Chapter 202 - CHAPTER 202:Win the Empress of One City

{🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please support me.🥰 You can access upto 100+ advance chapter through Patreon by using the link: https://patreon.com/Oreski}

"Of course it's okay." Though slightly surprised by the question, Thor responded with his usual candidness. "I already said Asgard would stand as Chaldea's strongest ally."

"In that case, I'll pour you a drink later," Shen He said with a light laugh, his expression tinged with warmth. Despite Thor's foolishness at times, there was a sincere fondness he held for the thunder god's honest heart.

But sentiment aside, Thor's naive nature stood in stark contrast to Odin's ruthlessness. Odin was the epitome of a classic monarch—aloof, pragmatic, and domineering. This became especially apparent in his cold attitude toward Thor's human lover. Although Odin often spoke of peace, it was clear he looked down on the fragility of humanity, disapproving of such bonds from the seat of divine arrogance.

Kings—true kings—were never truly benevolent.

And yet, in the world of gods, heroes, and Chaldeans, equality between factions could only ever be forged through power. After the last war, Shen He had gained a clearer picture of Chaldea's current strength—and it was enough to stand on equal footing with most empires.

Especially now, when Odin was at his weakest in recent memory.

"Hey, He! Is the celebration banquet ready?" Tony Stark's voice rang out as he descended from the sky in his suit, holding Pepper Potts in his arms. "Ever since I tried your chef's food, I've been unable to eat anywhere else."

"Then you're doomed to suffer." Shen He smirked. "My cook's a serious noblewoman in her world—she might actually be richer than you, Tony."

"Please, I'm not the only billionaire in the multiverse," Tony replied with a shrug. "Alright, let's see this castle of yours. Pepper hasn't seen it yet."

"She's guaranteed to be surprised."

By now, nearly everyone had gathered. Shen He wasted no more time and directly opened the gate to the Chaldean castle.

Many attendees had never seen it before—Hawkeye, the Maximoff twins, Peter Parker, and even the Black Bolt family—yet none of them were particularly shocked. They had witnessed enough from Chaldea to realize that nothing was truly out of the question anymore.

The celebration began in full swing.

The gathering wasn't just to mark the victory over their enemies—it was also to welcome Semiramis, the Witch Queen of Assyria, into their ranks. Even the reclusive Dr. Gutai had been invited, seated quietly beside the Inhumans and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s elite.

Naturally, not all the food could be prepared by Erina Nakiri herself—there were simply too many people. Shen He had arranged for additional supplies from Erina's world, and even placed a special order at the protagonist's signature restaurant. The flavors didn't disappoint.

Three rounds of wine later, the atmosphere had grown both warm and unruly.

Due to the crowd's size, most people were sitting in smaller, spread-out groups. Shen He wandered with Jeanne to where Parker sat with Wanda, Pietro, and a few others, all animatedly chatting.

"How are you holding up, Parker?" Shen He asked, lifting his wine glass toward the young hero.

"This is amazing, Mr. Shen!" Parker's eyes sparkled. "I've never tasted food like this in my life!"

He eagerly clinked glasses, both hands holding his cup, then chugged the wine—only to erupt into a coughing fit a second later.

"You should take some back for your family," Shen He chuckled. "They'll be proud of you, won't they?"

"Of course." Emotion surged in Peter's voice. "They're the best family anyone could ask for."

Before the recent war, Peter had summoned the courage to reveal his identity as Spider-Man to his aunt and uncle—a couple who, in this universe, were still young and full of life. Though shocked and worried at first, they ultimately gave Peter their full support.

Skye and Wanda couldn't hide the envy on their faces.

Among Chaldea's younger generation, only Peter still had a home that offered him warmth without conditions.

Wanda and Pietro had each other—but their family was a memory long buried. And Skye… Skye's parents were alive, yes, but unreachable. Even with all of Chaldea's resources, she hadn't been able to find her father.

Shen He noticed the subtle shift in her expression—but said nothing.

No outsider, no matter how powerful, could truly interfere with familial pain. Even a just ruler avoided meddling in such personal wounds.

He turned his gaze to the Maximoff twins. "I hear your powers have grown significantly. Steve was singing your praises earlier—said you're almost ready to go solo."

"We've still got a lot to learn from Captain America," Pietro replied modestly, but then hesitated, a serious thought hanging on his lips.

"Go ahead, ask what you want," Shen He said, touching his chin in mock thought. "I'm not exactly a strict commander."

"Well…" Pietro glanced at Wanda, who nodded faintly. "We were wondering—if powerful weapons and advanced gear become common among civilians… will Guardians still be needed to punish crime? Or will society change enough to police itself?"

Shen He paused in momentary surprise, but quickly regained her composure. "Is that what you believe?"

Skye and Wanda remained silent. Their silence, however, was answer enough—they clearly shared the same concerns.

The civilian rollout of militarized technology was bound to reshape the world. One of the most profound changes was the very ideal Shen He had voiced during the press conference: that everyone could be a guardian. That everyone could defend not only themselves, but others. It was a philosophy with tremendous potential to reduce crime and shift the global balance of power.

But if the day came when every street corner bore armed citizens equipped with high-grade tech, perhaps the age of traditional "guardians" would come to an end.

"Parker, what do you think?" Shen He turned to Peter.

Peter still looked dazed, his mind clearly stuck on Pietro's comment from earlier.

"I think… uh…" Peter opened his mouth, but no coherent response emerged. His voice trailed into nothingness.

"I understand," Shen He sighed inwardly.

He could read Spider-Man's heart through his eyes. And from Peter's silence, he could already infer Wanda's unspoken answer too.

"As for this question…"

Shen He took a moment, then gently led Jean to a nearby chair. Once seated, he began to speak slowly:

"The Chaldeans… we are still searching. Searching for what it truly means to guard the world—or how to make the world a better place. This war revealed our vulnerabilities. We can defeat super-criminals and repel alien invasions, but we can't always prevent them from hurting people in the first place. This civilian weapon initiative is meant to empower citizens—not just to deter foreign invaders, but also to resist government overreach or exploitation by those who would misuse their power."

It was the kind of truth none of these young heroes had ever heard before.

Their status within the organization was far below decision-making level. Like the rest of the public, they saw only the surface of events.

But hearing these words made the fog lift.

After all, Skye and Wanda had both been victims of society's shadows. Even Peter—his father had suffered under the weight of unseen systems.

"Furthermore, let me be very clear." Shen He's voice turned serious. "The greatest threat to this world isn't a 'legion.'"

His gaze swept across their faces.

"You've all seen this war firsthand. The Chitauri were nothing before our strength. But what if… what if the next enemy is stronger than Chaldea itself? Do you think the weapons we've distributed can truly hold them back?"

"Wait, what?" Skye blinked. "Stronger than Chaldea?"

After what they'd just witnessed, it was hard to imagine anyone stronger. The elite fighters called in from Chaldea's core were overwhelming—some beyond understanding.

"Nothing is impossible." Shen He shook his head gently. "The Chitauri may seem like a major threat to Earth, but in the larger universe, they're barely footnotes. The true dangers are their overlords. Out there, power is so absolute, a single being can overturn cosmic order. Armies? Numbers? They're meaningless in front of someone like that. Against them, only heroes stand a chance."

By now, his message was unmistakable.

No matter how much power was handed to civilians, it would never be enough. In the end, only heroes could protect the world from collapse.

Even with the advanced technology granted by Chaldea's cross-world research, change wasn't instantaneous. It was hard to imagine any force standing against Thanos once he wielded the Infinity Gauntlet.

"That's kind of like how Earth can't really handle super-criminals?" Peter finally spoke up. "Like the original Hulk incident? Even the galaxy's police and armies don't have a good answer to threats like that. So the universe needs guardians too?"

"Exactly." Shen He gave a knowing nod.

It was an apt metaphor. Earth in the Marvel universe was merely a microcosm of the wider galaxy.

In short: governments and militaries existed—but they were the background noise. True protection required something… more.

"Alright, girls." Shen He stood and faced the group. "Maybe you've felt confused about your future. Maybe you've questioned your roles or your purpose. But understand this: we live in a world that needs heroes. And you—you are at the very least, heroes in training."

He had said similar words many times before.

But leadership often required repetition. Sometimes, conviction needed to be reaffirmed through sheer consistency.

"Hero…"

The sudden voice startled Peter, making him leap to his feet. Sitting in the seat Shen He had just vacated was an unfamiliar figure—a decadent beauty clad in flowing regalia, exuding an aura of both elegance and danger.

"The solitary Semiramis, at your service," she said with a smile. "Do look after me, little Spider."

A sweet, intoxicating fragrance wafted through the air. She reached out, offering her hand. The moment her fingertips brushed Peter's, a chill shot down his spine.

His spider-sense blared like a klaxon.

Danger. Lethal danger. It wasn't just her power—it was in her presence, her voice, even the way she looked at someone. A being capable of taking a life with a glance.

"Ara~" Semiramis giggled, covering her lips. "So sensitive, aren't you?"

Peter's face went crimson. He had seen beauty before, but not like this. His heart pounded so hard it hurt, and between his rising blood pressure and persistent danger sense, it became hard to even breathe.

"Semiramis," Shen He said sharply, clearly annoyed.

"Yes, yes, I know," Semiramis said breezily.

Without the slightest care, she draped her arm around Shen He's neck and leaned into him, her lips nearly grazing his ear.

"Master~ Why not let me train these little heroes? I'd love to play with them."

"What are you even doing here?" Shen He frowned, visibly trying to maintain composure in front of the others.

He usually maintained control in front of Joan, who was shy and reserved. But this bold seductress? She threw his equilibrium off entirely.

"It was dull over there," she replied, trailing her fingers along his neck. "A banquet? Hah. All anyone was doing was gorging themselves. So I left. I came to find you."

Wanda and the others flushed red, turning away from the intimate display. Peter found a spot on the floor to stare at while muttering the name of his long-time crush to himself like a prayer.

"Please… let go of the Master."

Joan's voice was gentle but edged with rising tension. Her puffed cheeks hinted at her growing frustration.

"Hmm?" Semiramis didn't release him. In fact, she hooked her other arm around him, practically dangling off his side. She gave Joan a sly look from above. "Gu—this Empress—doesn't take orders. I do as I please. You should know that, being a fellow Heroic Spirit."

Heroic Spirits, even with modern knowledge, were not truly of the modern world.

An Empress remained an Empress. Being commanded was tantamount to insult.

Some Masters even had to treat their summoned Servants like noble guests, not soldiers. After all, in traditional Holy Grail Wars, a Master only had three command seals. If the Servant refused to cooperate, victory was impossible.

Joan didn't argue. She simply gave Shen He a look. A very specific one.

"Ahem."

Shen He coughed awkwardly, then reached up and firmly pulled Semiramis off.

"You should go introduce yourself to the others. This is your welcome banquet."

Semiramis, for all her flair, wasn't physically stronger than Shen He.

"Fiiine."

She let go without resistance—but just before stepping away, she reached back, hooked a finger under Shen He's chin, and leaned in close.

"This time, I'll listen because it's you," she whispered, her breath brushing his face. "Next time? Even your words might not stop me."

And just like that—poof. She vanished, the sweet aroma still lingering in her wake.

Watching the seductive grin she left behind, Shen He could tell exactly what had happened.

She'd goaded Joan on purpose. Provoked her to speak up, then claimed the high ground under the guise of imperial pride. It was a show—a perfectly orchestrated one.

"Seriously, Miss Semiramis went a little too far." Joan pouted slightly, cheeks still puffed, and wrapped her arm around Shen He's. "To tempt the Master like that… even I couldn't hold back. The Master must take the lead himself. Otherwise, how can he be worthy of being called a true Master?"

{ Enjoying the chapters? Please Support me on Patreon and unlock 100+ advanced chapters, with 3 new chapters released every two days!

The fanfic is also available for one-time purchase on Patreon – unlock lifetime access to the full collection, no membership needed! Don't miss out –support and own it forever!

patreon.com/Oreski}