Chapter 16: Defeating the Strongest on the Planet, She Insists on Breeding a Stronger One with Me!
Her eyelashes fluttered, and the mysterious person at the bottom of the pit slowly opened her eyes.
Just having awakened, her gaze was still thick with confusion, her pupils unfocused as she looked up at the sky; she was completely dazed, evidently not yet having fully recovered from her unconsciousness.
Not until a few seconds later, when the dull pain from her face and body arrived and the images of the previous intense fight flooded her mind like a tide, did she jolt, her gaze instantly clearing.
She braced herself against the pit wall to sit up, and upon looking up, she met two gazes looking down from the edge of the pit.
Her gaze lingered only briefly when it swept past Allen, then locked firmly onto Marcus. Her eyes, which had been wary just a moment ago, suddenly lit up, like a lost young beast that had finally found its pack.
Without giving the two of them any time to react, she pushed off the gravel at the bottom of the pit with her feet, vaulted up, and lunged straight toward Marcus.
Allen instinctively crossed his arms to block, but was stunned to discover that this figure had no aggressive stance—she crashed straight into Marcus's arms, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her legs hooked around his waist and abdomen, hanging steadily onto him like a clingy koala.
The black and white long tail behind her whipped back and forth rapidly, the fur even creating a faint rustling sound, and she kept shouting in standard Interstellar Common, her voice crisp and chirpy: "Boss! Boss!"
Marcus's originally tense body stiffened slightly, and his hand, raised in mid-air to block, froze. He could clearly feel that there was not a shred of killing intent from the other person; on the contrary, there was an undisguised sense of closeness. When her tail brushed against the back of his hand, the soft fur made his skin itch slightly.
Allen, standing to the side, watched in stunned silence, scratching the back of his head with an incredulous expression: "Wait, what is this situation? You were fighting tooth and nail just a moment ago, how did she wake up and immediately acknowledge you as the boss?"
Marcus also furrowed his brows slightly, his voice dropping a few degrees: "Get down, I am not your boss."
Not only did she not let go, she hugged him even tighter, rubbed her head gently against his shoulder, and her black and white tail whipped behind her with a whooshing sound. Her tone was chirpy and determined: "According to our tribe's tradition, since you defeated me, you are my boss! From now on, I will follow you!"
Allen, watching from the side, was highly amused, crossing his arms and laughing heartily: "Not bad, Marcus, you picked up a loyal follower just by having a fight. Where else can you find such a good deal? You should just agree to it!"
Marcus turned his head and rolled his eyes at Allen, his eyes filled with a touch of helplessness. He looked down at the mysterious person hanging on him, his tone softening slightly: "Get down first and tell me your name; we can talk about other things later."
Only then did the mysterious person reluctantly loosen her arms and slide down his body to the ground.
She stood straight, her tail still swaying gently behind her, and spoke crisply: "My name is Delta, I'm the fourth in my family, and I'm currently the strongest person on this planet. My mother is named Delia, she's a Planet Maoennative, and my father is named Takul, he's a Celestial Wolf. I also have three older brothers and one younger sister, my sister she—"
"Enough." Marcus spoke up to interrupt her, his brows knitting even tighter, "I only asked for your name; there's no need to say so much."
Delta blinked her amber eyes, looking perfectly matter-of-fact, and the tip of her tail gently hooked his hem: "Because you are my boss, and the boss has the right to know everything about me. I want to tell you everything about myself."
Allen, to the side, was shaking with suppressed laughter, winking at Marcus with an expression that clearly said, "See, how loyal she is."
Marcus completely ignored Allen's teasing demeanor and fixed his gaze on the sincere-looking Delta before him, his tone flat but his attitude firm, directly cutting off her hopes.
"I'm only here because I'm following this guy. Once he completes his mission, we will leave here completely. So I don't need a follower, and I won't stay on this planet. You don't need to follow me."
This cold rejection did not dampen Delta's resolve in the slightest.
Her amber eyes remained bright and fiery, her black and white long tail swaying back and forth incessantly, the fluffy tip sweeping across the ground repeatedly, revealing an obstinacy carved into her bones.
As a mixed-blood descendant of a Planet Maoen native and a Celestial Wolf, she had strictly adhered to the ancient rules passed down by both clans for thousands of years since she was a child, never having wavered in the slightest.
She tilted up her delicate face, her gaze earnest, without any shyness or hesitation, and straight-forwardly stated her intentions and the clan's rules: "I don't care! The rule for our mixed Planet Maoen and Celestial Wolf bloodline is just like this: when you meet a strong person who can defeat you and whom you completely acknowledge, you must follow them, unite with the strong person, and breed offspring with even stronger bloodlines!"
"You defeated me with your own hands, you are the most amazing and strongest person I have ever seen in my life, and you look much better than that one-eyed person next to you!"
"So I'm sticking with you, I must have strong children with you!"
The straightforward and explosive words echoed through the forest, instantly making the atmosphere very subtle.
Allen, who was suppressing his laughter while watching the show, saw his smile freeze instantly. He never expected to be dragged out for comparison and to be ruthlessly looked down upon for his appearance.
His face fell instantly, and he instinctively covered his only eye, looking aggrieved and incredibly dejected. He muttered in a low voice, his tone full of refusal to accept it: "What is this... Among our Yunopa people, I am a recognized top-tier handsome guy; her aesthetic is just too poor."
Marcus completely ignored Allen, who was secretly aggrieved and muttering to himself, letting him struggle alone in place with his issues regarding his looks and her aesthetics.
All his attention fell on the unreasonably stubborn Deltabefore him, his brows revealing a touch of helplessness and a headache.
Marcus sighed lightly, looking at the single-minded Deltawho refused to give up, and finally relented, throwing out a condition.
"If your parents agree to let you leave the planet and travel far with us, then I will allow you to follow."
Upon hearing this, Delta's amber eyes instantly burst with dazzling radiance, her black and white long tail wagging frantically in excitement, hitting the ground and kicking up fine dust.
"No problem! My parents are the most reasonable people; as long as it's a strong person I've acknowledged, they will definitely not stop me! I'll take you to find them right now!"
Before Delta finished speaking, she grabbed Marcus's wrist firmly and, without saying anything else, dragged him forward.
Allen, left in the rear, watched the two walk further and further away, and hurriedly shouted: "Wait for me!" He quickly chased after them.
Marcus allowed her to hold his wrist tightly, turned his head to look at the chirpy Delta along the way, and asked: "Why did you attack us just now?"
Delta didn't stop her pace, her black and white long tail swinging lightly behind her, and she explained straightforwardly: "I was originally training in the nearby forest. I saw you two from afar and immediately sensed the powerful aura on you, judging you to be top-tier experts, so I took the initiative to strike and test you."
"The result was the same as I expected: that one-eyed person was able to fight with me for a long time, but your strength, Boss, is far beyond mine; you were able to defeat me easily."
Allen, who had just caught up with the group, happened to hear this, and hearing her still calling him "one-eyed person" every other sentence, he immediately stepped forward and corrected her hurriedly: "I have a name, my name is Allen, stop calling me 'one-eyed person'!"
Delta replied casually: "I know, the one-eyed person who was defeated by me."
Allen felt a breath stuck in his chest, and just as he was about to argue, Delta suddenly raised her hand and pointed forward, directly interrupting him, and said loudly: "We've arrived, the capital of Planet Maoen, Sok City!"
Marcus and Allen looked up in the direction her finger was pointing, and a peculiar city was vividly unfolding in their field of vision.
Primitive dwellings built of rough stone and beast wood were scattered and arranged, and intertwined with them were cold-glowing metal suspension tracks and floating energy towers; the wild, primitive local architecture and various interstellar high-tech facilities merged and coexisted, outlining the unique style that belonged solely to Planet Maoen.
Chapter 17: Meeting the Parents! The Mixed-Blood Girl Insists on Following the Strong!
Stepping into Sok City, a street full of novel sights instantly unfolded before their eyes.
The ground-level roads were divided into three lanes: one side for wooden carriages pulled by native exotic beasts, the other for roaring metal automobiles, and there were even many hybrid creations—sturdy native predators fitted with harnesses, dragging modified motorized bodies, weaving slowly through the traffic.
The space overhead was even busier; streamlined hovercars shuttled back and forth, many local residents skimmed the low altitude on glowing hoverboards, and winged beasts carrying passengers and small single-person aircraft flew crisscross, with all sorts of flying contraptions that left one dazzled.
The pedestrians on both sides of the street were all kinds of beast-kin, mostly people from Planet Maoen and Sky Wolf people, mixed with many other mixed-blood alien races.
Delta was extremely famous in the local area; along the way, people kept stopping to smile and wave at her, calling her "Fourth Miss Delta" one after another, their words filled with awe.
Delta did not tire of it, waving casually to respond to everyone while dragging Marcus by the wrist and walking steadily forward, her black and white long tail swaying lightly from side to side.
The three of them hadn't walked very far along the road when Allen, who had been looking around at the street scene, suddenly turned his head to look at Delta and asked, "Delta, do you know where this planet's Planetary Defense Department is?"
Delta's footsteps faltered, and her hand holding Marcus's wrist tightened slightly. She might have been simple-minded, but she was not slow-witted. She looked at Allenwith her amber eyes and asked in confusion, "Why are you asking that?"
Allen reined in his idle curiosity from the journey, his expression becoming much more serious as he explained earnestly, "I am a Planetary Evaluator for the Coalition of Planets. My job is to inspect various habitable planets, assess their defense systems and combat levels, and identify interstellar security risks. This is a routine official duty arranged by the Alliance."
Upon hearing this, Delta's eyes were filled with surprise; her amber pupils widened slightly as she subconsciously asked, "You're actually a Planetary Evaluator? Then, Boss, are you also an evaluator for the Alliance?"
Marcus shook his head slightly, his tone plain and direct, "I am not. Only he is."
Having received a definitive answer, Delta was completely enlightened and no longer had any doubts. She crisply and neatly reported the specific location of the Planetary Defense Department, even providing the shortest route, clearly and in detail.
Allen noted the route and immediately prepared to set off. Marcus, standing to the side, saw this and said, "I'll go with you."
"No need, no need." Allen waved his hand, his tone relaxed and casual, "It's just routine planetary assessment work; I'm enough on my own. You should just go home with Delta first."
As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't wait for Marcusto speak again, turned around, and walked quickly in the direction of the Defense Department, his figure soon merging into the flow of people in the city.
Delta immediately moved closer to Marcus, gently shaking the hand that was gripping his wrist, her tone carrying a soft, tender urgency, "Boss, just let him go by himself! Let's hurry home to see my parents!"
Having said that, she pulled Marcus tighter and dragged him along the bustling street, walking quickly in the direction of her home.
The two of them wove through the crowded streets, talking and walking, and before long, they stopped in front of an imposing residence.
The courtyard combined the planet's characteristic wood-and-stone structure with exquisite interstellar craftsmanship. The walls were neat, the greenery inside was lush, and it was quiet and grand, standing out significantly in the bustling neighborhood.
The two stepped into the spacious courtyard, and a small, lively figure immediately rushed out from the house. A fluffy, slender tail wagged happily, and with a leap, the figure threw itself into Delta's arms, its childish, soft voice full of joy, "Sister! Sister! Why are you back so early today!"
Delta steadily supported her younger sister with one hand, her eyes gentle, unable to hide the excitement in her heart, and hurriedly shared her adventure of the day, "Roro, let me tell you! Sister met a super powerful person today, the only strong person who could defeat me head-on. I specifically brought him back to let Mom and Dad meet him!"
Upon hearing this, Roro's eyes filled with wonder. She immediately jumped down from Delta's arms obediently, trotted over to Marcus on her short legs, looked up with her childish little face, scrutinized him from head to toe, and asked innocently, "Big Brother, why do you have so little fur?"
The sudden, cute question made Marcus pause for a moment, and then a hint of softness appeared in his eyes. He patiently explained, "I am not from Planet Maoen, and I am not like your clan, so I don't have thick fur."
Roro nodded as if she understood, then looked at Marcuswith a face full of admiration, clenched her small fists, and pleaded earnestly, "Then, Big Brother, since you are even more powerful than my sister, can you teach me how to become stronger? I also want to become super powerful!"
Before Marcus could answer, Delta immediately stepped forward and spoke first, "Don't worry, Roro. In the future, Boss and I will definitely teach you well and make you stronger and stronger!"
As she finished speaking, she immediately turned to look at Marcus beside her, her amber eyes filled with trust and anticipation, and confirmed softly, "Right, Boss?"
Roro immediately mimicked Delta, opening her big, watery eyes, looking up with her little face, and chimed in softly, "Right, Boss!"
The soft and childish voice was exceptionally endearing. Marcus looked at the innocent and cute little girl before him, the hardness in his heart softening slightly, and finally, he nodded slightly, softly accepting this small expectation.
Just then, two figures slowly walked out from the house.
One was a woman covered in snow-white, soft fur, with gentle and dignified features; she was Delta's mother, Delia.
Close beside her followed a man covered in thick, pure black fur, with a tall and burly build, a straight back, and a calm aura; he was Takul from the Sky Wolf tribe, Delta's father.
Delia's gaze fell on Marcus, and she looked at her daughter and asked softly, "Delta, who is this guest?"
Takul followed closely behind, his eyes scrutinizing the strange young man, his tone calm and heavy, "You returned early today and specifically brought back an outsider. Has something happened?"
Delta immediately stepped forward, her black and white long tail swaying lightly, and spoke without holding anything back, "Dad, Mom, I fought him in the woods outside the city today and lost completely. According to our clan's old rules, the strong person I recognize is someone I must follow, leave this planet, and go with him."
Marcus's expression was calm, and he took over the conversation with a touch of solemnity, "The path I am about to take is fraught with crises, and I could encounter fatal danger at any time. I do not want her to act on a whim and follow me into danger. I ask you both to help persuade her; staying on the planet is the safest option."
Delta became anxious upon hearing this, hurriedly tugging at Delia's arm, looking up with a face full of righteous indignation as she retorted, "Mom, back then, you were defeated by Dad, and despite Grandpa and Grandma's opposition, you insisted on being with him, even saying that following the strong is an instinct in our blood. Now that I've found someone much stronger than me, you wouldn't turn around and oppose me, would you?"
As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Takul, her amber eyes shining amazingly bright, filled with certainty, "Dad, you value the strong the most. You definitely won't oppose me either, right?"
Delia and Takul exchanged a look, both seeing surprise and relief in each other's eyes. Takul scrutinized Marcus for a moment, sensing the unfathomable, formidable aura within the young man, far surpassing any warrior on the planet.
He nodded heavily, his voice deep, "Our clan rules are as such: the strong are respected. Since you can defeat Delta, you are the destination she has recognized, and we will not stop her."
Delia also smiled gently, "When a child grows up, she has her own path to walk. We only hope that you will look after her a little more on the road."
Delta's eyes instantly shone like stars, her tail wagging excitedly with a whistling sound, and she gripped Marcus's wrist tightly, "See! Mom and Dad both agreed!"
Chapter 18: Half a Year of Sparring and Cultivation, Cat Grass Matures
Marcus looked at Delta, who was gripping his wrist with eyes full of excitement, and then at the composed Takulcouple opposite them, sighing silently in his heart.
He had intended to decline a few more times, but meeting the young girl's expectant gaze, the words of refusal ultimately died on his lips.
For the rest of the day, Delta stuck to his side almost incessantly, chattering non-stop about everything from the layout of the residence to interesting anecdotes about Sok City.
Marcus had planned to slip away quietly in the dead of night while everyone was resting, to avoid any messy entanglements later, but no sooner had he silently climbed over the courtyard wall than his ankle was firmly wrapped by a fluffy black and white long tail.
Delta was squatting at the base of the wall, her eyes shining like a cat's in the night, and she said aggrievedly, "Boss, are you trying to sneak away and leave me behind?"
Caught red-handed, Marcus paused, and ultimately withdrew his foot. The girl looked simple, but she was surprisingly vigilant about this matter.
Time flew by, and it was the next morning.
On the dining table were beast milk and grain meals characteristic of Planet Maoen. Delia wiped her hands and looked gently at Marcus: "Mr. Marcus, are you in a hurry to continue your journey?"
Marcus put down his utensils, looked up, and asked in return, "Not particularly. Why do you ask?"
"Actually, it is a secret passed down through our clan for thousands of years," Delia said in a gentle tone. "When our ancestors came to Planet Maoen, they discovered a strange spiritual plant deep within the planet. Consuming it can increase combat power, so the ancestors named it Cat Grass. In half a year, this year's Cat Grass will mature."
She paused, then added, "I know that you and Delta are already top-tier powerhouses, and there are no records in ancient books of how much it helps warriors of your level, but it should still be of some benefit. If you are not in a hurry, why not wait half a year? It wouldn't be too late to leave after consuming the Cat Grass."
Marcus pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. However, he secretly thought to himself that it seemed he really couldn't shake off this little tag-along and would have to take her with him.
Meanwhile, on a distant interstellar route, a pitch-black Viltrum Empire warship was cruising at a steady speed.
Inside the bridge, Dur, dressed in the imperial uniform, stood with his hands behind his back as the communication projection in front of him suddenly lit up. He raised his hand to connect, standing straight: "Commander Kark, the conquest mission of Planet AK47-40 is complete. The planetary defense forces have been completely wiped out, and I am leading the ship back."
The man in the projection had a cold, rigid face, with a deep, bone-visible scar on his left cheek still oozing blood. It was the Viltrum Empire officer, Kark.
His tone was icy as he issued a direct order: "Dur, I have a new mission for you. Your return route will pass by Planet Maoen. I want you to destroy all life on that planet while you're at it. Not a single living soul is to be left behind."
As he spoke, a set of coordinates was sent directly to Dur's terminal. "After completing the mission, come to these coordinates to rendezvous with me."
A second before the communication cut off, Kark raised his hand and wiped hard at the bleeding wound on his face, his eyes full of resentment, and he cursed in a low voice: "Damn White Lion... I will make you know the price of provoking me."
Spring passed and autumn came; half a year vanished in the blink of an eye.
On the wilderness where Marcus and Allen had first landed on Planet Maoen, a strong wind suddenly swept up.
Two figures collided in mid-air with a boom, the dull roar shaking the ground and kicking up dust, while surrounding gravel was sent flying by the shockwave.
Marcus's figure was as steady as a rock, his fist enveloped in the sound of breaking wind as he smashed straight toward Allen's face. As Allen dodged to the side, he slammed his elbow toward Marcus's ribs, his movements so fast only afterimages remained.
Over the past six months, the two had sparred whenever they had free time. Allen was already the most perfect genetic warrior of Planet Yunopa, and his combat power had steadily climbed through each practice session with Marcus; meanwhile, Marcus was also continuously improving his own combat capabilities.
"Well fought!" Allen shouted, his figure suddenly accelerating and instantly breaking the sound barrier, causing a piercing sonic boom to explode over the wilderness. His fists poured out like a rainstorm, each punch carrying enough force to shatter mountains, the wind from his punches flattening all the grass on the ground.
Marcus did not dodge or evade, instead throwing his own fists to meet them. The moment their fists collided, a transparent shockwave expanded violently from the center of the two, the ground beneath their feet instantly cracking, with spiderweb-like fissures spreading dozens of meters away. The immense recoil sent both of them flying backward, but they adjusted their figures in mid-air and charged at each other again.
Allen knew that Marcus's strength was formidable, so he decided to leverage his own flexibility, flickering constantly and moving at high speed around Marcus to look for openings. However, Marcus's reaction speed was not slow in the slightest; no matter which direction Allen attacked from, he could accurately block, and could even predict the trajectory to counterattack in advance.
"You guy, you're getting stronger and stronger!" Allenshouted with a laugh, his tone full of excitement. As an inspector for the Coalition of Planets, he had patrolled the galaxy and seen countless powerhouses of various races, but apart from those Viltrum warriors, almost no one possessed a foundation as deep and solid as Marcus's.
Allen's fists rained down like a storm, but Marcus, in the midst of the high-speed movement, accurately captured the gap where he retracted his attacks to catch his breath.
Marcus suddenly exerted force under his feet, sending gravel scattering, and his figure shot into the opening in front of Allen's chest like an arrow. His right fist blasted out from an extremely close distance, the fist tip carrying heavy, fierce force, slamming solidly into the center of Allen's crossed arms.
Boom—
A dull thud exploded, and Allen was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, his body flipping twice in the air before he barely stabilized. When his feet landed, he slid several meters, his boot soles plowing two deep furrows into the grass.
"You're the one getting stronger and stronger," Marcussaid, withdrawing his fist and standing still, his breathing steady as usual. "Every time you recover from an injury, you become stronger; it's exactly like the Viltrumites."
Allen shook his numb arms, a look of surprise appearing on his face, and his single eye blinked: "To be honest, I didn't expect to have this ability either. I've been executing missions in the galaxy for decades, and apart from the first time I encountered a Viltrumite, no one else has ever been able to hurt me."
Just then, Delta's clear voice came from afar: "Boss!"
A black and white figure rushed out of the forest like the wind, moving so fast it left afterimages. In just a few seconds, she dove into Marcus's arms, her fluffy tail wagging happily non-stop: "Boss! The Cat Grass has matured! Mom is brewing the medicinal liquid, let's go back quickly! A total of four plants grew this year, and even one-eyed Allen gets a share!"
Allen was slightly stunned upon hearing this, scratching the back of his head, his tone carrying a bit of uncertainty: "Marcus is your boss, so it's no problem for you to share with him. But I'm just an outsider; is it okay to share with me? If you give it to me, there will only be two left."
Delta slid down from Marcus's arms and stood straight, her black and white long tail swaying gently behind her, her tone matter-of-fact: "No problem at all. I am the strongest warrior on this planet, so of course, I get to decide how the Cat Grass in the clan is distributed. I can share it with whoever I want."
Allen was amused by her righteous attitude, turned his head to glance at Marcus, as if saying, "Your little sidekick is quite generous." Then he nodded at Delta, his tone sincere: "Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Delta's eyebrows arched in satisfaction, and she turned to run back the way she came. After running a few steps, she turned back and shouted: "Hurry up! Mom says the medicine is best drunk while hot!"
Marcus and Allen exchanged a look, and both took off into the air simultaneously, flying toward Sok City.
Chapter 19: Cat Grass Body Tempering, A Powerful Enemy Attacks the City
Marcus and Allen took to the air to follow Delta, who was jogging all the way, and soon returned to Delta's home.
When the three entered the courtyard, Delia was just coming out of the kitchen carrying an earthenware pot. The rim of the pot was emitting a pale green steam, with a crisp scent like soil turned over after rain.
"Just in time, it's freshly brewed." She placed the earthenware pot on the table, lined up four coarse ceramic bowls, and poured the medicinal liquid into them. It was clear and lustrous, with a thin layer of sheen floating on the surface.
Delta had already picked up a bowl, brought it to her nose to sniff, curled the tip of her tail in satisfaction, and tilted her head back to gulp it down.
Allen also picked one up, glanced at Marcus, hesitated for half a second, and then followed suit, drinking it in one gulp.
Marcus picked up the remaining bowl. The medicinal liquid was lukewarm. The first sensation upon entering his mouth was bitterness, which immediately melted into a long-lasting sweetness, like some deep-rooted plant slowly unfolding on his tongue. He put down the bowl and subconsciously sensed the state of his body.
The attribute panel appeared silently in his consciousness.
[Super Strength: Level 4 (34%)]
[Super Durability: Level 4 (43%)]
[Super Mind: Level 4 (61%)]
[Super Speed: Level 4 (33%)]
[Bio-field: Level 3 (90%)]
After half a year of accumulation, the numbers had climbed steadily, but there was still a considerable distance to the next level. He was just about to close the panel when he suddenly noticed the number in the Strength column jump—from 34% to 35%.
The panel was updating in real-time.
He looked up at Allen, who was looking down at his own palms, flexing his fingers slightly as if feeling some subtle change. Delta had already put down her bowl, her tail flicking rapidly behind her, her amber eyes sparkling: "I feel... like there's energy moving inside my body?"
Delia watched the three's subtle reactions and spoke softly to explain: "The effect of the Cat Grass medicine won't erupt all at once. After drinking it, the medicinal power will last for a whole day, slowly permeating your bodies and raising your physical constitution bit by bit."
Just as she finished speaking, a sharp, piercing air-raid siren suddenly rang out over Sok City, tearing through the quiet afternoon. Public broadcasts across the streets started simultaneously, and a calm but hurried male voice began broadcasting in a loop throughout the city:
"Attention all citizens—an unidentified flying object is approaching the planet—please proceed to the nearest shelter immediately—repeat—please proceed to the nearest shelter immediately—"
The broadcast echoed through the streets again and again, and the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly tightened. Takul immediately grabbed his youngest daughter, Roro, his face full of anxiety, and Delia also subconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes, full of unease.
Marcus, Allen, and Delta all turned to look at each other. No extra words were needed; they all read the fighting spirit in each other's eyes.
Delta's tail suddenly stiffened, the joy from tasting the medicine completely dissipated. She turned to look at her parents beside her, her tone firm but with a hint of comfort: "Mom, Dad, take Roro and go to the underground shelter quickly. Leave the invaders to us; I won't let them destroy Sok City."
Takul and his wife knew their daughter's strength. With the crisis imminent, there was no time for delay. They just hurriedly told her to be careful, then took little Roro and rushed out of the courtyard, heading towards the shelter passage deep in the district.
Marcus turned slightly and whispered to Delta: "Get on, we're heading straight to the Defense Department."
Delta leaped up, climbing onto his back along his already tense spine. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clamped her legs firmly around his waist. Her tail wrapped tightly around his waist and abdomen, securing her entire body firmly to his back.
Marcus took off into the sky with Delta on his back, and Allen followed closely behind. The three figures drew straight trajectories over Sok City, heading straight for the Defense Department.
The wind whistled past their ears. The streets below were crowded with fleeing citizens, and panicked cries rose one after another. Delta lay on his back, her fingertips unconsciously tightening.
Meanwhile, outside the low orbit of Planet Maoen, a jet-black Viltrumite-style warship was slowly decelerating. Inside the bridge, Dur stood with his hands behind his back in front of the main console, the projection screen reflecting the pale blue outline of Planet Maoen.
"Sir, the ground air defense system has locked onto our position." The imperial slave soldier at the console reported truthfully.
Dur's expression didn't fluctuate in the slightest: "Discovered? Then there's no need to hide."
He raised his hand and pressed a key on the main control panel. The warship's outer coating changed instantly, the light-refracting stealth camouflage layer deactivated, revealing the cold metal hull, like a deep-sea behemoth that had completely bared its fangs.
But he didn't order to fire, nor did he let the warship enter the atmosphere.
"Stay in orbit and wait for me to return." Dur left this sentence behind and turned to walk towards the airtight door at the stern. The moment the hatch opened, a vacuum rushed in. He kicked off with his soles, and his entire body broke away from the warship, diving towards the blue and brown interlaced planet below.
A few seconds later, he pierced through the atmosphere.
Blinding flames surged on his body surface, but they dissipated before he landed. He passed through the clouds, and below was a vast expanse of urban buildings, the strange style of mixed metal and wood/stone fully in view.
The ground defense system locked onto the target the moment he entered the atmosphere. Turrets rotated, energy charged, and laser beams shot from all directions simultaneously—thick beams of light tore through the air, accurately hitting the black figure falling at high speed.
Boom, boom, boom—
Dense artillery fire exploded on Dur, and smoke and flames swallowed him whole. But the next instant, that figure broke out of the smoke from the center of the explosion, completely unharmed, not even an extra wrinkle on his uniform.
He was expressionless, continuing to accelerate.
Next came missiles. Hundreds of interceptor missiles were launched from various places on the ground, trailing scorching white exhaust, swarming like a swarm of bees, and exploding one after another around Dur. The deafening chain of explosions echoed in the low altitude, and fireballs layered and filled half the sky. But that figure was still completely unharmed, not even deviating from his course by a fraction.
Dur dove straight to the sky above the urban area, then changed from a dive to ultra-low-altitude horizontal flight.
He sped along the ground at extreme speed, his speed soaring to the limit, and the terrifying sonic boom shockwave exploded behind him. Wherever he passed, the streets cracked, and the high-rise buildings on both sides collapsed with a rumble.
Fragments of walls and glass shards splattered everywhere, and the hard road surface was plowed into deep gullies by the high-speed air waves. Transport trucks weighing several tons were directly flipped and rolled, and the entire block was instantly twisted into a chaotic ruin by the violent kinetic energy.
Some people couldn't escape in time, were thrown away by the shockwave, hit the ruined walls heavily, and fainted immediately. In more distant buildings, glass curtain walls shattered in sheets, falling like rain, causing the fleeing crowds below to scream and run.
Dur's gaze didn't land on the ground at all. He seemed to be moving his body casually while flying, completely ignoring everything in front of him, leaving only devastation everywhere.
On the other side of the city, Marcus, Allen, and Delta, who were flying at high speed towards the Defense Department, simultaneously noticed the disturbance in the distance.
The earth was trembling, and muffled explosions came from the edge of the city, as if some giant object was tearing through the entire city at an unimaginable speed. A visible shockwave was spreading horizontally, and a black line was speeding along the ground at supersonic speed, shredding everything in its path.
Delta lay on Marcus's back, her amber pupils suddenly contracting, her voice filled with suppressed anger: "Boss... that person is destroying our city."
She looked at the constantly spreading ruins, gritting her teeth, and a moment later, she said urgently: "Boss, throw me over there."
Marcus didn't ask more, nor did he turn back. His figure, which was originally moving at high speed, didn't pause for a second. His muscles suddenly tightened, and his right hand grabbed Delta's lower back.
Using inertia and the explosive power of his waist and abdomen twisting, he threw the Delta on his back forward fiercely. The force was precise, the angle tricky, like a precision-guided shell, shooting straight towards the black figure that was raging.
Carrying the sharp wind of breaking through the air, Deltainstantly blocked the path of Dur's high-speed travel. Her black and white tail was tightly stiffened behind her, her muscles tensed to the limit, and her shout filled with anger drowned out the roar of the collapsing sky: "Stop it!"
Dur was suddenly blocked. A layer of disdain rose in his eyes. He didn't slow down at all throughout the process. His five fingers suddenly closed into an iron fist, and he swung it straight at Delta.
Delta was not afraid at all. The Cat Grass medicinal power slowly flowing in her body continued to nourish her limbs and bones. She gritted her teeth and threw her right fist forward with all her strength.
Boom—!
The two fists collided fiercely without any fancy moves. A circle of white air waves, visible to the naked eye, swept outward from the center of their collision point. The strong wind exploded in all directions, and the remaining rubble and building fragments on the ground were all blown away.
Delta only felt a barbaric and terrifying force rushing into her body along her arm. Her entire arm went numb instantly. Her figure flew backward uncontrollably for dozens of meters, and her feet dragged two deep trenches on the broken road surface before she could barely stabilize herself.
On the other hand, Dur only paused slightly, his feet firmly nailed in mid-air, not moving a bit. He glanced indifferently at Delta, whose web of her hand was trembling slightly and whose breath was fluctuating. There was no ripple in his cold eyes, only indifference to the weak.
Chapter 20: Desperate Situation, Fatal Strike! Enemy Ship Artillery Raid!
Marcus broke free from his constraints and no longer needed to worry about Delta on his back; his physical speed exploded without reservation, his figure turning into a blur as he tore through the dust-filled air, leaving Allenfar behind as he reached the combat airspace first.
He had just stood steady beside Delta when he heard her, enduring the severe pain in her arm, ask Dur in a deep voice: "Who are you? Why are you attacking our planet?"
Dur stared at the two of them indifferently, his tone cold: "By order of Commander Kake, we are passing through this planet to clear out all living things. There is no other reason."
Marcus kept his eyes locked on Dur and turned his head to speak to Delta beside him in a low, calm voice: "Unless you are stronger than them, it is useless to reason with them."
Before he even finished speaking, he stomped his foot against the void, his muscles tensing and bulging, and he launched himself straight at Dur like an armor-piercing shell fired from a cannon.
There were no tricks or wasted movements, just a pure, physical charge. A sonic boom exploded behind him, and the violent shockwave sent gravel flying as dust billowed into the sky.
A trace of surprise flashed in Dur's eyes; he clearly hadn't expected anyone on this low-level planet to dare to launch a direct, head-on assault.
He snorted coldly, his fingers clenching until his knuckles turned white, and he threw a punch to meet him. The two iron fists collided fiercely in mid-air with a dull, heavy boom like a meteorite striking the ground; a visible ripple of air exploded outward, crushing the already broken road beneath them down by several inches.
Marcus's arm trembled slightly, and he slid back half a meter before stabilizing his stance.
Dur also retreated half a step, and a ripple of emotion finally appeared on his previously indifferent face—he could clearly feel that the physical strength of the man before him was far beyond the civilization level this planet should possess.
Before Dur could speak again, Marcus had already closed the distance. Elbow strikes, knee strikes, heavy punches—every blow carried the force to collapse a mountain, aiming straight for vital points.
Dur did not dodge or evade, meeting force with force as they exchanged blows. Each collision erupted with a deafening roar, causing the surrounding walls of the remaining structures to collapse in the aftermath, sending broken bricks and debris swirling through the air.
Delta endured the throbbing, severe pain in her right arm and bent her legs to gather strength, preparing to leap into the fray, when the sound of someone cutting through the wind came rapidly from behind.
Allen arrived at high speed and landed beside her. His gaze swept over the imperial uniform Dur was wearing, and his pupils suddenly constricted. He hurriedly warned in a low voice: "Careful! He is a Viltrumite!"
Delta's heart skipped a beat. She had heard of the Viltrum Empire's fearsome reputation; those interstellar conquerors were all physically formidable and bloodthirsty. She had just never imagined that, one day, such a cataclysm would truly descend upon her home planet.
"Attack together!" Delta gritted her teeth, her long black and white tail lashing out behind her as she used the recoil to launch herself forward first.
Allen did not hesitate and followed closely behind. The two flanked Dur from the left and right, and the battle instantly turned into a three-on-one fight.
Marcus took the brunt of Dur's entire offensive head-on, his fists like heavy hammers as he relentlessly hammered away, pinning down the main force of the enemy. Delta, relying on her agility, maneuvered through Dur's blind spots, specifically targeting his joints and vulnerable ribs with fists and kicks that were nothing but a blur of motion. Allen precisely captured the gaps in Dur's moves, striking whenever his old force had faded and his new force had yet to build, his tricky elbow and knee strikes constantly disrupting Dur's offensive and defensive rhythm.
The three coordinated perfectly, their offensive layered and airtight, for a time actually managing to firmly suppress the formidable Dur.
Dur's brow furrowed tighter and tighter. He had assumed that clearing out this fringe planet would be a trivial task, and even if he encountered a couple of natives with some strength, they wouldn't be able to stir up any trouble. But with the three of them joining forces, the pressure had suddenly doubled. Marcus, in particular, was every bit as strong as him; every exchange of blows left his hands numb and his muscles and bones aching.
"A bunch of low-level lifeforms, how dare you be presumptuous!" Dur roared, his muscles tensing to the limit. He dropped his center of gravity and exerted force, throwing both fists out to the left and right simultaneously. His left fist met Allen's heavy blow, while his right fist, whistling through the air, headed straight for Delta as she attacked from the side.
Delta couldn't dodge in time and could only hastily raise her arms to block.
With a dull thud, a terrifying, massive force surged through her arms and into her body. Delta felt her chest tighten, and the metallic taste of blood welled up in her throat. She flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing hard into a half-collapsed building behind her. The masonry crumbled, instantly burying most of her body beneath the debris.
"Delta!" Allen's heart tightened. In that split second of distraction, Dur's sweeping kick followed immediately. He hurriedly crossed his arms in front of his chest to block, but the force of the kick sent him flying sideways. He rolled over ten meters across the uneven ground, his arms throbbing with a piercing, excruciating pain, as if his bones were about to shatter.
Marcus's expression darkened. Taking advantage of the moment Dur had repelled the other two, he suddenly closed in and swept his right leg hard toward Dur's waist and abdomen.
Dur turned hastily and took the blow with his left arm; the crisp sound of bone and muscle colliding was clearly audible.
The immense impact force exploded through Dur's entire left arm, sending his airborne body flying backward uncontrollably, where he tumbled through the air several times.
Marcus didn't give his opponent a moment to recover. He instantly caught up to the unbalanced Dur and slammed his right fist, fueled by all his brute strength, directly into Dur's face.
A deafening, dull thud exploded as Dur's head jerked to the side. He lost all control and plummeted straight down, slamming into the ruined street, causing the ground to shatter into fine cracks as dust billowed into the air.
The violent impact made his brain roar, his vision blurred, and his muscles went stiff and numb, leaving him lying in the crater, unable to move.
Marcus leaped to the ground and rushed forward, looming over him to rain down blows, his heavy fists smashing repeatedly into Dur's chest, abdomen, and face.
The dull sounds of impact were continuous. Dur could only barely raise his hands in a weak attempt to block; even his formidable physique couldn't withstand such continuous crushing, and blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth.
Marcus's eyes were cold as he raised his right fist high, intending to use a full-strength blow to finish his opponent once and for all.
At this critical moment, a blinding glare of fire suddenly lit up in the high sky. Seeing that Dur had fallen into a disadvantage after fighting for so long, the black Viltrum Empire warship in orbit forcibly broke through all of Planet Maoen's anti-aircraft fire, tore through the atmosphere, and closed in at low altitude. Dozens of the ship's heavy main guns fully charged, their cold muzzles aiming straight at the entire street below.
Delta, who had been buried by rubble, struggled to push away the broken bricks and stones on top of her. Just as she crawled out of the ruins, she looked up and saw the giant warship diving down. Her pupils constricted, and she screamed at the top of her lungs: "Boss, watch out!"
Before she could finish, the warship's main guns erupted with heavy artillery fire. Dozens of scorching shells, trailing crimson exhaust, descended from the sky and unleashed a barrage of fire upon the area where Marcus and Dur were on the ground.
Roaring explosions erupted one after another, and scorching shockwaves swept in all directions. Large sections of the road instantly melted and shattered, while gravel and scorched dust filled the air. The entire combat zone was completely swallowed by rolling thick smoke and towering flames.