In the sky, that massive scrap-iron sphere several kilometers across hung like a sword of Damocles over everyone's heads.
Shadow blanketed the city, so oppressive it stole the breath from every chest.
Erik hovered mid-air, hands gripping empty air as though it were a sceptre of power.
Looking down at the Nova Corps soldiers frozen in terror, he curled his lips in a sneer of contempt.
"What? Giving up already?"
"Where's that bravado from earlier now?"
Erik's fingers twitched.
Bzzzt—
The colossal iron sphere groaned with the screech of tortured metal.
"Since you love this junk so much—have it back!"
Erik's eyes hardened and he swept both arms downward.
"Smash… EVERYTHING!"
Rumble—
Accelerated by magnetism, the titanic ball smashed toward the battered troops below with world-ending force.
Air compressed and burst, shrieking like a banshee.
The Nova soldiers on the ground looked up in despair.
The growing shadow was the scythe of the God of Death.
"It's over… all over…"
"Mom…"
Just as everyone thought they'd be pulped, a golden streak, dawn slicing through night, shot to the front of the crowd.
"No one retreats!"
A roar of authority and power shook the battlefield.
It was Richard Rider!
The legend of the Nova Corps blazed with golden nova-energy.
Like a comet surging against the current, he slammed straight into the plummeting metal meteor.
"A lump of scrap thinks it can break the spine of the Nova Corps?!"
Blinding gold flared from Richard's eyes. He neither dodged nor blasted it with beams. Instead he did something that made every jaw hit the floor—he stretched out his hands.
He intended to catch it bare-handed?!
Frieza, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Does this ant think he's strong?"
"Or just short a few brain cells?"
The next instant—
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the world.
The falling iron sphere froze barely thirty meters above the ground as those tiny hands held it fast.
Golden nova-energy erupted like a tide, sheathing the entire sphere and severing Erik's magnetic grip.
"What?!"
Erik's face changed. He felt control of the sphere ripped away in an instant—like someone had yanked out his network cable.
"Impossible!"
Instinctively, he tried to boost the magnetic output. But Richard gave him no chance.
"It's yours—BACK!"
Veins bulged on Richard's forehead, muscles knotting, the black-and-gold armor's engines roaring at full throttle. Power surged from his hips as he roared.
He hurled the multi-million-ton iron ball back like a baseball—straight at Erik.
Whoosh!
The sphere shot back twice as fast as it had fallen.
"Crap!"
Erik cursed, frantically warping the magnetic field to dodge by a hair.
BOOM!
The sphere clipped his cloak, slammed into empty ground beyond, and carved out an impact crater that set off a mini-quake.
The sight reignited the Nova soldiers below.
"Centurion Rider!"
"He caught it!"
"That's the power of the Nova! We're saved!"
Their shattered morale fused in an instant.
Richard hovered in mid-air, black-and-gold armor gleaming, a war-god incarnate.
He turned, eyes like ice sweeping Frieza Force.
"All units—form up!"
"For Xandar—drive these invaders out!"
"CHARGE!!!"
Re-energized, the Nova Corps raised their weapons and howled as they surged forward.
Richard took the lead, diving straight into the enemy mob.
"Red-skinned freak—die!"
He flashed forward, instantly in front of Azazel.
Azazel tried to teleport, only to find the space around him sealed by energy.
Boom!
A golden-nova fist detonated.
Azazel was sent spinning like a top, smashing through several buildings before stopping.
"And you—blade juggler!"
Richard spun and kicked Taskmaster into the ground so hard he couldn't be pried out.
Too fierce!
Loki, eager to shine, figured his moment had come.
"Brute force never solves anything."
A sly smile appeared on his face as he twirled a dagger.
Whoosh... Whoosh...
Dozens of Lokis surrounded Richard in illusory copies.
"Guess which one is the magnificent trick—"
"All fakes."
Without even glancing, Richard's helmet star flashed once.
To the Nova Helmet's super-sight Loki's parlor trick was a cheap carnival show.
Ignoring the clawing phantoms, Richard moved straight to the real Loki sneaking for a back-stab.
"What?!" Loki's grin froze, green eyes wide with panic.
"A god? Pathetic."
Richard's energy-wrapped fist slammed into Loki's face without mercy.
Smack!
"Guh—!"
Loki felt a starship crash into him. His nose shattered, cheeks caved, and he rocketed into the plaza's hard stone. He even bounced twice.
"Aah… my face…"
Loki lay in the crater, cradling his ruined visage, Ginyu Force uniform now filthy and tattered.
"That weak?"
Frieza rubbed his temples, speechless at the sight of his downed men.
"Really now…"
[Ding! Host's subordinates meet strong foe! Fear Points Growth drops slightly!]
At the system prompt, Frieza's gaze chilled.
He studied the golden savior mowing through his troops.
"Hey, you—shiny one."
Frieza's quiet words cut through every battlefield noise.
Richard froze, looked up, and locked eyes on the white demon who had yet to act.
Instinct screamed: this one was the true terror.
"You're their leader?" Richard clenched his fists, energy flaring.
"Leader?"
Frieza chuckled, one finger pointing at Richard.
"No, I am the Emperor of this Universe."