Chapter 121 Knull: Oh no, I've become the backup option!
What was that thing that fell from the sky?
At first, Gorr didn't even react. As far as the eye could see, there was only wind and sand. Occasionally, he could find some water and food in the remaining oases, barely clinging to life. He and his daughter hadn't seen anything new besides the desert and oases for a very, very long time.
Something new and completely different from their current environment was most likely a disaster, but there was also a small chance it was a lifeline. For Gorr, he had no other choice.
If he didn't find a way to be saved, a way to find a Deity, he didn't know how much longer he and his daughter could hold on. Sooner or later, this planet would be completely devoured by the desert. Perhaps in just a few years?
Clinging to a sliver of hope, Gorr carried his daughter and walked over.
He saw a golden halo levitating in mid-air, and inside it was a completely different scene.
Gorr was certainly no ignorant, primitive native. He knew at a glance that on the other side of the halo was an unfamiliar world.
"Dammit, this is the life planet you found? It's nothing but sand as far as the eye can see. Are you sure a trash planet like this is qualified? You think we can hire new Xenomorphs with this?"
"Have some patience. You're not a Xenomorph, so how would you know what a Xenomorph is thinking? Maybe they really like desert environments."
"Bullshit, this is a complete waste of time. But since one Xenomorph has already rushed over, let's just leave it. This is obviously a planet on the verge of collapse. Instead of wasting time arguing, we should find a new habitable planet and deploy more Xenomorphs."
According to the Marauders' style of operation, they usually wouldn't place just a single Xenomorph on a planet, but would deploy multiple ones.
However, one Xenomorph had somehow rushed through ahead of the others and, upon landing, had started running at high speed with no intention of returning. These villains didn't dare say much more and simply closed the teleportation portal.
As for Gorr and his daughter...
Yes, Yondu and the others saw them, but so what? If it weren't for this Xenomorph business, and they had encountered this father-daughter pair, they might have considered recruiting them into the Marauders if their race possessed a talent for combat.
But now, these two natives would have to fend for themselves. For the Xenomorph to reproduce, it needed all sorts of hosts.
Before Gorr's despairing eyes, the teleportation portal closed.
"Who were those people? They didn't look like gods, but outsiders... So close. If only I could have run a little faster."
Gorr was filled with regret. He clearly possessed formidable strength, but the prolonged lack of proper food had left his body exceptionally weak.
Just then, the Xenomorph walked over and stood before the father and daughter.
Its form was tall and slender, its arms seemingly delicate but containing explosive power. Its constantly swinging tail was like a nimble blade, easily tearing through the air.
Most striking was its exaggerated skull, which seemed to extend from the cranium and cover its entire back.
This creature's combat power was definitely absurdly high. The moment Gorr saw it, he was stunned by the creature's frenzied aesthetic, followed by a surge of immense vigilance.
This alien creature, of unknown race, did not attack immediately. This was perhaps the only good news.
"Daddy, who is he? Is he the God we believe in? But as far as I know, none of the statues of the deities look like this."
"He is not a god of Rapu."
Gorr protected his daughter, slowly backing away. "Outsider, I have no food here."
"I do not need food. But I can see that it won't be long before you both die on this planet, either from starvation or disease."
This telepathic message emanated from the Xenomorph, entering the minds of the father and daughter with precision.
Far away on Earth, Du Wa slowly opened his eyes, a look of great interest on his face.
"Not bad. It seems this universe's Gorr is still on Rapu and hasn't started his mad slaughter of gods on various planets across the universe."
For Du Wa, this was good news.
The God Butcher Gorr's former fanatical faith in the deities was matched only by the magnitude of his hatred for them after his entire family died.
This was what drove Gorr to use every trick up his sleeve, traveling to planets across the universe where gods were worshipped and frantically slaughtering the major pantheons.
Although the vast majority of the so-called gods he killed were laughably weak, a full tier below the major divine races of the World Tree, let alone comparable to a true Cosmic God.
But the God Butcher Gorr didn't care about that. As long as it was a god, as long as it enjoyed the offerings of mortal creatures, it was a target for his hunt.
Du Wa had originally planned to have Wong or Mordo help him connect to Rapu so he could see if this universe's Gorr was there. He hadn't expected to encounter a pre-debut Gorr before even taking action.
"This is interesting. If it were just Gorr himself, a warrior who killed a bunch of inferior gods, it wouldn't warrant much of my attention. But this guy wielded the All-Black the Necrosword."
Du Wa was currently concentrating his power, preparing to deal with the Symbiote God Knull in one fell swoop. Dealing with an ancient evil god who had existed for who knows how many billions of years was no simple matter. He had to calculate all sorts of possibilities and formulate countless operational plans.
He would not give Knull any possibility of escaping, hiding in some corner of the universe, and returning for revenge countless years later.
Either don't act, or act decisively, eliminating any outcome that could cause him trouble.
Having Gorr summon and pick up the All-Black the Necrosword, preventing Knull from reclaiming it to increase his strength, was one of Du Wa's plans to weaken Knull.
But before he could even have Wong find Rapu in the vast universe, Yondu and his crew had unwittingly solved this little problem for him.
"Gorr, you pitiful follower of a false god. Do you intend to die with your daughter? To become like a grain of sand, merging with this endless sand and dust."
Du Wa said to Gorr.
"You can save me?" Gorr fell silent for a moment. "Also, the god we have faith in is no false god. You, who appeared here out of nowhere, are the one who seems more like a false god."
"Such a devout follower. It reminds me of several of my subordinates. The way they look at me is exactly the same as how you look at your false god... Whoever can save you, provide you with a better life, more hope, is the one with the qualification to be your god. You wish to see your god? Very well, then I will tell you where those guys are..."
Gorr was filled with doubt, but he still followed the being's instructions to seek out the planet's deity.
But these supposedly omnipotent gods merely looked at him and his daughter with mocking eyes, as if watching two lower lifeforms putting on a strenuous performance.
Gorr realized it. He recounted in detail his journey and his pleas.
"What did you say? You saw a Xenomorph?!"
After listening to Gorr's words, the deity immediately grew flustered, his voice laced with a hint of terror.
The strange creatures around the deity also began to shout, yelling incomprehensible things like "We're doomed!" and "He's set his sights on our bodies!"
Gorr couldn't understand. He looked blankly at the person he had revered for half his life.
Was this it? No different from an Ordinary Person, even completely lacking in composure and dignity. Just hearing his description of that Extraterrestrial appearing on this planet was enough to reveal such a panicked state.
"You foolish creature! Why didn't you say something so important sooner? You don't know what a Xenomorph means, nor do you know what a terrifying person controls them. Ignorant, yet always causing me trouble. You people deserve extinction."
"My apologies, your humble servant was not aware... I just wanted to ask you for some water and food. It would be even better if you could heal my child..."
"Why should I care if you live or die? You and your daughter, along with the other lower lifeforms on this planet, are not worth my intervention! Now I need to figure out how to solve the problem brought by the Xenomorph—perhaps it's time to leave this planet."
Listening to the deity's muttering, Gorr was completely stunned.
This piece of work was a god?
The Xenomorph could converse with him, a mortal, yet this deity was scared witless by the Xenomorph, spouting a bunch of nonsense, and now he even wanted to run away.
"Even if the other party is truly an invader, as the deity of this planet, shouldn't you be the one to step up and kill them?"
"Kill what? That's why I say you know nothing, you lowly mortal. That thing is one of Du Wa's soldiers! That's Du Wa! Even Dormammu and Knull suffered setbacks at his hands. Some time ago, a war seemed to have broken out over at the World Tree, and it's most likely related to him..."
"So what that alien named Xenomorph said was right. You are a false god."
Gorr's faith completely collapsed. Again, extreme worship inevitably leads to extreme hatred.
The crazed Gorr shielded his frightened daughter behind him. In the shadows, for reasons unknown, a strange weapon appeared in his hand.
Gorr mechanically picked up the weapon that had appeared out of thin air and swung it at the deity before him. With one strike, he slew him.
The black longsword began squirming, emitting a jubilant sound that rocked Gorr's perception.
"This... What have I done?"
"You killed a god, Daddy."
"I know, but how did I..."
Gorr looked down in a daze at the bizarre weapon in his hand. This thing, which emanated countless wails, had merged with him.
The creatures that had once served the god were now scared out of their wits, screaming as they scattered in all directions.
"This is All-Black the Necrosword, the weapon of the Symbiote God, Knull. It has now chosen you."
The Xenomorph appeared, slowly walking up to Gorr.
"The species you belong to is called Xenomorph? The god—the false god—said you are Du Wa's soldier. Who is Du Wa? A true god?"
"I am one of countless Xenomorphs, but I am also Du Wa. There is no difference. I am always with my people."
Hearing the Xenomorph's words, Gorr grew even more confused and lost.
All-Black the Necrosword, the murdered deity, the Xenomorph, Du Wa... all of these things were beyond his comprehension.
He just wanted to find a way for him and his daughter to survive. How did things turn out like this?
"Your daughter won't live much longer. Is that acceptable to you?" Du Wa said, pointing to the little girl in Gorr's arms. "Even if you find a new oasis, the entire planet is dying. As the last two survivors of your race, are you content to lead your daughter to a slow suicide?"
"What should I do? Can you, who calls yourself a true god, save my child?"
"As you wish."
Then Gorr watched as the Xenomorph began to undergo an evolution on the spot. Its body swelled, its skull expanded further, forming a structure that was almost like a crown.
A white alien egg was placed before Gorr.
"It is time for you to make a decision. Follow me, and I will save your daughter. Or, give up this opportunity, let your child die, and you will walk the preordained fate that was always meant for you."
Gorr didn't hesitate for a moment. He carried his child and walked toward the alien egg.
"You can think about it some more."
"No need. This sword is desperately trying to stop me, trying to influence my thoughts... While I don't know why this sword chose me, I know it is alive, and I can feel how evil it is. What it doesn't want me to do is not necessarily wrong."
All-Black the Necrosword couldn't save his daughter, but it could certainly kill her.
If his daughter were already dead, he would have trusted the Necrosword without hesitation and used it to slice the Xenomorph before him in two.
But since his daughter was not dead and could still be saved, he would not make such an extreme decision.
"A wise choice."
Du Wa praised him.
Before long, Gorr's daughter stood up again.
All traces of her illness had vanished, and her weak body was full and strong again, indicating that the child was now incredibly healthy—more robust than at any point in her entire life.
Gorr checked her in disbelief, then burst into tears and pulled his daughter into his arms.
"Gorr, from now on, you are the God Butcher. You will serve me with all your power."
"The God Butcher? But I..."
"Don't overthink it. The one you will slay is not this mediocre and incompetent god of Rapu, but a much more important fellow, the master of the All-Black the Necrosword. Your actions have indirectly taken that guy out."
Du Wa sensed the All-Black the Necrosword. This thing was the very first Symbiote in the entire universe, the origin of all Symbiotes. In Du Wa's eyes, as long as he could prevent Knull from reclaiming this weapon, it was enough.
Now it was time to get down to business: to go and kill Knull.
...
Having basically taken control of Klyntar and reclaimed his own body, Knull was basking in his own strength.
"This is it. This is my complete self. A great god wherever I go... These damn Symbiotes, they made me suffer so much humiliation!"
Knull was burning with rage. He had made up his mind to send all the Symbiotes to the battlefield until every last one was dead.
But for now, Knull decided to retrieve the first Symbiote, his most favored weapon. Then, he would return to Earth in his strongest form and slaughter every last one of those bastard humans and Xenomorphs on that planet!
"Let me see, where has my All-Black the Necrosword run off to... Huh? It actually severed its connection with me?!"
(end of chapter)