Chapter 282

Around the temple hall.

They were either dressed in identical gray combat uniforms or wearing training gear, the Grey Knights who watched the newcomers swear their oath.

Among them, six divine servants with prosthetic limbs replacing missing arms and legs, standing over three meters tall, would become the mentors of these newcomers after the oath ceremony ended.

"Very good!"

At this moment, Artemis, who had led the twenty newcomers in finishing their declaration, stopped pacing, looked down at those about to become Grey Knights, and asked the final question:

"Then tell me! Who are you?!"

His loud voice echoed throughout the temple hall.

Upon hearing the question, the newcomers all rose to their feet, raising the Vengeance Goddess power halberds, and roared hoarsely:

"We are the nightmares of another realm, the hunters of demons, the Grey Knights who sweep away monsters for our father!"

After a long while, the reverberation of the roar finally faded in the hall.

The oath ceremony was completed.

The six divine servants led the newly inducted members out of the temple, and Artemis and the observing Grey Knights also left together.

The newcomers were to receive the baptism of the Round Moon Water, after which the divine servants would teach them knowledge about various demons and personally impart combat techniques.

Artemis and her group left the temple, passing through a plaza lined with marble columns on both sides, arriving at a building resembling a Roman colosseum in appearance but twice its scale.

Here there were no spectator stands occupying space; only a training ground covered in fine sand.

They fully entered the training field.

Fewer than six hundred Grey Knights scattered, taking from the metal racks at the field's edge the specialized armor designed for them and the melee weapons for training.

Immediately, the Grey Knights began the traditional one-on-one, two-on-two, or one- or two-versus-many simulated 'contests'...

The kind that ordinary people would participate in and be doomed to die.

Not only were the attack speeds beyond what ordinary people could perceive, but there were also occasional Spiritual Energy suppressions and impacts; fortunately, Spiritual Energy attacks of lightning and fire types were also prohibited by order.

This is also why the Astate do not participate in UNSC, auxiliary forces, and Krieg live-fire exercises.

In fact, Umbrella possesses highly advanced virtual reality, namely VR technology.

The most common civilian product should be fully immersive viewing and gaming equipment, as well as social-oriented online games.

For military use, it is employed to conduct simulated training.

Using real attacks, contact, and pain to uncover each other's weaknesses, mutually improve, and enhance coordination.

In the afternoon, Artemis will discuss with the Grey Knights and study tactics against various demons.

When night falls on Titan, the Grey Knights who have finished bathing in the Round Moon Water have some free time, during which they may rest appropriately or continue discussing tactics.

From late night until early morning, there will be four hours of sleep time.

The general public and military enthusiasts online are very curious about the Astate's daily routine, and also wonder whether they need to eat and sleep, since Umbrella does not disclose such information.

However, in reality, although the Astate are transcendent beings, they still need to eat and sleep when there is no war or urgent mission.

To maintain their physiological functions at peak condition, their food intake far exceeds that of ordinary people, and they also need to consume sufficient amounts of specially formulated 'metal powder'.

Having undergone twenty-five surgeries, adult Astate have a neural node called 'Kapson' implanted in their brains, enabling them to control themselves to quickly fall into deep or light sleep, or even meditate to restore energy.

During war and while executing missions, the Astate can fight without rest, and the gastric acid produced by their corrosive glands can almost turn anything into food.

However, after war, the Astate likewise need to undergo maintenance.

Although they exist apart from normal legions, the Grey Knights' daily routine is not greatly different from that of their legion brothers.

Although they are an existence different from a normal legion, the Grey Knights' daily routine is not much different from that of the legion brothers.

Artemis was strolling through the training field, at times speaking in a stern tone:

"Collet, watch your right side! How many times have I reminded you?"

"Ran Min, the style best suited to you is to charge forward, not to defend and counterattack."

「Ran Min, the style most suited to you is to forge ahead, not to defend and counterattack。」

Under normal circumstances, she would point things out with words, and perfect the Grey Knights' offense and defensive shortcomings.

Of course, sometimes words alone aren't enough, and she will also personally get involved to give guidance.

Many newly adult recruits selected for the Grey Knights, upon seeing their chief instructor as 'frail' and 'delicate' Artemis, inevitably feel a hint of contempt in their hearts.

Until Artemis personally instructed them in combat techniques, demonstrated them, and struck them down with extreme speed and absolute power, did the recruits realize that the title of Hunting Goddess was not unearned.

Only after Artemis personally instructed them in physical techniques, demonstrated them, and struck them down with extreme speed and absolute power did the new recruits realize that the title of Hunting Goddess was not unearned.

Having finished regular training, the Grey Knights prepared to rest a bit before heading to the mess hall.

And although Artemis, now 'humanized,' does not need to replenish so-called calories, nutrients, or water, she most often goes to the mess hall to eat together with the Grey Knights.

But this time, a clerical soldier responsible for assisting the Grey Knights walked up to her on this side of the training field and saluted, saying:

"Officer, the chairman will hold a video conference with you in fifteen minutes."

"A video conference? Good, I understand, you go ahead and get busy."

「Video conference? Okay, I got it, go ahead and get busy。」

After concluding the conversation with that clerical soldier, Artemis left the crowd, walked to the office building on the east side of the base, and finally entered her private office.

Next, she summoned the holographic screen to join the designated channel, tidied her hair and attire, made sure her appearance was proper, and waited patiently.

Immediately afterwards, she called up the holographic screen to join the designated channel, tidied her hair and attire, and patiently waited to ensure her appearance was proper.

The holographic device in the office then projected the image of Sui Bian in a black uniform, who spoke to her: 'Artemis, the company's oversight department plans to launch a hunting operation against low- and medium-threat demons; be ready to provide support at any moment.'

The holographic device in the office then projected an image of Sui Bian dressed in a black uniform, and he said to her: 「Artemis, the company's regulatory department will launch a hunting operation against demons of low and medium threat level; get ready to provide support at any time。」

Without waiting for her to ask the reason, Sui Bian continued: 'After the Arcadia incident, those rascals wandering between the otherworld and the physical universe have long noticed humanity's existence.'

Moreover, the counteroffensive expedition is now drawing to a close, with the Sangheili clan continuing to resolve the remnants of the Holy Covenant Empire for us, granting us again a time to rest and recuperate.

Moreover, the counteroffensive expedition is about to end, and the Sangheili clan will continue to resolve the remnants of the Covenant Empire for us, giving us again time to rest and recuperate.

So, it's time to purge those petty villains.

"Understood." Artemis nodded lightly and said, "I'll have the Gray Knight ready to hunt down those ugly guys."

"Also," Sui Bian added, "the shipyard on Zhi Yuan Star is about to finish three Invisibility‑class warships, which will then be sent to your Titan Star."

"Thanks, boss," Artemis said with a light laugh.

"Alright, then the support for the Regulation Department falls to you, hunting goddess."

"Don't worry."

"Fine." After speaking, Sui Bian voluntarily dispersed his image, returning Artemis's office to quiet.

"…" She fell silent, seeming lost in thought.

After a moment, she murmured to herself, "Hunting… I don't know how strong he is now, when I can break into the alternate dimension."

Although Artemis no longer harbored resentment toward the Olympian gods or her father Zeus's downfall, her hatred of the alternate dimension remained boundless.

Yet Artemis knew that with her current strength, whether or not she still possessed Spiritual Energy (divine power), entering the alternate dimension would lead only to death.

Therefore she placed the hope of avenging her father god onto Sui Bian.

It eased her mind a bit.

Artemis stopped dwelling on the past, sat behind her desk, brought up a holographic screen, and, using her clearance, reviewed the Regulation Department's recent actions.

———————

…

Shortly after the video conference ended.

Situated beneath Raccoon City, it is also Sui Bian's "home base" for controlling the entire Umbrella, the three underground levels of the mother nest.

Within a testing ground of a high‑tech research zone, nearly two hundred researchers in white lab coats were present.

This group of top scholars from all human fields gathered at the center of the site.

Wang Zhaofeng, whose hairstyle was still the "Mediterranean," and William BoKen, whose hair was disheveled and carefree.

Also present were BoKen's colleague Zigler Kaichi, and Rebecca and Alekxia, who were training new Astate recruits.

The only special researcher was the plague doctor, wearing a hood and a bird‑beak mask.

Surrounded by them, the alternative "expert" tasked with answering all questions was a memory storage unit recovered by Leon and Magnus.

The outer perimeter of the crowd.

Among the elite security forces maintaining site safety, equipped with TPS Power Armor and laser rifles, a contingent led by Jack Klause from Lockford Island was present.

Beyond them stood Sui Bian and his two secretaries, quietly watching the heated discussion.

Now, the "Counterattack Expedition" that he and Artemis had spoken of, which had lasted over ten days, was nearing its end.

The five mixed fleets led by Robert and John had only seized fourteen border star systems of human territory, using them as a buffer zone for the expedition.

According to Sui Bian's usual modus operandi, anything he "spotted" that benefited the company and humanity would be seized and plundered without hesitation.

If it could not be obtained, Sui Bian would rather destroy it.

However, regarding occupying more territory, Sui Bian was limited by capacity; after all, humanity's total population hasn't yet surpassed a trillion, standing at just over nine hundred billion.

It sounds like a lot, but before contact with the Covenant Empire, 45% of the cosmic domains within humanity's sphere remained uncolonized and unmined.

Not only had the original territories not been fully assimilated, but now they were "forced" to expand, truly reaching the limit of what humanity can absorb; otherwise the population would become too sparsely distributed.

So they decided to cut their losses.

Robert and John's strategic plan shifted from occupation to guerrilla warfare, relying on data from the City of Benevolence to target star systems that had previously supplied the Covenant Empire with various resources and warships, carrying out devastating attacks.

Of course, this move also provoked the Covenant Empire's last loyalists, whose fleet still numbered nearly five thousand warships, originally the escort force of the City of Benevolence's united fleet.

The Ghost‑faced Beasts that commanded the united fleet had been placed in the command hierarchy by the Prophet and three priests, their loyalty far steadier than the opportunistic warlord Ghost‑faced Beasts.

Seeing humans snatch the City of Benevolence right under their noses, they pursued the mixed fleets relentlessly to rescue the Covenant Empire's rule and avenge past humiliation.

The OriginalBodies immediately responded.

John and Rus's mixed fleet acted as bait, deliberately exposing their position within the gravitational field of a planet resembling a Covenant armaments factory.

When the vengeful united fleet arrived to encircle, Robert, Angelong, and Shengjilesi, who had been waiting on the outer rim of the system, immediately employed jump navigation to surround the united fleet, which outnumbered them five to one.

Compared to the Punishment's one‑to‑three fight against the Moor fleet, this situation should be even more severe.

However…

The Punishment was merely a Paris‑class escort ship, while Gabriel and other reservists were equipped with Ceramic Steel Armor.

Taking advantage of the enemy's brief panic from the surprise attack, the OriginalBodies launched a simultaneous volley of Electromagnetic Main Cannons.

Thousands of projectiles weighing 3, 5, and even 25 tons emitted characteristic blue‑light trajectories, sparkling among the Ghost‑faced Beasts' united fleet.

Especially the flagship, a dozen supercarriers over thirty kilometers long used by the Ghost‑faced Beasts, became the primary target of the concentrated fire.

Following were various‑caliber Plasma Secondary Cannons.

Moreover, as the warships began crossfire and chaos reigned, two DivineBodies led squadrons of carrier‑based aircraft, escorting the Thunder Transport Planes carrying the two OriginalBodies and the Astates, and charged toward sixteen supercarriers that had lost shield protection, their "gates wide open."

During this time.

Shengjilesi's DivineBody, like an angel, flapped immaculate white wings, soaring through the silent battlefield of the cosmos.

At the same time.

With the bodily augmentation provided by the DivineBody and no Spiritual Energy suppression from the Flood, Shengjilesi directly emitted a special Spiritual Energy shield capable of enveloping and protecting the entire formation.

Analysis of combat footage shows that this Spiritual Energy shield, using the DivineBody as an amplifier, consists of countless radiant golden diamond‑shaped blocks.

Moreover, the golden light emanated not only from the shield but also from Spiritual Energy arrows shot from the hunting bow, whose maximum power rivaled a 5‑ton electromagnetic cannon.

Compared to his brother's brilliance, the DivineBody piloted by John seemed rather ordinary.

It lacked wings that could defy physics, its back housed a fusion engine for propulsion, and its outer armor seams and joints featured thrusters to adjust posture and direction in weightless vacuum.

Yet, combined with the Fear Spear once wielded by the war god Ares and the ship's cannon caliber, it also powered a plasma "rifle" driven by the same rear fusion engine…

John and Shengjilesi destroyed every foe that tried to block them along the way, creating an excellent opportunity for the Thunder formation to raid.

(End of Chapter)