Among the angels, she counted as very young; most of her past had been spent in research. To her, none of this needed special understanding—so long as they followed Queen Keisha's orders, that was enough.
"Right now we're only in the early phase of the resurgence of spiritual energy; no cultivation methods or techniques for harnessing spiritual energy have been developed."
"In that regard, humans hold no edge over them."
"These things merely add unknown variables to this world. Whether mutant creatures or humans, I look forward to seeing them, by their own strength, reach heights even I haven't foreseen."
A calm voice sounded in the void, and Brandon White's figure appeared before them.
If Angel Zhixin's arrival had merely left the mutant orca and the mutant giant octopus stunned by her sacred purity, then Brandon's appearance made them feel a fear and awe that rose from the depths of their being.
It wasn't just that they sensed Brandon's power; more than that, it came from the Devil Fruit abilities they themselves bore.
Devil Fruits were Brandon's creations. Whether a power was absorbed by devouring or gained by eating a fruit outright, the user was connected to Brandon.
Indeed, if he wished, he could, in an instant, use that connection to transform their consciousness and thoughts into his "shape."
Of course, he had no interest in doing so. With the [Authority of Nature] and his dominion over Earth, even without such a link he could easily achieve it.
Unquestionably, they froze as if time itself had been halted, holding their previous poses and not daring to move.
At the sight of Brandon, Angel Zhixin drifted silently to stand before him. She placed her right hand over her chest and offered a slight bow.
"Greetings, male god. I am Angel Zhixin, right wing guard of Holy Keisha."
"My information should already be known to you. Brandon White of Huaxia—welcome to your arrival," Brandon said.
"In addition, male god, I bring you greetings on behalf of the Tianji King."
At that, Zhixin seemed to think of something; a faint blush colored her pretty face. She snuck a cautious glance at Brandon and couldn't help lowering her head.
On behalf of the Tianji King, He Xi?
It was only a single sentence from Zhixin, but even that allowed certain deductions.
Brandon already understood why Angel Zhixin had come—Angel Yan hadn't tried to hide it, frankly stating the purpose.
Tempering, growth, exchange: those were among the reasons. But even more important was to see whether the two of them might have a chance of walking together.
The specific impetus was, without doubt, Holy Keisha's Sacred Treasury.
Ninety-eight percent—the data said Brandon was the most suitable person for Angel Zhixin; in other words, Angel Zhixin was also the most suitable person for Brandon.
Perhaps in other worlds someone even more compatible might exist, but that possibility was vanishingly small—approaching zero.
With figures like that, it wasn't hard to understand Keisha's decision.
What puzzled Brandon was why he and Angel Zhixin had such a high compatibility. He didn't doubt angelic civilization's science, and he certainly didn't doubt the Sacred Treasury's precision in this regard.
The Sacred Treasury considered far more than genetic compatibility; it calculated personality, spirit, emotions.
Current human technology couldn't do that—but angelic civilization could.
In the original narrative, what Angel Zhixin wanted was a male god who was brave and kind, and Angel Yan had explained her choice of Zhao Xin: Zhao Xin lacked the unbreakable body of Xiao Lun, yet still charged to the front without hesitation—revealing his character.
There was another point: the Sacred Treasury's data was beyond doubt, but angels still had the freedom to choose the men they liked. It was just that, upon meeting the real person produced by the Sacred Treasury's analysis, choice was often unnecessary—
Because the one analyzed by the Sacred Treasury was the angel's dream beloved.
But brave and kind?
Did he truly possess such qualities now?
Brandon found himself doubting.
All of this, however, came from what he knew of the anime Xiongbing Lian. Perhaps Angel Zhixin and the others had indeed been "born" from that work; perhaps what they called personality and experience had been nothing but settings and plot.
But ever since Angel Yan had joined the chat group, many things had changed.
That world was no longer a mere fantasy realm. It was an utterly real world.
All of its stories had begun to follow a different line.
Fate has never been a fixed road; it extends without limit; it holds infinite possibilities.
It is both macrocosmic and magnificent—a grand epic woven by the participation of countless living beings.
Within it, even a tiny variable can unfurl into boundless potential.
He Xi, the Tianji King, did not trust the Sacred Treasury. That was information Angel Yan and Brandon himself had shared. And yet Angel Zhixin had said she brought greetings from the Tianji King.
Normally, if this was Queen Keisha's command, she would be representing Keisha.
So—He Xi had assented.
Had Holy Keisha persuaded her? Or was there some additional plan at work?
Brandon gave a small shake of his head. Truth be told, he didn't like overthinking. Yet for gods on the level of Holy Keisha and He Xi, many of their words and decisions came only after careful consideration.
There were many powerful beings in the chat group, and more would come in the future.
Their might might surpass that of angelic civilization by far—some could easily destroy a planet, even erase a galaxy.
As individuals, their force would eclipse anyone in the angelic realm, including Holy Keisha.
But in thought and wisdom, they were not necessarily superior to her.
In Brandon's memory, in many works the protagonist ended with unimaginable power—reversing time, changing the past—none of it beyond reach. Yet their conduct was like that of teenagers seventeen or eighteen years old.
Once emotions ran high, they ignored consequences, even ignored causes and effects.
Across innumerable years, their minds hardly grew at all.
Perhaps, thanks to a protagonist's halo, they could act without restraint, do as they pleased.
But could such people truly be called strong?
Without the shelter of that halo—placed into a real world—could they still achieve what they did?
"Let's go for now."
Brandon glanced once toward the heart of the battlefield—at the mutant orca and the mutant giant octopus—and the corner of his mouth quirked.
Two mutant beings, each possessing devouring powers.
One had devoured the Dark-Dark Fruit; the other, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
At this rate, barring surprises, this world might gain a Blackbeard Teach of its own:
A body bearing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, using devour to seize the power of the Dark-Dark.
(End of this chapter)