บท 60: Let it burn

Carter's fury simmered beneath a deadly calm as he stared into the cosmic emptiness. His aura pulsed outwards, waves of gravity surging across the void, pulling meteors into his orbit only to crush them into clouds of dust. Entire regions of space within his range grew dense, almost suffocating, and even beyond his reach, nearby planets were shaken by the residual shockwaves.

"Those were my Saints... my chosen," he thought, fists clenched as his stare pierced through the darkness. The energy around him built to a point where any rudimentary radar in the galaxy could register it, and he knew it was.....he wanted to be found.

Aboard the X3X Fleet Command Ship

Alarms echoed throughout the ship, screens flashing red as data poured in, indicating the intensity of the power reading. Commander Jzon stormed into the cockpit, his face twisted in a rare expression of alarm and irritation.

"Report!" he barked, voice cutting over the blaring alarms.

A communications officer, frazzled and wide-eyed, looked up. "Sir, it's him—the target. A massive energy surge just spiked out of nowhere. We've never seen anything like it before. Our sensors show… HIS POWER LEVELS OVER! 9000—"

The room went dead silent. "Someone get this guy outta here," commander Jzon ordered, with them pulling him out of the room.

Commander Jzon cleared his throat, visibly exasperated. "Enough with the nonsense! I need precise details on his movements and that energy burst, now! The solar system he's most likely tearing apart is expendable, but I want us closer to his previous location before he took off. Move this fleet, now."

The command was received with swift obedience, and the X3X fleet, stationed roughly three light-months from Carter's main body, adjusted course, pushing their engines to the limit. At their current speed, they'd arrive in twelve hours.

Back to Carter

The energy subsided as Carter's aura stabilized, but the rage lingered. His power spike hadn't just alerted the fleet—it had been felt on every X3X-occupied planet within range, sending shockwaves through their ranks.

In the dim light of the X3X command center, a fierce debate raged on. Around the circular table, holographic forms of the empire's highest-ranking leaders flickered, each from far-flung sectors across the X3X territory. Their shapes varied wildly, from humanoid figures with sleek neon skin to serpentine beings with clusters of glaring eyes, all shadowed by deep creases of worry.

The cacophony of voices eventually died down, giving way to a tense, shared silence as a consensus settled: this unknown being—powerful beyond their calculations—might be intelligent. Engaging in dialogue could buy them time while they reached out for reinforcements from a larger X3X territory. A single ship, piloted by a select crew, would be sent to make contact.

Onboard the Diplomatic Ship

The tension among the ship's crew was palpable. A low hum vibrated through the walls as the vessel sped toward its mysterious target. Whispers filled the cramped cabin, speculation mixed with anxiety as the crew considered what lay ahead.

"I heard it's power can destroy entire solar systems... on a whim," one of the engineers muttered, voice barely a whisper as he glanced at his radar.

"You're too paranoid," snapped Rax, a younger officer with an arrogant tilt to his smirk. He lounged against the control panel, arms folded. "It's all scare tactics to weed out the weak. Mark my words: I'll lead the charge on this thing, and when we capture it, I'll be running this ship."

"Get real," scoffed another officer, trying to focus on his controls. "The only reason you're here is because everyone else is afraid to be anywhere near this… thing. Just stay quiet, follow orders, and hope we make it back."

As they approached their target, their sensors buzzed erratically, struggling to process the energy readings fluctuating from the dark shape looming ahead. Carter floated there, motionless, like a solitary shadow in the void.

As they reached Carter's range, a soft shimmer enveloped their ship as the X3X systems created a temporary vacuum around the space, allowing sound transmission.

The comm officer activated the speaker, swallowing hard before speaking. "Weird being," he began, his voice faltering before he straightened his tone. "I am unsure if you can understand me. If you can... leave this sector now or face the consequences of the X3X Empire."

The message hung in the silence of space, tension brewing on the bridge as they awaited a response from the ominous figure, wondering if they'd made the gravest mistake of their lives.

Carter drifted through the void, slowly turning to face the approaching vessel. His cold, burning gaze fixed on the ship, his voice reverberating with a depth that struck each crew member to their core.

"My saints…" he began, his words soft but held no joy. "They were never given a chance to speak. So why grant me one now? Is it because you fear me?" His voice hardened, cutting through the void like a blade. "If so, why hesitate? Why not eradicate me, just as you did them?"

The silence was thick as his golden eyes narrowed, glinting with raw, unrestrained wrath.

"They spoke of truths—of things beyond your understanding—and for that, you slaughtered them without thought. I waited here, giving you a chance to prove me wrong, to see if you'd face me with some semblance of reason. But it was pointless, wasn't it?" His voice dripped with contempt, radiating through the void.

He paused, the stillness around him amplifying the crushing weight of his next words. "Even those shadowing me from afar, thinking I was unaware of their every move... if they were to appear now, if your entire empire was to gather here in force... you would all still die."

The darkness around him seemed to deepen, his celestial energy condensing in a chilling aura. "I have no need to do this for myself, nor to evolve. For the first time since my reincarnation... I am truly enraged."

The silence was final, his promise hanging in the air as the ship's crew stared in paralyzed terror.