Super God Academy: Kabuto

In stark contrast to Lin Yu's surroundings, filled with the clanging of metal and the explosions of energy, the courtyard where He Xi and Keisha resided was still filled with the elegant aroma of tea and a tranquil atmosphere. Exquisite tea sets were laid out on the stone table, and the two most powerful women in the known universe were leisurely enjoying their tea, as if all the conflicts in the outside world were irrelevant to this small world.

Their conversation shifted from casual banter to a more ancient and weighty secret—the Shenhe Civilization.

Keisha gracefully set down her teacup, her fingertips somehow picking up a tiny particle that seemed to exist outside of reality, flickering between the tangible and intangible. The particle exuded an unsettling, eerie aura that seemed to devour light.

"This was discovered by chance deep within the ruins of the Divine River civilization." Keisha's voice was calm, yet carried a subtle hint of solemnity. "The destruction of the Divine River back then was too swift, and too... bizarre."

Her gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, returning to that era of intertwined glory and destruction: "Almost overnight, except for Karl, who happened to be a guest at the Super God Academy in Angel City at the time, the entire Divine River Galaxy, countless lives, top scholars, and their brilliant civilization... almost all disappeared. What remained was only a desolate ruin."

He Xi put down her teacup, her icy blue eyes fixed on the cluster of void particles, her expression turning serious. "Indeed. By the time our Angelic Civilization noticed the anomaly and rushed there at top speed, all we found were ruins. Are you suspecting... that the destruction of the Divine River is related to the void that Karl is currently researching so frantically?"

"Yes." Keisha nodded affirmatively, retrieving the wisp of void particles. "At that time, the Divine River Civilization was at its peak. They possessed super-gods like Dinghei and Kilan who led the era, and their technological level and understanding of the laws of the universe far surpassed that of the Angel Civilization at the time. In the known universe, I really can't think of any other force that could so cleanly and efficiently annihilate the entire Divine River without leaving a trace."

She frowned slightly and continued her analysis: "Now, Dinghei is nowhere to be found, and Principal Kiran also mysteriously disappeared after leading the Super God Academy to relocate to the Deno Star System, his fate unknown. The only one who knows that history inside and out and has embarked on an extreme research path is Karl."

He Xi immediately understood Keisha's concerns: "Are you afraid that once Karl successfully opens the so-called Void Era, it might... bring back 'that thing' or 'those beings' that caused the destruction of the Divine River back then?"

"It's not a possibility, it's an extremely high probability." Keisha's tone was resolute. "Judging from the clues we currently have, and the residual aura in the Divine River ruins that is of the same origin as the void energy, the root cause of the Divine River's destruction is that it touched upon the void domain that it should not have touched."

She looked at He Xi with unprecedented solemnity in her eyes: "The information Lin Yu revealed earlier, as well as the knowledge he demonstrated that may come from other universes, all confirm this point—the void is far more complex and dangerous than Karl imagined. It may not be the so-called 'higher intelligence,' but rather... the annihilation of the known universe."

A brief silence fell over the courtyard. The aroma of tea lingered, but an invisible, heavy pressure permeated the air.

In the Celestial Court of Merlo, Angel Yan sat upon the throne that once belonged to Keisha. The cold metal conveyed the weight of power and reflected the turmoil within her heart. Before her, in a massive interstellar projection, holographic images of the leaders of several spacefaring civilizations appeared. They were all different in form, but at this moment, their faces all wore the same aloofness and scrutiny.

"Gentlemen," Yan's clear, cold voice echoed through the hall, attempting to stabilize the situation, "Queen Keisha has been taken offline, but justice and order still need to be maintained, and the stability of the known universe..."

The atmosphere was cold and stiff. These cunning leaders of the cosmic forces, like sharks smelling blood, began to probe the Angelic Civilization's strengths and weaknesses and bottom line under the new king. They either made evasive remarks or directly questioned him, their words filled with distrust of Yan's qualifications and strength as the "new king."

Clearly, they weren't buying it.

Yan's fingers tightened slightly on the armrest of the throne. She could feel the disdain, the observation, and the hidden, simmering ambition in the gazes directed at her. She knew that these seemingly mere diplomatic maneuvers concealed a deeper, more complex ambition among countless civilizations as they re-examined their relationship with the angelic civilization and weighed whether to challenge, or even attempt, the angels' dominant position in the universe.

The colossal Skyblade VII hovered in the starport outside Angel City, its streamlined hull radiating an awe-inspiring, inviolable holy light. Angel Yan sat regally on her high throne, her once slightly mischievous gaze now replaced by the calm and majesty of a commander. She glanced one last time at the receding, shrinking Angel City outside the window, silently reciting:

"There are countless angels who would fight for Queen Keisha, but at this moment, very few are willing to rush to the battlefield for that distant blue planet."

She withdrew her gaze, her eyes hardening, and strode into the core command hall of Skyblade No. 7, taking her seat firmly on the throne symbolizing supreme power. Below her stood Prince Robespierre of the Yiren civilization, who had been summoned, along with his entourage and a squad of high-ranking angels standing at attention.

From the very beginning of the meeting, dissenting voices were raised without any attempt to conceal them.

Prince Robespierre stepped forward, his tone clearly unease and displeasure: "Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but it is not that I intentionally doubt your abilities. However, we are still unable to establish any effective contact with Earth. To rush to the battlefield in such a state of uncertainty is something I cannot explain to my soldiers."

The veteran angel Kayla, standing beside the throne, spoke, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable truth: "Prince Robespierre, Morgana used her Demon One to completely blockade and interfere with Earth's communications. Before our Skyblade VII successfully connected to the Milky Way's data network on Silver Star, no angel's individual communication capabilities could break through Demon One's blockade. Otherwise, our war between angels and demons wouldn't have lasted for tens of thousands of years."

Robespierre wasn't entirely convinced. He spread his hands, somewhat agitated: "Then how am I supposed to explain this to my people? Okay, demons are sweeping in, and we answered the call of 'justice' to join this cosmic war to avenge Queen Keisha. And then what? You tell us this war might last ten thousand years! For our Yi civilization, that means fighting our ancestors for eighteen generations! The price is far too heavy!"

Kayla tried to reassure him: "Prince Robespierre, the real, intense phase of the war could last for years, even decades..."

"We can't possibly fight Morgana's demon legion directly!" Robespierre interrupted her, his tone tinged with fear and reality. "The speed at which they kill our commanders could cause my fleet's command system to collapse and my entire army to retreat within a day! At most, we can only help you contain the Taotie Legion."

Yan, seated on the throne, finally spoke. Her voice was cold and carried a corrective tone: "Robespierre isn't helping us, he's helping justice."

"Yes, yes, yes, it's about justice." Robespierre lowered his head, but his words were even more grating. "However, if I may be so bold, after Queen Keisha's fall, the word 'justice' has faded in the hearts of many."

"Watch your words!" Yan slammed her hand on the armrest of the throne, leaning forward slightly, her sharp gaze pressing down on Robespierre as if it were a physical force. "Your past service to Queen Keisha doesn't mean you can disregard my authority now!"

A powerful aura instantly enveloped the entire hall. Robespierre's face paled, and he subconsciously took a half step back.

Just then, a high-ranking female angel strode into the hall, knelt on one knee, and spoke with urgency:

"Your Majesty! An urgent battle report has arrived from the Milky Way front! The vanguard reconnaissance ship dispatched by the Yiren civilization—the Danton—was attacked by the 'Divine Punishment Bombardment' of Demon One while passing through the Great Insect Bridge and entering the Celestial Beetle region of the Milky Way... and has been completely destroyed! Currently, no subsequent fleet dares to enter the Milky Way!"

This news was like a bucket of ice water poured over someone's head, instantly freezing the atmosphere in the hall.

Robespierre suddenly looked at Yan, his voice filled with despair: "Your Majesty, is there... any way we can bombard the hidden Demon One?"

Yan met his gaze and uttered three words frankly and coldly: "No."

"So how do we fight now?!" Robespierre almost growled.

Angel Kayla, standing nearby, analyzed in a deep voice, "The only way right now is to send Skyblade VII into the Milky Way. With the Skyblade series' powerful reconnaissance and computing capabilities, we can pinpoint the exact location of the Demon Wings more quickly and strike first."

All eyes were once again focused on Yan on the throne.

Yan slowly rose from the throne, her gaze sweeping over every face below—some filled with doubt, some with fear, and others with unwavering support. She took a deep breath, her voice carrying clearly throughout the hall, imbued with an undeniable resolve and the responsibility befitting a queen:

"Sacrifice is inevitable."

"But we cannot allow evil to run rampant and justice to be tarnished because of fear of sacrifice. Queen Keisha's just order will not collapse because of her fall; it will be defended by us—by Skyblade VII, and by every one of you here!"

Her gaze finally settled on the azure planet marked as a war zone on the star map.

"Pass on my order, Skyblade 7, target—the Milky Way, Earth! Full speed ahead!"