Chapter 86: I'm Fucking Attacking Earth!
"So that's why you came to me. I thought the first to approach would be some Skyfather from within the World Tree's domain, wanting to borrow my power to attack another world," Du Wa said slowly, seemingly lost in thought.
Kruger was certainly brave. He was the first person in the universe since Thor to try something so audacious, choosing to go through Kamar-Taj's channels and taking a winding path to finally find Du Wa.
"Within the World Tree, the various realms are clearly distinct. The relationships between these Skyfathers are intricate and complex, very difficult to sort out. Plus, Odin is still alive, so the order of the Nine Realms still exists. Getting involved in the turmoil of the entire World Tree right now would disrupt the balance and might make the other Skyfathers lose patience. Are you sure you want to do this?" Kruger advised.
Du Wa smiled faintly. This was only happening because Kamar-Taj had vouched for Kruger. Otherwise, he wouldn't meet just any person who came from off-world claiming they wanted to see him.
"As far as I know, although you Marauders have internal strife, you're generally suppressed by the universe's major powers. But it shouldn't be so bad as to make you cross countless galaxies just to recruit manpower on Earth. Have you run into some kind of trouble? For instance, did you provoke someone difficult?"
"The Marauders are always offending people. There are far too many who want to kill us, scattered across the entire universe. It's just that a new group of troublesome things has appeared. I just feel that with how formidable the Xenomorphs are, it would be a shame for them not to participate in such a grand war. If I could be so fortunate as to establish a long-term, stable relationship with you and receive a continuous supply of Xenomorphs for military support, it would be a wonderful thing for the entire universe. Everyone would witness the power of the Xenomorphs."
Du Wa stroked his chin. To be honest, he was very interested in Kruger's proposal. He didn't even care who the Marauders were fighting or whether they were winning or losing. He simply believed that wherever there was war, Xenomorphs should be present.
Until Du Wa possessed strength that surpassed the entire universe, he wished for it to be as chaotic as possible, as that would grant him more opportunities.
"The fact that you can appear before me means the Ancient One has given her tacit approval. Since she hasn't objected, then very well, I'm happy to grant her this favor... I will give you the first batch of Xenomorph mercenaries. How does 200 sound? What payment will you use to reward me?"
"Money. The universal currency recognized by the vast majority of civilizations in the universe, which can be used to purchase..." Kruger was cut off by Du Wa before he could finish.
"If I wanted money, I would just go and take it. Why would I need to make a deal with you? Or do you think I can't out-rob others? You need to pay with something of real value."
Du Wa looked at him seriously. "My time is extremely precious. The reason I'm sitting here talking with you so pleasantly is because, in my eyes, you can bring me something useful. If you make me misjudge, I'm sorry, but I despise any unexpected situations that deviate from my plans. You won't be leaving here alive today."
Even as he said these words, Du Wa's tone was extremely calm, completely devoid of anger.
Kruger subconsciously sensed his surroundings, a teleportation spell clutched in his hand, ready to escape at any moment. But after waiting a second, he realized that no person or Xenomorph showed any sign of making a move on him.
Everything felt as gentle as a spring breeze.
But Kruger's heart felt as if it had plunged into an icy abyss. Alright, he had oversimplified things. Even with Kamar-Taj vouching for him, it didn't guarantee him safe passage on this planet.
At this moment, Kruger had to quickly abandon his wishful thinking: Du Wa was not some suddenly-risen Earthling who lacked knowledge of the universe. on the contrary, he seemed to be very familiar with the Marauders' situation.
More importantly, Du Wa was a peerlessly ruthless man who would strike if his wishes were not met.
Mordo looked at Du Wa with some hesitation. "You're joking, right?"
"Want to test if I'm really joking? With Kruger's life," Du Wa said very politely. "Among my subordinates, I don't yet have a Xenomorph capable of instant spatial teleportation."
Mordo's brow furrowed. If this were the past, his expression would have already changed. But now, facing a Du Wa who was in some ways no less powerful than the Sorcerer Supreme, Mordo knew his place. Words he could have said in the past absolutely could not be spoken now.
Kruger's fish-like tail swished more and more frequently, betraying his anxiety.
Du Wa said, "I need you to provide me with valuable intelligence and rare hosts in return. In addition, you must deploy my Xenomorphs to various planets throughout the universe. At the same time, you will provide me with a real-time copy of all the intelligence your Marauders possess. Promise to do these things, and our deal is done."
"Is that all?" Kruger let out a sigh of relief.
"What else? Did you really think I'm running some kind of terrorist organization that plunders everything in sight? One must have a long-term perspective to gain more. However, if I find you cutting corners, no one will be able to protect you. Don't think I don't have the means to cross galaxies. Those starships of the Eternals are still in my hands," Du Wa said.
The Eternals... Kruger knew very little about this race, but that didn't stop him from understanding Du Wa's meaning.
Before long, Kruger left Earth with two hundred ordinary Xenomorphs.
"You terrified him. He probably won't come back next time. This will also force a halt to your plan of deploying Xenomorphs to various planets," Mordo said diplomatically, trying to persuade Du Wa to abandon his insane idea of scattering Xenomorphs everywhere.
Mordo simply couldn't dare to imagine it. On Earth, Xenomorphs were already appearing everywhere. If something happened to Du Wa, these Xenomorphs would go on a rampage, laying eggs and hatching wantonly, creating a massive Xenomorph legion that would menace the entire globe.
If the entire universe were to be littered with Xenomorph eggs, what would happen then?
Mordo said, "This doesn't fit into a long-term plan."
"It will. That universally despised group of Marauders must have run into big trouble. I even suspect someone guided them, which is why Kruger chose to come to Earth to find me. Most people don't think like that."
Du Wa stared at the disappearing portal.
No matter what terrible things the Marauders had encountered, Du Wa couldn't care less. However, having such a group of free laborers to transport Xenomorphs to various planets was something Du Wa would use without a second thought.
Ultimately, they were just tools.
Distributing Xenomorphs throughout the entire universe was Du Wa's true goal. He would eventually be omnipresent, able to descend upon any corner of the universe at any time.
"Once that group of extremely vicious Marauders discovers how useful the Xenomorphs are, they will likely promote them extensively. Then, I think, the trouble will be immense. Countless dangerous individuals will rush over from every galaxy, trying to enter Earth. The pressure on Kamar-Taj will increase dramatically," Mordo complained, worried sick.
"You can think about it from a different angle. Perhaps our Earth will make more people have second thoughts because we have such a troublesome creature," Du Wa said. "Maybe in the near future, this place will become a famous mercenary center for the entire universe, with all sorts of people trying to hire Xenomorphs from me."
"Are you sure? I can't even imagine how terrifying that scene would be. When the time comes for opposing sides in a battle to flex their muscles, one side pulls out a bunch of Xenomorphs, and the other side also pulls out a bunch of Xenomorphs. How would they even fight?"
"See, Baron Mordo, you've hit a mental blind spot. What's the point of fighting then? I'll just order these Xenomorphs to kill everyone on both sides. Wouldn't that solve the problem? Don't let yourself get trapped by such mental quandaries. It will lead to severe mental strain."
In fact, Du Wa much preferred to solve problems with the most direct means. If the problem couldn't be solved, he would eliminate the person who created it. Then everything would be clean.
Mordo felt it was becoming increasingly difficult to communicate with Du Wa. It was different from before. Now, facing Du Wa, the pressure was immense. He was constantly paranoid, suspecting the surrounding Xenomorphs were plotting to harm him, trying by every means possible to use him as a host.
Immediately, Mordo hurried back to Kamar-Taj to report this news to the Ancient One.
If anyone could stop Du Wa, the first person Mordo thought of was the Ancient One.
"Alright, let me see what's happening with the Marauders. To think that even someone like Kruger is running around everywhere..."
Du Wa's perspective rapidly extended along with the spread of the Xenomorphs, and he soon saw scenes from countless galaxies away.
...
Kruger hurriedly left Earth. He was now more convinced than ever that Earth was a ridiculously dangerous place. A few years ago it was still manageable; the situation was generally stable and controllable, but various dangerous individuals would still pop up.
Now it had become even more dangerous.
Even setting aside Earth's internal affairs, just one point was enough: Earth's position was Midgard of the World Tree. The three upper realms, the three lower realms, and the other two worlds of Midgard were all eyeing the central Earth. Countless Skyfathers harbored ill intentions.
"Du Wa... I never want to see that Earthling again. For every second I was near him, I felt like I was being killed."
Kruger muttered, turning to look at the two hundred reinforcements behind him. What concerned him was that leading this group of Xenomorphs were twenty exceptionally formidable ones. They had clearly burst from special hosts, and they all looked identical.
The sight of any single one of them made Kruger feel anxious and uneasy.
"I originally thought they would be giant-type Xenomorphs, but I didn't expect him not to give me a single Xenomorph with a divine bloodline... This was supposed to be a crucial battle to make his name in the universe. Shouldn't he have sent his powerful and awe-inspiring divine Xenomorphs?"
Kruger stroked his chin, unable to figure it out.
He had learned about Du Wa's past and was familiar with the Xenomorphs' various feats. After arriving on Earth, he had even gathered more detailed intelligence on the creature, such as the time from implantation to chestbursting, and so on.
Since the Xenomorphs could join the Asgardian army to fight and conquer Jotunheim, it shouldn't be a problem for them to join the Marauders to fight those damn things that had chased them all the way to Knowhere.
"Kruger, you're finally back! I've been waiting for a long time. Why did you take longer than expected? During that time, another ten of our people were captured. If this drags on, this branch of the Marauders is finished!"
"Slow? You think I went to Earth and contacted Du Wa directly? I had to find someone from Kamar-Taj to act as a go-between first. Otherwise, if I went to him by myself, I would have been captured and used as a host on the spot. Believe it or not?!"
Kruger wasn't someone who liked to argue, but seeing his boss, Yondu, so agitated, he felt a fire light up in his heart as well.
Kruger even began to doubt whether joining this Marauder crew was the right decision. Perhaps he should have defected to another team.
Look at the miserable state of their crew now. There were originally eighty members, and now fewer than thirty were left alive.
And that was just the living. Among them were a few unlucky bastards who were currently in a state of mental derangement, their personalities severely distorted by those things.
A glimmer of hope appeared in the eyes of the Marauders. They stared wide-eyed, looking at the Xenomorphs behind Kruger up close for the first time. These were reinforcements, a precious supplement to their crew.
"This is good, too. We lost a batch of people in exchange for so many powerful comrades. Our strength is increasing rapidly! Kruger, you did a great job. What price does that one require? How much do we have to spend to hire this manpower?"
"But, uh, how many are there? A hundred or two hundred? In terms of numbers, it's still not enough. To deal with those damn things, we need more soldiers."
"So these are the Xenomorphs? A lot of factions have been asking about this stuff recently, even publicly posting bounties. I heard that the Xenomorph army that attacked Jotunheim a while ago numbered in the tens of thousands. If only we had tens of thousands, too."
"Du Wa can afford to field that many troops, but we can't afford the payment."
These guys, who usually wished for nothing more than chaos, were now in a state of panic. Seeing the tall Xenomorphs exuding an aura of cold cruelty, they were filled with a mix of curiosity and apprehensive uncertainty.
Kruger said in a low voice, "I was right from the start. Du Wa does intend to spread the Xenomorphs. Only I could have succeeded in negotiating with him. If any of you had gone, you would have been killed by the Earthlings in the first instant, your bodies becoming vessels to incubate Xenomorphs."
"True. In the past, I would never have believed that such a remote planet could produce a powerhouse comparable to a Skyfather, as well as a combat race like the Xenomorphs, born only for battle."
"Hey, Quill, that's Earth, your hometown! Didn't you always say there was nothing there to miss? I remember you clearly said it was just an ordinary planet with very backward technology! You can't argue this time."
Star-Lord's face darkened. He looked at the large group of burly, strong Xenomorphs, unable to believe his eyes.
What the hell? He had only been away from Earth for a few decades. Just a few short decades, yet how did one or two formidable figures capable of shaking countless planets, and numerous creatures like the Xenomorphs, suddenly appear?
At this moment, Yondu, the leader, saw his adopted son was speechless and said coldly, "Enough! Is this how you welcome our guests, by making them stand? Hurry up and bring out the good wine. If you don't drink it now, you might not get the chance after the next war!" Yondu roared.
"Yondu, I remember you went to Earth and just happened to grab Quill, right? It's a miracle you weren't beaten to death on the spot. Even if there was no Du Wa back then, there must have been other super-powered beings."
Yondu didn't curse back, because he was still terrified in retrospect.
Who would have known that a godforsaken place like Earth was guarded by a Skyfather-level being? Now it was even more terrifying. Even Dormammu had suffered a loss on Earth, and Jotunheim had been conquered by a race led by an Earthling.
Kruger, however, turned to look at these Xenomorphs. He vaguely knew of Du Wa's abilities, which meant Du Wa's perspective was surely observing everything happening here through these creatures.
This was frightening, but on second thought, let him watch. It wasn't like they had a choice now. Could they possibly return the Xenomorphs? That would truly infuriate Du Wa, and they would all be hunted to the ends of the universe with no hope of escape.
"We've been on Knowhere for several hours. Can anyone tell me if those Symbiotes have caught up? Don't tell me even Knowhere is filled with those damn things."
"Not yet. Although those Symbiotes are disgusting and have infested many life forms in the universe, they probably don't have the guts to offend the Collector on his own turf."
"Good. With the addition of these Xenomorphs, we'll have enough strength to protect ourselves..."
The words had barely left his mouth when several staggering figures rushed out in front of the group of Marauders. Their bodies were covered in a layer of viscous black substance.
Instantly, the Marauders cursed loudly and began firing their weapons.
"They still caught up. I knew we couldn't shake them!"
"These Symbiotes really can move in a vacuum? They can cross the vast expanse of the universe!"
During an exploration, this group of greedy Marauders had detected strange electromagnetic signals, immense and complex in number, as if countless life forms were using their personal devices to collectively transmit all sorts of meaningless signals into outer space.
The Marauders had originally thought they'd found a strange planet and could make a fortune from a quick raid. As it turned out, it was a nightmare.
Just escaping from that planet had cost them a third of their manpower.
Worse, these Symbiotes actually possessed the ability to move in the vacuum of space. That was truly outrageous. They clung to them like maggots on a corpse.
And look, they had fled all the way to Knowhere, and these things had followed them.
"I fucking want to know who the hell is controlling these damn things from behind the scenes! The massive amount of signals they were emitting were all chaotic. Maybe it was their internal way of communication. But do you remember that scene? A part of them suddenly seemed to receive a collective command, turned around, and charged at us."
Yondu cursed nonstop. It was these things that had caused his crew to be severely depleted.
The battle quickly erupted. The other inhabitants of Knowhere didn't pay much attention at first. This concentration camp for villains was full of various unfriendly activities. But they soon had to change their minds and started dealing with these Symbiotes. Some even thought it was an opportunity to get rich and began capturing them.
The entirety of Knowhere fell into a bit of chaos.
Outside Knowhere, in the cold, silent universe, Loki sat amidst a large pile of Symbiotes, looking very much like their true master. He stared expressionlessly at the enormous head before him.
"This thing is the head of a Celestial you chopped off back then?" A storm was raging in Loki's mind.
The Celestials. These were bona fide cosmic gods. Yet, one of them had been killed by the master he now followed.
If this god of Symbiotes, Knull, truly recovered his body and returned to his peak, just how strong would he be?
Even the Ancient One and Du Wa couldn't possibly be his match, right?
"Gather power, kill Grendel and..."
Knull's fragmented thoughts transmitted into Loki's mind, leaving him with no choice.
He had painstakingly infiltrated Klyntar, allowing Knull to quickly gain control of a batch of Symbiotes and secure an army.
But the first thing Knull wanted to do wasn't to regain control of all the Symbiotes, but to eagerly seek revenge.
To Knull, as long as he could get close to Klyntar and obtain one or two Symbiotes to carry his consciousness, re-establishing the mental network and forcibly controlling all the Symbiotes was just a matter of time. Then he would return to his peak, becoming a cosmic god feared by all.
But one thing gnawed at Knull. The powerful and noble He had actually suffered such a huge loss on Earth, and the subsequent events he sensed on Earth enraged him.
Loki, having lost his role as a host, had earned Knull's approval through his strenuous efforts and successfully obtained a batch of Symbiotes as subordinates, a preliminary fulfillment of his long-cherished wish. But the subsequent developments left Loki's head spinning.
Attacking Earth—it was a truly insane idea, but Loki had no choice.
If he dared to refuse, he would be torn to shreds by Knull in minutes.
Loki had no idea what Knull was thinking or why he was so impatient. Was he afraid that if he didn't return to his peak in a few more years, Du Wa and the others would die of old age?
Or was there some secret Loki hadn't figured out yet, forcing Knull to be in such a hurry?
"Of course, I will obey your command. However, there are a few very difficult individuals on Earth. Perhaps I need some helpers. Once I've gathered enough military force and obtained a sufficient number of Symbiote soldiers, I will immediately lead the army to attack Earth."
Loki was just being perfunctory. His idea was to drag things out, using the need for more soldiers to force Knull to control more Symbiotes, indirectly recovering more of his power. He hoped to even stall until Knull, relying on this sliver of consciousness, slowly regained control over the hundreds of millions of Symbiotes and got his body back.
But when Loki casually glanced at Knowhere, his expression instantly froze.
He saw a pile of Xenomorphs fighting on Knowhere, appearing and disappearing like ghosts among the various buildings, killing Symbiotes with exquisite skill and meticulous tactical coordination.
Even more, Loki saw a scene that made his scalp tingle: several Symbiotes that had coalesced into the shape of Xenomorphs were attacking the Symbiotes on his side, rapidly devouring them to strengthen themselves.
It was like two pools of liquid merging into one, finally solidifying into the shape of a Xenomorph.
"How is this possible? It's a Symbiote-Xenomorph! And it's not a Xenomorph possessed by a Symbiote, but a direct Symbiote-Xenomorph! How long has it been? Has Du Wa already deciphered the genetic code of the Symbiotes from Grendel and converted them into Xenomorphs?!"
Loki felt his worldview shattering. He had seen fast, but never this fast.
He prided himself on being a high-IQ god of mischief, but even he had never imagined Du Wa's progress would be so rapid, succeeding in one go.
He had to once again re-evaluate the potential of the Xenomorphs and the terror of Du Wa.
But soon, Loki ran out of time, because the enraged Knull urged him on once again. This also made Loki understand why Knull had become so frantic, even a bit exasperated, recently.
Knull was the god of the Symbiotes. He could sense the condition of every single one, and naturally, he could vaguely know what was happening on Earth.
He could tolerate other things, but for his creation to be stolen by a mere mortal... it would be a cold day in hell before the conceited Knull would swallow that insult.
"Du Wa actually seized the god Knull's control over the Symbiotes? This is too much. Could Du Wa also be a god? A Celestial that hasn't fully matured?"
Loki's face was stiff, his mind roaring. To suddenly encounter a bunch of familiar faces in a place who-knows-how-many-millions-of-light-years from Earth, and to discover a truth that drove even an ancient god mad—the contrast was too intense, causing his brain to short-circuit.
Reality was forcing him to return to Earth.
But no matter what, at least he now controlled an army, didn't he?
Both are parasitic races, both with astonishing potential. The advantage he had over Du Wa was that he had an extremely powerful cosmic god backing him, even if that god wasn't in his perfect form, had suffered a great loss in his confrontation with Du Wa, and had his Symbiotes stolen, hence his eagerness for revenge.
The scale of the Symbiote army had already exceeded two thousand and was beginning to invade Knowhere with a vengeance, voraciously devouring the villains from various planets within it.
The sounds of battle and curses were everywhere. The vast majority of villains were thinking, "what the fuck," completely clueless as to what was happening or why Knowhere, as a hub for cosmic mercenaries and a massive bar, would be attacked by these inexplicable creatures.
Everyone gradually discovered that the Symbiotes had many weaknesses. Fire, high temperatures, and loud noises were enough to severely interfere with their combat effectiveness.
The situation finally balanced out. As ferocious individuals from all over the universe gathered and took action, they gradually began to force the Symbiote army out of Knowhere.
As the master of Knowhere, the Collector never showed his face from beginning to end.
For an Elder of the Universe like the Collector, he knew very well what the Symbiotes represented. They were Knull's creations, and he certainly didn't want to provoke him.
Anyway, it was just a bunch of worthless villains dying. It wouldn't be long before new ones entered Knowhere.
The one thing the universe never lacks is scumbags.
"Symbiotes and Xenomorphs... I never thought these two things would appear here. I really want to collect them, but they are both difficult to handle. Both of these creatures have their own masters behind the scenes..."
The Collector hid in his building, holding a low-end telescope he had scrounged from some planet, watching intently with great seriousness. This was his perverse pleasure—collecting items with a sense of history and special meaning.
After another period of stalemate, Knull had lost his patience.
The one who had truly seized His reins of control was still on Earth. To Knull, this was a second, unprecedented insult. Du Wa had to be dealt with. Of course, this was difficult. At the very least, he had to interrupt Du Wa's control. After He returned to His peak, He would deal with Du Wa in one fell swoop.
"Loki... attack... turn Earth into a Symbiote planet... buy time..."
"I know, I know. But I was thinking, maybe we can recruit other cosmic powers as allies and not go it alone... How about Thanos's Black Order? We could call on the Cull Obsidian..."
"Now... or... die!"
(end of chapter)