Cherreads

Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Minerva's Return

The Silver Moon Observatory, a scientific fortress suspended in a tranquil star region and as bright as a silver moon, had quietly changed its ownership in the internal network markings of the Angel Civilization.

Beside the emblems that once represented Heavenly Base King Hexi or the Heavens Blade Department King Kaisa, the name of the new Master—Artoria—was now clearly and solemnly marked.

Yes, this top-tier observatory, with its complete functionality, advanced facilities, and even a defense system equipped with some Guixu Barrier-level components, had been formally and unreservedly gifted to Artoria by the Angel Civilization.

This was not just gratitude or a gift; it was a silent declaration and protection.

Here, Artoria was the only Master; the Angels were guests, friends, and Guardians, but never the rulers.

Artoria kept this heavy trust and deep affection in her heart.

At this moment, in the core laboratory of the Silver Moon Observatory that belonged entirely to her, a silent and great creation was nearing its end.

The data provided by Hexi was like opening a brand-new door.

As Artoria immersed herself in the exposition on "Mapping High-Dimensional Information to the Material World and Energy Structuring," especially the exquisite description of the "starlight body" energy configuration, she felt enlightened, and her past confusion and stagnation were instantly cleared.

"So that's how it is... I have always been obsessed with the combination of mechanical and biological materials, trying to use matter to'simulate' and 'carry' information-state life, but I ignored that energy itself is a higher-dimensional, more malleable 'carrier'!"

A glimmer of excitement flashed in Artoria's eyes. She rapidly flipped through the data, her brain operating, absorbing, and merging her existing knowledge system with the brand-new ideas provided by Hexi at an unprecedented speed.

"The starlight body... is not pure Dark Energy, nor is it conventional stellar energy, but a special energy state that is closer to the source of information and possesses both a stable structure and extremely high information affinity... It can simulate all the microscopic structures and functions of a biological body, yet transcends the limitations of flesh and blood... Energy meridians replace biological nerves, energy nodes simulate cells and organs, and the external form can be freely shaped by the energy field..."

The more she read, the more excited she became, and the more she understood the "deep meaning" behind Teacher Hexi's final words.

For a body constructed with this energy, the precision and depth of its sensory simulation would be far beyond that of the previous mechanical composite.

Taste, smell, touch... and even more delicate emotional and information interactions could reach a level close to—or even exceeding—that of real life.

No wonder Teacher said she could let Minerva "taste flavors" and feel "more intimate contact"... This was simply a nearly perfect reality carrier tailored for information-state life!

"My previous direction was really wrong..." Artoria muttered to herself, feeling both the joy of enlightenment and a hint of belated annoyance.

But soon, the annoyance was replaced by surging creative passion. She had a premonition that this time, she would definitely succeed!

For the next three or four days, Artoria entered a state of almost forgetting to eat and sleep.

She pushed the energy core of the Silver Moon Observatory to its safety threshold limit, took out batches of stored high-purity energy crystals, and set up complex energy diversion and shaping devices in the center of the laboratory.

Using the "starlight body" basic framework provided by Hexi as a blueprint, and combining it with the unique knowledge she brought regarding energy circuits and information encoding, she began a brand-new "casting."

This time, there was no cold metal skeleton, no precise bionic muscle fibers, and no complex hydraulic and sensor systems. There was only the ultimate control and exquisite weaving of pure energy.

In the center of the laboratory, on a platform surrounded by countless energy conduits and focusing force fields, dots of golden, soft light—as if containing stardust and the morning sun—were gathering from all directions.

These rays of light were not scorching or violent, but warm, pure, and carried a strange vitality and spirituality.

Following the extremely complex energy structure map that Artoria had input through the main control computer, they began to slowly and orderly weave, aggregate, and take shape.

First was the core. A bright but non-dazzling golden point of light lit up in the center of the platform; this was the energy heart of the "starlight body" and the core anchor point that would carry Minerva's soul and consciousness in the future.

Countless fine threads of light extended from it, like the roots of a plant or a neural network, spreading along mysterious trajectories to construct the most basic energy circulation main trunk, similar to the human body's extraordinary meridians.

Then, thinner "branches" diverged from the main trunk. These threads of light were even finer and so numerous they were dazzling. They intertwined and connected to form a complex three-dimensional network, simulating the human body's skeletal framework, organ outlines, muscle textures... Everything was constructed at the energy level in the form of information encoding.

This was not a simple accumulation of energy, but an information-based creation that endowed energy with "structure" and "function"!

Artoria was fully focused, not even bothering to wipe the fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.

Her mental power was highly concentrated. Through a specially made neural link device, she merged with the entire casting system, meticulously regulating every bit of energy input, the stability of every circuit, and the strength of every node.

The requirements for computational power, control, and mental power for this process were terrifyingly high. If not for the assistance of the Silver Moon Observatory's powerful main brain, and if not for her own extraordinary talent in the fields of mechanics and energy, it would have been impossible to complete.

Time flew by in her focus. The energy network became denser and denser, and the outline became clearer and clearer.

A rough humanoid light shadow gradually appeared, emitting a warm, golden-white glow throughout, as if sculpted from the purest radiance. Although it did not yet have specific facial features or details, one could already see the smooth, graceful curves and a sense of vigorous vitality.

On the third day, Artoria began the most complex and critical step—the detailed shaping of the external form and the embedding of the sensory simulation system.

This was no longer just about building a framework, but about endowing this energy body with a "real" appearance and the ability to perceive the World.

She pulled up all of Minerva's video records, from the blurry figure glimpsed in that laboratory in the Marvel Universe, to the face that gradually became clear in the sea of consciousness, and then to the various image sketches she designed for Minerva based on memory and imagination... Finally, a face that fused all the beautiful impressions, with a gentle smile and eyes as clear as the starry sky, settled in her heart.

"Minerva... this is you..." Artoria whispered softly, her eyes filled with infinite love and anticipation.

She carefully guided the energy, like the most devout sculptor, using light as a carving knife, bit by bit, outlining the curve of the brows and eyes, sculpting the bridge of the nose, and carving the softness of the lips... The golden-white light flowed, condensed, and manifested with her thoughts, and a stunningly beautiful and gentle face gradually became clear and vivid in the light.

Next was the hair. Cascading black hair, with the deepest black luster simulated by energy, poured down from the top of the head, draping softly over the shoulders formed by the halo.

The neck, shoulders, arms, torso, legs... every curve, every inch of skin texture—with the feedback of a warm, jade-like touch simulated by the energy field—were perfectly reproduced in the form of energy under Artoria's fully focused control.

Meanwhile, even more microscopic energy structures were woven in, simulating taste buds, olfactory receptors, tactile nerve endings, temperature sensing units... Even, with a blushing face but unusual firmness, Artoria constructed complex networks capable of simulating more delicate chemical information exchange and bio-electric signals—used to simulate heartbeat, body temperature changes, etc., during emotional agitation—according to the descriptions of those "special modules" in Hexi's data.

She knew what this meant, and she understood the deep meaning behind Teacher's mischievous smile—she hoped that Minerva could experience everything that a complete life could experience, including... the most intimate expression of love.

The fourth day, early morning.

The artificial sunlight simulated by the Silver Moon Observatory shone through the observation window onto the center of the laboratory.

There, a flawless body floated quietly in the energy field.

She had her eyes closed, her face serene, exactly as Artoria had outlined in her heart, even adding a bit more lively charm.

The skin was not real flesh and blood, but it flowed with a warm, jade-like luster, as if it were the finest suet jade, and it carried the unique warmth of life.

The black long hair was like silk and a waterfall, draping down softly.

The body curves were graceful and natural, every part conforming to the most perfect proportions, yet carrying a unique, gentle temperament that belonged to Minerva.

The whole body was shrouded in a faint, almost invisible golden-white halo; that was the glow naturally emitted by the highly condensed "starlight body" energy.

She was no longer a light-person model, but a vivid, stunning sculpture that seemed ready to open its eyes at any moment—a work of art carved together by energy and love.

Artoria stood outside the energy field, her breathing slightly rapid, her eyes filled with indescribable excitement, anticipation, and a hint of nervousness.

Several days of high-intensity work without sleep left her face a bit pale, but her spirit was exceptionally excited.

She checked the stability of all energy circuits and the compatibility of the soul connection core one last time, confirming that everything was foolproof.

"Minerva..." she called out softly, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremble, "The new home... is ready. This time, definitely... definitely it will work!"

She took a deep breath, calmed her surging emotions, and walked to the console.

Her slender fingers operated rapidly on the light screen, starting the final soul guidance and fusion program.

At the same time, through the mental link, she sent the most gentle and firm call and invitation to Minerva's consciousness, which had been staying in the special life-support pod in a pure information state.

"Minerva, come... back to my side."

The main brain of the Silver Moon Observatory emitted a low hum, and a powerful energy flow was precisely guided, building a stable and wide bridge between Minerva's information-state consciousness and that brand-new "starlight body."

Artoria watched the platform nervously.

She saw that the quietly floating body's fingertips tremble slightly.

Immediately after, long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings and slowly opened.

What kind of eyes were those! It was as if two pieces had been cut from the purest starry sky and embedded within them—clear, deep, carrying the innocence of a newborn, and then, immediately and rapidly filled with huge surprise, unbelievable excitement, and an unfathomably thick tenderness and attachment.

Minerva's gaze instantly locked onto the girl outside the energy field—the one with the pale face, tear-filled eyes, who was staring at her without blinking.

"Hua... Ling..." A somewhat stiff, yet exceptionally clear voice that carried real vibration came from the vocal cords simulated by the "starlight body." It was no longer the electronically synthesized sound transmitted through a speaker, but a voice that carried warmth, carried emotion, and belonged to Minerva herself!

She tried to move her fingers and lift her hand; the movements were still a bit stiff, but there was no longer the delay and feeling of being out of control as before.

She could "feel" the warmth of energy flowing through her body like blood, could "feel" the strength simulated by the energy field supporting her body, could "feel" the coolness of the air brushing against her "skin"... Countless novel and real perceptions poured into her newborn consciousness like a tide.

Then, she saw the tears rolling down from Artoria's eyes, saw her body trembling slightly due to nervousness and anticipation, and saw the expression on her face that was mixed with endless joy and a hint of unease.

Minerva's heart gave a sharp tug, and an unprecedented emotion called "heartache" and "longing" surged in.

She no longer hesitated; following her instinct, she controlled this brand-new, incredibly compatible body and took a step forward.

The steps were a bit unsteady, like a newborn baby, but she walked with absolute firmness. One step, two steps... she crossed the boundary of the energy field.

Artoria was already streaming with tears. She wanted to speak, but found her throat choked up and unable to make any sound, so she could only nod vigorously and open her arms.

Minerva finally walked up to her. Their eyes met, close at hand, and each other's breathing was clearly audible.

Minerva reached out, her fingertips carrying a faint, warm halo, and somewhat tremblingly touched Artoria's cheek, gently wiping away the hot tears.

A real touch! No longer the cold contact of instruments, but a touch that carried warmth and soft energy fluctuations!

Artoria shuddered, and her tears flowed even more fiercely, but they were tears of joy.

Minerva's eyes also reddened, and moisture welled up in her star-like eyes.

She no longer hesitated; she stretched out her arms, and with the strength that was not yet proficient in her newborn body but used with all her might, she pulled the girl before her—who had given everything for her and waited for so, so long—tightly, tightly into her embrace.

Warmth! Real, unquestionable warmth transmitted through the thin clothing. That was the body temperature simulated by energy, yet more attuned to her heart than real flesh and blood.

The soft and real touch, the weight and aura belonging to another body—although Minerva did not yet have an "aura" for the time being, Artoria felt as if she could smell the fragrance of her soul, and that violently beating, resonating rhythm that synchronized their heartbeats...

Artoria also buried her face deeply into the crook of Minerva's neck, hugging her back tightly with both arms, feeling this incredibly real embrace, feeling the fulfillment and happiness of the lost treasure finally returning to her arms.

Tears soaked the clothing simulated on Minerva's shoulder and also heated Minerva's newborn "heart."

This was their first true embrace since that catastrophic separation in the Marvel Universe, after crossing life and death, crossing dimensions, and crossing long periods of time and endless hardships.

No words, and no need for words. The tightly embracing bodies, the violent heartbeats, the mingling tears, and the inseparable bond deep in their souls, along with the longing that could finally be put to rest, told everything.

Inside the Silver Moon Observatory, the artificial sunlight warmly enveloped the two embracing figures, as if casting a glorious blessing for this reunion that spanned the Universe and life and death.

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