"By the way, it's such a shame you didn't get to see the incredibly handsome Goddess of Judgment," Angie said dreamily, her face flushed like a teenager with a crush.
A dreamy expression overtook her features, her voice taking on a sweet, floaty tone. "I really wish I could go on a date with her. I mean, who cares about school seniors or basketball captains? Compared to the Goddess of Judgment, they're just oversized toddlers."
"She's like an ancient queen—regal and wild all at once. That mix of control and chaos is so intoxicating. Honestly, if it's her, I wouldn't even hesitate."
"You're absolutely shameless," Bella replied, eyes narrowed. "Weren't you the one swooning over James last week? Called him your 'emperor' or something?"
Bella knew Angie too well. Before they started living together, Angie was constantly changing her 'crush of the week'—football stars, movie icons, gym trainers. If they had muscles and a smirk, she was interested. But the moment a new face showed up? She'd forget the last one existed.
She was the ultimate flirt—scattered and spontaneous. A textbook example of a girl who fell in love ten times a week.
The only saving grace? She spent most of her time glued to Bella, lounging at home, trying to convince her to go on random picnics or weekend road trips. If Angie had been left to her own devices, she'd probably be the queen of chaos.
If anyone saw her in high school or college at a bar, they'd have assumed she was a heartbreaker. But in truth, she was more of a goofball than a player.
Being called out didn't faze Angie at all. She remained wrapped in her fantasy world, hands on her cheeks as she sighed like a lovestruck fan.
"I can already see it," she whispered. "Me, in the arms of the Goddess of Judgment, speeding across the coastline on a roaring motorcycle, the wind in my hair, a rose between her teeth, her eyes locked on me with eternal love…"
She let out a theatrical sigh, lips puckered as if imagining the kiss.
Too bad the Goddess of Judgment she's obsessed with is standing right here, Bella thought as she rolled her eyes. Mary Sue dramas had truly poisoned this girl's brain.
Still, Bella let her dream. She had more serious matters to think about.
---
Her plans were already in motion, and everything she'd set in place was finally beginning to bear fruit. Soon, she'd secure a powerful ally—one with unlimited potential.
But right now, her mind was focused on something else.
Her last attack—the EX-level energy blast she unleashed in battle—had been far more powerful than expected.
She had originally calculated that it would only be strong enough to destroy the Chitauri vanguard fleet. But what she saw shocked her.
The beam had completely consumed the flagship, and continued far beyond, striking a distant planet with enough force to shake the atmosphere.
She hadn't planned for that.
Bella sat in thought, trying to piece it together. "Was it vacuum transmission? Or maybe something like the energy overload from that double-winged warship? No… it wasn't the beam itself. It was… something else."
She remembered the exact moment. Right before she fired, she had closed her eyes to focus, because the magic energy inside her was unstable—expanding far too quickly after her last power boost.
She'd needed to compress it, force it into order.
And then, in that moment of silence, she heard it—whispers. Murmurs in the dark. Voices that didn't belong to her.
"Were they… cheering for me?"
Could it have been the will of the people? The faith of the fallen?
Bella's eyes snapped open as she sat up straighter.
She had been so caught up in the victory, in reclaiming the Space Stone, in pushing her plans forward, that she hadn't given those whispers a second thought.
But now…
Could it be similar to the legends of Heroic Spirits? She remembered that in some versions, those who wielded EX-class attacks carried the will of fallen warriors. Their strength came not only from magic or weapons—but from belief.
But Bella wasn't a Heroic Spirit. Not in the traditional sense. She was something else entirely. Her attack wasn't spiritual—it was a compressed, accelerated blast of raw destruction. A laser cannon born from sheer force and will.
If anything, the version of EX she wielded should obliterate any lingering soul.
So what was that power?
"The will of fallen warriors? Freedom and democracy? No," Bella muttered. "It must have been something else."
Then the realization hit her.
It was the people. The civilians who had died in New York.
She didn't need ancient spirits or mythical warriors. She had something just as strong—the belief of thousands, those who saw her as hope, justice, even salvation.
She remembered visiting a fan forum once, out of curiosity. There were entire threads dedicated to her, filled with theories, poems, even artwork. Many believed she was an angel sent by the heavens, a divine judge walking among mortals.
Some posts were so intense, Bella had to double-check if they were satire.
"If you insult the Goddess of Judgment," one message read, "your whole bloodline will disappear."
Yikes. She'd stared at that one for a good minute.
Still, it made sense. If people believed in her that deeply, could it have given her power? Could it have affected her attack?
The Power of Faith.
It was something to explore. Maybe Queen Frigga in Asgard could offer answers. She was said to possess deep wisdom, even more so than Loki when it came to ancient magic.
The only problem?
Frigga kept giving her that "future daughter-in-law" look every time they met.
It gave Bella chills.
But she couldn't exactly complain about it. Instead, she simply sighed and muttered:
"In order to become stronger… I've had to endure everything."
---
Just then, a booming voice rang out from the nearby tavern.
"Everyone! In honor of the Goddess of Judgment defeating those nasty alien invaders, today's drinks are on the house!"
The shout came from a dark-skinned man with a thick Cuban accent, beer belly jiggling as he raised a case of bottles triumphantly.
"And if you drink a whole box—yes, a box!—you get our secret house special!"
Cheers erupted immediately.
Staff members began hauling out crate after crate of Cuban beer, the room swelling with laughter, excitement, and raw joy.
People had just survived an intergalactic invasion. They'd watched the sky burn and saw a goddess strike down an army. They needed to let loose.
And what better way than free beer?
"To the Goddess of Judgment!" someone shouted, raising a bottle.
"TO BELLA!" echoed another, followed by a wave of roaring cheers.
Bella stood near the back, arms folded, watching the scene unfold.
She didn't join the celebration. Not yet.
But she smiled.
This was exactly the kind of energy she needed—for now.
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