However, thinking back, Sister Hua being relegated to A-Rank actually had a benefit in Su Modie's eyes, and that was—
She still had clear room for improvement.
Indeed, in the "Shop" interface, there was an exclusive upgrade option for Unohana Retsu.
Exclusive Upgrade: First Kenpachi (S-Rank)
Price: 100,000 simulation value
By spending 100,000 simulation value, she could break through her limits and ascend to S-Rank!
One must realize that even with her current A-Rank stats, relying solely on her insane combat techniques and recovery power, Unohana Retsu was already faintly touching the threshold of "Skyfather level" combat power in the Marvel Universe.
If she really spent 100,000 simulation value to reach S-Rank, completing the final piece of the mechanical puzzle...
Even Su Modie didn't dare to think too deeply about what kind of invincible monster the First Kenpachi would become—an unstoppable force that would slay gods and buddhas alike.
At that point, even if Zaraki Kenpachi in his prime showed up, he would have to obediently bow his head before the S-Rank Sister Hua.
However, the astronomical price of 100,000 simulation value was currently far out of reach for Su Modie.
The "Limited-time Summon: Gun Devil" in the Shop was at the same price point; trying to save up such a huge sum in a short time was basically unrealistic.
After all, Su Modie hadn't even been willing to spend the 10,000 simulation value for the A-Rank advancement of Reze and the others yet.
She could only take it slow and figure out how to increase the growth rate of her simulation value.
...
Fisk Tower.
As Esdeath elegantly swallowed the last sip of seafood bisque, she couldn't help but set down her spoon and look at Perona, who was floating in mid-air, offering her unreserved praise:
"The flavor is very fresh, and the heat was managed perfectly. Thank you for your hard work in making such a delicacy."
This sudden praise left Perona stunned on the spot, even feeling a bit overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.
Especially compared to a certain Bomb Girl's terrible attitude...
She had originally thought that this icy woman, who dared to snatch prey from Unohana Retsu the moment she appeared and almost started a fight in the street, would definitely be a violent and difficult person to get along with, but now it seemed...
Esdeath was not only elegant and polite, but she could even be called gentle?!
Seeing Perona's moved expression, Su Modie, who was drinking juice, almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.
She naturally knew why Esdeath was being so polite to Perona.
However, this reason would definitely make Perona break down on the spot.
Although Esdeath was a sadistic Villainess who took pleasure in torture and killing, she shared a very similar trait with Su Modie—she was extremely protective of her own.
Esdeath was good to her subordinates to an appalling degree.
Not only would she distribute all the treasures rewarded from above to her subordinates, but she would even personally visit wounded soldiers.
This kind of charismatic commander would be considered a remarkable figure no matter the era or World.
In other words, the reason Esdeath was so gentle and polite to Perona was entirely because... in her subconscious, she had already treated Perona, whose combat power was far inferior to her own, as a low-ranking soldier responsible for logistics.
As a commander, wasn't it only natural to show concern for subordinates and praise the cook for the delicious food?
Su Modie mischievously whispered this cruel truth to Perona.
Thud.
Perona's body, floating in mid-air, suddenly froze, and the touched expression on her face instantly solidified.
It was as if all color had been drained from her, turning her directly into a desolate black-and-white sketch.
So... your gentleness... was just because you treated me as a soldier in the mess unit...?
As for Unohana Retsu, that was a completely different situation.
Facing Sister Hua's bottomless Reiatsu and bloodlust, it was impossible for Esdeath to treat her as a subordinate.
In a powerhouse's intuition, Unohana Retsu was an absolute equal, or even a superior.
When dealing with an existence of this level, she didn't need to show consideration for a monster of the same rank, which was why she acted so willfully—as long as she believed something was right, she would do it without hesitation, completely disregarding Unohana Retsu's feelings.
This was precisely the core reason why the two battle maniacs had sparked such a volatile atmosphere upon their first meeting.
...
Halfway through the meal, the girls had eaten and drunk their fill, and their tense nerves finally relaxed.
Although the Tesseract had been taken back to Asgard by Thor, they had not only successfully defeated Loki and earned a large amount of villainess points, but more importantly, that Mind Stone had now steadily fallen into the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D.—or rather, into the hands of HYDRA.
So the question was, who was the current spokesperson for HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Well... it was still that old fellow Pierce...
Then who was the second-in-command?
Naturally, it was Miss Makima.
This move was an absolute win!
After all, at this point in time, whether it was S.H.I.E.L.D., Asgard, or even HYDRA, none of them knew that the Mind Stone actually was the Mind Stone; they only thought the Scepter was Loki's weapon, which was why it was seized by S.H.I.E.L.D. as war loot.
Now, Makima only needed to say the word, and Sitwell would obediently deliver the Scepter to her.
Turning back to Fisk Tower, according to Reze's expectations, this moment of grand victory should have been celebrated with an all-night party like last Christmas, but today was truly too exhausting...
Su Modie rubbed her throbbing temples.
The other Villainesses, after experiencing such high-intensity combat, also carried various degrees of hidden injuries.
Despite having Sister Hua's Kaido to help with treatment, that deep-seated mental fatigue was still difficult to eradicate in a short time.
As the saying goes, once one's basic needs are met, one's thoughts turn to... well, you know.
Fatigue aside, as Su Modie leaned back in her chair, her thoughts immediately drifted to the post-war "rewarding merit" phase.
Theoretically, in today's Battle of New York, the contributions of Lux, Sister Hua, and Reze were definitely among the best.
Especially Lux...
Lux, who was sitting nearby crunching on an apple, immediately sensed her Sister Mo Die's thoughts.
The blonde girl stood up excitedly, her bright blue eyes staring at Su Modie, her gaze filled with anticipation.
Could it be... is it finally my turn?!
Lux's Inner Thoughts—Sudden Change in Art Style
However, looking at her face full of collagen and still showing a hint of underage innocence, Su Modie decisively killed that thought in her mind.
No, this girl is still too young.
Children definitely shouldn't participate in adult matters.
Coincidentally, besides Esdeath, Su Modie had also pulled two C-Class Avatars.
One of them was Lux's fellow countryman from Runeterra.
"Lux, as for your reward... you go and welcome our new fellow countryman."
Su Modie arranged with a smile, "By the way, take her around New York to get familiar with it; it's good to adapt to the environment of the Marvel Universe in advance."
Although the Villainesses' memories were shared, memories and experiences from other incarnations were definitely different from experiencing them personally.
Upon hearing this, the excitement on Lux's face instantly collapsed, and her pout was high.
"Ah... how can it be like this..."
How can it be like this! Isn't this just bullying an honest person?