
Click—
On the Astral Express outside, the rear carriage opened.
"Request received. Preparing combat support."
Seated within, the Sophon tapped lightly across the holographic screen.
Thousands of Angeloids spread their wings and leapt out from the rear of the train.
Back when the train had first departed, Setsuna had reminded the crew that two combat squads of Angeloids were stored aboard, reserved for emergencies.
Although Kiana had completely forgotten about it once the fighting started, the Sophon faithfully executed the order to protect the Astral Express crew.
Whoosh—
One thousand two hundred Angeloids, armed with a variety of weapons, surged out of the Astral Express, drawing astonished cries from the station's researchers.
"Angels!! Angels have come to save us!!"
Compared to the grotesque forms of the Antimatter Legion, the Angeloids' appearance was far more approachable.
Even if the weapons in their hands were several tiers more powerful than those of the Antimatter Legion.
Clack—clack—
In less than half a minute.
Kafka and Silver Wolf were still locked in confrontation with Phantylia.
Asta arrived with two teams from the Astral Express.
At the same time, the Angeloids encircled the entire compartment, forming layer upon layer of containment.
Click!
The high-energy weapons in the angels' hands all aimed at once.
Silver Wolf looked up. Around them, above them, even beneath the space station—armed Angeloids filled every direction.
"Huh? Why is it you?"
Kiana looked confused when she saw Phantylia. Asta nearly cried out in shock.
"A Lord Ravager!!!"
Herta Space Station was extremely sturdy. Ordinary Antimatter Legion forces couldn't do much to it.
As long as personnel were evacuated and the defensive systems activated, it would certainly hold.
But a Lord Ravager was another matter entirely. They existed on the same tier as Herta—an Emanator-level monster.
"Heh. You're fortunate. I have no intention of destroying this place."
Phantylia snorted.
"I merely wanted to see which clever individual thought of borrowing the Antimatter Legion's strength to carry out some petty little scheme."
Phantylia only wanted to show off a little. She didn't dare cause trouble under Herta and Grey's surveillance. But Silver Wolf had indeed been intimidated.
"..."
She and Kafka glanced at the Lord Ravager before them, then up at the Angeloids overhead.
"Is there something wrong with Elio's script?"
Even Kafka—who had never known what fear meant and always believed fate to be fixed like a script—couldn't help voicing a question from the depths of her soul.
"He said that at 21:47:59 system time today, Herta Space Station would descend into chaos due to a powerful electromagnetic pulse. I followed the plan."
"But he absolutely did not say we would encounter a Lord Ravager here, along with angels appearing out of nowhere, and then get chased down by the Nameless of the Astral Express."
Silver Wolf sighed.
After working with the Stellaron Hunters for so long, this was the first time she had encountered a situation where events did not follow the script.
"Ah. Outdated strategy guides can get you killed."
"Are you coming with me on your own, or would you prefer I drag you back?"
Phantylia raised a hand.
Lightning imbued with the power of Destruction surged before her.
Silver Wolf discreetly tapped on her holographic interface, attempting to use Aether Editing to teleport Phantylia away.
Shua—
A mosaic of data appeared before her eyes.
Centered on Phantylia, an enormous wave of Imaginary energy rippled through the space station. She did not move an inch.
"Little one, don't waste your effort. You're still lacking."
She pinched Silver Wolf's chin and examined her.
The power of Destruction bound the hacker girl in place, leaving her unable to move.
In a head-on clash, even a genius hacker was no match for a Lord Ravager.
"Relax. I have no intention of killing you. I don't enjoy being so direct. Someone simply asked me to bring you back."
As long as she wasn't stuck with the Starsea Empire's group of monsters who treated stars like beans to be tossed around, Phantylia felt absurdly powerful.
"Mm..."
Kafka surveyed the surroundings and smiled.
In a gentle voice, she spoke leisurely:
"Everyone, listen to me. Stand down. You didn't come here to be our enemies, did you?"
Shk—
In an instant, a strange mental interference invaded everyone's minds.
"Ah?"
Asta shook her head, her gaze turning hazy.
"Y-Yes... sorry..."
"We only came to investigate the situation. Since nothing unusual was found, I'll report back to Madam Herta later..."
Himeko and March 7th likewise lowered their weapons, momentarily dazed.
"?"
Kiana stared at Asta in confusion.
"What are you talking about? Aren't we here to find the mastermind who lured the Antimatter Legion into attacking the station?"
"?"
Seeing that Kiana was unaffected, Kafka looked slightly surprised.
She met Kiana's eyes and spoke softly once more:
"Listen to me, you—"
"Stop! Don't say anything yet! Can you properly explain yourself first?!"
The white-haired girl widened her eyes, gesturing righteously with her hands.
When Starsea Empire squads ventured out on expeditions, they always carried supplies and small devices.
Items that resisted mental interference were essential—to prevent teams from being controlled.
The Angeloids beside them simultaneously aimed at Kafka.
"Confirmed. Target is attempting mental interference."
"Warning. Cease this behavior immediately, or we will initiate attack."
Silver Wolf attempted to hack into the Angeloids' main control program. The Sophon casually swiped across the holographic interface, erasing all data.
A cool voice echoed by her ear:
"Don't overthink it. You can't do it. This is Synapse and Starsea Empire technology."
"!"
Silver Wolf trembled after being counter-hacked.
"..."
Seeing that her Spirit Whisper was ineffective, Kafka sighed.
"Now this is troublesome."
"This operation has strayed quite far from Elio's script."
Two against twelve hundred.
If they were just the usual riffraff from the Interastral Peace Corporation, she wouldn't have cared.
But the enemy consisted of one thousand two hundred battle angels immune to Spirit Whisper and hacking techniques.
Along with a Lord Ravager and two teams from the Astral Express.
"Herta Space Station is currently Starsea Empire territory. You deliberately guided the Antimatter Legion to attack an imperial space station and attempted theft. You are under arrest."
The Angeloids announced expressionlessly.
"Commander Grey wishes to see you. Additionally, please refrain from futile resistance. The Sakura Third Detachment Fleet is currently patrolling this star system."
Through the dome overhead, one could faintly see massive interstellar warships gleaming in the distant void.
They cruised slowly through space, patrolling the Starsea Empire's newly acquired domain.
"Mm..."
Silver Wolf realized she had fallen into a trap.
Bzzz—
Herta's projected avatar appeared.
The puppet girl looked at Kafka and Silver Wolf from afar.
"I know what you're after and what you intend to do."
"Mm... honestly, I think your plan is quite interesting. You could have applied to me directly."
"I approve of the proposal. However, I'll need to personally research her first."
"Oh?..."
Seeing the owner of Herta Space Station appear, Kafka lifted her head.
She didn't seem to mind their actions.
"Alright..."
"This is probably the most we've ever deviated from the script."
"Mm-hm."
A nanobot head also popped up on the holographic interface.
"Oh, and I forgot to tell you. Terminus—that spoiler-loving mutt—has been patched out. From now on, it's the era of the Starsea Empire."
"If you're willing to study a bit under Nous, you might even glimpse a tiny fragment of the future, perhaps?"
...
Clack—
The starship descended onto the Xianzhou.
Under the escort of the Angeloids and the white-haired girl, Kafka and Silver Wolf walked one after another, curiously observing their surroundings.
"You... are staying on the Xianzhou Luofu?"
"Temporarily. The Starsea Empire's forward base is in Pier Point. Miss Grey and Miss Herta are stationed here for now."
"Oh."
A hint of amusement lingered on Kafka's face.
She, Silver Wolf, and the other Stellaron Hunters followed the Aeon of Finality.
Like a ghost wandering between the stars, They murmured prophecies destined to come true.
The founder and leader of the Stellaron Hunters—Elio, the Destiny's Slave—possessed the ability to foresee the future.
He arranged script after script, carrying out his plans without a single deviation.
Yet after encountering the Starsea Empire, Elio's script had shattered into pieces.
They had never considered one question:
This empire from another world had stirred the entire cosmos, crushed the Interastral Peace Corporation, and brought Herta Space Station under its banner.
Elio's script was still a strategy guide from the previous version.
Methodically cutting off communications, assaulting the station, planting the Stellaron... only to slam headfirst into a Lord Ravager and twelve hundred Angeloids.
"What do we do now?"
Silver Wolf asked in a low voice, visibly nervous.
"It's fine. Let's see how they intend to change fate."
Kafka still wore her faint smile, calmly observing everything around her.
"Here. I've brought them to you."
Entering the Delve, Phantylia pointed behind her at the two of them.
Signaling that she had neither caused trouble nor done anything extra.
"Ah, you came back just like that."
Herta seemed somewhat disappointed and let out a sigh.
"Did you try contacting the Aeon of Destruction?"
"No!"
Phantylia jolted.
In truth, she had attempted to communicate with Nanook—but received no response.
"?"
"What a pity. I was hoping that by doing something contrary to the Path of Destruction, something interesting would happen."
"For example, the Aeon of Destruction revoking the power granted to you, or simply teaching you a lesson. That would have given us more material to study."
Herta spread her hands, looking regretful.
"Hey!!!"
Phantylia realized she had once again been treated like a lab rat.
"No wonder you agreed so readily back then. You were calculating against me all along?!"
"Mm-hm. You don't actually think you have civil rights, do you? Friendly reminder—you're still a prisoner of war."
Grey opened the force field of the holding chamber and pointed inside.
"In you go. We've upgraded you to a larger room."
"Tch."
Phantylia obediently complied.
Transforming into a mass of flames, she drifted into the transparent force field.
"When will you let me out?"
She had found that going out to show off felt rather nice—just that the time had been too short.
"I'll say it again. When you gain your freedom depends on the Commander's decision."
Grey tapped the table lightly.
"If I have to add a condition... it'll probably be when Destruction is no longer Destruction."
"Huh?"
Phantylia didn't understand.
Kafka, Silver Wolf, and Asta watched in stunned silence.
A dignified Lord Ravager, here in the Starsea Empire, was like a pet dog.
Told to enter the cage—she didn't dare object at all.
Even when bargaining, she had to be cautious. None of the oppressive presence she displayed at Herta Space Station remained.
"You... can command a Lord Ravager?"
Silver Wolf discovered another terrifying fact.
"Destruction and death are indeed frightening. But there are many things in this world even more frightening."
"A Lord Ravager who seeks power and an immortal body abandoning a weak Nanook to follow someone stronger—isn't that only natural?"
Grey smiled and clapped her hands.
She gestured for the two of them to sit, having the Angeloids serve tea and refreshments.
"So? This scene probably wasn't in your script, was it?"
"What... do you want?"
Kafka asked.
"Just to do something interesting."
Grey and Herta stared at her.
"I know what you intend to do. Elio handed you the Stellaron's vessel and told you to proceed according to the future he foresaw."
"As long as you follow his script, you and the vessel will change one another and become each other's destiny, correct?"
"Mm... in the long view of time, the Stellaron Hunters also have grander goals—such as opposing the Aeon of Destruction. It's just that the ending Elio foresaw wasn't very ideal."
"He hopes to seek a slim chance of survival among countless bad endings by borrowing the power of the Astral Express. You are the executors of his script."
"!"
Kafka fell silent for a long while, then looked at them meaningfully.
"... It seems you possess quite a bit of information."
To know the Stellaron Hunters' philosophy and internal intelligence—her opponent's intelligence network was unimaginably powerful.
Kafka did not know how the Starsea Empire had learned all this, but the moment they appeared, they disrupted the Stellaron Hunters' entire plan. This civilization from another world was anything but simple.
"Not long ago, Nous also performed a projection of the universe's future. After incorporating the Starsea Empire variable, They derived three new critical moments."
"And yet you're still acting according to the original plan. Not very smart."
Herta remarked mercilessly.
Both foresaw the future. Although Nous' calculations were vague and lacked detail, they were still far better than an outdated strategy guide.
"... Comparing us to that thing is quite the honor."
"But why didn't Elio notice the change in the future? Was he interfered with?"
Silver Wolf muttered.
If a cosmic-scale change had already occurred, they shouldn't have continued executing this mission.
Perhaps there were other considerations—or perhaps something had happened that she did not yet know.
"Then what kind of future have you seen?"
Kafka propped up her cheek, asking with interest.
"Since you have the ability to shatter the script, have you also glimpsed another future?"
"We don't need to foresee the future."
Grey shrugged casually.
"If Elio is a slave to fate, then we are the masters of fate. Rounding it off, I'd suggest he come work as a slave for the Starsea Empire."
"What?!"
Silver Wolf felt as though the Stellaron Hunters' leader had just suffered a devastating personal attack.
Shua—
Grey reached out and caught a small bird in her hand.
"Can you see its future? Will it live or die?"
"...?"
Silver Wolf and Kafka froze.
Speculation was meaningless. Its life or death depended solely on the other party's whim.
"You mean..."
"The future of this universe has nothing to do with Terminus, Nous, Nanook, or any other random figure. They can predict—but they cannot interfere."
"The Commander and the Starsea Empire decide what the future looks like. And whatever we decide—it will become reality."
...
"..."
Kafka pondered Grey's words for a long time.
Absolute confidence. Absolute certainty. The other party was declaring mastery over the fate of the universe—a presence she had never witnessed before.
Many claimed they could foresee the future. Very few dared claim they could control it.
"The Commander—is he your leader? Who is he?"
"You'll meet him eventually. I suppose the Commander would rather like you."
Grey tilted her head thoughtfully.
Kafka's perfectly mature figure, ready to overflow, paired with subtly constricting stockings and high-heeled boots of varying lengths—her beauty tinged with both allure and danger.
Based on Grey's understanding of Setsuna, it practically danced on his preferences.
"Oh? I'm starting to look forward to meeting him."
Kafka smiled playfully.
"Let's handle business first."
The nanobot clapped her hands.
"Even if your outdated script is foolish, I do agree with creating a Stellaron vessel. It's an important research sample. And incidentally, we'll get to bring back another beautiful girl. Mm."
"Bring in the equipment!"