In theory, after the Omnitrix extracts a species' genes, it optimizes them, turning that gene set into the healthiest in the entire race.
"Healthiest" is the official phrasing, but most of the time, it's not wrong to understand it as "the best."
For example, when Bant transforms into the Four-Armed Overlord, even though he's male, he can still suppress an even stronger female Tazdroman in raw strength.
But now…
Boom!
A silver-gray shadow was kicked away by Caiera and slammed into the rock, leaving behind a clear, human-shaped imprint.
"This is weird. How can the gap in strength be this insane?"
Bant finally managed to peel himself off the wall, his face full of confusion.
"Hey, Caiera. Why can't I shoot lightning all over my body like you?" he asked, baffled.
Even if that ability only belonged to female Phantom Tribe members, the crappy little watch should still be able to apply it to him.
"You mean Eternal Power?"
Because she suspected Bant might be the legendary Son of Sakaar, Caiera didn't press him aggressively. Instead, she answered.
"This isn't a power the Phantom Tribe is born with. It isn't naturally formed. It's acquired later," Caiera said.
Eternal Power was an artificial form of cosmic energy. Not every Sakaaran possessed it, and it wasn't limited to Sakaarans either.
"No wonder…"
Bant understood immediately.
So-called Eternal Power was basically like internal energy in martial arts. Like the martial techniques mastered by the Vvanna-Nan people. Even if Bant could transform into a Vvanna-Nan (Little Ben's helper, Rook), he still wouldn't automatically gain the martial arts they'd trained for.
But then…
"If it's a technique you train, then I should be able to learn it too!"
Even Caiera found that ridiculous.
"That's impossible. I'm the most talented among the gray Sakaarans, and even so, it took me many years to train Eternal Power to its current level. You've never even touched Eternal Power. Just trying to awaken it won't be easy."
As she finished, she shot at Bant like a cannonball. Her long leg whipped toward his chest like a lash.
In a panic, Bant bent low and dodged, and Caiera's kick landed solidly on the rock behind him.
Boom!!!
The massive stone body exploded under the force of that single kick.
Fragments blasted outward like buckshot, punching through layers of rock!
Then the alarm in Bant's head screamed. He snapped his gaze up and saw Caiera raising her right leg high. Bant had no time to reflect on his life. His body rolled to the side on instinct.
At the same time, Caiera's right leg came down with lightning, like a thunder axe splitting the earth!
Boom!!!
Another deafening blast.
Even though the strike didn't hit Bant directly, the shockwave alone launched him into the air.
And the ground beneath Caiera's foot tore apart from the impact!
Bant's heart pounded.
This "Supreme Warrior" really did have the skills.
"You should turn back into that green guy, or a Tazdroman, and fight me properly," Caiera said as she turned around, looking like she was afraid she might accidentally beat Bant to death.
"I already told you. You fight magic with magic." Bant shook his head.
Honestly, he just couldn't help being jealous of Eternal Power. Sure, any species could theoretically learn it, but since the Phantom Tribe invented this energy, learning and using it in their body might be easier.
But doing that clearly wouldn't be simple.
Caiera's talent was already top-tier among the Phantom Tribe. The Red King had picked her out after endless selection. Even if Bant's talent was a bit better than hers, there was no way he could make up for decades of her effort in an instant.
Caiera attacked again.
Lightning coiled around her body like something alive, and both her eyes blazed with scorching white light!
The electricity drifted between her arms like divine ribbons.
She threw a punch at terrifying speed. The air detonated, a sonic boom cracking open.
Boom!
Bant dodged in a miserable scramble.
He looked like a stray dog being chased down, making everyone watching instinctively sweat for him.
"Why isn't Boss Hacker turning into that four-armed form to fight her?" Korg yelled anxiously while running through the arena.
He wasn't the only one thinking it. Anyone who had witnessed Bant's earth-shaking battle with Luma in the arena could never forget that scene.
That overwhelming strength, like a monster sealed inside his body, made people fear him just from looking.
But Bill raised his hand and cut the broadcast.
His gaze swept over Korg. With his protruding mouth, he looked like the bleached bones of a wildebeest in the desert.
He said coldly, "He has his reasons. We just need to do what we're supposed to do."
"I'm just worried…"
"No need to worry, Korg," Xiloe said. "The Son of Sakaar won't lose to a Phantom Tribe traitor!"
"Even if the Totem Tower guards have been reduced a lot, there are still royal guards left behind. Can we really reach the top?" Doug asked.
"The Red Wind Queen will draw the fire for us," Bill said expressionlessly.
The moment his words ended, an enraged roar tore through several floors.
"Anmor A'shan!"
It was the Red Wind Queen, Luma.
Now that she knew everything was going according to plan, Luma pretended to be furious. She smashed through multiple metal walls and stormed in front of the Red King, wielding a two-faced giant hammer, like she was holding a barbell as a weapon.
"You despicable rat. You still dare to do something this shameless!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Luma."
The Red King wasn't surprised that Luma would come charging out in rage. In fact, when he sent Caiera to ambush Bant, he had already considered that Luma would explode.
That was why he'd put on his armor early and gathered the royal guards at his side.
"You sent Caiera to ambush Xiao Ban?!" Luma's four eyes were bloodshot.
"I'll make one thing clear. He attacked my Skull Army first!" the Red King sneered.
And he wasn't wrong. After Bant killed the monster in the Great Maw, he charged straight toward the Skull Army on his own.
"Ridiculous. If you weren't planning to play dirty, why would the Skull Army be there at all?" Luma shouted. "Order the Skull Army and Caiera to withdraw immediately, or I'll crush your skull!"
"Insolent!"
The Red King rose violently from his throne. He slammed his massive blade into the ground with a heavy crash, sparks bursting.
His eyes looked like they were burning.
"Luma, I don't care what queen you are or what planet you crawled from. Here, you are nothing!"
"Everything you have was given to you by me! I am Sakaar's one and only king!"
"Not for much longer!"
Luma sneered, then lunged forward, raising the heavy hammer high with both hands. Her body arched backward like a crescent moon.
The hammer slammed down!
Boom!!
In an instant, the Red King's throne was smashed into scraps.
The royal guards around the Red King immediately surrounded Luma. They held golden spears, spearheads interlocking, thrusting at her together!
Sparks flew!
Their numbers were far fewer than the Skull Army, but their combat power and equipment were even stronger.
Dozens of them rushed to kill her, and for a moment, even Luma was dragged into a hard fight.
She raised a hand to block one soldier's strike, then leapt, her upper right arm extending as she swung hard. Like a guillotine, she cleaved across another soldier's throat and sent him flying.
But at the same time, dozens attacked from behind her.
Luma didn't hesitate. She smashed her hammer into the floor.
The impact instantly collapsed several layers beneath her feet!
"Then come down with me!"
Crash!
The entire room's floor gave way under her blow. Not just the royal guards, even the Red King couldn't escape. They all fell together.
But his skills were viciously sharp. With the golden armor enhancing his mobility, the Red King kicked off falling slabs repeatedly, stabbing his blade toward Luma, who had no leverage in midair.
"Die!"
Clang!
Luma's pair of hands beneath her ribs snapped together, clamping the blade between her palms. Her other two arms seized the back of the long blade, and her long legs kicked into the Red King's abdomen.
Clang!
That kick could turn rock into dust, but against the Red King's armor, it only left a shallow mark.
Shock flickered across Luma's face.
In the next second, they landed at the same time.
Only then did the Red King realize they had fallen all the way from the room into the arena.
There wasn't a single spectator in the arena now. The lights were dim, like the curtain hadn't risen yet.
Then dozens of royal guards landed as well, forming a circle around Luma.
Luma's four eyes swept the area. She realized she'd drawn nearly all the arena's remaining forces here. So instead of rushing to keep fighting the Red King, she started dragging out time.
"Anmor A'shan, your turtle shell got a lot harder."
The Red King didn't get angry. Or maybe he'd already been angry enough these past days.
He stepped forward as if showing off his authority and power, and said smugly, "Did you think, after I learned you could tear my armor apart, I wouldn't prepare?"
He tapped his armor. The metallic sound echoed through the empty arena.
"This specialized metal, even if you throw hundreds of punches at it, it won't suffer even the slightest damage!"
"Tch." Luma tilted her head and clicked her tongue.
"Luma, why oppose me for the sake of someone who's about to die?" the Red King said arrogantly. "I'm Sakaar's emperor. If you submit to me, you can become Sakaar's true queen. 'Red Wind Queen' will no longer be just a title."
"Laughable. I already am a true queen. As for you, you're just a red-skinned clown." Luma's eyes turned cold. "And compared to Xiao Ban…"
"You're nowhere close."
/-\
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