Chapter 395: 395 Kagura and the Days of Peace
— New York, Kagura's Home
"I'm home, Cortana."
Kagura stepped into her room, swiftly shedding her jacket, blouse, skirt, and thigh-high socks, carelessly tossing them onto the floor.
With a flicker of light from White Moon, a thin, silky camisole materialized on her body.
She let out a satisfied sigh as she flopped onto her bed with a soft "thump."
"Ahh... there's nothing like the feeling of being home!"
A soft, cozy bed!
Delicious, mouth-watering food!
All sorts of game consoles and computers!
Manga! Novels! Games!
Ahh... this place really is paradise!
"Welcome back, my master. Did you enjoy your time with Spider-Man?"
Cortana, dressed in an elegant maid outfit, entered the room.
She glanced at the pile of clothes scattered across the floor and then at Kagura, who was sprawled out on the bed, frowning slightly.
"Master, even though this is your home, you should still mind your appearance at least a little..."
"Mm-mm~ It's fine, isn't it? It's just you here—no one's peeking or anything~"
With a look of pure contentment, Kagura hugged her blanket tightly and rolled over, blinking her big eyes at Cortana.
"So, Cortana, what's for dinner tonight? It's been forever since I had real food!"
She put extra emphasis on the word real, subtly (or not-so-subtly) protesting Cortana's recent string of bizarre decisions.
Like forcing Kagura to eat nothing but kids' meals every day.
Or buying strange, childish outfits.
Or constantly making her dress up in weird cosplay costumes for photos.
Seriously...
Are you treating that version of me like a doll or something?! (Hmph!)
"No problem, Master. What would you like to eat today? I'll prepare it right away."
Cortana, as always, brushed off Kagura's complaints.
In her AI logic, since Kagura was currently in her little form, her lifestyle absolutely must match that image in every way—clothing, food, everything.
Such was the unwavering reasoning of a hyper-logical artificial intelligence. Not up for debate~
"Hmm… what to eat... that's the question."
Lying flat on her back, Kagura tapped her lips with a finger in thought.
"Ah! I haven't had steak in ages. How about... three or five tomahawk steaks?"
"Order confirmed, Master."
Cortana bowed her head politely.
"Tonight's dinner will be tomahawk steaks served with pasta, accompanied by a fresh vegetable salad and a suitable beverage. Please look forward to it."
"Mm! I'm counting on you!"
With a wave of her hand, Kagura flopped back onto the bed with a soft thud.
"Ahh... feels like everything's finally back to normal..."
Ever since the Dormammu incident—no, to be precise, ever since the Ultron affair—Kagura hadn't had a proper chance to rest.
Whether it was dealing with sudden world-ending crises or secretly gathering the Infinity Stones for her own purposes, the peaceful, lazy life she longed for had slowly slipped away.
But now, after defeating Dormammu and enduring that awkward period of being stuck in that form, Kagura was finally back to her old self—in every sense of the word.
Her long-lost days of peace were finally returning.
Rhodes Island Industries, her vast empire, was now almost entirely managed by Cortana and the quantum computer VEDA. In fact, such a colossal corporate machine had long surpassed the capacity for a single person to control.
As of 2017, Rhodes Island Industries had become larger than most nations on Earth.
Countless subsidiaries, manufacturing plants, research centers, and cutting-edge scientific institutes stretched across the globe, forming a dense and complex corporate network—complete with its own fully independent industrial system.
The military manufacturing and maintenance chain dedicated solely to equipping the YoRHa units was, by itself, enough to utterly outclass the military-industrial systems of most countries.
After all, this so-called "Automated Corporate Security Experimental System" had—by even the most conservative estimates—combat capabilities approaching those of Wakanda's Royal Guard.
Well… not that it's something to brag about too much.
Kagura always kept a low profile regarding Rhodes Island's public operations.
For example, she never compared the YoRHa forces to Tony Stark's Iron Legion.
She always insisted that the YoRHa units were nothing more than experimental prototypes—just little "toys" she had built for fun.
Whether anyone believed her or not… well, that was their problem. Ehehe~
After dinner, Kagura sat alone on the front steps of her home, feeling the gentle night breeze against her skin as she gazed up at the starlit sky above New York City.
"Ah… this really is peace…"
She let out a long, contented sigh, savoring this rare moment of quiet.
"Come to think of it... it's almost been ten years since I arrived in this world. That final battle must be drawing close, huh...?"
Looking back, the Kagura of the past could never have imagined this life.
Ten years in the Marvel universe had given her more than just dreamlike memories—it had also given her courage and a sense of responsibility for the future.
Maybe... just maybe... the true reason I was brought into this world was to lead it toward a future unlike any other.
Time had flown by in the blink of an eye—nine whole years gone in an instant.
The little boy she once knew had now grown into the well-known superhero, Spider-Man.
The little girl who used to cling to her father's side, learning archery under his patient guidance, had now taken up her own bow, walking in her father's footsteps as the new "Little Hawkeye."
Nine years was more than enough time for the marks of age to show on people's faces.
Tony Stark, once so full of life and bravado, now had graying temples and the faint air of an aging man.
Even Natasha Romanoff had lost some of her youthful charm, becoming the calm, composed leader she was destined to be.
But the silver-haired, golden-eyed android girl... she alone remained unchanged.
Androids didn't age.
Their lifespan was practically infinite.
That thought stirred something deep within Hitomi's heart.
What would happen in the years to come?
Ten years from now? Twenty? A hundred? Five hundred?
When everyone she knew and loved was gone... would she still be here, wandering alone through this world called Marvel—a world that never truly felt familiar or like home?
Would she become the one who led humanity to the stars and the vastness of space?
Or would Kagura, by then, have become nothing more than a true "observer"—quietly watching over this ever-stranger world under the name of the Griffin Security Organization?
Nothing lasts forever—not even the gods.
Kagura had never thought of herself as eternal.
But this long life granted by her android body... gave her more than enough time to reflect on the meaning of life and time itself.
It even allowed her to understand, if only slightly, the Ancient One's quiet yearning for self-destruction.
"Well… no use thinking about all that right now!"
Kagura stretched with a small groan, murmuring to herself.
"If I can't even make it past Thanos, what future is there to worry about?"
"Pardon the interruption, Master."
Cortana's voice called out softly from behind her.
"We just received an email from Tony Stark. It's an invitation—he's holding a party tomorrow night and wishes for you to attend."
"A party? What kind of party?"
Kagura tilted her head.
"I don't remember any business events scheduled lately."
Cortana replied gently,
"Mr. Stark says it's a celebration—for your recovery. He arranged this party especially for you."
"Ahh… I see. Just like him—same old Tony."
A small, gentle smile spread across the silver-haired girl's face, her cheeks tinged with a soft pink warmth.
———————————————————————
Daily Uploads!
Unlock bonus chapters by reaching specific milestones with [Power Stone] votes!
Go to p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters.