The Hunter in the Dark Forest / Countdown to Japan Sinking

So, Avengers... Assemble!

As Doctor Strange stepped out of the spatial portal, he gazed at the streaks of light heading towards the Alliance Building in the sky above New York and silently recited a prayer.

Europe, on a desolate Floating Island.

The dark Bishop's Hall was dimly lit, and accompanied by the echoes of violent coughing, the sickly man sitting on the sofa stopped tapping the table and pushed the crystal chess piece in his hand into the enemy's territory.

"Spencer, that stray dog of the Umbrella Corporation, has finally not let my investment down..."

"Is this what they call a miracle? I wonder how it will fare against my secretly assembled [Immortal Blade]?"

What do you think, Rita?

The pale-faced blond man covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, coughed up bright red blood, and murmured a question.

"Shall we make a move, sir?"

A maid with short brown hair, wearing semi-transparent pantyhose and a beauty mark, smiled dreamily, lightly licked her cherry lips, and looked expectantly.

"Forget it, those who plan for the long term don't rush things..."

"We need to be patient; that's a lesson that person taught me..."

The blond hunk casually discarded his piece, abandoning the game he already held a decisive advantage in. His right hand touched the unhealed scar, and a dull pain pierced his very soul.

P. S.: I went to see a doctor during the day for allergic rhinitis, but I wasn't feeling well and went a little overtime, but I tried my best to make it in time.

There are currently 19 chapters short of being updated (21 - 2 = 19 chapters).

Also, later Cthulhu, Odin, and Queen Holy Kaisa have different levels, so don't worry.

Gods

Main God

Creator God

Origin gods and other concepts can all serve as criteria for classification.

Chapter 513, Section 541: The Hunter in the Dark Forest

In a valley shrouded in mist in the Hida Mountains, the heavy stench of blood spread with the withdrawal of a sword.

"Swoosh!" Kevin casually pulled back the materialized Corona Greatsword and kicked away the Shinra Special Forces Nero with black wings.

His best friend, on the other hand, had been nailed to a tree trunk by the Skyfire Greatsword and burned into a pile of human-shaped charcoal.

The boy recalled his Sword of Flames, his expression mocking. "Who says I can only use one sword?"

And you really thought that Alt Account was the source of my power? You didn't expect that, did you? After that thing was shattered, I no longer needed to hold back, which is even more terrifying!

"You're getting stronger and stronger..."

Jill Hera leaned against the tree trunk, struggled to her feet, and looked somewhat complicated.

"Clearly, I'm not strong enough for this shitty world..."

Kevin casually tossed the Skyfire Greatsword into the Spatial Rift, shrugged helplessly, and picked up the Doll-head Mature Woman in his arms.

"Since we're here, let's not rush back... Let's find a place to distribute the perks first..."

The little boy popped two mints into his mouth and then headed downstream along the valley river.

Amidst the babbling brook and lush greenery, Jill Hera, sitting on a bluish-gray rock, casually tossed aside a USB drive, took a deep breath, recalled what she had seen and heard, and after organizing her thoughts, briefly explained the situation.

"[The New Human Creation Project], the finished product is those Shinra Special Forces in angel form. You see, it's all related to this."

Several years ago, with the end of the Siberia War of Fallen Gods, Spacequake occurred frequently, and the relics of ancient civilizations rose one after another from the Imaginary Space.

The energy, transportation, and pharmaceutical giant, formerly known as "Sanlian," was the first to set its sights on these ancient ruins and began extensive exploration and mining.

In addition to advanced technology and some next-generation weapons, the Triad Company discovered the remains of an ancient human deep within the rock strata of an ice village in Northern Siberia.

After collecting various samples and analyzing blood cells, Schrodinger Company discovered that this ancient species had an extremely perfect composition and could be called an "immortal" deity.

Even if her body is torn to pieces, her cells can resonate with each other and regenerate to their Oldest One state. She also possesses abilities such as mimicry, telepathy, mind control, energy absorption, and self-evolution.

Thus, driven by the desire to "become gods," humanity embarked on the study of this ancient remains.

At the time, the Shinra Family were the holders of the remains, and Gast, Hojo, and Lucrezia were in charge of a series of research projects.

Even more remarkably, during the research, they discovered that this ancient remains possessed a trace of consciousness, which, after being activated, began a dialogue with the three researchers.

That thing called itself "Creator Jenova," a perfectly evolved god from another planet.

They travel through the universe via meteorites. Once they land on a planet with life, they gradually revive and spread knowledge and technology to the local inhabitants, spreading civilization. They are worshipped as idols and revered as "creators".

However, because her era also suffered from the cataclysmic Honkai, Jenova, unable to withstand the Planet Will, perished along with the civilization she nurtured in the dust of history.

It wasn't until after the War of the Fallen Gods, when the seal weakened and the Schrodinger Company made its discovery, that she was able to see the light of day again.

In return, Jenova sent two gifts to Schrodinger Company, thus establishing a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties.

"Schrodinger Company's exclusive Mako Energy extraction technology, and..."

Kevin seemed lost in thought, muttering to himself.

"... The key to immortality... Jenova Cells!"

Jill Hera recalled his accidental entry into the underground laboratory of the Hida Mountains, where he saw strange human tissues and deformed fetuses soaked in Mako liquid everywhere he looked, and a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes.

"Tsk tsk, now that you mention it, I'm even tempted to believe in this creator."

"Look at her, so dedicated to serving others, utterly selfless—what kind of spirit is this... the spirit of international communism! So she was a staunch believer in the Sickle and Axe?"

Kevin's expression was mocking, his eyes narrowed slightly, yet a sense of dread arose within him for this enemy.

I'm not afraid of those with strength, I'm afraid of those with brains. Jenova, the creator who is good at deception and giving people sweet treats, is clearly this type.

She's an alien deity who landed on Earth just to spread civilization and technology? Isn't that incredibly selfless?

There's something fishy going on here, that would be a miracle!

The universe is a Dark Forest, and every civilization is an armed hunter, stalking through it like Ghost, gently parting the branches in its path, striving to make no sound, even its breathing must be done with utmost care: it must be careful, because everywhere in the forest are other hunters lurking like itself. If it discovers other life, there is only one thing it can do: shoot and destroy it. In this forest, others are hell, an eternal threat. Any life that exposes its existence will be quickly annihilated. This is the picture of cosmic civilizations.

Once discovered, one side will inevitably be eliminated!

In contrast, Kevin, who is adept at conspiracy theories, is more inclined to believe in this "Dark Forest Law" of contact between civilizations from different planets.

Moreover, besides this, Kevin has some fatally questionable aspects of Jenova's narrative about the Creator.

"First of all, if this alien god has evolved so perfectly, how did his own planet perish?"

"Secondly, do her selfless contributions of Mako Energy extraction technology and Jenova Cells have any other side effects?"

Jill Hera heard Kevin's cold, whispered laugh and couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

"What good is doubt? Aren't the three people responsible for contacting the Creator Jenova outstanding figures of their time?"

"However, when the returns are high enough, they will actively ignore the risks. This is human nature; they always think they are the luckiest one."

"To expect humanity to remain rational forever is simply wishful thinking..."

Kevin chewed on a Mentos, his mind racing, and gradually pieced together a plan before answering with certainty.

"In short, the Creator Jenova's good intentions, whether it's the Mako Energy extraction technology or the mass production of Shinra Special Forces Jenova Cells, must have other purposes!"

Then, the boy recalled the mystery of Seven Star Village and couldn't help but feel puzzled.

"But I still can't figure out what the connection is between Gastrea Virus and the [New Humans Creation] project..."

Jill Hera searched through the information in her mind, but still couldn't find a relevant answer, and couldn't help but shake her head slightly.

"Perhaps I can answer your question..."

Just as the two were talking, a graceful figure with a black ponytail emerged from the thick white fog and slowly opened her lips.

Chapter 514, Section 542: The Japan Sinking Countdown

"Mina's Mother!"

When Jill Hera saw the face that had appeared so many times in her dreams, she suddenly stood up and rushed into her foster mother's arms with joy.

"You've grown up..."

The Pseudo-Herrscher Mina gently patted Jill Hera's pink back, a hint of tenderness appearing in her chaotic eyes, but her hazy memories could not trace back to anything related to the name.

What exactly is the connection between Gastrea Virus and the [New Human Creation Project]?

Kevin stepped forward, interrupting their tender moment, and pressed them for answers.

Mina first gave a brief account of what she had seen and heard in Seven Star Village, and then revealed the truth.

"Schrodinger Company's ultimate goal is to use Jenova Cells to create New Humans with powerful intelligence and long lifespan."

"But this thing has a fatal flaw... the fragile human body's rejection reaction to Jenova Cells..."

"The earlier Jenova Cells are injected, the greater the chance of success; however, as humans grow and their physiology matures, Jenova Cells become increasingly difficult to integrate with the human body..."

"If this continues for too long, it will lead to its own deterioration, transforming it into a monster that only knows how to plunder energy to survive..."

Kevin seemed to understand something, and then pointed out the crux of the problem incisively.

"The investors behind Schrodinger Company will definitely not be satisfied with merely using Jenova Cells to train Shinra Special Forces..."

"Things like lifespan and strength can only bring true peace of mind when enjoyed personally..."

"As long as the rejection reaction when Jenova Cells fuse with the human body can be resolved, there will be plenty of wealthy people eager for [evolution] who will be willing to pay the price..."

"Most of them are elderly or very old, and their bodies are absolutely unable to withstand the forced modification by Jenova Cells..."

"Therefore, to achieve immortality, they need a bridge inoculated with Jenova Cells..."

"It's... Gastrea Virus!"

Mina nodded slightly, her posture respectful, as if she had anticipated Kevin's precognition.

"That's right, Your Highness..."

"Gastrea Virus is a special substance extracted by Schrodinger Company from some mutated marine organisms during its exploration in the South Pacific Ocean..."

"Once successfully implanted, it can not only rewrite human DNA, but also perfectly replicate or blend genetic factors from multiple organisms..."

Jill Hera recalled the City of R'lyeh rising from the South Pacific Ocean, a realization dawning on him.

"Schrodinger Company plans to use Gastrea Virus with no side effects, to 'cleanse' already identified human hosts and create a shell suitable for Jenova Cells to parasitize?"

"We've seen the compatibility of Gastrea; theoretically, this approach is feasible!"

Kevin tossed a pebble into the water, creating ripples, his voice sinister and low.

"So, those Cursed Children were Schrodinger Company's experimental subjects for perfecting the Gastrea Virus?"

Mina looked sad and nodded slightly, while revealing another secret.

"Furthermore, they have conducted various extreme fusion experiments with Gastrea Virus. According to the Seven Star Village experiment, the more intelligent a species is, the more alternative biological genetic factors it can integrate into its body..."

"Human beings have a limit of five, but when they fuse with only one biological factor, their physical abilities, reaction time, speed, physical resistance, and lifespan will all be greatly enhanced."

"However, due to the fragility of the human Gene Chain, as the degree of fusion deepens, hosts that cannot withstand this change will exhibit abnormal growth in appearance once the erosion rate exceeds 50%..."

"These unfinished products, which could go berserk at any moment, are the so-called Cursed Children, and the [Zodiac] that once caused the Gastrea disaster is..."

Kevin recalled those contorted, grotesque Stage Five Gastrea, and his lips twitched, his voice hoarse.

"Cursed Children, subjected to extreme experiments with Gastrea Virus... were they all once human?"

Mina closed her eyes slightly, and it seemed as if she could hear again the wails of those twisted souls.

"To be precise, only human infected individuals have the potential to evolve to Stage Four and Stage Five; the remaining Gastrea army consists mostly of various birds and beasts that have been affected."

"So far, I can only communicate with the children of the [Zodiac]. The rest of the Gastrea have been so severely corrupted that they can't even retain their consciousness..."

"Initially, they hated the world, but after escaping with my help, they wanted revenge against the Schrodinger Company..."

"But in the later stages of the war, the appearance of the Imperial Army and Shinra Special Forces led to the sacrifice of half of the [Zodiac] children on this path."

"I couldn't bear to see them, with such tragic fates, completely annihilated, so I led the remaining Gastrea army into the deep sea..."

"However, those unmutated Cursed Children cannot survive in the ocean, and apart from the [Zodiac], the other Gastrea, lacking a sense of self, all harbor hatred for humanoid species..."