The fireworks bursting across the sky were breathtakingly brilliant, yet in the eyes of Accuser Robb, they were nothing short of an eyesore.
He had never expected his probing attack to actually claim the life of the enemy attempting to abduct Astra. It was merely customary for him to toss out some "appetizers" before the real battle commenced, a mere show of might.
Yet, he had never imagined that his opponent would counter with such an overwhelming display of power.
The energy ripple that tore through the heavens sent a chill down Robb's spine.
"That is definitely not a Skrull!"
Watching as a small battleship departed from Torfa, streaking toward the cosmos in the wake of the fireworks, Robb's face darkened. Few knew the Skrulls as well as he did.
He had warned them. He had said from the beginning that the secrets Astra carried would attract the attention of other cosmic forces. But those stubborn old fools on Hala refused to listen, wasting precious time.
"Prepare to attack!"
Fixing his gaze on the fleeing battleship, Robb issued the command to open fire.
At this point, he could no longer afford to concern himself with Astra's life. Though the scientist had his disputes with the Accuser Corps, Robb believed he would ultimately understand.
This was all for the glory of the Kree Empire.
Weapons aboard the warship activated under his orders.
"General Robb! Our left flank is under attack by an unknown fleet!"
"What did you say?"
Robb's brows furrowed tightly as he turned to face the screen before him. Displayed upon it was a formation of dozens of medium-sized battleships escorting a massive warship, steadily advancing toward Torfa.
The size of this fleet was nearly equal to his own.
...
"The Kree Accuser Corps—officially known as the Supreme Accuser Tribunal of the Kree Empire—is one of the Empire's core institutions. Though its members are few, each is an elite among elites.
"Only those who have undergone extensive higher education and rigorous military training can enter the Supreme Tribunal. This is why most of its members hail from Kree nobility."
Aboard the escaping battleship, Astra scoffed as he looked at the holographic screen hovering in midair, a trace of disdain flickering in his eyes. His past conflicts with the Accusers left him with nothing but contempt for these warmongers.
"Hah. And you call yourself a scientist? Despite your contributions, your own nation's aristocracy wants you dead."
The Other, wielding his scepter as he repaired his own body, sneered in response.
He was never one to mince words with an enemy.
"If you don't have anything useful to say, do me a favor and shut up. No one will mistake you for a mute if you keep quiet."
Bound tightly, Astra shot The Other a vicious glare, his intent to threaten abundantly clear.
"Prince Lothar, this is indeed standard procedure for the Kree Accuser Corps."
Having cross-checked the database, Woz affirmed Astra's words. Lothar's devastating strike against the planetary defense system had bought Woz enough time to create a breach, allowing them to escape Torfa and reenter the vast cosmos.
"Our fleet has already engaged the Accuser forces. Prince Lothar, Woz advises that you refrain from entering the battlefield for now to avoid unnecessary risk."
Interstellar warfare was no trivial matter. If their warship were suddenly destroyed without preparation, even Lothar would struggle to survive for long in the boundless void of space.
Having just piloted their small battleship away from Torfa, Woz made his case. Arms crossed over his chest, Lothar stared at the screen, lost in thought.
To be precise, he was focused on the Kree fleet's flagship.
"The Other, how many reinforcements do we still have on Chitauri Prime?"
A plan was forming in Lothar's mind. The Other, stunned to be consulted, quickly suppressed his delight before responding.
"As many as you need."
"Woz, I don't need your opinion. Deploy the Chitauri fleet for an all-out assault. Disrupt the Kree fleet's formation. Also, open Hatch 3."
"As you command, Prince Lothar."
Without hesitation, Woz executed the order. Meanwhile, Lothar strode toward Hatch 3.
It was time for him to do what he did best—decapitate the enemy leadership.
A headless army, no matter how disciplined, could not stand in his way.
Boom!
A surge of invisible energy formed a protective barrier around Lothar as he leaped out of Hatch 3. Pushing off from the battleship with a powerful kick, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, heading straight for Accuser Robb's flagship!
"What is he trying to do? Commit suicide?"
Astra gawked in disbelief at Lothar's actions from the battleship.
"Silence! A mere mortal like you could never comprehend the intentions of the great Prince Lothar!"
Ever loyal to his master, The Other snapped, all while taking the opportunity to heap praise upon Lothar.
What a bootlicker.
Bound hand and foot, Astra had no choice but to hold his tongue. Instead, he turned his attention back to the screen, watching the lone figure nearing the flagship.
"General Robb, we've detected an extremely powerful energy source rapidly approaching!"
"An energy source?"
"Yes, it appears to be—no, it is a person!"
Preoccupied with the Chitauri suicide attacks, Robb instinctively turned his head and saw a lone figure piercing through the chaos of warships, now floating before his flagship.
"…You don't need to report any further. I see him."
Instinctively gripping the warhammer at his side, Robb stepped toward the window, staring at the man outside.
Expression cold, gaze indifferent, the man regarded Robb with the aloofness of a god looking down upon a mere insect.
"Someone tell me—who the hell is he?"
Clutching his warhammer tightly, Robb murmured to himself, eyes locked on the figure wreathed in golden flickers of energy.
Energy surged through Lothar's body, allowing him to hover before the flagship. The invisible shockwaves of power surrounding him gleamed with occasional flashes of gold. Against the backdrop of the infinite cosmos, his presence was nothing short of dazzling.
"Perish."
Lothar raised his hand. A massive concentration of energy coalesced at the tip of his extended finger. With a mere flick—
A single beam of light pierced through Robb's chest!
Blue blood streamed down his dark armor, while the flagship's compromised engine triggered its self-destruction. Robb's warhammer slipped from his grasp, vanishing into the depths of space along with his disintegrating warship.
BOOM!
"Rejoice! The mighty Titan's son, Lord of the Chitauri, Prince Lothar has revealed his supreme power! All who stand against him shall be annihilated!"
"The light that dances at your fingertips is the faith we hold eternal!"
The Other's fervor was infectious. His zeal, amplified by the cerulean scepter, sent a wave of exhilaration through every Chitauri soldier, driving them to—
Self-detonate!
The relentless onslaught shattered the Kree fleet's formation into disarray.
"…You really are a sycophant. That was the most nauseating speech I've ever heard."
Tied up and slumped against the floor, Astra rolled his eyes as chills ran down his spine.
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