Megatron's anger was only natural!
Before Saitama ever set foot on Earth, he had already ordered the world's scholars to study the legends of King Arthur. But those scholars only approached the Arthurian myths with conventional scientific methods, never breaking the mold—never thinking outside the box!
"Argh! This is infuriating!"
Megatron pounded his chest. Right now, he truly wished he could blast those scientists to scrap with one shot.
But it was too late for that.
He could only watch as Saitama, Merlin's Staff in one hand and the AllSpark in the other, strode off into the distance.
Sir Edmund said, "Saitama, I knew you'd complete the mission and return safely!"
The mechanical butler rubbed his hands together. "I thought so as well. Er—Saitama, may I touch the Merlin's Staff?"
Saitama passed it over, teasing, "Just don't break it."
The mechanical butler peered with his high-precision optics, scanning the staff before sighing in awe. "This truly is a masterpiece once held by the Lord of the Universe."
As he spoke, the mechanical butler's voice wavered, almost like he might weep. Handing the staff back to Saitama, he murmured, "Just seeing this staff brings it all back—those days with King Arthur, with the mage Merlin—when we pacified the world."
For all Merlin's unreliability among those who made history—human and machine alike—he truly was favored by fortune.
He made it all the way to the end.
Now, the mechanical butler found himself missing him.
Just then, Sir Edmund asked, "Saitama, now that you hold the Merlin's Staff and the AllSpark, what do you intend to do next?"
"Now that Megatron has lost his source of power," Sir Edmund continued, "I believe it won't be long before Earth enters a period of relative peace."
The mechanical butler chimed in, "May I suggest something? While the good sir yet lives, perhaps we could bear witness to a wedding—our hero Saitama and Miss Vivian?"
Sir Edmund rapped the butler on the head, but his eyes slid toward Vivian. "What do you think?"
"I'll follow Saitama's lead," Vivian replied.
Sensing the love in her eyes, Saitama felt a twinge of guilt. He said, "It's not that I reject your kindness. But if humanity wants a peaceful life, we must end this so-called 'era of humans and machine lifeforms'—once and for all."
Everyone was stunned.
Saitama raised the AllSpark in one hand and the Merlin's Staff—glowing with violet—in the other. "These two items are the necessary keys to summon Cybertron's Mother of Life—Quintessa. I'll bring her here and subdue her so she can never do evil in this world again."
They were shocked a second time.
While they were still thinking about how to hold the line against the machines on Earth, Saitama was already planning to cut the problem off at the root.
Sir Edmund muttered to himself, "It seems the era of the young has arrived. Old men like me can no longer keep up with their pace."
Just then, Saitama patted his shoulder.
"Sir Edmund, I'd like to borrow your submarine again."
At this point, what could Sir Edmund say?
Before leaving, Saitama repeatedly instructed the mechanical butler to keep a close watch over Sir Edmund. In the original course of events, Sir Edmund had been assassinated by Megatron's underlings. Now that Saitama had altered the story, he would not allow a good man to die again.
"Partings and reunions—those are tricks to wring tears from an audience. I'm steering this story now, and I'll make sure it ends with a grand happy finale."
Just then, Saitama's system chimed again.
He glanced at it—because he had arranged everything, completely changing the fates of certain characters, he'd received a special reward.
Whoosh!
A surge of power flooded him. Saitama felt himself grow stronger once more.
"If that's the case… should I settle the rest of their affairs too—and trade it for more upgrades?"
He hadn't fought Quintessa yet, but after the brutal battle at the ossuary on the seafloor with Megatron and the others, he'd felt real pressure.
As a battle-hardened hero, a little more power never hurt.
So, before departure, he used the mechanical butler's onboard radio to send a message to the friends waiting for news.
Saitama: "Girl, Andrew, Cade, Ladybug—I know you've been gathering intel on me. Here's the update: our efforts weren't in vain! Megatron has been defeated, and he's lost his precious power source—the AllSpark!"
"Now is humanity's moment to strike back! Let the counteroffensive flames ignite in the United States—and spread to every corner of the world—until Megatron and his machine legion have no road back to power!"
His address instantly galvanized those preparing to fight the machines to the death. In a flash, every nation passed resolutions.
The Stars and Stripes.
Europa.
China.
Russia.
The Five Great Powers united and launched a desperate war.
Meanwhile, Saitama's system kept pinging—prestige rewards piling up.
Stronger.
Stronger.
Stronger.
He felt that he was now more than three times stronger than when he first arrived in the Transformers world. He finally had the confidence to take down the machines' Mother of Life—Quintessa—once and for all.
Saitama started the submarine, and Vivian slipped in beside him.
"Saitama," Vivian asked anxiously, "after a speech that loud, aren't you worried the machines will target you?"
Saitama brushed a hand over her cool, elegant cheek. "Vivian, can't you feel it? The battle between humans and the machine race is at its end. We're at the final curtain—winner takes all."
Vivian gazed up at Saitama's slightly stern face, then pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.
"No matter what our future brings," she whispered, "I'll stay by your side."
Saitama squeezed her hand. "I understand, Vivian."
Wall-thump.
Long branded a gentle herbivore, Saitama was moved by Vivian's confession. Words failed him; he answered with action.
Twenty minutes later—
Saitama and Vivian arrived at the opposite side of Britain's coastline: Stonehenge.
A vast ring of upright stones faced the setting sun. Far off, the sunset stained the sea crimson.
Standing at the heart of the henge, Saitama and Vivian set the Merlin's Staff at the appointed place.
(End of Chapter)
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