Elsa struggled to contain the excitement rising within her. After so many days of searching, she had finally found a way to break out of her current situation.
What shone before her was a crystal shrouded in a thick white mist. The strange vapor slowly drifted around the crystal like a living thing.
According to the research she had conducted—and several secret records hidden within Mesogog's laboratory—they were known as Terrigen Crystals.
"The crystal itself isn't that valuable," Elsa thought quietly.
"According to Mesogog's records, the mist it emits is the true treasure. Inhaling it grants immense power."
A faint smile appeared in her mind.
"Hahaha… I finally have a way to break this deadlock."
Her heart bloomed with excitement, but she forcefully suppressed it. She couldn't afford to lose composure in front of the miners. The job wasn't finished yet.
The crystal had only been partially uncovered.
There was still a significant amount buried within the rock, which meant more digging was required.
Elsa was also being extremely cautious.
She had no intention of touching the crystal yet.
"Although it's already confirmed that I possess an Inhuman gene," she thought carefully, "I can't be completely sure that the records I found weren't part of Mesogog's trap."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"That man is far too cunning. I can't afford to be careless."
Another thought quickly followed.
"Besides, I've already been mutated once by Mesogog. Who knows how the Terrigen mist will react with that? There's no reason to rush."
With that conclusion, Elsa slowly looked away from the crystal.
She turned toward the miner who had brought her there. On the surface, her face carried its usual indifferent expression, but inside, she was extremely satisfied.
"Gather more manpower and dig this out," she ordered while pointing toward the crystal embedded in the rock.
"Finish the excavation within a day."
She paused for a moment before adding calmly,
"And I'll pay you double."
But in her mind, another thought surfaced.
Kingpin will be the one paying you double.
The surrounding miners immediately erupted into excited murmurs the moment they heard the words double pay.
They could hardly believe what they had just heard.
On a normal mining job of this scale, each of them would only earn around $200.
But with the promise of double payment, that amount would now increase to $400 per person.
For laborers like them, that was an enormous sum.
Gratitude exploded among the group.
They repeatedly thanked Elsa, some even going as far as calling her their godmother.
Although the title amused her slightly, Elsa simply laughed it off without paying it much attention.
Moments later, she turned and walked out of the cave.
Behind her, the miners suddenly seemed to be filled with new strength.
Pickaxes began striking the rock faster and harder than before.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Everyone worked with renewed desperation, determined not to lose such a valuable reward.
After all…
It was $400.
(A/N: This amount of money still holds significant value during this time, especially for middle-class and lower-class citizens.)
The rays of the afternoon sun shone on Elsa's beautiful face as she walked out of the cave. Her once anxious heart was now filled with a strange sense of calm.
When she looked ahead, she noticed that Bullseye and Typhoid Mary were still standing there, waiting for her.
Their eyes were locked onto her the moment she appeared.
Seeing their burning gazes, Elsa slowly walked toward them with composed steps.
Bullseye was the first to speak.
"My lady," he said respectfully, slightly lowering his head. "Would you mind telling us what exactly happened inside?"
His tone and posture were both careful. Despite his arrogance, he clearly understood the difference in power between them.
Mary, who stood beside him, was equally curious.
Her eyes quietly studied Elsa's face. She couldn't help but wonder what could interest someone powerful enough to intimidate their boss—someone notorious for being unyielding even in the face of deadly threats.
Elsa's seductive eyes briefly glanced at Bullseye, her gaze cold and distant.
"You do not need to worry about that for now," she replied calmly. "Instead, focus on safeguarding the miners inside. Nothing must go wrong."
Bullseye's curiosity was instantly crushed by the cold response. A hint of disappointment appeared on his face, but he said nothing further.
The woman standing in front of him was far stronger than he was. Arguing with her would only bring unnecessary danger.
So, he simply nodded and kept quiet.
Elsa noticed the faint dejection on his face but completely ignored it. To her, the two people standing before her were nothing more than temporary tools for her escape.
She was certain they wouldn't dare attempt anything foolish.
And even if they did…
She had already prepared for it.
Elsa had secretly stationed more than a hundred Tyrannodrones around every corner of the island.
They remained hidden within the jungle and cliffs, silently watching over the entire area.
If Bullseye or Mary attempted to steal the crystal and escape, they would immediately be surrounded, with nowhere to run.
The same applied to the miners.
No one would be leaving this island with her treasure. Because of that, Elsa simply didn't see them as worth worrying about. The only real concern in her mind was a far more terrifying possibility.
Mesogog discovering this place.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"I hope the device I used to block the lair's transportation system works," she thought quietly.
"Otherwise…"
Elsa didn't dare finish that thought. She refused to even imagine that outcome before her plan was completed.
For now, the only thing she could do was hope the excavation would finish as quickly as possible.
Making a swift decision, Elsa raised her hand and activated her teleportation device.
A green eerie vortex appeared before her.
In the next moment—
She walked into it and disappeared from the island.
Bullseye and Mary were left standing there, slightly stunned.
"Phew… that was intense," Bullseye muttered after a moment, letting out a low chuckle as he sat back down on one of the wooden chairs.
Mary wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead before sitting down across from him.
Although she didn't respond verbally, she clearly understood what he meant.
This might have been one of the most stressful jobs they had ever taken.
All they could do now was hope the operation ended safely.
Silence soon descended over the area.
Only the echoing sounds of metal striking stone could be heard from deep within the cave.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Not far from them, waves crashed against the island's rocky shore. The ocean wind carried the scent of salt through the air, giving the entire island an almost peaceful atmosphere.
But that peace didn't last long.
Crack! Crash!
A terrifying sound suddenly echoed across the entire island.
The ground violently trembled beneath their feet as if the sky itself had been torn apart.
Bullseye and Mary instantly lost their balance and were thrown to the ground.
Powerful winds poured out from the cracked sky, sweeping clouds of dust and seawater across the island.
Inside the cave, the miners suffered even worse.
Many were thrown against the stone walls, some screaming in pain as limbs were crushed or broken by falling rocks.
Then—
A furious voice roared through the air.
"MESOGOG!!!"
The scream carried overwhelming hatred and fury.
A figure suddenly shot down from the shattered sky like a broken kite.
It was Elsa.
Her once beautiful body was now covered in terrifying wounds, her black clothes torn apart as blood continued to spill from her mouth.
Bullseye and Mary stared at the falling figure in complete shock.
They couldn't comprehend how someone so strong could look so miserable now, but before they could react, a domineering voice echoed.
"Oh… not calling me master anymore." Mesogog teased in a mocking tone. "It seems I was right; you've indeed escaped my mind control."
"But no worries. If I could control you before, I can definitely do it again," he continued as his figure appeared within the crack in the sky, his reptilian face cold and emotionless.
His gaze swept across the entire island, immediately locating the fallen Elsa and the Tyrannodrone army she had stationed at every corner of the island. Finding the situation rather comical, he spoke again.
"You're really ruthless. Actually intending to use my own army against me, and even finding something as rare as a space seal to block all modes of teleportation. Your effort is commendable. You might have succeeded… but blame your bad luck. I possess the Cosmic Cube."
As he spoke, the cube in his hand lit up, making Mesogog vanish from the sky and instantly appear on the island.
He could feel Elsa's hatred from her gaze, but he did not care. He was not the cowardly Anton Mercer who shared a body with him. No… he was Mesogog, the dinosaur god, the mad scientist. Such emotions, such schemes were meaningless against him.
In fact, he had noticed something wrong with Elsa long ago. He had caught her sneaking around several times, and occasionally he sensed intense hatred directed at him from her mind. Being a psychic, it wasn't difficult for him to piece things together.
So he investigated, and eventually he discovered what she had been searching for.
It was actually a Terrigen Crystal.
Many years ago he had expended considerable effort trying to find one himself, but his search had ended in failure. Mesogog still couldn't quite comprehend the absurd luck Elsa must have had to stumble upon one.
If it had happened before, he would have been delighted by such a discovery. But now that the Space Cube rested in his grasp, the crystal felt somewhat lackluster.
Still, that didn't mean he would allow Elsa to obtain it.
Allowing her to gain such a major power boost and potentially oppose him in the future would be foolish. Before she could grow into such a threat, he would rather nip the bud and eliminate any future obstacles to his goal of bringing about a dinosaur apocalypse on Earth.
While these thoughts flashed through Mesogog's mind, Elsa's own mind was in complete chaos. She couldn't believe her supposedly foolproof plan had been seen through so easily.
"Damn it… after all my planning and caution, I still fell into his hands."
Fear gripped Elsa's heart as she noticed Mesogog slowly walking toward her.
She realized there was no escaping him. The Mesogog standing before her now was even more powerful than before. But then, resistance flickered in her eyes as she glanced toward the cave where the crystal was hidden.
Hesitating no further, she pushed herself up and kicked off the ground, completely ignoring the groaning Bullseye and Typhoid Mary behind her. Using every last ounce of strength she had left, she sprinted toward the cave's entrance.
Mesogog watched her pitiful attempt to escape and sneered inwardly.
"Think you can escape from me? In your dreams. Since you don't value your life, I'll be taking it."
He clenched the Space Cube tightly in his hand, amplifying his psychic energy to an enormous degree. His figure rose into the air once more as he pressed his hands against his forehead and began channeling his power.
Zooom! Boom!
A terrifying telepathic wave erupted from his reptilian head, destroying everything in its path. Bullseye and Mary couldn't escape the impact as the force burst through their bodies, sending them flying violently to one corner of the island, their fates unknown.
Elsa saw this and her eyes shrank in fear as she pushed herself even faster, ignoring the injured miners groaning around her as she dashed toward the crystal. Although she nearly touched it, she was ultimately too late.
Mesogog's attack had already caught up to her.
The entire cave blasted open upon impact, and the injured miners were immediately buried beneath the collapsing rock, their lives extinguished in an instant.
Elsa felt the hope in her heart vanish as the telepathic wave struck her, tearing her skin and organs to shreds.
"AHHHHHH!"
A guttural scream echoed from her mouth as her body was reduced to a grotesque puddle of blood and scattered organs, while Mesogog stared coldly at the entire process.
He even made sure the crystal was buried alongside her remains. At the very least, that would serve as "dying with treasure" for her.
"No… I can't be careless. I should just sink the entire island." The thought flashed through his mind as he made a swift decision.
He once again channeled the power of the Cosmic Cube in his hands.
His figure rose as he floated several meters above the island.
Then—
He channeled all his mental energy into the Cosmic Cube, amplifying its already terrifying effect. A massive surge of distorted energy burst out from the cube and crashed into the island with overwhelming momentum.
Boom! Rumble!
The island cracked violently as seawater began seeping through every corner, flooding the land within seconds. The ground fractured like brittle glass, and the once solid terrain began collapsing under the immense pressure. Huge waves, as if drawn by the power of the cube itself, surged from all directions and slammed into the island repeatedly. Each impact shook the earth, tearing apart the remaining structures and swallowing the ruins beneath the raging sea.
Within moments, the entire island began to sink.
Mesogog hovered silently in the sky, watching the destruction unfold before his eyes. Seeing his work completed, a satisfied smile slowly formed on Mesogog's reptilian lips.
A faint glint passed through his eyes as he thought to himself, "Now that I have confirmed the power of the cube… I can finally initiate the final phase of my plan".
As that thought ended, he activated the cube once more and vanished from the area.
Unnoticed by Mesogog before he left, the sea where the island had once stood flickered with an intense light several times before disappearing, as if it had all been an illusion.
--- ✦ ---
Yeah, so Elsa 'died'. I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter.
Power stones, please, guys.