"It's decided then. I'll arrange for someone to relay a message to General Reynold Martins, asking him to step out of the field and join us for the experimentation," one of the elder figures in military attire stated, nodding with a supportive smile towards Dr. Nakaruma's decision.
"Agreed. This concludes our meeting. Let's get started."
Orion, Aerialia, and Aegis of the Arctic Deity watched as the scenes shifted again.
"It's an honour to finally meet you, General Reynold," Dr Nakamura greeted warmly, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Pleasure's all mine, Dr. Nakamura," General Reynold replied with a smile. He returned the handshake while adjusting his array of newly received medals. "How have you been?" he asked, initiating a friendly conversation.
"I'm alright. I just wanted to ensure you're mentally prepared for the procedure, as it won't be a walk in the park," Dr. Nakamura replied, pulling back his hand.
General Reynold nodded immediately, his expression serious. "My colleagues have briefed me on the challenges. However, I've also been informed about your amazing research and breakthroughs, so I understand the gravity of this experiment and am ready for whatever happens," he assured.
Dr Nakamura smiled in acknowledgement. "Excellent. Please make your preparations, so let's begin right away," he said, shaking General Reynold's hand again before heading off.
The scene shifted, plunging into darkness before transforming once more. This time, Orion recognized the setting, solidifying his belief that General Reynolds was White Flame.
General Reynold lay on a hospital bed, surrounded by a web of tubes carrying various concoctions, each inserted into different parts of his body—mouth, ears, nose, veins from head to toe.
They observed the entire procedure unfold. Unlike Oberon's Omnithriallian transplants, General Reynold, who was a human and, as such, a direct descendant, underwent a different process. The focus was on awakening the latent spark within him that activated his gift, enhancing his body's adaptability to the divine energy gradually infused into him.
He was compelled to utilize his gift instantly, weaving illusions in his surroundings and mind simultaneously until he seamlessly merged illusion with reality, flawlessly bridging the gap between the two.
Orion and Aerialia watched the entire procedure unfold, from its inception to completion. Despite its somewhat unsettling nature, they found it strangely captivating. The fusion of the supernatural with science was a spectacle they had never imagined witnessing firsthand.
Their closest experience to such a phenomenon had been observing Seraphina's unusual constructions and the rest of the Healers' Association. Still, they couldn't deny that Dr. Nakamura's expertise surpassed them all in this domain.
After the successful experiment, General Reynold's eyes fluttered open, and he rose from his hospital bed, floating effortlessly in the air. The tubes and needles connected to him were gently retracted, hovering momentarily before descending to the ground.
After a few minutes, General Reynold opened his mouth and said, "Let there be darkness." The entire world around them was instantly obscured by a mind-numbing darkness.
Orion and Aerialia watched in amazement as Dr. Nakaruma lightly smiled and snapped his thumb and index finger together. Instantly, a ray of brilliance shone, completely dispelling the darkness.
Following that, General Reynold vanished from the laboratory, disappearing into thin air. Once he was gone, the doctors and scientists frantically restored order to the laboratory, shaking with excitement as they celebrated the success of such a significant and dangerous experiment on the first try. Despite their optimism, it was an unprecedented achievement that they had never expected to attain.
Oberonsoonappeared beside Dr. Nakamura while still in his invisible form; both observed intently as General Reynold materialized out of thin air. He effortlessly dispatched the invaders surging from the stellar gate before stepping through it.
"Shouldn't you stop him? You know he might not make it back if he encounters a powerful god," Oberon asked.
Dr. Nakamura shook his head. "He seems eager to test the extent of his abilities. There's no use stopping him unless I want to reveal my secret identity. Besides, this way, we won't need to arrange a test for him anymore. If he returns alive, we've gained one of humanity's new protectors…" He responded with a light smile, sending a reply through his mind.
"And if he doesn't?" Oberon pressed.
"Then we'll correct our mistake and proceed with the next procedures,"Dr. Nakamura responded confidently.
Oberon raised his brows and narrowed his eyes at Dr. Nakamura.I'mquitecurious why you're so determined to ensure the success of this experiment.I've never seen you this excited about anything except when you're welcoming new races under your care,"he asked.
Dr. Nakamura shifted his attention to Oberon."BecauseI want nothing more than to see the gods fall and make them regret why they didn't simply remain in heaven. Just like the Omnithriallians, I want toinstilfear and make them realize their godly status is now worthless in the world we live in today,"he responded passionately.
Oberon simply nodded, absorbing Dr. Nakamura's words, before focusing on the gate. General Reynold emerged from it, wielding a giant crimson greatsword in his grasp.
Hearing Dr. Nakamura's words, Orion, Aerialia, and Aegis of the Arctic Deity all wore solemn expressions as they observed the scenes shifting, revealing various details about the events of that day and the following ones rushing into their minds.
They witnessed Naka saving the Prismerions from their direst moments and accepting their immense gratitude and reverence, much to Ilse's annoyance.
Oberon followed General Reynold as he wreaked havoc among the gods, who were now anxious, especially the 'Nine Greed Gods', about what to do next with the emergence of another strange god. In an attempt to cover up their tracks, humanity's fallen governments began to rumour that humans had learned how to harness the powers of the Divine Mysteries.
Orion would have almost laughed at the deception they used to fool the gods so they could continue their experiments and usher in the emergence of the man-made gods. However, the chaos and solemn atmosphere were so surreal that he could only observe the unfolding scenes with a heavy heart.
Also, as more of Oberon's memories began to unfold, he could sense that he was getting closer to learning about the Princess of the Garden's past and the Vylkr vines.