Chapter 869: The Ally of Justice & Senior Selene’s ’Affection’ and Guidance

"Haa... Cortana, cut the battle broadcast."

"Understood, John."

Even without Selene’s reminder, the moment Master Chief John saw through the observation window that the Black Order flagship Sanctuary II’s energy shields had failed—and that its hull armor was rupturing like an overinflated tin can—he severed the 117th Fleet’s transmission to the shared cosmic channel.

"Woohoo~ Looks like we’ve achieved our objective. We can withdraw for now."

Cortana rested her chin in her hands, eyes gleaming as she stared at the screen before her.

The sun had risen.

As Sanctuary II’s warp drive and composite dark-matter fusion reactor detonated in sequence— boom—the massive dart-shaped warship erupted from within. Gas and mechanical debris spewed outward, forming a brilliant, almost tangible ring-shaped shockwave.

The surrounding Black Order vessels were swept aside one after another. The smaller ones tossed about like lone boats in a raging sea, the larger ones trembling as if seized by convulsions. Parts and frozen vapor, propelled by the fading force of the blast, crystallized instantly in the vacuum—forming a bizarre and haunting spectacle.

Whoosh!

A streak of fiery red shot out from the countless fragments and wreckage. The golden armor radiating sacred brilliance declared his identity—the Hero of Charity, Karna.

Wrapped in a blazing shield formed by released magical energy, Karna dragged along the Guardians of the Galaxy, who had been defeated and imprisoned by Thanos, racing toward the 117th Fleet, whose void shield array had been reactivated.

As for why he saved them?

Please. The Divine Empress Order stands for justice.

We’re not some tyrannical regime that conquers worlds, slaughters civilizations, invades without restraint, revels in brutality, and rules with cold despotism like the Black Order.

Ahem... certain holy empires named after certain individuals are another matter. In this universe, we haven’t done such things. Not currently. And anything we have done conforms to the prevailing cosmic order. Therefore, we are just. Yes. That’s how it is.

"Ha! That felt good! Shame that long-faced wizard ran too fast. Lady Gorgon and that mad Titan didn’t give me the chance—otherwise I would’ve cut him down. Tch... that impact was something else."

A streak of light flashed across deep space like a meteor. As it slowed, a black obsidian chariot drawn by three divine steeds appeared beside Karna, galloping across the void. Upon it stood a robust young man with short green hair, laughing heartily as he slapped a Greek-style round shield forged from divine steel.

"Hey, son of Surya, long time no see. Still wearing that glacier face, huh?"

His red scarf fluttered, brimming with exhilaration.

"And you are unchanged as well, son of Peleus and Thetis," Karna replied, casting him a glance.

"To break through your ’Limiter’ and develop the sun’s incinerating blaze to this extent—worthy of the rival I acknowledge." Achilles rested his cross-spear over his shoulder with a proud grin.

"The sun symbolizes hope as well as destruction."

"Ha, sure... oh? They’re awake." Achilles paused, about to issue a challenge to see who would be the first to slay the mad Titan general. Turning his head, his sharp golden eyes cut like polished blades toward the Guardians inside the flaming shield, who were pretending to remain unconscious.

"If you’re awake, stop faking it."

"Ahaha... sorry about that. Hey, don’t mind us, buddy." Rocket the raccoon flipped upright and dusted himself off carelessly. "You guys are the Chief’s..."

"Master ordered us to assault Thanos’ flagship. If you were still alive, we were to retrieve you as well," Karna said coolly.

It was precisely through the Imperial military support equipment worn and carried by Star-Lord and the others that Selene and her Servants had been able to use teleportation star markers to strike directly into Thanos’ flagship—blossoming at the center—rather than facing a barrage of Black Order cannons and planet-killer main guns.

Rumble—!

Following Karna’s words came another series of deafening explosions and sky-shaking roars.

The horrific howl was filled with near-maddened pain and fury, like insanity rising from the abyss. Every syllable carried anguish and rage, sending chills down the spine.

"Thanos..."

Drax the Destroyer struggled upright, blood seeping from his bitten gums. He had lost his family, his wife, everything to that voice’s owner. Even if reduced to ashes, he would recognize it.

"He’s in agony. Extreme agony... unbearable pain..." Mantis trembled. The two glowing antennae on her forehead drooped weakly. Her empathic gift allowed her to perceive far more. "He’s being tortured. Struck down..."

She gestured helplessly, as though the experience surpassed even the most dreadful descriptions.

"Wow. Now that’s good news," Rocket muttered.

He stared toward the battlefield saturated with near-limitless energy collisions. The suffocating aura of devastation churned there. If mere mortals intruded, they would likely be vaporized instantly—leaving not even ash behind.

"That level of combat has nothing to do with us anymore."

As their vision blurred and distance widened, the group passed through the flagship’s airtight shield. Rocket shook his head, then looked toward the unconscious Star-Lord—still wearing an expression of disbelief—and Groot, who was tending to him.

Let him keep sleeping. He needs time to accept reality.

"Hey, John, your bargain-bin friends have been retrieved."

The instant Karna and Achilles landed on the deck, Cortana responded. As she reported to the Master Chief, a flicker of blue light flashed. She projected herself from the bridge onto the command table before him, her holographic face filled with concern.

"Have you reached your limit, John? Should I recall all Servants and contact Lady Gorgon to withdraw?"

"No. Wait a little longer... Lady Gorgon has her task. It is entrusted by Her Majesty. It must be completed!"

It was as if John were bearing a mountain upon his shoulders. Not yet utterly exhausted—but clearly straining under the burden.

Behind the laurel-crested visor, his breathing grew heavy. He tightened his grip on the Mind Stone. Dim yellow lightning coursed across his custom-forged power armor, writhing as though alive.

Thump... thump...

Golden veins pulsed as he drew from the boundless singularity of energy contained within the Mind Stone itself. Like magical circuits of the Type-Moon world, a primary channel guided the power into the back of John’s right hand—where the blazing crimson Command Spell shone brilliantly.

"Hss... haa..."

Bearing an overwhelming weight and suffocating pressure, Master Chief John looked at the Mind Stone in his hand with a bitter expression.

Now he finally understood why ’Gorgon’ had entrusted this Gemstone to him. Without it, he truly would have been drained dry.

Even though his entire body brimmed with energy particles formed from a fusion of Honkai energy and the local Marvel world’s cosmic energy—vast and surging like an ocean—supplying this many Heroic Spirit Servants pushed him to the absolute brink at every step.

Normally it was manageable. But once battle erupted—Karna’s solar conflagration, Achilles’ raging chariot, Gilgamesh’s rain of Noble Phantasms, Heracles tearing apart motherships with sheer brute force... and especially ’Gorgon.’ That instantaneous magical energy expenditure was outright bone-scraping, marrow-draining exploitation.

Recovery could not keep pace with consumption.

"Lady Gorgon... please accelerate. I will recall you with a Command Spell."

After sending the spiritron communication, Master Chief John turned to Cortana. "Notify all ships. Break contact. Prepare for jump withdrawal."

"Understood. I’ll inform them immediately."

...

Selene was exhilarated.

"Little Titan, do you know? Right now, you’re like a helpless child who can only scream and cry."

"Roar—!"

Her reply was answered with a roar built from fury and boundless pain.

Rip—!

A faint tearing sound, as though space itself were being split. The claw blade cut through the void. The battered Titan, barely restored from the Power Stone’s state of physical inviolability, lashed out with bloodshot eyes—his millstone-sized fist howling forward.

"I am Thanos!"

The flagship’s detonation no longer mattered. With heaven as hall and earth as arena, neither side cared about the vacuum. Every Eternal cell in Thanos’ body was steeped in the violet aura of the Power Stone. He stepped forward. Seemingly ponderous, yet astonishingly agile, he crossed hundreds of kilometers in a single stride and swung his arm forward in a crushing arc.

Clang! The blow collided with the scythe-like claw blade. In an instant, shockwaves rippled outward. Uncontrolled Gemstone energy, indifferent to friend or foe, burst from between fist and claw, blasting into the Black Order fleet that had failed to evade in time.

Boom!

Rumble!!

Rumble rumble rumble...!

Selene’s refinement continued.

Once again, time froze. Only a single millisecond of stasis. Thanos broke free in nearly half the time compared to before—but Selene’s claw still struck with terrifying precision, biting into the flesh of his neck, tearing through bone and carotid artery—beheading him.

Clang!

In the next instant, with a sharp chime, countless dark-red light blades engulfed the Titan’s mutilated body. Aside from the translucent left arm connected to the Infinity Gauntlet and saturated with violet cosmic energy, Thanos’ entire body exploded into a spray of blood mist. Even his head was minced into fragments.

Split cleanly along the ridged chin.

"I am Thanos!!"

In a flash of regeneration, newly formed vocal cords roared again. His dark-purple fist hammered forward.

The same pattern, over and over.

Green light flashed. A mosaic-like ripple distorted across Thanos’ abdomen, twisting everything within its radius. Selene’s claw aligned like a mountain and became a blade-hand, thrusting straight through his stomach.

It was like being struck by a shuttlecraft cruising at superluminal speed. Thanos arched backward violently. A long spray of crimson followed. Selene seized his spinal column.

"Hmph." Blood stained the corner of his mouth. His pupil-less eyes locked onto Selene’s face, now fully suffused with chaotic demonic sigils as her chaos magic flared without restraint.

"Your anger is sweeter than honey."

The demonic Beast Goddess tugged backward. Entrails spilled. Like pulling the vein from a shrimp, she tore a thick, pale ’bone-thread’ from the gory cavity.

"Puh... cough... I... am Thanos!!"

Such formidable will, Selene reflected sincerely.

Thanos’ choice did not surprise her.

Yes, the inviolable body granted by the Power Stone was real. Yes, each destruction and regeneration tempered his flesh into greater resilience. But if his will shattered, it would all be meaningless.

Thanos had to exhaust every ounce of strength to maintain his conviction and belief—emptying his mind of all distractions. ’I am Thanos’ was both his self-hypnosis and the purest embodiment of his lifelong obsession.

Trash talk was useless now.

Seeing him seal his mind, leaving only fixation behind, Selene naturally fell silent as well.

Actions, not words.

She lifted her flawless leg and kicked toward his head.

Bang! It burst like a smashed watermelon. Blood, flesh, and bone shards scattered. Brain matter and eyeballs spun through the void as the twitching corpse flew backward in rotation.

Sizzle—!

Facing the regenerated Thanos once more, Selene froze time again, thrust forward, and then exerted force with both hands—tearing him apart from the center like trash.

Clang!

Crash—!

Again and again.

Time halted. He was blasted away. Limbs torn off. Chest split open. Spine extracted...

Again and again he regenerated. The Eternal Titan body grew ever more robust, almost transforming from one species into another. A metamorphosis from within and without.

At last, Selene felt a hint of resistance through her claw blade.

It no longer cut so easily.

Boom—

"I am Thanos—!!"

Steadying herself, her palm trembling, Selene looked at Thanos. His left arm had nearly turned into translucent, crystalline violet.

She rolled her neck.

"Not a moment’s relaxation allowed. Have you already begun to surpass me?"

But alas.

"I am Gorgon. Fear. Escape... destiny will inevitably descend. Now, it has arrived. Or perhaps I should say—destiny is me. Thanos, I am your ordained fate!"

Uttering the words that caused even Thanos to shudder, Selene smiled with composure. Her middle finger and thumb snapped together. Sparks burst. Crimson flames spiraled up from within the Beast Goddess, like a phoenix crying out in the inferno.

Fortunately, I prepared more than one origin of power.

Phoenix Force (partially siphoned, incomplete)—activated.

’Sentry Force’—cosmic gateway linked.

...

As a senior, she could not lose face before her junior.

This was domination.

When he reached that threshold, she could not show obvious disadvantage or signs of defeat.

Selene extended her hand unhurriedly. Her five fingers moved in complex patterns. Faint, irregular light danced at her fingertips.

Hum hum hum...

The bright-silver claw blades trembled.

A sea of flames born from the Phoenix and the Sentry powers twisted space itself into distortion.

Clang—

In an instant, Selene’s claw rested against Thanos’ throat. Golden flames coiled as space rippled like the surface of a lotus pond.

"Down you go!"

Slash—!

Yes. That familiar sensation of slicing flesh.

Light surged.

Light roared.

A dazzling arc of red-gold brilliance extended outward. In a flash—boom!—Thanos was hurled violently into a nearby moon. It was pierced clean through, disintegrating in explosion. His momentum did not slow. He crashed into a gas giant, carving a planetary-scale crater upon its surface—visible even from deep space.

"Haa..."

Exhaling slowly, Selene surveyed the scattered remnants of the Black Order fleet. She was satisfied.

The first impression should be unforgettable.

"The preparatory lesson is over."

Master Chief, recall me.

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