Every second was excruciatingly slow.
The thrusters and engines turned on.
The internal operating systems revved to lights, and all the lights and facilities on the inside of the starship became functional.
Countless systems whirred to life one by one. The endlessly long starship was slowly lit in an array of colors, a deep growl emitting from its engines.
And finally, when all other systems were functioning properly…
The weapons systems activated.
Thousands upon thousands of weapons spanning countless kilometers of the area came to life. Diagnostics were run immediately after, showcasing the perfect condition that the weapons were in.
Thaddeus Church manned the ship's helm not as a young master who wanted to prove himself, but as a trained soldier carrying out orders.
The starship came to life.
There was only one final step left before launch, but it was optional.
It was something of a customary measure to scan the internals of the ship before launching, specifically to avoid any rats sneaking on board where they weren't supposed to be.
'How pathetic. No mere lower being from this universe has the courage to stand against Father. Even without an inspection, nothing will happen.' Thaddeus scoffed.
He truly had so much pride in his father. Even if he didn't run a final inspection, he was confident in his ability to succeed.
But at the same time…
'If I am not thorough, he will not acknowledge me.'
Thaddeus moved. He entered a command into the ship, and as the scanning wave of mana spread through the ship…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Aaliyah's heart dropped to her stomach. Countless loud explosions rang out from various points in the ship. When Thaddeus checked the ship's security system, he found tens of intruders hidden in unreachable crevices and hidden areas within the ship.
"So this is why Father said to constantly maintain awareness. Rats have far more courage than they can handle."
Thaddeus indifferently clicked a few buttons on a holographic touchpad nearby, activating the internal security system.
"If you truly wish to die, then do it usefully by becoming my sustenance. Don't detonate that precious life force so easily."
The ship's intent was changed from "kill" to "capture." Binding spells and formations, along with physical binds made from mana-suppressing material, shot through the ship's interior.
But they couldn't get to everyone.
Aaliyah controlled her breathing as best as she could, but her hyperventilating was barely calmed.
Every time a distant explosion went off, another one of her comrades died.
Every time the inspection light shot out and the defense system activated, another one of her allies was captured as a torture subject.
But Aaliyah couldn't move.
She forcefully held back the tears in her eyes so they wouldn't cloud her vision. She forcefully calmed her breaths so they wouldn't attract attention.
She closed her eyes and focused, focused on the inconspicuous seeds that were scattered around the starship, seeds that weren't detected by the inspection light because they had no life within them at all.
'I won't allow your sacrifices to be in vain.'
Aaliyah gritted her teeth. Every explosion led the inspection light further away from her. Every time one of her squad members died, they did so to protect Alliyah.
As long as Aaliyah survived, the mission could still be accomplished. The squad understood her intent perfectly, and they'd been ready to die for her cause from the beginning.
A man ran through the starship's hallways without fear. Lasers and beams of light chased him everywhere he went and countless trap formations tried to capture him from the front, but he always managed to slink his way out of any situation like a conniving rat.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
He ran like a wild man, his laughter echoing through the ship's halls like roaring seas or dragons. Even with the entirety of the ship's defense system against him, he had no fear.
"GO GET 'EM, CAPTAIN! I'LL BE CHEERING YOU ON FROM HELL!"
He burst through the door in his path and arrived in a room filled with large machines. Without a single second of hesitation, he gathered all the mana in his body to his chest and detonated his lifeforce.
BOOOOOOOOM!
Flames raged through the machines, burning and damaging them. Immediately, a few red alerts appeared on Thaddeus' screen.
"Dammit! They took the navigation! Why doesn't this ship's system work faster?!"
He slammed his fist against the arm of his chair in annoyance.
"I refuse to be defeated before I even begin my advent. Focus all defense systems on the bugs in the ship and eliminate them. Take power away from unnecessary systems if need be. We won't leave until we've exterminated these pests."
Thaddeus' cold orders were followed immediately. The lights in the ship shut off, and many of the recreational facilities closed down as well. All the power directed towards maintaining them was put into defense.
And the change was obvious.
The Cherry Blossom Squad didn't have the power to resist such a terrifying onslaught. Especially after Thaddeus abandoned any thoughts of keeping them alive, how could they subvert the defense systems of a ship with Demigod-level power?
No screams of agony rang out, only cries of pride and honor echoed through the starship.
But each cry meant another death.
Aaliyah clenched her fists and bit her lip until it bled.
Sacrifices were a part of war that she could never accept, but they were a part of war that she was forced to cope with.
Even with the current plan, there would be countless more sacrifices needed in order to destroy this starship once and for all.
But Aaliyah would have to bear it. For the sake of her people and for the sake of the universe, she would have to bear it.
The explosions died down after a few minutes.
The few tens of squad members were all killed, not a single body left behind to bury.
Thaddeus released his deathly grip on his chair and leaned back.
"Mm, they are finally gone. Turn off that annoying inspection light and redirect power where it's supposed to be. Find out which systems are damaged and send the automated repair machines to work on them. We won't have navigation for some time, but I can operate just fine without it. Is everyone prepared for launch?"
"All systems go!"
"We've been ready since the beginning."
"Let's just go kill some fools already!"
With the lively responses of his comrades boosting him, Thaddeus took control of the ship.
The massive starship began to shift its position.
Its movement was slow, but every second it moved allowed it to change position and angle by multiple thousands of kilometers.
Throh wasn't that far away. At most, it was a few hundred thousand of kilometers to the east.
With the starship's capabilities, crossing that would only take a few minutes.
'After that, a massacre will begin.'
Aaliyah mentally prepared herself. At the same time, her awareness formed bonds between the countless seeds spread through the starship's interior.
Even if her squad mates were dead, vestiges of their existence remained in the universe.
They would forever be remembered as the saviors of countless quintillions of existences, the beings who destroyed the destroyer of worlds.
She wouldn't let their hard work or their sacrifices go to waste.
'The gift of the Holy Mother and my comrades…I'll be sure to deliver it in full!'
With zealous determination in her eyes, Aaliyah quietly hid and patiently waited.
When her one opportunity came, she would grab onto it with everything she had.
The battle for Throh would go down in history as a monumental victory for the universe's denizens.
Everyone affiliated with Heaven's Army was doing everything they could to make sure of it.
