Super God Academy: Kabuto

Mangdangshan Joint Conference

As soon as Tsukasa Kadoya stepped into the hangar of the Mangdang Mountain, a soldier jogged up to him.

"Mr. Tsukasa Kadoya, please come with me. The conference room is waiting for you."

The soldier's tone was respectful yet hurried, clearly indicating he had been waiting for some time. Tsukasa Kadoya raised an eyebrow, asked no further questions, simply nodded, and followed the soldier through the busy corridor toward the depths of the ship.

Along the way, he noticed that the atmosphere inside the Mangdangshan was more tense than the last time he was there. Technicians jogged by carrying data boards, combat personnel marched in formation fully armed, and indicator lights on every hatch were flashing incessantly, conveying a message that only experts could understand. The gears of war were turning faster and faster, and every part was making final adjustments for the impending impact.

The conference room door slid open in front of Tsukasa Kadoya.

The sight inside the door made him pause slightly.

A massive circular conference table occupied the center of the room, with a 3D star map projection floating above it, slowly rotating. Seated around the table were people from different factions and with different stances, gathered here because of the same crisis.

On the left side of the conference table sat members of the Super Soldier Squad.

Liu Chuang sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, his face unusually serious. The God-Slaying Axe stood beside him, its black blade gleaming coldly under the lights. Beside him were Rui Mengmeng and He Weilan, both dressed in combat gear, their expressions tense. Further to their sides were Zhi Xin and Zhao Xin—they should have been on Tianren No. 7, but were here as well. Zhao Xin's legs trembled restlessly, a habitual gesture when he was nervous, while Zhi Xin sat quietly beside him, her long golden hair cascading down, her eyes flashing with the faint light of data.

Cheng Yaowen and Sun Wukong sat a little further apart. Cheng Yaowen's brows were furrowed, and his fingers tapped unconsciously on the table; Sun Wukong's eyes were half-closed, and his golden cudgel was leaning against the back of his chair, but Tsukasa Kadoya could feel that the monkey's senses were like radar, scanning the entire room.

The members of the second team were also there, along with a few faces that Tsukasa Kadoya didn't recognize—probably other heads of Earth's defense.

To the right of the conference table is the seat for the angels.

Leading the group was Angel Leng. She sat there gracefully, her silver wings half-folded behind her, her long golden hair neatly tied up, and her silver armor spotless. Behind her stood two high-ranking angels, their auras sharp as swords. Although they were merely "support troops," Angel Leng's presence was in no way inferior to the core members of the opposing Super Soldier Squad. Her gaze towards Kadoya Tsukasa was scrutinizing, and also carried a hint of—unspoken—curiosity.

The head seat at the very top was occupied by a high-ranking representative from China.

The elderly man, referred to as "Old Huang," had gray hair and a thin face, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. He wore a simple military uniform, sat upright, and placed his hands folded on the table. Beside him were several military representatives in various uniforms, each with a solemn expression.

The entire conference room was empty except for the bottom seat.

Tsukasa Kadoya glanced around, a cryptic smile playing on his lips. He said nothing, simply walked to the empty seat, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

The magenta suit stood out starkly against the backdrop of military uniforms, armor, and wings in the room, but Tsukasa Kadoya himself didn't seem to care. He crossed his legs, placed his camera on the table, and glanced at everyone present.

The silence in the meeting room lasted for three seconds.

Then, Old Huang spoke. His voice was not loud, but clear and powerful, carrying the composure and penetrating force of someone who had long held a high position.

"Mr. Kadoya, we need to understand the situation over there." He looked directly into Kadoya's eyes. "Is there any possibility of communication?"

This is the issue that everyone cares about most, and it is also what everyone fears most.

If communication is possible, there might still be a glimmer of hope for negotiation, compromise, or even avoiding war. If not…

Tsukasa Kadoya looked at Huang Lao and remained silent for a second.

Instead of answering directly, he raised his hand and turned on a new projection next to the star map projection above the conference table.

The image gradually became clearer from blurry.

It was a vision of space—no, less a "vision" and more a "nightmare."

The star field where the Shenhe Ruins were located has now been completely submerged. The fragments of the Shenhe architecture that once remained, and the tombstones of civilizations that had floated for tens of thousands of years, have all vanished without a trace. In their place is a boundless, surging, and writhing "living ocean."

Zoom in on the image.

Details are beginning to emerge.

Those were living things. Countless, varied, wriggling creatures.

Among them are colossal beasts as large as mountains, their bodies covered in thick rock armor, each step causing the space to tremble; there are swarms of insects as turbulent as black tides, densely packed and layered, seemingly capable of devouring everything; and there are those beings hidden in the eerie blue light, their forms somewhere between solid and phantom, swimming in the depths of the "ocean" like ghosts of the deep sea.

The image continues to zoom in.

At the original site of the Divine River Ruins, the crack that had been forcibly torn open had now expanded to more than ten times its original size. A dark light surged from the depths of the crack, like blood from another dimension constantly flowing into this world. At the edge of the crack, the Divine River runes that had once been used to seal it had completely dimmed, covered, eroded, and assimilated by the writhing dark blue biomass.

The "ocean" surrounding the crack is expanding outwards.

It wasn't fast, but its momentum was unstoppable.

Tsukasa Kadoya didn't speak. He simply kept the video playing, letting everyone present witness the approaching, indescribable threat.

Inside the meeting room, you could hear a pin drop.

Rui Mengmeng's face turned pale. Zhao Xin stopped shaking his leg and stared intently at the screen. Liu Chuang clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. Angel Leng's cold eyes sharpened like knives, and the wings behind her slightly unfurled.

Old Huang's face was expressionless, but his fingers tapped lightly on the table.

Two times.

Three times.

"Between us..." Old Huang began slowly, his voice even deeper than before, "could we try to communicate first?"

Tsukasa Kadoya looked at him and shook his head.

"Unless you are willing to cede territory and allow them to survive." His tone was calm, yet like a knife, precisely slicing through the last glimmer of hope in everyone's hearts. "Otherwise, there is no hope."

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread throughout everyone's heart.

Give up territory?

Which territory should we cede? Earth? The Sun? The Angelic Starfield? The entire known universe?

Even if they give up their rights, will they be satisfied?

"Bullshit!"

Liu Chuang slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. His eyes were wide open, and his chest heaved violently.

"Give up territory? Who do they think they are?! I rose from a lowly thug to where I am today, fighting against gluttons, battling demons, fighting angels, and even drinking with them! I was spared from death, I earned my skills through hard work, and my brothers and I defended this earth with our blood!"

He pointed to the writhing ocean of life on the projection, his voice booming like thunder:

"They're coming? Fine! Let them come! I'll see if their shells are harder, or my axe!"

"Liu Chuang, calm down," Cheng Yaowen said, his voice steady but tinged with helplessness. "This isn't the time to see who can shout the loudest."

"I know!" Liu Chuang took a deep breath and sat down again, but the rise and fall of his chest betrayed his emotions. "But this fucking...giving up territory? What's the difference between that and surrendering?"

"There is no difference."

The angel's cold voice rang out. All eyes turned to her, but she merely raised her chin slightly, her silver eyes showing no sign of wavering.

"Not an inch of angelic territory will be ceded." Her voice was calm, yet contained an undeniable resolve. "For thirty thousand years, angels have fought countless wars and faced countless enemies far more powerful than ourselves. We have never surrendered, nor have we ever ceded an inch of territory."

She looked at Tsukasa Kadoya, her eyes sharp as swords: "Since communication is pointless, then prepare for war. Angels need neither pity nor compromise."

"Sister Leng is right," Zhi Xin said, her voice gentle yet firm. "I've already recalculated the defensive layout of the Angelic Line. With our current forces, combined with the Super Soldier Corps and Earth's defenses, we can at least hold the key points during the first wave of attack."

"But what's the cost?" Cheng Yaowen frowned. "What you've seen is only the 'first wave.' The cracks are still widening, and their main forces are still pouring in. We can hold off the first wave, but what about the second? The third?"

"Then we'll hold out until we can't hold out any longer," Sun Wukong finally spoke. He opened his eyes, his golden pupils burning with fighting spirit. "I, Old Sun, have lived for so many years, what storms haven't I weathered? These monsters are just scary-looking. If it really comes down to it, my golden cudgel doesn't recognize anything about the void."

"That's true..." Zhao Xin scratched his head, "but we need a plan, right? Just rushing in like this isn't fighting a war, it's suicide."

"Of course we have a plan," Elder Huang said, his voice not loud, but it silenced everyone. He looked at Tsukasa Kadoya, "Mr. Kadoya, the information you brought is crucial to us. But now, we need to know more."

He paused, looking directly into Tsukasa Kadoya's eyes: "Their power systems, combat methods, weaknesses... and, among them, are there any that can truly engage in dialogue with us? Even the most basic kind of dialogue?"

Tsukasa Kadoya was silent for a second.

Then, he stood up, walked to the projector, and tapped the screen with his hand.

Look here.

The camera focuses on the depths of that writhing "ocean." There, three blurry figures appear and disappear. Unlike other creatures, the space around them seems to be slightly distorted, as if they themselves are the source of this "ocean."

Tsukasa Kadoya pointed to the three blurry outlines: "Those must be the manifestation of their leader. If there's anyone else in this universe who can communicate with them—it's probably these three."

He withdrew his hand and looked at Old Huang.

"You can give it a try. But I suggest you don't get your hopes up too high. They've survived in that world for countless millennia, enduring unimaginable brutal competition to stay alive. Their logic, values, and even their definition of 'self-awareness' are completely different from ours. The so-called 'dialogue' is likely just a one-sided crushing of wills."

Old Huang fell silent.

After a long silence, he slowly nodded.

"I see."

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, his voice steady and powerful:

"Gentlemen, the situation is clear. The Void has descended not for communication, not for coexistence, but for survival. And we have no room for retreat. This war is unavoidable."

He paused, a hint of resolve in his voice:

"From this moment forward, Earth enters a state of highest alert. Super Soldier Corps, Angels, Blazing Sun, Demons... all forces willing to protect this universe must unite. This is not a war between any one civilization or power; it is a war for the survival of the entire known universe."

"Specific defense deployments, troop allocations, and resource integration require joint consultation among all parties. However, one principle takes effect immediately—"

His gaze was like a sharp sword, piercing into everyone's eyes:

"No civilization will be abandoned alone. We advance and retreat together, we live and we die together."

A brief silence fell over the meeting room.

Then, Liu Chuang stood up and pounded his chest with his right fist: "The Super Soldier Company is at your command!"

Angel Leng also stood up, her silver wings slightly unfurled, and her voice was clear and cold: "Angel, I am willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with you all."

Zhi Xin, Zhao Xin, Cheng Yaowen, Sun Wukong, Rui Mengmeng, He Weilan… all the members of the Super Soldier Squad stood up. The members of the second team also stood up one after another. Although their movements were not so uniform, the fighting spirit in their eyes was in no way weak.

Old Huang looked at Tsukasa Kadoya.

Tsukasa Kadoya shrugged and stood up as well.

"I'm just a Kamen Rider passing by," he said, a signature smile playing on his lips. "But since I promised that guy in black I'd look after this universe for a while... I might as well lend a hand."

He didn't beat his chest, he didn't bow, he just stood there. But everyone present sensed a reliable strength beneath that seemingly cynical exterior.

Old Huang nodded.

"Alright. Now, we need to discuss the specific defense deployment..."

While everyone is busy preparing for the impending war, in a desolate place far from the battlefield, another dialogue is taking place.

Lingyue's figure, as if formed from moonlight, quietly appeared beside Lin Yu in black.

She didn't speak, but stood there quietly, following his gaze into the distance. In that direction, the cracks in the Divine River Ruins were widening, the tides of the void were surging in, and the clouds of war were gathering.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"They're here."

Her voice was very soft, as if she were stating a fact that she already knew, or as if reminding people of information that needed to be confirmed.

Lin Yu, dressed in black, did not turn around. He simply stood there, his dark robes motionless in the void, as if he had merged with this eternal nothingness.

"Um."

Lingyue waited a while, and seeing that he stopped speaking, she asked again, "Do you need me to help?"

Her tone was calm, as if she were asking, "Do you need me to pour you a cup of tea?" But she knew that the answer to this question concerned the survival of countless lives. With her strength, if she intervened, she could turn the tide of the battle.

Lin Yu, dressed in black, remained silent for a moment.

Then, he slowly shook his head.

"No rush."

Lingyue tilted her head slightly to look at him. His deep profile was reflected in her moon-like eyes.

"They need war." Lin Yu's voice, still calm, carried an indescribable clarity, as if honed by countless ages. "They need to grow. This is their universe, their war, their destiny."

Lingyue didn't refute him. She knew he was right. A civilization that has never faced a true test can never truly become strong. Flowers in a greenhouse cannot withstand wind and rain. And this void invasion is the most violent storm the known universe has never experienced.

"Although there may be casualties," Lin Yu, dressed in black, paused, a faint, elusive emotion seemingly flickering in his calm voice, "it is unavoidable."

Lingyue looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

She knew what he was talking about. She knew he was looking at those about to go to the battlefield, at those he knew, those he cared about, those he cherished, about to face death. She also knew that it wasn't that he didn't want to help, but that he couldn't. At least, not now.

Growth comes at a price. And the heaviest price is often life itself.

"You..." Lingyue spoke softly, seemingly choosing her words carefully, "Are you alright?"

Lin Yu, dressed in black, finally turned his head and looked at her.

Those dark eyes remained as deep as an abyss, but in their deepest recesses, there seemed to be a faint, warm glimmer of light.

"I'm fine," he said, "It's just..."

He didn't finish speaking.

Lingyue understood.

She reached out and gently took his hand in hers. His hand was as cool as jade, yet it tightened slightly in her palm.

The void remains eternally silent. But in a faraway place, war is drawing near.

They stood side by side, one gazing at the distant battlefield, the other at the profile of the person beside him. No words were needed, no promises required. Simply standing there quietly was enough.

After a long silence, Lingyue said softly, "If that time really comes... I will make my move."

Lin Yu, dressed in black, did not answer.

But he held her hand and tightened his grip slightly.

In the distance, towards the ruins of the Divine River, the gaping rift continues to widen. The tides of the void are churning. War is imminent.