The victory of the Merlot Heavenly Court was not a clamorous triumph, but a deeper, more solid sedimentation.
Two clean, swift, and nearly crushing wars were like two giant stones thrown into a calm lake, the ripples of which quickly spread to every corner of the Known Universe.
The echo was not just the defeat of the demons, the annihilation of the Heavenly Scum, and the silence of the gods, but a silent declaration—the foundation and evolutionary speed of the Angel Civilization far exceeded the outside world's expectations, and even surpassed some of its own past projected assessments.
In the core strategic analysis room deep within the palace, Keisha and Hexi stood side by side, facing a massive, real-time updated star map displaying the dynamics and energy readings of all forces in the Known Universe.
On the star map, the purple-black light spots representing the demons had become extremely dim and scattered; the gray, decaying regions representing the Heavenly Scum had completely disappeared; and while the ghostly blue light from the direction of the River Styx still existed, it was clearly much more restrained and dormant.
The golden light of the Sun was steady, while the silver halo of the Super Seminary maintained a detached observational stance.
And the golden radiance representing the Angel Civilization appeared unprecedentedly solid and bright on the star map, with its radiating edges even faintly carrying an inviolable, almost 'definitional' majesty.
It seems our previous assessment of our own 'conventional' deterrent power was indeed a bit conservative.
Hexi's fingertip traced across the star regions on the periphery of the Angel territory that had suddenly become unusually 'well-behaved,' regions that often had small-scale frictions.
Her tone carried a hint of playfulness.
After the combat data of 'Order Interference' spread, even these most restless edge cases have learned to be polite.
Keisha's gaze swept calmly over the star map, finally settling on the ghostly blue region representing the River Styx, which appeared unusually 'quiet' at the moment.
Karl.
Keisha slowly uttered the name.
In her golden eyes, there was no anger, no murderous intent, only a cold, extreme scrutiny based purely on the fact that 'problems need to be solved.'
He has jumped for too long.
Using the shadow of the Ultimate Fear, controlling the River Styx, supporting the Taotie, secretly influencing the demons, and even attempting to extend his tentacles toward the Super Seminary and the Sun.
His past 'observations' and limited punishments seem to have given him some kind of illusion that his 'research' and 'calculations' can forever drift outside the judgment of order.
A cold arc formed on the corner of Hexi's mouth.
He suffered quite a loss this time.
Morgana was captured, millions of Heavenly Scum cannon fodder were wiped out, and the great clock also suffered significant impact under the 'logic lockdown' we initiated.
But his true self relies on a phantom body and is hidden extremely deep; the foundation of the great clock remains undamaged.
Leaving him is, after all, a scourge.
And...
She looked at Keisha, "That 'great clock' in his hands is a good thing."
The contraption that old fellow Zilean created back then contains knowledge of space-time and cosmic constants that might have unexpected benefits for Artoria's upcoming research, especially the design of her 'Hyperion' combat celestial body.
Keisha nodded slightly.
The new ideas and technologies brought by Artoria were undergoing a wonderful chemical reaction with the foundation of the Angel Civilization, giving birth to gratifying results.
And a cosmic treasure of the level of the 'great clock,' with the knowledge and possibilities it contained, could undoubtedly greatly accelerate this process.
Since he likes to hide in the shadows and fiddle with the pendulum, Keisha's voice was calm but carried an unquestionable decisiveness, then bring him, along with his pendulum, into the light.
It just so happens that he can keep Morganas true name company.
Whether as sisters or research partners, I imagine they will have plenty of 'common language'.
Hexi's eyes lit up.
Logical fishing?
Hmm.
Keisha nodded.
Using the residual information characteristics of Karl's phantom body captured by the previous 'Order Interference' force field, and the underlying protocol fluctuations leaked when the great clock was suppressed, as anchors.
Through the linkage of the 'Sacred Knowledge Vault' and the 'Sky-based Computing Cluster,' perform cross-space-time logical tracking and definition locking.
Spare no cost; initiate maximum permission calculations.
She paused and added, "This operation targets only Karl's main body and the great clock core closely bound to him."
Other existences in the River Styx star region will not be affected for the time being.
Avoid excessive stimulation that could trigger unknown chain reactions.
Understood.
Hexi immediately grasped the meaning, her eyes flashing with the excitement of a researcher facing a difficult problem.
Locking onto a phantom body that is almost a 'conceptual existence' and a celestial-level computer... This is much more interesting than fighting Heavenly Scum.
I will lead the team personally.
A few days later.
In the River Styx star region, in the deepest, most secret 'Void Antechamber' of the Death Song Academy, which theoretically 'cannot be observed or interfered with.'
Karl's faint phantom body was floating in a chaos composed of countless flowing ghostly blue data and fragmented space-time images.
In front of him, the ancient and thick 'great clock' body was slowly floating, its pages turning without wind, flowing with time and space formulas that transcended mundane understanding, as well as his various crazy conjectures and experimental data on the Void and the Ultimate Fear.
His state was even 'weaker' than before; the edges of his phantom body occasionally rippled with instability, the wounds not yet fully healed after being suppressed by Keisha's 'Order Interference' force field rules.
But his eyes were more focused and fanatical than ever, staring fixedly at a new model calculated on the great clock.
Not right... Keisha's methods, logical definition... This is not just the application of rules; this is a forced edit of the information layer of 'existence' itself... What kind of massive underlying information database is required for this?
Could it be... the Angel Civilization has already touched the boundary of the Universe's'source code'?
No, impossible... That would require...
Just as he was immersed in crazy deduction and self-doubt.
Hum—
An extremely subtle'sense of locking,' as if coming from the soul level rather than physical perception, descended without warning.
It was not an energy fluctuation, not a spatial disturbance, not even an information scan.
It was a more bizarre, more overbearing feeling—as if the 'definition' of his own 'existence,' as well as the 'binding relationship' between him and the 'great clock,' were, at this instant, forcibly 'red-marked,' 'highlighted,' and 'locked' by a higher-level, cold, and absolute 'logic' from the background settings of the Universe!
What?!
Karl looked up abruptly, his ghostly blue eyes reflecting for the first time such clear emotions named 'horror' and 'absurdity.'
He tried to mobilize the great clock, tried to detonate the countless space-time traps and information labyrinths he had long laid out inside and outside the 'Void Antechamber,' and tried to instantly switch the existence state of his phantom body to a deeper level of 'nothingness'...
However, every attempt, at the moment the 'thought' was generated, seemed to crash into an invisible wall of sighs composed of 'logical denial.'
Every action he wanted to take, every bit of energy he wanted to mobilize, every protocol he wanted to start, the 'execution logic' itself was anticipated, overwritten, and... 'defined as an illegal operation' by that higher-level, external 'logical will' at the very beginning of its generation.
He was like a program that had all its operation instruction input permissions instantly stripped away by a higher-permission administrator, only able to freeze in place, watching as 'he himself' was locked, marked, and... fished.
No! This is impossible! My existence definition is...
Karl's consciousness emitted a silent scream.
The next second.
Centered on Karl and his great clock, the surrounding space did not distort, did not shatter, but was like being gently erased of all original colors and lines by the most skilled painter with an eraser, and then another 'picture' was 'painted' on it.
The original 'Void Antechamber,' along with the countless space-time traps, information labyrinths, and defense mechanisms Karl had set up, disappeared as if they had never existed.
Replacing it was a minimalist 'cage' made entirely of pure logical force fields, with complex energy patterns of pale gold and silver-white flowing throughout.
Inside the cage, the flow of time was almost stagnant, the spatial structure was absolutely defined, and information exchange was completely unidirectionally isolated.
Karl's phantom body, with all 'operation permissions' completely locked, and the great clock, which had also been stripped of all external interfaces and dynamic protocols and fallen into a state of absolute'silence,' floated quietly in the center of the cage like two exquisite specimens.
The whole process was silent and waveless.
It did not even disturb the undead and believers outside the Death Song Academy who were still immersed in the power of the 'God of Death.'
Logical fishing, complete.
Merlot Heavenly Court, Sky-based Research Institute, deep confinement area.
This place is called the "Silent Corridor," a restricted area of a higher level than the "Silent Cage" used to imprison Demon Queen Morgana, specifically for containing and studying "conceptual," "rule-based," or "high-dimensional informational" threats.
Its interior is composed of multi-layered overlapping logical definition force fields, space-time isolation layers, and information black domains.
At this moment, inside a newly opened independent unit within the "Silent Corridor," two "cages" of vastly different styles are placed side by side.
On the left is a silver-white force field sphere imprisoning Demon Queen Morgana, layered with hundreds of information locks.
Inside, Morgana maintains the same posture as when she was captured, her eyes full of resentment, but all her thoughts and perceptions are delayed and frozen in an infinitely looping logical corridor.
On the right is the newly established transparent logical cage imprisoning God of Death Karl.
Karl and his great clock are like an insect trapped in amber, with all states of existence "frozen" at the moment of capture.
Hexi's figure appeared on the observation platform between the two cages.
She examined these two "neighbors" with great interest, especially Karl's ancient great clock.
"One represents extreme depravity and chaotic freedom, the other represents cold pursuit of knowledge and fear of the void," Hexi said softly.
"I wonder if putting you together will create any interesting chemical reactions? Hmm, but now is not the time.
Let's 'let you sit' for a while and let your 'existence logic' adapt well within our framework."
She reached out and beckoned, and the "silenced" great clock, with the permission of the logical cage, floated out slowly and landed in her hand.
It felt heavy and cold to the touch; the symbols on the pages seemed to possess life, yet they were isolated by an invisible film of logic.
"As for you..." Hexi stroked the cover of the great clock, a flash of anticipation in her eyes.
"You shall serve as a 'toy' for a while. When little Artoria is free, she will come to dismantle you and see what new tricks can be pieced together."
At the same time, on the top floor of the Angel International Building, in the viewing hall.
The atmosphere was completely different from the grimness or negotiations before, carrying a faint touch of melancholy belonging to parting, as well as anticipation for a new journey.
Artoria stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at Juxia City, which was gradually recovering its order beneath her feet, though its scars were still visible.
Behind her, Minerva accompanied her quietly.
And Angel Yan, Angel Leng, Zhui, and even Hexi, who had just finished the "fishing" mission for Karl and arrived dusty and weary, were all gathered here.
"Really decided? To leave?" Angel Yan crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible reluctance.
During this time of fighting side-by-side and observing, she had long established a deep friendship and recognition for this "little junior sister" who seemed weak but was actually tough in heart and decisive in her methods.
"Yes." Artoria turned around, revealing a clear and firm smile to Yan and all the Angels present.
"Things here have come to a temporary end. The demon threat has been lifted, and although the shadow of the Styx still remains, the Queen and Teacher have already taken control of the situation.
Earth's path needs to be walked by them themselves. And my path... is still in the more distant sea of stars."
She walked over to Minerva and gently held her hand: "Teacher has already helped me perfect the core theory for Xiao Xiao's fifth-generation god body upgrade plan.
I have also initially 'dismantled' and learned a part of the structure and knowledge of the great clock, and I have new, more exciting ideas for the final design of the Hyperion.
I need a broader, more undisturbed environment to practice, to verify, and to... create."
Hexi stepped forward and handed Artoria a data crystal that shimmered with colorful halos, inside of which countless stars seemed to be born and die.
Beside the crystal was a silver pocket watch with an ancient style, yet emitting strange space-time fluctuations—that was the portable interface after the great clock was "dismantled" and its core space-time rule engine was recompiled and encapsulated.
"In here is all the non-core top-secret knowledge of the Angel Civilization regarding god body technology, gene optimization, energy manipulation, material reconstruction, etc., as well as some of our latest deductions and conjectures based on the ideas you brought.
It's enough for you to study for a long time." Hexi's voice carried a rare gentleness and solemnity.
"This 'chronos core' is the 'heart' of the great clock. I helped you recompile the underlying protocols, removing all that messy void pollution and dangerous backdoors of Karl's.
It can assist you in performing ultra-complex space-time calculations, stabilizing local space-time structures, and even... in extreme situations, conducting limited short-range'space-time retracing' or 'possibility peeking.' Use it carefully; it is very... 'heavy'."
Artoria solemnly accepted them with both hands; she could feel the weight of these two "gifts."
This was not just knowledge and technology, but also the unreserved trust and support from her teacher and the entire Angel Civilization.
"Thank you, Teacher." Artoria's eyes felt slightly hot.
Hexi ruffled her hair, just like a long time ago.
"Silly child, what are you thanking me for? What you brought is far more than what you are taking away.
The evolutionary path of the Angels has been broadened because of you. Now, it's your turn to pioneer your own path."
She paused and looked toward Keisha. Although Keisha was not present in person, her will was clearly watching this place.
Keisha's voice, through some means, calmly echoed in everyone's hearts: "Artoria, Minerva. Your journey is an extension of the Angels' gaze, and also a possibility of the future.
Act as you think, and do as you wish. Merlot Heavenly Court will always have a place for you.
If you encounter irresistible danger, the 'star dome' is both a beacon and a way home."
"As for the Angels..." Keisha's voice paused slightly, carrying a hint of more profound and rational meaning.
"After these battles, we have seen more possibilities for ourselves, and also seen the deeper complexity and danger of the Universe.
Blind expansion and fighting everywhere is not the optimal solution at present.
We need time to digest the knowledge and technological breakthroughs brought by this victory, to consolidate the newly expanded boundaries of 'Order,' and to thoroughly internalize and systematize frontier powers such as 'logical definition' and 'information manipulation.'
Until... the radiance of the Angels, without needing to be present in person, ensures that the 'Order' and 'Justice' defined by it are enough to make the darkness and chaos of the Known Universe retreat on their own."
"Before that," Keisha's voice was calm and firm, "the Angels will enter a short, strategic'sedimentation period.'
Consolidate ourselves, observe the Universe, and act cautiously.
This is not a retreat, but for the sake of the future, to be able to fulfill our mission and explore... the more distant unknown in a more perfect and indisputable posture."
Artoria, Minerva, and all the Angels present understood the profound meaning in Keisha's words.
After the brief victory and display of power, there was a more sober self-awareness and strategic adjustment.
The gaze of the Angels had already turned towards a more magnificent future landscape.
"We understand." Artoria and Minerva looked at each other and replied in unison.
"Then," Angel Yan stepped forward, opened her arms, and gave Artoria a forceful hug, then released her and patted her shoulder.
"Bon voyage, little junior sister. Remember to often... um, remember to use the 'star dome' to send a message to report that you are safe."
Angel Leng also rarely showed a hint of a gentle expression and nodded at Artoria.
Zhui and several other familiar Angel Warriors also offered their blessings one after another.
There were no more sentimental goodbyes. What needed to be said had been said, and what needed to be given had been given.
Artoria took one last look at the Earth outside the window, at Minerva who was watching her gently beside her, and at these "family members" who had given her endless warmth, support, and strength.
She took a deep breath, and the "star dome" at her waist lit up slightly.
"We are setting off, Xiao Xiao."
"Mm."
The figures of the two slowly became transparent in the viewing hall, and finally, as if merging into the sunlight, they dissipated and disappeared.
Only a faint lingering charm of starlight remained in the air, along with the cup of herbal tea on the table, brewed by Hexi herself, which had not yet cooled.
Hexi walked to the window, gazing at the boundless starry sky, a smile on the corner of her mouth, yet crystalline glimmers shining in her eyes.
"Go, child. Go and map out your own stellar chart."
The light of the Merlot Heavenly Court shone gently behind her.
And a new voyage had already unfolded beneath her feet.
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