CHAPTER 144 — THE REWARD CEREMONY
Diana was the first to step forward. She moved with her usual grace, but there was warmth in her expression that immediately softened the tension in the room. She extended her hand toward Saeko and Mindy, her smile genuine.
"I'm glad you both arrived safely," Diana said, her voice even but welcoming. "We've been waiting for you."
Saeko returned the smiled, bowing her head slightly. "Diana. Thank you for welcoming us."
Mindy, less reserved than Saeko, smiled brightly, her energy sharper in contrast. "It's good to be here. Thank you for waiting for us." She glanced around the room, taking in the presence of, Tony, and Gaius..
Tony stepped forward next, moving with casual confidence but carrying an unmistakable authority. "We called you here for a reason," he said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Our mission is now complete. It's time to accept the rewards, together."
Saeko's eyes widened slightly at the words. A quiet smile spread across her face. Mindy, however, could not contain herself. She raised her voice in excitement. "Finally! I can be extraordinary!"
Diana and Tony exchanged small smiles at Mindy's enthusiasm, then both turned to Gaius, waiting for his cue. He acknowledged Saeko and Mindy with a subtle nod.
The team circled around the center of the room. Tony reached into his parcel System and carefully took out one of the Mother Boxes. He set it gently on the floor, as if it were a fragile artifact. The box itself seemed to hum faintly, a low vibration that filled the space with anticipation.
Diana did the same with her Mother Box, placing it on the ground next to Tony's. They were positioned side by side, neat, aligned, and perfectly still. The quiet in the room seemed to thrum with energy as everyone stepped back slightly to give the boxes space.
"Do the honors, Gaius," Tony said, gesturing toward the boxes.
Gaius nodded once. His expression was calm, controlled, and deliberate. He moved forward, each step measured. When he reached the boxes, the Multiversal Chat interface activated with a quiet shimmer of light, hovering in the air above them. Words appeared in simple, clear text:
Two Mother Boxes have been detected. Do you want to submit them to the System? [Yes] [No]
Gaius paused, focusing his mind. He could feel the energy emanating from the boxes, the faint hum of their ancient and powerful technology. Then, mentally, he pressed "Yes."
Immediately, both Mother Boxes dissolved into streams of glowing particles, swirling upward before vanishing entirely. Light particles danced briefly in the air before disappearing completely, leaving a subtle glow lingering where the boxes had been.
The interface updated automatically:
Mission Mission: Help Wonder Woman, Kill Doomsday
Objective 1: Kill Doomsday [completed]
Objective 2: Acquire 1–3 Mother Boxes (two Mother Boxes acquired) [completed]
[Mission has been completed] Accept reward now?
All eyes turned to the panel as it appeared in the room, and simultaneously, each member saw the same panel reflected in their vision. For a moment, everyone simply stared at it. Then, almost in unison, they confirmed the acceptance.
Tony was the first to feel the changes. A notification panel appeared before him:
Reward Granted: • Cognitive Processing Speed — Increased Effect Details:
• Thought processing speed significantly enhanced
• Parallel reasoning capacity expanded
• Decision-making latency greatly reduced
• Mental simulations executed in real time
Almost immediately, Tony's mind felt lighter, faster. Thoughts that used to take seconds now flashed through him in milliseconds. He felt as if the world itself had slowed, that every movement, every word, and every detail was being processed with perfect clarity. His heart rate picked up slightly, the initial surge of speed feeling almost overwhelming.
He panicked for a moment, imagining a world where everything moved slower than him. His own thoughts raced like a river at flood, unstoppable, uncontrollable. Then, slowly, he realized he could manage it.
With a single conscious decision, he slowed his mental speed to normal, breathing out in relief. The control was there. It was powerful, yes, but entirely manageable. He smiled slightly. He could now think faster than ever before, and the world would bend to his rhythm when he chose.
Saeko's panel appeared next:
Reward: Hyper-Awareness Effect:
• Notice smallest changes around her — movement, sounds, vibrations, or anything unusual
• Track multiple enemies simultaneously
• Predict attacks and find weak points immediately
• Awareness works with focus and instincts
• Hard for enemies to surprise her
The effects hit her immediately. The room expanded around her. She could hear the faintest hum of a lightbulb in a corner.
The vibrations of footsteps from the hallway felt sharper, each one distinct. Her eyes caught subtle movements, even shadows shifting slightly against the walls.
Every little sound, every minor shift in air, every vibration in the floor became information she could process instantly. She breathed in slowly, taking it all in, adjusting her senses like tuning an instrument. The world had sharpened around her.
She felt aware of everything, capable of tracking multiple movements at once, prepared for anything.
Naruto, who was at the White House, also accepted the reward alongside them.
Naruto's panel came:
Reward: Unyielding Will Effect:
• Keep fighting no matter the enemy or danger
• Fear, pain, and exhaustion do not stop him
• Determination inspires allies and pushes others forward
Naruto felt a warmth spread through his chest. Deep down, inside him, something shifted. The Nine-Tails' energy surged slightly, subtle but unmistakable.
He felt stronger, braver, and more determined. Pain would no longer slow him. Fear would no longer stall him. Exhaustion would no longer cloud his judgment.
He glanced around at the Ultramarines encircling the room in the White House. There were no visible changes to his body, yet deep within, an unyielding strength was rising, building with every heartbeat.
Mindy's reward activated next:
Reward: Perfect Accuracy Effect:
• Aim and precision greatly enhanced
• Rarely misses targets
• Works with firearms, thrown weapons, and improvised tools
Mindy instinctively tested her perception. She focused on the edge of the table, a tiny scratch on the floor, the corner of a chair leg. Every detail became clear to her. She could feel how fast a bullet might travel through the air, how a thrown object might spin.
Her hands itched to test her precision, to act on the newfound skill she could feel coursing through her. She smiled confidently. No target, no matter how fast or distant, would be safe from her now.
Diana's panel appeared next:
Reward: Lightning Edge
Description: Her weapons, sword, shield, bracelets, and lasso, glowed with divine lightning. Each strike could pierce defenses, jolt opponents, and leave arcs of energy lingering across the battlefield. The lightning flowed seamlessly with her movements, making her attacks precise, fluid, and impossible to ignore.
Lightning surged within Diana herself. She could feel it channeling into her weapons, her sword, shield, bracelets, and lasso, enhancing every strike. Her strength and speed were amplified, each movement more powerful and controlled than ever before.
Finally, Gaius' reward activated.
The panel displayed:
Reward: THE EMPEROR'S LIGHTNING CLAW
Activation: Summon at Will Description:
• Divine claw weapon crackling with lightning
• Appears instantly at will
• Cuts through reinforced armor, energy shields
• Shocks and burns enemies
• Can harm or slay gods, and daemons permanently.
• Automatically adjusts for optimal strikes
Lightning surged around Gaius' power fist as the Emperor's Lightning Claw manifested. It was flawless, crackling with energy, sharp enough to slice through any material. Gaius flexed it slightly, testing its weight, speed, and power.
Then, with a deliberate motion, he deactivated it. The Emperor's Lightning Claw vanished, leaving only his power fist in hand.
Then a second reward appeared. This time, it wasn't for an individual, it was a new feature for the Multiversal Chat itself.
Feature: Right of Crossing
Description: Grants the group the ability to open a stable gateway to a random universe once every Three months. The destination cannot be chosen or influenced and is determined only at the moment of activation.
In addition, members may open a gateway to the universe of another Multiversal Chat member at any time, provided that member gives explicit permission.
The gateway remains open for a limited time and allows passage only to members of the Multiversal Chat group. It cannot be used to escape active combat, bypass immediate danger, or force entry into sealed or protected realities.
Transit through the gateway is guaranteed to be safe. Arrival is not. Each crossing carries uncertainty, risk, and consequence.
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