Anna

"Your home planet! Are the people there as strong as you?" Rocket asked curiously.

"No, most of them are quite fragile, but there are some very interesting people."

"It's a planet where order and chaos coexist!" Zane said with a smile.

Rocket nodded, somewhat understanding.

According to the rules of normal civilizations, it was impossible to understand the situation on Earth.

It was a civilization that hadn't even left its own planet.

Yet, it had several individuals capable of destroying other civilizations on their own.

And then there were countless instances of advanced technology, genetic mutations, and mutants.

Perhaps there wasn't a civilization in the entire universe as peculiar as Earth.

Rocket couldn't really understand Zane's words without seeing it for himself.

But this didn't hinder Rocket's anticipation of Zane's home planet.

He really wanted to see what kind of planet could nurture a monster like Zane.

After announcing the return to Earth, Zane asked everyone to pack their belongings.

Zane didn't plan to have Skynet bring the mechanical planet back to Earth.

He was going back to Earth for a vacation, not for an invasion. Why bring that huge thing?

Bastis urgently had Skynet open a portal back to the Elven planet.

Then she returned with large amounts of specialty fruits from the Elven race and brought back dozens of flower sprites the size of butterflies.

The Elves, a nearly entirely vegetarian civilization, grew fruits and vegetables almost like works of art, and they tasted incredibly delicious.

The flower sprites were to take care of the large garden at Zane's house.

Bastis just had to imagine herself lying on the balcony, smelling the flowers grown by the diligent flower sprites, while munching on salmon, to feel her whole body relax.

Now that was living!

The others weren't as exaggerated as Bastis; they just took a few personal items.

After a while, Zane looked at the hundreds of advanced magnetic robots standing neatly in the hall.

With a helpless look, Zane said to Skynet:

"Skynet, we're not going back to conquer Earth. Why are you bringing so many robots?"

"Boss, you misunderstood. These robots aren't for invading Earth. They're for renovating the old villa on Earth."

"The outdated technology in that villa doesn't match your status!"

"And these robots can also clean up any pesky ants, so you and madam can have a great time."

Seeing Skynet say this with the utmost seriousness, Zane's mouth twitched slightly.

If he remembered correctly, even a regular table in that villa had nearly made the tech-savvy Iron Man gape.

And Skynet, could your flattery be any more obvious?

Even as the Mechanical Emperor feared across the galaxy, your emotional intelligence hasn't improved at all. Your flattery is still so awkward.

Zane's countless thoughts condensed into one sentence:

"Whatever makes you happy!"

Thinking of Tony Stark, all the things he had done on Earth flooded back into Zane's mind.

Unconsciously, a mischievous smile appeared on Zane's lips.

He really wanted to see the expressions on Tony and the others' faces when they found out he was back.

Would they be surprised, fearful, or nostalgic?

It would surely be interesting. Zane was already looking forward to it!

By now, Captain America should be awake too. The timing was perfect…

After everyone was ready, Zane channeled a massive amount of space gemstone energy into his skill [Flash].

In the next moment, a large space portal appeared before Zane.

Once the portal stabilized, Bastis leaped onto Zane's shoulder, and Little Groot claimed the other shoulder.

Then, Zane took Lorna's hand, and they exchanged a smile before stepping through the portal together.

The magnetic robots followed closely behind them in neat formation.

In the blink of an eye, after the spatial shift, Zane and his companions were back in the villa on Earth.

Seeing the villa unchanged from five years ago, Zane's face lit up with a warm smile.

"Welcome back, Mr. Zane, Miss Lorna!" The villa's AI butler, 'Polaris,' detected their presence and greeted them as usual.

The magnetic robots brought by Skynet quickly installed various advanced technologies in the villa without altering its layout, replacing the 'old' tech in no time. It was estimated that the upgrades would be completed in under three hours.

After the updates, the villa would be so resilient that even a military bombardment with missiles for an entire lifetime wouldn't leave a scratch.

Looking at the tidy villa and spotless floors, Zane's smile broadened.

Of course, this cleanliness wasn't due to Polaris.

Five years ago, before leaving Earth, Zane had asked his assistant, Anna, if she wanted to join him.

After considering it for a night, Anna declined. Zane still vividly remembered her words:

"Boss, I'm different from you. I'm just an ordinary person."

"My dreams are simple: a stable job, finding a man who loves me, and maybe getting a silly dog."

"I've never planned to leave Earth. I was born here, I grew up here, and I will die here."

"This planet may be flawed, but it is my ultimate home."

Seeing her resolve, Zane didn't insist.

Before leaving, Zane tasked Anna with managing the villa.

He arranged for Skynet's base, left on Earth to gather information, to pay her monthly.

He also instructed Constantine, his demigod who chose to stay on Earth, to look after Anna.

Judging by the villa's condition, it was clear that Anna hadn't slacked off all these years.

She was still the same girl he had met by chance in the elevator.

But by now, she should be around 30 years old. She wasn't that young girl anymore—time waits for no one.

Zane didn't plan to grant Anna immortality, not because he was stingy.

Giving immortality to an ordinary person like Anna would only cost a few hundred resurrection uses. Even if his ability to grant immortality were exposed, his current power left him unafraid of anyone.

Despite her occasional silliness and single-mindedness, Anna had a steadfast worldview.

She knew what she wanted more clearly than anyone else. Living a peaceful and fulfilling life was her greatest joy.

To her, immortality was unnecessary.

Understanding her character well, Zane never brought up immortality in front of her.

Although he had long considered her family.

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