Reborn as Humanity’s Emperor Across the Multiverse

Inside the bar, the atmosphere was relaxed yet lively.

Through the wide portholes, the azure glow of slipspace continued to cast its ethereal light, creating a serene backdrop for the camaraderie within.

In a cozy corner near one of the windows:

"Hello there~ My name is Narilita Losrian. What's yours?"

The red-haired elf sitting across from Charlie spoke with a bright smile, her voice lively and carrying a warmth that was impossible to ignore.

As she spoke, she lifted a metallic glass filled to the brim with crystal-clear vodka, the liquid rippling slightly with her movement.

"Charlie Horneld," Charlie replied as he cautiously raised his own glass, clinking it lightly against hers.

"Hahaha! Nice to meet you, Charlie!"

Narilita laughed heartily, her radiant smile complementing her fiery red hair, making her appear almost like a beacon of light.

Without waiting for Charlie to respond further, she tilted her head back and downed the entire glass of vodka in one go, her movements crisp and unhesitating.

"..."

Charlie was momentarily taken aback by the scene before him.

The elf across from him had likely just taken a full glass of vodka on an empty stomach, and yet, she showed no signs of discomfort.

What made the situation even more astonishing was that, after placing the empty glass on the table, she immediately picked up the bottle of vodka and skillfully refilled her glass, seemingly ready for another round.

Charlie's own glass also contained vodka, but considering he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, the idea of drinking such a high-proof beverage on an empty stomach seemed… unwise, to say the least.

Unlike those enhanced by Inquisitor serum or subjected to genetic modifications like the investigators, Charlie was a normal human. He lacked the physical enhancements that might have allowed him to shrug off the effects of heavy drinking.

The boldness of the elf's behavior struck him as both impressive and slightly intimidating.

Charlie swallowed nervously, once again marveling at the elves' robust constitution and unique temperament.

Noticing Charlie's hesitation, Narilita seemed to catch on.

She raised an eyebrow and waved her hand dismissively. "Haha, don't worry! I'm not forcing you to chug the whole glass. I just feel like a setting like this needs a bit of alcohol to liven things up."

After a brief pause, she added, "But if vodka isn't your thing, we can switch to something lighter, like beer or fruit wine."

"It's fine, I can handle it," Charlie replied casually, taking a symbolic sip of his vodka. The sharp burn of the alcohol as it slid down his throat caused him to grimace slightly.

In the meantime, he used the small touchscreen menu at the corner of the table to order some food: a couple of salads, some Chinese-inspired bar snacks, and two classic terror bird burgers.

Then he looked back at Narilita and, with a small smile, added, "This one's on me. Let's consider it lunch."

"No way!"

Narilita shook her head decisively, her tone firm and unyielding.

"Since I was the one who invited you, how could I possibly let you pay? That wouldn't be logical, nor would it be proper."

Charlie was briefly stunned, unable to respond before Narilita continued.

"I know you humans—especially the men—tend to think you should always cover the costs when dining, drinking, or going out with women.

"But we elves don't adhere to those customs. We value equality and mutual respect. Whoever initiates the invitation takes responsibility for the bill.

"Besides, it's just a small expense; I can handle it."

"Well, fair enough," Charlie said with a sheepish laugh, scratching the back of his head.

Her straightforwardness left a strong impression on him.

Elves truly did have different cultural values compared to humans, and Narilita's open and genuine attitude was oddly refreshing for Charlie.

As he reflected on his past experiences in high school, he couldn't help but feel a pang of bittersweet nostalgia.

Back then, he had been entangled with a "gold digger," constantly showering her with emotional support and footing the bill for every outing, essentially functioning as a walking ATM.

He had felt both drained and trapped, unable to muster the courage to end the relationship. Thankfully, his sister had exposed the girl's true nature, freeing him from the ordeal.

Now, sitting across from Narilita—someone who spoke of "equality" and "respect" with such sincerity—Charlie found her to be a breath of fresh air.

Of course, the male mind being what it is, Charlie couldn't help but briefly imagine himself married to this strikingly beautiful elf, raising hypothetical children together…

!

Realizing that his thoughts had wandered far too quickly into uncharted territory, Charlie snapped himself back to the present, forcing his focus onto the conversation at hand.

Narilita, oblivious to his momentary distraction, leaned slightly forward with her glass in hand, her eyes brimming with genuine interest in the discussion.

The two of them soon delved into a deep conversation about the Star Marines comic series.

From the origins of the Atlas Corporation's Entertainment Division to the unique style and cultural impact of the series, their discussion grew increasingly animated.

Star Marines was far from a typical commercialized superhero franchise.

Instead, it was a classic work with a realistic style, centered on the lives and struggles of "super-soldiers."

The series had first been launched in the 1960s and 70s, long before Atlas became a state-owned enterprise of the Empire.

At that time, comic culture was dominated by superhero stories. But Star Marines stood out with its grounded approach, eschewing exaggerated superpowers in favor of tactical realism, detailed depictions of weaponry, and character development.

This down-to-earth style resonated with both teenagers and adults, making it one of the rare series to rival traditional superhero comics.

Both Charlie and Narilita were fans of this realistic style.

As they discussed the series' iconic battle scenes, they were able to vividly recount the most thrilling moments.

They analyzed the protagonist's choices during pivotal conflicts and explored how the series had influenced real-world military tactics.

Before they realized it, the dishes Charlie had ordered had all arrived.

The two clinked glasses again, this time in a more relaxed manner, and began eating while continuing their conversation.

As their discussion deepened, Charlie found himself opening up, even sharing some personal stories about his past.

He spoke about how he had once been manipulated and drained of both money and emotional energy, only to end up empty-handed.

Toward the end of his story, he laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "You know, sometimes I think I was just plain stupid."

Narilita chuckled so hard that she nearly spilled her vodka.

"Stupid? Maybe a little," she teased, her tone lighthearted. "But I think it's more that you're too soft-hearted. Hopefully, after going through all that, you've learned a thing or two, right?"

"Yeah, hopefully," Charlie replied with a wry smile and a shrug.

As their meal wound down, Charlie's lingering curiosity prompted him to ask tentatively: "I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Did you really invite me to the bar just to talk about comic book plots?"

Hearing this, Narilita blinked once, then nodded slightly.

"That was my main reason," she admitted.

Then, with a playful grin, she added: "But there's also another reason. I find your appearance and demeanor pretty appealing.

"I wanted to take this chance to get to know you better.

"To be honest, I think you're kind of special. If our personalities, interests, and values align, maybe we could even take things further—like, as a couple."

"…"

Charlie was left speechless.

He had heard that elves were straightforward and candid, but experiencing it firsthand was something else entirely.

A casual stroll during his downtime had unexpectedly turned into a spontaneous bar invitation, followed by… a confession?

And now, he might even end up with an elf girlfriend?

Charlie stared at his glass, then at Narilita, who sat comfortably across from him. Her fiery red hair framed her carefree smile, her relaxed posture betraying no hint of nervousness or urgency.

'Never thought my military service would broaden my horizons like this,' Charlie thought wryly.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he replied as naturally as he could manage:

"Let's take it slow. This all happened pretty fast, and I'm still trying to process everything."

"Haha~ Totally fair. For humans, this probably is a bit much to handle," Narilita said with an understanding laugh.

Shrugging casually, she added, "We'll chat more later, then. No rush."

Narilita belonged to the more direct and open-minded subset of elves.

She was genuinely intrigued by Charlie's shared interests and found his appearance and demeanor to align with her preferences.

Of course, there was also the fact that she was "only" a little over a hundred years old—practically youthful by elven standards—still brimming with curiosity about the world.

Before leaving, Narilita scanned the tabletop screen with her wrist to settle the bill using her biometric information.

As she stood up, she turned back and offered Charlie a friendly,

almost teasing farewell:

"Let's chat online later! The full-scale purge operation will start soon, so make sure to keep yourself safe out there. Don't let those scumbags get the better of you!"

Her voice was cheerful, with a touch of playfulness but also genuine concern.

With that, she walked out of the bar, her graceful figure disappearing down the hallway.

Charlie, meanwhile, left the bar in a bit of a daze, carrying his bag of snacks and comics back to his squad's quarters.

The fleet was still some time away from exiting slipspace.

Charlie had originally planned to take this opportunity to rest and prepare himself for the impending battle.

However, the events of the day had left his mind slightly unsettled.

Though the distraction wasn't enough to hinder him, it was unusual for a soldier as methodical and disciplined as Charlie to feel this way.

The unexpected encounter with Narilita—her bold invitation, their heartfelt conversation, and her confession—felt almost like a scene from a teenage dating sim.

Having once suffered PTSD from a manipulative relationship, Charlie couldn't completely shake his wariness toward Narilita's candid interest.

Yet, as the hours passed, Narilita continued to initiate conversations through the fleet's internal messaging system.

Whether discussing comics or sharing amusing anecdotes about elven culture, she effortlessly kept their chats lively and engaging.

Charlie, initially reserved, gradually found himself responding with equal enthusiasm.

Before long, Narilita made it a habit to end their conversations with a cheerful "Goodnight!"—a gesture that left Charlie both surprised and flattered.

In the Prime Universe, it was typically the man who wrapped up the day's chat in budding relationships.

Unknowingly, Charlie began to push aside his earlier plans of purchasing a synthetic companion. He found himself wondering if some things simply couldn't be replaced by machines or algorithms.

But before he could delve further into these thoughts—

With just an hour left before the fleet exited slipspace, Charlie's platoon received an urgent order:

All personnel were instructed to immediately prepare their weapons and gear and report to the designated hangar.

Quickly donning their sealed combat suits and exoskeletons, and loading up on weapons, ammunition, and supplies, the soldiers made their way to Hangar Bay 4 in the lower levels of the ship.

This was the first time since joining the Marine Corps that Charlie's platoon had been assembled at the company level.

Until now, they had mostly undergone training under the supervision of sergeants, focusing on small-scale live-fire drills and tactical exercises.

Now, however, they were being mobilized for a large-scale operation in the chaotic region of space, preparing to cleanse the so-called "scum" as part of the Empire's campaign.

When they arrived at Hangar 4, they found not only their fellow Marines but also an entire ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) combat company and over a dozen Tyrant heavy assault mechs operated via pilot consciousness integration.

Additional biological and mechanical units, as well as cloned soldiers without consciousness or souls, would likely be deployed as reinforcements. These units did not require assembly, as they were simply dropped into combat zones.

As Charlie and his squad speculated about the reasons behind the sudden assembly, another company-sized group of armed personnel arrived.

This new group's equipment was significantly more advanced, featuring the latest Mark V Power Armor in dark gray livery, with personalized insignias and markings adorning some of their helmets.

At the forefront of the group stood a commanding figure, who wasted no time addressing the gathered troops through the comm system:

"Listen up, everyone! I'm Colonel Janes Thompson of the 36th Fleet's Special Operations Command.

"From this moment forward, you lot will be operating under the direct command of Special Operations. Understood?!"

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