The massive vessel known as the World Engine drifted silently through the cold darkness of space. Its enormous structure resembled a floating fortress, layered with armored plates and complex alien machinery that pulsed with faint energy. Compared to ordinary spacecraft, it felt less like a ship and more like a mobile stronghold designed to dominate entire worlds.
Inside the command chamber, a tall figure sat upright upon the central throne-like command seat. The man's broad shoulders and imposing posture radiated authority even in stillness. His armor was dark and angular, built for both war and intimidation, and the air around him carried a heavy pressure that made others instinctively lower their voices.
This was General Zod.
Around the chamber stood more than a dozen Kryptonian warriors. Every one of them carried the rigid bearing of trained soldiers. Their armor gleamed faintly beneath the artificial lighting, and the tension of restrained power filled the room like a storm waiting to break.
These warriors were survivors.
Long ago, the Kryptonian Supreme Council had sentenced them to exile in the Phantom Zone for rebellion. Ironically, that punishment had spared them from the destruction of their homeworld. When Krypton collapsed into cosmic ruin, the exiles survived while billions perished.
Yet survival had come with a price.
Their numbers were painfully small.
Counting everyone aboard the World Engine, there were barely more than a dozen Kryptonians left alive. Compared with the survivors on the reconnaissance vessel Aquarius, their advantage in numbers was almost negligible.
But the difference between the two groups wasn't quantity.
It was composition.
The Aquarius reconnaissance ship had originally been a research vessel. Most of its crew consisted of scientists, engineers, and technical specialists responsible for planetary exploration and advanced experimentation. They possessed brilliant minds, but very few of them were true warriors.
The crew aboard the World Engine was the opposite.
Nearly everyone here was a hardened soldier.
They were rebels, warriors, and veterans who had once stood against the Kryptonian government. Their leader, General Zod, had been the highest-ranking military commander in Krypton's army before his exile. The men and women under his command were fighters who had survived countless battles.
Strength defined them.
And violence came naturally.
One of the Kryptonian warriors folded his arms impatiently as he glanced toward the sealed hangar entrance.
"They were only supposed to bring someone back," he muttered. "Why the hell is it taking so long?"
Another warrior smirked, clearly amused by the situation. His eyes flashed with anticipation.
"For them to be gone this long, that captain must've suffered quite a bit."
Several of the soldiers chuckled quietly.
Just minutes earlier, they had been openly discussing how to "educate" the captain of the Aquarius reconnaissance ship. The man had apparently shown a lack of respect when communicating with them earlier, and several of Zod's most aggressive warriors had volunteered to bring him here personally.
Their intentions had never been friendly.
Four of the strongest Kryptonian fighters had boarded a small assault craft and headed toward the Aquarius ship to drag its captain back here.
Everyone expected a show.
After all, what could a scientist captain possibly do against trained Kryptonian warriors?
General Zod remained silent throughout the discussion. He simply watched his subordinates with cold eyes, his expression unreadable. A man of his status would never bother personally disciplining some insignificant captain.
Still, something about the delay bothered him.
Teaching someone a lesson shouldn't take this long.
A warrior near the observation console suddenly spoke up.
"They're back."
Instantly, every Kryptonian in the chamber turned toward the viewing screen.
Outside, beneath the endless sea of stars, a small craft approached the World Engine. Its shape resembled a black metallic beetle, compact and utilitarian. Compared with the enormous fortress-like structure of the World Engine, the small vessel looked almost insignificant.
Under automated guidance signals, the craft descended smoothly toward the hangar bay.
Moments later, it slipped through the massive opening and landed inside the ship.
Several warriors had already gathered outside the landing area before the craft had even fully settled.
"Hey! You idiots had your fun, but don't kill the guy," one of them called out with a grin.
Another laughed.
"Yeah, seriously. We're all Kryptonians here. It'd be a waste to lose one of our own."
Truthfully, many of them were simply curious.
They wanted to see the face of the bold captain who had somehow offended them. Anyone capable of irritating Zod's soldiers must have at least some nerve.
The beetle-shaped ship finished landing.
A low mechanical hum echoed through the hangar as the hatch slowly opened.
Then the gangway lowered.
What happened next stunned everyone.
The first thing that came down the ramp wasn't a proud warrior.
It was a body.
A massive armored figure tumbled down the gangway like a sack of scrap metal, rolling across the floor before slamming into the hangar deck with a heavy thud.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then someone recognized the man.
"Damn… what the hell…"
"That's Derrick!"
The burly frame, thick beard, and battered armor were unmistakable.
Derrick had been one of Zod's strongest soldiers.
Now he looked like a rag doll that had been thrown away after a fight. His body lay twisted on the floor, groaning weakly as he struggled to breathe.
And he wasn't alone.
Another body came flying out of the ship.
Then another.
"Spencer!"
"Ellie!"
"Lady Faora!"
One after another, familiar Kryptonian warriors were hurled down the ramp like discarded cargo. Their armor was cracked, their movements sluggish, and some of them barely remained conscious.
The sight was unbelievable.
"No…"
"That's impossible."
The warriors waiting outside the ship felt their blood run cold.
Every one of them slowly lifted their heads toward the gangway.
There was only one person left standing on it.
He stepped forward calmly.
A long black cloak draped over his shoulders, outlining a tall and perfectly straight silhouette. His features were sharp and striking, almost like a sculpture carved from marble. His dark hair framed a face that carried both elegance and danger.
But it was his eyes that unsettled them most.
Deep, dark pupils glimmered with a faint icy blue light.
When those eyes swept across the hangar, several warriors felt a strange pressure tighten around their chests. It was as if some invisible force was pressing down on them.
This man was dangerous.
Everyone felt it instinctively.
Still, instinct didn't always stop anger.
One Kryptonian warrior roared as rage overwhelmed his judgment.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
He launched himself forward like a missile, his armored body tearing across the hangar floor with explosive speed.
Ethan Drake watched him approach without moving.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
It looked more like mockery.
The clash ended almost as quickly as it began.
A dull explosion echoed through the chamber.
Before anyone could clearly see what happened, the charging warrior was suddenly blasted backward like a cannonball. His body smashed violently into the far wall of the hangar, denting the metal plating before collapsing onto the ground.
A choking cough escaped his throat.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he struggled to breathe.
Half of his black armor had shattered under the impact.
The warrior dropped to one knee, trembling violently as he tried to stand. But the strength had already left his body. It was obvious to everyone watching that he had lost nearly all of his fighting ability.
Silence fell across the hangar.
Several Kryptonians stared in disbelief.
"One punch…"
"He nearly killed an elite warrior with a single punch…"
"Damn it. Why is this guy so strong?"
Their expressions grew darker with every passing second.
Ethan glanced at the injured soldier still trying to push himself off the ground. He shook his head slightly, as if disappointed, and let out a quiet chuckle.
"That's just incompetent rage," he said calmly. "If I hadn't held back most of my strength, you wouldn't even be able to lift a finger right now."
The words struck like a slap.
The wounded warrior's face flushed red with humiliation. Ignoring the blood pouring from his mouth, he tried to force himself upright again, desperate to attack.
Ethan watched him for a moment.
Then he gave a small nod.
"Still… you've got spirit," he said.
The compliment sounded strangely sincere.
"At least that kind of fire is useful. If Krypton is ever going to rise again, it'll need people who still have blood in their veins."
His tone carried the casual authority of someone delivering an evaluation.
Like a leader inspecting subordinates.
And with those words, his intentions became clear.
Ethan's smile widened slightly.
"Right," he said. "I came here to collect you."
His gaze slowly swept across the hangar and the soldiers surrounding him.
"This ship," he continued, "along with everyone on it… belongs to me now."
Then his eyes drifted toward the central command platform deeper inside the vessel.
"I assume General Zod won't have any objections."
"What did you say?"
A deep voice cut through the hangar like thunder.
The crowd instinctively parted.
A tall and heavily built figure stepped forward from the shadows. His square face remained calm and expressionless, yet the ruthless aura surrounding him felt like a blade pressing against everyone's skin.
An overwhelming killing intent filled the chamber.
Even the surrounding warriors unconsciously held their breath.
The man standing there was Krypton's former supreme military commander.
General Zod.
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at him.
"So the main act finally shows up."
His voice carried open disdain.
"Same offer as before," Ethan said lightly. "I just want to see how many punches you can last me?"
....
Join my P@treon get free advanced chapters.
Paid members can get upto 60+ chapters ahead of the public release.
Link : [email protected]/KittyLovesMilk