Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

Chapter 41: Destiny and Future

The sky is collapsing.

The brilliance of the stars shone even brighter than before, and mortals of the present fought side by side with heroes of the past, the will of the dead uniting with the will of the living. This dazzling starlight even seemed to overwhelm Megatron's domineering power, forcefully blasting cracks into its flawless defensive perimeter!

"No, this is impossible. A mere Earthling... a mere carbon-based life form..." It raised its hand to block a halberd, but then failed to dodge the next slash.

"I am Lu Bu." The general wielding the halberd slowed his pace, struggling to slash at Wei Zhentian's right arm as the claws pierced through him. "How can we allow the descendants of Liu Bei to be underestimated?"

"I am Xiang Yu." The resurrected Overlord let half of his body be blasted away by cannon fire, his long sword still slashing towards the Mad Overlord's left leg. "The sons of Jiangdong are all watching, my honor cannot be lost in such a place."

Their starlight vanished the instant of that attack, yet the wound inflicted on Megatron gave even more heroic souls an advantage and a head start—they charged forward relentlessly, one after another. Even if they withered and dissipated in an instant, they would still leave a small wound on the body of [Megatron]. And their number... was endless.

"I don't care who you are!" Megatron roared, his immense aura solidifying into a wall that expanded outwards. He had thought this would give him a chance to catch his breath, but he hadn't expected the stars' attack to become even more ferocious.

Now that its decline is evident, how can we not seize the opportunity and press our advantage? Sam, as the unifying linchpin, may be struggling to maintain his sharpest thinking. But human history is full of heroes skilled in strategy and keen observation of the battlefield. Megatron's outburst has only highlighted its vulnerability, and now that its weakness has been identified… it's time to relentlessly pursue and crush it!

When it attacked, Leonidas of Sparta and Model of Germany stood in its way. When it defended, Bai Qi of Qin and Patton of America attacked it.

As it retreated, Richard and Saladin stood in its way.

As it moved, Caesar and Arminius ambushed its actions.

No matter how it reacts, it will be outmaneuvered; no matter how much power it displays, it cannot make the stars retreat even an inch. And its momentum gradually weakens, and the wounds on its body gradually increase.

Whether it's a fourth-tier being, a celestial being, or a demon king—Megatron has undoubtedly already stepped one foot into this extraordinary realm. It can manipulate its power with exquisite precision and can also partially alter the properties of its body. In the past, it could easily suppress Earth's civilization along with the troublesome Optimus Prime. However, this time… its luck is not commensurate with its power.

"I am Megatron, and I will surely win!" it roared, but its tone was no longer as confident as before. Faced with the onslaught of the stars, its strategy had shifted from fierce offense to passive defense.

Its gaze swept over the dead Optimus Prime... the extinguished blue electronic eyes remained fixed on it as always.

"Are you mocking me, Optimus Prime? Mocking me, the Overlord?"

It raised its fusion cannon, but even this most trusted weapon could no longer secure victory, for countless figures clung to its body, using weapons, firearms, fingernails, and teeth to slow it down and inflict even the slightest wound. Even if it were to be utterly shattered by the Cybertronian energy field at this moment, the next second even more fallen would take its place.

The heroes destined for glory have been nearly wiped out in the previous wars, leaving behind only nameless, nameless soldiers who have vanished into history like weeds and ashes. But their brilliance has not faded in the slightest, for their actions, like those of the heroes, were for the same purpose—

The nation's glory shines brightly, nourished by the blood of martyrs.

After the ancestors die, there are still the fathers; after the fathers die, there is still oneself. And when all the ancestors have passed away, mortals on earth will not hesitate to contribute their strength—Revelation continues to operate, and all those who have died can become one-third of the stars.

Inside the church, the praying old man glanced at the fields outside the window and quietly passed away.

In their home, the loving couple soothes their baby to sleep in the cradle, then embrace each other and enter eternal sleep.

Meanwhile, in the barracks, countless soldiers drank strong liquor and offered their blood to the flag of their motherland.

"We will face death! And then we will transcend death!"

"Even in death, brothers, we will stand shoulder to shoulder!"

The golden stars of the ancients have gradually dimmed, while the crimson stars of the moderns have risen once more. The unfinished work of our ancestors is inherited by their descendants, and the blood that our fathers did not shed enough is passed on to their children and grandchildren.

And all of this is for the continuation of humanity.

"No one in this world is immortal; the only question is whether it's worth it." Amidst the gradually crimson-tinged star cluster, Sam Witwicky, the unifier of all, gazed at Megatron, already battered and bruised, yet still struggling against defeat. Just moments before, he had sensed several familiar crimson starlight merging into his legion.

[Father... Mother... Michaela...]

His mind remained completely still, and even as the familiar starlight shattered around Megatron, his emotions did not waver in the slightest.

He mustn't cry.

You can't cry, and you mustn't cry.

For the sake of the continuation of the future, mortals are willing to give everything they can.

Victory was within reach. Megatron's energy for self-repair was finally insufficient to keep up with the destructive speed of the stars.

The time has come.

"We must all perish, just to exchange for that sliver of hope."

He raised his scepter, and from the depths of his soul ignited a burning fire. And not only him, but the many stars around him also began to burn.

"Burn everything, gamble everything, this is humanity's last strength."

"Witness it, for now is the time for the heavens to fall!"

Crimson flames swept across the sky, coalescing and unifying into an invincible sword of destruction and annihilation. Even Megatron trembled before it. Without a second thought, it abandoned even its fusion cannon, its weapon of choice, and risked having half its body shattered by the star cluster to transform into a mangled alien fighter and soar into space!

"This isn't over!...Mortal!" it gritted its teeth. "I...haven't lost yet! I still have the moon, I still have Sentinel Prime, and I still have many more armies! I'm not finished yet!"

However, the next moment, Alice's voice rang in its ears.

"No, you're finished, Megatron."

The red dragon of Revelation has been waiting in the heavens for a long time, the Great Library has been fully opened, and the destructive energy has been fully gathered.

"Let's end it here—Seven Luminaries, Seven Colors, United Magic Cannon!"

A stream of iridescent light suddenly descended from the upper reaches of the sky, forcing Megatron, who was trying to escape, back to the battlefield where he belonged. The Blazing Star Sword, stained with blood and gold, then met the attack, piercing the fallen celestial body's chest!

“Sam Witwicky…” Only then did Megatron finally see Sam’s face. He stretched out his hand with difficulty, but his broken claws fell limply to the ground. “I actually… I, Megatron, actually… lost to a mere mortal like you.”

“No, it wasn’t me. I didn’t defeat you.” Sam looked at it indifferently, watching its death, and watching the starfire on his body gradually burn away. “The one who defeated you was the humankind of this planet.”

"You have been defeated by our past, and you have been defeated by our present."

"And the future no longer belongs to you."

Chapter 42 - The Curtain Falls

Megatron was dead. Its metallic shell gradually dimmed, and crimson flames seeped from every crevice of its surface. Slowly but steadily, they burned every part, every molecule, until everything withered into ash. And soon, not even ashes remained; every molecule disintegrated into the finest dust.

Sam's body was also disintegrating, starting from the extremities, with tiny sparks drifting outwards from his body.

Like a candle, burning out completely, leaving only a few afterglows.

“You still have a chance to live.” Alice came to Sam and looked at him with a complicated expression. “Your body can still be repaired, and it’s not too late to send your soul back.”

Sam shook his head.

“No, that’s not necessary. Let it be.” He looked at the stars that were beginning to fade, then his gaze swept down over the vast, now dimming earth.

How many people died? How many families were shattered? How many souls were annihilated by his will?

There are probably too many to count.

“I don’t regret it, and I don’t feel guilty or remorseful,” Sam said. “But my mission is over. I’m tired, and there should be someone more suitable to take over. Besides…”

He looked at his hands, which had crumbled and broken.

"The dead should go to the place where the dead rest, and the future of the living should be created by the living themselves." He suddenly smiled and said, "How about that? Doesn't that sound a bit like a famous quote? I, a nobody, have finally made something of myself. I don't expect to be in textbooks, but at least a few people will remember my name."

"If this is your wish..."

“Ha, then thank you, my friends, my teachers.” He raised his other hand, which was still relatively intact, and placed the scepter used to command the stars into Alice’s palm. “Here, take this as a memento.”

Alice reached out and took the scepter. Strangely, this phantom, which should have been a collection of information, possessed a real tactile quality and substance. She vaguely saw ten crowns on the scepter, seven of which were the crowns of red dragons, and three of the crowns of stars. As it fell into Alice's hand, it quickly thinned and shortened, eventually becoming the shape of a pointer that she could wield.

"I'll leave Bumblebee to you. It should still be alive, but it's badly injured. You should be able to repair it with that Source Energy Matrix thing."

“Yes.” Alice nodded. “Not only it, but Optimus Prime and other fallen Autobots also have a chance to be resurrected. Although their bodies are damaged, their sparks still remain.”

"That's good." Sam smiled nonchalantly. "Well then, farewell. I hope we never meet again; I don't want to go through that exhausting experience again."

His form gradually blurred and turned into dust. From that moment on, Sam Witwicky ceased to exist in this world. And the starlight in the sky quietly dissipated, leaving only darkness.

Alice seemed to see countless figures nodding and bowing to her.

She seemed to hear a desolate ballad coming from a distant place, long and grand, like an ancient epic written in blood and tears.

It's all over. This time, there are no more hidden dangers. Megatron has no chance of turning the tables, nor can he possibly make a comeback.

The tiny doll flapped its wings and came to her side, delivering a square energy object into her hand.

“The Spark…” Alice gripped the cube tightly. “Finally, the mission is over.” She watched as the wreckage of the Retribution disintegrated and fell through the air, while the unfolding Great Library used its gravity field to capture them, collecting the metal fragments and the remains of the dead into the containment plaza.

The global apocalypse has ended. Even if magic can still be studied in this world, it can only be done by a very rare number of exceptional individuals. The Genesis plan has completely collapsed and there is no possibility of it being carried out.

Alice took out the notebook containing the Genesis Plan, looked at it, suddenly laughed, and tore the notebook into pieces.

“These ordinary people are willing to make such a huge sacrifice for the continuation of their civilization. Can’t I do the same? Even if it’s just me and Patchouli, magic will not be lost.”

"I don't need other civilizations to continue our magic."

She released her grip, letting the fragments of the notebook scatter in the air. A sense of liberation washed over her in that instant. She seemed to hear the sound of shackles breaking, and her will became clearer and more transparent.

The second stage of the genetic lock remains unbroken, but it's only a matter of time. Perhaps in ten days, perhaps in a month or two, it will be accomplished naturally. And what will be eliminated is not only the obstacle of the genetic lock, but also a certain obsession hidden deep within her heart, a certain regret, a certain barrier preventing her from going any further.

She looked at the scepter in her hand, and a strange name came to mind.

"Star Artifact: Staff of Domination... Is that what it's called? I don't know how to use it yet, I'll have to go back and ask the Supreme God." Her ears twitched, and she looked towards the Great Library. A pale purple figure was approaching her, riding an anti-gravity field.

Patchouli came to her side.

"The Supreme God has confirmed our mission; Megatron is dead."

"Ok, I know."

So what are you planning to do next?

“Go and fulfill a promise to someone.” Alice waved her scepter. “I will let the people of all the lands know his name, his deeds, and how much he has contributed to the world. Then, I will end any possibility of a third part.”

“I will go to the moon and deal with Sentinel Prime and those space bridges. I will go to Egypt and take away the Super-Leader’s tomb and the Star Extraction Tower. I will make the Autobots and Cybertronians live in peace, and I will ensure that Optimus Prime never again has the thought of returning to Cybertron to find his creator. I will ensure that the humans of this world… will never suffer any more undeserved calamities.”

“I will help you, Alice.”

“Yes, I will always rely on you, Patchouli.” Alice leaned gently against Patchouli, resting her head on her shoulder. “If we have time after that, let’s go have some fun.”

"Then I'll look forward to it."

Hand in hand, the two flew towards the suspended grand library. They streaked across the sky like twin shooting stars, while on the other side of the heavens, at the edge of the earth, a faint white light began to pierce through the darkness.

The long night has passed, and the dawn is about to break.

End-of-volume summary (vote)

In short, this story has finally come to an end. Although it was full of bumps and mishaps, it's over now. Let's celebrate! Next, we'll return to the Main God Space and join the Central Continent Team for the next adventure.

Originally, this volume should have been written to be more engaging and epic. My original plan was that when I first arrived at the Transformers, it was already a wasteland, with humanity's few remaining settlements struggling to survive. Then, Double Seven descended from the sky, protecting the cities, uniting the people, building an army, developing industry, and gradually reclaiming humanity's land, thus writing an epic tale for the modern world.

Doesn't it look much more spectacular now? ...Well, at least that's how I feel.