484 — Epilogue (Final Chapter)

— Year 2020

— Marvel Universe, New York City

— Rhodes Island Industrial Residential District, Kagura Hitomi’s Residence

“Big sis! Big sis!”

“Kagura-neesama! Wake up already! The sun’s practically cooking your butt!”

The familiar voice of Sirin rang in Kagura Hitomi’s ears as she slowly opened her drowsy eyes.

“Mm… Is it morning already?” she murmured groggily.

A bright and beautiful face came into view.

Lavender hair shimmered around golden eyes that sparkled with energy.
It was Sirin.

When Hitomi had returned from the world of Honkai to the Marvel Universe, she’d brought Sirin back with her.

“Morning? Morning’s long gone, Kagura-neesama! It’s already past ten!”

Sirin puffed up her cheeks like an adorable little pufferfish. “Today’s the party, remember? Everyone’s almost here already! You’re the only one still missing!”

“Wha?! The party!”

Sirin’s reminder jolted Kagura fully awake.

She shot up from the bed, quickly patting her head and trying to tame her already messy silver hair.

“Ack! I totally forgot! Today’s the party!”

“Exactly!”

Sirin placed her hands on her hips with an exaggerated sense of pride.

“If you don’t get up now, everyone’s going to come in here and drag you out! You wouldn’t want to be carried to the living room in your pajamas, right? So come on! I’m starving!”

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Kagura smiled and gently patted Sirin’s head. “Today’s a special day. No way I’m staying in bed!”

“My, my. So motivated today, even skipping your usual weekend laziness.”
Cortana strolled into the room just then.

“Looks like your travels across the multiverse really left an impression.”

“Ugh… That’s my Cortana, alright,” Kagura sighed. “Still as sharp-tongued as ever.”

“Well, Miss Rita did advise me to be more respectful and affectionate toward my master as a proper maid should,” Cortana replied coolly.

“But I believe spoiling you too much would only encourage your natural tendency toward idleness. Therefore, I’ll continue operating under my original protocol.”

With a dramatic flick of her hair, Cortana straightened up and declared,
“In short, Master, get out of bed.”

“Ugh…” Kagura held her forehead. “So this is what it means to own a legendary super AI… Not even Rita could change her…”

After finishing her morning routine, Kagura slipped into her most glamorous party dress and opened the doors to the main lounge.

“Waaah—! Rosalia! Get back here! Give me back my cake!”

As soon as Kagura opened the door, two cheerful little girls dashed past her.

One had long pink hair, the other blue, both clutching slices of frosted cake and laughing mischievously.

“Vodka Girls! Mission complete! Woohoo! Run!” They dashed off triumphantly.

Surprisingly, the person chasing after Rosalia and Lilia today wasn’t Kiana as usual—but none other than the dignified principal of St. Freya Academy, Theresa Apocalypse.

“Don’t think I won’t scold you just because you’re little! Get back here with my cake! Mei made that for me!”

“Hmph! You’re not exactly young yourself, Principal,” Rosalia teased, sticking out her tongue. “Old people are supposed to be nice to children!”

“That’s right!” Lilia chimed in. “Be nice to kids!”

Veins popped on Theresa’s forehead. “Nice? You want nice? Stand still and I’ll show you how I ‘nicely’ deal with brats!”

“Aah… Youth really is a wonderful thing.”

At the long dining table, Himeko sipped whiskey and watched the chaos with a nostalgic smile.

“It’s a pity not everyone ages as gracefully as Theresa… Nearly fifty and still looks like a kid. Honestly, she could stay single forever and no one would even question it.”

“Now, now, don’t be so gloomy,” said a voice beside her.

It was Tony Stark, dressed in a sharp suit and wearing his signature brown-tinted sunglasses.

“Not everyone’s into the whole ‘little girl’ look. Take me, for example. I’m far more attracted to a woman with mature charm… like you.”

“Oh?” Himeko raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Are you trying to ask me out, Mr. Stark?”

“Can I?” Tony grinned. “If you don’t mind, I’d say I’m up for it! A woman with your grace—refined and seasoned by time—is far more alluring.”

“Tony!” Before he could say another word, Pepper Potts, sitting next to him, yanked him by the ear. “What do you think you’re doing?! You’re not twenty anymore!”

“Ow ow ow! Let go, let go!” Tony winced. “I was just kidding! Just a joke!”

As Pepper dragged him away in a storm of fury, Tony managed to look back at Himeko and shout, “Just remember, Miss Valkyrie! Age isn’t a problem! Some people love the beauty that comes with experience!”

“The beauty that comes with experience, huh…” Himeko glanced down at herself, mumbling, “Easy for him to say… I wonder what thirty years of ‘experience’ has actually done to my appeal…”

‘Thunk! Thunk! DOOM.’

A sudden chill swept across her back.

“Th-Thirty years is fermentation…?” A blank-faced Fu Hua stood behind her, her expression utterly devoid of life.

“Then… what about fifty thousand years…?”

“Mei! Is the food ready yet?! I’m starving over here!”
Kiana banged her utensils on the dining table from the other end, looking thoroughly bored.
“The cake’s already gone! Where’s the real food?!”

“Please be patient, Miss Kiana,” Rita’s voice floated out from the kitchen.

“Miss Mei and I are preparing a delightful meal for everyone. However, since we have quite a few guests today, it may take a little more time. We appreciate your understanding.”

“Two beautiful ladies in the kitchen? How about I lend a hand?” Sitting casually on the couch, former Hawkeye Clint Barton raised a hand with a grin.

“Don’t let this rugged exterior fool you—I can cook pretty well.”

“That won’t be necessary, sir,” Rita replied with a gentle smile. “We’re guests from another world, after all. The least we can do is contribute something to this wonderful gathering.”

“Honestly, I still can’t believe any of this is real…” Dr. Banner lay sprawled out on the couch, munching from a giant bag of chips.

“Where did Hitomi manage to round up so many beautiful girls? Another world, they said? Are all the superheroes in that world this... adorable?”

“Beats me.” Steve Rogers shrugged. “If that world’s military is sending women like them into battle, then something’s clearly wrong up top.”

“Exactly!” Thor chimed in. “Letting such lovely ladies fight on the front lines? What are the men in that world doing, huh?”

“Whoa! A hammer!” Kiana, now utterly bored, wandered over to Thor.
“Hey, mister! You actually fight with this thing? That’s… kinda awesome!”

Without breaking a sweat, she effortlessly lifted Thor’s freshly reforged Mjölnir and twirled it around.

“Whoa! It feels super powerful! Does it have cool powers? Like… can it shoot fire or something?”

Thor: “WTF?! WHY CAN SHE LIFT MY HAMMER?!”

Meanwhile, in the study, even Kagura Hitomi’s gaming console had been taken over by guests trying to kill time before the meal.

“Ugh… How are you so good?!” After yet another crushing loss, Peter Parker turned to the silver-haired girl beside him, baffled. “She looks like she’s barely twelve… How is she this strong?!”

“Hmm? Is there something on Bronya’s face?” Bronya tilted her head at him curiously.
“Mr. Parker, shall we continue?”

Leaning against Bronya, Seele’s crimson eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Bronya one-chan, are you going to keep bullying him? He doesn’t seem to stand a chance. Why not come play with me instead?”

Peter Parker felt thoroughly insulted. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, “L-Let’s keep going! Spider-Man doesn’t back down!”

———————————————————————

“Ah… This is really nice.”

Kagura Hitomi looked around at the lively chaos in her home, a warm smile blooming on her lips.

This… this is the life I’ve always wanted.

The silver-haired, golden-eyed automaton girl basked in the joy of the moment, her heart full.

[May everyone find a life filled with happiness and laughter!]

[The End.]