Chapter 161: DC Arc Ends, Return to Invincible
In the following month, Marcus dealt with Amanda Waller.
That woman hid very deeply, but on Earth, as long as Marcus wanted to find someone, there was no one he couldn't find.
So Marcus spent three days and finally found Waller in an underground bunker.
At that time, Waller tried to activate her Robots to block Marcus, but Marcus just slapped the console with one palm, and the entire System was paralyzed on the spot.
Before she could say a second sentence, she was blown to ashes by a single blast from Marcus.
After dealing with these, Marcus returned to the Villa and spent a period of special combat days with Kara, Delta, and Milong.
One day, inside the Villa.
Marcus's mind shifted slightly, and a pitch-black spatial channel silently unfolded in the center of the living room.
With Kumoko on top of his head, he stepped inside, bringing Kara, Delta, and Milong along.
Just as he stepped out of the channel and before his feet were steady, Marcus's expression suddenly changed, and his figure soared into the sky, hovering mid-air.
Delta, Milong, and Kara followed closely, flying up.
Kumoko lay flat on top of Marcus's head, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings, her voice full of shock: "Th-This, what is going on!"
The city ruins below were endless, broken high-rise buildings stabbed obliquely into the ground, and charred vehicles were piled haphazardly on the roadside.
Several buildings in the distance were still smoking, and the sky was mostly obscured by gray smoke and dust.
Marcus did not answer.
He released his hearing, peeling back the sound field of the entire city layer by layer.
First was Mark's voice, and another voice he had never heard before. The two voices were in fierce combat in the distance, and the muffled sounds of fists and feet colliding were clearly distinguishable.
Then came Eve's voice. She was evacuating the crowd, speaking very fast, directing civilians to retreat towards a safe area.
After knowing where Eve was, Marcus turned to look at Kara and the others, speaking extremely fast: "You guys go save people first."
As the words fell, his figure had disappeared from the spot.
Eve had just finished directing a group of people into the Shelter, and when she turned around, she heard cries for help not far away.
Without hesitation, Eve flew over immediately and found that some people were trapped underground.
So Eve raised both hands, and pink Atomic Energy gushed out from her palms, lifting heavy concrete slabs one after another, while pulling out the people buried underneath one by one.
After doing this, she patted the dust off her hands and was about to turn around to go to the next place when a figure suddenly landed right in front of her.
Eve instinctively took half a step back, raised her hands, and pink energy condensed in her palms.
The next second, she saw that face clearly.
"Marcus!"
She rushed forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, her voice carrying undisguisable excitement: "You're finally back!"
Before Marcus could raise his hand to respond, Eve had already let go of him.
She pushed his chest with both hands, speaking as fast as a machine gun: "Quick, go help Invincible stop Conquest!"
Marcus held her shoulders, his tone steady: "What on Earth is going on."
Eve took a deep breath and said quickly: "Just over a dozen minutes ago, a Viltrumite descended. That person claimed to be Conquest. After introducing himself, he directly started a war against us. If it weren't for Invincible, we would have already collapsed."
After listening, Marcus released her shoulders: "In that case, you continue rescuing refugees first. Leave that Conquest to me."
Eve nodded hard, then reached out to grab his wrist, her voice full of seriousness: "Be careful. That Conquest is really strong."
Marcus glanced at her and acknowledged: "Got it."
As the words fell, his figure had disappeared from the spot.
Eve stood in place, watching the direction where he disappeared, clenched her fists, and turned to fly toward the next piece of ruins.
Chapter 162 Mark Fights Conquest to the Death! MarcusClears the Field with a Kick!
In the center of the battlefield, two figures collided frantically in mid-air.
Every collision triggered a ring of Impact, shaking the surrounding surviving buildings until they were on the verge of collapsing.
Glass shards and rubble poured down from between the buildings, and dust filled the sky over the streets.
After another fierce collision, the two figures wrestled with each other in mid-air.
Mark clenched his teeth, the muscles in his arms tensed to the limit, and his palms firmly resisted Conquest's fists.
A relaxed smile hung on the corners of Conquest's mouth as he looked at the sweating young man in front of him.
"Hehe." Conquest chuckled twice, his voice deep, "Your strength is really not bad for your age. But it is still not enough."
As the words fell, Conquest suddenly tilted his head back and delivered a headbutt straight to Mark's forehead.
Mark flew backwards, tumbling several times in the air before barely stabilizing his figure.
Just as he raised his head, Conquest's voice drifted over from the front: "Work a bit harder, kid. I haven't had enough fun yet."
Mark wiped away the blood flowing from his nose, staring fixedly at Conquest.
Conquest raised one hand to his jaw, his knuckles gently rubbing his chin, as if considering something interesting.
A moment later he lowered his hand, a playful arc twitching at the corner of his mouth: "Perhaps, I need to give you some motivation."
He paused, his gaze crossing over Mark and casting into the distance: "Hmm, it seems your mother was just taken away by your friend. Should I chase after them?"
Mark's face instantly flushed red, anger exploding from his chest.
He clenched his right fist tightly, his whole body's muscles tensed to the limit, and roared as he charged at Conquest: "Don't you dare hurt my mother!"
Bang!
That punch smashed heavily onto Conquest's jaw.
Conquest's body flew towards the sky like a cannonball, and Mark closely pursued him, smashing punch after punch onto his body.
Every time a fist fell, Conquest's body flew further into the depths of the Universe.
Until he beat Conquest out of Earth's gravitational range, Mark stopped his movements, hovering in the vacuum to rest for a moment and let his exerting arms relax.
After stabilizing his body in the distance, Conquest raised a hand to press his jaw, his bones making a slight creaking sound.
He smiled, opened his mouth, and blew out a red blood bubble.
Then he extended both hands, molding that mass of blood bubble into the shape of a heart, and shook it in front of Mark.
Mark looked at the heart-shaped blood bubble and was stunned for a moment.
Conquest then flicked his finger, shattering the heart-shaped blood bubble.
The fragments scattered and dissipated in the vacuum, and his entire body slammed into Mark like a meteor, his hands clasping Mark's waist as he pushed him into a full-speed dive toward Earth.
Their bodies dragged out a scorching flame under friction.
Mark struggled desperately, his fists smashing against Conquest's back, shoulders, and head, every punch carrying enough power to shatter mountains.
But Conquest did not move an inch.
Just at this moment, Mark caught sight in the corner of his eye of a black and red figure flying over from afar.
That figure was so fast its trajectory was almost invisible, appearing by Conquest's side in less than a second.
The newcomer delivered a heavy kick straight into Conquest's abdomen.
Bang!
Conquest was kicked flying toward the sky, instantly turning into a small black dot.
Mark flew downwards a few more meters before stabilizing his body.
He panted heavily, raised his hand to wipe away the blood at the corner of his mouth, and looked at the figure hovering in mid-air, his tone full of exhaustion: "You're finally back, Cosmic Superman."
Marcus turned around.
He glanced over Mark's entire body; the other's face was bruised black and blue, and blood was seeping through the sleeve of his left arm.
He frowned slightly and asked: "Are you alright?"
Mark shook his head and shook his sore arms: "I'm not in any major trouble."
He looked up in the direction Conquest was kicked away, just preparing to say something, when that black dot had already grown larger again.
After stabilizing his body, Conquest descended from high altitude.
He did not attack immediately; his gaze crossed over Markand landed on Marcus's face.
He tilted his head, looked him up and down, and slowly pulled a curve at the corner of his mouth.
"Isn't this the rookie Marcus?"
Mark was stunned for a moment and turned to look at Marcus.
His brow furrowed tightly, with obvious confusion in his tone: "Rookie?"
Chapter 163: Marcus completely beats down Conquest!
Marcus's expression didn't change at all, he just looked at Conquest.
Conquest tilted his head, the curve of his mouth deepening: "It seems you haven't told them your identity as a Viltrumite."
Hearing these words, Mark's face changed slightly.
He instinctively turned his head to glance at Marcus, his mind spinning rapidly: Why would Cosmic Superman hide his identity? Could he also be here to conquer Earth?
But as soon as this thought popped up, he pushed it back down.
Because he remembered that Marcus had saved this city and had just saved him as well.
From beginning to end, every single thing this person did ran counter to Conquest and the Viltrum Empire.
Thus, Mark withdrew his gaze, stopped thinking too much, and looked back at Conquest, clenching his fists a bit tighter.
Conquest didn't care about Mark's reaction, continuing to look at Marcus with the casualness of an old friend reuniting: "You went missing on your very first mission."
"I thought you were dead, but I didn't expect you to hide your identity and hide out on this Planet."
He paused, a hint of interrogation entering his voice: "So rookie, tell me, why did you give up the mission and betray the Empire."
Marcus told him expressionlessly: "Because I cannot casually slaughter a Planet like you all do."
Hearing this, Conquest sneered: "As weak as Nolan."
He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the city below and the surrounding scenery, a trace of puzzlement in his tone: "I really don't know what kind of magic this Planethas to actually make three excellent warriors become so weak."
His gaze fell back onto Marcus, his mouth twisting into a bloodthirsty arc: "However, I must thank you."
"For allowing me to continue enjoying the feeling of piercing through enemies and having my fists soaked in blood."
Marcus's expression remained unchanged, saying in a steady tone: "Then it seems you are going to be disappointed."
"Because..."
Before he finished speaking, his body instantly vanished from the spot, appearing in front of Conquest the next instant.
His right fist, carrying all his strength, slammed solidly into Conquest's chest.
Boom!
Conquest's body flew backward like a shooting star.
Marcus hovered in place, watching the direction Conquestflew off, and finished what he hadn't said earlier: "You will die here."
Mark blankly watched the direction Conquest flew off, his mouth slightly agape, squeezing out two words from his throat after a long while: "So strong."
Marcus turned his head to look at him, his tone steady: "Leave Conquest to me. Go save people first."
Mark snapped out of it and nodded: "Oh, okay."
He turned and flew toward the city, his figure quickly disappearing among the buildings.
Marcus withdrew his gaze, shifted his posture, and flew toward the direction Conquest was sent flying.
On the other side.
Conquest, who had been sent flying tens of thousands of meters, had just stabilized his body, the dull pain in his chest not yet subsiding, when he saw that black-red figure flying toward him.
He grinned, without hesitation, clenched his right fist, and charged forward to meet him.
The two fists collided with a roar in mid-air.
Boom!
Impact exploded with the collision point as the center, and the clouds within a radius of several kilometers were blown apart by the air wave.
The aftermath of the two forces was still vibrating in the air when the mechanical forearm of Conquest's right hand immediately emitted an unbearable metallic wail, cracks rapidly spreading along the wrist, and the next moment the entire forearm shattered into countless fragments, falling toward the ground.
The smile on Conquest's face froze for a fraction of a second.
Marcus did not give him any reaction time.
His left fist was still maintaining the posture of the collision, while his right fist had already swung out closely behind, slamming solidly onto Conquest's face.
Conquest's head jerked violently to one side, and his entire body was sent flying backward by this punch.
Marcus flashed, instantly appearing above the trajectory of Conquest's backward flight.
He raised his right leg and heavily stomped his foot onto Conquest's chest.
Conquest's body, like a shot-down meteorite, smashed straight down toward the barren plain below.
Boom!
The ground exploded into a huge pit several hundred meters in diameter, dirt and gravel surged into the sky, and Impact uprooted the surrounding trees, clearing a large open space on the plain.
Chapter 164: The Death of Conquest
Conquest lay at the bottom of the crater, a wisp of fresh blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, and electric sparks crackled wildly at the stump of his severed right arm.
He used his other intact hand to support his body and stood up, then looked up at Marcus, who was slowly descending.
"Not bad."
Conquest raised the back of his hand to wipe away the blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse yet still carrying that casual smile, "As a rookie, you are the most capable fighter I have ever seen."
Marcus landed at the edge of the crater, looking down at him with a calm gaze: "You talk too much."
Conquest grinned, the Battle Intent emanating from those eyes even more intense than before.
With a kick of his legs, the rubble under his feet shattered with a roar, and his entire body shot toward Marcus like a sharp arrow.
The fist swung out at the same time tore through the air, carrying a force sufficient to pierce mountains, aiming straight for Marcus's face.
Marcus sidestepped to avoid it, the force of the punch brushing past his shoulder and cleanly leveling a patch of woods hundreds of meters behind him.
Without waiting for Conquest to retract his fist, Marcusreached out with his right hand, his five fingers clasping Conquest's wrist, and with a twist of his waist and abdomen, he flung Conquest's entire body high into the air.
Conquest flipped a few times in the air, and just as he stabilized his body, Marcus had already chased after him.
With a downward punch, Conquest turned and raised his remaining left arm to take it head-on, the sound of cracking bones bursting at the point of contact.
His body plummeted once more, slamming heavily back to the bottom of the crater, kicking up a sky full of dust.
Marcus hovered above the crater, looking down at Conquest lying in the rubble, and spoke in a calm tone: "Do you still feel like enjoying this now?"
Conquest was half-buried in the dust, covered in blood, yet he burst out laughing.
He coughed up two mouthfuls of bloody froth, his voice hoarse: "Good or bad, I accept it all."
Marcus did not speak again.
He raised his right hand, his palm aimed at Conquest at the bottom of the crater.
Purple energy surged from his palm, condensing into a constantly expanding ball of light in the center of his hand.
The light of the sphere grew increasingly intense, dyeing the entire wilderness a deep purple.
Conquest propped up his injured body, looking up at that sphere of light.
There was no fear whatsoever on his face, and the smile at the corner of his mouth did not disappear.
"Come on."
He beat his chest with his remaining left fist, his voice hoarse yet carrying a final arrogance, "Let me see if you, this traitor, can really kill me."
As the words fell, Conquest violently kicked off with his legs, the rubble at the bottom of the crater exploding into fine powder beneath his feet.
His entire body charged straight toward Marcus, his left fist clenched tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Marcus flipped his wrist, and the purple sphere of light, expanded to its absolute limit, left his hand, heading straight to meet the charging Conquest.
The sphere of light and Conquest collided with a roar in mid-air.
The purple light instantly burst open, swallowing Conquest's figure.
Boom!
A fierce Impact swept across the wilderness plain, blowing away all the rubble and broken wood within a radius of several kilometers.
When the light slowly dispersed, only a huge, charred crater remained in place.
The bottom of the crater was empty, leaving not even a shred of clothing or a single piece of mechanical debris.
Marcus hovered above the crater, his gaze sweeping across every inch of scorched earth at the bottom of the crater.
After confirming that Conquest had completely met Death, he slowly landed at the edge of the crater, speaking to the empty wilderness plain: "Cecil, you must be watching."
As the voice fell, a figure appeared out of thin air at the edge of the crater.
Cecil was wearing a dark gray suit, holding no weapons in his hands, and had no superfluous expression on his face.
He lowered his head to glance at the charred bottom of the crater near his feet, his tone calm: "In order to be able to provide support at the very first moment when Mark was about to be defeated, of course I have been watching all along."
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Marcus: "Now that the enemy has been dealt with, I wonder what business Your Excellency Cosmic Superman has with me."
Chapter 165: Speaker Thadeus's Decision
Marcus looked at Cecil and said in a flat tone, "I want to talk to you about Earth's defense."
Cecil raised an eyebrow slightly, hands shoved into his suit pockets, and didn't reply, waiting for him to continue.
"Conquest is a top-tier powerful warrior even within the Viltrum Empire. Now that he has died on Earth, the Viltrum Empire will definitely send a fleet." Marcus's gaze swept across the charred crater beneath his feet, his tone calm yet resolute, "So I need you to integrate global defense forces and prepare for battle in advance."
Cecil was silent for a few seconds, his gaze falling on Marcus's face, as if evaluating the weight of these words. A moment later, he nodded, "I will arrange this matter."
He paused and added another sentence, "However, do you have a rough judgment of when the Viltrumites' fleet will arrive?"
"Maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months." Marcuswithdrew his gaze and looked toward the direction of the horizon. After speaking, he pushed off lightly with his feet, his figure soaring into the sky and flying toward the direction of the Moon.
Cecil stood in place, watching Marcus's figure disappear above the clouds. He withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and reached out to press the teleporter. A flash of white light passed, and he had disappeared from the wasteland.
Global Defense Agency headquarters, command center. Cecil stepped out of the white light, his leather shoes landing on the command room floor. Donald was standing in front of the main console, and the screen was still playing the footage of the battle just now.
"Donald." Cecil walked to his side, his tone normal, "Notify all departments to hold an emergency meeting immediately."
"Topic?"
"Viltrum Empire invasion contingency plan." After saying this, Cecil turned and walked into his own office, closing the door.
On the other side, the dark side of the Moon. Marcuslanded in the shadowed area of the lunar surface. That spaceship was still parked quietly in place. He walked to the side of the spaceship, and the hatch slowly slid open.
Marcus walked into the cockpit, sat down in the seat, tapped his fingertips on the navigation panel a few times, and adjusted the communication channel to the frequency Allen gave him. He pressed the recording button and briefly explained the situation. Finally, he added, "Earthmay be attacked by multiple Viltrumites. I hope you can notify the Coalition of Planets."
After the recording was sent, before long, Allen's response came through the channel, carrying obvious solemnity, "I know, I'll go notify the Alliance Speaker immediately."
After listening to Allen's response, Marcus leaned against the back of the chair and waited.
On the other side, Allen stood up, strode out of his room, and flew toward Thadeus's office.
After a while, he pushed open the Speaker's office door. Thadeus was standing in front of a huge star map with his hands behind his back. Hearing the door open, he turned around.
"Allen, you're in such a rush, what happened?" Thadeus's voice was steady, his gaze already falling on Allen's tight face.
"Conquest is dead." Allen didn't beat around the bush, his voice lowered, "Dead on Earth. My friend, Marcus, did it."
Thadeus's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew Conquest, the Empire's most cruel warrior, and the people who could fight him head-on were countable on one hand.
"Marcus." Thadeus rolled the name around in his mouth, moved his gaze away from the star map, and fell on Allen's face, "Is that the person who solved Dur with you on Planet Maoen?"
Allen nodded, "Yes. It's him."
Thadeus was silent for a few seconds. He turned around, walked to the desk, pulled out a chair and sat down, tapping his fingers lightly on the desktop twice. He had heard Allen's detailed report about the matter on Planet Maoen, and Allen's phrase "unfathomable strength" at the time had made Thadeus remember this name.
But now it seemed that this Marcus was even more extraordinary than he expected.
"Tell me his communication channel, I want to talk to him personally." Thadeus asked.
Chapter 166: The Speaker's Trump Card, a Virus Capable of Destroying the Empire
Allen brought up Marcus's communication frequency and projected it onto Thaedus's desk. Thaedus noted down the string of numbers and waved his hand at Allen. 'Go attend to your other duties first.'
Allen nodded and left the office, the door closing softly behind him. Thaedus walked over to the console, entered the frequency, and pressed the call button. The signal traversed the sea of stars, reaching the spaceship on the far side of the Moon.
Marcus was leaning back in the pilot's seat with his eyes closed, resting, when the communication panel suddenly lit up. He opened his eyes and saw a strange frequency identifier pop up on the screen, coming from the Coalition of Planets. He pressed the answer button.
'Marcus,' the voice on the other side was calm and aged. 'I am the Speaker of the Coalition of Planets, Thaedus.'
Marcus sat up straight and replied in a flat tone, 'Hello, Speaker Thaedus.'
The communication channel fell silent for a few seconds. Thaedus's voice sounded again: 'You are also a Viltrumite, aren't you?'
Marcus didn't answer immediately. He leaned back against his seat, his gaze drifting through the viewport toward the blue Planet in the distance. After a few seconds, he spoke: 'Yes.'
A very soft sigh came from the other end of the channel, as if something suppressed for a long time had finally been let go. There was a hint of weariness in Thaedus's voice:'So am I.'
Marcus's expression didn't change at all; after all, in the memories of his past life, the Alliance's Speaker was a Viltrumite. Thus, he wasn't surprised in the least, only asking calmly, 'Why are you telling me this?'
'Because I have always wondered if there would be a second Viltrumite who, like me, would betray the Empireand stand on the Alliance's side,' Thaedus's voice was slow and clear. 'Unfortunately, I've waited for many years, and it has always been just me.'
'However...'
He paused and continued, 'A few years ago, Allen reported the matter of Planet Maoen to me. Back then, I suspected that you might be someone who betrayed the Empire, just like me.'
'It wasn't until Allen told me just now that you killed Conquest that I became certain.'
Thaedus stopped talking here. The channel fell into a period of silence.
Marcus leaned back against his seat, looking out the viewport. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke:'So what do you plan to do now? Will you support me, or stand by and watch?'
Thaedus's voice came through the channel, steady and slow: 'I will support you. But before that, I need to know one thing.'
Marcus didn't ask what it was, continuing to wait for him to go on.
'Many years ago, in order to deal with the Viltrum Empire, I created a virus.' Thaedus's voice paused. 'I called it the scourge virus. It was developed specifically targeting the genetic sequence of Viltrumites. It can destroy a Viltrumite's cells in an extremely short time, causing them to die within minutes.'
At this point, his tone grew a bit deeper: 'But after I used the virus, the Empire did not contract its defensive lines; instead, they expanded even more frantically. So, I want to ask you, did it actually have any effect?'
Hearing Thaedus's words, Marcus thought of the effects of the scourge virus. After a moment of silence, he spoke: 'It was extremely effective. It reduced the Empire's population to an all-time low.'
There was a period of silence on Thaedus's end. Only the faint hum of static remained in the communication channel.
'It's good that it was effective.' Thaedus's voice finally sounded again, filled with complex emotions. 'I have been improving it over the years, though I was never sure how much of an effect it would actually have in real combat.'
Hearing this, Marcus asked in a flat tone, 'Do you plan to use the scourge virus on the Viltrum Empire again?'
'If the situation escalates to the worst possible state, I will.' Thaedus answered quickly, as if he had long thought of the answer to this question.
Chapter 167: The Grand Regent Plans to Head to Earth, Allen's Talent
The comm channel went silent for a moment. Leaning against the back of his chair, Marcus asked, "So how much reinforcement will there be?"
Thaedus's voice came through the channel, calm and resolute: "I will mobilize everyone I can."
Marcus went quiet for a moment before replying flatly, "In that case, I'll make some preparations of my own as well."
"Understood," Thaedus acknowledged.
Marcus reached out and shut off the communication. Silence returned to the cockpit. Rising from his seat, he stepped out of the cockpit, kicked off lightly with his feet, and flew off toward Earth.
Three weeks later.
In the Great Hall of the Viltrum Empire's Imperial Palace, the towering dome was engraved with the deeds of past rulers, the golden reliefs gleaming coldly beneath the dim red lights. Grand Regent Thragg sat upon the throne, one hand resting on the armrest, cradling a white skull in his palm. His thumb slowly stroked the rim of the skull's eye socket, tracing the indentations upon the bone.
To one side of the hall, Kregg knelt on one knee, his voice echoing through the vast space: "Grand Regent, My Lord, Conquest has been missing for twenty-one days."
Thragg did not respond immediately from his throne. His thumb continued to glide over the cheekbone of the skull, his movements slow and deliberate.
Kregg waited a few seconds before continuing, "Should we send someone to investigate?"
Thragg finally ceased his finger's motion and set the skull gently down on the armrest. He raised his gaze, his voice deep and level: "What mission was Conquest on when he disappeared?"
Kregg replied in a steady voice, "Conquest's mission was to head to Earth to handle Nolan's defection and evaluate Nolan's son, Mark. If Mark proved to have betrayed the Empire like Nolan, Conquest was authorized to eliminate him directly."
Thragg slowly rose from his throne. Tall and imposing, his broad shoulders bore a dark red cape.
"Nolan." He repeated the name, his tone devoid of emotion. "A fine warrior. A pity he betrayed the Empire."
Thragg took two steps across the hall, his cape dragging across the stone floor with a faint rustle. He came to a stop before Kregg and looked down at the kneeling warrior.
"Kregg, pass down the order to put the fleet on standby," Thragg's voice echoed through the hall. "I will go to Earthto see for myself."
Kregg snapped his head up, his tone laced with clear surprise: "Why would you need to intervene personally, Grand Regent, My Lord? We only need to send a few of our people."
Thragg turned and walked back toward the throne, his cape trailing a dark red arc behind him. He sat back down, his fingers returning to the white skull as his gaze locked onto Kregg's face. "Anyone capable of making Conquestdisappear will not be investigated so easily."
His thumb paused at the skull's eye socket, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable pressure: "Furthermore, you only need to follow my orders."
Kregg lowered his head, bowing even deeper. "Yes, Grand Regent, My Lord."
A few days later, on the far side of the Moon.
Allen held the Power Stone in his hand. Veins of purple energy spread from his palm onto his arm, crept up his neck, and reached all the way to his cheek. His body trembled violently, his teeth chattering loudly as veins bulged across his forehead. Purple light spilled through the gaps between his fingers, bathing the surrounding grayish-white lunar rocks in deep violet.
"Ugh... Ahhh..."
A stifled growl squeezed through his clenched teeth as he sank to his knees on the lunar surface, cracking the bedrock beneath him.
Chapter 168: Allen Endures the Power Stone, Mars Alert Triggered
Marcus stood beside Allen, watching his state.
Fine cracks had already begun to appear on Allen's skin, and purple energy was seeping out from those fissures, as if it could tear him apart from the inside at any moment.
"That's enough." Marcus reached out and took the Power Stone from his palm.
The purple light instantly dissipated from Allen's body like an ebbing tide.
Allen let out a long breath, his whole body feeling as if all his strength had been drained, and he collapsed flat on his back onto the lunar surface.
His single eye gazed at the pitch-black starry sky, his chest heaving violently, and it took him quite a while to recover.
"This thing packs a real punch." His voice was hoarse.
Marcus lowered his head to look at the purple gemstone in his palm, the newly replenished energy slowly circulating inside the gem.
He put the Power Stone back into his space bracelet and looked down at Allen lying on the ground, his tone steady: "This is a Universe-grade treasure after all. If an ordinary person holds it for a second or two, they'll be blown apart by the energy inside."
He paused, looking at Allen's still violently heaving chest, and added: "For you to hold out for three minutes is already quite remarkable."
Allen lay on the lunar surface, his single eye blinking, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into a smug arc.
He raised a hand and patted his own chest, his voice hoarse yet carrying a matter-of-fact pride: "Of course. I am a Super Unoparan, after all."
Marcus bent down and reached out a hand, his tone carrying a trace of amazement: "I have to say, this talent of yours where you grow stronger the more injured you get is truly absurd. In just over ten days, you've become no weaker than Conquest."
Allen reached out to grab his hand, using the leverage to stand up from the lunar surface, and dusted off the moon dust from his body.
He lowered his head to glance at the slowly healing wounds on his palms, a hint of helplessness in his tone: "What a pity. Ever since the scientists found out about my talent, none of the newly created genetically modified warriors have had this ability of mine."
Marcus turned and walked toward the spaceship, his pace unhurried.
Without looking back, he said: "Maybe your ability is just one of a kind."
Allen followed behind, putting his injured hand into his pocket and scratching his head with the other: "One of a kind? What a waste. If those scientists could copy it onto all the warriors, it would save a lot of trouble when dealing with the Viltrum Empire."
Just as Marcus was about to say something, the communication channel inside the spaceship suddenly emitted a rapid chime.
He immediately stepped through the hatch, quickly walked down the corridor, and entered the control room.
Allen followed behind, casually pulling the hatch shut.
Marcus sat down in front of the control console and pressed the answer button.
A strange voice came through the public channel, speaking rapidly with obvious tension: "A space jump reaction has been detected near Mars. Is anyone nearby able to go take a look?"
After a brief silence, another voice chimed in: "I'm the closest, I'll go."
The channel fell silent for a moment.
Then that voice sounded again, this time lower and more urgent: "It's the Viltrumites! I've been discovered! Requesting backup!"
Immediately afterward, Thaedus's voice came through the channel, calm and decisive: "All personnel, immediately head to the vicinity of Mars for backup! I repeat, all personnel, immediately head to the vicinity of Mars for backup!"
Marcus and Allen exchanged a glance, with no extra words needed.
Marcus's fingers had already landed on the control panel, and the engine's hum escalated from a low drone to a sharp screech within seconds.
Allen's backside had barely touched the seat and his safety harness wasn't even buckled yet before his whole body was pressed into the backrest by inertia.
"Hold on tight."
As soon as Marcus finished speaking, his finger pressed the thruster's start button.
Blinding blue flames spewed from the bottom of the spaceship, pushing it soaring into the sky as it flew at full speed toward the nearest jump point.
Chapter 169: Battle near Mars, the Universe's Strongest Battle Beast!
Near Mars. A massive black Viltrum Empire battleship hovered in the center of the battlefield, with hundreds of small spaceships piloted by Empire slaves flanking both sides of its hull.
The Empire spaceships were in a fierce firefight with Alliance spaceships swarming in from all directions.
Lasers and energy blasts zipped back and forth across the starry sky, each hit exploding into a blinding fireball. Spaceships from both sides were destroyed one after another, their debris tumbling and scattering in the vacuum.
At the same time, several Viltrumites were also flying back and forth across the battlefield. Without relying on any weapons, they tore through the hulls of Alliancespaceships relying only on their Physical Body.
One Viltrumite warrior pierced through the bow of a frigate and emerged from its stern, the entire ship exploding into a fireball behind him. Another Viltrumite grabbed one side of a cruiser with both arms and tore it apart by brute force.
On the deck of the Empire battleship, Grand RegentThragg stood at the very front, watching the scene on the battlefield. He watched as Alliance spaceships were torn apart one after another, his face completely expressionless.
Using the interstellar thought-transmission implant installed in his body, Thragg broadcasted his voice to the entire battlefield: "With so many of you lying in ambush here, it seems Conquest was indeed killed by you."
His thought signal crossed the vacuum, spreading to every Alliance spaceship. The exchange of fire on the battlefield briefly paused for a moment before resuming as usual.
Thragg paused, then continued in a calm tone, "However, with just this level of firepower, you couldn't possibly kill Conquest."
He glanced out the observation window at the Alliancespaceships that were being destroyed one by one, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice. "So stop wasting time. Whoever you have, whatever tricks you've got, bring them out."
Just as Thragg finished speaking, an Alliance spaceship that had just jumped into the edge of the battlefield suddenly opened its hatch. A white figure ejected from the cabin, carrying an ear-piercing roar as it charged straight toward the Empire battleship where Thragg was.
"Viltrumites! Come and engage in an honorable battle with me once more!"
The Battle Beast's white mane drifted backward in the vacuum, his jetpack spewing two long trails of flame behind him. His fists clenched until they popped, his fangs fully exposed from the sides of his grinning mouth, and his slitted pupils burned with a long-suppressed Battle Intent.
On the deck of the Empire battleship, a Viltrumite who had remained silent behind Thragg took a step forward. He was lean, his dark skin wrapping around tight muscles, with no extra expression on his face.
"Grand Regent, My Lord, leave this death-seeking fellow to me."
Thragg looked at the White Lion Berserker Beast and gave a flat grunt of approval.
Standing to the side, Kregg crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the rapidly approaching Battle Beast, his tone carrying a hint of caution: "Be careful. This guy holds the title of the strongest in the Universe."
The lean Viltrumite cracked his neck, his joints making a few sharp popping sounds. A disdainful smirk curled on his lips: "The so-called strongest in the Universe is only because he hasn't run into us Viltrumites."
With those words, he kicked off the deck with both feet and shot straight toward the Battle Beast.
The two figures collided violently in the center of the battlefield. The fists of the Battle Beast and the Viltrumiteclashed, the friction of bone against bone vibrating up their arms and through their entire bodies.
The lean Viltrumite's arm was trembling, shaking more and more violently from his wrist to his forearm.
Feeling the tremor from the opposing arm, a flash of disappointment crossed the Battle Beast's slitted pupils. He roared, "You are far weaker than Conquest!"
With those words, his other fist immediately swung out, slamming squarely into the Viltrumite's chest. The crisp sound of shattering bones echoed through his body, and the lean Viltrumite was sent flying backward like a cannonball, smashing through the hulls of two Empirespaceships before disappearing into the debris field at the edge of the battlefield.
Chapter 170: Battle Beast Faces the Viltrumite Grand Regent
Battle Beast didn't give another look to the knocked-away Viltrumite.
His gaze was locked tightly onto Thragg, and the jetpack on his back spewed two long trails of exhaust as he continued flying toward the Empire warship.
On the deck, Kregg watched the rapidly approaching white figure, turned his head, and said to Thragg, "Grand RegentMy Lord, how about I take a few men to intercept him?"
Thragg stood at the very front of the deck with his hands behind his back, his cape fluttering slightly within the warship's energy shield.
His gaze remained fixed on Battle Beast as he said in a calm tone, "No need."
The next second, Battle Beast crashed through the energy shield, his feet landing heavily on the deck of the Empirewarship.
The metal deck caved in slightly beneath his feet, his white mane drifted backward, and his slit pupils stared straight at Thragg.
Looking at the white lion before him, Thragg spoke in an even tone, "Judging by what you just said, it seems you have crossed paths with Conquest."
"That's right." Battle Beast clenched his fists, his knuckles emitting a rapid series of cracking sounds.
Thragg's gaze lingered on him for a moment, and his voice carried no emotional fluctuation whatsoever, "So you're saying Conquest was killed by you."
"No." Battle Beast grinned, revealing two rows of sharp fangs, "Even though I wanted to kill him with my own hands. But the person who killed him wasn't me."
Thragg stared at Battle Beast for a few seconds.
He had originally thought Conquest died at the hands of this beast, not expecting there to be another expert.
A rare hint of seriousness crept into Thragg's voice, "Then do you know who it was?"
"Of course I know." Battle Beast grinned.
Battle Intent burned within his pupils, "That person's name is Marcus. He's a Viltrumite."
Kregg immediately leaned close to Thragg's side and lowered his voice, "Grand Regent My Lord, that's the missing recruit."
Thragg's gaze didn't leave Battle Beast as he acknowledged in a calm tone, "I know."
Battle Beast shook his mane, Battle Intent surging within his slit pupils.
He continued, "Originally, my only purpose in coming here was to finish that unfinished fight with him."
He paused, his fangs gleaming with a white light under the cold glow, "But that guy said he had to finish his own business before he was willing to duel me. So I came to help him take care of you guys."
Thragg's expression didn't change at all.
Kregg, however, stepped forward first, his fists clenched tight and his voice cold and hard, "Arrogant bastard. Let me..."
Before he could finish speaking, Thragg raised a hand and interrupted him.
Then that hand clenched into a fist in mid-air.
The next instant, Thragg's figure vanished from the deck, appearing directly in front of Battle Beast.
His fist, carrying terrifying power, smashed straight toward Battle Beast's chest.
Battle Beast reacted extremely fast, crossing his arms to block in front of his chest.
Boom!
Battle Beast's body flew backward like a white meteor, crashing through the energy barrier of the Empire warship and tumbling through the Universe, his white mane drifting messily in the vacuum.
The next second, Thragg's figure vanished once more.
While Battle Beast was still tumbling and trying to steady his body, a palm had already pressed against the jetpack on his back.
The power in that hand precisely pinned his entire body fixedly in the Void Realm.
Thragg's voice came from behind him, deep and calm, "Do you still think you can take care of me now?"
Hearing Thragg's words, Battle Beast grinned even wider at the corners of his mouth.
He let out a roar, twisting his waist and shifting his hips, violently smashing his elbow toward Thragg behind him, "That's it! The stronger you are, the more excited I get!"
Chapter 171: Thragg Offers Terms, Kregg Fights Thaedus
Thragg's palm suddenly tightened, his five fingers sinking directly into the metal casing of the jetpack.
Before Battle Beast's elbow could smash into his head, Thragg had already swung his arm and hurled him toward the nearest Alliance spaceship.
Battle Beast's body instantly turned into a White meteor, smashing straight through the hull of the Alliancespaceship and bursting out from the other side.
The spaceship exploded with a roar, and Battle Beast's figure turned into a small White dot amidst the fire.
Thragg withdrew his arm and turned to look at the periphery of the battlefield. Several Alliance ships were successively emerging from the jump point.
The next second, the hatch doors of several spaceships opened simultaneously.
Marcus flew out of the hatch, with Allen closely following behind. Thaedus landed beside them, while Mark and Nolan flew out from another spaceship. The Immortal, leading dozens of Earth heroes capable of fighting in the Universe, poured out from the third spaceship.
Thaedus glanced at the battlefield, turned to look at Marcus and the others, and said in a steady yet urgent voice: "You all go deal with the other Viltrumites. I will personally settle the Viltrumite Emperor once again."
Without waiting for anyone to respond, his figure flashed and he rapidly flew toward where Thragg was.
Mark and Nolan exchanged a glance, then led The Immortal and the others to fly toward the other Viltrumites in the battlefield. Allen followed along as well.
Marcus's gaze fell upon Thaedus's receding back as he flew away. He remembered in his past-life memories that Thaedus had been killed in a single strike by an enraged Thragg.
Thus, Marcus sped up to catch up to Thaedus's side, flying alongside him. Thaedus turned his head to look at him, his brow slightly furrowed: "Why are you following me over here?"
"That Grand Regent is very strong." Marcus's tone was steady, "You need a helper."
Thaedus fell silent for a moment, then said nothing more, merely continuing to fly toward Thragg.
On the Empire warship, Kregg saw Marcus and the others flying toward the Grand Regent. Therefore, he immediately took several Viltrumites from the warship and flew to Thragg's side.
Kregg raised his hand to point at Marcus, his voice cold and hard: "Grand Regent My Lord, that is the recruit Marcus."
Thragg's gaze fell upon Marcus, who had stopped dozens of meters away. He looked him up and down and spoke in an even tone: "Marcus. I do not know why you want to betray the Empire. However, I can give you a chance to return to the Empire."
He glanced at Thaedus and the others from the Alliance, his gaze returning to Marcus's face: "As long as you kill these people from the Alliance, you can rejoin the Empire."
Before Marcus could open his mouth, Thaedus had already flown forward by half a step. He stared at Thragg, a hint of a sneer in his voice: "Since when has the Empire become so lenient toward traitors."
Thragg's gaze shifted away from Marcus and landed on Thaedus's face. After seeing Thaedus's face clearly, Kreggbeside him experienced a sharp contraction of his pupils.
"I didn't expect you to still dare to show your face, traitor!" Kregg roared, his figure shooting out violently from beside Thragg and charging straight toward Thaedus.
Rushing in front of Thaedus, he wrapped his entire body's strength into his right fist and fiercely smashed it toward Thaedus's head.
Thaedus sidestepped to avoid it, the wind of the fist brushing past his shoulder. He raised his right foot, delivering a precise side kick straight into Kregg's abdomen. Kregg's body arched, and he flew backward, tumbling dozens of meters through the vacuum before steadying his figure.
Thaedus withdrew his leg, looking at Kregg with calm eyes and a tone devoid of any emotion: "You have always been weak, Kregg."
Kregg clenched his teeth, the muscles on his face twitching violently. He rushed forward once more, his fists raining down like a storm toward Thaedus. Thaedus did not dodge or evade, raising his hands to block as their fists collided successively in the Void Realm, dull thuds sounding one after another. The more Kregg fought, the more anxious he became, his offensive growing increasingly fierce, yet Thaedus always blocked right in front of him, not stepping back a single step.
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