Ethan did not know the actual combat strength and efficiency of the U.S. military in reality. In his previous life, he had just been an ordinary person, so it was impossible for him to know these details.

But in this world, the U.S. military's combat capability and execution power were extremely formidable.

If the Transformers were not invading in organized units, but only appeared sporadically, they would not even be enough for these soldiers to treat as a serious challenge.

At the same time, the Department of Defense was highly efficient, without endless political wrangling. They had already recognized the massive threat posed by the Decepticons and were determined to eliminate it at all costs. Moreover, the Decepticons had already launched several attacks on the U.S. military, so it was time for them to retaliate.

Megatron was an excellent bait. They had even formulated a detailed plan on how to "accidentally" leak information about him, luring the Decepticons into an ideal ambush zone for annihilation. They had determined exactly what level of military force to mobilize and what weapons and equipment to use.

In just half a night, the operational plan had taken initial shape. The President also instructed the Secretary of Defense to properly entertain the Autobots, Ethan, and the other "interstellar friends," even though that was not strictly John Keller's responsibility.

Whether or not Ethan and the others truly came with friendly intentions, now that the decision had been made to go to war with the Decepticons, it was basic common sense not to add more enemies.

Moreover, Ethan's abilities could easily cause much greater trouble. If not handled carefully, and this "deity" decided to stir up the general public, the consequences would be disastrous.

According to the Secretary of Defense and countless soldiers present, Ethan's appearance and the abilities he displayed had caused a far greater sensation across the world than the sudden appearance of a few aliens.

No one who could become president was a fool. He had already gathered his staff overnight to thoroughly discuss how to negotiate with this extraterrestrial lifeform, suspected to be a deity. Capturing or killing him was, of course, among the options considered. If they believed Ethan's combat strength was not as formidable as it appeared, then even at some cost, they would opt to hunt him down.

Ethan could easily guess what they were thinking. He had anticipated this the moment he declared himself a deity.

Since he dared to do it, he naturally was not worried about such threats, because he had enough strength to back himself up. If they really wanted to play hardball, he knew who would end up unlucky, and it would not be him.

Of course, if it could be avoided, starting a war was not ideal. Ethan wanted to develop the Transformers world into a logistical base, not unleash a few spells and turn it into ruins.

To prevent these people from getting hot-headed and doing something rash, Ethan asked Simmons for details about the U.S. military's operational plan against the Decepticons.

"I don't know the overly detailed contents, and even if I did, I couldn't tell you."

"Actually, we just want to offer some help."

If possible, Ethan wanted to turn the Decepticon ambush into a demonstration of his own strength. As long as his display was overwhelming enough, even if the President was crazy enough to act against him, others would try to stop it.

It did not matter if Simmons was unwilling to share. Ethan could wait until he met the Secretary of Defense the next day and offer help as an "interstellar friend." Besides, with Optimus Prime involved, this battle was part of Cybertron's internal conflict, and they could not avoid becoming involved.

With the general direction for the next steps set, everyone, including Optimus Prime, could relax and get some rest.

"Speaking of rest, do you beings need to rest?"

"Although we can operate or fight continuously for long periods, we still require proper rest."

Tony was still studying the unique traits of the Transformers, while Sam and Mikaela, who should have gone to rest, could not sleep at all.

What had happened today was too exciting for any normal person to fall asleep quickly.

Besides, Sam and Mikaela were still teenagers, with boundless energy. Missing a night's sleep hardly mattered.

After spending more time together, Sam also realized that Ethan was as easy to get along with as Optimus Prime. His naturally talkative nature could no longer be restrained, and he began asking one question after another, giving both Ethan and Tony a headache.

"Are you really a god?"

"If you find it hard to accept, you can think of me as a higher-level lifeform than humans on Earth."

"Higher level? What's the difference?"

"Taller and stronger."

Mikaela, who was nearby, could not help laughing at Ethan's answer. It was easy to take it as a jab at Sam's thin build.

"Don't overthink it. The evolutionary trend for lifeforms is overall optimization: taller, stronger, more handsome, and longer-lived."

Realizing Ethan was not mocking him, Sam's awkward expression returned to normal, though now he was curious about another point. "Longer-lived? How long?"

Everyone present, including the Autobots, was curious about this. Simmons held his breath, afraid of missing a single word.

"I'm not quite sure how long I can live right now. Based on my current condition, I can conservatively estimate between five thousand and ten thousand years."

He had once estimated that his lifespan could exceed a thousand years. Later, with his growing strength and references like Thor and Diana, he realized his earlier estimate was far too conservative.

With his current power, even if he never improved again, living past five thousand years would not be difficult.

"How much?"

The number Ethan gave startled Sam. Mikaela stared blankly at him, her lips slightly parted.

Simmons, so intent on eavesdropping, lost his balance. Hearing that number, he got excited and fell to the floor.

Tony, who had been talking with Ratchet, had already stopped speaking before Sam even asked the question. He sat quietly, enjoying the scene. When everyone reacted to Ethan's words, he chuckled.

He just loved seeing clueless people get shocked.

Especially now that he had been enhanced himself. His own lifespan had already surpassed human limits, and with his growing magic power, his life level was approaching that of a demigod.

Tony could not yet live as long as Ethan or Thor, but even without further improvement, he could live for several centuries.

From that perspective, it was hard not to feel a sense of superiority. And Tony had no shortage of that already.

"Ten thousand years?"

Sam wiped at an imaginary bead of sweat. Now he truly understood what "higher-level lifeform" meant.

Being told someone was taller, stronger, and more handsome was not that intuitive. After all, plenty of ordinary humans fit that description, and he did not consider them a higher species.

But lifespan was different.

In this developed era, where human lifespans had increased significantly, the average still had not broken one hundred years, and only a small fraction ever reached that mark.

For these beings, one hundred years was not even a fraction of their lives. That thought was unsettling.

"So, you're already… a few hundred? Or a few thousand years old?"

Ethan shook his head. Counting all the time he had spent traveling between worlds, he was at most in his thirties, but he did not want to reveal that here.

"I'm still very young."

He was indeed young, but what that meant was for them to guess.

Simmons had gotten up again, now with even more to report: an immortal being with miraculous powers who could live thousands of years. Though he was reluctant to admit it, he suddenly felt Ethan truly had the qualifications to be called a deity.

At this point, Mikaela looked toward the Autobots. After hearing Ethan's lifespan, she was curious how long these aliens could live.

"Depending on the Transformer, lifespans vary. Some powerful Transformers are almost eternal."

Powerful Transformers rarely die of natural causes. Even ordinary ones live for centuries without issue.

The conversation ended there. Simmons stayed quiet, while Sam was left feeling the gap between himself and these beings. His entire life might be a mere moment to them, and it was not a pleasant feeling.

Mikaela, who had been full of questions for Ethan, now held back. The atmosphere felt wrong, so she swallowed most of them.

The warehouse grew quiet. The Autobots transformed into their vehicle forms to rest. Tony sat in Ratchet's driver's seat, continuing his technical discussions with the "expert" of the group.

Ethan did not know what else to do, so he picked a spot and sat, spacing out.

Time passed slowly, and the sky outside began to lighten. As soon as the sun rose, they would head to Hoover Dam.

Simmons had said earlier that Secretary of Defense John Keller would meet them there directly, rather than coming to the base.

When it was time to leave, Ethan chose Ironhide's vehicle form and got in. Mikaela, unexpectedly, also climbed into the same vehicle.

(To be continued.)

***

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