Chapter 59: Chapter 59: A Bet You Cannot Lose 

Barricade and Blackout (still clutching a trembling Scorponok) huddled in the corner of the massive cavern, shivering like terrified puppies. Nearby, Frenzy was literally falling apart; his metallic body was trembling so violently that screws and bolts were shaking loose and scattering across the concrete floor. 

Meanwhile, in the center of the subterranean chamber where Megatron had once been frozen, a literal swarm of pitch-black Shadow Ninjas had pinned the colossal Devastator to the ground. The massive combiner robot was completely immobilized. Dozens of five-meter-tall Troll Ninjas were currently working together, enthusiastically attempting to violently dismantle Devastator into spare parts. 

And the source of all this absolute, primal terror... was the human standing casually on the platform. 

"Do you submit, or not?!" 

Luke roared, pulling his fist back. He instantly channeled 3,200 Energy Points directly into his knuckles and delivered a devastating, earth-shattering uppercut directly to Megatron's face. 

CLANG! 

The sheer kinetic force violently launched the Decepticon leader across the cavern, sending him crashing heavily onto a raised platform. 

Megatron currently looked incredibly pathetic. His heavily armored chassis was brutally dented and scorched, and highly pressurized energon oil leaked steadily from dozens of deep gashes across his body. Even one of his terrifying red optics had been completely shattered by Luke's previous punches. 

"Who... who do you think I am... insect?!" Megatron snarled, struggling desperately to stand up. He spat out several broken gear teeth and a crumpled intake valve. 

"Why are you so damn stubborn?" Luke sighed in exasperation. He pulled the glowing, metallic cube of the AllSpark from his inventory. 

A pulse of brilliant blue energy shot from the AllSpark, violently arcing across Megatron's broken body. In seconds, the terrifying Decepticon leader was perfectly repaired, his shattered optic reforming and glowing a furious red once more. 

(Author's Note: In the first movie, the AllSpark instantly repaired a severed Frenzy head and built him a new body. Healing Megatron is entirely within its capabilities.) 

"Come on, man. We've wasted way too much time on this already," Luke complained, casually tossing the AllSpark to a nearby Shadow Ninja. He cracked his knuckles and began walking menacingly back toward the fully repaired Megatron. 

Bumblebee, having had his vocal processor fully repaired by Ratchet, crouched down next to Sam and Mikaela, who were quietly whispering to each other. 

"I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Megatron," Bumblebee commented, his newly restored voice sounding surprisingly young and energetic compared to the older Autobots. 

Ironhide leaned against the cavern wall, crossing his massive arms in confusion. "If Megatron refuses to surrender, why doesn't he just kill him and be done with it?" 

Jazz sat casually on a destroyed concrete barricade, swinging his metallic legs. "He mumbled something about... 'If Blackout and Barricade are SR-tier drops, then Megatron is a guaranteed SSR-tier. You absolutely cannot dismantle an SSR-tier drop.' Whatever that means." 

"Yeah, I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about," Ratchet sighed, shaking his head. 

"Regardless, it appears we will be staying here for a while," Optimus Prime noted, scanning the massive, subterranean Sector 7 facility. 

After Luke had completely dismantled the Decepticon invasion force outside, Agent Simmons and the Secretary of Defense had hurriedly ushered the Autobots down into the dam, claiming it was for "their own protection and concealment." 

But Optimus wasn't an idiot. He knew a prison when he saw one. 

During the brief skirmish topside, Optimus hadn't witnessed the full destructive capability of Earth's heavy military ordnance. However, based on his extensive data-mining of the human internet, he knew that concentrated missile strikes and bunker-buster bombs posed a lethal threat to Cybertronians. 

They were currently resting comfortably underground, but Optimus was acutely aware that the moment they stepped outside, they could easily be targeted by human military satellites and locked onto by countless weapon systems. 

The political situation on Earth was incredibly volatile. Glancing at the terrifying human casually playing an endless game of 'beat up and heal' with Megatron, Optimus realized that their best chance of safely escaping this human fortress lay entirely with Luke. 

Making his decision, Optimus stepped forward. 

"Luke." 

Luke stopped mid-punch, turning back to Optimus. He casually kicked Megatron back to the ground. With a thought, he summoned a massive, incredibly dense cage constructed of pure dark energy, securely locking the thrashing Decepticon leader inside. 

"What's up?" Luke asked. 

Optimus carefully stepped over several small, scurrying Shadow Ninjas and knelt down to look Luke in the eye. 

"The American government has effectively imprisoned us within this facility. Do you possess a method to bypass their security and help us escape?" 

Luke smiled confidently. "Don't worry about them. I was just using this secluded bunker to see if I could beat Megatron into submission. Seeing as he's incredibly stubborn, it's going to take a lot longer than I thought. So, yeah, we can leave now." 

Luke dragged the dark energy cage closer to himself and ordered his newly acquired Decepticon lackeys (Starscream's replacements) to follow closely. 

He pulled out his Sling Ring—which he hadn't used in three days—slipped it onto his fingers, and began tracing circles in the air. Sparks of golden magical energy flared to life, rapidly expanding until a massive, ten-meter-wide portal stabilized in the center of the room. 

"You guys might need to duck your heads slightly, but it should be fine," Luke said, gesturing to the portal. 

Luke stepped through first, casually dragging the glowing cage containing Megatron behind him like a disobedient dog on a leash. 

One by one, the massive Autobots squeezed through the portal, emerging into the cool night air outside Sam's house. 

"Alright, Sam, Mikaela. I guess this is where we part ways. We have some other business to attend to," Luke said, clapping Sam on the shoulder. 

Luke rubbed his chin, contemplating what to do with Optimus and the surviving Autobots. As the last remnants of Cybertron's heroic faction, he definitely couldn't drag them back to the Marvel Universe with him. The MCU was way too chaotic; they'd eventually get wiped out by some cosmic threat. 

However, the AllSpark was an incredibly high-tier artifact. Luke made a mental note to permanently record this universe's dimensional coordinates. It would be fun to drop by for a visit occasionally. 

"Where do you intend to go now?" Luke asked, turning back to Optimus. Surely the Autobot leader had a long-term plan, right? 

Optimus paused, processing the tactical situation. "Megatron has been captured. Without their leader, the Decepticon faction will inevitably fracture into chaotic infighting. This is a critical opportunity. I intend to broadcast a secure signal into deep space, calling all surviving Autobots across the cosmos to assemble here. We will launch a unified counter-offensive and finish the war." 

"So, you plan to establish a permanent resistance outpost here on Earth?" 

Optimus hesitated, then slowly, regretfully shook his head. 

"Earth is a beautiful world. However... the humans of this planet, specifically their military and governments, clearly do not welcome our presence." 

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't generalize the entire planet based on one country! It's just the United States that constantly wants to blow everything up, dissect aliens, and police the world. There are plenty of peace-loving, pragmatic nations out there. Actually, I can highly recommend a specific country for you guys to set up shop." 1

Optimus immediately deduced his meaning. "Are you referring to the nation situated across the Pacific Ocean?" 

Luke nodded, completely unabashed. He had absolutely zero intention of hiding his bias. 

"That country has an incredibly strong cultural tolerance for foreign concepts and consistently advocates for peaceful, mutually beneficial cooperation among civilizations. You should quickly scan their political history and cultural philosophies on the internet." 6

Optimus's processors worked at lightning speed, downloading and analyzing decades of the nation's political doctrine, international policies, and historical development. 

After a few moments of silent analysis, Optimus spoke. "Their core philosophies... are surprisingly appealing. However, their technological infrastructure and current economic capabilities appear to be significantly lagging behind the nation we are currently in." 

Luke chuckled softly, before turning entirely serious. 

"Don't let the surface fool you. That country is currently entering an unprecedented, explosive period of high-speed development. I am willing to make a wager with you, Optimus: Within the next two decades, that nation will rise to become the absolute strongest developing country on Earth." 1

Luke's voice was filled with absolute conviction. "Their economy will stabilize at global number two. They will become the world's absolute largest industrial and manufacturing powerhouse, and simultaneously the largest agricultural producer. They will achieve miraculous, impossible technological leaps, completely overtaking the United States in countless high-tech sectors. Countless opportunities will emerge there." 

Luke offered a wicked, calculating smirk. "Furthermore, you can allow their scientists to study your technology. And no, I don't mean tearing you apart like Sector 7 planned to." 

Optimus looked deeply confused. 

Luke held up the glowing AllSpark. "Didn't you hear Simmons? Sector 7 spent seventy years reverse-engineering Megatron's violent technology to fuel America's technological boom. But because it was based on Megatron, anything the AllSpark touched instantly turned into a hostile Decepticon." 

"But think about it: What if the world's second-largest industrial powerhouse partnered with you? If they utilize Autobot technology and Cybertronian philosophies to develop their infrastructure, then when you eventually use the AllSpark to animate those machines... won't you be instantly generating a massive, fresh army of loyal Autobot recruits?" 

Optimus's optics widened significantly, glowing brighter as the absolute brilliance of the strategic proposal computed in his processors. 

Luke smiled warmly. "To use a phrase from that specific country: This is called a 'Win-Win Cooperation.' They gain centuries of technological advancement to fuel their rise, and you gain a safe haven, vast resources, and the means to rebuild your shattered civilization with new allies." 

Jazz, having also processed the data, chimed in enthusiastically. "I honestly really like the sound of this. That country constantly proposes international initiatives focused on a 'Shared Future for Mankind.' Scrap, that's a brilliant philosophy! If Cybertron had adopted that mindset during our Golden Age, we might never have fallen into a civil war! And honestly, the aggressive, arrogant behavior of the country we're currently standing in reminds me way too much of the Decepticons." 1

Hearing his trusted lieutenant's endorsement, Optimus carefully weighed the decision. Finally, he nodded firmly. 

"Very well. We will seek asylum and alliance with this nation! Shall we use your portal to travel there immediately?" 

Luke shook his head. While he frequently used Kamar-Taj's Sling Rings back in the MCU to casually pop over to Hong Kong for authentic dim sum breakfasts, the geographical and spatial layouts of different universes varied slightly. He couldn't safely blindly open a portal halfway across the globe in an unfamiliar universe. 

"Here is the plan. First, I'll teleport you guys to a completely secure, hidden location. Then, I'll fly over to China personally to negotiate the terms of your arrival with their leadership. But as a final insurance policy, I need you guys to do something before you go into hiding." 1

Luke instructed Optimus and the Autobots to aggressively hack into every major global television network and radio frequency. He told them to broadcast the footage of the Autobots actively fighting the Decepticons alongside the human soldiers at the dam, clearly establishing themselves as Earth's heroic defenders. 

He also specifically ordered them to highlight Sam and Mikaela's crucial involvement in the broadcast. By making the teenagers highly visible public heroes, the US government wouldn't dare quietly 'disappear' them into a black site. 

Broadcasting their existence globally would rapidly accelerate human acceptance of the Transformers, ensuring that if future battles occurred, the human military wouldn't just blindly fire on the Autobots out of ignorance. 

After saying goodbye to Sam and Mikaela, Bumblebee initially stubbornly insisted on staying behind to protect Sam. Luke completely understood the sentiment, but he managed to persuade the yellow scout to leave. After all, once China rose to superpower status, who would dare threaten Sam? If Sam wanted to see Bumblebee, he could just buy a plane ticket and visit! 

Once the farewells were finished, Luke drew a portal, sending Optimus and the remaining Autobots directly into the ancient Egyptian pyramid where the Star Harvester was hidden. 

Out of the entire planet, this ancient, heavily shielded tomb was arguably the only place the paranoid surveillance networks of the United States couldn't reach. 

"You guys just lay low in here for a bit," Luke said as they stepped into the cavernous pyramid. "Oh, by the way, this massive machine was built by your ancient ancestors. It was designed to harvest energy from the sun. However, I permanently disabled the power source, so the machine is completely useless now. Feel free to study the scrap metal. Also, if I remember correctly, there is an ancient temple somewhere in this desert that contains a legendary artifact left behind by your ancestors, specifically meant for you, Optimus. The Matrix of Leadership, I think?" 

Having dropped several massive plot spoilers, Luke completely ignored the utterly bewildered stares of Optimus and the Autobots. He casually strolled out of the pyramid, ignited his flight boots, and shot straight up into the sky. 

He didn't bother using stealth. He flew directly across the globe, entering Chinese airspace and stopping exactly at the border checkpoint. 

Hovering in mid-air, a Chinese border patrol helicopter quickly approached him. 

"Over here! Hi!" Luke waved enthusiastically with both hands, grinning like a 247-month-old child who just got a massive new toy. 

'Come on, getting to personally assist in the accelerated, unstoppable rise of my homeland? That is incredibly cool!' 

Luke obediently followed the helicopter down and explained his purpose to the border commander. Since the Autobots' global broadcast had just hit the internet and television networks an hour ago, the entire world was currently in absolute, chaotic uproar. The commander immediately reported Luke's arrival up the chain of command. 

The central government took the matter incredibly seriously. While China had already firmly established itself on the high-speed track of economic development, absolutely no nation would ever refuse a massive, highly advanced alien technological upgrade. 

Seven hours later, Luke was sitting in a highly secure, private conference room in Beijing. Sitting across from him were several of the nation's top leaders. 

"Apologies for making you wait," Luke said, feeling a sudden, overwhelming wave of emotion. In his original universe, a few of the brilliant, dedicated leaders sitting in this room had tragically passed away due to age and illness before seeing the true peak of the nation's rise. 

Seeing that they were currently healthy, energetic, and sharp, Luke breathed a deep sigh of relief. 

Suddenly, remembering how the Ancient One utilized dark energy to drastically extend her lifespan, Luke realized he could offer far more than just alien robots. 

He could secretly secure the health and longevity of these crucial pillars of the nation! But he needed to return to Kamar-Taj first to properly learn the delicate, life-extending applications of dark energy from the Sorcerer Supreme. 1

The leaders were incredibly warm and welcoming. They spoke with Luke at length about his experiences. When the topic finally shifted to the Autobots seeking asylum and alliance, the leaders nodded firmly. 

"We are deeply honored that, at this crucial juncture in history, you have chosen to bring friends to aid in the development of our motherland," one of the leaders said warmly. "As the old song goes: 'When friends visit, we greet them with fine wine; when enemies invade, we greet them with hunting rifles!' We will undoubtedly prepare the finest 'wine'—or rather, the highest-grade premium gasoline—to properly welcome our new friends! And we firmly believe that, with their partnership, we will successfully achieve our great national rejuvenation!" 

Another leader chuckled good-naturedly. "Rest assured, young man. Even if they only consume gasoline, I guarantee our master chefs will find a way to refine it into eight distinct, delicious regional flavors for them!" 

The room filled with warm laughter. 

Luke rubbed the back of his neck, genuinely feeling like a proud, excited child standing before his elders. 

Slowly, respectfully, Luke stood up from his chair. 

"I will always remember: Stay true to our original aspiration, and keep our mission firmly in mind." 

"In twenty years, you will undoubtedly look upon a completely transformed, glorious motherland!" 

The meeting concluded on a highly optimistic, joyful note. The group moved to a massive, highly secure underground military plaza. Luke drew a portal, and Optimus Prime, along with the heavily armed Autobots, stepped through into Beijing. 

Looking down at the relatively small, aging human leaders standing before him, Optimus Prime suddenly felt the ancient Matrix of Leadership within his chest burning with an intense, radiant heat. 

In Optimus's advanced optical sensors, these small humans seemed to grow into towering giants. He saw them leading over a billion people, chanting a unified, harmonious slogan, forcefully pulling a massive, unstoppable battleship forward into a bright, new era. 1

"You were entirely correct. This nation is destined for greatness," Optimus said softly to Luke, feeling the Matrix pulse with absolute approval. 

"I don't make empty promises," Luke smiled, his eyes shining with absolute confidence. "We are destined to soar!" 

Finally, Luke stepped to the side, pulled out his camera, and grinned. 

"Alright, everyone gather around! We need to take a group photo! This is officially the first diplomatic summit between Human Leadership and the Autobot Commander!" 

'Screw Megatron. That idiot doesn't even have a Matrix of Leadership.' 

Seeing the leaders and the towering Autobots nod in agreement, Luke carefully adjusted the camera settings. Standing alongside the official state photographers, Luke snapped the photograph that would officially mark the beginning of an entirely new, glorious era for the world.