"AHHHHH!!!"
Beneath Lothar's boot, Baltan roared in fury. The scent of soil filled his nostrils, embedding itself into every nerve of his body. But what truly burned within him was not the dirt—it was the unbearable humiliation.
He was one of the Skrull Empire's most renowned warlords. He was the Supreme Commander of Planet U40's military forces. He was a butcher whose name struck terror into countless enemies.
Never. Never had he been stepped on like this.
"You… damn… bastard…!"
Fury surged through Baltan's veins as he twisted his head, barely able to move under Lothar's crushing foot. His hands dug into the ground, his body trembling as raw power erupted from within, fueled by rage.
"Futile struggle."
Lothar's response was another stomp.
Baltan's skull was driven deep into the earth.
The power he had just summoned shattered alongside the last fragments of his pride.
"Baltan!!"
Still reeling, Gazzler shook his head, trying to regain focus. But as he lifted his gaze, he saw Lothar's merciless actions. Wiping blood from his face, the massive warrior charged at Lothar, roaring in defiance.
SLAP!
Lothar caught Gazzler with a single hand, halting his advance effortlessly.
"Weak punches—unforgivable for a warrior."
"ROAR!!"
"Unstable footing—disgraceful for a warrior."
With a swift kick, Lothar struck Gazzler's leg, following up with a stomp. The sickening crack of breaking bone echoed through the ruins, mingling with Gazzler's pained howls, broadcasted live across the intergalactic networks.
"How did two weaklings like you manage to destroy Planet L77?"
Lothar's skepticism was genuine.
Stepping off Baltan, he grabbed the defeated warrior from the ground, dragging him alongside Gazzler. His silver boots crunched against shattered debris as he approached Astra, who had been locked in battle with The Other on the far side of the ruins.
"Transaction complete."
Like discarded corpses, Baltan and Gazzler were thrown at Astra's feet.
The sight made Astra flinch.
He had imagined countless scenarios of facing his enemies again—dreamed of vengeance for years—but this? This, he had never considered.
The ones he had obsessed over, the ones he had sworn to kill with his own hands, now lay broken before him, struggling to breathe.
Astra closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart.
"Transaction… complete?"
"You… who are you?"
Gazzler, his leg snapped and body drenched in sweat, leaned against the rubble, forcing his bones back into place as he stared at Astra.
"What did you say?"
Astra's composure wavered.
"Oh, I get it now," Baltan sneered, wiping dirt from his lips before spitting onto the ground. His sharp eyes locked onto Lothar.
"Just another survivor from a planet we wiped out. I know that look all too well."
"You're angry because we don't even remember, aren't you?"
Baltan laughed, his expression contemptuous.
"But you see, I destroy so many planets every year. You think I remember each and every one of them?"
"You bastard—!"
"DIE, SKRULL SCUM!!!"
A massive energy cannon landed on Astra's shoulder, its pitch-black barrel aimed at Baltan and Gazzler. Without hesitation, Astra pulled the trigger.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
His furious roars filled the sky as the battlefield was consumed in fire and dust.
"Huff… huff…"
The relentless bombardment finally ceased.
Astra's arms trembled. The cannon slid off his shoulder, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. He dropped to his knees, utterly drained.
"Father…"
"Mother…"
"Brother…"
"And all of Planet L77… I've avenged you… I've avenged you…"
Tears traced through the grime on his rugged face. The battle-hardened warrior no longer looked like a merciless killer, but a man burdened by the weight of a lifetime's sorrow.
Behind him, the sound of Lothar's boots stepping across ice-crusted rubble rang sharp and clear.
"Transaction complete. I'll give you the coordinates. I can take you there myself."
Astra lowered his head, his voice hoarse.
"Leave."
Lothar's gaze was impassive. Astra glanced up—and his expression shifted.
His head snapped toward the battlefield, his eyes widening.
The dust had settled.
A sea of Baltan's clones stood in the ruins, their numbers stretching beyond sight.
And towering among them, his colossal frame shadowing the battlefield, stood Gazzler—now fully transformed into a monstrous cosmic beast, though still limping from his injuries.
"L77… I remember now. You must be the younger brother of that pathetic lion."
Hundreds of Baltans raised their clawed hands in unison, their countless eyes fixed on Astra.
"Your brother was a disgrace. And so are you."
"Baltan!"
"What? Am I wrong?"
"A failure will always be a failure. Even if you cling to a stronger force, it doesn't change the fact that you're just worthless trash."
The swarm of Baltans sneered in unison, their collective gaze now wary of Lothar.
"Gazzler, let's begin."
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
The green beast howled, dragging his wounded leg as he charged toward Lothar. The sheer force of his movements made the ground tremble across the city.
Skrull Warlord Gazzler—Bestial Cosmic Form!
"ROARRR!!!"
His razor-sharp fangs gleamed with bloodlust, and his massive tail lashed out, aiming to crush Lothar in one sweep.
BAM!
Instead of being sent flying, Lothar stood his ground. His fingers wrapped around Gazzler's tail, stopping it dead in its tracks.
"What… impossible?!"
Baltan's confidence cracked as he witnessed the scene. He knew exactly how powerful Gazzler was in this form.
Yet Lothar had caught his attack—effortlessly.
The swarm of Baltans roared in fury, launching an all-out assault, trying to buy time—time to activate the Planetary Defense System!
"You still don't understand what impossible really means."
Lothar smirked coldly.
Gripping Gazzler's tail with both hands, he kicked off the ground. The force shattered the earth beneath his feet as he hurled Gazzler into the sky!
"ROOOAAARR!!"
Gazzler flailed helplessly.
Lothar swung the colossal beast like a living weapon, smashing through Baltan's army.
Laser blasts fired from every direction, striking Gazzler's body, tearing through flesh. The beast roared in agony.
"ALERT! ALERT! Lord Lothar, the Planetary Defense System is activating!"
Lothar's right eye flickered with a warning from Woz's transmission.
A plasma cannon emerged from the military district, locking onto him.
Baltan smirked.
"Die."
The cannon fired.
The blinding energy beam roared toward Lothar.
"Lothar, you bastard!!"
Gazzler howled as he was thrown directly into the cannon's path—his final, brutal fate sealed.
Baltan sneered. "It's useless. The defense system will track you no matter where—What?!?!"
His voice died.
Lothar raised his right hand.
A brilliant silver energy wave erupted from his palm, colliding with the plasma beam.
Gazzler was instantly obliterated.
"This… this is impossible!!!"
Baltan's face twisted in horror. In sheer desperation, he overloaded the cannon's power to maximum output.
"You lowly creatures will never understand what impossible truly means."
Lothar's expression remained indifferent.
He unleashed his full power.
The silver energy wave overwhelmed the plasma cannon, descending upon the city.
"NOOOOO!!!"
Baltan's clones disintegrated instantly.
The military district was annihilated.
Lothar hovered above, gazing coldly at the ruins below.
"Vanish."
At that moment, he wasn't a warrior.
He was a god.
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