[Just as Topaz was about to make her next move, Bronya's voice suddenly rang out from nearby.]
["Stop—please, everyone stop! Everyone, please lower your weapons!"]
[March 7th was relieved that Bronya had finally arrived, preventing things from spiraling completely out of control.]
[Topaz nearby let out a light laugh, her words carrying a hint of cold sarcasm: "Great Guardian Miss? I was just thinking—you wouldn't have simply pushed the Express crew in front of me and then hidden in the back waiting for the outcome, right… That doesn't sound like you at all."]
["Of course not. The reason I arrived a step late is because I had something extremely important to take care of."]
[Topaz's gaze sharpened: "Something more important than 'this matter'?"]
["Yes. Its importance—you'll probably realize it at a glance… What I mean is, I'd like to ask for your help in evaluating our current achievements."]
[Bronya read Topaz's handwritten letter word for word several more times. She felt a sense of empathy for Topaz's experiences, and precisely because of that, Bronya still hoped to reach some consensus with her through peaceful means.]
[Seeing Bronya's attitude so sincere, Topaz apologized for her earlier offense and agreed to accompany her. However, she needed to give a heads-up in advance… Changing the decision from above would not be easy.]
[The group passed through a desolate and dilapidated urban area and arrived at a rugged mountain path. After crossing several ice- and snow-covered tunnels, the magnificent sight before them made everyone widen their eyes in unison.]
[Under the setting sun, molten-gold light flowed between gears and rivets. Countless workers moved through this nascent steel jungle, casting busy silhouettes beneath the mountain-like body of the Creation Engine.]
[Here, some tightened massive bolts on scaffolding with wrenches, others operated cranes to slowly lift steel beams, while in the distance on several unfinished towers, propellers slowly conducted test rotations, slicing through the molten-gold twilight.]
[Amid the clamor of machinery and human voices, everything felt exceptionally peaceful and harmonious—humans and machines, steel and rock, steam and setting sun, together constructing an industrial marvel being born across the snowfields of Jarilo-VI.]
——
Naruto.
"Oh, isn't that the Creation Engine?" Sakura spotted the towering steel giant right in the center of the screen at a glance. "This thing… can it really help humans build houses too?"
"Guess why it's called the 'Creation Engine'? Helping humans is its true purpose—you didn't think it was built just for fighting, did you?" Kakashi chuckled.
"But looking at how long it takes them to build those buildings, it feels way less convenient than Yamato's Wood Release. Don't you think so, Sensei Kakashi?"
Ever since the Celestial Screen appeared, Sakura had witnessed all sorts of absurd powers completely different from ninjutsu.
Things like the "Abundance" power for healing machines, the Dragon Sovereign's might that could part seas and move mountains with a flick of a finger—even that finger-snap planet-busting scene had once made her lose confidence in ninjutsu.
But watching the people of Belobog labor painstakingly to build homes in the screen, she finally managed to grasp a rare sliver of superiority.
She recalled how, after Pain's Almighty Push destroyed Konoha, reconstruction relied entirely on Yamato. One slap to the ground, and ready-made houses grew straight out of the earth from trees—no need to even paint them.
While ninjutsu might not match those Emanators or Aeons in destructive power, it was still very convenient in daily life.
Looking at the young girl who was feeling just a little smug, Kakashi sighed helplessly.
"Of course, Sakura. But think about how many times Konoha has been destroyed since it was founded. If we had to build something as sturdy as Belobog's steel forest, Konoha would still be under reconstruction right now. You laugh at how slow they build; they laugh at how fast you destroy."
——
["Look—the people of Belobog have not given up…" Bronya quietly watched the people working tirelessly in the distance. "I just want to fight for a chance for them."]
["March, Stelle—do you still remember that massive, broken thing over there?" She pointed toward the hulking figure in the distance.]
["The Creation Engine…"]
["Mm, you remember it well." Bronya turned to look at Topaz. "Miss Topaz, I know you've done a great deal of research beforehand—I'd like to know: do your materials contain any records regarding the [Creation Engine]?"]
[Topaz's gaze could not hide her shock. She slowly shook her head: "Absolutely none. That's why I find it so unbelievable… such an enormous project, and yet it's completely absent from the Strategic Investment Department's research reports."]
["I may understand the reason. The Creation Engine was built entirely by the people of Belobog themselves, without any external technology."]
["The first Great Guardian, Alisa Rand, led this project. While warriors fought bloody battles on the front lines, engineers worked day and night in the rear on design and construction…"]
[The Creation Engine was deployed in combat during its early stages, but the first Great Guardian's vision was far longer-term than anyone imagined. For a very long period, this machine's codename had once been [Geological Transformation Engineering Unit].]
[Its true mission—after driving out all enemies from this world—was to help Belobog rebuild its homeland and restore the planet to its former glory.]
——
Attack on Titan.
"Such immense power… and yet it was originally created for building…" Armin rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought. "Eren, your Titan transformation is very similar to the Creation Engine. Isn't there a possibility that…"
"You mean Titans might originally have been created for building too?" Eren finished his thought.
Armin nodded.
Eren's Titan form was special, granting the Survey Corps far more tactical options in subsequent battles. Captain Hange believed Eren's Titanization was undoubtedly a crucial weapon against Titans and for reclaiming freedom. But Bronya's words had sparked something in Armin—this was another possibility: that Titans like Eren's weren't weapons at all, but tools.
"But the Titans outside the walls don't look like they could be used for construction at all, do they?" Eren laughed. "Still… once we've driven out every last Titan outside the walls one day, my Titan form could actually be used for human construction."
"When that day comes, I could transform into a Titan and build a house by the seaside… Speaking of which, Armin, didn't you always want to see the ocean? When the time comes, we can live by the sea and look at it every day."