While he had no idea what was truly happening inside those hidden facilities, Luthar knew one thing with absolute certainty—he needed to keep them under watch. He could have gone himself to investigate, but that would defeat the whole purpose of recruiting the Red Room agents.
As he considered his next move, his gaze shifted between the women before him. First was Elara, clutching her bandaged side; then Maya, sitting rigidly; and finally Natasha, whose exhaustion was evident in every line of her posture.
After a moment of thought, he spoke. "Since sending you out for spy work isn't working, let's try a different approach," he said evenly. "First, I'll enhance your strength and give you better weapons. Then you'll storm the entire facility and capture everyone."
"That doesn't feel like much of a plan," Natasha said. "We can just try again. Maybe this time we can pretend to be scientists and get kidnapped by them. Once we learn what's happening, we can teleport back and—"
Luthar raised a hand, silencing her. His tone wasn't angry, but the weight in it pressed heavier than shouting ever could. "That's a good suggestion," he said, "but I want to use this as training for your future missions."
Her eyes lifted, caught off guard.
"I want you all to be well-rounded," he continued, standing to his full height. "Assassination and infiltration are useful—but I prefer direct conflict." His voice dropped. "Imagine carrying a heavy gun and mowing down enemies instead of wasting hours on plans."
He turned, regarding her with the faintest flicker of approval. "You and your team need sharpening."
She blinked. "How?"
"Some minor surgeries," Luthar said. His mechadendrites flexed, and a nearby screen flickered to display a portal's glyphs cycling with latent power. "Some of you also need real experience fighting monsters and armed humans."
Natasha exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing. "Yes, sir."
Luthar watched them rise with the same detached attention he gave to instruments and schematics. He showed no warmth; there was no need for it. "Go to the medical room," he ordered. "Clean yourself first, then heal the wounds so I can start adjusting your bodies."
Natasha's jaw tightened at the memory of the so-called adjusting. Elara's face went pale yet proud—proud to have survived, afraid of what the Tech-Priests would do next. Maya's gaze flicked between Luthar and the exit; for a fleeting moment, she actually considered running.
Seeing their unease, Luthar added, "It's just some minor surgeries, nothing excessive." He gestured toward the door. "Go rest. I'll notify you when I'm ready."
Natasha nodded and led the others away for treatment.
After glancing over the displays one last time, Luthar also left the room. He had other preparations to make—logistics for the dungeon world, and the separation of Lily from Soma's familiar.
He crossed into a quieter wing, the hum of servers fading behind him. Beyond a pair of reinforced doors lay the chamber where Freya and Hephaestus preferred to meet. Freya reclined gracefully on a low divan, radiant even in the dim light, while Hephaestus stood before a table strewn with blueprints and miniature frames.
"I was beginning to think you'd vanish into your forges and forget about us," Freya said without preamble as Luthar entered.
"As long as people aren't tied to subspace, I don't forget them," Luthar replied, a faint smile hidden beneath his mask.
He leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing. "I can't run some of my experiments here," he said. "Some of the stronger gods might be watching, and I still need to separate Lily from Soma's familiar."
Freya inclined her head, understanding immediately. "So, you want to return to Orario," she said, her tone calm but not unkind. "Because you're worried someone's watching you."
"Exactly," Luthar replied. "This world has most of the resources I need, but it's dangerous—too many gods, too many clever people who might replicate my technology. Orario is safer for the kind of experiments I have in mind."
Her lips curved with a rare smile. "I could use the trip too—to collect a few things I've been missing. And if you're worried about the gods here, you might as well consult Loki. She's an expert at handling gods."
"Loki might be an expert at dealing with other gods, but she herself is quite troublesome," Luthar said, his tone cautious. "Once we take her in, she'll start spinning her own schemes. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she silently took over the world—and collected every beautiful woman for her harem."
It wasn't an exaggeration. Luthar's concern was painfully realistic; if anyone could deceive and dominate the world without raising an alarm, it was Loki. Without her familiar beside her, she was the very image of a classic evil god. In Orario, she had learned restraint—but that didn't mean she had become easy to deal with.
Freya tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "If you're that worried, bring the elf along. As long as some of her familia members are with her, she'll try to keep her desires in check."
"You can first try to figure out her thoughts about joining us," Luthar said. "Maybe she won't even want to leave." His gaze shifted back to the dungeon feed, already planning contingencies. "If she does join us, I'll prepare a failsafe in case she loses control."
Hephaestus, who had remained silent until now, folded her arms and let the low hum of the workroom settle around her before she spoke. Her voice was measured, "Well, since you're going back, make sure to bring plenty of mithril and adamantium when you return."
Freya blinked, surprised; Luthar's eyes narrowed, calculating. "You intend to stay behind?" he asked, his tone neutral but edged with curiosity.
"Yes." Hephaestus's mouth twitched in something that might have been a smile. "I plan to continue working on the prototypes here."
"Even if you stay," Luthar said, his tone as steady as ever, "you won't be able to build anything before we return. Time doesn't flow when we travel from one world to another—we'll be back by the next day."
Hephaestus frowned slightly, one brow lifting. "I thought that time distortion was limited to the dungeon world?"
"It's not," Luthar replied. "At least for now."
She considered that for a moment, then asked, "Then what about the base? If all of us are gone, what happens if someone breaks in?"
Luthar's expression didn't change. "I'll be putting all important materials and equipment into my private storage," he said calmly. "If someone's foolish enough to break in, they'll be greeted by automatic defences and Servitors. The rest of the base will stay under lockdown. Anyone who survives the outer layer will just find empty halls."
Freya gave a small, amused hum. "Efficient as always."
Luthar inclined his head slightly, then straightened. The faint mechanical whir of his armour filled the pause as he rose from his seat. "Then I'll make the preparations for the departure," he said. "First, I need to send both Vankos to a safe place without drawing attention. The agents will be easier to handle—just give them one day off and they can find a safe place for themselves. Once everything is ready, I'll inform you."
He glanced toward the glowing screens one last time, systems and pathways reflecting in the mirrored surface of his mask. "Let's see you tomorrow."
Freya watched him turn toward the exit, her expression unreadable in the low light. The doors parted with a soft hiss as Luthar stepped out, the hum of machinery swallowing his presence once more.
By the end of the day, everything would be in motion—the base sealed, everything hidden, and the next phase already waiting on the horizon.
Author thought : I got so much busy in writing TPM and TBFW I forget today is this Sunday so that's why the chapter is little late