Robert's fists and feet kept landing blow after blow on Galactus. Although Galactus could still block most of Robert's attacks, it was clear he was struggling. Unlike the earlier exchange where Galactus had been utterly impervious to Robert's strikes, now even blocking was proving difficult.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
This was something Galactus simply could not accept. His body began to glow more and more intensely, as though he were awakening the latent energy within him. His aura and strength surged to unprecedented levels, leaving even the Ancient One visibly shaken.
Silver Surfer, who had been watching from a safe distance, was no less shocked. In all his years as Galactus's herald, he had never seen his master in such a state. This level of power and escalation was completely new to him, and the mere sight of it compelled him to step back instinctively, lest he be caught in the ensuing chaos.
"Boom!"
"Rumble!"
Silver Surfer's caution was well-founded. The next clash between Robert and Galactus sent a terrifying shockwave rippling outward. The resulting explosion hurled both the Ancient One and Galantra far into the distance.
While the Ancient One and Galantra were strong enough to withstand the blast with minimal injuries, neither dared remain too close. Both realized that Robert and Galactus had stopped holding back entirely, and the sheer destructiveness of their battle could obliterate anyone caught in its wake.
"His strength, speed, and defenses have all skyrocketed. Is this Galactus's true power?" Robert muttered to himself mid-battle, feeling the overwhelming energy radiating from his opponent. He raised an eyebrow, briefly pondering the change. "The gap between his earlier and current state might not be as dramatic as a Super Saiyan transformation, but it's definitely like when Frieza starts unleashing his hidden power. I just wonder—has he gone all out yet?"
Despite Galactus's significant power increase, Robert showed no signs of relenting. On the contrary, his own strength was steadily rising as the battle progressed. Having just ascended to a new divine state, Robert's potential seemed limitless, and his power continued to grow with every passing moment.
This divine state, unique to Robert, was not bound by the rules of Goku and Vegeta's Super Saiyan Red or Blue transformations. Instead, it was a manifestation of his own path, driven by his unparalleled ability to adapt and grow stronger during combat. Each clash with Galactus further refined his strength.
"How is this possible?" Galactus, locked in the fierce melee, couldn't help but feel a growing sense of confusion. He had expected that unleashing his true power would overwhelm Robert. But instead, Robert was keeping pace, even pressing the advantage.
Could Robert, like himself, be a true cosmic god? Could it be that Robert, too, had been holding back earlier and was now revealing his full strength to match Galactus's escalation?
But that didn't make sense. Cosmic gods were a rare, ancient breed. Only five existed in this universe, and all were well-known to each other. Where had this mysterious newcomer come from? Could Robert be a god from another universe?
"Boom!"
Before Galactus could dwell further on these troubling questions, Robert seized an opening and landed a solid punch to his head, nearly dislodging his iconic helmet.
"Damn it!" Galactus growled, snapping out of his thoughts. He realized he could no longer afford any distractions. He would need to abandon all restraint and fight with everything he had.
With a decisive thought, Galactus allowed more of his body to light up, the radiance intensifying into a solidified energy form. His aura became almost tangible, exuding a pressure so immense that even Robert furrowed his brows.
"Is this… his limit?" Robert muttered, feeling the drastic change in Galactus's presence. He pushed his own power to its peak, but he could tell there was still a noticeable gap between them.
"He's finally reached his full strength," Galactus noted with a predatory gleam in his eyes. He lunged forward, his fist crackling with an immense amount of energy, determined to send Robert flying for the first time in their battle.
"Boom!"
Galactus's punch collided with Robert's own, and the resulting shockwave was deafening. Yet to Galactus's surprise, Robert stood his ground. He didn't stagger, didn't flinch. In fact, Robert used the opportunity to close the distance, unleashing a flurry of blows aimed at Galactus's head and chest.
"How is he not falling back? I've already injured him!" Galactus thought in growing frustration as he blocked Robert's relentless attacks. Even with injuries visibly accumulating on Robert's body, he remained unyielding.
Seizing the momentum, Robert's relentless assault forced Galactus onto the defensive. Though Galactus's increased power allowed him to retaliate more effectively than before, the tide of the battle had not shifted as dramatically as he had hoped. If anything, Robert's tenacity only grew stronger.
"This can't be happening," Galactus muttered under his breath as the realization set in. "This… mortal… he's in some kind of state where he can't be knocked down. Even when I wound him, he refuses to yield."
Though Galactus didn't understand the full extent of Robert's abilities, one thing became clear: this was a war of attrition, and Robert showed no signs of relenting. If Galactus wanted to win, he would need to rethink his strategy.
Hardening his resolve, Galactus decided to fully embrace the brutality of the fight. He would meet Robert head-on, blow for blow, until only one of them was left standing.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
The Void echoed with the sound of their devastating strikes, each one leaving visible wounds on both combatants. Though both possessed remarkable regenerative abilities, the nature of their respective energies was so potent that it prevented their injuries from healing quickly.
"Too brutal!" Galantra exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief as she watched the fight from afar. "I've never seen Dad fight so savagely before!"
"In my eyes, Lord Galactus was always invincible. But now, this… human, if he can even be called that, is truly terrifying," Silver Surfer remarked, his tone filled with a mix of awe and dread.
For the first time, Silver Surfer questioned whether Galactus could actually claim victory in this battle. Robert's tenacity and strength were unlike anything he had ever seen. Even if Galactus could theoretically overpower him, it seemed unlikely that he could emerge unscathed.
"This is foolish. Why am I trading blows with him like this? I'm wasting too much energy!" Galactus suddenly realized, his mind snapping back to clarity. "He's not a true god. I should be able to suppress him using my command of universal rules!"
With that, Galactus disengaged, leaping back to put distance between himself and Robert. As his energy shifted, Robert's sharp senses picked up on the change.
"He's preparing something. A final move or maybe a trump card," Robert thought, narrowing his eyes. "But I'm not going to give him the chance."
"Whoosh!"
In a flash, Robert appeared in front of Galactus and delivered a punch aimed at his chest.
"Smack!"
This time, however, the impact felt different. Robert's punch seemed to dissolve into nothingness, its force absorbed entirely by a strange new aura surrounding Galactus. At the same time, Robert felt a powerful suction pulling at his energy, as though Galactus's body was trying to consume him.
"Not good," Robert muttered, vanishing with instant transmission to put some distance between them. Reappearing above Galactus, he unleashed a massive Kamehameha.
"Zzzzz!"
But the energy blast met the same fate, disappearing into the strange field surrounding Galactus.
"Ha! You see now? You're no true god!" Galactus laughed triumphantly. "You haven't mastered the rules. You can't even touch me anymore!"
"Touch you?" Robert smirked, his expression calm. "Your ability can absorb energy, but can it handle this?"
"Whoosh!"
Before Galactus could process the meaning of Robert's words, the Saiyan reappeared right in front of him. With one hand gripping his other wrist, Robert aimed his palm at Galactus's chest.
"Hakai."
A surge of purple energy burst forth, carrying with it the destructive force of universal rules.
"Argh!" Galactus roared in pain as the attack severed one of his arms entirely. The appendage didn't explode, nor did it regenerate—it simply ceased to exist.
"You… mastered rule-based destruction?!" Galactus stumbled backward, his expression filled with disbelief. "Are you really a god from another universe?"
"No," Robert replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. "It's a technique I just learned. Looks like your absorption trick doesn't work against this."
Galactus grimaced, realizing the gravity of his situation. "I won't fight you anymore! This is pointless!"
"You think you have a choice?" Robert shot forward, his eyes gleaming with determination. "The fight's not over yet!"
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