"Just not planning to use it unless absolutely necessary?"
She took a slight step forward, her gaze focusing on Russell's eyes, gleaming with anticipation and curiosity.
Perhaps because this woman had been steeped in perfume and made too many pastries, the scents of osmanthus and fireworks drifted over along with her as she leaned closer.
Faint and light, like a bird's wing brushing over a stream by chance.
Russell: "..."
He looked at the woman who clearly wanted to tie him up in a laboratory and experiment on him, then sighed inwardly.
Such a fine body on someone like this was truly a waste.
Who knew when she would reveal her true nature, one that knew nothing of love.
He ought to prepare some countermeasures too.
Unless she resorted to seduction, he would not surrender without a fight.
Russell crossed his arms over his chest, his expression returning to calm—though from an outsider's perspective, that calm might have carried a touch of chilling menace.
"It's been a while, more or less."
"The reason I haven't used it in this war is mainly because I'm worried that if this thing is fully exposed, it'll stir up the desires of everyone in the galaxy who harbors thoughts of destruction and tyranny."
He spouted nonsense, directly pinning the blame on the Abundance people, the Legion, creations of Enigmata, the Envoy of the End, and the like.
Because of the peculiar nature of the time barrier and the fact that he could borrow Russell's gift for bullshit on Chaos, every last bit of Chadwick's assets had long since been studied over and over.
They had even been encoded and transcribed into spiritual foundation Noble Phantasms—Talent Skills.
Mechanical forms, psionic forms, and genetic forms.
Everything was included.
Russell did not use equipment and skills of