Supreme Paragon Reborn: Humanity's Rise To Galactic Supremacy-Chapter 297: Duty Upheld

With the Titan queen dead and the remaining swarm scattering in confusion, the battle was effectively over. Though the Ro’trah minions were still classified as General tier, without their leadership they weren’t a real threat.

As Michael approached the crew, his gaze swept over the ruined warship. The fallen aliens’ spiritual energy lingered in the air, only to dissipate into the vast expanse of the cosmos. Without the presence of a planet’s gravitational pull to keep the energy in, the location was far from considered an ideal cultivation ground.

Once close enough, Michael examined their condition.

Excluding Ava, the one in the worst condition was Richard. Since the man had recently gained a technique that allowed him to form a protective barrier around his body, he had used himself as a shield to protect the members of the crew, taking the brunt of the blows.

Though considering his smile, which still carried a menacing edge, it was clear the man was far from being done.

Unsurprisingly, the least harmed one was Claire. With her mecha still operational, albeit battered, she hadn’t received a single wound during the whole battle.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Michael’s goal was to assess Victoria’s condition. Though he wasn’t entirely sure how she had been knocked out, he suspected that Malice had struck her neck, leaving her unconscious. The risk of memory loss wasn’t insignificant.

Victoria met his gaze.

"I think so...?" She answered, unsure of herself.

"All I remember was us fighting against the aliens, only for everything to abruptly go dark."

Michael nodded. Fortunately, her memory seemed intact.

Noticing his expression, Ruby, who had been watching from the sidelines, tilted her head in curiosity.

"So... Why did you two disappear?"

Michael heaved a sigh.

"We were ambushed by an assassin, an unpleasant opponent... But he no longer draws breath. I’m certain of that. I’ll give you the full details when we’re alone."

Instantly, Ruby’s eyes widened, her gaze fixed on him with an expression of pure innocence and curiosity. "But you learned what he wanted, right? Please! Tell me, I am dying to know!"

Michael’s gaze darkened.

"He wanted to kidnap Victoria."

"..."

With a mixture of disbelief and anger Victoria glanced at her palms.

"Kidnap me?" She whispered barely above a whisper.

She had been knocked unconscious before she could react only for Michael to return later with heavy wounds. Didn’t that mean he was the sole reason she hadn’t been taken?

’What would have happened if Michael wasn’t there?’

Chills ran down her spine.

In a somber silence, Michael crouched, examining Ava more closely.

Thankfully, she breathed and her heart beat. However, she looked beyond exhausted, with alarmingly few reserves of spiritual energy.

If Michael had to guess, after Ava had tended to his physical injuries, she somehow managed to seal the soul wound that had been leaking his spiritual energy... Without even fully realizing what she was doing.

Claire exited her mecha and approached his side.

"I’m not sure what’s wrong with her. All her vital signs seem stable."

She laid her hand on his shoulder.

"I guess all that is left is to wait and hope."

With the battle over, the troops began recovering the bodies of their fallen comrades. At least, those that had yet to drift into the cosmos.

As the battle came to a close, a Lord, radiating an unfathomable aura, took notice of Michael’s crew.

Though they hadn’t directly interacted on the battlefield, Nicole had fought as well. Interestingly, and known to only a few, she held the highest kill count, with Michael coming in second.

Her crimson gaze studied Michael. With her keen senses, she hadn’t missed his recent rampage and how pivotal he had been in minimizing their losses.

Yet... Here he was, this man, who didn’t even seem to register the alien blood still splattered across his physique, staring at a member of his squad with genuine concern.

"Good work surviving. It turned out much uglier than even I suspected."

Silently, she stabilized the chaotic spiritual energy in Ava, but no matter what she tried, she couldn’t wake her up.

"This is the most I can do." Nicole said, focusing on Michael.

"Thank you for your help."

Michael nodded with a faint smile. As a Supreme Lord, Nicole had many things on her mind. The fact she had helped them was invaluable.

"Are we going to help with the restoration process?" Enzo asked with a tired expression plastered over his face.

Silently, Michael gazed at the Titan in the distance. The faction leaders, along with the Emperor, hadn’t even spared a glance at their troops, all of them fixated solely on retrieving the body.

"No."

Michael shook his head, gaze shifting towards Claire.

"Call Bryce over. We are leaving."

Lord Cayson, who had kept his distance and remained silent, overheard.

"So soon?"

The man arched an eyebrow.

"Towards the end of the battle, I saw how many soldiers you saved. Don’t you think they deserve to meet the person who saved them? Plus, there’s a real chance you could make a positive impression on the Emperor."

Michael waved his hand. The Emperor’s respect was worthless.

"We did our duty. My team is exhausted, and I have no intention of pushing them further."

Cayson’s shoulders dropped.

"I see..." the man murmured, then grabbed Michael’s wrist and wrote a few symbols.

"My number." he said, releasing his grip. "Call me if you ever need help."

With a nod of appreciation, Michael’s crew went to find Bryce.

Thankfully, the old man had been well protected, acting as an operator from the warship.

"I get the opportunity to see your new base?" The old man chuckled with sparkling eyes. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Why even ask? Let’s go right now!"

Bryce’s tiredness seemed to melt away in an instant as they boarded a shuttle ready for departure.

During the journey to Earth, Michael filled them in on Malice’s goal.

"Ridiculous!" Claire rose to her feet in fury.

"To resort to such extreme measures, and to even plan to brainwash Victoria on top of that... They deserve nothing but death!" She bellowed.

Richard’s expression darkened. "I haven’t seen Oliver or Isaac, the ones you mentioned. But if one of them is meant to be the future leader of the Immortal Legion... I’m not surprised, considering the kind of reputation the faction has built over the years."

Enzo’s eyes widened. "So that’s why you two disappeared? Damn, this assassin wasn’t messing around. It’s a good thing you were able to stop him."

Amelia nodded. "Malice’s corpse worried me... But if you say it can’t be recognized, then there’s no need to be anxious."

Bryce shook his head dejectedly. "That is why I hate politics."

Leo’s eyes stayed cold, though he remained silent.

"Wait!" Ruby’s tail straightened up.

"King Arthur... he was your grandfather, wasn’t he?!" She exclaimed, gazing at Victoria. "He must still be there if we go back—"

"No."

Victoria cut her off.

"I’m not going to involve him in this. It might seem foolish, but my goal is to act independently. From the very beginning, my grandfather has been right. Whether it’s my beauty or people wanting to exploit me for connections, I’ll face many hardships, and I will overcome them on my own, not involving him or the Golden Vanguard faction."

She paused briefly.

"No matter how hard it gets, I won’t rely on the ties I was born with."

Claire, perhaps the one who could understand her the most, nodded in agreement to the sentiment.

Thanks to the high transportation speed of the shuttle, the crew reached Earth relatively fast.

Michael’s gaze remained on Ava the entire time.

"We are home."