Initially, Thragg didn't want to make a move so quickly.
Without a spaceship, even someone as strong as a Viltrumite would be in great danger drifting in the endless vacuum of space.
The version of Thragg created by the tentacled higher-dimensional being was too perfect.
As a strong contender for the Viltrum Empire's regent, when faced with Viktor's provocation, Thragg's first thought was actually to escape the situation.
He still had people waiting for him.
Thragg, who hadn't yet become regent, has his heart set on his forces.
What he wanted most right now was to take responsibility for the empire that currently had no leader.
But Viktor didn't care about any of that.
With a sudden charge, Viktor slammed Thragg into a nearby asteroid where the assassin's spaceship had just been parked.
This asteroid, only about one-twentieth the size of Viltrum, couldn't withstand such an impact.
In a brief roar, Viktor, gripping Thrag, forcibly crashes through it, creating a tunnel spanning both poles.
Even a clay figure has temper, let alone a Viltrumite who views the dignity of the strong as supreme.
Thragg delivered a headbutt that shook Viktor off, brushed off the dust and rocks from his shoulder, his mustache trembling with anger.
"I don't care whether you're a Viltrumite or not. If you won't tell me the way back, I don't mind breaking your limbs and asking again."
"This is exactly the feeling."
He showed an expression of "just as I thought," even unable to help revealing a satisfied smile.
Thragg is the highly perfect embodiment of Viltrumite. Every inch of the other's muscles, every nerve existed for Viltrum.
For Viktor, even though Thragg hadn't become regent yet, his spirit already almost represented the entire Viltrum Empire.
Therefore, Viktor decided to hold back.
Even though he was actually much stronger than this version of Thragg, Viktor wanted to restrain part of his power and completely crush the man's spirit.
"I guess I have my answer."
Thragg's expression became sharper than ever.
Before he even finished speaking, Thragg's figure vanished from where he stood.
The next instant, a large hand reached out and went straight for Viktor's face.
The smile on Viktor's lips didn't fade. He slightly shifted his body, neatly dodging the attack.
At the same time, Viktor threw a heavy punch straight at Thragg's stomach.
Thragg was furious and blocked with his forearm.
The experienced Thragg quickly steadied himself and immediately took a defensive stance.
In that brief exchange just now, Thragg had already realized that his opponent's strength and speed were likely above his own.
The attack was far too effortless.
But after waiting for quite a while without the expected storm of attacks, Thragg slightly extended his arms to find him calmly standing with crossed arms, floating before him.
"Are you playing with me?!"
He roared in rage and launched a violent assault.
Thragg punched, kicked, used elbow strikes, knee attacks, headbutts—every move carried the most brutal Viltrumite combat techniques.
These were experiences forged through battles across hundreds of light-years and the destruction of countless civilizations.
Each move was powerful enough to shatter continents on a planet like Viltrum.
Thragg's pride cannot bear such humiliation. He tried to force Viktor to respond with full effort, trying to reclaim his dignity as a strong warrior.
But Viktor remained completely at ease, precisely blocking every fierce attack, and each of his punches was carefully controlled, strong enough to cause intense pain, but not enough to destroy Thragg's body.
With every clash, Thragg grew more furious, and each block made his whole body tremble more intensely.
Viktor watched Thragg's face twist with anger.
He saw how Thragg gave everything he had, but still couldn't force him to go all out.
The mockery in Viktor's eyes slowly faded, leaving only deep hatred.
This was the man who symbolized a cruel system. Even when forced into desperation, Thragg's bones still contain only arrogance and violence.
Their figures moved through the shattered asteroid debris and stardust.
Thragg's attacks became more reckless, full of openings. His left arm had already been injured earlier, and he endured the pain every time he raised it.
Viktor's eyes gradually turn cold.
He stopped blocking and began taking Thragg's attacks head-on, then struck back with even greater force.
The fight turned into raw, brutal combat with fists and kicks landing constantly on each other.
Bruises gradually begin appearing on Viktor's skin, while Thragg has already been beaten bloody.
Even when Viktor's knuckles merely brushed his skin, it would tear open, leaving deep, bloody marks.
Not to mention those heavy punches landing straight on Thragg's head and chest, with each punch producing faint sounds of bones cracking.
Finally, after Viktor delivered a heavy knee strike, Thragg's body bent forward like a shrimp, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood.
He grabbed Thragg by the collar and slammed him hard toward the shattered asteroid from their fight, crashing him into the largest chunk with a loud bang.
"This is the power you're so proud of?"
He punched Thragg's head down into the rock just as he tried to lift it.
"All who resist must be conquered?!"
Another punch, bursting with countless blood and broken stones.
"You think you can become regent with this?!"
"Continue the glory of the Viltrumite Empire?!"
"This empire! This conquest! This civilization!"
With each word, Viktor slammed another punch into Thragg's head.
Thragg's face was torn apart with his muscles turned to pulp, and fragments of his skull mixed with dirt and stone as they splattered.
Only when Viktor sensed that Thragg was barely alive did he finally stop his fists covered in blood.
Viktor grabbed him by the shoulder, his fingers tightening until the bones cracked loudly.
Lifting Thragg in front of him, Viktor licked the blood on his lips and coldly asked:
"Do you have any last words?"
Thragg's vision was blurred by blood, and his throat made rough, gasping sounds.
After quite a while, Thragg barely managed to lift one hand.
Viktor frowned and looked down, watching the trembling finger slowly point at his chest.
This… didn't look like an attack.
Blood foam kept spilling from Thragg's mouth.
"You... you are... a Viltrumite stronger than me... go back in my place..."
Viktor was stunned and pulled him closer.
"Go back for me… you can become regent… you're strong enough… you can restore… the empire's glory…"
He looked at the finger finally touching his chest, then at Thragg's arm as it weakly fell with blood from his fingertip, and drew a straight line across Viktor's chest.
Viktor suddenly laughed.
He laughed wildly, laughing disdainfully.
"I'm not a Viltrumite, and I won't inherit your worthless obsession."
"Honestly, if I could go back, the first thing I'd do is kill all the Viltrumites of this generation. Your generation has been completely brainwashed by aggression."
Viktor grinned viciously and leaned close to Thragg's ear.
"Even if I don't do it, someone else will in the future. The glory of your empire is just an unrealistic dream."
"You'll be reduced to just a few dozen people. In the future, there will even be a new emperor who will completely change all the old traditions. And the garbage you uphold will only be swept into the dust of history!"
Thragg, who was about to die, suddenly opened his eyes as if with a final burst of strength. His one remaining eyeball stared fixedly at Viktor, his emotions finally breaking.
Thragg seemed to struggle to say something—
But as the surrounding space trembled, Thragg and the shattered asteroid debris from the battle dissolved like foam.
Viktor looked at the blue-glowing being with waving tentacles before him again.
The expression on his face gradually calmed down, finally letting out a long sigh.
"Now, send me back."
...
Invincible main universe.
In the main universe of Invincible, after an intense sparring session, Thragg had just entered a healing pod to rest when he suddenly opened his eyes.
Then, Thragg furiously smashed the pod door open with a punch.
The people around him looked at each other in confusion.
One of them stepped forward and asked why their leader was angry.
Thaedus's eyeballs twitched rapidly. He tapped his head with his hand, then consecutively shook his head.
Was it a dream?
Why did it feel so real?
"Do we have the latest list of those who went for the rite of passage?"
Thragg frowned.
The Viltrumite from his dream looked too young.
If such a person really existed, he should still be in the middle of the rite of passage.
After a long while, Thragg looked at the information his subordinate handed him, staring at that face in the list he would never forget, even in death.
After staring at a face on the list that he could never forget, Thragg looked like a volcano about to erupt.
"The Titan assessment… why haven't they returned yet? That batch was supposed to be the best!"
...
600 POWER STONES = 1 BONUS CHAPTER
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