Although Izayoi had previously claimed that the Holy Cross Group's power alone couldn't accomplish much, that wasn't entirely true.
While the Holy Cross Group's strength was indeed insufficient to destroy all the bases, it wasn't difficult if they requested assistance from friendly organizations.
As it happened, thanks to the Church, the Holy Cross Group had good relations with various national organizations.
And a scandal like human experimentation was one thing while it remained hidden, but once exposed, no one would dare to cover it up.
Thus, under Canary's arrangements, over a hundred laboratories were swiftly destroyed, and all the victims were rescued.
"So, does this mean we've successfully passed this trial?"
The next morning, in a conference room at the Holy Cross Group headquarters, Izayoi posed the question after finishing his arrangements.
By now, under Kudou Asuka's command, nearly all the Bulls of Heaven had been dispersed. Only a single specimen was left for Saigou Homura to study, and it also served as a subordinate under Asuka's command.
The organization and experimental bases that created the Bulls of Heaven had also been completely wiped out.
While they hadn't directly threatened the supreme authorities themselves, they had effectively cut off the "whimsical daughter of the God-King" storyline.
With this, the Bull of Heaven itself would no longer pose a world-ending threat and could no longer endanger the fate of humanity.
Furthermore, considering the increase in the intensity of Asuka's Venerable Light after she obtained her Divinity, other divine beasts of the same level and type as the Bull of Heaven would also be completely neutralized.
No matter what kind of immortality they possessed or how much destruction they could cause, as long as they couldn't escape the control of her Venerable Light, they would only end up as Kudou Asuka's captives.
It was under these circumstances that Izayoi asked his question.
Clearly, he felt that the matter had come to a close.
But someone else didn't think so.
"Of course not."
Saigou Homura silently shook his head.
"Setting aside the issue of resettling the victims of the human experiments, even if our group can provide them with a stable environment and arrange for their future, all we've done is deal with a single, minor whim of those in power."
"The fundamental problem hasn't been solved. What if those in power have another whim? Given their methods, and the potential profits involving the Third Stellar Particle, I don't believe they'll stop just because of this one lesson."
"Even without the Bull of Heaven, with the greed of the supreme authorities, they'll inevitably create other hells, like a Divine Punishment Boar or something!"
Evidently, the scene at the base had left a deep impression on him.
That was why he didn't agree with declaring victory now, as the root cause had yet to be addressed.
Seeing his still-heavy expression and his unconsciously agitated tone, Izayoi couldn't help but walk around behind him and place a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.
"Relax, Homura," he said soothingly. "I know your concerns, but you should also know that with the Young Lady here, similar disasters won't be a problem."
Unless there was a technological breakthrough more than ten times greater, however many similar creations they produced, Asuka would be able to control them all.
"That's right!"
Kudou Asuka nodded in agreement, her eyes blazing with anger.
Although she hadn't witnessed the hellscape firsthand, the subsequent reports had shown her its cruelty and horror.
For someone as kind and righteous as her, it was an unimaginable scene.
"As long as I'm here, I will never allow them to create the same hell again!"
The girl's declaration was firm and powerful.
Her words were as potent as her current abilities; she truly could prevent similar humanitarian disasters.
"I know, and I believe in the Young Lady's strength."
Hearing Kudou Asuka's guarantee, Saigou Homura's expression softened slightly, but he remained deeply melancholic.
"I just don't trust the integrity of those supreme authorities. They aren't the type to back down from danger. With their greed and foolishness, they'd even sell the rope to hang themselves… Their greed is far stronger than their fear!"
Clearly, he now held an extreme distrust for the so-called supreme authorities.
Even with Asuka's guarantee, he felt they would find more secretive and malicious ways to satisfy their greed.
"But that would be a different kind of trial."
Izayoi agreed with Saigou Homura but cut in to steer the conversation back on track.
"Right now, we're discussing the Bull of Heaven trial. In other words, from the adults' perspective, did we succeed… Black Rabbit, you can finally give us the answer now, right?"
The authorities were a concern, but the adults' assignment was more important.
Hearing this, everyone in the room, except for Saigou Homura who was still lost in his own thoughts, turned to look at the bunny-eared girl on the other side.
"Yes!"
Little Black Rabbit nodded excitedly.
"According to Lord Su Mo, you've all passed this time and successfully defeated the enemy! And according to Lady Canary, you've barely passed the trial."
Hearing this, Kudou Asuka was immediately dissatisfied.
"There were almost no mass casualties, and we resolved this former Final Trial of Humanity in a single day. A victory like that only counts as 'barely passing'? Isn't Lady Canary being too strict?!"
Kudou Ayato also nodded slightly.
She had also expected praise and encouragement. To think that even after achieving so much, it was still just a "barely."
Weren't the standards a bit too harsh?
Seeing the dissatisfied expressions on the Problem Children's faces, Little Black Rabbit quickly added, "Lady Canary is very satisfied with the Problem Children's… ahem, I mean, the Savior candidates' teamwork. She thinks it's excellent that you didn't fall into infighting at a critical moment. However, she is not satisfied with your individual performances, believing that you didn't fully utilize your potential."
"In Lady Canary's words: If a mere Final Trial of Humanity that was solved in ancient times required all of you to work together to defeat, what would you do against a stronger enemy? Wouldn't you be helpless?"
This soul-searching question plunged the room into silence.
It was true. At the beginning, they were all ambitious, each thinking they could resolve the disaster on their own.
But a single Bull of Heaven had pushed them into a corner, forcing Izayoi to abandon a frontal assault and the Kudou Sisters to decide a winner between them just to handle the disaster before them.
If they encountered a more difficult trial, how could they possibly do better?
Huh… wait a minute!
"A stronger enemy?"
"Black Rabbit, don't tell me there are even stronger monsters coming?"
The Bull of Heaven was troublesome enough. Its hydro-immortality was still difficult to deal with, requiring a special device for Kudou Asuka to personally tame it.
And in Canary's eyes, such a troublesome opponent was merely "just this"?
"Well…"
Little Black Rabbit gave a dry laugh, her gaze shifting to the side.
"Looks like there really is."
Kudou Asuka placed a hand on her forehead, all too familiar with Little Black Rabbit's expressions.
This rabbit couldn't lie; her thoughts were written all over her face.
"Disasters following one after another is the way of the world."
Izayoi also sighed, then fixed his gaze on Little Black Rabbit.
"So, when is the next trial coming? Don't tell me they won't give us any time to rest and clean up?"
"Umm~ How should I put this…"
Little Black Rabbit played dumb, tilting her head up as if counting the tiles on the ceiling.
"Really no time to rest and clean up? Three days, two days… Surely we have at least one day?!" Izayoi was stunned.
This was too cruel. Were they being used like serfs?
Even more shocking was Little Black Rabbit's reaction. She brought her index fingers together in front of her chest and remained silent.
"Not even one day? No way!"
Kudou Asuka was about to lose it.
"Black Rabbit, don't tell me a monster stronger than the Bull of Heaven has already appeared?"
Faced with Kudou Asuka's interrogation, Little Black Rabbit stuck out her tongue, trying to be cute using a trick Lamia had taught her.
"Ehehe!"
"What's 'ehehe' supposed to mean?!"
This time, even the usually quiet Kasukabe Yō couldn't help but retort.
"Don't tell me it really has appeared!"
Even Saigou Homura was pulled from his thoughts, turning to look over at Little Black Rabbit's reaction.
Just then, an emergency communication alert sounded, and everyone present received an urgent message.
Saigou Homura opened the email on his computer and projected it onto the screen in the center of the conference room. Everyone saw the contents of the urgent dispatch.
"Test Subject Rampage?"
Seeing the first line, no one thought much of it.
Human experimentation was incredibly dangerous. Even if it wasn't their intention, many mutated individuals were created, so a rampage wasn't surprising.
The previous experimental bases would have likely chosen to destroy such special individuals and study their corpses, but the Holy Cross Group would naturally not do so.
If they encountered a difficult test subject, the Savior candidates would have to be deployed to subdue it.
If it was just a test subject on a rampage, even one with a high danger level, no one would think much of it. They would just send someone to take care of it.
The main issue was the next sentence.
"Vatican City has sunk into the earth, and the island of Sardinia has completely submerged. Suspected to be the work of an escaped test subject?"
Everyone couldn't help but look at each other in stunned silence.
The destruction of the Vatican wasn't a huge deal; the city-state was smaller than most cities. But the sinking of Sardinia was no small matter.
To accomplish something like that, one would need power at the five-digit level, at least.
What kind of test subject was this monstrous?