Steve ignored fear and sharp stares, as what others thought had long ago become meaningless noise to him. All he saw was the chessboard and the pieces called "Scourge" charging toward him.
Under his command, Avalon's supreme strategy bridge switched instantly to war council mode. Cheers and blessings gave way to solemn silence. General Harold and the senior staff fixed their eyes on him—the universe's only real commander, forging a path through this sudden apocalyptic crisis.
He stood at the bridge's center. The holographic screen behind him showed the cold approach of the white "predator star," the merciless countdown ticking away: [71:58:34].
"Everyone," he began calmly, breaking the hush, "I know you're confused and afraid. Just minutes ago, you were still celebrating total victory. Now, an unprecedented enemy stands at our doorstep. But let me say one thing—the enemy is not 'unprecedented,' nor is our victory 'unprepared'."
He turned to Sion, issuing an order: "Sion, decrypt the maximum authority of the 'Typhon' Protocol and show it to everyone."
Sion took a deep breath, steadying her racing heart, her ten fingers leaving after-images on the console. Amid the prompts for authentication, the main screen instantly switched.
First, an image of the silver moon emerged. Then, something gigantic, shocking all the generals, took shape—a colossal structure encircling the moon, formed of billions of hexagonal modules; a metallic, industrially elegant crown of thorns, cold and breathtaking.
Each module sparkled with currents of energy, the massive ring standing solemn, as if a steel giant slumbered among the stars.
"That… What is that?" General Harold croaked in disbelief.
"This is the heart of the Typhon Protocol," Steve explained calmly, as if introducing a work of art. "I call it [Colossus, Geo-Gravitational Star]. Not a weapon—not in any traditional sense. It's a massive gravity lens. Its job is not to fire energy beams but, via core singularity reactors, to generate an ultra-intense gravitational field, compressing and folding the 'space' beyond the moon to its limit. Then, a fragment of this 'spacetime' is compressed to the extreme, and slingshot like a stone from a slingshot. In theory, this 'spacetime cannon' can crush and distort anything within range regardless of strength or composition, because we're attacking not matter but the spatial coordinates upon which existence itself relies."
The generals were stunned, their minds grappling with concepts beyond comprehension. This was no longer war, but myth—a usurpation of the creator's privilege by mankind.
But Steve's next words returned them to dire reality.
"But it's just a last-resort trump card." His tone was frank and emotionless.
"Its construction exhausted every resource the Human Federation amassed in thirty years. Every automated factory in the solar system works to its breaking point. Still, we face the deadliest problem of all: energy. The singularity reactor powering the gravity lens holds only enough to calibrate a single shot at under 1% of full output. To fully charge and supply all active plants in the Federation would take a hundred years."
A hundred years. That number, like an icy basin, doused any flickering hope—especially when the countdown displayed less than seventy-two hours.
Then, Steve pivoted, pointing to the newly conquered blue planet.
"We don't have a century. But the Earth does. Within this planet flows a sea of true ether—Star Inner Sea—of pure energy. Magi call this the 'leylines'—the planet's blood vessels, holding infinite power."
Finally, Steve turned to the Watcher, his Servant.
"Watcher—In the name of Humanity's Supreme Commander, send a message to the Earth's 'Will.' Tell it: the 'cells' on the surface seek to borrow the body's 'blood' to fight viruses from outside."
Countless data streams flashed through Watcher's eyes. For the first time, his faceless face showed a glimmer of what could be called "surprise."
"Master," an artificial voice intoned, "sending a message to an unknown, potentially hostile metaphysical being has unpredictable results. It may ignore us, take offense, or even use the communication link to invade our systems. The risk… is incalculable."
"Do it."
With those words, all doubts were crushed.
"...Understood." Watcher bowed lightly. "Constructing metaphysical communication protocol based on information transformation… targeting: Gaia group consciousness… Code complete… Transmitting…"
The bridge fell still. Everyone held their breath, staring at the ceaselessly blinking "Sent" icon…
In that moment, they truly understood the audacity and courage of Steve. After sweeping the planetary surface with a torrent of steel, he turned to the planet itself and bowed his head to ask for help. Such arrogance and resolve.
…
[POV: Archetype: Earth — Millenium Castle, Real Moon]
"...The 'cells' on the surface of the Earth are requesting to borrow the body's 'blood' to fight an 'external virus'…"
Suddenly, a distinct, foreign thought rang through Archetype: Earth's mind. She was mildly surprised; for the first time, an expression almost akin to "mockery" appeared on her eternally beautiful, frozen face.
"Interesting little monkey, so after defeating my dogs, now you want to borrow my blood to fight eagles from the sky?"
She had "heard" his request. He wanted to power his "iron toys" with her "magic," to activate human science with planetary mystery. Such arrogance… such imaginative blasphemy! Tying human artifacts to the leylines was akin to gods pouring holy blood into the chariots of ants.
Yet her gaze fell once more to the white star emitting pure malice as it loomed closer.
"But… your enemy is my enemy, too."
For a fleeting instant, a cold murderous light flashed in her red eyes.
"And perhaps your blasphemy will add some color to this boring play."
She did not answer in words. To the planet, language was unnecessary. Raising one slender white arm, she gently clasped the river of ether flowing below. Instantly, all Earth's leylines erupted.
…
[POV: Steve — Avalon Bridge]
"Alert! Alert! Massive, unmeasurable surge of magical energy detected from Earth!"
"Energy levels off all instrument scales!" Sion cried, amazement and disbelief on her face.
"Energy surge destination—Moon's orbit! My god… it agreed! It's responding to us!"
On the main screen, the indicator for the [Colossus: Geo-Gravitational Star Cannon]—the backup core energy tank—climbed at a rate visible to the naked eye!
A thick, pure golden pillar of true ether rose from the planet's surface like a legendary holy sword, stretching 380,000 kilometers to the moon, funneling directly into the massive steel ring.
Steve, watching the rising energy readout, allowed himself a smile.
He turned to his once-shocked, now fanatically reverent crew, delivering a final command:
"Everyone, we have the planet's permission. Begin charging the final weapon. All God of War Legion units, assemble in solar space and form the first defensive line. The entire military is to buy time for the [Geo-Gravitational Star Cannon] at any cost! In seventy hours, we'll deliver a 'welcome gift' to that star from the whole solar system!"
…