Chapter 18 – The New Member
The Oath of Rectitude drifted in the endless sea of the Warp. Its massive hull groaned as unseen forces pressed against the shimmering barrier that protected it. The glow of the Gellar Field flickered faintly, holding back shapes that twisted and clawed from the other side. Inside, the crew whispered prayers, their voices a low chant that echoed through the steel halls.
Gaius walked with steady steps. His blue and gold armor reflected the dim lantern light as he made his way to the strategium. Every sound of the ship, the hum of engines, the shuffle of robed servitors, the faint hiss of incense burners, was familiar to him. It was the music of duty.
A Navigator approached, bowing deeply before speaking. "Lord Gaius. We near the edge of the Warp. In a short while, we will return to realspace."
"Understood," Gaius said. His voice was calm, steady, as though he had heard the same words countless times before. Yet in his heart, he always carried a weight when the ship neared the edge. The Warp was never safe, and every passage was a battle of its own.
He turned to leave, but just then, the familiar sound of the Chat System appeared in his mind. A soft chime. A glowing tag.
[Multiversal Chat – Notification]Saeko: "@Gaius Maximor Thassor, there's a new member, again."Naruto: "Another one? Awesome!"
Gaius opened the chat. A new username had appeared.
Hit Girl.
Across another world entirely, a young girl lay on her bed. Her name was Mindy Macready. Her purple wig was tossed carelessly onto a chair, and her blood-stained suit hung on a hook nearby. She had just returned from another night with her father, another night of hunting men who thought themselves untouchable.
Her muscles ached. Her mind buzzed with the images of violence. She had grown used to it, but some nights it still followed her into sleep. She closed her eyes, trying to drift off.
That was when glowing words appeared before her eyes.
[Multiversal Chat Group Connecting…]
[User Located – Cross-Dimensional Signature Detected]
[Link Established. Welcome, new user.]
Mindy sat up, startled. "The hell?" she whispered. For a moment she thought she was seeing things, maybe she was too tired, maybe it was her brain after the fight. But the words didn't vanish. They stayed, hanging in her vision.
Then she saw something stranger still. A live chat, messages scrolling as though she had joined some kind of secret group.
Saeko: "@Gaius Maximor Thassor, there's a new member, again."
Naruto: "New member again, awesome!"
Tony Stark: "Why doesn't Hit Girl speak? Is she like Gaius? Silent type?"
Naruto: "Maybe she's fighting right now!"
Saeko: "Or she doesn't believe this is real."
Mindy hesitated, her fingers twitching as though she could type into thin air. Finally, she gave in.
Mindy: "Hi… I'm Mindy."
The chat came alive at once.
Naruto: "Hello! I'm Naruto! And I'm a ninja!"
Mindy blinked. A ninja? She almost laughed, but part of her wondered if he was serious.
Saeko: "I am Saeko. I study at Fujimi Academy. It is nice to meet you."
Her words felt formal, calm. Mindy wasn't sure what to make of her.
Tony Stark: "Tony Stark, genius billionaire philanthropist. You'll get used to me."
That one made Mindy stop. Tony Stark? She thought of the magazines her father sometimes left around, the stories about weapons, tech, and some playboy who was always in the spotlight. Was this really him?
Finally, after a long pause, another line appeared.
Gaius Maximor Thassor: "I am Gaius Maximor Thassor."
The weight of his words was different. Mindy couldn't explain it, but even through text, it felt heavy.
Saeko quickly spoke up.
Saeko: "Gaius, the live feed before, it's stored. The Multiversal Chat can record it. And it can be downloaded into our own worlds."
Tony Stark: "Wait, what?! You mean I can save these feeds? Video files?"
Tony is excited, doesn't this means he can show off Gaius, especially with Nick fury kept asking information from him about Gaius.
Saeko: "Yes. It needs a device with enough memory. A computer, a phone, anything that can store the data."
Naruto: "Memory space? What are you guys talking about?"
Tony laughed in text. Tony Stark: "Don't worry, kid. I'll explain later."
Tony's tone shifted.
Tony Stark: "Gaius, you're about to go into a war, right?"
Gaius Maximor Thassor: "Yes. Indeed I am."
Tony Stark: "Then open the live feed. Let us watch as well."
For a moment, there was no answer. Mindy waited, holding her breath. She didn't know why, but she felt nervous. Whoever this "Gaius" was, the others seemed to respect him in a way that was different from Tony's jokes or Naruto's energy.
Finally, the system chimed.
[Gaius Maximor Thassor has opened a Live Feed.] [Do you wish to enter? Yes/No]
Mindy's heart thumped. Without thinking, she said yes.
Her world spun. The bed, the room, the city outside, it all vanished. She felt her body lift, weightless, and then she was standing, or floating, on a cold metal floor inside a place too large for her mind to grasp.
Voices called her name. She turned. Naruto was there, spinning in the air like a child at play. Saeko floated calmly, her long hair drifting in the strange weightless space. And Tony Stark stood close by, his usual smirk softened into something warmer.
But then her eyes lifted higher.
And she froze.
A giant stood before them. His armor shone blue and gold, towering higher than she thought possible. He was like a statue of war, carved from steel and light. Mindy felt small, so small that she barely reached his waist. For the first time in a long time, she felt like a child again.
Tony stepped closer, lowering his voice as though to steady her. "Hello, Mindy, right?"
She nodded quickly.
Her eyes darted to Naruto, who was laughing as he drifted upside down in the air. She couldn't help but stare. Flying. She wanted to try it too.
Tony followed her gaze and chuckled. "You can float too, you know. But don't go too far. We can't move more than ten meters from Gaius."
Mindy bit her lip, then leaned forward. She drifted a little, floating slowly. A small smirk tugged at her lips. It felt strange, but also fun.
Saeko, meanwhile, moved calmly to Gaius's side. Her voice was soft but curious. "Are you on a mission? Where are we?"
The giant turned his head slightly, his eyes glowing faintly beneath his helm. His voice was calm, steady, like stone that had stood for ages.
"We are in the Warp. Soon, we will emerge."
The group fell quiet. Around them stretched an endless storm of color and shadow. Shapes twisted in the void beyond the Gellar Field, pressing against the light, only to vanish like smoke. The ship trembled now and then, but the barrier held.
Mindy hugged her arms, floating near Tony and Naruto. She didn't understand this place, but she knew one thing, this wasn't her world anymore. And yet, somehow, she was here with them.
Deep in the ship, a voice called out, clear and sharp.
"Lord Gaius! We are moments from realspace!"
The giant stood taller, his armor humming faintly. His war waited.
And the others, though only shadows in his world, waited with him.
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