"Hi-hi~! Visitors entering the city, please exchange your currencies for chips and tokens at the counter—"
"The Starsea Entertainment City accepts alloys, minerals, magic tomes, rare resources, and all kinds of physical materials. Galactic Union currency will be exchanged according to the Empire's rate—"
At the city's grand entrance, countless aliens lined up to buy tickets and trade their goods for tokens.
Since this universe had a Galactic Union, it naturally had a universal currency. Given that Azathoth and other Outer Gods were backing it, the Starsea Empire also recognized it as valid.
The only difference was that the Empire required one extra step—converting the currency into tangible materials first.
Even so, many aliens from distant star systems arrived with cargo ships full of local specialties just to trade for chips.
"Two ships of specialty goods from Planet Kegtuya, estimated value: twenty thousand tokens. Please remember your account ID and password."
"The current exchange rate between Galactic Union Credits and Starsea Coins is thirty-five to one. You can also open an interstellar bank account and exchange directly from your personal terminal."
The Angeloids and AI attendants provided courteous service to every alien visitor, introducing them to the wonders of mobile digital payments.
"Whoa..."
Nyaruko, Cthulhu, and the others checked their balance displays in awe—it was no wonder the Starsea Empire was so advanced.
"Payments through fingerprints and passcodes? That's really convenient! You don't even have to worry about losing your wallet!"
"Of course."
Akashi said proudly.
"When you spend or recharge using virtual currency, you don't feel the pain of spending real money! That's one of the secrets to making a profit, nya—"
"Ahhh??..."
As they walked through the brilliant and luxurious cityscape, the first thing to catch their eyes was the magnificent Daydream Hotel.
"Daydream Hotel is the Starsea Entertainment City's premier accommodation and relaxation venue. Here, you'll experience an otherworldly sense of wonder."
An AI attendant led Nyaruko and the alien tourists through the lavish lobby.
"From lodging and dining to entertainment, the Daydream Hotel is built to the highest standards in the universe."
"You can taste cuisine from another universe and experience entertainment projects from other worlds."
The hotel's interior decor was breathtaking—every corner crafted with exquisite detail and artistry.
The restaurant offered dishes alien visitors had never seen before—made from magical beasts, dangerous species, and rare ingredients—along with exotic desserts and pastries.
The once-celebrated Earth's R'lyeh Theme Park, famed as the top resort in the cosmos, was nothing compared to this.
"In addition, the signature feature of the Daydream Hotel is its advanced consciousness-uploading and full-holographic simulation systems."
"When guests fall asleep inside the hotel, their consciousness will enter a dream world."
The AI attendant continued its introduction.
"The hotel offers 3,600 preset dreamscapes. Whether you wish to be an emperor, a hero, an explorer... or even an alien from another civilization living an ordinary life on another planet—you can experience it here."
"The flow of time inside dreams is independent from reality. Even if you spend decades inside your dream, only one night will pass in the real world."
"Whoa—!"
The visitors were ecstatic.
Even if it was virtual, the sensory experience was completely real.
To live countless lives through dreams—this was truly the definition of living and dying in blissful illusion.
"Kamen Rider! Can I be Kamen Rider too?! I want to transform!!"
Nyaruko couldn't contain herself.
"Of course. For VIP guests who reach a certain spending threshold, we also offer customized dreamscapes."
"Based on your personal desires, we'll create a tailor-made dream just for you."
The attendant replied.
"Buy, buy, buy, buy!!!—"
A crowd of aliens rushed toward the counter, clutching their credit chips and terminals.
But upon seeing the sky-high prices, many froze instantly.
"Uh, a standard room costs 12,000 Starsea Coins per night? That's as much as a small starship! A few nights in a deluxe suite could buy a battleship..."
"Daydream Hotel is positioned as the number one luxury hotel in the universe—there's only one of its kind. We're currently offering a 20% discount for the grand opening. Future bookings will require reservations and an exclusive access pass."
The smiling AI attendant answered courteously.
"If you have other needs, we also offer budget hotels for your stay."
"Hiss—"
Even with the steep prices, many wealthy aliens still eagerly swiped their cards and checked in, happily receiving their room cards and selecting dreamscapes to experience.
"Commander, this technology... feels oddly familiar..."
Belfast rested her chin thoughtfully.
Something about those aliens lying on beds, entering virtual dream worlds, gave her a strange sense of déjà vu.
"It's based on our old consciousness-upload tech."
Setsuna replied casually.
"The same system we used back when we visited Synapse—it's the civilian version of what we made for the Master of Synapse."
"Oh, right. The Master of Synapse must be on his sixth playthrough of Kuroinu and Goblin Cave by now. Maybe I'll give him something new next time."
"Ahem. We can't offer that kind of content to tourists—it'd ruin our image."
"???"
...
Aside from the hotel, the entertainment city featured numerous massive facilities and attractions, each with unique functions and designs.
"This is the Super Mad Mountain Starsea Coaster! Experience an extreme interstellar roller coaster ride from the surface to outer space—over thirty thousand kilometers long!"
"This is the Monster Hunter Holographic Arena! Come hunt dangerous species and magical beasts! The new weapon—Taichi—is in a limited-time UP event! First top-up doubles your rewards, nya!!"
"This is the Eldritch Horror House! With consciousness-uploading and simulation tech, you'll experience the thrills of classic horror films firsthand!"
Every attraction was packed with long lines of aliens waiting eagerly for their turn.
The advanced entertainment technology from another world left them awestruck.
"Whoa—! I wanna try that one!"
Nyaruko and Cthulhu could barely contain their excitement, dragging Setsuna toward the haunted house.
"Come on, let's see what horror movies from other worlds are like—"
Flash—
A white light enveloped them, and the next moment, they found themselves in a virtual realm.
On an old TV screen, the static flickered, showing a barren field and a dried-up well.
A long-haired ghost girl slowly crawled out of it, dragging her frail, distorted body across the ground... until she began emerging from the television screen itself.
"Eek—!!"
Half an hour later.
Several Cthulhu girls stumbled out, pale and trembling, supporting each other.
"S-so scary... scarier than any haunted house I've ever seen..."
"Aren't you supposed to be Outer Gods? How can you be scared of ghosts?"
Tohru tilted her head curiously.
After all, compared to the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos, those movie ghosts should've been nothing.
"It's different!! We couldn't fight back in the simulation! We just had to stand there while Sadako and Kayako crawled right up to our faces!!"
Nyaruko protested passionately.
"Tch, that was worse than when Shub-Niggurath spawned her younglings..."
Moving along, they arrived at a massive complex resembling a futuristic media center.
"This is the Starsea Cinema Park, offering movies and shows from the past, present, and future."
"Whatever you're a fan of, you can find it here."
Among the Starsea Empire's vassal worlds were countless variations of Earth across different timelines—making this place the ultimate Super Earth Plus Edition.
"Whoa—"
The alien tourists were once again amazed.
Here, they could find prequels, sequels, and future continuations of their favorite series.
It was a miracle—this was truly divine!
Many who had been anxiously waiting for unfinished series were ecstatic to discover complete versions here.
"Kamen Rider full collection, please! I need to see what the Reiwa era looks like!!"
"Do you have Detective Conan?"
"Ahem, sorry—even in the future, it's still not finished. But we can offer you a newly remastered selection from this April."
"What about Half-Life 3?"
"Gabe Newell still can't count to three, thank you. But if you sign up for our Black Gold VIP plan, we can send someone to personally teach him."
Heaven.
To any otaku, this place was heaven itself.
Cthulhu, Cthylla, and the others went on a shopping spree.
"Commander, I want this one."
Nyaruko didn't even need to pay—whenever she pointed at something she wanted, an attendant instantly packaged it up and handed it to her with reverent care.
Pure bliss.
All thanks to the man beside her—the leader of the Starsea Empire.
Everywhere they went, eyes of envy followed.
Before long, Nyaruko had mastered the art of clinging to Setsuna's arm and acting spoiled.
"Hehe~ Commander, you really are the God of Entertainment, aren't you?"
"Come play with me a little longer~ There's still so much fun stuff we haven't tried yet~"
"..."
Though the attractions here weren't new to him—Setsuna had experienced similar ones countless times back in the capital—he didn't mind humoring Nyaruko.
"Sure. Oh, by the way, where are Yog-Sothoth and Shub-Niggurath?"
Setsuna pinched Nyaruko's cheek gently.
"If they're as cute as you, they're welcome too. Tell them they can come visit the Starsea Entertainment City—I'll host them myself."
"And they're welcome to visit the Starsea Empire later."
"Ahh~ You're the first person who's ever called me cute, Commander~!"
Nyaruko blushed, fidgeting shyly.
"But okay, I'll contact the others. I'm sure they'll love you—and this place."
"Oh no—"
Imagining Nyarlathotep and the other Outer Gods' true forms, and then looking at the cheerful Nyaruko and Cthulhu clinging to Setsuna's arm—
Tohru and Formidable both felt their pupils dilate in horror.
"So the capital's going to be swarming with Cthulhu girls soon?!"
"Commander's taste is evolving into Eldritch tier, huh?!?!"
...
Booming.
The Starsea Entertainment City's grand opening instantly turned the Solar System into one of the busiest routes in the universe.
The first wave of visitors showered it with rave reviews, and within hours, news of the Starsea Entertainment City spread like wildfire across the Galactic Union.
Countless spacecraft from every corner of the cosmos flocked to the Moon, just to witness the Empire's newest marvel with their own eyes.
At night, Earth's inhabitants gazed upward, spotting brilliant, multicolored streaks of light racing across the horizon and converging around the Moon—like shimmering ribbons stretched across the sky.
Those dazzling trails were the afterburners of alien ships traveling from across the galaxy to visit the Moon.
"I told you aliens were real!!!"
"Why do they keep flying to the Moon?! What's up there?!"
Earth's people were in uproar.
Astronomers hurriedly pointed their telescopes toward the Moon, faintly discerning moving shadows and strange lights.
They soon realized that the lunar surface wasn't barren at all—it now hosted massive structures and bustling traffic of intelligent beings and small spacecraft.
"See?! I told you the Moon landing was fake!!!"
"There's obviously a civilization up there! And you said there was nothing?!"
At the United Nations Headquarters, world leaders convened for an emergency meeting.
"Given the frequency of these alien ships entering the Solar System, something significant must be happening on the Moon," one representative said gravely.
"It could be lost technology... or perhaps a rare mineral or energy source."
The room buzzed with anxious whispers.
"They come to the Solar System but not to Earth?"
"If they have interstellar travel, surely they know there's intelligent life here... right?"
"And what's on the Moon besides dust and rocks that could attract that many aliens?!"
The more they discussed it, the less sense it made.
"What if they start fighting on the Moon?! If a galactic war breaks out in our Solar System, what should we do?!"
"Could there be some hidden base or secret buried beneath the lunar crust?"
"We must act quickly—launch a new lunar mission, investigate the situation, and attempt peaceful contact."
"Agreed. Maybe we can start by sending a friendly radio signal—they don't seem hostile..."
Just as the debate reached its peak—
Woom—
A massive silver-white starship descended through the clouds, its sheer presence casting a shadow over the entire city.
The air trembled under its pressure as it hovered low above the ground.
Clank—
The ship's hangar doors opened, and tens of thousands of Angeloids marched out in perfect formation.
In an instant, all electronic systems on Earth went offline, and within five minutes, every defense force on-site had been neutralized and subdued by the combat angels.
Belfast, as always, was an expert in subduing pre-space-age civilizations.
"Aliens! We're being invaded?!"
Before anyone could even react—
Click—
The Angeloids surrounded the conference hall. From the starship's bridge, the head maid stepped forward, gazing down at the humans below.
With a crisp clap of her hands, she declared:
"Greetings, everyone. From this moment onward, Earth will come under the jurisdiction of the Starsea Empire. The Solar System will henceforth be part of Imperial territory."
"In the coming days, we will restructure your administrative systems and unify your world under Imperial governance."
"As for the finer details, Sophon will brief you shortly—she will serve as the Solar System's appointed Governor."
"???"
Humanity froze in collective disbelief.
What the hell?!
Where did these aliens come from—and what was the Starsea Empire?!
But with a planet-crushing starship hovering overhead, no one dared to object.
"Excuse me... are you from another galactic civilization? We've recently observed numerous alien ships gathering on the Moon—are they... doing something there?"
One of the scientists mustered the courage to ask.
"Oh, they're just here for fun."
Belfast's calm answer left everyone utterly baffled.
"Originally, the Solar System was designated as a protected zone for pre-space-age civilizations. But since the Starsea Empire has established an outpost and begun development here..."
"Legally speaking, your system now falls under Imperial jurisdiction—and the Galactic Union has already acknowledged this arrangement."
To facilitate further expansion of the Starsea Entertainment City and Imperial influence in this universe, Setsuna had casually mentioned Earth's integration to the Union.
They didn't object in the slightest. After all, Setsuna was human—humans ruling humans made perfect sense.
In their view, the Empire was simply helping a primitive branch of humanity advance into the space age. It was, by all accounts, an internal matter.
"So long as you obey Imperial directives, the Empire will elevate your civilization to the spacefaring stage soon enough."
"Given our ongoing investment in entertainment infrastructure here, your standard of living will far exceed that of any other version of Earth."
Sophon descended expressionlessly, directing the Angeloids to begin administrative takeover procedures.
"Hmm... perhaps we should heavily promote cultural and entertainment development in this universe as well..."
With Earth effortlessly pacified, Belfast pulled up a holographic interface and reviewed the next set of assignments.
"Let's see... the Outer Gods are the Commander's department. As for everyone else, I'll handle them."
...
Meanwhile, back on the Moon—
Aliens were utterly consumed by the Starsea Empire's intoxicating entertainment empire.
Beyond the Daydream Hotel and the various amusement facilities, Akashi was working tirelessly to promote her latest projects to the Galactic Union.
According to the ever-ambitious mechanic cat, the entertainment city could only make money from tourists—but games could make money from the entire universe.
They had to expand—aggressively.
"Hi-hi-hi~!"
"The Starsea Empire offers free ARPGs, MOBAs, RTS, and FPS titles! Every game you've seen or imagined—you'll find it here!"
"Totally free!!! New players get twenty free pulls just for registering, nya~~"
Inside a grand exhibition hall, countless gaming booths lined the floor.
The cunning merchant personally oversaw the promotion, accompanied by flocks of Angeloid assistants.
"Eh?"
"Free games?"
Many aliens, having never experienced the pain of microtransactions, were both curious and skeptical.
The Entertainment City was fun, sure—but expensive. Apart from wealthy alien elites, most couldn't even afford a night in the Daydream Hotel.
Thus, the word free carried irresistible allure.
"All Starsea Empire games are available through the Akashi Game Platform!"
"Choose any genre you like—I'll help you download and register, nya!"
The AI attendants guided the alien tourists patiently through the registration process.
"To begin, please complete identity verification—enter your galaxy, species, civilization, and personal data..."
"Oooh—"
Nyaruko and several alien guests joined in, downloading the platform—a pink cat-paw logo strikingly similar to Steam.
It was the Akashi Game Platform, independently developed and managed by the mechanic cat herself.
The interface showcased a dizzying array of titles.
"MOBAs include Dota 2, League of Legends, and Honor of Kings—these were once incredibly popular on old Earth, nya—"
"FPS selection features Battlefield, Call of Duty, CS:GO... choose whichever suits your taste!"
"We've also integrated many classics from different timelines—Primordial Impact, Honkai: Star Sea, World of Starships, and more!"
"And for those who prefer peace and strategy, we've got Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Victoria, Hearts of Iron, and Stellaris! All available right here, nya~"
"Whoa—!"
The sheer volume and quality of these advanced games left the alien visitors ecstatic.
One by one, the aliens logged in.
"So... did she just move every single Earth game onto her own platform? It's surprisingly well-stocked," Formidable muttered, half impressed and half confused.
"No, no~ I even modded them, nya!"
Akashi's ears twitched proudly as she leaned closer to explain.
"Modded?"
"Yes~ Aside from the original mobile games, I've added multiplayer and gacha systems to every single title! Because I discovered that free-to-play games have far greater monetization potential than pay-once models, nya~!"
The mechanic cat puffed out her chest with pride.
"...You make that sound almost reasonable somehow."
Setsuna's mouth twitched.
Akashi casually opened one of the games to demonstrate.
"For example, Stellaris is now a fully online multiplayer experience! Every player can control their own civilization in the galaxy."
"Whales can start as Fallen Empires, while free players get... primitive civilizations, nya~~"
Swipe—
Inside the in-game store, endless purchase options filled the screen:
[Monthly Pass: Receive 300 Alloy daily (30 days)]
[Unlock Colossus: 320,000 Starsea Credits]
[Unlock Star-Eater Superweapon: 1,650,000 Starsea Credits (VIP25 Exclusive)]
[Obtain Fallen Empire Cruiser ×1: 7,500 Starsea Credits]
[Unlock 5 Random Technologies: 60,000 Starsea Credits]
[...]
Nearly every game had been remodeled by Akashi to include monetization systems—each one designed to satisfy the needs (and wallets) of every kind of player.
The prices ranged from basic monthly passes to exclusive VIP tiers and custom high-end gear.
Players could even enjoy pity systems—100 pulls for a small guarantee, 200 pulls for a big one—with only a 50% chance to pull the featured limited "UP" upgrade item.
Can't beat others in PVP?
→ Pay to win.
Progressing too slowly?
→ Pay for instant boosts.
Got humiliated by a rival in-game?
→ Pay. Win. Revenge!
"..."
Formidable, Tohru, and the others stared in awe at the sheer magnitude of the cat's shameless commercial genius.
"Akashi... so this is what you were holding back in the capital? The Commander was actually restraining your creativity?!"
"Mhm~"
Akashi purred proudly, her tail swaying.
"If you don't spend money... how can you possibly get stronger, meow?"
—
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