Bang—!!
The heavy propulsion pack of the Underworld Terminator collided violently with the metal walls, sending a deafening crash through the space, as if the very fabric of the area had been torn apart.
Gabriel Angelo, the leader of the Blood Ravens, was slammed into the steel wall with brutal force, his massive body like a wild beast pinned helplessly within the framework of the ship.
In that instant, Gabriel found himself trapped within a web of overwhelming power, immobile, as though he had lost control over his limbs.
But the most shocking aspect of the situation was not the searing pain from the collision or the suffocating pressure—it was the invisible force that bound him, an intangible chain that constricted him from the inside out, binding his very soul.
The pressure wasn't coming from a physical impact, but from a deep, soul-crushing pressure—every inch of his muscles, his bones, all being forcibly suppressed by a raw, extreme will.
Gabriel tried to break free using his physical strength, but the more he struggled, the more the pressure seemed to intensify. Furthermore, there was an unseen hand, gripping his neck with an unyielding force.
In his long career, Gabriel had faced countless demons, monsters, and powerful enemies, never hesitating to engage and retaliate in close combat.
Moreover, the Astartes' enhanced physiology made it nearly impossible for them to experience suffocation in regular combat. But right now, Gabriel felt an unprecedented pressure that made breathing almost impossible, an intense discomfort that nearly choked him.
This was the true source of his shock.
After all, apart from the Primarchs and the Emperor—whom he had met only three times—no enemy had ever made him feel so utterly helpless.
Of course, Gabriel didn't believe that Darth Vader, who had briefly restrained him with the Force, could ever defeat a Primarch or the Emperor.
If the Emperor himself arrived in this universe, even a slight ripple of psychic energy would be enough to turn Scarif into ash. Thus, from every angle, Darth Vader was no match for their Emperor.
But Gabriel had no time to dwell on these thoughts.
He was entirely focused on how to break free from this invisible restraint and regain his ability to fight.
Since physical strength alone couldn't overcome the Force wielded by Darth Vader, Gabriel decided to rely on his own psychic abilities to counter the restraining power.
"Haah... haah..."
The mechanical breathing sound continued to echo from the dark corridor ahead, reverberating through the entire transit area, as if some unfathomable entity was approaching.
At this moment, Gabriel's eyes narrowed under his helmet. He ceased his attempts to break free from the Force's grip and instead focused calmly on the source of the power, preparing to observe Vader's every move.
Step, step.
As the footsteps drew nearer, Gabriel's gaze locked onto the dark figure that was gradually becoming clearer at the end of the corridor.
In the silent space, the only sound that echoed was the rhythmic clank of mechanical boots striking the metal deck, like the footsteps of death itself.
In the next instant, Darth Vader's silhouette emerged fully from the shadows, standing not far from Gabriel—like an unshakable black iron tower.
Gabriel didn't show any signs of panic. Instead, he continued to use his psychic abilities to perceive the overwhelming aura radiating from Darth Vader.
The energy field around Vader was a swirling mix of emotions—anger, desire, and dissatisfaction intertwined, intense and profound.
At the same time, Vader's own perception of Gabriel was filled with confusion, uncertainty, and what seemed like growing unease. Gabriel sensed that Vader was trying to extract more information from him.
Silence enveloped the two of them.
As Gabriel predicted, the Force's oppressive grip began to loosen, and the suffocating pressure slowly dissipated.
It seemed that after a brief test and evaluation, Vader concluded that he had complete dominance over Gabriel in terms of strength.
After a few moments of silence, Darth Vader finally spoke, his voice still low and penetrating, as if it was emanating from the depths of a dark abyss:
"Who are you? What exactly are you?"
Vader's question echoed in Gabriel's ears, filled with intense curiosity and confusion.
This inquiry was not just about Gabriel's identity, but a full exploration of the strange being standing before him.
In Vader's eyes, there were no signs of any gene seed or genetic origin associated with Gabriel, and the Force couldn't detect any of the familiar life signatures that would be present in most sentient beings.
The Force was the bond that connected everything in the universe, yet Gabriel seemed to defy Vader's understanding of these cosmic rules.
Vader's perception couldn't categorize Gabriel as any known life form, and the "blankness" in front of him caused an overwhelming sense of unease within Vader.
Vader instantly realized that Gabriel didn't originate from their known universe, nor did he come from any dimension he was familiar with.
Yet, this discovery ignited a spark of greed and ambition in Vader.
The unknown, the unfamiliar, represented countless opportunities—an avenue to grow stronger.
Gabriel didn't know it, but Darth Vader's tragic past loomed large over his current ambitions.
Once Anakin Skywalker, a shining hero of the galaxy, he had lost everything.
Anakin had been one of the most radiant heroes of the star system, but a series of deadly choices and uncontrolled emotional turmoil had led him down an irreversible path into darkness.
Anakin's fate had been sealed from the beginning.
As a Jedi apprentice, he had harbored firm beliefs in justice and had dreamt of a bright future.
But the wheels of destiny did not turn in his favor.
The current Emperor of the Galactic Empire, the cunning Sheev Palpatine, had used his political machinations and immense power to drag the old Galactic Republic into the depths of ruin.
Through carefully orchestrated power struggles, Palpatine had eliminated most of the Jedi, pushing them to the brink of extinction, while seizing control of the galaxy.
Anakin's most painful turning point wasn't Palpatine's cunning, but the fear that had come from within him.
When he foresaw losing his beloved wife, Padmé Amidala, and their unborn children, that fear struck him like a sharp dagger, shattering his moral resolve.
The loss of his mother and the flood of pain and anger only deepened his internal turmoil, causing his judgment to falter.
At this critical moment, Palpatine's seductive promises—of saving his loved ones and controlling fate—lured Anakin into abandoning his Jedi ways.
Unable to resist his overwhelming fears of the future, Anakin became an agent of darkness, ruthlessly slaughtering his former comrades—Jedi who had fought for justice alongside him, from elderly masters to young apprentices.
Every swing of his lightsaber felt like a betrayal of his soul, as his inner being crumbled under despair and rage, sinking deeper into the abyss.
Anakin's fall was irreversible, and the hero who once carried the light and hope of the galaxy was fully consumed by darkness, transformed into a cold, merciless executor.
However, Anakin's fall didn't end in the tragic death he had once envisioned. The pain and loss were far worse and more prolonged than he could ever have imagined.
He lost his loved ones, and his body was shattered in a brutal duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet of Mustafar, where his limbs were severed, and he was left burning in the lava, his face disfigured forever.
In mere moments, Anakin lost his family and his dignity, becoming a broken shell of a man, trapped in a machine that kept him alive but removed all warmth and humanity.
As Darth Vader, he became a mechanical husk, dependent on technology to survive, and every breath he took was a reminder of the pain he had endured.
Now, Darth Vader, who had lost everything, stood in stark contrast to the Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, who had climbed to unprecedented power.
Palpatine's machinations and political mastery had led to his rise as the ruler of the Galactic Empire, and all the power and resources of the galaxy flowed into his hands.
In Palpatine's eyes, Darth Vader was nothing more than a tool—a fallen slave of the dark side.
He had never truly given Vader freedom or balance, and he understood that Anakin's suffering and dependence were the key to maintaining his own control.
And once that tool was no longer useful, or a more fitting replacement emerged, Palpatine would dispose of him without hesitation.
Vader realized that, under Palpatine's shadow, he would never achieve true freedom or power.
Thus, he quietly began plotting, expanding his influence in the galaxy, and seeking the strength to one day break free from Palpatine's chains.
Now that he knew of the existence of a "new world," Vader saw an opportunity to reach further and seize power for himself.
"Ha... what am I?"
Gabriel's words were laced with coldness and resolve. His eyes pierced through the dark figure of Darth Vader, as if seeing through all his deceptions, aiming directly at the heart of the dark lord.
"I am a warrior under the Emperor's command. I am humanity. I am the enemy of all darkness!"
His voice rang out like thunder, echoing through the empty transit area.
Crack—!!
As his words fell, a brilliant surge of psychic energy exploded.
Gabriel swung his left hand, unleashing a continuous flow of psychic power, shaping it into a bolt of lightning that struck at Darth Vader without warning.
The lightning seemed to tear the air apart, accompanied by a deafening crack.
!
Caught off guard and slightly distracted, Darth Vader was hit by the psychic lightning.
The bolt pierced his armor, engulfing his body in electric energy.
For a moment, the dark lord's form was rocked by the violent force, and the armor's systems began to fail one by one, flashing red and green before fading into darkness.
Despite the power of the strike, Vader remained silent, unyielding, his mechanical body still standing as if it were unscathed by the pain.
The black armor reflected the brilliance of the lightning, cold and unshakable. However, Vader's body staggered back several steps, eventually kneeling on one knee, his form momentarily stunned.
Boom, boom!
At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed through the transit area.
Gabriel broke free from the restraint, his footsteps like thunder as he charged across the cold metal deck.
The psychic lightning had seemingly suppressed Vader, causing him to falter for a brief moment, exactly as Gabriel had hoped. He knew this was the perfect opportunity to strike back.
As he advanced, Gabriel swung Shatterer, the hammer cutting through the air with a sharp, icy arc, combining speed and power to strike directly at Vader's head.
Roo—~!!
The swing of the massive hammer was like a storm, accompanied by a deafening roar, bringing with it unparalleled weight and pressure, aimed at Vader's skull.
Buzz~—!!
But in the next moment, the hammer was blocked by an unseen barrier.
Boom—Boom—!!
The transit area's deck and walls began to twist, distort, and even crack from the collision between the hammer and the barrier.
------------------
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Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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