By the start of the next phase, all three of them realized there was no value in continuing the work themselves. With the foundation already in place, Hephaestus, after a brief discussion with Luthar, handed the entire process over to the Goibniu Familia, leaving the remaining reconstruction to those better suited to handle it.
This allowed Freya to focus on training the girls in firearms, while Hephaestus turned her attention to constructing her giant robot. As for Luthar, he used his free time to deploy servo-skulls, sending them out to scout other worlds.
However, he quickly ran into a limitation. The system's energy reserves began dropping faster than expected, with the module falling below the safe operational levels he had defined.
Continuing like that wasn't an option. If the energy dropped too far, it would limit what he could actually do when it mattered.
So, without hesitation, Luthar shifted his focus to adjusting and upgrading everyone's equipment, refining both efficiency and safety.
With the sheer amount of knowledge he possessed, the process remained smooth, and by the time the adjustments were complete, several days had already passed.
And with that, the time for removing the bandages finally arrived.
Inside the medical room, servo arms carefully removed the bandages, revealing his regenerated skin beneath.
Outside, only a few people were present—Hephaestus, Freya, Lily, and Natasha. Natasha stood slightly apart, more out of presence than interest in how Luthar looked.
When the door opened and Luthar stepped out, their attention shifted toward him.
The change was noticeable at a glance. His features had settled into a balanced, natural shape, his skin clear and even, without any marks. His ash-brown hair fell loosely around his face, catching the light just enough to set it apart.
Then the difference became clearer.
One eye didn't quite match the other, its movement steady and controlled as it adjusted to the space.
Overall, his appearance was consistent—almost too consistent—without any visible flaw.
For a moment, no one said anything.
Then Natasha broke the silence, her tone casual, almost dismissive.
"So... you went through all that just to fix your face?" she said. "Wouldn't it have been easier to go to a proper hospital?"
Luthar didn't react.
"It's not surgery," he said. "It's regeneration."
Natasha gave a small shrug. "Doesn't look that different to me. The end result's the same."
"No," Luthar replied. "It isn't."
His tone remained steady.
"This is how I was meant to look."
He left it there.
Explaining further would only lead to questions he had no intention of answering about things that didn't belong here.
Instead, he moved past them and reached for one of the masks set aside on the table. It was simple and functional. He put it on without hesitation, adjusting it slightly until it sat in place.
"You don't need that anymore," Lily said. "It's better to show your face instead of hiding it."
"It's not about hiding it," Luthar replied. "It's protection."
"From what?"
"From losing it again."
That ended the matter, and no one pushed further.
After a moment, Freya spoke.
"So, what now?"
"We return to exploration," Luthar said. "I'll be heading to a new world I found. Loki will go to the Marvel world, and one of you will go with her to keep an eye on her."
"Count me out," Freya said immediately. "I'm going with you instead."
"Same," Hephaestus added without hesitation. "I'd prefer that. A new world has more value."
Luthar paused for a moment, considering it, though his decision was already clear.
"Lily will go with Loki," he said.
Lily blinked. "Wait—what?"
"Keep an eye on her," Luthar continued. "Make sure she doesn't create unnecessary problems."
Lily let out a quiet breath. "Of course. Always me."
Freya and Hephaestus didn't argue further. Their interest had already shifted toward what lay ahead, and the outcome didn't interfere with that.
The decision was made.
Luthar didn't continue the discussion. Instead, he turned slightly toward Hephaestus.
"You should call Loki."
She didn't ask anything further and made the call without delay.
"We're ready," she said simply. "If you are, come to the church."
The call ended just as quickly.
That was enough.
They moved out together, leaving the room behind as the focus shifted entirely to what came next. The walk was steady, and no one spoke. There was nothing left to clarify.
By the time they reached the chamber housing the Nexus Gate, the area was already active.
Servo-skulls moved through the space, carrying equipment into position. Some hovered in place while others adjusted their paths, responding to Luthar's earlier commands without interruption.
Luthar stepped forward, making a few final adjustments as the last pieces were brought in. Everything responded as expected.
No delays.
No corrections needed.
Lily arrived shortly after, carrying her own equipment. She didn't say anything, only gave a brief glance toward Luthar before moving into position.
Natasha followed more slowly, her gaze moving across the setup with mild disinterest.
Without hesitation, Luthar picked up a piece of equipment and handed it to her.
"You'll need this."
She looked at it, then back at him.
"I thought I was staying here."
"No. You're coming with us."
There was no change in his tone.
Natasha frowned slightly. "Why? Don't you need someone to stay back?"
"We have others for that," Luthar said. "It's better for you to follow me. You need the experience if you're going to lead your own team later."
She held his gaze for a moment, then took the equipment without further comment.
That settled it.
The area gradually quieted as everything fell into place. The movement of the servo-skulls slowed as their tasks were completed, leaving only the low, steady hum of the active systems.
No one spoke.
They didn't need to.
Each of them already understood what came next.
Luthar stood at the center of it, his attention fixed ahead, the mask concealing whatever expression might have been there.
Everything was ready.
All that remained was for Loki to arrive.
author's note :
I'm sorry for not uploading recently. My mom fractured her leg, and it has completely disrupted my focus. On top of that, I've been having a lot of trouble with my eyes. I even went to the doctor, but unfortunately, it hasn't improved much.
At the moment, if I look at my phone for more than about ten minutes, my eyes start hurting badly. Because of that, I haven't been able to write anything for the past week.
I also can't really use this time to plan the story for the future. As I mentioned, my mom's fracture has made things difficult at home, and right now, I simply don't have the concentration needed to properly work on the story.
I'm sorry for the bad news, and I hope things settle down soon so I can get back to writing normally.