Kurogai had used the perfected Terrigen Mist on Skye, allowing her to successfully awaken her Inhuman ability—vibration manipulation.
Meanwhile, far beyond Earth's atmosphere, aboard a sleek shuttle-shaped spacecraft drifting through the starry void, a sharp alarm sounded.
Two tall, blue-skinned humanoids stood up at once, their expressions shifting. They were Kree—cold, calculating, and ancient. One of them walked briskly to a control console and slammed a hand down on the central panel.
"The perfect Terrigen has been activated," the first Kree growled. "Only an Inhuman would dare use it. We can't allow this violation to go unpunished."
"Then initiate the operation. Track the signal and prepare for immediate extraction," the other replied without hesitation.
They input a sequence of commands, locking onto the embedded trace signal left within the Terrigen Mist. Within moments, the ship executed a precision jump through space, descending toward Earth at high speed.
Back on Earth, Kurogai looked up toward the sky, his expression darkening. He felt it. Something was coming.
"They're faster than I expected," he muttered. "Seems that perfect Terrigen Mist means more to them than I thought."
He hadn't been idle during Skye's awakening. As a precaution, he had cast multiple layered early warning spells around the perimeter, sensitive enough to detect any celestial activity. The instant those barriers were breached, Kurogai knew the Kree were approaching.
"I'll need to make preparations."
Magic circles formed around his hands and expanded outward as he wove defensive enchantments into the terrain. Once finished, he took a deep breath and looked toward the sky, where a searing light was descending fast.
"Skye, go wait for me inside Kamui," he said.
His Mangekyō Sharingan activated instantly, opening the dimensional gateway. Skye disappeared into the Kamui space without resistance.
Though she was now an Inhuman, Skye had only just awakened. She wasn't ready for a confrontation of this scale. Sending her into Kamui was the safest option.
BOOM!
The ground shook as the Kree ship landed. Its doors opened with a hiss, and the two Kree soldiers emerged—tall, armored, and expressionless. Their scanning device flickered, but then dimmed.
"Strange," one said. "The signal was active just moments ago. Now, nothing."
"Something's not right. It's been hidden," the other muttered, eyes narrowing.
They didn't even glance at Kurogai, who stood nearby. To them, he was just another human. Insignificant. An insect.
"Looking for the one who used the Terrigen Mist?" Kurogai said coolly, arms crossed.
Both Kree turned, eyes hardening. To them, his tone was almost insulting.
"You know of the Inhumans?" one of them snarled. "That means you were involved."
"Hand the human over," the second Kree barked, "and we'll grant you a swift death."
Kurogai's expression didn't change.
"Exchange her for your lives, then."
The words were barely out of his mouth before the two Kree lunged forward, weapons raised.
But Kurogai didn't flinch.
"You arrogant blue-skinned bastards," he snapped, his gaze burning. "Kneel."
His eyes shifted—no longer Sharingan, but a powerful crimson Geass flaring into view.
A wave of oppressive power swept over the Kree, and though they struggled, their bodies froze mid-motion. Their legs buckled. Both of them dropped to their knees before him, their faces twisted in fury and disbelief.
"You... what have you done?!"
"Get us up! You filthy human—this is an outrage!"
They writhed in place, furious, humiliated, but powerless to move. The Geass had rooted their minds.
"I never understood that Kree superiority complex," Kurogai said flatly. "Let's see how superior you are when you're groveling on the ground."
With his control fully established, Kurogai began extracting answers.
First, he focused on the Terrigen Mist—how it had been tracked, whether there were side effects he hadn't accounted for, and how many Kree forces had been deployed in response. He needed to ensure Skye wouldn't suffer from unknown long-term effects. And he needed to know how far the Kree were willing to go to retrieve the Mist—or kill the one who used it.
Second, he shifted to galactic affairs. These soldiers had come from deep space, which meant they were connected to larger Kree operations. Kurogai needed information—intel about the state of the wider universe. If threats were moving, he had to know.
Staying on Earth while being blind to what loomed in the stars was a mistake he wouldn't make.
"Let's begin with something simple," Kurogai said. "Did you happen to stumble across Earth... or have you been watching it all along?"
The interrogation continued, his voice calm and deliberate, but unwavering.
He didn't rush. Every detail mattered. Every answer shaped the next move.
And Kurogai was always thinking several moves ahead.
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