At that moment, Vastness's voice suddenly broke the silence.
At the same time, it brought good news.
A trace of the Phoenix Force had finally been detected.
After hearing the report, the Black Phoenix immediately turned toward Karl.
Karl simply smiled.
"Set a course immediately."
"No need for wormhole transit."
"Use ultra-long-range teleportation."
His decision was instantaneous.
At this point, Karl no longer cared how much energy the two Skyblade VII warships would consume.
Finding another fragment of the Phoenix Force was far more important.
After receiving Karl's order, Vastness immediately began calculations while simultaneously notifying Tony and the ship's command systems to prepare for long-distance teleportation.
A vast blue energy field enveloped both Skyblade VII warships.
The next moment—
They vanished from the universe.
...
At the far edge of the universe, within a remote star system rarely visited by any advanced civilization, two enormous warships suddenly emerged from folded space.
According to Vastness's scans, the Phoenix Force fragment was located on a nearby world known as Kala.
The inhabitants of Kala resembled humans in appearance.
However, their physiques were significantly superior.
Their skeletal structures were denser, their muscles naturally stronger, and their average height far exceeded that of ordinary humans.
According to Vastness's analysis, most adult natives exceeded two meters in height.
Furthermore, Kala itself was much larger than Earth.
Its gravity, atmosphere, and environmental conditions had naturally produced a stronger population.
After arriving, Karl immediately led everyone toward the planet.
Before doing so, he had ordered Vastness to utilize all available resources to seal the surrounding star system.
Combined with the fact that this region lay near the edge of the universe, where almost no civilizations traveled, the chances of discovery were minimal.
Even if the Celestials somehow located them, Karl would still have enough time to evacuate both the fleet and his companions.
That was why he had brought everyone along.
...
Karl and his group descended from the sky above Planet Kala.
Since they made no effort to conceal themselves, they were quickly noticed by the locals.
The world below resembled an ancient feudal civilization.
There was no advanced technology.
No spacecraft.
No satellites.
No energy weapons.
Only kingdoms, armies, and steel.
As soon as the inhabitants saw figures descending from the heavens, countless voices erupted below.
The language was completely unfamiliar.
Fortunately, Vastness immediately translated it.
"Gods have descended!"
"The gods have come!"
"Divine beings have appeared!"
Karl paid little attention to the commotion.
After reminding May and the others to be careful, he departed alongside Ganata and the Black Phoenix.
His goal was simple.
Retrieve the Phoenix Force fragment.
As for May, Raven, and the others, he intended to let them explore the planet freely.
After all, opportunities to visit completely unknown civilizations were rare.
The women exchanged helpless glances before choosing a direction and flying away.
Meanwhile, Pietro immediately dragged Crystal away to explore the world together.
Peter stared at the pair disappearing into the distance.
His expression became increasingly complicated.
"Prioritizing women over friends..."
The betrayal was obvious.
With a sigh, Peter left alongside Juggernaut and Lockjaw to explore the planet.
He absolutely was not jealous.
Not even slightly.
Elsewhere, Samuel began collecting biological samples from native creatures to update his ever-growing genetic database.
...
Meanwhile, Karl led Ganata and the Black Phoenix toward an enormous palace.
The structure dominated the landscape.
It was clearly the political center of the planet.
Most likely, it served as the residence of the world's ruler.
The moment they arrived and hovered above the palace, they were immediately discovered.
Within minutes, the entire area below was filled with heavily armed soldiers.
Karl and the Black Phoenix exchanged glances.
Both sensed the same thing.
Phoenix Force fluctuations.
The source was inside the palace.
Soon afterward, a woman emerged from the grand hall.
She stood approximately 180 centimeters tall.
A luxurious royal robe draped over her body.
Behind her followed numerous attendants and elite guards.
Most of the guards exceeded two meters in height, giving them imposing physiques.
The woman herself possessed extraordinary beauty.
Her oval face, elegant brows, and exquisite features carried a natural nobility.
At the same time, years of ruling had bestowed upon her a powerful aura of authority.
Even beneath her loose royal garments, her figure remained striking.
Karl and the others merely glanced at her appearance before focusing on something far more important.
Phoenix Force energy.
The moment she appeared, Karl sensed that she had recently activated the fragment.
The Phoenix Force had already awakened within her.
"When did the power inside you awaken?"
Karl asked calmly.
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly.
A trace of surprise appeared on her face.
She had not expected these strangers to immediately identify her secret.
After a brief silence, she spoke.
"So you've come here because of this power."
Her voice remained cold and composed.
She was no fool.
As the ruler of an entire world, she understood the situation almost immediately.
These beings had descended from the heavens.
Their first words concerned her mysterious power.
Clearly, that was their objective.
After all, there was nothing else on this planet worth attracting such existence.
For years, she had searched for anything unusual within her kingdom and world.
She had found nothing.
Therefore, the only explanation was obvious.
They wanted the power she possessed.
"That's correct."
Karl nodded.
"A few years ago, you used that power to seize the throne."
"This power is merely a fragment."
"And we need it."
"What is your decision?"
His tone remained calm.
Yet every word carried undeniable certainty.
Through Vastness's investigations, Karl already knew that the world's ruler several years ago had been someone else.
Only after this woman awakened the Phoenix Force fragment had the change of power occurred.
To Karl, the explanation was obvious.
The Phoenix Force possessed immense psychic capabilities.
For a fragment of that power, influencing ordinary minds and quietly manipulating political events was a trivial matter.
Karl held no interest in judging her actions.
He was hardly a saint himself.
Therefore, he simply presented her with a choice.
Nothing more.
As he spoke, a portion of his aura leaked outward.
Instantly, the soldiers below collapsed to their knees.
Many could barely breathe.
Only the woman remained standing.
After observing the scene and sensing the terrifying pressure emanating from Karl, she finally sighed inwardly.
Resistance was impossible.
She could also feel the Phoenix Force within the red-haired woman beside him.
Compared to her own fragment, that power was like an ocean facing a drop of water.
There was no path to victory.
If she resisted, not only would she die, but her entire nation might suffer as well.
After a long silence, she finally nodded.
"Very well."
"I am willing to give up this power."
"However..."
"I don't know how to separate it from myself."
Karl smiled slightly.
"Good."
The next moment, her body slowly rose into the air.
She floated upward until she stood before Karl, Ganata, and the Black Phoenix.
Then Karl acted.
The Mind Stone.
The Soul Stone.
The Self Stone.
His own vast psychic power.
All of them activated simultaneously.
Their combined power entered the woman's body as Karl carefully prepared to extract the fragment of the Phoenix Force.
At the same time, the Black Phoenix felt a powerful reaction.
The Phoenix Force within her stirred.
It became restless.
Excited.
Yearning.
As though a lost piece of itself was finally about to return home.
...
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