Launch an attack on the Amber King?
Even if the Amber King was aloof, he wouldn't just directly attack them, would he?
In the light curtain barrage, countless viewers couldn't help but twitch their eyes as they saw Silver Wolf's actions.
This was dicing with death. The Amber King could definitely see the Stellaron Hunters on the battleship. He wouldn't even need to move his hammer; a single, simple strike would be enough to wipe the cosmically infamous wanted criminals from existence.
"Will the Amber King attack? Although he's an Aeon of the orderly alignment, he isn't exactly a good-tempered being."
He had killed the Swarm King with three hammer strikes and built walls measured in light-years, but he also completely ignored the Corporation that followed him. The Amber King's temper was, in a certain sense, quite strange.
"I don't know. Speaking of which, our understanding of the Amber King is still very limited. These Aeons are all quite deranged in their own ways, and Preservation is no exception."
In the world of Gintama, Gintoki lay on the ground, quietly watching the screen.
The existence of the Aeons was quite peculiar, and the Paths they practiced were all extreme. So far, the only Aeon who felt somewhat human to him was Aha.
Although only a few Aeons had appeared so far, among the remaining ones, there probably weren't many who were as close to human as Aha.
Normies Should Just Explode: "Extreme, huh? It's hard to comment on that. Compared to the Land of Light's Ultra Universe, perhaps the Star Rail universe is closer to reality."
Herta: "Ultimately, this is because humans can only try to understand Aeons through their own ideas. What they are actually like, no one can say for sure."
---o---
[On the light curtain—]
[In the endless sea of stars, a fleet of thousands of ships, each capable of destroying planets and even star systems, charged towards the Amber King.]
[To be precise, they were charging towards the other starry sky behind the Amber King.]
"There is no one crazier than us in the universe. If Klipoth makes a move, I will stop him."
[Aboard the fast-moving battleship, Blade had already entered a battle-ready state, the shattered blade in his hand emitting an unsettling black and red glow.]
"Will you win? Blade, that's the Amber King. You'd best not get any ideas."
[Kafka said. She didn't think the Amber King would attack the battleship, because aboard this ship, there were other Corporation employees besides the Stellaron Hunters. They were all followers of the Amber King. Even if they weren't Pathstriders, their faith was perhaps even stronger than some on the Board of Directors.]
"Win?" Blade let out a disdainful smile and said to Kafka, "No, I'll lose miserably. I probably won't even last a tenth of a second. We'll all die here."
"But if I can hold him off, even for just one second, you all can use that to ensure your survival."
[One second... that's enough. In that brief moment, many things could be done. If they could escape to the other universe, survival shouldn't be an issue.]
[However, Blade did not believe he could last even one second against the Amber King.]
"Lighten up. What if the Amber King completely ignores us?"
[Silver Wolf said from the side, her voice laced with a thrill. Even though she had already run the simulation in her mind over a hundred times, when it came to the actual execution, her heart still pounded.]
[Whether this time was a success or a failure, the Stellaron Hunters were destined to be recorded in the annals of history, though it wouldn't necessarily be a good reputation.]
"You're right. We're just a bunch of wanted criminals. There's no need for Chairman Amber King to personally act. He just needs to treat you as air."
"Who's there!"
[A strange figure suddenly appeared on the ship. Sam was the first to react, throwing a punch at the shadow.]
[However, Sam's full-force blow was caught with a single hand by the mysterious man before him.]
"Stellaron Hunters, you have some nerve. Although I had discovered you earlier, I never thought you would actually dare to make a move in the presence of the Amber King!"
[「Diamond」—one of the few confirmed leaders of the Emanators of Preservation within the Corporation.]
[The moment the man appeared, Kafka recognized his identity.]
"Sigh, it's actually you? The Amber King's orders were delivered really fast. I thought it would take at least a few more minutes."
[The ship was moving at high speed, its velocity already reaching the speed of light. Yet even at such a speed, Diamond was still able to precisely locate the ship the Stellaron Hunters were on and launch an attack against them.]
[Such power was worthy of an Emanator of Preservation.]
"Kafka, I recognize you. The Devil Hunter of Tianyi V, now following the 'Slave of Destiny,' Elio. Did he order you to do this?"
Elio's ability to predict the future was no secret to Diamond. However... the limits of Elio's ability were not something he was clear on.
If this action was Elio's instruction, did that mean that even an Aeon as powerful as the Amber King was still bound by an inescapable fate?
This was a terrifying thought. So, before making a move, Diamond had to first confirm if this action was part of the Stellaron Hunters' "script."
Seeing Diamond's expression, Kafka decisively shook her head and replied, "It's a pity, but after she disappeared, Elio's prophecies have not been accurate. This action is based on my own judgment."
Prophecies?
Elio's scripts had never been wrong. This was a fact acknowledged by all the Stellaron Hunters. However... when it involved Aeons, when it involved the universe itself, even Elio was at a loss.
Just like Stelle's disappearance. Although it was unknown who was responsible, Elio clearly had not foreseen this event.
"Is that so..." Diamond didn't continue speaking. Or rather, there was no more time. If they delayed any longer, the fleet would collide with the Amber King and the light wall he had set up.
"Hunter over there, stop what you're doing. I can spare your lives. Otherwise... you will all die!"
After confirming that this was not the work of the "Slave of Destiny," Diamond directly threatened the Stellaron Hunters.
This was also a typical tactic of the Corporation, and as an Emanator, he had the capital to make such a threat.
"And if I say no?" Silver Wolf would naturally not agree to Diamond's terms.
Spare them? What a joke. The Corporation's words couldn't be trusted. Not long ago, they were calling the 996 work schedule a blessing, and now countless employees were dying from overwork.
"Is that so... you have made the wrong choice. Then I can only, send you on your way ahead of time..."
As soon as Diamond's voice fell, a violent storm began to sweep through the interior of the battleship, knocking over all the surrounding equipment.
"Do you not care at all about the lives of others? The people of the Corporation... truly."
Silver Wolf grumbled. She thought Diamond would spend a few more sentences trying to persuade them to surrender, but she hadn't expected him to attack so directly.
"Looks like we're going to die here today. What a pity about my many game accounts. I haven't even found a suitable heir yet..."
Even as death approached, Silver Wolf still didn't show much fear, only expressing her regret over her game accounts. After all, those were precious assets she had spent a long time building up.
If she had any other regrets, it would be that she hadn't helped Kafka find Stelle. That little gray-haired girl, she missed her quite a bit too. It was a pity she couldn't see her anymore.
"..."
Closing her eyes, Silver Wolf prepared to struggle a bit before dying. If Sam and the others went all out, they should be able to withstand the Emanator's indiscriminate attack, but it would be impossible to escape.
Silver Wolf thought to herself. However... the anticipated attack never landed. Instead, it gradually subsided.
"What happened? When did the Corporation become so kind...?"
Before she could finish her sentence, the scene before her completely shattered her worldview as she opened her eyes again.
"What... the hell is this!"
[The Master of the Celestial Comet Wall and the Subspace Crystal Wall, the most renowned Aeon in the cosmos, the Amber King... was now right before Silver Wolf's eyes.]
[The storm had ceased. The Emanator of Preservation, Diamond, instantly changed his demeanor, stopping all his attacks and performing a chest salute towards the Amber King.]
"Amber King..."
[The moment this figure appeared, the tail flames of the battleship were extinguished. The sacred body seemed to contain some kind of magic, causing all living beings to bow their heads in submission.]
["Judgment... was I wrong?"]
[What did he mean, the Aeon wouldn't pay attention to them? Look at the Amber King now; he's clearly coming right for them!]
---o---
Across the infinite dimensions, like Silver Wolf, many people were startled by the sudden appearance of the Amber King.
After all, to open your eyes and see an Aeon the size of a planet right in front of you—anyone would be scared stiff.
Detective Conan: "What is the Amber King doing? Is he going to exterminate the Stellaron Hunters?"
Although the Stellaron Hunters were the Corporation's most-wanted criminals, the Amber King, as the Chairman, had probably never even heard of them.
It couldn't be that just because the Stellaron Hunters wanted to stow away, the Amber King was going to wipe them all out.
Kurumi Tokisaki: "Does the Amber King need to go to such lengths to kill the Stellaron Hunters? Besides, the Emanator of Preservation, Diamond, has already made a move. It was clear he was acting with intent just now."
The moment the Amber King appeared, Diamond stopped his attack. This was natural. With the boss here, a corporate employee wouldn't be so brainless as to continue acting stubbornly.
Sakata Gintoki: "Ahem, let me guess. Could it be because of Stelle? The Amber King actually knows the Stellaron Hunters, and he might very amicably send them to meet Stelle, or bring Stelle back?"
Ultraman Hikari: "That's impossible. The Amber King doesn't even know about the current Astral Express or the Corporation, let alone the Stellaron Hunters. He must be here for some other purpose."
Otto Apocalypse: "In any case, the Stellaron Hunters' plan has failed. Heh... a hastily made plan could only achieve so much, especially under circumstances where the power gap is so immense."
At the headquarters of Schicksal, in the Overseer's office, Otto affirmed the plan of Kafka and the others, even though the plan itself had no chance of success.
After all, even if the Amber King paid no mind, and even if the Emanator didn't act, the Gray Mist caught between the two universes would tear them to shreds.
---o---
[On the light curtain, the Aeon's body produced an immense pressure, making it difficult for the people on the battleship to even breathe.]
"To think the Amber King himself would come to carry out the sentence?" Blade said with a hint of mockery in his smile, as if he had accepted his fate.
He had no fear of death. After all, he should have been a dead man long ago.
"Let me witness the might of an Aeon."
Blade pointed his ancient sword at the Amber King. Diamond, standing to the side, clenched his fists. If the Amber King weren't present, he would have been the first to strike Blade down.
But the Amber King acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, continuing to release his pressure upon the battleship. He then slowly opened his mouth and uttered a single word: "...Aha."
Who?
Aha, the Aeon of Elation?
As if realizing something, the Stellaron Hunters and Diamond all looked around.
When did Aha sneak onto this battleship, and at such a crucial moment? What kind of mischief was this God of Fun planning?
However, no matter how they searched, they couldn't find a trace of Aha.
"C'mon, don't look at me like that! The pressure is intense~ Klipoth!"
Aha's playful voice echoed, seeming to hide in some corner of the bridge, but only his voice was heard, not his figure.
"What do you want?" The Amber King's voice was steady, betraying no joy or anger. Aha, however, replied in that teasing, passive-aggressive tone of his, "To punch another hole in your wall."
His voice paused for a moment, then, as if remembering something, Aha added, "Use this battleship to punch a hole in your wall and send them through."
"When did you become a nanny?" The Amber King's voice still showed no emotion, only a lack of understanding for Aha's actions.
The Astral Express was one thing, but these people who had suddenly launched an assault on him... Aha actually wanted to send them through as well?
"That's why I say, Klipoth, you've never understood humanity."
Aha didn't explain the reason, instead speaking to the Amber King in a lecturing tone.
Although He was a God of Fun, Aha was one of the Aeons who understood humanity best, an Aeon who granted dignity to life.
For that little girl, the Stellaron Hunters had even dared to scheme against the renowned Amber King, and right in front of the most powerful faction in the entire cosmos, the "Corporation."
This resolve simply thrilled Aha too much. This was what He wanted to see.
Right now, forget such a small wish; even if the Stellaron Hunters wanted to become Emanators of Elation, Aha would make an exception and bestow his divine power upon them.
To have the Stellaron Hunters defeat Preservation with the power of Elation—the thought alone was exhilarating.
Besides, it wasn't the first time an Emanator of Elation had been replaced. For Aha, anyone who could bring him fun could receive his power, regardless of whether they were a Masked Fool. ]
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