Although Bryce could have returned to the warship rather fast, he purposefully chose to travel slower in order to give Michael and Claire the necessary ti they needed to recover.
Finally, after half a day or so, the space shuttle ca to a halt, reaching its destination.
Instantly Michael and Claire woke up. Despite being in need of cultivation to recover their energy reserves, they felt and looked better.
"Good morning." Michael flashed her a warm smile.
"Going by Earth’s clock, it’s supposed to be night now." She giggled.
Docked at the warship, the two, alongside Bryce, exited.
At a mont’s notice the crew, who had been waiting for them, instantly sward them.
"Michael!" Ava and Ruby pounced on him with such intensity that they swept him over his feet.
Victoria exhaled deeply, her eyes visibly heavy. Even though she had tried to hide it, she had been worried sick.
Richard simply nodded with a smile, not surprised that his Boss was fine.
Enzo and Alia greeted Claire, while Leo made sure that Bryce was fine. The old man hadn’t been able to rest for quite a while after all.
Cyberfang restrained itself from leaping on Michael. Unlike Ava and Ruby, who were as light as feathers, the chanical beast weighed several tons, and it didn’t want to risk injuring its Master.
Though beside the crew there was one more individual present. Nicole had suppressed her presence, her crimson eyes observing the scene in utter silence, not willing to interrupt.
"I assure you, I am all right." Michael groaned.
Ruby wasn’t willing to give up so easily.
"Are you sure?! You must be hiding wounds sowhere! Better strip and let examine you just in case!" She insisted, sticking out her tongue, ready to heal any injuries he might have sustained.
"L—let’s not go that far..." Ava blushed at Ruby’s boldness. "But I am keeping you under observation for the next few days. You hear?!"
As Michael tried to calm down the two girls, Alia observed Claire’s cha.
"It’s a miracle it managed to hold..." She said, visibly impressed. Her eyes darkened a second later.
"But fixing it... will certainly be a hassle."
Shaking her head, Victoria approached Claire.
"Forget about it. What matters at the end of the day is that you’re alive."
Her tone softened.
"Even for you, it must have been terrifying. Are you willing to share what happened, or do you want to sort out your thoughts first?"
Flustered, Claire gazed at the ground, casting Michael a discreet glance that only Victoria managed to catch.
"It was pretty cold initially... until I managed to find warmth."
Reading between the lines, Victoria’s eyes widened in realization. Essentially, Claire said that she had confessed to Michael without outright saying it.
A low smirk spread across Victoria’s face.
"So basically, just like , you were pushed to the point where you couldn’t hold it in any longer?"
Claire nodded, remaining silent.
Eventually, as the crew finished welcoming their leader, Nicole moved. Taking deliberate steps toward Michael and Claire, her footsteps echoed through the chamber.
Stopping in front of them, she scanned them in tense silence...
Before her head lowered as she bowed.
"I express my utmost gratitude for your help. Had it not been for your tily intervention in halting the second Monarch, many soldiers would have lost their lives... myself possibly included."
The very idea of a Supre Lord bowing was like sothing out of a fairy tale.
Scrambling for words, Claire urged Nicole to lift her head.
"P—please raise your head. In the first place, I have no right to receive your praise. I only joined in when I saw Michael in trouble. He was the only one who charged in while the others stood frozen in fear."
"Is that so..." Nicole didn’t seem surprised by the revelation, her eyes fixed on the man who still held many mysteries.
"Nevertheless, taking into account the feats you have accomplished, from now on the Indomitable Alliance shall be considered under the wing of the Sacred Order, able to enjoy the highest degree of benefits and protection we can offer."
As the second-strongest mber of the Sacred Order, Nicole was able to conclude such decisions by her own accord, not to ntion that her brother, the leader of the faction, trusted her judgnt enough to not doubt her decision.
From the mont Nicole had laid eyes on Michael, she had seen untapped potential. Now, with all the confirmation she could ever need, she knew it was only a matter of ti until his crew reached the very top.
Victoria chuckled.
"Actually, you’re a little late to the party. The Golden Vanguard has already ford a partnership. Although not official, it’s recognized by the highest authority, King Arthur himself."
She paused briefly.
"To top it off, it wasn’t Michael who ca up with the idea, but my grandfather. You can imagine my surprise at the ti..."
Bryce ruffled his beard.
"And while it’s still in the works, I’m confident that after the recent battle, every higher-up in the Heavenly Pact will cave and support the Indomitable Alliance as well."
The Golden Vanguard, the Sacred Order, and the Heavenly Pact... Three of the strongest factions in existence.
Forging a basic partnership was every faction’s dream. Even if the offer heavily favored the stronger party, it was still considered highly valuable. So much so that nurous factions had spent decades negotiating just to ensure even the most minimal level of cooperation. Aligning with the strong was simply that beneficial.
And yet here was Michael, with his Indomitable Alliance faction, securing the highest level of alliance with all three of them less than a year after its formation!
Even more bizarre, it wasn’t he who presented them with the offers... It was the higher powers themselves!
When the inevitable leak happened, the Indomitable Alliance wouldn’t just be known as an underdog faction anymore. It would enter the ranks of the most influential factions with fewer than ten official mbers!
Nicole shrugged.
"I’m not surprised. There’s a reason we’ve stayed at the top for so long. We have the ability to detect talent."
After a mont, she continued.
"Unfortunately, you might not be able to enjoy the benefits imdiately. The energy fluctuations show that the Titan is soon going to strike this place, which ans the faction leaders, along with the Emperor, will be joining this front."
She hesitated.
"I know you are exhausted, and it’s possible you won’t recover in ti. However, I still have to ask... Do you plan to participate in the upcoming battle?"
Although her beautiful face remained stoic, Michael effortlessly deduced that she wanted him to stay.
He smiled warmly.
"Naturally..."
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