Ben's challenge was a deliberate provocation. He was prodding the beast that was Praetor Kallark.
The three great empires occupied vast territories across the universe, their existence a delicate dance of mutual restraint and opportunistic cooperation that maintained a fragile balance. The sudden emergence of Sakaar, a new power capable of demanding its own slice of the cosmic pie, would inevitably lead to friction. To prevent them from causing trouble down the line, Ben knew it was necessary for Sakaar to make a definitive show of strength.
A direct war was inappropriate—not because he couldn't win, but because it would be a betrayal of the Plumbers' core principles. In terms of raw power, Ben wasn't afraid even if the three empires joined forces. The fact that he had personally defeated Thanos was proof enough that his own strength was approaching the level of a sky-father like Odin. Even with their combined might, the three empires were likely no match for him. If he truly wished it, he could become the next great cosmic tyrant.
Furthermore, the Plumbers now controlled four of the six Infinity Stones: Time, Space, Mind, and Power. With that kind of arsenal, even the celestial pantheons would have to think twice before starting a conflict. However, Ben disliked relying on the power of the stones; they were, after all, an external force. More importantly, actively provoking a war was antithetical to the very reason the Plumbers were founded. They were a peacekeeping organization. Starting a war over a perceived slight was out of the question.
A duel, on the other hand, was the perfect solution. A one-on-one fight against the strongest champion from one of the empires would send a clear message. And Kallark's strength was just barely sufficient for the task.
The power of the Shi'ar Praetor came from his absolute self-confidence. Goaded by Ben's challenge, he had no intention of refusing. He was supremely confident in his own strength and had never once entertained the thought of defeat. Besides, Kallark genuinely wanted to know if the Plumbers' King of Sakaar was as powerful as the rumors claimed.
He looked down at Ben, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "Then let me see how powerful the so-called King of Sakaar truly is!"
With that, he ignored the stunned expressions of everyone in the chamber and strode out of the meeting room. He had no interest in further words; he wanted a trial by combat.
But Beta Ray Bill frowned, thinking Ben's decision was improper. He, more than anyone, knew the true extent of Ben's strength. Back on Sakaar, Ben had defeated the Red Wind Queen, Looma, with overwhelming force. Since then, he had gained the amplification of the Old Power. His might was simply not comparable to a mere Kallark.
In Bill's opinion, Ben was on the same level as the God-King of Asgard. To stoop to fighting the Praetor of one of the empires was beneath his station.
"My King, why must you do this yourself?" Bill asked, placing a hand on his chest and bowing his head humbly. "For an opponent of this level, it is enough for me to act in your stead."
He wasn't trying to show off; he was simply stating a fact. When his confidence was at its peak, Kallark was on par with Thor. Bill, too, could contend with the God of Thunder. Though he no longer had a hammer to match Mjolnir, Ben had gifted him Ronan's Universal Weapon, and he now possessed the amplifying power of the Mana. Compared to the warrior he once was, he was not weakened, but strengthened.
Dealing with a single Kallark was more than manageable. Bill felt it would be a far more powerful statement for him to enter the field. Let the arrogant leaders of the three empires see that their mightiest warrior was only on the level of a single Plumber Magister. And he was just one of five, and far from the strongest. What could their three empires possibly have to compare with that?
Bill's logic was sound, but Ben still shook his head. The Magisters had already proven their strength. Now, all the doubt was being directed at him. While letting Bill handle it was a viable option, as the King of the Plumbers, he needed to personally demonstrate his power. Odin's reputation, after all, hadn't just fallen from the throne of Asgard; it had been forged in battle.
"Consider it a light workout," he said, not taking Kallark seriously in the slightest as he walked out confidently. It was just Kallark. It would only take a moment. The comparison to Thor was meaningless without specifying which Thor from which period.
Bill said nothing more. That was his character. If he didn't feel that fighting Kallark would lower Ben's status, he likely wouldn't have spoken up at all.
Outside the Galactic Federation, the assembled crowd watched the open expanse beyond the tower. There, Kallark stood like a living blade. His tall, straight form contained an impossibly powerful energy, his aura so immense it seemed capable of cleaving planets from the sky. Anyone who looked upon him would be terrified. In terms of civilization level, the Shi'ar Empire couldn't match the Kree or the Skrulls, but Kallark's personal strength alone was what elevated them to the status of a great empire. He was a champion who could single-handedly fight an army of thousands.
Ben, on the other hand… was just Ben. He had no advantage in size, nor did he radiate any detectable power. Although rumor said he had killed Thanos, no one knew the circumstances of that battle.
Carol stood on the edge of the tower, the red sash at her waist fluttering in the stellar wind. She saw Ben's form dozens of kilometers away, so small and inconspicuous that he looked as if a gust of wind could break him.
Fury scratched his bald head, a feeling growing in his gut that Ben might actually be the real deal. "From what I've seen of his strength, I can only say he's… average. But he's not the kind of person who makes a move without a purpose." That was what unsettled Nick Fury the most. Based on his understanding of Ben, he would never posture like this if he didn't have the power to back it up. Ben was always reassuringly in control.
"How strong is Kallark?" Fury asked. He knew the Praetor was powerful, but he had no concrete point of comparison.
"About the same as me," Carol replied. She meant, of course, without activating her binary form.
Fury understood instantly, and a knot of worry tightened in his stomach. He knew Carol's strength best; she had always been his ultimate trump card. Even when facing the Chitauri or Ultron, Fury had never considered calling her. It would have been like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.
Carol folded her arms. "We'll have to wait and see," she said calmly. "But I have a feeling he'll be fine."
On the other side of the viewing platform, the Skrull Empress slowly walked to the side of the Kree King.
"Tar-Rell, who do you think will win?" she asked.
"Who knows…" the Kree muttered, narrowing his eyes. He didn't say it aloud, but he hoped the victor would be Kallark. He knew the Shi'ar Empire inside and out; Sakaar was a dangerous unknown.
"This is the man who is rumored to have defeated Thanos," the Skrull Empress reminded him.
Tar-Rell chuckled darkly. "I have my sources. Thanos's army suffered heavy losses on a planet called Earth. Even the Black Order was wiped out. You are aware of the strength of the Plumber Magisters. If they all ganged up on Thanos, they might indeed win."
The Skrull Empress nodded slightly. It was true; several of the Plumbers were incredibly powerful. Bill, for instance, could defeat the Accuser Ronan. And the two Magisters from Asgard were cosmic powerhouses. Perhaps Asgard itself played a major role in the Titan's defeat.
"I hope he doesn't win," Tar-Rell said, shaking his head. "If even Kallark is not his opponent—no, even if his strength is merely comparable to Kallark's, it is not good news for us." Even if Ben was only on the level of a regular Magister, he was still a huge threat. Don't forget, Ronan, the warrior he was trying so desperately to free, was no match for Bill. There was only one Kallark.
The Skrull Empress considered this and fell silent, her gaze turning to the holographic screen floating in the air. Not everyone could see the battlefield with their naked eyes.
Few believed Ben could win, but most didn't think he would lose quickly, either. "I reckon he can hold out for a few hours," someone surmised. "It might even be a draw."
The consensus was that they were about to witness an exciting, evenly matched battle. The result, however, was far beyond their expectations. The battle ended in an absolute, crushing victory.
On the screen, Kallark launched the first attack. He possessed a wide array of abilities—super strength, endurance, heat vision, freeze breath… he was a miniature Superman. Seeing Ben standing there, seemingly defenseless, he chose to test him with his heat vision.
Two beams of scorching light erupted from his eyes. The terrifying energy traversed several kilometers in an instant, and even the onlookers on the high tower felt a wave of heat wash over them.
"Kallark's heat vision can melt an asteroid in an instant!" the Skrull Empress exclaimed, watching to see how Ben would deal with such a terrible attack. If he was truly strong, perhaps he could find a way to dodge it.
But to everyone's utter shock, Ben didn't move a single step. He simply stood there and took the blast head-on.
BOOM!!!
A violent explosion of energy erupted, the shockwave no less powerful than that of a falling asteroid. The ground shattered, and a mushroom cloud of thick dust rose dozens of meters into the air like a gray tombstone. No one could have imagined such an outcome.
"Looks like it's over," Tar-Rell sneered, shaking his head with a derisive laugh. "I thought this King of Sakaar was so powerful, but I didn't expect him to be so stupid as to directly withstand Kallark's attack… or was he simply frightened stiff?"
No one thought Ben could have survived. Kallark's heat vision could shatter asteroids; a direct hit meant complete annihilation.
"It seems the title of King of Sakaar is just for show. Most likely, Thanos was simply overwhelmed by the other Magisters," the Skrull Empress guessed.
"This…" Fury was at a loss for words. Could Ben really have died just like that? He found it hard to believe and looked at Carol for confirmation.
But Carol was frowning, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Something's wrong," she whispered.
She wasn't the only one who noticed. On the battlefield, Kallark stared intently at the center of the explosion. There, it felt as if a ferocious cosmic beast was awakening. A terrible energy was rising sharply, and the chilling threat of death locked onto his body, making his legendary confidence waver for the first time in centuries.
BOOM!
A second, silent explosion sounded. The flying dust was instantly blasted away, leaving a vacuum. The picture became clear again. Where Ben had stood, the earth was shattered, the rocks were charred black, and the very air was distorted by the residual heat.
Ben's body was gone. In its place stood a monster that looked like a living planet—Gravattack. But this was different. When Ben scanned Star-Lord's celestial DNA, he had unlocked the potential for both the Gravattack and Ego forms. Finding their genetic structures to be remarkably similar, he had begun the process of fusing them, creating a strengthened, ultimate version of the form—a new alien hero that combined the raw power of a Gallilean with the cosmic energy of a Celestial. In appearance, it was almost identical to Gravattack, but its power had been elevated by more than a single level.
As Kallark felt the new energy radiating from Ben—an energy as vast and heavy as a planet—he could no longer maintain his arrogant demeanor. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and his body began to tremble. The unbreakable confidence in his chest shattered like a dam giving way to a flood.
But Ben had no intention of ending it there.
He stretched out a massive, rocky palm, pointing it at the terrified Praetor. "I heard you can fly at speeds approaching that of light," he said, his voice a deep, rumbling mono.
"I wonder, then… can you escape the gravity of a black hole?"
With that, he clenched his fist.
And in that instant, space itself began to collapse.
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