Super-Powered Competitor

Just as the commander was about to trigger the detonation, a dark shield suddenly enveloped the Mysterious Person. The barrier, thick as ink, radiated a bone-chilling aura.

The light in the commander's eyes flickered and died, replaced by bottomless despair; he knew his plan was likely to fail. Yet, the detonator had already been pressed, and there was no turning back.

"BOOM!" A deafening roar erupted, as if the entire planet were being torn asunder.

Buildings within a ten-thousand-meter radius crumbled like fragile paper, instantly reduced to ash. The immense shockwave kicked up billowing clouds of dust that blotted out the sky. As the explosions continued in rapid succession, the Ark People were certain that the Mysterious Person must have been obliterated.

But as the ash slowly settled, a figure gradually emerged from the smoke.

The Mysterious Person stood steadily in mid-air, completely unscathed, the dark shield around him now even more intense. He let out a wild, arrogant laugh, his voice dripping with disdain: "Is this it? So this is all the descendants of those who sealed me away can muster? It seems it is time for total annihilation." As he spoke, he began to condense a massive sphere of dark energy in his hands. The orb spun incessantly, emitting an eerie light, appearing ready to erupt at any moment and swallow the entire planet.

At that moment, the supreme commander inside the building felt his heart sink upon hearing these words, despair washing over him like a tide. He muttered to himself, "It's over, it's truly over." But soon, a flash of resolve crossed his eyes. "No, we are not finished yet!" No sooner had he spoken than the entire building split in two, and a massive iron sphere slowly rose from the center. The surface of the sphere shimmered with a strange metallic luster and was etched with complex runes, clearly containing the pinnacle of Ark technology.

The iron sphere opened slowly. The commander stood within, clad in a suit of armor that emitted a faint glow, his gaze firm as he stood face-to-face with the Mysterious Person. At this moment, he carried the hopes of the entire Ark Planet on his shoulders.

"I do not know what we can do for you, but please, do not destroy us! Please, do not destroy us!" the commander shouted, his voice laced with a hint of pleading, yet filled even more with the determination to protect his home.

The Mysterious Person curled his lips into a smirk, a look of triumph crossing his face. "It seems my goal has been achieved. It is not impossible to spare you, provided you become my slaves and help me build my interstellar warships!"

The commander's heart tightened at these words. To become slaves meant the Ark People would lose their freedom and their dignity. But he realized that if he refused, the entire planet would cease to exist, and countless kin would perish. Faced with this agonizing choice, he remained silent for a moment before looking up and speaking loudly: "We can agree to your terms, but you must guarantee that you will not harm another Ark Person until the warships are completed, and that you will grant us our freedom once the work is done."

A flicker of amusement crossed the Mysterious Person's eyes as he sized up the commander, seemingly weighing the feasibility of the proposal. After a long silence, he spoke coldly: "Very well, I agree. But if you dare to play any tricks, I will show you the true meaning of despair." With that, the dark energy sphere in his hands slowly dissipated, and the Ark Planet was granted a temporary reprieve.

Meanwhile—

(At this moment, the disturbance was still echoing from the explosion of the planet just destroyed by Goku Black.)

The Interstellar Universe Alliance keenly detected this abnormal energy fluctuation. They knew this was no ordinary celestial phenomenon; a massive crisis might be lurking behind it. Consequently, the Alliance urgently convened a meeting to discuss countermeasures. After a heated debate, the Alliance decided to dispatch several elite powerhouses to investigate the source of the planetary explosion.

These elite powerhouses each possessed unique, extraordinary abilities. Eric held the power to manipulate gravity; he could alter the gravitational force of objects at will, leaving enemies trapped in a vortex from which they could not escape. Lina was a master of elemental forces—fire, water, wind, and earth—wielding them with ease and unleashing a myriad of attacks depending on the situation. Then there was Loki, whose body could undergo quantumization, making teleportation effortless for him; he could also utilize quantum properties to interfere with enemy energy attacks.

They boarded a starship equipped with the most advanced technology and sped toward the source of the energy fluctuations. Along the way, the ship's sensors continuously gathered data, but the energy generated by the explosion was so powerful and chaotic that it interfered with the sensors' normal operation, leaving them unable to pinpoint the exact location for the time being.

"This energy fluctuation is too bizarre. We must increase our speed, or there is no telling how many more planets will be threatened," Eric said, his brow furrowed in a grave expression.

Lina nodded, her hands gently brushing over the control panel, her eyes shining with determination. "Don't worry, no matter what we encounter, we will not back down. We must find the truth and stop this disaster from spreading further."

Loki chuckled playfully. "What's there to fear? With me here, no matter how strong the enemy is, I'll find their weakness." Despite his words, his eyes betrayed a hint of solemnity; after all, they were about to face an unknown and formidable power.

At the other end of the universe, inside the flagship of the Space Pirate Group, the atmosphere was tense and electric. Flashing warning lights bathed the cabin in flickering shadows, and the alarm wailed incessantly as the screens displayed the monitoring data of the mysterious power.

"Boss, this power is incredible! If we could equip it onto our pirate ships, we wouldn't have to fear the Interstellar Alliance anymore!" a scarred pirate shouted excitedly, his eyes gleaming with greed.

The leader of the pirate group, a burly man with a sharp gaze, stared intently at the screen, rubbing his chin in thought. "Hmph, it won't be that easy. The Interstellar Alliance has surely noticed it too; they've likely already sent people out." His voice was low, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Why fear them! When has our pirate group ever been afraid of anything?" another pirate waved his fist, looking eager for a fight.

The leader sneered. "Don't be impulsive. Those guys in the Interstellar Alliance aren't pushovers, and they've surely sent their best. We need a foolproof plan—one that lets us seize this power without clashing head-on with them."

At this point, the group's strategist, a thin man wearing glasses, stepped forward. "Boss, I think we can quietly follow the Interstellar Alliance's team. Once they find the source of that power, there is bound to be a struggle between them. We can then swoop in and reap the rewards."

The leader's eyes lit up, and he patted the strategist on the shoulder. "Good idea! Let's do it. Adjust the course immediately and keep a close watch on the Interstellar Alliance's movements. Make sure they don't discover us."

Meanwhile, the Interstellar Alliance's elite powerhouses were still pushing forward at full speed toward the source of the energy fluctuations. Eric sat in the cockpit, focused entirely on the navigation system, his brow locked in a deep frown. "This energy fluctuation is becoming increasingly unstable. I have a feeling that some great danger is waiting for us ahead."