Chapter 268: The Best Fuel
In the Grayson family dining room, Debbie served the roast meat.
Nolan sat at the head of the table, cutting his steak with calm, composed movements. Mark sat opposite him, poking at his mashed potatoes with chopsticks, his mind elsewhere.
"Dad, what that black-haired man said..."
"Don't trust strangers." Nolan didn't look up. "He's just trying to drive a wedge between us."
Debbie came out of the kitchen, carrying a salad. "What's wrong? Is the steak not good?"
"It's fine." Nolan smiled at his wife. "Mark just ran into some trouble during a fight."
Mark stared at his father's face. smart atoms, his mother's genes, infinite potential... those words were like thorns pricking his mind.
"Dad, can't you just tell me—"
The air suddenly became thick and viscous.
An invisible pressure surged from all directions. The salad plate in Debbie's hands shattered on the floor; Mark felt his heart being squeezed, making it difficult to breathe.
Nolan's pupils constricted.
He stood up abruptly, his chair flying backward and smashing into the wine cabinet. His gaze locked onto the dining room entrance—Chu Hang was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, looking as relaxed as a neighbor dropping by for a visit.
"Dinner looks good." Chu Hang scanned the table and looked at Nolan, the corner of his mouth curling. "Pity my timing is poor."
"How did you find this place?" Nolan's voice was low.
"Find you?" Chu Hang laughed. "Nolan Grayson, or should I call you Omni-Man? You've stayed on this Earth for over twenty years; did you think that by changing your name, marrying a wife, and having a son, you could hide the Viltrumite energy fluctuations coming off you?"
He looked at Mark, then at Debbie. "A family of three, living in harmony."
Nolan's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white.
A few days ago, he had been punched into the Earth's core by this man and nearly couldn't crawl out. That feeling of desperate powerlessness was something he was experiencing for the first time in his Life.
But his wife and son were right there.
He couldn't retreat.
"What do you want?"
Chu Hang took a step forward. The pressure intensified, and the dishes on the table began to tremble.
"What I want," he stared at Nolan, "is something you have."
Nolan moved.
His figure turned into an afterimage, lunging straight for Chu Hang's throat, the air tearing with a sharp whistle.
With his thousands of years of combat experience, this strike was enough to snap an opponent's neck.
His hand stopped mid-air.
Chu Hang stood in place, unmoving. Nolan's wrist was clamped by an invisible force, rendering him unable to move.
"You..."
He felt it. That power was coming from within his own body. His muscles were resisting his commands, and his bones were defying his will. It was as if something had taken over his body's control.
"smart atoms." Chu Hang's voice was calm. "The root of your Viltrumite power. Every atom is a programmable nanite, executing specific genetic instructions."
He raised his hand and tapped his index finger on Nolan's forehead.
"And I just learned how to rewrite those instructions."
Nolan's body began to tremble. His power was being stripped away bit by bit, as the smart atoms that granted him god-like strength were being overwritten by higher-level commands.
"Impossible!" he roared, the energy within his body surging frantically.
Chu Hang's brow furrowed slightly.
In the next second, Nolan was slammed into the floor, smashing the dining table and sending dishes flying everywhere. He tried to stand up, but his body was as heavy as lead, leaving him only able to sprawl on the ground.
"Dad!" Mark tried to rush over.
"Don't move." Chu Hang didn't even turn his head.
Mark's body felt as if it were frozen; he couldn't take a single step. The power within him was restless, yet it was suppressed by an even stronger force.
Debbie collapsed onto the floor, her face pale. She didn't understand what was happening; she only saw her omnipotent husband lying on the floor like a dead dog.
"What exactly do you want?" Nolan squeezed the words through his teeth.
Chu Hang crouched down to look him in the eye, his gaze indifferent.
"I told you, you have what I want." He paused. "How many years have you lived? Two thousand? Three thousand? How much bio-energy have the smart atoms in your body stored?"
Nolan's expression changed.
"I need a large amount of energy to complete a small experiment." Chu Hang's mouth curled. "And you, Nolan Grayson, are the best fuel I can find."
"Fuel?"
Chu Hang ignored him and turned to look at Mark.
"Kid, do you want to know who your father really is?"
Mark's body couldn't move, but his eyes could. He looked at Chu Hang, then at his father lying on the ground, his heart filled with both fear and confusion.
"Don't listen to him!" Nolan roared. "He's trying to provoke you!"
"Provoke?" Chu Hang chuckled. "Nolan Grayson, or should I say Omni-Man? A scout for the Viltrumite Empire?"
These words rang out like a clap of thunder.
Debbie's face turned deathly pale, while Mark looked utterly bewildered.
"The Viltrumite Empire," Chu Hang's tone was flat, as if telling a story, "a cosmic empire that has conquered countless Planets. Their method of expansion is simple—send their strongest warriors to lurk on a target Planet, integrate with the locals, and when the time is right, strike from within to take it over in one fell swoop."
He looked down at Nolan with a playful gaze.
"You've been on Earth for over twenty years, married and had a son, playing the good husband and father. But your true mission is to prepare for the Empire's invasion. Your wife and son, in your eyes, are nothing more than... pets."
"Shut up!" Nolan's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging, the energy in his body surging wildly.
It was useless.
His body remained pinned to the floor, unable to move even a finger.
"No... that's not it..." Debbie's voice trembled, tears streaming down. "Nolan, tell me he's lying..."
Nolan remained silent.
This silence was more devastating than any words.
"Dad?" Mark's voice was also shaking. "Is what he's saying true?"
Nolan still didn't speak.
Chu Hang stood up and clapped his hands.
"Alright, enough catching up." His tone turned cold. "Nolan, how many years have you lived? The smart atoms in your body are each miniature energy storage units. Thousands of years of accumulation—what a massive fortune."
He crouched down and met Nolan's eyes.
"And I happen to need that fortune."
Nolan's pupils shrank. He finally understood what this man was going to do.
"You're crazy!" he shouted. "You want to drain my energy? That will kill me!"
"Kill you?" Chu Hang tilted his head as if thinking. "Maybe. But that's your problem."
He held out his right hand, and a faint golden light appeared in his palm. It was the power of the Alchemy Law, capable of restructuring matter at the molecular level.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you suffer a bit less."
He pressed his hand against Nolan's back.
In the next moment, Nolan let out a heart-wrenching scream.
That pain didn't come from his flesh, but from somewhere deeper. His Life force was being drained bit by bit, as the smart atoms that granted him god-like power were forcibly activated, releasing thousands of years of stored energy.
Golden light surged out of Nolan's body, flowing along Chu Hang's arm into his own body.
Chu Hang closed his eyes, feeling that energy.
It was enough.
This energy was sufficient to start the reconfiguration program for the smart atoms in his body.
His body began to change. Every cell, every atom was being reprogrammed, switching from physical defense mode to energy-bearing mode.
The process was painful, but Chu Hang's face remained expressionless.
Mark watched all of this, feeling his World collapse.
His father, the superhero he had idolized since childhood, was currently lying on the floor like a dead dog, being used as a battery to drain energy.
And he could do nothing.
Anger, humiliation, fear, despair... all sorts of emotions churned within him. His body began to tremble, not out of fear, but because something within him was awakening.
Under the stimulation of intense emotion, his smart atomsbegan to fluctuate violently.
Chu Hang sensed it, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Interesting."
He glanced at Mark with a scrutinizing look.
"It seems you have more potential than your father."
The energy extraction lasted for three minutes.
To Nolan, those three minutes felt longer than thousands of years. His Life was being drained away, and his smart atoms were forcibly activated to release energy stored over countless ages.
He wanted to resist, to struggle, but his body wouldn't obey. This man's control over smart atoms was more precise than his own, a true Viltrumite.
How was it possible?
He was one of the Empire's strongest warriors, having conquered countless Planets and slaughtered countless civilizations. He never thought that one day he would be like a squeezed-dry battery, lying on his own floor.
The golden light gradually dimmed.
Chu Hang pulled back his hand, stood up, and flexed his fingers. He could feel the smart atoms in his body changing; the reprogrammed atoms were executing new instructions, switching from physical defense mode to energy-bearing mode.
The progress had reached thirty percent.
Not enough.
He looked down at Nolan. The once-arrogant Omni-Manwas now lying on the floor like a dog with its marrow sucked out. His skin was pale, his muscles slack, and his gaze vacant; he looked at least twenty years older.
But he was still alive.
The smart atoms' self-repair was still functioning, just pitifully slow. At this rate of recovery, he would probably need several months to return to his peak.
Chu Hang wasn't surprised by this result. Although Nolanhad lived for thousands of years, his energy reserves were only this much. To complete the full-body atomic restructuring, he needed more fuel.
He looked at Mark.
This half-human, half-Viltrumite hybrid's smart atomswere fluctuating violently. It was an instinctive stress response, a self-evolution of genes under extreme emotional stimulation.
Interesting.
Chu Hang walked over to Mark and crouched down to look him in the eye.
Mark's eyes were full of fear, anger, and despair. He wanted to attack the demon before him, but his body was pinned by an invisible force, unable to move even a finger.
"Don't be nervous." Chu Hang's tone was flat. "I have no interest in you. The energy in your body is too little to even get stuck between my teeth."
He stood up and looked out at the night sky.
"However, your father's kin are a different story."
Mark's pupils constricted.
He thought of the Viltrumite Empire his father had mentioned, that Cosmic Overlord that had conquered countless Planets. If this man set his sights on the Empire's other warriors... "What do you want to do?" Mark's voice was hoarse.
Chu Hang didn't answer, only curling the corner of his mouth.
His figure began to blur, as if merging into the air.
"Take care of your mother." His voice came from all directions. "And, train hard. Next time we meet, I hope you can make me get a little serious."
With those words, he disappeared.
The force binding Mark also dissipated.
Mark slumped to the floor, panting heavily. Looking at his dying father on the ground and his mother sobbing in the corner, he was filled with a sense of powerlessness.
That man was right.
He was too weak.
So weak he couldn't even protect his family.
His fists clenched, nails digging into his palms, blood dripping through his fingers.
Sensing his anger and determination, the smart atomswithin him began to become active at an unprecedented speed.
Chapter 269: [Adaptive Evolution] - Saiyan???
The Grayson family's yard was filled with black SUVs.
Over a dozen Agents moved through the ruins, their instruments beeping continuously. The dining room area had been blasted into a large pit, with shattered bricks and glass shards scattered everywhere.
Cecil Stedman stood by the pit, looking at Nolan, who was trapped in a force field.
Omni-Man was curled up like a dead dog in a translucent energy cage, his skin pale, muscles slack, and eyes vacant. This force field was the result of GDA's twenty years of research, specifically designed to counter Viltrumites. Of course, until today, no one had expected it would actually be used.
Mark stood beside his mother.
Debbie was still trembling, her tears long dried up. She didn't understand what had happened, only that her husband was a monster, and another even more terrifying monster had beaten him into this state.
Cecil walked over and stopped in front of Mark.
The one-eyed old man wore a black trench coat, his face expressionless. He looked at Mark with a complex gaze, like he was looking at dangerous goods, yet also like an investment.
"I know you have many questions," Cecil said, his voice hoarse, "but I'll answer the most important one first—yes, we've always known who your father is."
Mark clenched his fists.
"You knew?"
"The Global Defense Agency's duty is to monitor threats," Cecil nodded. "Your father came to Earth twenty years ago, and we immediately identified him. But we couldn't deal with him, so we could only watch, wait, and pray he would never show his fangs."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what? That your dad is an alien who could destroy Earth at any moment?" Cecil sneered. "Kid, some truths only cause people to break down. Your mother is the best example."
Mark glanced at Debbie. She sat in the ambulance, wrapped in a blanket, her eyes vacant.
"Who was that black-haired man?"
Cecil was silent for a few seconds.
"I don't know," he shook his head. "There's no record of him in our database. He appeared out of nowhere, punched your father into the Earth's core, then dragged him out to drain his energy like a battery."
Mark remembered what the man had said.
Fuel.
He used his father as fuel.
"Will he come back?"
"Most likely," Cecil stared at Mark. "He said your father's kin are his target. This means he's going to find more Viltrumites. But before that, he might need more energy."
Mark felt his stomach churn.
"You want to recruit me."
Cecil didn't deny it.
"You're half Viltrumite, with the same potential as your father. If that man comes back, you might be our only leverage."
Mark was silent for a long time.
He looked at his imprisoned father, his broken mother, and the ruins all around.
"I won't join you," he finally said. "But if Earth is in danger, I'll help."
Cecil nodded, as if he had expected this answer.
"That's enough," he turned to leave. "Remember my number, kid. You'll need it."
Mark watched the black SUVs drive away one by one, until their taillights disappeared into the night.
He turned and walked back into the ruins.
Debbie was still sitting in the ambulance, a female Agentproviding psychological counseling. Mark walked over, sat beside her, and held her cold hand.
"Mom, let's go home."
Debbie didn't speak, just leaned on his shoulder, her body still trembling.
That night, Mark didn't sleep.
He sat in the backyard ruins, looking at the shattered bricks and glass shards, the black-haired man's words replaying in his mind.
Mark looked down at his hands.
These hands could lift cars, fly through the sky, and deliver punches that could pierce steel.
But in front of that man, these powers seemed like a joke.
He remembered what his father had said.
Viltrumites were one of the most powerful races in the Universe.
They had conquered countless Planets, ruled countless civilizations.
And he, Mark Grayson, was half Viltrumite.
Theoretically, he should possess the same potential as his father.
But the Reality was, he couldn't even withstand one punch from that man.
Mark stood up and walked to the center of the yard.
He took a deep breath, then began to punch.
One punch, two punches, three punches.
Each punch carried anger and humiliation. The air was torn apart, emitting a shriek.
He didn't know how long he had been punching. When he stopped, his hands were numb, and blood seeped from his knuckles.
But a few seconds later, the wounds healed.
smart atoms.
That man had said this was the source of Viltrumite power. Every atom was a programmable nanobot, capable of self-repair and infinite evolution.
Mark stared at his healed wounds, his eyes becoming resolute.
Since he also had this within him, there was no reason to be weaker than his father.
He needed to train.
Not the kind of training where he fought small monsters in the city, but real training that pushed him to his limits... Three weeks later.
Earth orbit, four hundred kilometers above the surface.
Chu Hang floated in space, his back to Earth, facing the Sun.
Golden sunlight bathed him, greedily absorbed by the smart atoms beneath his skin. These atoms were now operating according to new instructions, switching from physical defense mode to energy carrying mode.
Thirty percent of the process was complete.
Still not enough.
Nolan had stored thousands of years of energy, but it was only enough to initiate this program. To complete the reconstruction of all his atoms, he needed more fuel.
Chu Hang closed his eyes, feeling the changes within his body.
The reprogrammed atoms were like tiny solar panels, absorbing solar radiation with astonishing efficiency. It was a wonderful feeling, as if every cell in his body was breathing, eating.
His super senses scanned the surrounding space.
Vast, silent, with only the whisper of the solar wind.
Then, he detected an anomalous signal.
A high-speed biological entity was flying towards Earthfrom the outer reaches of the solar system. Its speed was incredibly fast, not much slower than the speed of light.
Chu Hang opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.
A visitor has arrived.
The entity was getting closer.
Chu Hang opened his eyes, looking at the decelerating speck of light in the distance. His super vision saw clearly—a humanoid creature, with blue-gray skin, a robust build, and most notably, only one eye, located in the center of its face.
The one-eyed alien.
Chu Hang searched his mind and remembered who this guy was.
Allen, an evaluator from the Coalition of Planets.
His job was to travel to various Planets occupied by the Viltrumite Empire, test the strength of the stationed Viltrumites, and gather intelligence.
In the original story, this guy later became Mark's good friend and a chatterbox.
Allen stopped about a hundred meters from Chu Hang, his single eye scrutinizing him up and down.
"Hey, how are you!" Allen waved, his tone as friendly as a greeting neighbor. "I'm Allen, from the Coalition of Planets. You must be the Viltrumite stationed on this Planet, right?"
Chu Hang didn't speak.
Allen was used to this silence and continued on his own: "Don't be nervous, this is just a routine evaluation. You know, the Empire requires us to regularly check the defensive capabilities of various colonies. I'll fight you, then write a report, it's that simple."
He rubbed his hands, his single eye gleaming with eagerness.
"Honestly, I'm really looking forward to it. The Viltrumitestationed on Earth is said to be one of the Empire's strongest warriors, and I've always wanted to see for myself."
Chu Hang finally spoke: "You've got the wrong person."
Allen was stunned: "What?"
"I'm not a Viltrumite," Chu Hang said. "That Viltrumite is currently imprisoned on Earth, so weak he can't even beat an ant."
Allen's expression became confused. His single eye blinked, seemingly processing the information.
"Wait, you're not a Viltrumite? Then what are you? Your energy fluctuations..." He frowned. "No, your energy is much stronger than any Viltrumite. Who exactly are you?"
Chu Hang couldn't be bothered to explain.
He moved.
Before Allen could react, Chu Hang appeared in front of him and punched him in the chest.
Allen's body flew backward like a cannonball, tumbling several times in space before stabilizing. He looked down at the dent in his chest, an incredulous expression on his face.
"You..."
Chu Hang didn't give him a chance to speak.
The second punch followed closely, this time aimed at Allen's face. Allen barely managed to raise his arm to block, but the force still sent him hurtling towards Earth.
Chu Hang pursued him.
Allen's body was indeed tough, Chu Hang had to admit. For an ordinary person, those two punches would have turned him into a pulp. But Allen only suffered minor external injuries and even had enough strength to counterattack.
His fist swung towards Chu Hang, fast and powerful.
But in Chu Hang's eyes, this punch was as slow as Tai Chi.
He dodged sideways, simultaneously kneeing Allen in the abdomen. Allen bent over, and Chu Hang's elbow strike immediately followed, hitting him in the back.
Allen coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body once again tumbling uncontrollably.
"Wait!" he shouted. "I surrender! I surrender!"
Chu Hang stopped, hovering in place, looking at the battered Allen.
This guy's recovery ability was indeed astonishing.
Those few blows would have killed an ordinary superhero, but the wounds on Allen's body were healing at a visible rate.
Not only that, Chu Hang also felt that Allen's energy fluctuations were slightly stronger than before.
He grew stronger with every fight.
Chu Hang's eyes lit up.
He remembered the characteristics of Allen's race. They were called the most perfect warriors in the Universe, not because they were naturally strong, but because they possessed a special physique—each time they recovered from an injury, they would become stronger than before.
Isn't this just a Saiyan?
Chu Hang muttered to himself, then unhesitatingly activated his replication ability.
A stream of information flooded into his brain, regarding Allen's racial genetic structure, cellular characteristics, and evolutionary mechanisms, all analyzed and replicated by him.
[Adaptive Evolution].
The essence of this ability was a self-optimization mechanism. Whenever the body was injured, cells would automatically upgrade during the repair process to cope with similar threats.
The more severe the injury, the more significant the upgrade.
This was more suitable for him than Darwin's [Survival of the Fittest] that he had replicated before.
Perfect.
Chu Hang nodded in satisfaction. This ability was exactly what he needed.
His smart atoms were switching from physical defense mode to energy carrying mode, a process that required a lot of energy and carried risks.
But with [Adaptive Evolution], even if something went wrong during the reconstruction, his body could automatically repair and optimize itself.
This was like adding insurance to his own transformation plan.
Allen was still gasping there, completely unaware that his ability had just been replicated.
"You... what kind of monster are you?" His voice was filled with fear. "I've never seen such a powerful being. You're stronger than any warrior in the Empire, even stronger than..."
He didn't finish, but Chu Hang knew what he wanted to say.
Stronger than the Emperor of the Viltrumite Empire.
Chu Hang floated in front of Allen, looking down at him.
"I have a few questions for you," he said. "Answer well, and I'll let you go. Answer poorly..."
He didn't finish, but the meaning was already clear.
Allen swallowed, his single eye filled with terror.
"What do you want to know?"
"The location of the Coalition of Planets," Chu Hang said. "And the patrol routes of the Viltrumite Empire."
Allen hesitated.
Chu Hang's fist rose again.
"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" Allen quickly shouted. "The Coalition's headquarters are on the edge of the Andromeda Galaxy, coordinates are..."
He began to rattle off a string of complex numbers and symbols. Chu Hang's brain rapidly processed, converting this information into an understandable star map.
"What about the Viltrumite Empire's patrol routes?"
Allen reported another string of coordinates. This time the information was more detailed, including the number of patrol fleets, shift times, and routes between various colonies.
Chu Hang memorized all this information.
"Very good," he nodded. "You may leave."
Allen, as if granted a great pardon, quickly retreated. But he only took a few steps before stopping, a complex look flashing in his single eye.
"What... what are you going to do to the Empire?"
Chu Hang glanced at him, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Hunting."
He said only that one word, then his figure flickered, transforming into a golden stream of light, flying towards the depths of the Universe.
Allen hovered in place, watching the stream of light disappear into the sea of stars, a chill rising in his heart.
He looked down at the still-healing wounds on his body.
Every punch from that monster had accurately hit his vital points, with just the right amount of force to cause maximum damage without killing him instantly.
This wasn't a fight; it was an autopsy.
Allen had lived for hundreds of years and had seen countless powerful beings, but he had never encountered such an existence. That oppressive feeling, that absolute control over power, reminded him of some ancient legends.
About those... gods... that existed since the dawn of the Universe.
He took a deep breath and turned to fly towards the Coalition of Planets.
He had to report this news to the Coalition as soon as possible. A monster had appeared on Earth, a monster even more terrifying than the Viltrumite Empire.
And that monster was heading towards the Empire.
Allen didn't know what would happen next, but he had a premonition—the cosmic order might be about to change because of this being from Earth.
Meanwhile, in a secret facility on Earth.
Nolan Grayson lay in the force field cage, his pale face devoid of any expression.
His body was still slowly recovering, the drained smart atoms gradually accumulating energy at a snail's pace.
At this rate, he would need at least half a year to recover to his peak state.
But he was not in a hurry.
Because he knew that the black-haired man would return eventually.
And before that, he needed to be prepared.
Nolan closed his eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips.
The Viltrumite Empire had ruled the Universe for thousands of years and had never failed. No matter how strong that man was, he couldn't fight the entire Empire alone.
When the Empire's fleet arrived, everything would be over.
He thought so, but he didn't foresee that in a certain corner of the Universe, a golden stream of light was advancing at superluminal speed.
The destination of that stream of light was precisely the Viltrumite Empire's border patrol line.
Chapter 270: Hunting Season
Edge of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Chu Hang floated in the void, behind him a dark red dwarf star. He stared at a slowly moving speck of light in the distance—a Viltrumite cruiser.
The hull was silver-white, over three hundred meters long, with the Imperial emblem carved on the bow. Barry Allen said there were fifteen Viltrumite warriors on this conqueror, and the Commander was named Craig, having served for two hundred years.
Two hundred years.
Chu Hang stretched his neck, his joints cracking.
The smart atoms in his body were restless. The energy extracted from Nolan was only enough to initiate the reconstruction program; to complete his full body transformation, he needed more fuel.
On the warship before him, there were fifteen walking batteries.
Chu Hang flew towards the conqueror, making no attempt to hide his presence.
In this star system, Viltrumites were the masters. No creature had ever dared to provoke their fleet. So, when sensors detected a high-speed approaching organism, the atmosphere on the bridge was relaxed.
Only curiosity and disdain.
Craig stood before the command console, watching the increasingly close speck of light on the holographic screen. His skin was ashen, his eye sockets deep-set, and an old scar marked his chin.
A humanoid creature, no spaceship, no armor, just flying through space like that.
Craig narrowed his eyes.
"Unidentified organism, you have entered Viltrumite Empire airspace." He waved his hand to open the external broadcast. "According to Imperial law, you have two choices—submission, or Death."
Chu Hang stopped fifty meters from the warship, arms crossed.
Submission or Death?
He had heard those words too many times. HYDRA had said them, and Thanos had said them. And the result? He had buried them all.
"I choose the third option." Chu Hang spoke, his voice transmitted through energy fluctuations. "All of you lie down."
Craig frowned.
This creature's energy fluctuations were strange, somewhat like the Viltrumite's smart atoms, but also mixed with something else.
"Arrogant." Craig sneered. "Fire."
The conqueror's main cannon finished charging, and a ten-meter diameter energy beam blasted towards Chu Hang. This weapon could destroy asteroids and was standard for the Empire to cleanse rebellious Planets.
Chu Hang didn't dodge.
He didn't even change his posture, letting the beam hit him squarely.
The Viltrumites on the bridge laughed. Another fool, turned to ash by Imperial power.
Then their smiles froze.
The beam dispersed, and the black-haired man was still in his original spot. Part of his clothes were burned away, revealing some scorched marks on his skin, but they were healing at a visible rate.
Chu Hang could feel his body becoming a little tougher after this attack.
Adaptive Evolutionary Physique.
The ability copied from Barry Allen was indeed effective. After every injury and recovery, his body automatically upgraded. Although the improvements were not massive, they were consistent.
"Interesting." Chu Hang stretched his neck. "Any other tricks?"
Craig's expression changed.
He had lived for over two hundred years, conquered over a dozen Planets, and had never seen a creature that could take a direct hit from a main cannon. Even the Empire's strongest warriors wouldn't dare to do that.
"All units, attack!" he roared. "Kill him!"
The conqueror's hatch opened, and fourteen Viltrumitewarriors flew out.
Their skin was ashen, their builds burly, and each radiated powerful energy fluctuations. These were the Empire's elites, each with at least fifty years of combat experience, having slaughtered countless races.
Chu Hang looked at the Viltrumites flying towards him, excitement flashing in his eyes.
Fourteen.
Including Craig, a total of fifteen.
Each had lived for decades or even centuries, their smart atoms storing vast amounts of bio-energy.
These were all his fuel.
The first to charge was a young warrior, appearing to be fifty or sixty years old. His fist shot straight for Chu Hang's face.
Chu Hang didn't dodge.
He wanted to test just how effective the Adaptive Evolution was.
The fist slammed into his face, making a dull thud. Chu Hang's head tilted to one side, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
The warrior showed a triumphant smile.
Then the smile froze.
Chu Hang turned his head back, licking the blood from the corner of his mouth with his tongue. The wound was healing rapidly, even faster than Healing Factor.
More importantly, he could feel his skin becoming tougher.
Chu Hang raised his hand and grabbed the warrior's wrist.
Crack.
The bone broke. The warrior's face contorted, and he tried to break free, but Chu Hang's hand was like an iron clamp.
Chu Hang made a fist with his other hand and smashed it into the warrior's chest.
The warrior flew backward like a cannonball, crashing into two companions, and the three of them tumbled away.
The expressions of the other Viltrumite warriors changed.
They were the Empire's elites, each with decades of combat experience, having slaughtered countless races. They had never encountered such a situation.
An outsider, alone, taking a direct hit, then knocking someone flying with a single punch.
But they were Viltrumites after all, and their inherent arrogance wouldn't allow them to retreat.
Thirteen warriors moved simultaneously, surrounding him from all directions.
Chu Hang stood his ground, his smile growing wider.
He stopped probing.
Kryptonian Physiology operated at full power, and smart atoms furiously outputted energy. The superposition of these two forces made his body emit a faint golden glow.
The first warrior to rush forward hadn't even thrown a punch before Chu Hang's hand had already pierced through his chest.
Not a metaphor, it was literally pierced through.
Chu Hang's hand emerged from the warrior's back, a beating heart still clamped between his fingers.
The warrior looked down at the large hole in his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Chu Hang pulled out his hand and casually flung it aside.
The second warrior's head was blown off by his punch.
The third warrior's body was torn in half by him.
The fourth, fifth, sixth... Chu Hang moved through the group of Viltrumite warriors.
The entire process took less than three minutes.
Fourteen Viltrumite warriors, all brought down.
They weren't dead; Chu Hang held back. After all, dead people couldn't be batteries.
Chu Hang floated amidst these broken bodies, looking towards the conqueror in the distance.
On the bridge, Craig's face was as white as paper.
He had lived for over two hundred years and had never seen such a scene. Fourteen Imperial elites, defeated by one person in three minutes.
This wasn't a battle; it was a massacre.
Chu Hang flew towards the warship.
Craig wanted to order a retreat, but his body wouldn't obey. Fear, true fear, had made his mind blank.
Chu Hang pierced through the warship's hull as if it were paper.
He appeared on the bridge, looking at Craig, who was slumped in the command chair.
"Now, it's your turn."
Craig slumped in the command chair, trembling uncontrollably.
He had lived for over two hundred years and had never been so terrified.
Just now, he had personally watched fourteen of his subordinates crushed by this monster like ants. These were the Empire's elites, each with decades of combat experience, having slaughtered countless races.
But in front of this man, they couldn't even last three minutes.
Chu Hang walked up to Craig, looking down at him.
"Don't be nervous, I won't kill you."
Craig paused, hope flashing in his eyes.
"However," Chu Hang's tone shifted, "I need you to deliver a message for me."
He extended his right hand, and a faint golden light appeared in his palm. That was the power of the Alchemy Law, capable of reconstructing matter at a molecular level and forcibly extracting energy from living organisms.
Craig felt an invisible force envelop him, and then, intense pain struck.
The pain wasn't from his flesh, but from a deeper place.
His Life force was being drained little by little, and the smart atoms that granted him divine power were forcibly activated, releasing the energy stored for over two hundred years.
He wanted to struggle, to resist, but his body completely refused to obey.
Golden light surged from within him, flowing along Chu Hang's arm into the other's body.
Chu Hang closed his eyes, sensing this energy.
The smart atoms in his body accelerated their operation, those reprogrammed nanomachines greedily absorbing energy, continuing to execute the reconstruction program.
Progress jumped from thirty percent to thirty-five percent.
Still not enough.
Chu Hang opened his eyes and looked at the broken bodies floating in space outside the bridge.
Fourteen Viltrumite warriors, each having lived for decades or even centuries.
The combined energy stored within them should be enough to propel him significantly further.
He released Craig, letting the old soldier collapse to the ground.
Craig gasped for breath, feeling as if his spinal cord had been drained. He looked down at his hands; his skin had become pale and loose, covered in wrinkles.
He had aged.
At least fifty years older.
Chu Hang ignored him, turned, and flew out of the warship, beginning to deal with the severely wounded Viltrumite warriors one by one.
The same process, the same golden light, the same screams.
Fourteen Viltrumites, drained by him like batteries.
When he finished with the last one, the reconstruction progress of the smart atoms in his body had reached sixty-five percent.
Chu Hang nodded in satisfaction.
He flew back to the warship and came before Craig.
This once mighty Commander now looked like an old man on his last legs. He was curled up in a corner, trembling all over, his eyes filled with terror.
Chu Hang squatted down, meeting his gaze.
"Remember my words." His voice was calm. "Go back and tell your Emperor that a hunter has arrived."
He stood up and turned to leave.
"From today onwards, Viltrumites are no longer the hunters."
"You are the prey."
Chu Hang's figure transformed into a golden stream of light, disappearing into the starlit sea.
Craig remained slumped on the ground, watching the direction where the stream of light vanished, trembling uncontrollably.
He had to go back.
He had to tell the Grand Regent this news.
A monster had appeared.
A monster stronger than any warrior in the Empire.
And this monster was heading towards the Empire.
Chapter 271: The Empire Shaken
The conqueror dragged a thick trail of black smoke, crashing heavily onto the Empire's landing pad like a giant bird with broken wings. After the ear-piercing sound of metal grinding, the hatch opened with a hiss of hydraulics, and Craig's figure appeared in the doorway.
The surrounding guards instantly fell into a dead silence, their eyes filled with unbelievable horror.
Was this still the same Commander Craig known for his toughness?
His skin was shriveled and wrinkled like tree bark weathered for a thousand years, clinging tightly to his bones. With every step, his body trembled uncontrollably, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.
He was no longer the Empire's sharp blade, but an old man whose flame of Life was about to go out.
"His squad... where are the others?" a recruit asked in a low, trembling voice to the veteran beside him.
"I don't know... he's the only one who came back," the veteran's voice was equally dry.
Craig raised his clouded eyes, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. The sound coming from his throat was like gears worn to their limit: "Take me to see the Grand Regent."
When the news reached the Imperial Command Hall—that war heart symbolizing the supreme power of the Viltrumite Empire—it fell into an eerie silence for the first time. All actions, conversations, and orders froze in an instant.
Craig was supported by two tall soldiers; it was less like walking and more like being dragged into the center of the hall. His knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground. He struggled to lift his head, looking up at the mountain-like figure on the command platform.
Sarge.
The Grand Regent of the Viltrumite Empire. His body, over two meters tall, was full of explosive muscle, every inch seemingly forged from pure power. He looked down upon Craig from above, his eyes like a deity scrutinizing an ant, devoid of any emotion.
"Speak." A single word, yet it carried weight enough to crush the stars.
Craig swallowed hard with difficulty and used his last bit of strength to begin the narrative. The black-haired man born from the void, the massacre where fourteen Empire elites were completely crushed within three minutes, and the terrifying experience of how he was used as a living battery, his Life force drained dry... "He... he asked me to bring back a message."
Sarge's golden eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous cold light flashing through them: "What message?"
"He... he said," Craig's voice shook beyond recognition, fear nearly tearing his sanity apart, "From today on, Viltrumites are no longer the hunters... we... we are the prey."
Prey.
These words seemed to have physical substance, turning into an invisible giant hand that slapped the face of every Viltrumite officer in the command hall.
These battle-hardened war maniacs, who had personally destroyed civilizations and viewed slaughter as glory, now even breathed with extreme caution.
Sarge slowly stepped down from the command platform, his massive figure casting a shadow that completely enveloped Craig.
"Grand Regent, I completed the mission, I brought the news back..." Craig's eyes were full of pleading and fear.
Sarge's palm pressed lightly on the top of his head, his tone flat to the point of coldness: "The fact that you lived to return is itself a disgrace to the Empire."
"Crack."
The crisp sound of bone breaking rang out.
Craig's head tilted to one side at a bizarre angle, his Lifeforce completely severed. His body slumped softly onto the cold floor.
Sarge turned, his icy gaze sweeping the room: "An outsider of unknown origin slaughtered fourteen of our warriors and dared to claim we are prey. Tell me, what is this?"
The hall was pin-drop silent.
"This is a provocation," a cruel sneer curled at the corner of Sarge's mouth. "It is some foolish power that thinks it has found a way to shake the Empire, sending a trivial scout."
He walked to the command console and pressed a button. A holographic image projected into the air, revealing a weather-beaten face.
It was an old Viltrumite, his face covered in crisscrossing scars, his left eye replaced by a mechanical prosthetic glowing with red light. His entire being radiated a blood-soaked aura so thick it felt tangible.
Conqueror.
A legend who had lived for over eight hundred years, a War Machine who took pleasure in destruction. His record needed no elaboration; the dust of thirty-seven civilizations was his best medal. In many corners of the galaxy, his name was more feared than Death itself.
"Conqueror, there is a mission," Sarge said succinctly.
The old man on the screen grinned, revealing grim teeth, his smile full of bloodthirsty desire: "What kind of mission could make the Grand Regent contact me personally?"
"Something is hunting our people on the border. Take your 'Liquidator' squad and bring back his head."
"Alive?" Conqueror's mechanical eye flashed red.
"I need to know what he is, where he came from, and what methods he used," Sarge paused, then added, "As for dead or alive, that's up to you."
"Understood."
The communication cut off.
Sarge turned to the terrified officers, his voice regaining its imperial majesty and indifference: "Pass on my orders: all border fleets are to enter the highest state of combat readiness. Any unit that discovers the target's trail must report immediately. Engaging without authorization is strictly prohibited."
"Yes!" The officers felt as if they had been granted a reprieve and quickly dispersed to execute the orders.
Sarge was left alone in the vast hall. He stood before the giant star map, his gaze locked on the red zone where the 'incident' had occurred. He did not believe a mere individual could oppose the entire Empire. This was surely a trap, perhaps some unknown biochemical weapon, or a calculated probe by a rival power.
But whatever it was, Conqueror would bring back the answer. In the way he did best... On the other side of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Chu Hang hovered above a dark red resource Planet, looking indifferently at the mining Base below being consumed by flames. This was the second target he had destroyed today.
The first was an outpost in the Anvil System three hours ago. The eight Viltrumite warriors there had even thought he was a high-ranking officer coming for inspection and had greeted him with fawning faces.
As a result, they became the first batch of nourishment for Chu Hang to break through his bottleneck. Eight high-quality 'batteries' allowed his energy reserves to jump from 65% to 72%.
And the Planet beneath his feet, named Forge, was an important energy transit station. It was garrisoned by twelve warriors, with a Punisher-class cruiser in orbit.
They had obviously received the alarm; the cruiser's main cannon had begun charging, and the ground troops had also taken up positions.
But Chu Hang didn't even bother to say a word.
He dove straight from outside the atmosphere, his golden figure dragging a long, blazing trail in the sky.
The cruiser's main cannon had just locked onto his trajectory, but he instantly accelerated at an inconceivable angle, penetrating the bridge like a phantom before the fire could hit.
Seconds later, the massive warship turned into a brilliant firework in the silent space.
The Viltrumite warriors on the ground looked up in horror, only to see that golden meteor smashing toward them with unstoppable force. This time, Chu Hang didn't even engage in one-on-one contact. He hovered above the Baseand opened his palm.
An invisible energy field instantly enveloped the entire Base.
The twelve powerful Viltrumite warriors felt as if they were wrapped in ten thousand tons of seawater. Every cell was wailing as their internal Life energy was frantically drained away by an irresistible gravitational pull.
They tried to resist, but the power they took pride in was as weak as an infant's before him.
In less than five minutes, the battle was over.
All twelve Viltrumite warriors had turned into shriveled husks, lying in the ruins and moaning weakly, their eyes filled with nothing but endless despair.
Chu Hang closed his eyes, quietly feeling the energy surging and roaring within him.
85%.
Only the final 15% remained.
He could clearly feel every atom composing his body operating at an unprecedented high speed, as if they had turned into the cores of billions of miniature stars, storing terrifying energy enough to tear through space-time. He sensed that when the progress bar reached 100%, a complete qualitative change would occur.
Just then, Chu Hang opened his eyes, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
He saw it.
Deep in the distant starry sky, an incredibly powerful, violent, and bloodthirsty aura was leaping toward his location at an alarming speed.
The quality of that energy was far more refined and ancient than any Viltrumite he had encountered before.
Conqueror had arrived.
Chu Hang licked his lips, his eyes flashing with excitement.
The Empire had finally sent a real big shot.
He just hovered there quietly above Planet Forge, waiting for that fat fish to take the bait.
Because he could feel that the majestic energy contained within that old guy was just enough to fill his final 15% gap... Earth, Global Defense Agency, Underground Command Center.
Cecil Stedman frowned deeply, staring intently at the holographic screen. On the screen was a blurry image sent back by a deep-space probe and subjected to multiple layers of analysis. A golden point of light was wreaking havoc above a Planet, and the surface buildings were collapsing one after another like toy blocks pushed over by a child.
It was Chu Hang.
Cecil didn't know exactly what he was doing, but he knew clearly that Chu Hang was slaughtering Viltrumites. This realization gave him an absurd sense of relief, followed by an even deeper level of fear.
A monster who could treat Omni-Man like a power bank was stirring up a storm of blood in the deep reaches of space. If one day this monster grew tired of interstellar travel and decided to come "home" for a look?
He shook his head, pushing down the terrifying thought, and turned to look at the young man behind him.
Mark Grayson was wearing black tight-fitting training clothes, his body steaming with sweat. His gaze was much firmer than it had been three weeks ago, but it also held something else.
It was hate. A bone-deep hatred for that black-haired man that almost overflowed from his eyes.
Cecil walked over and handed him a data chip.
"Inside this is all the intelligence we've gathered about Viltrumites. Physiological structure, social systems, combat patterns, all known weaknesses." He paused, emphasizing his tone, "Including... all the data on your father."
Mark suddenly gripped the chip tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.
Cecil patted his shoulder and said in a heavy voice, "Get stronger, kid. Whether it's to protect Earth or to take revenge on that man, you need power. And understanding your enemy—and your bloodline—is the first step."
Mark nodded heavily without speaking and turned to walk away quickly.
Chapter 272: Goal Achieved
The sky above the Furnace Planet was forcefully torn apart by twelve silver-white pillars of light.
The pillars of light, like spears of divine punishment, pierced down from outside the atmosphere. The ruins within several kilometers of the Impact points were instantly vaporized, forming twelve bottomless craters with molten magma flowing along their edges.
The scorching shockwave distorted light, as if space itself groaned under this power.
Before the dust settled, a wild and aged laugh erupted from the central crater, carrying a heart-palpitating 壓力.
"Hahaha... this is it! I smell it, the fragrance of my compatriots' blood mixed with despair!"
Chu Hang floated above the scorched Earth, arms crossed, watching below with a cold expression.
Twelve figures ascended from the pits.
Each of them was a burly viltumite warrior, their armors far more refined than the previous batch, with energy halos flowing darkly and solidly.
The energy fluctuations of the eleven leaders were all no weaker than Craig, whom Chu Hang had previously defeated.
But Chu Hang's gaze was fixed only on the last old man.
He appeared to be seventy or eighty years old, his weathered face covered in crisscrossing scars, his left eye replaced by a mechanical prosthetic eye that glowed with a crimson light.
His stature was even considered short among Viltrumites, nearly half a head shorter than his subordinates beside him, yet simply by standing there, the surrounding space subtly trembled and collapsed due to the terrifying aura he exuded.
Conqueror.
An eight-hundred-year-old empire War Machine, a legend who personally erased thirty-seven civilizations from the star map.
The old man lowered his head, his mechanical prosthetic eye scanning the Viltrumite warrior corpses on the ground that had been drained dry, the crimson light briefly pausing on every detail.
"Fourteen elite Soldiers of the empire," his hoarse voice showed no emotion, "slaughtered to this extent by one person."
Just then, one of the corpses still had a breath left, and a withered arm struggled to lift.
"Officer... save..."
Conqueror slowly squatted down, his scarred face close to the dying warrior, the light from his mechanical prosthetic eye almost touching the warrior's pupil.
"Save you?" he asked in a low voice, with a hint of playful cruelty, "Fourteen people, unable to even stop an outsider for a moment, do you still have the face to ask me to save you?"
He extended his calloused hand and gently pressed it on the warrior's head.
"The Empire never needs waste."
Crack.
The sound of a skull cracking was faint and crisp.
Conqueror stood up, carelessly shaking off the brain matter and blood from his hand, then turned his gaze to Chu Hangin mid-air.
He bared his teeth, revealing a mouthful of stark white, his smile maniacal and bloodthirsty.
"Is that you?"
Chu Hang nodded slightly: "It is I."
"Good! Good! Good!" Conqueror said "good" three times in a row, the red light from his mechanical prosthetic eye growing more intense, like a star about to explode, "The Grand Regent called you an unprecedented powerhouse, strong enough to beat trash like Craig into true waste. I didn't believe it, but now it seems..."
He stuck out his tongue and slowly licked his chapped lips.
"You are indeed... quite interesting."
Before his words finished, Conqueror's figure had already vanished!
A grey-white afterimage, imperceptible to the mortal eye, carrying a shriek that tore through the vacuum, lunged directly at Chu Hang's face.
There were no fancy moves, only pure killing instinct honed by eight hundred years of war. Before the fist arrived, its wind had already plowed another deep gully in the Earthbelow, sending molten rock splashing.
Chu Hang didn't even raise his arm.
He simply stood there, allowing the iron fist, capable of piercing a starship's main armor, to smash towards his cheek.
Boom—!
Between the fist and the cheek, a thin, cicada-wing-like, pale golden light membrane appeared out of nowhere. The moment they collided, there was no Earth-shattering roar, only a silent, annular pure white shockwave spreading out, completely leveling the ruins within tens of kilometers, turning them into a crystalline glaze.
Conqueror's fist was firmly stopped on the light membrane, unable to advance another inch.
"Is that all?" Chu Hang tilted his head, his tone as flat as if evaluating a bland dish.
Conqueror's mechanical prosthetic eye flashed with intense red light! This understated rhetorical question ignited his legendary wrath more than any insult. He instantly entered a berserk combat state, left fist, right elbow, knee strike, headbutt... countless killing techniques merged into one, forming an impenetrable steel storm. Every strike precisely targeted Chu Hang's vitals, and the aftershocks of each blow caused ripples in the surrounding space.
However, all attacks were completely blocked by that seemingly fragile golden light membrane.
Chu Hang remained motionless, like a reef at the center of a storm.
"Your combat experience is indeed impeccable," he finally spoke, his voice clearly penetrating the roar of the furious attacks, "but unfortunately, your strength is too weak."
Conqueror's movements ceased abruptly. He retreated more than a dozen steps, his chest heaving violently, the light from his mechanical prosthetic eye flickering wildly—a sign of data stream overload. In eight hundred years, this was the first time, the very first time, he had encountered such an absurd situation where his attacks couldn't even shake the opponent's defense in the slightest.
This was no longer a battle; it was an incomprehensible phenomenon.
"You... what exactly are you?" he roared, his voice for the first time tinged with shock and doubt.
Chu Hang slowly raised his right hand. In his palm, a pale golden light slowly condensed and rotated, seemingly containing the deepest mysteries of the Universe. That was the power of the Alchemy Law, capable of not only reconstructing matter at a molecular level but also directly interfering with the energy flow patterns within living organisms.
"Me?" Chu Hang smiled, a smile more terrifying than any demon in Conqueror's eyes, "The one you can never defeat."
His palm gently pushed forward.
An invisible, intangible, yet omnipresent power of law instantly enveloped Conqueror. He felt as if his limbs were filled with billions of tons of lead, every movement becoming incredibly difficult.
But even more terrifying, he could clearly feel that the smart atoms within him, which granted him immense power, were wildly agitated and out of control at an unprecedented frequency, like a group of rebellious Soldiers, threatening to tear him apart from within.
"No! What did you do to me!" Conqueror roared in horror. He had fought his entire Life, yet never felt such a bizarre and powerless state. This was not a suppression of strength, but a disintegration from the very foundation of Life.
*How is this possible? My body, my strength, are extensions of my will! How could they... betray me?* Conqueror's heart was in turmoil, his eight hundred years of arrogance and confidence beginning to crumble at this moment.
Chu Hang did not answer. The operating frequency of the smart atoms he had analyzed from Nolan now acted like a precise key, unlocking the lock within Conqueror's body and wantonly altering its internal structure.
"Don't waste your effort," Chu Hang slowly walked up to the immobilized Conqueror, his eyes calm, "The eight hundred years of energy accumulated within you, for me, is just right."
His palm gently pressed onto the armor on Conqueror's chest.
Golden light, like a living thing, flowed from his arm, instantly penetrating the heavy armor and touching Conqueror's body.
At that moment, Conqueror felt not Death, but a "stripping away" billions of times more terrifying than Death. His Lifeessence, everything he had accumulated from eight hundred years of slaughter, conquest, and consumption, was being frantically extracted by an irresistible force. It was an ultimate emptiness and despair, being uprooted from the depths of his Soul.
"No... no! Stop! I am Conqueror! I have destroyed thirty-seven civilizations! I am the undefeated legend of Viltrum!" He roared frantically, trying to use past glory to combat his current fear, but this only made him appear more pathetic.
"Thirty-seven?" Chu Hang raised an eyebrow slightly, "Then from today on, consider yourself the thirty-eighth."
The golden light suddenly intensified, and the Conqueror's body shriveled at a speed visible to the naked eye. His lustrous skin quickly became like withered tree bark, his full muscles rapidly atrophied, and his once burly figure hunched over. The scarlet mechanical bionic eye flickered wildly a few times, then its light dimmed and finally extinguished completely.
"No... impossible... I... I've lived for eight hundred years..." His voice became weak and hoarse.
Chu Hang's eyes showed no fluctuation, only increasing the intensity of the extraction.
A massive torrent of energy, powerful enough to make a star tremble, surged into his body along his arm. That was the Conqueror's accumulation of eight hundred years—eight hundred years of combat memories, killing intent, and Life essence. At this moment, all of it was broken down and purified by the Alchemy Law, transforming into the purest energy.
Inside Chu Hang's body, the reprogrammed smart atomsnanomachines, like hungry fledglings, greedily devoured this external energy, frantically executing the final reconstruction program for the host.
85%...90%...95%... Chu Hang closed his eyes, quietly feeling the Earth-shattering changes occurring within his body. Every cell was decomposing and reorganizing, every atom was being rearranged. His Life form was undergoing a fundamental leap, evolving from the realm of carbon-based Life towards a higher-dimensional existence.
98%...99%... Finally, when the last trace of energy was squeezed dry, the Conqueror's body had completely turned into a mummified husk, with sunken eye sockets, skin tightly clinging to bones, cracked lips, and exposed yellowed teeth.
But he was still alive. His cloudy eyeballs still moved unconsciously, and a faint, inhuman groan of "ho-ho" emanated from his throat.
"Kill... kill me..."
Chu Hang ignored this final plea. All his attention was focused on the critical point within his body that was about to be broken through.
100%.
Boom!
An indescribable sense of sublimation erupted from the deepest part of his body, from the very core of his Soul!
It was as if the singularity at the birth of the Universe; every cell cheered, every atom sang. His body was no longer merely flesh and blood, but had transformed into an incredibly precise and powerful energy aggregate composed of countless miniature energy singularities. Every cell was capable of containing and outputting star-level energy.
Chu Hang suddenly opened his eyes, and two pure golden divine lights shot out from his pupils, piercing through the distant Nebula.
"It's done."
He released his hand, letting the Conqueror's light, shriveled husk drift like a fallen leaf into the cold space.
But this was only the first step.
Deep within his body, there was still a long-suppressed power.
The Phoenix Force.
Although it was merely an insignificant branch separated from the main body for a clone experiment, its essence remained the ultimate power representing cosmic Life and emotion, capable of easily destroying a galaxy.
His previous body simply couldn't withstand this power; it could only be used like an external tool.
But now, it was different.
Every cell in his reconstructed body was a perfect energy container.
Chu Hang took a deep breath, actively withdrew the suppression of that power, and began to guide it.
In an instant, golden-red divine flames erupted from within him, coalescing behind him into a colossal phantom of a Phoenix that spanned the sky and overshadowed the stars!
The power was too immense, too violent! Even his reconstructed body felt an intense, scorching pain under the onslaught of this power, as if it was being torn apart at the atomic level.
But Chu Hang didn't stop. Instead, he embraced the excruciating pain, actively guiding the Phoenix Force into every cell of his body, using this most primordial cosmic flame to fill the countless newly born energy containers.
Excruciating pain intertwined with extreme pleasure; the forces of Destruction and rebirth achieved an unprecedented balance within him.
His strength began to skyrocket at a speed that defied physical laws!
Skyfather level peak... beginner level of a single Universe... intermediate level of a single Universe... Finally, an indescribably vast and mighty power completely erupted from him, transforming into endless golden light that instantly illuminated the entire Andromeda Galaxy. Far away on the other side of the galaxy, on the homeworld of the Viltrumite Empire, countless people looked up in terror, gazing at the sudden golden light in the sky, brighter than the Sun, their faces filled with fear from the depths of their Souls.
Chu Hang slowly opened his eyes, feeling the ceaseless, seemingly infinite power flowing within him.
The Phoenix Force had perfectly merged with him. And at the moment he stepped into the single Universe level, he clearly felt that all the restraints and rejections imposed on him by this Universe had vanished.
He could leave at any time.
Chu Hang looked down at his palm, golden divine radiance flowing like a river of stars beneath his skin.
"It's time... to go back."
He looked up, his gaze seeming to penetrate endless time and space, looking towards the other end of the distant star-filled sky.
In the Main Universe, his main body was still waiting for him... and Wanda.
He had been away too long.
As for this Universe... he glanced at the Planet in the distance that represented the supreme authority of the Viltrumite Empire, a cold arc forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Sarge, we can settle our score later."
He raised his hand and gently swiped at the void in front of him. Space was silently torn open like cloth, and a stable and brilliant Spatial Rift appeared before his eyes. On the other side of the rift was the familiar cosmic aura that he longed for.
Chu Hang stepped in, his figure disappearing into the endless golden light.
Behind him, the Spatial Rift slowly closed, erasing all traces. Above Furnace Planet, only the eleven terrified Purifier Squad members remained, along with the Conqueror's desiccated corpse slowly drifting in the void.
They had witnessed a scene like a miracle—their Commander, the undefeated legend who had lived for eight hundred years and awed the galaxy, was in less than ten minutes, drained of everything like juice by that black-haired man, becoming nourishment for the other's advancement.
"Retreat... retreat..." A young Soldier's voice trembled, barely able to utter complete words, "Immediately... immediately return to the Empire and report to the Grand Regent!"
No one objected. Eleven streaks of silver-white light, carrying unprecedented panic, streaked through the void, fleeing madly towards the Empire's homeworld, not even daring to spare another glance at the remains of their Commander, whom they once revered as a god... Andromeda Galaxy, Viltrumite Empire Royal Palace.
Sarge stood with his hands behind his back, silently before a gigantic holographic star map. His figure was like a mountain, every inch of his muscle containing terrifying power capable of tearing Planets apart.
In the communicator, the incoherent and terrified report from the surviving Purifier Squad members had ended. The core message was only one—Conqueror had been defeated, and in an unprecedented manner, completely devoured.
Sarge remained silent.
His face was terrifyingly calm, but the slowly clenched fists behind his back made the surrounding space emit a strained "clack clack" sound. Conqueror, one of the Empire's strongest War Machines, an undefeated legend of eight hundred years, had now become a "power bank" for someone else's power advancement.
"Grand Regent..." The staff Officer behind him cautiously spoke, "Do we need to immediately activate the highest war plan...?"
"No need." Sarge interrupted him, his voice low and cold, yet with a strange hint of excitement.
He slowly turned around, and in his pure golden eyes, a dangerous flame named "interest" burned.
"That man said he was going back to a place called 'Earth'." A cruel and expectant sneer curled Sarge's lips, "Perfect, I haven't... stretched my muscles in a long time."
He strode out of the Royal Palace, his dark cloak flapping behind him without wind, rustling loudly.
"Issue my command, assemble all Imperial fleets, all elites."
"Target—"
"Earth."