Chapter 164 : I'm not negotiating with you! Get the Power Gem!
Space ripples dissipated in the center of Andromeda, and Li Yu's figure appeared above Xandar.
This place is 2.5 million light-years away from the Milky Way Galaxy. If a Saint were to travel solely by flight, even at the fastest speed, it would take 2.5 million years.
Fortunately, the Space Stone's teleportation ability reduced this immeasurable distance to a single step.
Looking down, Xandar was not a complete Planet, but a vast expanse of shattered debris.
Gray-white fragments of the crust floated in the Universe, enveloped by a transparent energy shield. In the center of the debris, a spherical fortress emitted a pale blue technological glow—that was the new home rebuilt by the Nova Corps.
Thanos's attack a few years ago almost completely destroyed this Planet. Their ability to regain a foothold now was entirely thanks to the core artifact they had recently acquired: the Power Stone.
Li Yu could clearly sense the violent energy fluctuations emanating from deep within the spherical fortress, which was the unique aura of the Power Stone.
He slowly descended. The moment his toes touched the metal platform at the top of the fortress, an alarm instantly blared across the entire Planet.
"Who goes there! Show your access permit!"
Dozens of Nova Corps soldiers in blue armor surrounded him from all directions, their energy weapons pointed at Li Yu. The Nova emblem on their armor flashed with a wary red light.
Their movements were synchronized, their eyes sharp, clearly indicating they were elites forged in battle.
Li Yu stood still, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding soldiers, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable penetrative force.
"I need to see Queen Adora."
The soldiers did not immediately act. Someone who could reach the core area of Xandar directly from the vacuum of space, using only his physical body, could not possibly be an ordinary person.
The silver-gray armor worn by the man in front of them, though not of the traditional Asgardian style, exuded the metallic sheen unique to Asgardian armaments, making them instinctively think of the fallen yet still powerful Asgardian gods.
After a brief standoff, a golden light shot from the main tower of the spherical fortress and landed in front of Li Yu.
As the light dissipated, a blonde woman appeared.
She wore a blue and gold robe, its hem embroidered with the highest emblem of the Nova Corps, and was surrounded by a soft yet powerful energy.
Her eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, scanning the suddenly appearing stranger, her demeanor filled with the majesty of a leader.
"Greetings, Asgardian warrior."
Queen Adora's voice was steady, showing no trace of disrespect.
"What is the purpose of your visit?"
Li Yu did not engage in pleasantries. The Thor armor on his body crackled with subtle electrical arcs, and his crimson cape billowed without wind in the airflow at the top of the fortress, its edges entwined with pure golden lightning.
Beneath the silver-gray horned helmet covering half his face, his indifferent black eyes met Adora's, and an invisible pressure caused the solemn air around them to become stagnant.
"I need to borrow the Power Stone."
He stated his request in the most concise language.
"It will be returned after use."
A brief silence fell over the square.
Queen Adora's brows furrowed slightly, her voice echoing on the metal platform, carrying the resolve of Xandar's supreme leader.
"The Power Stone is the energy core of New Xandar and the protective pillar of the entire Planet. Its power is enough to warp Reality and destroy galaxies. The Nova Corps bears the duty of guarding it and can never easily hand it over."
She took a step forward, attempting to communicate.
"If you have a compelling reason to borrow it, please state it. The Nova Corps is not unreasonable. I can submit it to the Supreme Council and provide a response as soon as possible..."
"Enough."
Two cold words interrupted Queen Adora's speech.
Li Yu's voice was not loud, but it pierced the air like an ice pick, carrying a chill that reached the soul.
He had no time to wait for any Supreme Council.
The final Holy War in the Saint Seiya World was imminent, and Athena's true spirit imprint in his soul continued to impact Arishem the Judge's seal.
His deal with Arishem the Judge had likely been detected by the Sentinel, and every second of delay could introduce more variables.
Although Xandar's civilization was strong, it lacked a multi-Universe-level powerhouse to guard it, and in front of a super-powerful being like him, it ultimately wasn't enough.
The rules of this Queen, in the face of urgent matters concerning his own survival, were as fragile as a spiderweb.
"I am informing you, not discussing with you!"
Li Yu's voice, transmitted through his helmet, resonated with metallic coldness, clearly echoing across the entire square.
The moment his words fell, he took a step forward. There were no hand seals, no incantations, just a mere thought.
The Cosmo origin from Aquarius, a power of Absolute Zero akin to a slumbering ice age, abruptly awakened!
Buzz!
A suffocating stillness instantly enveloped the entire area. Centered on Li Yu, a pale blue ice ring, visible to the naked eye, spread wildly like a cosmic ripple at a speed beyond physical limits!
This was not ordinary freezing.
Wherever the ice ring passed, the gleaming alloy walls of the square, the technological instruments suspended in the air, and the movable floor with its ornate patterns were instantly covered by a layer of metallic-sheened solid ice.
That was the trace of molecular motion being forcibly frozen, with even the heat in space completely stripped away.
The air, in the instant the ice ring swept past, condensed into fine ice crystal powder, rustling to the ground.
Even the trajectories of light were frozen into sluggishness for a moment, and the entire space seemed to be put on a slow-motion button.
The expressions of horror on the faces of Queen Adora and the Nova Corps soldiers instantly froze.
Their bodies were rigid, their fingers attempting to press alarm buttons suspended in mid-air, and even their thoughts, which had been rapidly churning due to shock, were frozen within the domain of Absolute Zero.
Time, for them, seemed infinitely stretched, leaving only the primal fear originating from the instinct of life, screaming silently in the depths of their consciousness.
But the freezing power did not stop.
Li Yu's target was the core of Xandar. The ice ring ignored the sturdy architectural structures, penetrating layer upon layer of energy barriers, sweeping towards the source of that violent energy deep within the crust—the Power Stone's storage location—guided precisely by his will!
Crack! Crack!
Crisp freezing sounds echoed within the Planet.
The core circle of New Xandar and the surface areas of the shattered Planet were instantly plunged into eternal ice.
Skyscrapers transformed into gigantic ice sculptures, spacecraft solidified in mid-air, and activated laser weapons turned into piles of scrap metal in an instant.
Sunlight shone on the glistening ice, reflecting a dazzling yet cold light, devoid of any signs of life.
The entire Planet became a specimen frozen in an amber of time.
Li Yu took a step, and with the power of the Space Stone, appeared directly in the deepest part of the energy core.
Before him was a sphere dozens of meters thick, with an outer layer of high-density alloy protection and an inner layer wrapped in a pale purple energy shield.
This was the ultimate defense the Nova Corps had built for the Power Stone. All the energy of New Xandar came from here, and the Power Stone's energy, extracted by advanced technology, was inexhaustible.
He extended his hands, his fingertips resting on the surface of the alloy sphere, applying slight pressure.
With a "tear" sound, the alloy and shield, which could withstand interstellar main cannon attacks, were easily torn apart like paper under his hands.
Boom!
A purple energy torrent instantly surged out from thecrack, like a roaring evil dragon, carrying violent power capable of driving an entire galaxy.
Li Yu snorted coldly, extending one hand. The Cosmo in his palm formed an invisible barrier, steadily blocking all energy beams.
Those Planet-destroying powers gradually solidified in his palm, eventually transforming into a thumb-sized purple gem.
The Power Stone, acquired!
Li Yu gripped the gem, feeling the energy resonance of the three Infinity Stones.
His power and Soul attributes were amplified a hundredfold by the two Infinity Stones. At this moment, Li Yu felt stronger than ever before!
The orange-red of the Soul Stone, the ethereal blue of the Space Stone, and the deep purple of the Power Stone—three powers flowed harmoniously within him!
He looked towards Earth, a new plan already formed in his mind.
The Time Stone was at Kamar-Taj. It was time to go back. He hoped Strange and Wong had already found traces of the Reality Stone and the Mind Stone!
As Li Yu departed, the freezing power instantly dissipated, as if it had all been an illusion.
Queen Adora clenched her fists in frustration!
Again and again!
The Power Stone, would they ultimately fail to protect it?