Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Shees", and "Jonathan Modica"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
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The six elders had stood up as they could no longer sit still. The Tree of the World, the Nine Realms, these words were striking their nerves like thunderbolts.
"I always feel," Elder Gladwin muttered in shock, "that the universe of the Earth Age was never truly the same as the one we now inhabit."
"The world tied to Thor is said to be called God's Domain, and he wields command over thunder itself," Another elder whispered with unease. "Could beings from their side really possess such terrifying power?"
"Obviously, the civilization shown there far outstrips the Terra humans of that era. Could it be… was their history shaped by outsiders who nearly destroyed Terra itself?"
Orson shook his head firmly. "No. Thor stood as an ally to S.H.I.E.L.D., a protector, not a destroyer. Such power was not meant to turn against mankind."
An elder chuckled faintly, trying to ease the rising tension: "If so, then at least the people of our Federation have not fallen behind the path of their ancestors."
Not long ago, many had whispered about whether the Terra Federation had grown decadent. But now, it seemed that the extraordinary powers from the Earth Age were never human gifts at all; they belonged to beings from other worlds.
Orson suddenly grew solemn. "The most urgent matter is still to locate the Great Elder and obtain the authority key. Only then can we confirm who this Immortal Warrior truly is. What he represents is simply too significant for us to ignore."
The elders exchanged nods of agreement.
"The creation of new elements, the Iron Suit, the Ark Reactor, even the weapons of that era…" Orson paused, sweeping his eyes across the hall. "If he has truly awakened the power of thunder itself, then the meaning of this Immortal Warrior will shake the very foundation of our Federation."
Not just advanced knowledge, even the Jericho missile, though simple compared to their weapons, was proof of the destructive might of that age.
Elder Sith agreed gravely. "Yes. Once his identity is confirmed, he must be brought to our R&D Center."
The Supreme Court housed more than ten elders, each presiding over the highest divisions of the Terra Federation. Every category was led by the finest teams. Among them, Elder Sith controlled the R&D Center, guiding the most advanced researchers and experimental facilities under the Federation's banner. Yet even he rarely involved himself so directly.
At these words, Elder Gladwin broke into laughter.
"R&D Center? Elder Sith, you underestimate him. A figure like this belongs in my Bureau of Historical Retrospection. His memories hold keys to perfecting the fragmented history of Terra's Earth Age."
Elder Longan sneered, turning his gaze between the two. "Are you still bickering over jurisdiction? A being tied to hundreds of Immortal Warrior fragments can only belong to my Department. Suits or thunder, it all comes down to battle. Even if he never regains every memory, his strength will be ours to command."
Elder Longan was not just an administrator; he embodied combat itself within the Terra Federation. Among so many elders, few could claim real martial strength. His words often carried decisive weight. Normally, his claims went uncontested, his side receiving priority. But this time, none of them yielded.
"The Immortal Warrior's value will only shine brightest if guided under my stewardship," One insisted.
"No, his place is clearly with us," Countered another.
"Enough! Stop arguing, he is ours!"
The elders, embodiments of the Federation's highest authority, were now quarreling like rivals, their faces flushed. And at the center of their struggle stood Tanner.
Meanwhile, Elder Hyeon stood within a vast and strange pattern, gazing into the projection of Tanner's past-life fragments. He raised his voice skyward, shouting with conviction: "Heimdall! Open the Rainbow Bridge!"
Suddenly, lightning lanced across the sky and clouds twisted in eerie spirals. Hyeon's breath caught in his throat.
"This… could it truly work?!" But a heartbeat later, cold raindrops lashed his face, smothering his hopes.
"Elder, it's raining, please, mind your health!" A follower cried, hurrying forward with an umbrella.
Hyeon's shoulders slumped in quiet despair, "I thought… just for a moment…"
Relief mixed with unease gnawed at him. For if such a call had truly been answered, would the Federation not also risk bombardment by unknown forces?
"Enforce total martial law here," He ordered curtly. "The deep pit and its surroundings must vanish from the eyes of the world. Full shielding measures, effective immediately."
The staff obeyed without hesitation.
Hyeon cast one last glance at the sky, then departed with an unreadable expression.
Beneath his helmet, Tanner sat grinning as he counted streaming rewards backstage. The total had already surpassed 400,000 dollars, and it was still climbing fast. He looked delighted. Yet he failed to notice the faint, irregular sparks crawling across the electronics in his room, flickering in and out of sight.
Across the Federation, the media broadcast the newly captured fragments with great fanfare. Before long, a chilling hypothesis, more frightening than the old extinction-by-AI theory, began surging across the hot searches.
"If Terra still stands, then do the enemies of the Earth Age still endure as well?"
This report, stark and unembellished, relied only on what the fragments revealed, with careful extrapolation. But its impact was devastating. The title alone sent waves of dread.
Though only fragments of past lives, the sense of crisis was undeniable. Even ordinary citizens felt it pressing upon their hearts.
As the headlines screamed, humans may yet live. But so too might that mysterious power which once shattered the age of Earth. Perhaps it lingered still, beyond the veil of the Nine Realms.
"If they still exist, won't they strike at Terra again?"
"No… I'd rather believe our world was ended by cold machines than by such beings."
"I don't even know what's real anymore, every article says something different!"
"Who's telling the truth, and who's lying? How can anyone know?"
Panic spread swiftly among the citizens of Terra. Speculation had now turned into fear, for they had seen it with their own eyes: a man commanding thunder, and a silver machine wreaking havoc across a city. No human flesh could stand against such forces.
And then, another disturbance drew their gaze.
On the Network activity charts, the Immortal Warrior's account suddenly flared to life again. Its readings spiked wildly, eclipsing even the dramatic scenes of Thor captured before. In mere moments, activity had surged past 30 million points, and the ascent showed no sign of slowing.
Realization swept through the populace. This time, it might be something truly cataclysmic.
"Thor's Hammer… God's Domain… the Nine Realms… all these wonders have emerged."
"What could surpass even these?"
"Could this be the Earth Age itself, the very hour of destruction?"