Arthur watched the nine Champion approach. The whole battlefield was filled with tension as even the two sides stopped firing at each other. While everyone was holding their breath to watch the battle that was going to unfold.
He tilted his head. "Well… that escalated quickly."
Champion Olnu roared, though Arthur couldn't hear it due to the emptiness of space, but he understood from the gesture. Olnu then lunged back toward Arthur, fury and humiliation burning through him. Behind him, eight more Champions fanned out, approaching like a closing net.
Arthur controlled the space around him and used Warp again and vanished. Although he was not that proficient while using this power, he had been practicing for the last two days and with the enhanced capacity of his mind it was not extremely difficult to at least grasp an initial mastery over warp and a few other basic applications of Spatial Manipulation.
The moment Arthur vanished, Onlu again lost track of him. 'Where did he go…'
And before he could react Arthur reappeared above him and slammed his fist downward casually. Arthur hadn't used much force in the punch, as he didn't want the fight to end quickly and wanted to see if any of the Champions had any unique ability. If he put even a bit more force behind the punch, then Onlu's head would have burst like a watermelon.
WHOOOM.
Olnu's head snapped back as his helmet which protected him from the harsh space cracked. His entire body hurled downward, and he started to struggle due to the lack of air. Though his regeneration kept him alive which in turn made him suffer longer, a few seconds later he heaved a sigh of relief as his helmet repaired itself and now looked at Arthur with a terrified look.
Previously he believed Arthur only took him by surprise, but now that he was cautious, he should have been able to fight properly but he was still unable to track Arthur's movement. He finally came to a daunting realization that he was no match for Arthur and started to back away towards the approaching Champions.
…
The eight Champions finally closed in, their movements cutting through space like burning arrows covered in crimson energy. They formed a loose semicircle around Arthur, spreading wide to prevent any chance of escape, not realizing the absurdity of that assumption. Their auras burned with violent, corruptive red energy, and their armored bodies looked imposing.
Arthur floated at the centre, unconcerned.
He scanned them, as a panel appeared in front of him overlaying their stats across his vision.
But seeing their abysmal stats he clicked his tongue. "…Seriously? This is it?"
The strongest among them barely reached the level of a Peak Grandmaster Martial Artist, and that was being generous. Compared to the monsters Arthur fought in Thyrandel's Ancient Realm, these guys were… underwhelming. Like showing up to a war and discovering the enemy army forgot to train.
He sighed. "I woke up early for this?"
The Champions heard none of that as space was silent, but they could read his relaxed posture, and it infuriated them. Arthur shook his head in disappointment, he was going to kill them with telekinesis and be done with it when he saw one of the Champions was flying towards him and transmitted telepathically, his mental voice was rough with fury.
'Human! You killed my brother! I am going to skin you alive!'
Arthur raised a brow. 'Brother? Is he talking about Krax? Or was it one of the Commanders I killed…?'
Though he brushed the thought away.
The Champion was already barreling toward him, with red energy waved wildly around his body. His speed was extremely fast, leaving a trail of red energy behind him. The others moved in unison, prepared to strike as soon as Thrax engaged.
Arthur gave them a flat look. "I don't have time to listen to your sob story." He lifted his hand up with his palm outward and said with finality in his tone. "So… just die."
Before the Champions even realized what was happening, Arthur clenched his fist. And a telekinetic force far greater than he could have imagined before he entered the ancient realm spread outward like an invisible wave.
Every Champion's body, be it the weakest one among them or the strongest ones reinforced by Typhon's energy imploded inward in perfect synchronicity save for their heads. Their torsos, limbs, and internal organs were compressed into a dense mangled sphere of metal, flesh, and shattered bones.
Only their heads remained intact as Arthur needed them to extract information about Typhon and the Chimerian homeworld.
Their lifeforce was so strong that even after losing their bodies they were alive for a few more moments. A few of them tried to scream, but couldn't as their eyes were frozen with a primal terror as they finally died.
He telekinetically summoned the heads with a small gesture, drawing them into several metallic spheres that hovered beside him.
He spoke calmly, more to himself than to them. "Your memories will be useful."
Then he snapped his fingers, and a vortex of purple flame erupted beneath the crushed remains of their bodies. The fire expanded, wrapping itself around the broken metal and meat, devouring every trace of Typhon's corruptive energy.
The flames burned silently, yet they distorted the void like a dying star. Arthur waited until not even dust remained.
He didn't want that corruptive energy to come in contact with humans. Who knew what kind of horrific side effects it could cause? Maybe whoever comes in contact with the energy would get enslaved by it or simply die. So, he didn't want to take the risk to find out.
The purple fire faded out, its last sparks curling into nothing.
Arthur released a small breath and turned his gaze toward the Chimerian fleet.
Slowly… deliberately… he raised his hand and pointed towards them. "Your turn." He then clenched his fist again.
What happened next would forever become the most replayed footage in UFE military history.
The telekinetic pressure slammed into the Chimerian fleet like a celestial hammer. Battleships which were kilometers long, folded inward like paper. Hulls bent, energy cores ruptured and collapsed inward before they could explode.
And in less than three seconds, tens of battleships, and thousands of fighters were gone. All of it compressed into a single, horrifying sphere of crushed metal drifting silently in space.
Even hardened ECHO veterans watching through tactical displays went pale. Humans weren't supposed to be able to do that. Not even with Chi, or with any known weapon.
It was the work of a god.
The comm channels went dead-still, no orders followed after that . Just the stunned silence of an entire fleet watching a man bend metal like it was clay with a gesture of a single hand.
Arthur dusted off his gauntlets, as if he had simply wiped crumbs off a table.
"Okay. I'm done here."
He turned and drifted back toward the human battleship. The fleet parted for him as if afraid to be touched by the same fate as the Chimerians.
…
Arthur stepped through the energy barrier and landed lightly on the deck. His armor started to break down into nano particles and returned to storage.
And the moment he landed, every crew member on the deck froze, they had seen through their data pads what Arthur had done, to them he had become someone to be worshipped or feared. Some held their breath, some even avoided eye contact with him.
Others just stared at him with wide eyes, the kind people usually reserved for divine beings or eldritch nightmares.
Arthur walked through the deck quietly. He noticed the way they looked at him with varying emotions from reverence, fear and awe.
He grimaced internally. '…Great. Now they think I'm a monster.'
But he didn't comment, he simply headed toward the private cabin where Selene was waiting.
The crew watched him leave in absolute silence.
One soldier whispered, barely audible, "Is… is this what a god looks like?"
Another replied shakily, "If it is… I'm glad he's on our side."
…
The door slid open with a sound.
Selene was standing by the viewport, her long purple hair cascading down her back, glowing softly under the reflection of starlight. Outside, the crushed remains of the Chimerian fleet floated in a single massive sphere of metal, a silent testament to Arthur's power.
She turned as Arthur stepped in and her expression softened instantly. "I guess I was worried for nothing."
Arthur sighed, stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She leaned back into him without hesitation, her hands resting lightly over his.
"These minions…" Arthur said quietly, "they're not the real problem."
Selene's eyes flickered. "You mean the Champions?"
Arthur nodded, "Yes." He paused a bit and said with a bit of doubt in his voice. "I don't know how powerful the Gods of Thyrandel are, but there is… an entity. I don't know what it is exactly yet, but there's a good chance it's as powerful as the Gods of Thyrandel."
Selene stiffened. "What?" She pulled away slightly, turning to face him. "Arthur, are you certain?"
He shook his head slowly. "Not one hundred percent. Not yet, I need more information to come to a conclusion. But the possibility exists."
Selene's voice was soft but trembling at the edges, she placed her palm on one of his cheeks and said. "Arthur… don't get reckless with something like that. I just got you back after nearly three decades, I don't want to lose you again."
Arthur cupped her cheeks gently and rubbed them with his thumb. Her skin felt warm beneath his palm, grounding him in a way nothing else could.
"I know." He smiled, small but genuine. "And I'm not planning on disappearing again."
Selene leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a moment. "You better not," She then narrowed her eyes, "Or you will know the consequences."
Arthur chuckled softly. "I believe you."
Her eyes were golden and fierce. "Good."
He pulled her into a full embrace now, her arms circling him tightly.
Finally, Selene whispered against his chest, "So… what now?"
Arthur's eyes drifted toward the crushed remains outside.
"Now…" he replied, "we should reclaim what was lost."
***
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