Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

[Rufeite: I am only loyal to Anno in this life. Now we are separated by death. If he can be resurrected, I swear by the bearing of the Hall of Light that I will love him for the rest of my life.]

Anno sat before the control platform, his body sinking into the chair, hands resting heavily on the surface. His consciousness felt faint, allowing him to only gradually experience the merging process with Napoleon's consciousness.

A flash of white light illuminated the Cao vertical board, and a hexagram array appeared beneath Anno's palm.

Rufeite was controlling Michael, and through the infrared screen, he caught sight of Napoleon's white figure. The sight was overwhelming-Rufeite had never seen Napoleon in mecha form before. It felt like a signal, a subconscious message telling him that Anno had returned. He sat before the control panel, gazing at his friend's mecha.

Rufeite's sea of consciousness expanded in the atmosphere, a majestic force pressing toward Napoleon.

In response, the light energy on Napoleon's left arm transformed instantly into a silver shield, deflecting the weight of Rufeite's consciousness.

Without issuing any commands to Michael, Rufeite closed his eyes, focusing solely on the control board. His sea of consciousness collided with Napoleon's silver shield, bouncing back with a soft hum. Rufeite felt his consciousness touch the shield, and it was a gentle sensation, unlike the oppressive force of his own presence-more akin to an angel's song, ethereal and blessed.

This was the first time Rufeite truly connected with Anno's sea of consciousness.

At that moment, a tear slipped down Rufeite's cheek.

Michael seemed to absorb Rufeite's emotions, and the mecha slowly bowed its head.

Napoleon remained still in the atmosphere, his consciousness reaching out to Anno.

"Godfather, what are your instructions?" Napoleon asked.

"My consciousness is very weak; I can't control you directly. Let's go back first," Anno replied, contemplating briefly before adding, "And don't tell Rufeite my identity for the time being."

"Understood," Napoleon responded without hesitation.

The light energy fragments around him coalesced into a white mecha bird, soaring down toward the Palace of Light.

Michael hovered quietly in the atmosphere.

"The Godfather," he stated.

Rufeite kept his eyes closed. "Do you feel it? That's Anno's sea of consciousness."

"The fusion of the Pope's and the ancient civilization's mecha consciousness," Michael noted.

Rufeite knew it was merely the consciousness Anno had left behind 3,000 years ago.

Opening his eyes, Rufeite directed Michael. "Follow Napoleon; let's return."

"Route to Napoleon locked," Michael confirmed.

As Napoleon descended into the Palace of Light, Cadilla was busy sketching circles in the corner of the backyard. The force of Napoleon's dive wreaked havoc, uprooting all the trees in the back garden.

Startled, Cadilla jumped aside, using his consciousness to erect a thick protective wall around himself.

When the dust settled, Cadilla saw Anno approaching, flanked by the seemingly lifeless figure of Napoleon.

Lowering his protective barrier, Cadilla raised his hand in greeting. "Hi there!"

"Hey," he continued with a teasing tone, "I just wanted to warn you that Rufeite will be furious when he sees you've destroyed his backyard."

Napoleon snorted, casting Cadilla a cold glance.

"Master An Jiao, you seem quite at leisure," Anno remarked with a smile.

"Don't call me that, or you'll shorten my life," Cadilla shot back, pointing skyward. "Rufeite is coming down, so if you have something to say, now's the time." He turned to leave.

"Wait..." Anno called after him.

"Oh, right! If Rufeite asks about your relationship with Anno, just say you're one of his followers. For your safety, of course," Cadilla advised, then dashed away without looking back.

Rufeite followed closely, and Michael transformed back into a vibrator, ready for action.

Rufeite twirled the string of the vibrator in his hand and, with a flick, sent Michael flying once more.

Anno could only watch in disbelief.

Napoleon sniffed, uneasy, as his gaze tracked the vibrator's path.

Rufeite approached Anno with a half-smile, glancing at Napoleon. "Don't worry, baby; I will never force you to transform into a vibrator while you're dormant."

Napoleon could only stare, speechless.

At that moment, Rufeite retracted his sea of consciousness, yet the palpable pressure of his presence continued to press down on Anno.

Napoleon took an involuntary step back, instinctively seeking refuge behind Anno.

Anno couldn't quite decipher Rufeite's intentions. Though the sea of consciousness had been retracted, the expression on Rufeite's face and the way he strode forward were unmistakable-this man seemed ready to unleash a beating on someone.

Rufeite stood in front of Anno, one hand resting casually on Anno's shoulder. "You don't need to say anything, just listen to me. I know you're not an interstellar orphan, nor are you Garso. I caught a glimpse of what you said to Napoleon. At the very least, I know you were born long before Anno launched the particle explosion."

Anno blinked, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. "So this can only mean that I'm-very old."

Rufeite nodded, his tone serious. "Yes. You're an antique. But listen! I don't want to know your name, and I'm not interested in your past. What I need is for you to cooperate with me and tell me everything you know about Anno. How about we make a deal? I'll make you my heir, and you share everything about Anno."

Anno raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in his expression. "Wait a moment. Why would I strike a deal with you? I don't even want to be an heir! You're actually threatening an old man?"

Rufeite smirked. "Old man? Fine, if you refuse to be my heir, then you must tell me everything you know about Anno."

"What if I don't?" Anno challenged, crossing his arms defiantly.

Rufeite leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eye. "If you don't, I'll send you to the Interstellar Biology Institute. They're developing surgery to keep faces youthful, and I think they'd be quite interested in you-an ancient demon who's lived for 3,000 years."

Anno fell silent, processing the threat.

From his position behind Anno, Napoleon rolled his eyes. "Idiot!"

Both Anno and Rufeite exchanged puzzled glances, momentarily unsure who Napoleon was directing his words at.

Eventually, Anno relented, agreeing to Rufeite's proposal.

To Anno, Rufeite was a captivating enigma. It seemed that the very essence of Rufeite's existence revolved around Anno.

Rufeite claimed his life was devoted solely to Anno, expressing a deep admiration that bordered on obsession. Each glance exchanged under the Hall of Light sent Anno's heart racing, stirring feelings he had thought long buried.

"Stay...stay..." Anno's heart urged him, convincing himself that he should remain.