Stephanie was a bit baffled by the sudden order—she didn't understand why her Lord had suddenly begun collecting World War II naval warfare case studies, inviting old veterans to write tactical manuals, especially on battleship and dreadnought strategies. Modern naval warfare had long since transitioned to beyond-visual-range missile combat. The age of big guns and steel hulls was over, replaced by missiles of various types and long-range strike capabilities.
Still, as Solomon's most loyal personal assistant (self-proclaimed), Stephanie followed his orders without hesitation or question.
Her next task was to push the U.S. Department of Defense into initiating research into future space naval tactics. With the Malik family sponsoring NASA, the agency naturally became involved in the program. While America's current armed satellites were nearly useless, the Reagan-era "Star Wars" program had already been quietly revived following the Battle of New York. The U.S., China, and Russia had all begun to refocus on aerospace development in recent years, yet they were still far from building systems capable of defending the solar system or striking interstellar spacecraft.
Gideon Malik's family doctor had finally declared him fully recovered, ready to return to the State Department and take the lead on NASA's space navy tactical development project. Though this program seemed unimpressive next to the lofty promises of companies like Lunar Transit Corp, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, most politicians thought Gideon was preparing for retirement—trying to secure one last political legacy for his daughter, Stephanie Malik.
It wouldn't be long before the U.S. State Department welcomed a stunning new Malik. Naturally, Stephanie's potential marriage had become a hot topic. It was plain to see that the old political family was preparing for a new chapter of glory. This was something Gideon quietly approved of—he needed Stephanie to bear the family's heir. She was his only child.
If Stephanie had been the same person she was before, Gideon would have had no concerns. But now, his only daughter was following Solomon all over the world, showing no signs of dating, much less settling down. And that worried him deeply.
As for Stephanie herself, she had no idea she was caught in the midst of such a swirling storm. Even if she had known, she wouldn't have had the mental bandwidth to care. When Solomon returned to the Immortal City, the first thing he did was show her the fleet moored in the inner plane. Nothing stirs the human soul like the sight of massive ships and towering artillery. Standing before a turret bigger than a building, Stephanie's rational mind was overwhelmed by deep-seated, genetic fear. With Solomon's help, she collapsed onto the couch and only recovered after sipping hot tea and nibbling on biscuits.
"All of that is… ours?" Stephanie's hands and feet were still icy, her body trembling. She instinctively leaned closer to Solomon, as if being near him would restore her courage.
"Yes. Absolutely. And we'll have even more in the future—this is only the tip of the iceberg."
"My Lord, what kind of enemy are we facing?" Her voice suddenly dropped. The question seemed to chill her to the bone. "What kind of war could be so horrific that your future self would send these to us now?"
"Our first enemy is the Mad Titan—the destroyer of countless civilizations across the cosmos." Though the enemy had yet to reach the solar system, Solomon could already feel the pressure of his presence. According to rumors circulating among space pirates—wild and unreliable though they were—Thanos possessed advanced genetic engineering technology and Chitauri biomechanical enhancements, enabling him to create terrifying, fearless war beasts. When his ships descended, swarms of bioengineered monsters would drown entire armies.
Under that kind of threat, surrenderist sentiment on Earth was inevitable. It wasn't about ideology, politics, or national strength—it was the reality. Earth's current governments were utterly unprepared to face warlords from beyond the stars. Even if they tried to resist, they wouldn't last long. Solomon didn't expect anything from Asgard either—after Ragnarök, they likely had no standing army left. That's why he hadn't told anyone—not even the Avengers—about the enemy's impending arrival. They simply wouldn't matter on the kind of battlefield he was envisioning.
The first enemy? Meaning there would be more?
"I'll get right to work on the Mars Foundry and the follow-up plans," Stephanie said, taking a deep breath. "But… will we have enough time? When will they come? And should we tell the Wakandans about this? I think showing them those warships might keep their king in check."
Solomon nodded.
"I've already made arrangements. We're just waiting on progress in brain science. Ordinary people can't operate those warships through training alone—the data load is enormous," he explained. "You can file a request for brain-computer interface support and cognitive loop augmentation. I can't give everyone magical equipment—that's simply not realistic."
"Samaritan and that AI system!"
"No," Solomon immediately rejected. "Those ships don't have artificial intelligence. And we don't have time to retrofit them. I don't trust AI." He had good reason—he'd dealt only with the most advanced AI, the kind that bordered on emotional sentience.
"We need people—discreetly trained in piloting based on the data from those hard drives. Once we activate the smallest warship, the Mars Foundry Project will be completely under our control. The Wakandans won't be able to meddle. Go select from Sofia's people—anyone except the boys flagged by the bio lab. You'll be in charge of them from now on, whether they're in the Immortal City or the Lost City. Don't worry, I'll speak to Sofia myself. Her people are already seeking refuge from Trinity's hunt—they want to fully integrate into the Immortal City. But keep everything secret from the Wakandans. They can't know a single detail."
"You mentioned that girl who's about to join the Immortal City. A sorceress from Kamar-Taj—your subordinate?"
"Kamar-Taj isn't mine, Stephanie. Not yet," he replied. "That girl is my student. I personally taught her magic. She still has her own mission to complete, though, so she won't be joining us just yet."
The Magus gestured for an unseen servant to bring him tea. He needed a moment to relax. Wanda and Pietro had gladly accepted his invitation. From their perspective, their revenge was already accomplished. They needed somewhere to belong—and when their teacher reached out, they saw no reason to refuse. Wanda, in particular, wanted to help—to share the burden she saw weighing so heavily on Solomon's shoulders. She didn't know what kind of people could place such a brutal destiny on one man, rather than on an entire civilization. But she was determined to be useful in the battles to come.
"So this is your student, Boya?" The witch tugged on Solomon's cheek before swiping through his phone's gallery. "Nice figure," Bayonetta said dryly. "Tell me, did your little stallion heart skip a beat?"
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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