Listening to Gwen recount the story, Choukai frowned, as though she wanted to ask something. But as she met Gwen's gaze, she could sense the gravity in her eyes. In the end, she set aside certain questions and asked instead:
"How strong is the one you mentioned...?"
"It's hard to describe precisely."
Gwen was not surprised by Choukai's question and explained:
"Because there had never been an evenly matched opponent capable of making it go all out.
And in that universe, there was a description for it—
When beings like gods in humanity's perception looked upon It, it was like humans looking upon gods.
If we absolutely had to compare...
The Herrschers of our world, once they reached their ideal state, might have the tiniest, utterly negligible chance of surviving—as long as It did not pursue them?"
Though Choukai figured Gwen had no reason to deliberately deceive her about this, she was still unwilling to let it go and continued asking:
"Then what level were the civilization destroyed by living beings that you mentioned, and those so-called gods?"
"That universe was not lacking in interstellar civilizations, and those warriors who could be regarded as gods basically possessed the power to destroy planets or worse."
"..."
After Looking at Each Other with Gwen for a while longer and finding not the slightest hint of a joke on his face, Choukai let out a breath and limply leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Fine, fine. As you wish, I'll refrain from researching the essence of this power for now and only develop ways to use it. Is that good enough?"
Her hair, carrying the faint fragrance of shampoo, brushed across Gwen's cheek. Together with her warm breath, it tickled him.
Yet Gwen did not brush the strands from his