Yes, it was fundamentally impossible. Fury fully agreed with Coulson's conclusion.
Progress only came through conflict. Only the struggle for survival could unearth extraordinary potential. This was the essence of life... whether human or alien.
This also indirectly proved that Druig's ideology as an Eternal had massive flaws. No wonder his relationships with all the other Eternals were so terrible that they had completely cut ties.
He had even fallen out with their leader, Ajak.
"Druig possesses psychic abilities and can see through lies. Deceiving him with words is impossible."
Fury believed that as long as he himself didn't appear before Druig, Druig would be the perfect tool.
After all, he absolutely refused to believe that anyone in this world could fulfill Druig's unrealistic fantasy.
…
Druig looked at the countless Xenomorphs surrounding him. A trace of excitement flickered in his eyes.
"So many… so many pure minds…" Druig opened his psychic abilities and felt an illusion... like he was floating in an ocean of blissful minds. Clean, though somewhat cold.
Because the thoughts of these Xenomorphs were pure and icy. But Druig didn't demand perfection. He couldn't nitpick such minor details when dealing with a species that possessed such excellent inner qualities.
"Truly perfect."
Under everyone's gazes, Druig finally managed to utter a sentence. It was as if he had just awakened from a hundred-meter-wide bed bathed in warm sunlight, utterly content.
"Perfect in what way?" Adam asked.
"In every way. These Xenomorphs are like beings meticulously selected by the Celestials themselves." Druig hadn't shown such clear emotional fluctuation in a very long time.
"The Celestials have no right to select my Xenomorphs."
"You've never left Earth, let alone seen the Celestials! You don't actually think becoming the God of Thunder makes you comparable to a true Celestial, do you?"
"No, but I know that the group led by Arishem doesn't deserve to be."
At this, Druig gave Adam a surprised look.
He even knew Arishem's name? And showed no reverence, addressing him directly.
Druig's gaze toward Adam shifted subtly.
"What is he doing? Why isn't he acting quickly?" Gilgamesh frowned deeply, completely unable to understand.
What was the point of talking? Just use his psychic abilities to seize control of all the Xenomorphs and turn them against Adam. The battle would have ended long ago.
But he had no choice. If Druig didn't act first, were they really supposed to kill all these Xenomorphs in one go? That would be far too troublesome.
Moreover, Adam's subordinates weren't just the Xenomorphs. There were also terrifyingly powerful individuals.
While dealing with the horde of Xenomorphs, they might leave openings that those powerhouses could exploit for attacks.
The Sentry was impossible to ignore, and the newly appeared Lady Deathstrike was equally intimidating. Even though they didn't recognize her, standing on Adam's right side like the Sentry was enough to show she was no ordinary foe.
"I'm different from them. I came to judge whether you are worthy. All your thoughts will be exposed before me."
Druig activated his power. Massive waves of psychic energy spread like a plague, rapidly covering the countless Xenomorphs.
Every second, large numbers of Xenomorphs linked with him, becoming his followers... at least on the surface.
Druig wasn't here to fight. He had come solely to examine Adam. Once he determined Adam was unworthy of the Xenomorphs, he would unhesitatingly strip away Adam's control.
Yet facing this situation, Adam showed no panic at all. He observed Druig with great interest.
The moment he saw this man, Adam had recognized him.
Therefore, he didn't blame Druig for his words or actions in the slightest. He said earnestly, "Psychic abilities? Relying on that alone won't be enough to deal with me. Besides, what makes you think you've taken control of my Xenomorphs?"
"You'll see."
Druig immediately directed his power at Adam himself.
The psychic assault was incredibly fast. In an instant outside, Druig had already invaded Adam's mind.
But the moment he entered Adam's brain, Druig sensed something was wrong.
"What is this?"
Druig's originally cold thoughts were now filled with endless horror.
Adam's mind was like a terrifying abyss, exhaling extreme cold capable of freezing everything.
Profound. Despairing. Screaming. Deathly silence…
In that moment, it was as if all the terror in existence, every evil in the world, had concentrated in this human's heart, forming an insurmountable chasm.
Druig swore that in his thousands of years of memories, he had never encountered anything like this. He had never probed such a deep, unfathomable, black-hole-like terrifying mind!
If this hellish place could even be called a "mind."
"Truly an evil sinner to the extreme. Let me see exactly what kind of person you are…"
Druig gritted his teeth, but the next second he froze.
Within that terrifying abyss of will, the ground was covered in flowers and applause.
Countless Xenomorphs had transformed into endless points of light, emitting faint glows across this vast, empty expanse.
Just as Druig watched in shock, countless more lights appeared, adorning every corner of this mental world.
Several of the lights shone exceptionally bright, radiating psychic fluctuations far beyond ordinary Xenomorphs.
Druig gradually understood.
Every Xenomorph had become a psychic barrier guarding Adam in this mental world.
Exerting psychic control over Adam essentially meant confronting all the Xenomorphs at once.
Did such a being truly exist in this world? No... why would such a being exist?
How? How could he use the consciousness of the Xenomorphs in this way?
How could an ordinary human achieve something Druig had never even dared to imagine?
In that moment, Druig realized how laughable and utterly wrong his earlier assumption had been... that he had suppressed Adam's consciousness and taken control of the Xenomorphs.
"No wonder… No wonder… No wonder you dared ignore external psychic forces. No wonder you always had such absolute confidence in your Xenomorphs…"
What was this? Was Adam the collective consciousness of all Xenomorphs?
No... it was a collective consciousness with a dominant will.
Druig saw the thoughts of every Xenomorph or Xenomorph host here. He could clearly hear what they thought and felt.
With unprecedented clarity, he read the instinctive praise every Xenomorph held for Adam.
Was this what a god was like... surrounded by countless pure, clean hymns of praise?
Druig wasn't sure. Could Adam be even more special than Arishem?
He didn't know.
Unknowingly, tears streamed down Druig's face. Isolated from the world for centuries and at odds with people and fellow Eternals, he had almost forgotten what his true inner self felt like.
Icy yet warm. Chaotic yet orderly. In this moment, all contradictions in the world seemed to pause, turning into eternal tranquility and peace.
Outside.
"…Why did he suddenly start crying?" Gilgamesh frowned, completely lost.
Thena clutched her head in frustration. "Who knows? Didn't he also cry bitterly a few hours ago when arguing with Ajak, accusing us of not leading humanity? Who knows what strange things are going through his head!"
Coming from the unhinged female warrior, those words carried little weight.
Several Eternals were somewhat stunned. Only a few seconds had passed. They had no idea what was happening with Druig again.
Yes... again.
None of them were skilled at dealing with the sensitive and stubborn Druig, especially now. The crying Druig was like an emotional audience member who had just watched a tearjerker and couldn't pull himself out of his own world.
"He simply read me. That's all."
Adam spoke, his voice soft. He said with utmost seriousness, "Druig, staying by Ajak's side is simply wasting your precious life. Can you bear to let your abilities go to waste?"
"Shut up! Druig, don't listen to his nonsense. No matter what you saw, this is his scheme! That's the kind of person he is!" Ajak's expression changed drastically. A strong sense of foreboding rose in her heart.
Adam shook his head. "Who can falsify their own mind? Or rather, could I deceive myself? Even if I could, wouldn't that prove the truth of my heart even more?"
He extended his hand toward this Eternal who was actually millions of years old but psychologically around several thousand.
"Come, Druig. Come to my side. Someone like you was born to stand with me." His voice carried a mountain-like weight and steadiness.
"No, I can't do that!"
Druig involuntarily took a step back.
Ajak was completely bewildered. Even as their leader, she had no idea what the hell was happening!!
What exactly had Druig seen?? And why was he crying like a frightened child seeking comfort?
Adam's face remained calm. "You still identify more with your Eternal origins? Don't worry about it. I've never cared whether you're an Eternal, a human, or something else. Because everyone who stands by my side is the same."
The same as Xenomorphs.
Adam added silently in his heart.
Druig instantly understood Adam's meaning.
Adam seemed like a devil tempting people into corruption as he whispered, "Aren't you confused about your own existence? You feel you should have done more for humanity, made humanity better, but because of Ajak's orders, you didn't? Then let me tell you why. It's because the purpose of the Eternals' existence is to destroy Earth and exterminate all humanity."
"That's impossible!"
"Why don't you ask your leader? She can communicate with the Celestials. Why not ask her directly?" Adam said with absolute certainty.
Druig stiffly turned his head and looked at Ajak in disbelief.
Just one exchanged glance was enough. As a master of the mind, Druig immediately understood who had been lying all along.
"Listen to what he's saying. We protected humanity for thousands of years, only to destroy it?"
"Ajak, Adam has gone mad. We should quickly… Ajak?"
Druig's face was ashen, his eyes hollow.
The other Eternals stared at the pained-looking Ajak in disbelief.
It was true? This absurd claim... was it actually true?
"Once we deal with him, I'll explain everything to you!" Ajak hadn't finished speaking before Adam interrupted.
"Brief destruction is for the sake of a better rebirth. Using Earth's humans as the price to nurture a new Celestial. That is what your leader has hidden from all of you."
Adam suddenly smiled. "But I refuse. Why should humans be exterminated and serve as nutrients to nourish the Celestials? To let newly born Celestials go to some unknown galaxy to create some unknown species, while humanity sacrifices itself?"
Druig suddenly spoke in a low voice, "Adam is telling the truth. I can feel it."
Ajak endured the pain in her heart and shouted harshly, "I order you... attack! Don't listen to him!"
The other Eternals were half-convinced but still faithfully carried out Ajak's orders, just as they had for thousands of years.
But the instant they moved, Druig moved as well.
Countless Xenomorphs, at Druig's gesture, suddenly sprang into action. They shifted from stillness to slaughter mode in an instant and pounced toward… the Eternals!
"Druig, what are you doing?!" Ajak's face filled with shock.
"I'm sick of all of you! Everything we did in the past was nothing but serving as tools for the gods. Yet we lacked even the self-awareness to recognize ourselves as tools!"
Tears streamed down Druig's face. In such a short time, facing this extreme reversal, he finally reached his breaking point.
"From now on, I am no longer an Eternal! To hell with the Eternals... despicable, lowly! From this moment, I will be a... Xenomorph!!"
Facts proved that deceiving an idealist about their ideals was the cruelest truth and enough to drive an idealist mad, causing a complete one-hundred-eighty-degree turn.
Especially since this idealist was a master of the mind who could see into hearts and witness the truest inner selves.
The Xenomorphs began their large-scale assault on the unprepared Eternals.
Every Eternal struggled to hide the stunned look on their face as they stared at Druig in disbelief.
Their brains worked at high speed but had frozen.
A large-scale battle broke out just like that, in such an unexpected way. From the very beginning, the Eternals fell into an absolute disadvantage, feeling somewhat dizzy and overwhelmed.
Their numbers were already low, and now one of their most critical psychic masters had defected on the spot!
"Druig, use your psychic powers to the fullest. Let me see your strength." Adam said.
Druig looked coldly at these former comrades. His powerful psychic energy spread rapidly, eroding their thoughts and wills.
"You are all so pitiful. Living for millions of years as tools. Ajak is Arishem's lackey and accomplice, but I am not! I have found the truth. Let me save you." Druig's eyes were bloodshot. He looked like a frenzied believer.
Bang!
Gilgamesh struggled to resist Druig's area-wide psychic invasion. With one punch per strike, he sent Xenomorphs flying. He was very cautious... striking his target and immediately retreating to avoid being splashed by Xenomorph blood.
But soon this burly man encountered a powerful opponent. Heavy footsteps sounded from within the Xenomorph horde as an extremely muscular, powerfully built Xenomorph charged straight at him.
"You again?"
Gilgamesh's face showed deep helplessness.
The last time he had clashed with this ridiculously strong Abomination Xenomorph was back in New Mexico.
Now, two incredibly strong beings engaged in fierce close combat... punch for punch, kick for kick, brutal and unrelenting.
But if one were to say who was currently the strongest fighter among the Eternals, it was actually the female warrior Thena. Holding a golden energy shield in one hand and a golden energy sword in the other, she moved at astonishing speed. Everywhere she passed, Xenomorphs were effortlessly dismembered.
Phastos wasn't bad either. Skilled at crafting various precise instruments with energy, multiple golden rings flew out, rampaging through the Xenomorph ranks.
The Sentry had originally set his sights on the female warrior Thena. His eyes turned into pure golden light as powerful golden heat vision prepared to fire.
"I'll handle her." Druig's voice transmitted through the embryo in the Sentry's chest into his brain. "I know better than you how to deal with her at the lowest cost."
The Sentry curled his lip. He very much wanted to ask: Who the hell are you to make decisions without Adam speaking, even if Adam silently approved?
"Reynolds, let him do it. Moreover, if we want to achieve the greatest gains with the smallest losses in this battle, Druig is the key." Adam ordered.
The Sentry immediately changed direction. Heat vision powerful enough to pierce mountains blasted toward Phastos, forcing him to summon all his weapons to block in front of himself.
But at this moment, the advantage of numbers became clear.
A mutated Xenomorph pounced over and pinned Phastos to the ground.
"Kill him. This guy is useless." Adam said casually, deciding Phastos's fate.
"You manipulative villain! I won't let you get away with this!" In desperation, Phastos hurled the energy instruments he had meticulously crafted, passing them to the other Eternals.
According to the plan, these weapons would be critical, allowing all the Eternals' powers to converge into one instantaneous burst.
Phastos was quickly torn apart. Another Eternal had died miserably.
The remaining Eternals would soon face their own fates.
Ajak, with her extremely strong healing factor, looked pale as she watched her side being rapidly suppressed and gradually swallowed by the Xenomorph horde. Especially when Druig shot her a glance that drove the already unstable Thena completely mad again, causing her to attack indiscriminately while roaring like a beast.
Druig's sudden defection had far too fatal an impact on the situation.
Originally, according to Ajak's plan, Druig would instantly seize control of all the Xenomorphs and turn this powerful army against Adam, deciding the battle in one stroke.
But unfortunately, the opposite had happened.
"Kingo, watch out!!" Ajak suddenly shouted.
Kingo, who had been firing energy blasts from both hands and had already killed over a dozen Xenomorphs, was a long-range artillery specialist. Normally, he was well-suited for picking off Xenomorphs at range. Unfortunately, his Eternal comrades hadn't created enough safe space for him.
Lady Deathstrike's fingers extended into half-meter-long adamantium claws as she charged straight at Kingo.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kingo aimed at her and fired rapidly with both hands. But the blasts only caused flesh wounds on Deathstrike, sending blood and meat flying everywhere. It looked brutal but had no real effect.
"What the hell is this woman?!" Kingo couldn't help screaming. He saw silver bones exposed on Deathstrike's body... indestructible and completely ignoring his energy attacks.
Deathstrike charged forward with an expressionless face, like a cold combat machine. She leaped, stabbed her claws into Kingo's chest, and slammed him to the ground.
Several Xenomorphs had already rushed over, working in perfect coordination. They swiftly severed Kingo's limbs, gouged out his eyes, cut out his tongue, destroyed his ears, and eliminated every form of threat from him.
All of this happened in mere seconds. Kingo's miserable state shocked the other Eternals.
Even so, Kingo hadn't died. Everyone knew why.
"Druig, is this what you wanted to see?" Ajak shouted from within the protective circle of several Eternals. Relying on her superhuman physique far beyond Earth standards, she had taken down a few Xenomorphs herself, but she couldn't help questioning him.
"You don't understand anything. You haven't personally witnessed that supremely beautiful sight like I have. You couldn't possibly understand me." Druig's voice rang in Ajak's mind, signaling that Druig had officially moved against her.
"I was doing everything in my power to save you!"
"Save us? Phastos is dead, Thena has been driven mad by you, and Kingo has been captured. Do you know what will happen next?! Your betrayal has pushed the entire Eternals into the abyss!"
"Abyss? You don't understand. I personally experienced the abyss. The future and the truth are there, and I will lead you to that place... of course, as Xenomorphs!"
Ajak couldn't understand a word Druig was saying. She felt that Druig at this moment was even more insane than the already-mad Thena.
The battle had barely begun, yet the situation had already collapsed this badly. They hadn't even touched a single hair on Adam's head, yet they had suffered consecutive losses.
"It's time. The things Phastos prepared... we never thought we'd actually have to use them."
Ajak was sprayed by the blood of a Messenger Xenomorph, causing large areas of corrosion on her body. But relying on her terrifying healing factor, she rapidly repaired the damage.
She caught the energy instruments Phastos had thrown with his dying breath and began drawing power from the remaining Eternals.
This was the final battle plan they had decided on long ago. The executor of this plan was… the quiet Sersi.
Ikaris's lover.
Concentrating all the Eternals' power into Sersi alone would be enough to instantly eliminate all the Xenomorphs.
"But that guy called the Sentry is ridiculously strong…"
They had no choice.
Ajak glanced at Sersi, who had been well-protected the entire time.
Sersi's expression shifted. She nodded imperceptibly, already prepared.
The instant Ajak hurled the energy instruments, Adam's figure transformed into a terrifying bolt of lightning and appeared near Sersi.
Whoosh!
Mjolnir, hurled with tremendous force, smashed into Sersi and sent her coughing up blood. The next second, Druig's psychic control suppressed the heavily injured Sersi.
"You thought I didn't know what you were planning? I won't give you that chance." Adam's voice seemed to come from hell. Every word radiated extreme terror, making Ajak's heart sink like it had fallen into an ice cave.
It was over. This man had made thorough preparations. He wouldn't give them even the slightest chance.
"Manipulating Druig... was that part of your plan from the beginning?" Ajak said unwillingly. She couldn't believe that the Eternals she led... who had existed for millions of years, witnessed the destruction of countless life-bearing planets and the birth of many Celestial groups... would be wiped out on this planet called Earth.
And the one eliminating them was an Earth human, not someone from a higher cosmic civilization.
"You think I'm who? How could I predict everything? I'm not a prophet. Druig made the correct choice... distancing himself from you people who have rotted away in repetitive cycles of life."
Adam walked up to Ajak.
Gilgamesh roared as he tried to charge over, but unfortunately, he was soon seized by the Abomination Xenomorph. One punch staggered him, and several mutated Xenomorphs immediately pounced, extending life-draining tubes that pierced into Gilgamesh's body.
This strongest, most muscular Eternal was finished too. His fate as a host awaited him.
Squelch!
Elektra, who had seemed unremarkable, suddenly drew her blade. Originally aimed at Adam's neck, she abruptly swung in another direction and stabbed into empty air.
The illusion-capable Sprite gradually revealed her form. She looked down in disbelief at the hole pierced through her chest.
"I heard you're the illusion sprite? Unfortunately, illusions are useless against people like us." Elektra slowly pulled out her blade, taking the life of this petite Eternal.
The heavily injured Sersi lay on the ground, desperately channeling energy within her body in an attempt to create large-scale ice and freeze as many enemies as possible. But unfortunately, with a blur of motion, a Speed Xenomorph struck her with dozens of punches in an instant. She was on the verge of death.
"You're Makkari's…" Sersi looked at this ghostly figure that appeared and disappeared like lightning after its attack, and completely lost the will to resist.
The successive falls of the Eternals had already announced the final outcome of this battle to everyone.
"How tragic. You who have been stationed on Earth for seven thousand years will now come to a permanent end. Your era is over."
Adam looked calmly at Ajak. "I am different. My era has only just begun. Using your robust bodies as the foundation... I like it very much."
The chaotic battlefield gradually fell silent. More and more Xenomorphs gathered, silently raising their heads.
Ajak looked around. Except for herself, there were no more standing Eternals.
"You're finished, Ajak. You will thank me." Druig slowly closed his eyes as hot tears flowed from the corners. "I was right. They were all wrong."
"You call this right... killing all your comrades?"
"This isn't killing. You will continue in another form... as Xenomorphs... alongside me! Once you see that place like I have, you'll understand what I mean. Only the spirit is eternal."
"Madman." Ajak shook her head in disappointment. What more could she say? To someone who had changed their faith, arguing that the new faith was untrustworthy?
It was useless. Otherwise, how could Druig have betrayed them and defected to Adam at such a critical moment?
Lady Deathstrike struck from behind Ajak, piercing her with her claws and dragging her like a dead dog across the ground, step by step back to the 93rd floor of the Weyland skyscraper. There, Ajak and the other Eternals would meet their fates.
93rd floor.
Xenomorph eggs continued to bloom and find their respective hosts.
Ajak, Thena, Kingo, Gilgamesh, Sersi… These strongest Eternals would all become part of Adam.
In Druig's understanding, this "becoming part" included both body and mind.
"I am one with the Xenomorphs…"
This was Druig after the Facehugger had released him. He sensed the Xenomorph in his chest cavity and synchronized with all the Xenomorphs, establishing close psychic links. The feeling of no longer being alone brought Druig deep security and comfort.
Then he looked coldly at these former Eternal comrades as they were successively chest-bursted, meeting their hateful gazes without fear.
"I was right. They were all wrong." Druig murmured once again.
"Buddy, I don't know exactly what you're thinking, but you must be correct."
Reynolds walked over and patted Druig on the shoulder. The slap carried some force, nearly shattering Druig. It was unclear whether this was revenge for Druig directing him during the earlier battle.
"We are walking the correct path. Ahead lies boundless light... an endless blue ocean."
Robert Reynolds looked at these newly born powerful Xenomorphs with absolute certainty.
Adam said nothing. Matters like this no longer required his personal involvement. Compared to personally overseeing the fates of these Eternals, he had more important things to do.
In a secret room several kilometers away, Coulson sat with a dejected expression before letting out a deep sigh.
He had already heard the sounds of battle outside, which had quickly fallen into eerie silence.
"Who is it?" Coulson's voice still carried that characteristic gentleness and composure.
"It's me."
Adam walked in. "Since we've met, I came personally to send you off. I originally thought it would be a fierce battle and that dealing with your protective forces would take some time. But I didn't expect that only these ordinary agents were protecting you."
^^^
If you'd like to read up to 50 chapters ahead, feel free to visit our patron: pat reon . com/XElenea