General Ross was panting heavily. His body was rapidly expanding, and his skin had turned a deep red.
Even the military uniform on him creaked and groaned under the pressure.
At that moment, Shin reached out and patted him. Black mist spiraled outward, absorbing the torrent of gamma radiation pouring from his body. Only then did Ross exhale deeply, slowly reverting to his normal form.
Wanda looked on in surprise. She hadn't anticipated encountering an 'enhanced' American Army General, clearly a formidable close-combat type.
Though Scarlet Witch's Chaos Magic was immensely powerful, her physical body wasn't enhanced. If she failed to activate her magic in time and took a direct hit, she could be killed in a single blow.
"Alright, what time do you think it is now? Quit posturing like some stuck-up military official, your government's image has already been ruined by those bureaucrats," Shin said flatly to Ross before turning to Wanda.
"Just tell me what you saw in his mindscape."
"Let me explain," Professor Charles interjected in a more conciliatory tone. Shin also loosened his grip on Ross, who snorted in displeasure but refrained from striking back.
"The Silver Surfer's original name was Norrin Radd. He was a well-known scientist from a distant galaxy. One day, Galactus appeared and intended to consume his homeworld."
"Radd tried to reason with Galactus. He begged him to spare his planet, offering to serve him eternally and locate suitable worlds to feed on. Galactus considered the offer and agreed."
"He then transformed Norrin Radd with cosmic energy, turning him into the Silver Surfer and erasing his memories, emotions, conscience, and morality."
"In that sense, Norrin Radd may be someone we can still win over."
Ross frowned. "Can we really trust this guy?"
"You can trust me, General," said the man once known as Silver Surfer as he opened his eyes. "If I can help Earth resist Galactus, I will do so willingly."
Ross scoffed slightly, unconvinced. Professor Charles added, "Trust him, General. With so many psychics probing his mind, I don't believe anyone could lie under that scrutiny."
"And if he could lie under this level of psychic surveillance, our brainwashing attempt never had a chance of working anyway."
That logic finally wore Ross down. He nodded reluctantly. He didn't have many options. Most of those present were superheroes with strong moral codes. The only one who shared his mindset was the ever-scheming Doctor Doom. Like Ross, Doom believed total brainwashing would be the safest route.
But Doom had the sense not to voice such thoughts in this superhero-heavy gathering, where careless remarks could quickly result in a group beatdown.
With assurance from several psychic mutants, Norrin Radd was granted limited freedom. Though once merely a researcher, everyone knew one thing about Marvel scientists—none of them specialized in only one field.
In the comics, Hank Pym created Ultron. Tony Stark developed the Extremis virus. They were polymaths of the highest order.
And Radd was from a distant galaxy. Their technology differed drastically from Earth's, making his knowledge extraordinarily valuable.
Inside the research base, Norrin Radd naturally gravitated toward the lab. As a fellow scientist, his role was immediately apparent.
Coincidentally, Earth's top scientists also wanted to consult him about advanced alien tech. Both sides were eager to collaborate.
Galactus himself was a scientist. When choosing heralds, he preferred analytical minds that could engage with him intellectually. After serving Galactus for so long, Norrin Radd had absorbed a massive amount of galactic knowledge.
This knowledge became invaluable nourishment for Earth's best minds. In a short time, Tony Stark, Hank Pym, Doctor Doom, Mr. Fantastic, Bruce Banner, and others reached nearly the same level of galactic expertise.
Why do these scientific feats become so exaggerated in later stages? Because Earth eventually assimilates enormous amounts of alien technology. This knowledge serves as fuel, elevating their capabilities to unmatched levels.
This elite team began equipping the Silver Surfer's surfboard with a bomb. With the vast energy data Radd provided, they were confident they could increase its destructive force by at least one-tenth.
While the scientists worked on the bomb, they also stayed alert for the arrival of Galactus's other heralds. According to the Silver Surfer, Galactus had four heralds. The strongest among them, Stardust, had gone off to find another planet to consume. Of the remaining three, one might very well be heading to Earth.
Earth was considered a significant world in the galactic hierarchy. Back when he was still the Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd had heard Galactus say so himself. That's why two heralds had been sent here.
As for why Earth held such importance, Norrin Radd wasn't sure.
But Shin knew. Earth was the center of the universe.
The being known as Eternity was the living embodiment of the cosmos, and Earth was the seat of its heart, its core.
On the second day after the Silver Surfer's recovery, Iron Man's geosynchronous satellite detected a trail of fire streaking toward the planet.
At the same time, Bruce Banner's energy analyzer confirmed that the incoming being possessed an overwhelming level of cosmic energy, just slightly below the Surfer's peak power with his board, and vastly beyond his current state.
"The one approaching must be the Firelord," Norrin Radd said with certainty after reviewing the data.
"Among Galactus's four heralds, the most powerful is Stardust, whose cosmic energy far surpasses mine. The weakest, the Tyrant, has about 30% less energy than I had at my peak.
"Only the Firelord leaves a trail of fire when traveling through space."
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