"A divine aura? How is this possible?!" Galantra was the first to cry out in shock. The "divine aura" she spoke of was not that of Earth's gods but a true cosmic god.
"An unfamiliar god? What's going on?" Even Galactus's voice carried a rare hint of confusion as he muttered, his massive form staring toward the Sun.
In the cosmos, true gods were not born after the universe's creation. They existed before the universe and held authority over its primordial rules. Even Galantra herself, though referred to as Galactus's daughter, was not a true cosmic god. She was a tapeworm that had evolved from within Galactus's body.
While Galantra was undoubtedly stronger than most beings in the universe and could indeed be called a "god," she lacked the essential powers that defined true gods: mastery over universal rules.
"Whoosh!"
At the same time, deep within the Sun, Robert opened his eyes. He glanced at the energy surging around him, his expression flickering with a mix of surprise and satisfaction.
At this moment, Robert's appearance was neither that of Broly's full-power Super Saiyan form nor the familiar green-haired transformation. Instead, his current form resembled the Super Saiyan God state combined with the destructive aura of Ultra Instinct. His body radiated a glowing purple aura, with his hair similarly transformed into a striking shade of purple.
Thankfully, unlike the Super Saiyan 3 or Ultra Instinct Vegeta forms, Robert had retained his eyebrows, avoiding the dreaded "no-eyebrows alien" look.
Robert was certain of one thing: his power had undergone a tremendous leap compared to before. In many ways, his current form was a unique fusion of the Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct states. It was a state belonging solely to him.
Just as Goku Black's Super Saiyan Rosé was distinct with its pink hue, Robert's transformation deviated from the usual Super Saiyan Red or Blue. Perhaps it was related to the residual energy of the shattered Power Stone and the insight he had gained from its rules. But there was no time to ponder such details now—he still had to face the formidable Galactus!
"Whoosh!"
Robert spared a glance at Clark, who remained deep in slumber within the Sun. His figure vanished from the solar inferno, reappearing outside Earth, standing tall before everyone.
"Super Saiyan?"
"Robert?"
"That annoying little insect?"
Different names escaped the mouths of those present, each laden with surprise. Moments earlier, they had believed Robert was dead. Yet here he stood, not only alive but exuding a power so overwhelming it defied comprehension. His strength had clearly reached an entirely new and terrifying level.
"Looks like I'm not needed here anymore. I'll return to keep an eye on my own problems," Wanda said after a long, contemplative look at Robert. With that, her figure vanished, leaving behind a trail of crimson energy that gradually dissipated.
"Looks like it's time for the second round," Robert said with a confident smile, nodding at the Ancient One before turning his gaze toward Galactus. His eyes burned with determination. "Last time, my attacks barely scratched you. Let's see how you fare now."
"Wait!" Before Robert could make a move, the Ancient One called out. "If you fight here, Earth won't survive the aftermath! Galactus, you've already seen the strength of our side. I implore you to spare Earth…"
The Ancient One still wished to avoid further battle. From her perspective, Robert's survival was already a great fortune, especially now that his power had surged exponentially.
Given that Robert had previously managed to breach Galactus's defenses and cause actual harm, his newly elevated strength gave Earth's defenders a better chance. Even if Robert couldn't outright defeat Galactus, he could at least force the cosmic entity to expend more energy—a key bargaining chip in negotiations.
Galactus, too, seemed to hesitate. It wasn't that he feared Robert. Even though he didn't understand why Robert exuded the aura of a cosmic god and appeared capable of threatening him, Galactus remained confident in his own power. He had never been defeated and didn't believe Robert could change that.
But Galactus was a being of calculation. If a fight with Robert would force him to waste a significant amount of energy, it might not be worth the cost.
"Yeah, Dad, since Robert is so strong now, why not go back to sleep? Or find another planet to consume? Just not in this solar system—it might cause unnecessary problems," Galantra chimed in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she observed Robert's transformation. However, when Galactus remained silent, she quickly added, "Seriously, Dad. You've been grumpy lately."
"It's fine. Our fight won't affect Earth," Robert interjected suddenly. Before anyone could react, his figure had already appeared before Galactus. To everyone's surprise, Robert wasn't attacking. Instead, he placed a single hand on Galactus's massive form.
"Whoosh!"
In the blink of an eye, both Robert and Galactus vanished, leaving behind a stunned Ancient One, a perplexed Galantra, and a visibly unsettled Silver Surfer.
"What just happened? Where did they go?" Galantra asked, turning to the Ancient One, who was equally at a loss. Silver Surfer flew closer, his posture tense and ready for action as he warily watched the Ancient One.
"My guess? Robert took Galactus into the Interdimensional Void," the Ancient One said after a moment of contemplation, her expression complicated.
The Interdimensional Void was a space between dimensions, close to Earth's dimension yet separate from it. In this void, Galactus and Robert could fight without threatening Earth. In fact, they could even carry their battle into other dimensions if necessary.
The Ancient One understood Robert's reasoning. With his and Galactus's overwhelming power, a battle in the universe could spell disaster on an unfathomable scale.
During his earlier fight with the Eradicator, the shockwaves alone had destroyed an entire star system. If Robert were to clash with Galactus, the devastation would be exponentially worse. Not just the solar system, but perhaps even the Milky Way—or larger galactic structures—would be annihilated.
By choosing the Interdimensional Void, Robert ensured their battle wouldn't endanger innocent lives or civilizations.
"This place… the Interdimensional Void?" Galactus finally spoke, his voice tinged with curiosity as he scanned his new surroundings. Though he hadn't detected any spatial fluctuations earlier, he now realized Robert had somehow brought him here. Coupled with Robert's ability to repeatedly vanish and reappear, Galactus suspected Robert had mastered a unique form of teleportation beyond conventional spatial rules.
"You don't think you can trap me here, do you?" Galactus asked, shrinking his colossal form down to Robert's size. His voice carried a faint sneer. "If this were beyond the boundaries of the universe, I might struggle to return. But the Interdimensional Void is still part of this cosmos…"
The Void between dimensions was distinct from the "outside" of the universe. It was a liminal space connecting the many dimensions within this universe, unlike truly external dimensions that were entirely disconnected from the cosmos.
However, Galactus's words didn't seem to faze Robert. "Trap you? Weren't you listening earlier?" Robert shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I said… the second round begins now!"
"Whoosh!"
"Boom!"
In an instant, Robert disappeared from Galactus's sight. Before Galactus could react, Robert reappeared at his side, delivering a powerful punch that sent the cosmic entity flying.
With a single blow, Robert had surpassed all the damage he had inflicted during their earlier skirmishes. Galactus was not just physically struck—his pride and confidence were also shattered in that moment.
"Damn insect! You dare—" Galactus roared, his immense power surging as he steadied himself. His rage was palpable, his booming voice shaking the Void. But before he could finish his sentence, another voice interrupted.
"Dad, I don't think he's just an insect," Galantra muttered thoughtfully. "Doesn't his aura resemble that of a cosmic god? Honestly, he seems more like a god than I do."
Galactus froze, his anger momentarily giving way to an awkward silence.
"Rules? Hah! He hasn't even mastered true cosmic rules!" Galactus snapped, his tone dripping with disdain. "He's barely stronger than those Celestials! And let me be clear: since the dawn of this universe, no god has ever been born post-creation. Those so-called gods are nothing more than pretenders!"
For Galactus, the distinction was clear. Celestials, planetary gods, and even beings like Robert—none of them were true gods. True gods had existed since before the universe began, embodying primordial forces.
"Boom!"
But before Galactus could continue his tirade, a purple energy blast struck him head-on, forcing him to stagger backward.
"That's… the Power Stone's energy? No, wait…" Galactus muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the attack. "It's not the Power Stone. It merely mimics its properties… a crude imitation mixed with your own energy!"
From the sidelines, Galantra couldn't help but whisper, "Dad's talking way more than usual. Is he actually losing? How is this guy, who doesn't eat as much as me, suddenly this powerful?"
"Lord Galactus rarely speaks during battle…" Silver Surfer's lips twitched slightly as he replied in a low voice.
Meanwhile, Robert showed no signs of letting up. His next purple energy blast was already hurtling toward Galactus, determined to force the cosmic giant into taking the fight seriously.
"You think I'll let you get away with this?" Galactus roared, unleashing his own violet energy wave to counter Robert's attack.
"Boom!"
The two forces collided, creating an explosion that rippled through the Void, shaking its very fabric. But Robert was far from done. As the dust settled, his figure reappeared beside Galactus, launching a swift kick toward his opponent's midsection.
"Boom!"
This time, Galactus was ready. His hand shot out, intercepting Robert's attack. Yet this was only the beginning of Robert's relentless onslaught. The battle was far from over.
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