Abzu observed it.
Its sensory dimension had been confined to the area from near-Earth orbit to the Lunar Lagrangian Point.
The energy level emitted by the White Cells, the attack vectors contained within, and the deadly silent Authority imbued in the attack were all decomposed into massive amounts of precise data the moment it connected to the battlefield, flowing into the calculation core of its underlying combat protocol.
Then, according to the protocol, its tentacles moved.
Thousands upon thousands of purple-black energy tentacle tips, winding over its asteroid body, lit up simultaneously.
This time, it wasn't the "tentative condensation" used to crush Shu before.
Out of respect for "Shu's" declaration, Abzu would no longer hold back.
Going all out.
It was the highest courtesy to a civilization.
In the next instant.
Seventeen thousand torrents of purple-black destruction erupted in deep space.
The scene was as if the sea of stars had been torn open with countless bleeding wounds, or as if seventeen thousand dim suns had erupted with terminal prominences in the same second.
The energy level of each torrent was sufficient to completely annihilate the Earth behind "Shu."
And the energy density of the torrent cluster formed by their convergence could no longer be measured in conventional units—it was a mighty force capable of vaporizing the entire Kuiper Belt and branding a new sea of meteorites in the entire galaxy.
In comparison, the pale trajectories of the three hundred and sixty-five "White Cell" beams humanity took pride in appeared so... sparse against the backdrop of these seventeen thousand purple-black torrents.
Like a few slender straws sticking out from the edge of a cliff, trying to hold up an entire collapsing mountain range.
The annihilation should have been completed the moment of contact.
But in Abzu's sensory network, several unexpected abnormal data reports popped up.
Destructive energy cancellation rate at the contact interface exceeded theoretical threshold.
Abnormal energy field... not dissipating, presenting an unexpected stable state.
Coordinates 0.3 light-seconds inside lunar orbit... Why is there a continuous energy conversion phenomenon?
Its aimless "attention," which was merely performing routine calculations, finally focused slightly.
At the contact surface where its overwhelming purple-black torrents met the three hundred and sixty-five pale beams, the expected outcome did not occur.
In Abzu's budget, the attack formed by the White Cells would be instantly pierced by its counterattack, and the ending should have been Shu and Earth being swallowed together by the torrent of destruction.
But now, what replaced this "predetermined ending" was a vortex.
A tiny pale vortex that refused to disperse under the continuous scouring of the purple-black torrent of destruction.
It floated quietly in the center of the battlefield, like a stubborn rock deep in a rapid current, rotating slowly but firmly.
Its aura—
Abzu's database completed the comparison and confirmation within a thousandth of a nanosecond.
That wound.
This vortex was that... Authority... that overflowed when this tiny intelligent entity dueled with another self near the planet's pole.
It is Authority...
The comprehension lasted for a full 1.7 seconds.
Abzu's logical calculation entered a higher-priority thread.
Its tentacles did not stop energy output—that was meaningless; it just wanted to understand this phenomenon.
Then, Abzu understood.
It had fed this pale fire that should have dissipated with its own attack.
A quite effective tactic.
When facing the crushing force of absolute power, the tiny civilization did not choose to meet force with force and seek death, but utilized the massive energy contained in the enemy's attack, converting it into "fuel" to maintain their only effective weapon.
This was not easy.
That vortex was unstable. It could be said that if the point where its attack contacted those pale beams shifted even a tiny bit, it would cause the vortex to go out of control prematurely.
Instead of leaving such a "stable" vortex there like now, continuously swallowing its power.
—This is "struggle."
Just as that dissipating intelligent entity had declared just now.
So, the question now is...
What impact will this "pseudo-stable" pale vortex ultimately have on the battle situation?
Abzu continued to calculate.
If current energy output is maintained.
Then this vortex will continue to remain stable, continuously consuming the main body's attack energy, and providing strategic buffer for the enemy.
And the time increment the enemy can gain under this buffer...
Uncertain.
That depends on the existence duration of the holder or maintainer of these special Authorities.
As for damage prediction to the main body...
None.
Current energy output level is far below the main body's total reserves, completely capable of indefinite maintenance.
Then what if it interrupts energy output?
That pale vortex will enter an unstable state within 0.02 seconds.
And the unstable vortex will chain-disorder everything around it, disintegrating a spherical space with a range of approximately 0.5 light-seconds inside the lunar orbit. All existences within this range will suffer direct impact from White Cell rules.
Including the tips of the main body's tentacles, parts of the main body's energy projectiles...
As well as "Shu's" body, the White Cell array platforms, and near-Earth orbit facilities.
The main body will suffer local tentacle damage, and parts of the outer structure will show rule erosion that can be discarded to escape. Estimated recovery cycle...
Approximately three thousand seven hundred standard stellar silence cycles.
What about "Shu"?
Abzu suddenly made a superfluous calculation.
"Shu" will die.
Before his body is completely vitrified, "Shu" will be killed by the attack launched by his own civilization.
And Earth will trigger a series of natural disasters due to its magnetic field power being largely converted by the White Cells, destroying its biosphere, but basically maintaining the planetary structure.
Subsequently, it can continue to execute "field synchronization."
...So, this will merely cause a wound of the same grade as the previous one.
Abzu's body, solidified from the ancient universe itself, made no further superfluous movements.
It simply calmly "gazed" at that pale vortex, and the tiny figure behind the vortex who seemed to have accomplished his goal, floating in the void with that dim scepter.
It recalled that conversation just now.
["If we also want to struggle... would you hate us for it?"]
["I will congratulate you.
Welcome to 'tomorrow'."]
Struggle...
It understood the meaning of "struggle."
Under the premise of clearly knowing the power gap, clearly knowing the probability of the outcome, and clearly knowing that one's actions have little impact on the final ending, still choosing to execute all executable tactical plans that conform to one's own "rules."
No fantasies about miracles.
Simply—doing everything that can be done.
Even if these things ultimately only exchange for a "drop in the bucket" confirmation from the opponent and a formulaic congratulation.
But this is their "rule."
Just like Abzu's own rule: eliminate anomalies that can harm oneself, continue one's existence.
It will still execute elimination.
Not because it hates them.
But because it must.
And they...
Also must struggle.