For Olvia, there was a natural sense of closeness to S-Robin. After all, among all the Seraphim, it was extremely rare for any of them to have living parents.
Once Olvia understood S-Robin's origins, her gaze softened with maternal affection.
A moment later, S-Robin nestled into Olvia's embrace, forming a picture-perfect scene of a loving mother and daughter.
Suddenly, S-Snake tugged at Carl's collar and asked in a soft voice,
"Saint Carl, can I see your wings again? You flew too fast earlier, and I couldn't see them clearly..."
Carl was momentarily taken aback before nodding. With a mere thought, a pair of massive black wings unfurled from his back. He then gently brushed one of them against the small S-Snake in his arms.
Clapping her hands in delight, S-Snake exclaimed,
"So beautiful! Why are ours so small?"
Carl chuckled.
"That's because you're still young. Give it a few more years, and your wings will grow too."
Unlike the Pacifistas, the Seraphim were not mere machines, they were living beings who could grow like any other person.
S-Snake nodded thoughtfully before adding,
"Saint Carl, I heard from Kuma that you can control fire just like us."
As she spoke, S-Snake gestured to the back of her neck. Since she wanted Carl to hold her, she had suppressed her Lunarian flame and switched to speed mode.
Carl, for convenience, also remained in speed mode most of the time—after all, carrying a massive flame on his back was an easy way to accidentally burn someone.
Seeing S-Snake's curiosity about flames, he activated his innate ability. In an instant, a fierce blaze erupted from the back of his neck, and the surrounding temperature soared.
However, for the Seraphim, such heat was negligible. S-Snake's star-like pupils reflected the flickering firelight as she murmured,
"Saint Carl, are you our father?"
The question stunned Carl, but before he could react, Olvia's cheeks flushed red, and Robin wore an odd expression.
Just moments ago, Olvia had asked S-Robin to call her "mother." Now, S-Snake had referred to Carl as "our father." Given that "our" obviously referred to all the Seraphim, it inadvertently bound Carl and Olvia as a couple.
For Robin, this also meant that Carl had suddenly become her "father," which she absolutely did not want!
Robin opened her mouth to correct S-Snake, but Carl spoke first.
Shaking his head with an amused smile, he said,
"No, I'm not your father. The Lunarian genes within you were extracted from King. Though, he wouldn't be considered your father either."
S-Snake blinked her large eyes and let out a cute "Oh."
Carl gently set S-Snake down and said,
"S-Snake, you and S-Robin stay here for now. I have something to take care of."
S-Snake obediently nodded and responded in a sweet voice,
"I'll wait here for Saint Carl's return!"
Carl patted S-Snake's little head with a smile before activating his Kamui, causing his figure to gradually fade into nothingness.
...
At the Perimeter of the Defensive Line
Lucia remained aboard the warship. With an Admiral present, the fleet—previously thrown into chaos by the attack of the ancient robots—had swiftly regrouped and re-established its defensive lines.
By the time Carl returned, the last batch of wounded had already been sent to the rear for treatment.
In addition, Lucia had deployed a group of Fish-Man Marines, ordering them to dive underwater to prevent another surprise attack from the ancient robots.
Ever since Shirahoshi was taken to Mary Geoise, Fish-Man Island had drawn closer to the World Government. As a result, the Navy had seen a notable increase in Fish-Man recruits.
Carl remained on the warship until dusk. As the sky darkened, he was about to call for Lucia so they could return to Mary Geoise when suddenly, two Fish-Man Marines emerged from the sea and leaped onto the deck.
Their expressions were urgent. Spotting Carl, they immediately reported,
"Fleet Admiral, we just discovered a group of massive robots beneath the water! They're back!"
Hearing this, Carl narrowed his eyes slightly and walked to the bow, peering down at the ocean.
A few moments later, the once-calm sea suddenly churned violently. More figures burst from the depths—it was the Fish-Man Marines who had been stationed underwater. Several of them bore fresh wounds.
Carl raised a hand and used his abilities to pull all of them onto the deck at once.
As soon as the Fish-Man Marines landed, three colossal figures emerged from the waves. Standing behind Carl, the marine said grimly,
"Fleet Admiral, those are the same robots that attacked us earlier today!"
Carl studied the three ancient robots. Their designs resembled Emet, the one he had encountered on Egghead Island, though their expressions were cold and devoid of intelligence.
The robot on the left was missing an arm—clearly, it was the one the Navy fleet had heavily damaged earlier in the day.
As soon as the three robots appeared, the surrounding warships opened fire simultaneously, engulfing them in a barrage of cannon fire.
When the first volley ended and the smoke cleared, the robots reappeared within view.
Their steel bodies were scorched and battered by the bombardment, with the one missing an arm looking the worst off—half of its head had been blown away, and electrical sparks crackled from its exposed circuits.
Unlike earlier, the Navy had been prepared this time. With the modifications by Dr. Vegapunk, their ship cannons had become significantly more powerful.
But robots did not feel pain. They did not retreat. Their glowing red eyes locked onto Carl's warship, and they charged forward.
The marine was about to give the order to fire again, but Carl raised a hand, signaling him to wait.
In the next instant, a figure wreathed in violet flames shot forward from Carl's side, soaring toward the three ancient robots before stopping above the sea.
From the warships, Marines shouted in unison,
"Admiral Hakutsuru!!!"
Lucia held her flaming blade before her chest. Though she was dwarfed by the approaching robots, the aura she emanated was as imposing as a mountain.
A moment later, an overwhelming surge of violet flames erupted from Tsui Mei's blade, forming a vast inferno that engulfed the ancient robots below.
-----------
+170 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg