Win Everything, Or...

"So, these are the warships of the Glamoth Empire?" Aboard his flagship, Diamond stared at the sleek, silver warships arrayed outside the Qlipoth star system, watching with predatory intent, and couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

It wasn't that Diamond hadn't witnessed grander spectacles—for instance, the Corporation's recreations of the 'Cosmic Swarm Disaster,' the overwhelming, dark tide that had swept the universe, definitely surpassed this.

But a fleet of this scale belonging to the Glamoth Empire, a previously unheard-of, unfamiliar faction... Judging by fleet strength alone, regardless of perspective, this Glamoth Empire was undoubtedly among the absolute top-tier powers in the universe.

And it wasn't just quantity, but technology as well...

"Pearl, what is your assessment comparing these Glamoth Empire warships to the Corporation's armed vessels?"

"...While appearance alone offers limited insight, the technological sophistication of these ships... Considering the Glamoth Empire managed to occupy all Corporation branches without detection, while simultaneously deploying such a massive fleet outside the heavily defended Qlipoth star system... Their technological level likely far surpasses the Technology Development Department and the Intelligentsia Guild... Perhaps only the geniuses of the Genius Society could compare."

"Based on this, I still do not believe initiating countermeasures against the Glamoth Empire is the correct choice, Diamond," Pearl stated, her gentle, emotionless voice tinged with regret.

Undoubtedly, Pearl's stance from the beginning was to 'avoid conflict' with the other party as much as possible. Even if conflict was unavoidable, decisions should only be made after thorough investigation and understanding.

And during this 'negotiation' alongside Diamond and Taravan, after witnessing those warships, Pearl's conviction had only strengthened.

In response, Diamond gave a wry smile, looking at the Glamoth warships, and shook his head. "Perhaps. I too have some regrets now. But since it has come to this, why not give it a try?"

Ultimately, they weren't Intellitron like Pearl, adept at rational thought. As emotional beings, even blessed by the Amber Lord, he still had moments of impulse. Did Osvaldo's speech truly hold such persuasive power? Perhaps.

After all, Osvaldo's undeniable eloquence had allowed him to rapidly rise to Director of Market Development and achieve significant victories for the Corporation.

But to say that he, or the other Corporation directors, made this decision solely based on Osvaldo's incitement wouldn't be entirely accurate. Osvaldo merely presented a possibility... a 'proposal' that, even if he hadn't voiced it, would have been raised by Diamond or any other director.

After all, simply because they were at a disadvantage, caught off guard, surrendering under enemy coercion... This was incredibly difficult for these elites, who had personally built the Corporation's glory, to accept. Unacceptable in terms of profit, and even more so in terms of conviction.

If the Corporation were still in its fledgling start-up phase, there would be little hesitation; they had little to lose back then. But now, with vast assets and established power, whether for individual gain or to uphold the will of Preservation, the thought of everything being lost due to 'surrender' was unbearable.

"No need to be so pessimistic. We still have some bargaining chips, at least," Taravan, the portly man dressed in ostentatiously expensive clothes, complained. It was hard to imagine such a nouveau riche-looking middle-aged man was an Emanator favored by an Aeon.

Honestly, Taravan didn't really care whether they surrendered or not. Within the Board, he was one of the very few, like Zai Tian... No, if Zai Tian lacked ambition and sought compromise, Taravan was simply 'indifferent.'

After all, the Corporation's wealth wasn't particularly important to him, nor was upholding the will of Preservation. His agreement with the Board's decision was purely going with the flow, mixed with a touch of nostalgia for the old ways.

In terms of 'resistance,' Diamond was far more driven than him.

"Sigh, I knew Osvaldo's way of doing things would cause trouble sooner or later..."

"Just didn't expect that the mess stirred up by that kid Osvaldo would ultimately require this old bag of bones to personally step in..."

"Hope this trip goes smoothly."

Amidst Taravan's grumbling, Diamond also sighed. Soon, the flagship, ostensibly arriving to discuss 'surrender procedures,' approached the Glamoth mothership. During the approach... nothing happened. It was surprisingly smooth.

"This easy?" Diamond was astonished. He had expected the enemy to see through their flimsy plan and destroy them within the outer defense perimeter.

In that case, while they could still advance using the power of Preservation, facing so many prepared warships would make the plan's success extremely slim.

Yet, the enemy simply let them through... right into the heart of their core territory.

Could it be... that bastard Osvaldo actually guessed correctly? Was this Glamoth Empire truly all bark and no bite, aside from having advanced technology?

Years of experience told Diamond not to get excited at this stage. However, the smooth, unobstructed passage rapidly boosted his confidence, which had initially been just 'let's try gambling on it.'

Perhaps... the plan to capture the enemy leader, seizing the Empress to force a victory, was actually feasible. After all, from the intercepted fragments of communication, the 'Empress' seemed incredibly important to this Glamoth Empire, right?

---||---

At the docking port, a white-haired girl in a technologically advanced, metallic dress appeared to greet them. Her appearance, distinct from the fully armored Glamoth Iron Cavalry, instantly told Diamond she was likely an internal figure within the Glamoth Empire.

Her tone confirmed his assumption: "I am Pheebe, Commander of the Glamoth Empress's Royal Guard." Her words were laced with anger and hostility, her eyes burning with an intensity that seemed to wish them incinerated. Diamond's heart skipped a beat. Crap, did she see through us?

"A group of fools who don't appreciate Her Majesty's mercy... Hmph, follow me. The Empress will grant you an audience."

The utterly contradictory statements left Diamond momentarily stunned. If it were just the first part, he would have concluded without hesitation that they had seen through their intentions. But adding the latter part confused him. If the enemy knew the Corporation's plan, why would they still allow them to approach, let alone grant an audience?

Confidence? Impossible. Even Zephyro, the strongest of the Lord Ravagers, would have to retreat when facing both him and Taravan simultaneously.

As long as the opponent was within the bounds of mortals... even if they were also an Emanator, they couldn't possibly possess the strength to easily confront two Preservation Emanators.

Puzzling thoughts swirled in his mind. However, as an Emanator of Preservation committed to his Path, Diamond already possessed the resolve to die upholding Preservation. Therefore, despite his confusion, he fearlessly led Pearl and Taravan, following Pheebe into the mothership's main hall.

There, he saw her—Her Majesty the Glamoth Empress, whom he had only heard briefly about in communications.

"..."

Meeting her blue-violet gaze, Diamond didn't feel the oppressive aura of a ruler. Instead, she seemed extraordinarily ordinary, matching her appearance—like a harmless girl next door.

The silver-grey haired girl on the throne's armrest... the hacker from Punklorde seen earlier?

...Threat seems minimal. As an Emanator of Preservation, Diamond possessed such confidence.

He scanned the hall, searching for the white-haired woman Pearl had mentioned—the one who had effortlessly defeated the pseudo-Preservation Emanator Somado. According to the Corporation's pre-arrival analysis, that person was the biggest threat to their plan.

However, after exchanging glances with Pearl and seeing her shake her head, Diamond knew she hadn't found that Emanator. This troubled him. If the opponent was hiding in the shadows, executing the plan would become extremely difficult.

However...

"Are you looking for Brunhilde?" [Firefly]'s calm voice spoke words that made Diamond's eyelids twitch.

"Planning to have one Preservation Emanator tie up Brunhilde, while the other takes me down, forcing Glamoth to surrender or compromise... or at the very least, buy time and space for the Corporation to regroup... Quite a clever scheme you've concocted."

"Since you're so worried about her, I might as well tell you directly. I've sent her on another task. You should feel more at ease now, shouldn't you?"

She knew!

Diamond clenched his fists, unable to be certain if she was trying to mislead him. However, the arrow was already nocked; retreat was impossible. Since he had decided to gamble, unless he truly intended to surrender and give up everything, unless he wanted to lose everything, Diamond had no choice but to proceed with the original plan.

"Mr. Taravan, I'm counting on you! Pearl, deal with the hacker from Punklorde."

In a split second, Diamond finalized his arrangements. Ripping open his collar and shedding his expensive suit, a faint 'halo' erupted around him. At this moment, he shone like a dazzling diamond. Unleashing the power of 'Preservation,' he charged fiercely towards the girl on the throne.

Pheebe intercepted him first.

Possessing the power of a Propagation Emanator, as Commander of the Royal Guard, she was undoubtedly the primary shield protecting the Empress's safety—even if Her Majesty's power meant she didn't actually need protection. After all, King versus King, General versus General.

If the Empress had to do everything, what was the point of Glamoth, what was the point of the Royal Guard?

The innate ability of the [Mercy's Bane] lineage—the firefly archetype—to emit light and heat burst forth. Having become a new Emanator of Propagation, this racial talent was further enhanced.

Pheebe, the Firefly, was an ultimate combat-type Emanator, skilled at burning herself to emit light and heat. Her combat power rivaled the Starcrusher Swarm King from the Cosmic Swarm Disaster era.

Temperatures reaching hundreds of millions of degrees, capable of melting solid rock into magma, were exquisitely controlled, contained only around her body. The scorching presence instantly made the charging Diamond frown deeply.

...Crap, encountered the type of opponent I'm worst against!

Although the power granted by the Amber Lord wasn't mere earthly stone, his name, Diamond... as a highly crystallized form of carbon, Diamond was at a disadvantage against Emanators excelling in temperature manipulation.

Normally, this wasn't an issue. High-temperature abilities were mostly found within the Antimatter Legion. He never expected to encounter one here—the little guide girl from earlier was actually a fire-based Emanator skilled with heat!

Fortunately, Taravan stepped forward first. The portly middle-aged man tore off his flashy suit and, with agility belying his physique, blocked Pheebe. "Well now, didn't expect such a young lady to be an Emanator... The company files said nothing 'bout that. Bad planning, bad planning. Anyway, let this old bag of bones play with ya for a bit."

"Diamond, just keep moving forward!"

Like his name suggested (塔拉梵 Tǎlāfàn relates to defense/towers), Taravan, despite bearing the Amber Lord's favor, wasn't predisposed to conflict and wasn't an Emanator skilled in combat or offense. But if it was merely about protecting something, delaying something, then even the most battle-hardened Destruction Emanator would find this portly man a headache.

A faint halo enveloped Diamond and Pearl, providing unimaginable protection.

"Wow, so dramatic... How come it feels like we're the villains now?" Silver Wolf commented.

"According to the Corporation's propaganda, aren't we?" [Firefly] replied.

"True, in the Corporation's mouth, Glamoth's practically pure evil... Whatever, I'll go play with that company robot girl." Silver Wolf mumbled indistinctly while chewing her gum, then got up, stretched leisurely, and walked towards Pearl.

---||---

Diamond's attack seemed to signal the start of the Corporation's counteroffensive. Massive numbers of warships arrayed within Corporation territory received the command and engaged the Firefly warships outside the Qlipoth system.

But shockingly, just like the 'stone shards' Diamond had tentatively thrown towards [Firefly], all attacks from the Corporation ships seemed to be 'confiscated.' An empty void seemed to swallow everything, making Diamond realize the Glamoth Empress before him was no pushover, but another formidable Emanator.

However, this confirmed discovery didn't make Diamond panic. Instead, it brought a smile to his face.

The most dangerous cards aren't the ones on the table, but the ones hidden. Why had he dared to execute the Corporation's seemingly crude and foolish plan? Was it purely out of unwillingness to give up, wanting to gamble? Perhaps, but not entirely.

His willingness stemmed more from confidence.

Before setting out, the Corporation had analyzed the intelligence Pearl gathered. [Firefly] was definitely not an Emanator of Destruction; someone from the Legion wouldn't be so merciful or care about a planet's safety.

She couldn't be an Emanator of 'Harmony' either; the Corporation knew the Family's situation well, knew their few members... besides, the Harmony faction's typical behavior was well understood. Nihility had no Emanators. [Firefly]'s actions didn't resemble the fun-loving nature of the Elation faction.

The Hunt... the Xianzhou were cooperating with the Corporation, and besides, Xianzhou personnel wouldn't act so recklessly. Abundance... Abundance Emanators usually behaved rather erratically.

Combined with Pearl's report about the reaction of the 'Preservation Cornerstone' in her hands... the Corporation concluded that the opponent might be an Emanator of 'Preservation' like themselves.

After all, an individual could typically only walk one Path. And being able to make a Cornerstone of Preservation shine with one's own will, even earning Pearl's evaluation of 'almost comparable to Diamond'... the opponent had to be an Emanator of Preservation.

Aha! So she is Preservation! Perfect! Diamond thought, practically vibrating with confidence. The Corporation's analysis locked it in. "If she's Preservation..." He felt a surge of conviction. "Then this is easy mode!"

After all, just like his name, Diamond. His will was diamond-hard, his heart unshakeable. Maybe there was some legendary Preservation user back in history, some Amber Lord fanboy Prime, but today? Right here, right now? He was the strongest. 

The Strongest Preservation Emanator of Today, facing... well, maybe The Strongest Preservation Emanator In History... if she really was that good, but probably not.

Therefore, as the strongest Preservation Emanator currently breathing, how could he possibly fear an Emanator of the same Path? Even if she was supposed to be good?

A phantom voice, maybe Zai Tian's worried tone echoing in his memory, seemed to ask, "But Diamond... Is she stronger than you?"

Diamond mentally scoffed. "Irrelevant. She's Preservation. I'm Preservation. I'm HIM."

What if she somehow managed to pull out some ultimate Preservation technique? Like, if [Firefly] were to unleash her full Preservation power...? He considered it for a nanosecond.

"...It might be a little Trouble."

This confidence, this absolute faith in his own Preservation-ness, this belief that he was the peak predator of his Path, fueled his death-or-glory charge. The universe itself, maybe Taravan through a nervous glance, seemed to pose the final, crucial question:

"But Diamond, against her, this unknown Empress who dismantled the Corporation's network like tissue paper... Would you lose?"

Diamond grinned internally, the most radiant, rock-solid, utterly convinced grin imaginable. 

The answer erupted from his very core, echoing the unshakable confidence of legendary figures throughout history facing the seemingly impossible:

"Nah, I'd win!"

(Narrator: He would, in fact, not win.)