## Space Guerrilla - (3)
The reason the Federation is struggling to subjugate the evolving alien Constellation is simple.
The traditional doctrine of eliminating Constellation-level entities with fleet bombardment or planet-destroying weapons has become useless.
This creature is roughly humanoid in size, moves fast enough to evade fleet bombardment, and possesses power equivalent to a planetary scale or greater.
Unless they're willing to blow up entire planets where Federation citizens live, the space fleet is practically meaningless.
That's why the Federation is responding as if "a powerful Avatar with Constellation-level Authority has rebelled."
[Constellation Whispering Constellation asks if such countermeasures really exist.]
"Ah... During the Galactic Empire era, there were occasionally Apostles who rebelled against imperial rule or terrorized facilities out of dissatisfaction."
Sweet Reverie supplements the explanation with her gentle voice.
Are all terrible incidents and events from the Galactic Empire era? I suppose the Interstellar Treaty was inevitable.
Before Silent Starlight descended, there must have been cases where deities intervened indirectly through Apostle contracts.
So they're responding based on combat records and experiences from that time...
[Constellation Whispering Constellation expresses gratitude for the fourth Avatar's explanation.]
"Hehe. I can answer as much as you'd like. I know things that Mortal Avatars don't..."
She straightens her chest and smiles at the message of gratitude.
We're still at the Constellation Assembly, but perhaps because she's surrounded by Succubi, she looks more comfortable than before.
While watching the Constellation Assembly with her, someone approached us.
[Succubus. Still showing that shameless face of yours.]
"Huh?"
Is that a Planetary Spirit Entity Constellation? It appears as a blue and yellow light cluster formed into a human shape, like a spirit entity.
Its attitude seems quite hostile. Does it have a grudge against my Servitor?
As the light cluster that seemed to form from natural elements approached, Reverie's expression soured and she grumbled.
"Look, what happened then couldn't be helped. And how long ago was that anyway..."
[It's been only about 70 years. Too short a time to forget your atrocity.]
Reverie sighs deeply as she engages in a battle of nerves with that Constellation.
From their conversation, it seemed the Constellation held a grudge over mental issues that developed while she was treating its Avatar.
[Hmph... A race that handles mind and dreams making such a mistake. Still using that excuse?]
"Ah. Ah. How long do I have to have this conversation with you?"
[Ahem. I know about your relationship, but please show some restraint during the Constellation Assembly.]
[Settle your personal grudges later. For now, in this place...]
[They'll end up in a big fight. Can't you moderate yourselves?]
The argument ended with the intervention of other Constellations watching nearby.
But judging by the sullen expression still on her face, she didn't seem to be in a good mood.
Other Constellations seemed quite familiar with their quarrel, suggesting they bickered whenever they met.
[Constellation Whispering Constellation asks about the earlier dispute.]
After the Constellation Assembly ended, I questioned her about it.
She flinched momentarily, then carefully answered.
"You know that I operate a mental center for Mortals, Great One?"
That's right.
"The deity you just saw is a planetary god with the Constellation name 'Messenger of Flash.' He entrusted his Avatar to me for treatment when the Avatar developed mental issues..."
Mental contamination in Avatars is quite common. Still, if it was serious enough to be directly entrusted to Sweet Reverie, the condition must have been quite severe.
"The Avatar he brought was suffering from identity disorder due to Special Ability abuse. He would occasionally say he didn't feel human. If Lee Yuna's Avatar had progressed a bit further in mental mutation, the same thing would have happened..."
Still, for just one Mortal, it shouldn't have been something a planetary god couldn't handle. Did something happen?
"The treatment was completed successfully. But because I stayed in that child's mind for a long time, he began worshipping me instead of his Constellation."
So she unintentionally stole his Avatar.
Come to think of it, Lee Yuna's case was exactly the opposite. The first Avatar was reversely consumed by the Cosmic Power dwelling in her subconscious...
"He holds a grudge against me because of that incident and occasionally acts like that. But it's nothing for you to worry about, Great One."
* * *
The subjugation force to capture the alien Constellation's evolving entity was quickly formed.
The main force consisted of Planetary Spirit Entity Constellations. The auxiliary force included Avatars considered the Federation's finest in terms of individual combat power.
These forces were supported by numerous Federation troops and cutting-edge equipment: combat cyborgs with autonomous authority, small Cosmic Weapons developed from research on my Nail Filth, force field generators highly effective against Special Abilities, and more.
The plan was to hide in ambush on planets where the creature was expected to appear, then bombard it all at once when it showed itself, with Constellations rushing in afterward.
Isn't this a sloppy operation that leaves success to the Constellations' abilities?
But this was due to the creature's exceptional abilities. Since it was too much for Mortal power, they had no choice but to borrow the power of deities.
---
Inside the Federation fleet.
Mortals equipped with various gear gathered in a section resembling a plaza within the massive space fleet.
Examining them through the artificial intelligence information entity revealed they were all Avatars contracted with Constellations.
"Is it true they might quarantine the planet where the evolving entity appears if necessary?"
"No way. This isn't the Empire era anymore."
"But the damage keeps growing. I hate unavoidable sacrifices too, but at this point..."
"Can we even buy time against Planetary Spirit Entity Constellation-level opponents?"
"Aren't we just brought here to delay it a bit? We have to deal with The Infected too."
"Actually, I think we're here to prevent The Infected from multiplying."
The Mortals—Avatars—in the subjugation force were conversing with worry and anxiety.
Many seemed prepared to die, knowing they faced an alien Constellation that had killed a Planetary Spirit Entity Constellation...
"C-Constellation... I'm actually feeling a bit anxious right now..."
[Constellation Whispering Constellation suggests that if the first Avatar is anxious, it would be better to withdraw from the subjugation force.]
"But that's difficult... Actually, I think I could beat all the Avatars over there... Withdrawing would be too much against my conscience..."
Among them was my first Avatar, Lee Yuna.
Until now, she had only dealt with cleaning up the aftermath caused by the evolving entity or fighting the Infected it created, so she seemed a bit nervous about directly joining the subjugation force.
Look at her trembling. Why did she volunteer for this?
We're planning to connect with this dimension anyway, and we could leave that evolving entity or whatever to Maria.
I'd prefer if she didn't engage in such dangerous behavior.
"Phew. Hoo... But I can do this now. Even if I face it head-on, I could hold out for a moment, right?"
Flash—Sparkle.
Lee Yuna, who had been showing anxious behaviors like twisting her long hair, temporarily transformed her body.
It was the form she took when she defeated the Cosmic Swarm that invaded Planet Ratan.
One second. Two seconds...
The cosmic colors rippled across her entire body briefly before returning to normal.
Although she only temporarily transformed the surface of her body,
given enough time, she could certainly manifest that form again.
When Lee Yuna entered the Cosmic Power overload state, she could possess abilities comparable to a Single-Planet Life Tree—the lowest-ranked deity.
Even if she faced the evolving entity Constellation, she could buy a little time.
That brief moment would be enough for other Constellations to arrive.
"I feel like I'm getting more accustomed to handling your power, Constellation. The body transformation is getting faster too. Am I really changing into a different species?"
[Constellation Whispering Constellation says it's probably your body adapting.]
"I guess that's it? They did say that using Cosmic Power would change the mind and body..."
Her growth was precisely why I didn't strongly oppose her participation in the subjugation force.
Since all the other Constellations were at least planetary gods, the probability of her dying or getting injured was extremely low.
As I watched Lee Yuna fidgeting with what appeared to be combat armor gauntlets after flopping down in a chair,
I heard a voice addressing me while looking at empty space.
"Being on this fleet reminds me of the old days. When I first became an Avatar and was heading to Planet Chiron..."
Ah. She's talking about the past.
It was like this when I made Lee Yuna my first Avatar and she was heading to Planet Chiron, the Avatar education institution.
Filled with tension and excitement, she was reprimanded for using her supernatural abilities inside the fleet, which made me chuckle.
"There were many Avatars contracted with Constellations around me then too... Hehe."
Lee Yuna looks up at empty space with a broad smile.
Her face looks much better now, perhaps because recalling the past has eased her tension.
"There must be standards for deploying people to places like this, so I guess I'm recognized as something like special forces? Thinking about it that way makes me feel a bit better... Heheh."
[Constellation Whispering Constellation asks if Avatars aren't already treated as special forces.]
"Come on, Constellation! I mean like ultra-elite among special forces! That kind of feeling."