In a small wooden cabin nestled among flowers, the melodious sound of a piano drifted and echoed. Carried by the gentle breeze and the scent of blossoms, the music traveled into the distance.
Creak~
The wooden door was pushed open, and the piano music came to a sudden halt. An elderly woman, her body hunched with age, stood up. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, long since lost their focus.
"May I ask who it is?" the old woman asked. Because of her advanced age, even taking a few steps was a great struggle. "I am very sorry, my eyes are not very good..."
But in the next second, the old woman's inquiry stopped. Hearing a familiar voice she hadn't heard for decades, her entire body began to tremble. This was the voice she had yearned for in her dreams, and the person she thought she would never see again.
"Marina Ismail."
"This... this voice... could... could it be... Set... Setsuna!"
"So much time has passed."
"Because we were always missing each other."
"But the things we pursued were the same. You... were correct."
The two slowly approached each other. Setsuna gently took Marina Ismail's hand. Silver metal began to cover her hand bit by bit, spreading upward.
Marina Ismail felt the strange sensation coming from her hand, but she did not panic or struggle, because the person in front of her was Setsuna.
"You are the same; you did nothing wrong either." Her free hand wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, and she placed both her hands over Setsuna's, letting the silver metal spread faster. Soon, it covered her entire body.
"We..."
"We..."
"Can finally understand each other." x2
As the words fell, Setsuna stepped forward and embraced Marina Ismail, who was completely enveloped by the ELS.
Crack~
Small cracks spread like a spiderweb, growing more numerous and dense. Immediately afterward, the metal surface shattered, and Marina Ismail appeared intact, having regained her youthful appearance.
This man and woman, who moved toward the same goal but chose completely different paths, had constantly missed each other. Finally, at the finish line, they held each other in a tight embrace.
...
Not far from Marina Ismail's secluded location, Yang Hui, who also appeared old but still maintained an upright posture, looked toward the distance—the direction where Setsuna and Marina Ismail were.
"That guy, he really prioritizes love over his friends," Yang Hui said with a chuckle.
"What did you say? What about prioritizing love over friends?" Sumeragi asked by Yang Hui's side.
"Setsuna is back."
"He's back! He..."
[Legion Mission concluded. Protection of human civilization's survival and achievement of mutual understanding with the ELS accomplished. Rewards: 20 Construction Opportunities, 40 Enhancement Opportunities, 20 Resource Packs (Extra Large)...
Calculating World Deviation Level:
Survival of the Smirnov family—3%
Survival of Anew Returner—2%
Early elimination of A-Laws and overthrow of the puppet government's rule—18%
Early termination of Ribbons Almark's conspiracy and elimination of the Artificial Innovator group—38%
Early occurrence of the ELS decisive battle—18%
...
Total World Deviation Level obtained: 128%. Summing with the previous stage's World Deviation Level... Calculation complete. Gundam OO World has obtained a total of 189%. Qualification for World Connection obtained. Qualification for Portal establishment obtained...]
Sumeragi had originally wanted to ask if Setsuna really had returned, but before she could speak, Mephis's voice echoed in the minds of all Promis Legion members, corroborating this fact. Setsuna was back; their mission was finally complete.
"Brain Quantum Waves and this told me," Yang Hui said, pointing to his head and then to the necklace around his neck. Currently, the concentration of GN Particles on Earth was very high, and Brain Quantum Wave activity was extremely vibrant. It was common for Quasi-Innovators who couldn't control their waves or newly awakened Pure Innovators to accidentally open a "chat room" or something similar.
As the strongest known possessor of Brain Quantum Waves, Yang Hui could immediately detect a powerful surge of Brain Quantum Waves appearing nearby. And since it was so familiar, it had to be Setsuna.
Additionally, Yang Hui, who never wore jewelry, now had a necklace around his neck. He wouldn't take this necklace off even when bathing or sleeping.
It was an ELS mimicry. Setsuna had traveled to the ELS home planet as a pioneer of innovation, but during the exchange process, the ELS also learned about the existence of Prometheus Fortress and that Yang Hui was its owner.
Therefore, at Setsuna's request, the ELS were willing to enter Prometheus Fortress and become a part of it.
Although the human they trusted most was Setsuna, they also needed to interface with Yang Hui. This ultra-small-scale ELS served as the link between Yang Hui and the entire ELS race, maintaining constant communication.
The moment Setsuna returned, the ELS necklace around Yang Hui's neck had already notified him of the news.
"That's great. It's finally over," Sumeragi said happily.
"What? You don't like this kind of peaceful life?" Yang Hui asked in surprise. The original intention of Sumeragi and Yang Hui joining the Celestial Being organization was for this hard-won peace. Logically, Sumeragi should feel regret that the peaceful life was ending and they were returning to tense and dangerous missions.
"I like it, but we have to go back eventually." A serious smile appeared on Sumeragi's face. "From the moment we made our choice, we were destined to never enjoy a peaceful life with a clear conscience. When we chose, we were prepared to fulfill this heavy responsibility and mission. We gained infinite life, a wondrous journey, and powerful strength. The price for all of this naturally has to be borne."
"Mm." Yang Hui smiled warmly. Everyone had grown, not just in strength, but in maturity and firmness of mind. "Gather everyone. We're returning to the World Tree. We've played long enough; it's time to head back."
"Roger."
A message was sent out from Sumeragi's PAD. Members scattered all over the world finished their leisurely vacations, bid farewell to new friends, and embarked on the return journey.
"Setsuna! You guy actually remembered to come back!"
Back at the World Tree, the Dylandy Brothers flanked Setsuna, holding him in place and looking at him with mischievous grins.
"Sorry, the location of their home planet was too far away, so it took this long." It was unclear if Setsuna was just too straightforward or if his reactions had dulled after becoming a silicon-based lifeform, but he was completely oblivious to the Dylandy Brothers' lecherous smiles, actually believing they were genuinely concerned for him.
But... soon, Setsuna realized that more and more people were surrounding them, and the... "malice" was growing thicker. He sensed something was wrong.
"What... are you going to do?" Because he had fused with the ELS, although Setsuna was startled, his expression remained flat—like a stoic youth whose body was trembling as he backed away.
"Heh heh, you made us wait so long, there's no way we're letting you off that easily!"
"The most, most, most hateful part! We worried about you for fifty years, and as soon as you get back, you run off to find your little girlfriend without even saying hello to us! Prioritizing love over friends—absolutely no mercy!"
"Wait, Marina Ismail should be in her seventies now, right? Is she a 'little' girlfriend?"
"Setsuna is over 150 years old, isn't he? An old cow eating tender grass—if she isn't a 'little' girlfriend, what is she?"
"Fair point."
"Don't get sidetracked! Brothers, implement the sanctions on Setsuna!"
"Wait..."
"If you're not happy, keep it to yourself!"
"Mmph! Mmph!!"
On the other side, the group of women had gathered to chat with Marina Ismail. Women are synonymous with gossip, and they were truly curious about how Marina Ismail had managed to snag Setsuna.
In Prometheus Fortress, Setsuna was a veteran member, one of the powerhouses at the top of the pyramid. He was handsome, and his stoic sense of distance added a cool, charismatic vibe. Consequently, Setsuna had no shortage of pursuers in Prometheus Fortress.
Some had even launched aggressive advances, stopping just short of drugging him to "cook the rice." But Setsuna had never accepted anyone until now...
Under the interrogation-like environment of her new "sisters," Marina Ismail told them everything from their first meeting to their final experiences. This made them cry out in disbelief—how two completely different people, starting from polar opposite paths, could meet at the finish line was more like a novel than a novel.
"By the way... Marina, does your current body feel uncomfortable in any way?" Sumeragi and the others knew Marina Ismail had been assimilated by Setsuna, so they were concerned.
During these fifty years, the people who had been assimilated by the ELS had all come back to life, but there were still many mysteries about the ELS that had not been solved and were still under study. Within the Promis Legion, some members were "metal people," and some had even actively chosen to be assimilated by the ELS.
Although these people were elites from various worlds, who didn't want to become stronger? The gap in talent cannot be filled by hard work alone. They knew they were excellent talents, but compared to geniuses and "Children of the World," they were still far behind. To become stronger and catch up to or even surpass them, they had to use special methods.
In fact, not only members of the Promis Legion, but many people on Earth had also chosen to be assimilated by the ELS. First and foremost, there was a benefit that many found impossible to refuse: longevity!
Furthermore, ordinary people could obtain powerful Brain Quantum Waves.
Greed is one of the seven deadly sins of man. Ordinary people might seem content with their lot, but that is often just because they have no choice in their current environment. Once given the chance, who would be willing to remain a salted fish?
"I... I don't for now," Marina Ismail said shyly. She had grown up in the palace and had never had many friends. Besides Setsuna, the only one she could call a friend was her original aide and supervisor, Celine Baptiste. Having so many people interacting with her like friends all of a sudden was something she really wasn't used to.
"Mm, I'll take you to see Dr. Moreno later for a full-body checkup."
"Okay. As for Set... Setsuna over there..."
"Hmm?" Sumeragi blinked, turned her head to look, and the corners of her mouth curled into a mischievous arc. "Don't worry, they're just playing around. Nothing will happen."
"Is... is that so?"
"Yes."
...
"Say... Setsuna is a silicon-based lifeform now, right? Does he still have that thing?"
"Mmph! Mmph!!"
"Hmm, we need to check. Practice is the only criterion for testing the truth."
"Mmph!!"
"Stop struggling! It's hard to pull off!"
"Don't worry, just one look. It'll be quick."
"Mmph~!!!!!!! Mmmgh..."
(End of Chapter)