Honkai Dimension — Imperial Capital.
Stargate No. 11192, Spaceport.
With that so-called fortuitous "accidental" cruise finally concluded, the 117th Strike Cruiser Fleet of the Demon Inquisitor Chapter under the Imperial Inquisition at last returned to the nation of Honkai.
When the silver-plated shuttle bearing the 117 insignia descended, among the welcoming party, Dr. Catherine Halsey, Senior Director of the Imperial Science Bureau, finally let out a long breath.
Even she could not describe what she had felt when she learned that John-117's fleet had completely lost contact and that the Empire's Phase-Two emergency rescue protocol had yielded no news whatsoever.
"Phew..."
As the airflow swept across her face from over a hundred meters away, her lab coat and the identification badge on her chest fluttered noisily—flap, flap. Dr. Halsey smiled as though she had survived a calamity. "John, even here, your experiences are still so tumultuous."
At present, with Empress Selene's objective achieved, the mission carried out by Master Chief John had been partially declassified.
As the guardian of all former UNSC Spartan soldiers who had now become Imperial military commanders, Dr. Halsey already knew just how generous the commendations to be bestowed upon the 117th Fleet would be.
Although the specific details of the mission remained undisclosed, the announcement of rewards had already been semi-public.
The 117th Fleet would return to its home dock for expansion and restructuring. Its operational role would shift from strike cruiser to primary conquest force, and several of the finest and most massive Forge Worlds would provide its armaments and logistical supply.
All personnel who had participated in the war—whether auxiliary forces, servants, or sanctioned xenos—would be promoted by one rank across the three branches. Servants and xenos of the second branch would be elevated into the auxiliary sequence. Military ranks would receive priority advancement upon passing commander qualification assessments. Individual merits would be calculated separately.
One division of the Demon Inquisitor Chapter—namely the "Spartan" company to which Master Chief John belonged—would serve as the priority pilot unit for the Sacred Selene Empire's newest directive: the "Divinization" military reorganization.
As for commanders such as Master Chief John, he would be granted an additional life-bearing planet as a true enfeoffed domain. Whether to build it into a Spartan warrior training base or a nostalgic memorial world would be his own decision. Other commanders would receive varying rewards.
There were also countless other prizes—wealth, armaments, supplies, and materials for upgrading and cultivating Cyber Valkyries—which need not be listed.
Calling it a meteoric rise would be an exaggeration. Compared to the way minor officials in certain worlds could leap from the lowest rank to the highest, it might even seem modest. But within the Empire, it was exceedingly rare. Such a breaking of the internal promotion system was something one encountered only by chance.
Hiss—!
Amid a hydraulic groan like a mournful wail, the shuttle's hatch opened, and Dr. Halsey stepped forward to greet it.
Then...
"Hm?! John?"
"It's me, Doctor."
"You... how did you become like this? You look like a metallic lifeform..."
"It's a long story. Consider it one of the gains from this journey. Her Majesty may have granted me a blessing even before the official announcement... I'm not sure whether it's good or bad."
"...I see." Exhaling a breath thick with astonishment, Halsey strained to look up at the child she valued most and was most proud of. Her creation.
A bright silver giant, shimmering with motes of light, stepped down from the enlarged shuttle.
Over six meters tall, metallic veins flowed across his body as if alive. This form had already surpassed both man and power armor—surpassed any conventional posture of wearing armor. Like a statue forged by a god, his armor and skin displayed visible muscle texture and coursing blood, overflowing with what could only be described as high-pressure, high-density pure Honkai Energy.
"John... can you change back?" Halsey asked.
"Yes."
Without hesitation, John nodded.
"There's no violation of confidentiality regulations, I hope." Before elaborating, John used his psychic ability to connect with the servitor Cortana and inquire.
She was likely making her own report at this moment—reporting to the Empire's leading authority in artificial intelligence, the Regent Servitor: Mendicant Bias, or perhaps its sister, Offensive Bias.
After receiving confirmation, John looked once more at his "mother."
Halsey did not mind. Back in the UNSC days—fighting rebels, battling the Covenant—had John not always maintained this businesslike demeanor?
"Doctor. In my current state, I should be in the juvenile phase of a Celestial God. That is what Her Majesty called it. When I awakened after defeat, my control improved significantly, allowing me to shrink my form. But my subconscious tells me that during the growth phase, excessive compression of my body would be detrimental to development."
"A god? Growth? Defeat?"
John patiently explained.
"I don't know what exactly happened. I may have died once at that time. My fleet suffered heavy losses. After the battle against the Mad Titan ended, I personally witnessed half of my soldiers vanish before my eyes. Yet when my consciousness awakened again and time began to flow once more for me, the sight before me was... my fleet, completely intact."
"See for yourself, Doctor." As he spoke, John extended a tendril of psychic force to connect with Halsey.
"..." After a long moment of contemplation, a thoughtful look flickered through her eyes. "Is that so? This is your opportunity, John." She laughed heartily and was about to continue.
"Hehe! You 'mother and son' should stop whispering. Don't forget the welcoming duties."
The crisp tapping of high heels against the deck rang out. Not far away stood another Senior Director in the same Science Bureau coat—a green-haired beauty of research who turned her head with mild irritation.
Though she spoke thus, her pair of green-to-pink gradient vertical pupils seemed to gleam, her gaze fixed unblinkingly upon the living-metal body of the Celestial John, as though she wished to devour him whole.
"Dr. Mobius." John nodded. She was Dr. Halsey's colleague.
"Mm-hmm~ John, dear, how about..." The serpent-like woman adopted an oddly coy posture.
"Don't even think about it. John and the Demon Inquisitor Chapter fall under my jurisdiction." Halsey's voice turned faintly cold.
"Tch! Stingy."
Pouting, Mobius knew that no matter how much she desired it, she could not outcompete Halsey in this regard. The advantage was built in. Even if that pervert Dr. Stylish showed up, he would not win either.
Slurp~ Another perverse serpent lurking invisibly behind the beautiful snake clicked his tongue and licked his lips.
"Orochimaru, lick your lips again and I'll cut out your tongue." One high heel came down on the cold lord of the ninja world's foot. Mobius snorted softly. "And I'll dock your funding."
Orochimaru: ...
Don't you lick your lips sometimes too? Fine, you're the director. The funding projects are in your hands. Can't afford to offend you. Eighteen again this year—standing like an ant.
"Let's hope the other things are excellent enough." After schooling the newcomer a little, Mobius brought up a holographic screen and scrolled through it with keen interest.
"The Earth Conscription Army?" Halsey also grew interested.
For senior technical officials like them, the Earth Conscription Army lay within the scope of public knowledge.
That playboy named Stark; the Hulk—the stark contrast between his intelligence before transformation and brute force after; Thor, descendant of Odin of Asgard's Aesir; the Skrulls' shape-shifting genes that copied even memories and habits; the genes of mutants such as Phoenix...
All of it held considerable research and archival value.
"You've already taken the lion's share. Don't you dare compete with me."
"We'll see."
"Tch..." Having capital to invest in the project truly was an advantage.
Jokes aside, Mobius' expression suddenly turned desolate and pensive.
Halsey's appointment had come bundled with a fully developed Great Recruitment World from the Astartes Second Punisher Legion—former UEG and UNSC personnel all counted as her compatriots. She could even speak with the Sangheili elites.
And her?
Kiana, Durandal, Raiden Mei, Seele—none of them were close.
Hua? Too aloof.
Senti? Always picking fights on sight.
Pardofelis? That cat was basically a mascot, the Empress' lazy lucky cat in the "Tiger and Leopard Garden."
Grey Serpent? Merely a tool for the two highest Regent Servitors.
...
Those she knew and was familiar with had none who were campaigning on the front lines and could bring her new materials and projects directly under her banner.
"Sigh..." If my companions... if they were still here.
It would have been so much better.
"?" Halsey shot a glance at Mobius' lackey Orochimaru. What was going on? The atmosphere had suddenly turned sorrowful.
"Wait! John, you said half your fleet vanished before your eyes?!" As she absently scrolled through the files in her mind, something John had said earlier suddenly connected with a discovery on the personnel list Mobius was reviewing.
"Does that include them?!"
Mobius' voice rose three degrees at once, urgent and intense.
She pointed at the holographic list displayed before them—Tony Stark; Bruce Banner; Thor Odinson; Jean Grey...
"Yes." John's answer was crisp and certain.
"Which means... resurrection!"
Mobius' face broke into an ecstatic smile. The hollow feeling in her chest was instantly replaced by a far more intense emotion—so strong that even she failed to notice it.
"Elysia, Eden, Vill-V..."
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