Boom! With the newfound power granted by the Ancient One, Robert's strength in this clash against Galactus had improved somewhat, but only marginally. Even with the boost, he still couldn't match Galactus's overwhelming might, let alone suppress him.
Whoosh! The moment he realized this, Robert's body vanished in a blur, reappearing behind the Ancient One. Galactus's strike missed its mark, slamming into empty space.
"If we're already using external powers, why not use a bit more?" Robert said casually to the surprised Ancient One as he stood behind her. "After all, you're not the only one who can wield an Infinity Stone. That leftover Power Stone might just come in handy…"
Buzz! As Robert spoke, a dazzling purple gemstone appeared in his hand. Before the Ancient One could react, Robert did something utterly shocking—he tossed the Power Stone into his mouth and swallowed it.
"What are you—?!" The Ancient One's eyes widened in disbelief, momentarily rendered speechless.
"It's just more practical this way. Easier to handle the power without needing to grip it or rely on some external container," Robert explained, his tone light. "Besides, I'm not exactly used to fighting with weapons."
Although the Power Stone could be wielded through artifacts like the Universal Weapon, Robert wasn't keen on using tools in battle. He much preferred his fists and feet, which were tougher and more effective than any hammer. If his strikes couldn't break through Galactus's defenses, a weapon certainly wouldn't fare any better. Worse, if the weapon broke mid-fight, the Power Stone might fall into Galactus's hands. It was safer to keep it "inside."
"Well, I'll admit you've got a way of doing things I've never seen before," the Ancient One said with a faint sigh, clearly impressed by his unconventional approach. "With the Power Stone now in play, do you think you can win?"
"I wouldn't say I'm confident, but if I can truly hurt him, there might be a chance." Robert's response was pragmatic as ever. As he spoke, his energy surged, growing more violent and chaotic as the forces within him collided and intertwined.
Three distinct powers now coursed through his body: his own Saiyan strength, the energy of the Power Stone, and the sinister buffs provided by the Ancient One's dimensional magic. Of the three, his Saiyan energy was the most dominant, followed by the immense force of the Power Stone. The Ancient One's buffs, while potent, were relatively minor, having been extracted from borrowed dimensional energy that she couldn't fully control.
"Power Stone? So Earth holds four Infinity Stones? Hmm? But where are the other two? Why can't I sense them?" Galactus's voice rang out, tinged with both surprise and curiosity.
To a cosmic being like Galactus, the existence of Infinity Stones was no secret. He simply hadn't been paying attention earlier. Now that he was actively attuning himself to the universe, he noticed something odd: only four of the six Infinity Stones remained. The essence of their missing counterparts—Mind and Soul—still lingered in the cosmic tapestry, but their physical forms were gone.
The Mind Stone had been destroyed when Thanos detonated it. As for the Soul Stone, it had vanished into the void after being shattered on Vormir, perhaps merging back into the universe itself. Regardless, in this universe, it was now impossible to gather all six stones.
Shhh-zoom! While Galactus was distracted by these thoughts, Robert seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. A powerful energy wave, infused with purple and dark-red light, streaked toward Galactus.
This time, however, Galactus wasn't caught off guard. His eyes glowed ominously, unleashing an energy beam so powerful that it shook the entire distorted dimension.
BOOM!
The resulting explosion was cataclysmic. The clash of four different energy sources—Robert's Saiyan power, the Power Stone, the Ancient One's buffs, and Galactus's cosmic might—created a shockwave that destabilized the very fabric of the dimension, threatening to tear it apart.
Caught in the blast, the Ancient One had no chance of escape. Her body disintegrated into dust, obliterated by the immense force.
Buzz! But as expected, her death triggered the dimension's temporal anchor, resetting everything to its original state. The Ancient One reappeared, fully restored, as if nothing had happened.
"You're surprisingly resilient," Galactus remarked, his tone a mixture of irritation and amusement. His plan had been simple: kill Robert and force him to activate the time-reset anchor, thereby depleting its energy. Yet each time, the Ancient One was the one to die first, undermining his strategy.
"Killing me won't be that easy," Robert replied nonchalantly. Unlike ordinary Saiyans, Robert's vitality was extraordinarily robust, rivaling even that of Majin Buu in terms of survivability.
Boom!
BOOM!
Yet again, Galactus launched an attack, his colossal fist colliding with Robert's. The clash triggered another massive explosion, killing the Ancient One once more and resetting the timeline to its starting point.
This sequence of events played out repeatedly, locking the combatants in a seemingly endless cycle of destruction and rebirth. Even the Ancient One, seasoned as she was, began to grow numb to her countless deaths.
"Still not enough?" she muttered to herself after yet another reset. Robert had told her earlier that as long as he could truly harm Galactus, there was a chance to drive him away. She didn't know what Robert had planned, but after so many resets, she was determined to create that opportunity for him.
Upon yet another reset, the Ancient One seized her chance. Using her mastery of magic, she closed the distance between herself and Galactus, appearing behind him in an instant. Without hesitation, she struck him squarely in the chest with a devastating palm strike.
This was the first time the Ancient One had engaged Galactus in melee combat. Despite her mystical prowess, her physical body was still that of a mortal. The sheer force of the impact shattered her own body into pieces, but she managed to cling to life using her most advanced techniques.
For a brief moment, Galactus's massive form froze, his cosmic energy disrupted by the Ancient One's strike. It wasn't enough to fully extract his "soul"—assuming a being like Galactus even had one—but it created a crucial opening.
SHOOM!
Robert didn't hesitate. Channeling all his power, including the energy of the Power Stone and the Ancient One's buffs, he unleashed a devastating energy blast. This time, the attack didn't merely crack Galactus's armor—it tore a hole straight through his body.
From the wound, a mysterious substance began to flow. To human eyes, it might resemble blood, but Robert recognized it as something far more profound. It was the essence of Galactus's cosmic power, imbued with the transcendent aura of a true cosmic god.
"Damn you!" Galactus roared, his voice shaking the dimension. Though the wound didn't incapacitate him, it was enough to enrage him. For a being of his stature, even a minor injury was a significant loss of face.
Until now, Galactus had been holding back, reluctant to expend his energy unnecessarily. But now that he had been wounded, he saw no reason to restrain himself further. If his opponents wanted to see his true power, so be it.
Buzz!
A surge of unparalleled energy radiated from Galactus, saturating the dimension with an overwhelming divine presence. The fabric of space trembled under the weight of his unleashed might.
BOOM!
It was as if the Big Bang had erupted once more. The dimension quaked violently, and everything around Galactus was obliterated in an instant. The very structure of the distorted space began to collapse.
"Hmm? Still alive? And you even managed to protect the Infinity Stones. I must admit, your magical tricks are impressive," Galactus said after the explosion subsided. His voice carried a note of mockery.
"But tell me, why didn't you save your companion? Without the temporal anchor, you can no longer reverse time. And without him, do you think you stand a chance against me?"
"Robert? Saiyan?" The Ancient One's heart sank as she realized what Galactus meant. She began searching the dimension with her magic, but there was no sign of Robert.
In truth, she hadn't had the chance to save him. When Galactus unleashed his ultimate power, the Ancient One had barely managed to shield the three Infinity Stones and stabilize the dimension. She had chosen to prioritize the greater good, hoping to buy Earth more time.
Meanwhile, within the heart of the Sun, Robert's figure emerged next to Clark's motionless body. Breathing heavily, he muttered, "That was close. Almost didn't make it."
His eyes glinted with determination as he continued, "But it wasn't all for nothing. I've glimpsed the essence of true divine power. And now, with the Power Stone's rule-based energy, I can perfect a… God Technique!"
Closing his eyes, Robert began to focus, his aura swelling with power. The divine essence he had absorbed from Galactus mingled with the residual energy of the Power Stone, pushing his strength to new heights.
Nearby, Clark's fingers twitched ever so slightly, though his energy remained dormant. Robert, consumed by his training, didn't notice.
Back in the dimension, Galactus's voice echoed ominously. "This space now belongs to me. Protect your Infinity Stones well, sorceress. Without them, your little cage will crumble… and you'll meet the same fate as your friend."
With a single gesture, he unleashed another devastating strike, shattering the Ancient One's defenses and obliterating her body once more.
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