"There was never an Olympia... we are just synthetic life forms created in the World Forge."
"We have no past, and no real future."
Ajak pointed to her own head.
"Every time an Emergence ends, the Planet is destroyed. We are taken back to the Forge, and our memories are reset."
"Then, with implanted false memories, we are deployed to the next Planet, repeating this endless cycle."
"And Tina's mind problem is because she has been reset too many times; the memory fragments have breached her mental defenses!"
Ajak looked at Gilgamesh, her eyes filled with guilt.
"Tina... she is already considered a defective product." Ajak struggled to voice Arishem the Judge's verdict.
"After this mission ends, she won't be recycled and reset like the others... she will be directly destroyed."
Boom!
Gilgamesh smashed a nearby load-bearing pillar with a punch, and concrete fragments rained down.
"Who dares touch her!" the strongest Eternal warrior roared. "No one! Not even Arishem the Judge!!"
The atmosphere on the scene dropped to freezing point at this moment, as the faith of the Eternals collapsed.
The faith they had held for seven thousand years, their home that was like paradise, was all a cold lie.
Makkari gestured angrily in sign language.
[We were lied to! We have become accomplices to the slaughterers!]
"You shouldn't have told them this; it will only shake their resolve to carry out the mission," Ikaris said indifferently to Ajak.
"No, Ikaris. This is the truth they deserve to know." Ajak looked directly at Ikaris, her gaze exceptionally firm. "Besides, we still have a chance to redeem everything."
"Arishem the Judge sent us to find the infinity stones because even the Celestials are wary of the power within them."
Everyone's gaze focused on Ajak.
"The infinity stones are the singularity powers from the birth of the Universe; they possess infinite might," Ajak continued.
"I have sensed subtle fluctuations in cosmic energy. An Infinity Stone is in this city, right here in New York."
"Once we find an Infinity Stone, we can link everyone's power together. There is hope that with the stone's power, we can stop Arishem the Judge. We can save Earth, save humanity, and save ourselves."
"Tina... will also be spared from the fate of being destroyed."
A long silence fell over the warehouse.
"Stop Arishem the Judge?" Druig was the first to speak.
"That's a great suggestion. For thousands of years, because of that bullshit non-interference principle set by Arishem the Judge, I've watched humans slaughter each other. I have the ability to control their minds, yet I could only stand by and let the blood flow."
A fury suppressed for countless ages burned in Druig's eyes. "I've had enough of this bystander's torture. If you're going to deal with that bastard, count me in."
Gilgamesh's broad palm tightly gripped Tina's hand.
Tina's eyes were somewhat vacant; the shadow of Mahd Wy'ry always loomed over her.
Feeling the warmth of Gilgamesh's palm, she turned to look at this two-hundred-pound big man who had always been guarding her.
"We're in this together, Tina," Gilgamesh said with a firm tone.
Then he turned back and nodded to Ajak.
Makkari then indicated: [I'm in. There are still many good things on Earth I haven't finished collecting; I don't want it to just disappear.]
Phastos's mind conjured images of his husband's smile and his son playing in the backyard.
"I will never let anyone hurt them, not even the Gods who created us."
Kingo cleared his throat, assuming a posture as if entering a stage play.
"Listen, everyone. I have tens of millions of fans on Earth, and my new movie is about to wrap up. However..."
"...you are also my family. Without you, being alone isn't much fun. Count me in; let's go cause some trouble for Arishem the Judge."
Sprite didn't speak, only looking down at her hands that would never grow up.
Save Earth? Why save it?
Over thousands of years, her mind had long since matured; she had the desires of an adult, a longing for love, and a craving to live like a normal human.
But she was forever trapped in this shell of a young girl.
Every day now was an endless torment for her. If the Emergence happened and Earth was destroyed, everything would be reset.
If all this could be torn down and started over, perhaps she could find release in the next restart.
She remained silent, but an indifferent attitude was clearly written on her face.
Ajak looked at everyone with relief.
Except for Sprite, almost everyone had chosen to resist.
She turned to look at Ikaris, who had remained silent.
"Ikaris?"
Everyone's eyes focused on the strongest warrior of the Eternals.
"I am an Eternal."
Ikaris's cold voice interrupted the atmosphere of unity that had just begun to rise.
His feet left the ground as he slowly rose into the air, looking down at everyone from above.
"I exist for Arishem the Judge... and so do you."
"Now, stop this behavior of betraying Arishem the Judge. If you continue..."
His cold gaze swept over his fellow clansmen below.
"If necessary, I will kill you all."
The entire room stood stunned.
Sersi took a step back in disbelief, looking at Ikaris, whom she had once loved deeply for a thousand years, as if looking at a complete stranger—a monster.
"Ikaris, have you gone mad?" Kingo was equally incredulous.
"We are your own kind! We've lived together for seven thousand years! We are family! You would kill us for a creator you've barely even seen?"
No one understood Ikaris's behavior.
As the strongest warrior of the Eternals, why did he possess such a terrifying, blind loyalty?
Even when facing those he had spent thousands of years with, who were already like family, he could still strike to kill.
And what exceeded their expectations didn't stop there.
Sprite silently moved past the crowd and, under everyone's surprised gazes, walked to Ikaris's side, turning to face her former family.
"Sprite?" Sersi cried out in shock. "What are you doing? Come back!"
Sprite didn't speak or move, showing her stance through her actions.
Phastos stepped forward to try and persuade him: "Ikaris, think carefully! We are just manufactured tools. Now we have a chance to fight for our own destiny. Why are you clinging to that so-called mission?"
Ikaris remained unmoved by Phastos's persuasion, his eyes still cold.
Seeing Ikaris's high-and-mighty posture, the anger in Druig's heart erupted.
"Don't waste your breath, Phastos." Druig gave a cold smile and pointed at Ikaris, mocking him mercilessly.
"Don't you see yet? He isn't a life form with independent thought at all. He's just a loyal dog, a slave who's been branded!"
Ikaris's eyelids twitched slightly.
Without any warning.
Two dazzling golden cosmic rays suddenly shot out from his eyes.
Before anyone could react, they accurately pierced through Druig's chest.
"I've wanted to do that since five centuries ago."