Due to the appearance of the spatial portal, Robert sensed the distant planet occupied by the demon-like creatures across endless space. This perception caused Robert to frown deeply because the planet seemed incredibly strange.
It wasn't that there was an issue with the planet itself, but rather that the entire planet lacked any strong or distinctive energy signatures. Instead, it was densely filled with countless overlapping auras of demon-like beings of similar strength.
Normally, the population a planet can sustain is limited. For instance, with Earth's current resources, it could theoretically support a population of eight billion. Presently, Earth's population had dwindled to about three billion, which was manageable without much strain.
However, in Robert's perception, the demon-like planet was similar in size to Earth, yet it was teeming with hundreds of trillions of demon-like beings. It was essentially a demon-infested planet.
"How is it? Your energy wave should be sufficient to kill every single one of them, right?" Tony Stark asked anxiously when he saw that Robert hadn't vanished yet. "Do you need the Guardians to teleport us over to assist?"
"No need. It seems like their forces are vast—if one planet is being treated as disposable, there might be more of these planets," Robert said, shaking his head slowly. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon…"
With a swish, Robert's figure vanished from where he stood, skipping the spatial portal entirely. Instead, he teleported directly into the skies above the demon-like planet.
As soon as Robert arrived, his eyes were filled with the sight of countless demon-like creatures. His ears, too, were bombarded with their roars. When he appeared, some of the creatures continued pouring toward Earth through the spatial portal, while the majority seemed to receive a command and surged toward Robert. They roared as they fired various energy weapons at him.
But the dark red energy blasts couldn't penetrate the psychic barrier surrounding Robert. Despite the sheer number of attacks—so dense they looked more intense than the rainstorm Robert had unleashed over Earth—none could harm him.
With a soft hum, a glowing energy wave formed in Robert's hand. Now that he had arrived on the demon-like planet, he didn't need to rely on a technique like the rainstorm. Destroying the planet would suffice.
With a deafening roar, the energy wave crashed into the planet's surface. For Robert, destroying a planet no longer required any significant effort. Accompanied by a terrifying explosion, the energy wave obliterated the entire planet, consuming every demon-like being in the process.
Only a few demon-like creatures managed to escape by slipping through the spatial portal, but even they were doomed upon reaching Earth. The rainstorm-like attack on Earth continued, leaving no room for survival.
With the destruction of the demon-like planet, the eradication of these creatures on Earth accelerated. The problem of the demon-like creatures was resolved at its root.
"This place seems far from the star systems I've visited before. It feels like a remote and isolated area," Robert muttered to himself as he hovered in the vacuum of space, scanning the unfamiliar starfields. At the same time, he started searching for signs of other demon-like planets.
Detecting such planets from Earth was difficult because the creatures emitted weak energy signatures. As bio-mechanical lifeforms, their energy wasn't prominent even when clustered together. From such a great distance, Robert found it nearly impossible to sense them amidst the vastness of space.
However, searching near the destroyed planet was much easier. Robert suspected this demon-like planet, lacking any strong individuals, served as a production or modification facility—and such facilities were unlikely to be unique.
"Found one!" Robert's eyes lit up as he quickly located another cluster of demon-like energy. In an instant, he teleported to another planet.
This planet was similar to the previous one, with only slight differences in its outer appearance indicating they were distinct.
"Still no stronger energy signatures. This time, let's not destroy the planet right away. I want to see how these creatures are being produced…" Robert vanished again. This time, however, the demon-like creatures didn't notice him when he appeared on the planet. They didn't attack him either.
The number of demon-like creatures on this planet was even greater than on the previous one—likely because they hadn't yet been depleted. Yet none of them moved. Each one stood still with its eyes closed, resembling statues.
"They appear to be under some kind of programmatic control. Without commands, they don't act at all. They're not living beings anymore; they're more like machines. Tony's bio-mechanical creations are far less advanced than this…"
"But why are there so many of these creatures, yet they're unknown in the wider universe? It's one thing for the Nova Empire to be unaware of them, but why doesn't Oa know either? Could it really be because this area is too remote?"
Robert pondered, but he couldn't arrive at an answer. He knew the universe was far from simple. Despite his strong perception abilities, he couldn't monitor every detail of the cosmos at once. His sensing was more akin to targeted searches than an all-encompassing map.
"This is clearly a factory, complete with underground facilities. But it seems there are no raw materials left, and the machinery has ceased operating…" Robert explored a massive factory on the planet's surface, which extended underground. It included production lines for equipping the demon-like creatures with weapons. However, there were no significant clues, unfinished products, or raw materials remaining.
This planet, devoid of value, offered little to investigate further. Unless Robert could somehow control the demon-like creatures and bring them back for Tony Stark to study, there wasn't much else to gain. But these bio-mechanical beings weren't easily controllable, as their bodies weren't under their own command.
When Robert attempted to take control of some of them, they self-destructed. Their programming ensured they wouldn't fall into enemy hands. Both Darkseid and Steppenwolf had clearly designed them with such contingencies in mind.
As the creatures self-destructed, the rest of the demon-like beings across the planet suddenly awakened. Their crimson eyes locked onto Robert's position, even though most couldn't directly see him. They roared and charged toward him.
With a sigh, Robert shook his head. A moment later, an energy wave obliterated the planet, reducing it to cosmic dust.
Although the demon-like creatures seemed pitifully weak in the face of Robert's overwhelming power, they were terrifying to ordinary beings in the universe. Their endless numbers posed a grave threat. Even powerful individuals below the level of an Elder God could be overwhelmed and worn down by their relentless attacks.
"This is clearly a weapon for invading other civilizations. But how exactly are these creatures made? I'll keep searching for clues…" Floating in the void, Robert scanned the debris of the destroyed planet. Once again, he extended his senses to locate another demon-like stronghold.
Though the spatial portal near the first planet had disappeared, Robert wasn't worried. He could use Kara's powerful energy signature as a reference point to instantly return to Earth if needed.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, the invasion of demon-like creatures hadn't caused any damage. The rainstorm-like attack left no traces of their bodies or blood. The annihilation of the demon-like creatures left the members of the Boys in stunned silence.
The Boys had fought against the demon-like creatures before. While they could handle small numbers, they couldn't eradicate them entirely like this. Watching all the creatures wiped out with such ease made them question the information Vought International had fed them.
Vought had always claimed that the Avengers were strong but inferior to the genetically engineered "perfect" heroes of the Boys. According to Vought, the Boys were the upgraded, superior version of the Avengers. If not for the Avengers' immense public reputation, the Boys would have already replaced them.
But now, a single member of the Avengers had obliterated every demon-like creature without breaking a sweat. How could the Boys still believe they were comparable to the Avengers?
The Boys recognized the technique as Robert's. While they hadn't identified the energy wave at first, its distinctive curved trajectory was unmistakable once it began striking.
"Why didn't Vought make someone like a Saiyan? We have a Homelander similar to Superman, but no one like a Saiyan," Deep said nervously, glancing at Homelander's empty seat.
"You think they didn't want to? They just never obtained Saiyan DNA or data," Queen Maeve replied dryly. "We thought we were superior to the Avengers, but now it feels like a joke…"
Maeve didn't say the rest: They were little more than experimental puppets, unable to control their own destinies, yet they thought they were superior to the Avengers, who chose their own paths. The irony was laughable.
"Where's Homelander? Don't tell me he's dead too. Soldier Boy and the others died, right? Could the Avengers have done it?" A-Train asked, his voice trembling with fear.
"We're still investigating Soldier Boy's death. Soil analysis where his Vibranium shield was found suggests he was killed by a powerful lightning strike," said Ashley Barrett, Vought's representative, as she displayed images of the site.
"Lightning? Isn't that Storm's power? But she wouldn't die from lightning… Who killed them? Thor's daughter from the Avengers?" Lamplighter frowned, puzzled. As a fire-based superhuman, he understood elemental resistance. It would take overwhelming force to kill someone with an element similar to their own.
"We don't know. Thor's daughter has an alibi—she was seen with Hancock at the time," Ashley replied, pulling up footage of Mary and Hancock searching for Steppenwolf's possible hideouts. The two were nicknamed "Black Superman" and "Thunder Woman
."
"What about Homelander?" Maeve asked, noticing Ashley hadn't mentioned him. The omission made her wonder if Homelander had also fallen, which would make her the strongest member of the Boys.
"He's on a mission. We need to figure out what the Avengers are up to and why these Parademons appeared on Earth again," Ashley said firmly, avoiding Maeve's gaze.
In truth, Homelander hadn't gone on a mission. After being injured by Robert's energy wave, he struggled to recover. Still, he had managed to fly back to Vought's headquarters, retreating to the safety of their laboratories.
For the first time, the usually boastful Homelander was keeping a low profile. It wasn't just his injuries—he was afraid. Watching the energy wave wipe out the demon-like creatures, Homelander felt a level of terror that only the confines of the lab could soothe.
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