The competition for the Power Stone had already driven the Kree Empire out of the race. The once-dominant galactic power had been forced to watch from the sidelines while others fought over the legendary gem, and that humiliation was not something their regime could easily swallow.
The Kree Empire operated under a rigid military dictatorship. At its highest level of authority sat a supercomputer intelligence known as the Supreme Intelligence, a vast artificial mind that ruled the empire with cold logic and absolute control. Beneath it served elite military factions, the most infamous among them being a group known throughout the galaxy as the Accusers.
At that moment, several Accusers were gathered inside a sealed council chamber.
Their blue-skinned faces were grim, their expressions filled with anger and frustration as they discussed the latest developments that had shaken the empire.
"Ms. Marvel has defected," one Accuser said coldly. His voice echoed through the chamber as the others listened in silence. "Although we prepared extensively, our plan to trigger an uncontrolled energy detonation within her body failed."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Not only that, but she has taken refuge with the Kryptonian known as Superman."
A low murmur spread across the room.
Another Accuser stepped forward and added, "Yesterday, Accuser Ronan was killed by that same Kryptonian. The Orb of the Universe has also fallen into his hands."
Several figures stiffened immediately.
"Confirmed?" someone demanded.
"Yes," the speaker replied. "The orb contains the legendary Infinity Gem. According to ancient records, the gem grants its wielder limitless cosmic power."
A heavy silence filled the chamber for a brief moment.
Then anger erupted.
"Damn it!"
"Doesn't this only make the Kryptonians stronger?"
"The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous."
One of the Accusers clenched his fist tightly. The thought that a new power might rise to challenge the Kree Empire clearly made many of them uneasy.
Another Accuser spoke again, trying to restore order to the discussion.
"I understand everyone's concerns," he said calmly. "However, the location of the Kryptonian remnants remains unknown. Their new base has not yet been discovered."
He paused slightly before adding another thought.
"But there is someone else we can hold accountable."
"Earth."
The word echoed sharply inside the chamber.
Several Accusers immediately began speaking at once, their voices filled with anger.
The blue-skinned commanders clearly could not accept the betrayal of Ms. Marvel. To them, Carol Danvers had been a valuable weapon created and trained by the empire. Her defection was not only a loss of power but also a serious insult to Kree authority.
Accuser Mywell stood up and spoke with a firm voice.
"Earth is Ms. Marvel's home world," he declared. "If she dares betray the empire, then her planet must bear the consequences. It is time to destroy that world and make an example of it."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
"Agreed."
Voices quickly rose in support across the room.
The militant nature of the Kree Empire left little room for hesitation. Once betrayal was confirmed, retaliation was inevitable.
Within minutes, the Accusers approved a plan.
Earth would be targeted.
Before the meeting concluded, another Accuser raised an additional matter.
"There is also another issue on Earth that deserves our attention," he said slowly. "The reception and repatriation of the Inhumans."
Several members of the council nodded in recognition.
"Yes. The Inhumans were experimental subjects created by the Kree Empire on Earth long ago. Now that the empire faces a shortage of talented warriors, it is only logical to reclaim them."
The Kree Empire had been locked in a brutal war with the Skrull Empire for generations. The endless conflict between the two interstellar powers had drained countless resources and soldiers from both sides.
Because of this, the empire now faced a growing shortage of capable fighters.
To solve this problem, the Supreme Intelligence had decided to reactivate an old asset: the Inhumans who had been left behind on Earth centuries ago.
The final resolution was quickly recorded.
"Operation Earth has been approved," an Accuser announced formally. "Objective one: occupy the entire planet and punish Ms. Marvel for her betrayal. Objective two: recover the Inhumans and return them to imperial control."
The chamber fell silent again.
"The council meeting is concluded."
…..
…..
Planet Neptune.
Another month had passed.
Inside the towering palace that stood among the mountains, Carol Danvers stretched lazily as she walked toward the wide window of her room. She wore a loose pajama robe, her golden hair slightly messy as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.
Through the window, an enormous forest stretched across the mountains below.
The palace itself had been built on the highest peak in the region. From this vantage point, the entire Kryptonian settlement was clearly visible.
Clusters of futuristic buildings were scattered among the forests and valleys, blending advanced technology with the planet's natural environment.
Carol stared outside for a while before letting out a soft sigh.
"The population has grown a lot."
When she first arrived on this planet, she had been surprised by how few people actually lived here. At the time, she estimated there were barely thirty survivors left.
That realization had made her understand how heavy the burden on Yun Chen's shoulders truly was. Rebuilding an entire civilization from almost nothing was an unimaginable challenge.
But recently, things had begun to change.
Not long ago, she heard that the population had already exceeded three digits.
"Another batch of soldiers has been born from the artificial incubation pools," a voice suddenly explained.
Carol turned around in surprise.
"Huh?"
Standing by the doorway was Lucine, leaning casually against the doorframe.
She wore an elegant dress that exposed her slender collarbone, giving her a graceful and delicate appearance.
"Artificial incubation is the Kryptonian method of reproduction," Lucine continued calmly. "Some historians believe that this system eventually contributed to Krypton's destruction. But for now, we have no other option if we want to rebuild our population quickly."
"I see."
Carol nodded thoughtfully.
Her eyes lingered on Lucine for a moment.
Everyone in the palace knew that Lucine was one of the women closest to the Kryptonian Emperor. In many ways, she held a position similar to that of a royal consort.
For some reason, that thought caused a strange feeling to rise in Carol's heart.
Over the past few months, she had gradually noticed Yun Chen's subtle attentiveness toward her. His behavior was not overly aggressive, but there was always an unmistakable sense of interest in the way he treated her.
Strangely enough, Carol didn't find herself rejecting that attention.
After all, Yun Chen was not only the ruler of an empire but also the man who had personally rescued her from certain death. Without his intervention, she might have already perished in the Kree Empire's brutal schemes.
She let out a quiet sigh.
"I heard he's planning to go to Earth soon," she said.
Lucine smiled slightly.
"Yes. His Majesty often says that Earth has a special connection to him. The Kryptonian central archive—the Central Codex—also exists there. Because of that, he will eventually travel to Earth."
Her tone carried a hint of deeper meaning.
Carol's heart stirred when she heard those words.
She knew very well that the Kree Empire would not ignore her betrayal forever. Sooner or later, they would come after Earth.
Could it be…
Was Yun Chen planning to go there for her sake?
Her cheeks slowly turned red.
In her mind, the young Kryptonian emperor's actions seemed almost like a silent promise to protect her home world.
Of course, this was a misunderstanding.
In truth, Yun Chen's connection to Earth came from a completely different reason. His past life as a human from that planet remained a secret known only to him.
Carol, however, knew nothing about that.
To her, everything Yun Chen did seemed to revolve around protecting her.
It was a beautiful misunderstanding.
ROAR!
A powerful cry suddenly echoed across the sky.
The sound resembled the roar of a dragon.
Carol quickly looked out the window and saw a massive winged beast soaring through the air. Its long body twisted gracefully through the clouds as it circled above the mountains.
Lucine smiled.
"His Majesty has returned."
She quietly left the doorway.
Carol remained by the window, her heartbeat suddenly accelerating.
Outside, Yun Chen stood atop the flying beast before leaping lightly down onto the palace grounds.
The creature resembled a dragon, but it was actually a native species of Neptune.
Long ago, the Kryptonian Empire had mastered advanced techniques for taming powerful alien beasts. When the survivors arrived on this planet, they quickly began domesticating many of the local creatures.
Now, these beasts served as mounts and companions for the Kryptonian warriors.
Yun Chen gently patted the creature's head.
"Alright, Xiao Hei. Go play by yourself."
The beast flapped its wings and soared away.
Yun Chen activated his super flight and rose effortlessly into the air. A moment later, he landed smoothly at the entrance of the palace.
Waiting there was Lilith.
The adjutant stood with perfect posture, wearing a black dress that highlighted her calm and capable demeanor. Her expression was serious, reflecting the professionalism of a highly efficient officer.
"Your Majesty," she reported immediately. "Another batch of soldiers has completed incubation. Our total population has now reached three hundred and one."
"Very good."
Yun Chen nodded slightly.
He still remembered the early days when the reconnaissance ship held only eleven survivors. Back then, the Kryptonian race had seemed painfully close to extinction.
Now things were slowly changing.
"At the current rate, our population should exceed one thousand within two months," Lilith continued.
This rapid growth was the main advantage of artificial incubation technology.
Unlike natural birth, which required months of pregnancy, Kryptonian genetic engineering allowed new soldiers to be grown and matured much faster.
Moreover, these newborn Kryptonians were already physically strong and capable of combat training.
Lilith then added another possibility.
"If we were willing to use cloning technology, the population could exceed one hundred thousand within a single year."
Yun Chen frowned slightly.
"Cloning?"
"Yes," Lilith replied. "However, clones suffer severe genetic degradation. Their lifespan would be drastically shortened. Most would die within two or three years once their genes begin to collapse."
Yun Chen shook his head firmly.
"Forget it. We don't need to take such an extreme path yet."
Lilith nodded in agreement.
Then she suddenly remembered a piece of information that had just arrived from her intelligence network.
"Your Majesty," she said carefully. "Do you remember the dwarf realm of Nidavellir?"
"Yes," Yun Chen replied.
He had previously instructed her to monitor that location closely.
Lilith took a breath before delivering the report.
"Today, Nidavellir has been attacked. The attackers are subordinates of Thanos, and they appear to be forcing the dwarves to forge a weapon."
....
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