Superpowered Candidates

Just as the commander was about to get close enough to detonate the explosives, a dark shield suddenly appeared around the Mysterious Person. The shield was as thick as ink and radiated a bone-chilling aura.

The light in the commander's eyes went out, replaced by utter despair. He knew his plan might fail. But he had already pressed the detonation button—there was no time to take it back.

"Boom!" A deafening blast erupted, as if it would tear the entire planet apart.

Within a radius of ten thousand meters, buildings crumbled like fragile houses of cards, instantly turning to ash. The powerful shock wave kicked up billowing clouds of smoke and dust, blotting out the sky. The explosions continued one after another, and the Ark People all assumed that this time the Mysterious Person was surely doomed.

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

The Mysterious Person was still standing steadily in midair, without a scratch on him. The dark shield around him had grown even denser. He let out a wild laugh, his voice full of contempt. "That's it? So this is all the descendants who sealed me are capable of? It looks like it's time to destroy them all." As he spoke, a huge sphere of dark energy began to form in his hand. It spun continuously, emitting an eerie glow, as if it could erupt at any moment and devour the entire planet.

At that moment, when the highest-ranking commander inside the building heard those words, his heart sank. Despair washed over him, and he murmured, "It's over. It's really over." But soon, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. "No, we're not finished yet!" As soon as the words left his mouth, the entire building split in two, and a gigantic metal sphere slowly rose between the halves. Its surface shimmered with an unusual metallic sheen and was covered in intricate runes—clear evidence that it contained the Ark People's most advanced technology.

The metal sphere slowly opened. The commander stood inside, clad in a faintly glowing suit of armor, and faced the Mysterious Person with a determined gaze. He now carried the hopes of the entire Ark Planet on his shoulders.

"I don't know what we can do for you, but please don't destroy us! Please, don't destroy us!" the commander shouted. His voice held a note of pleading, but more than anything, it carried his determination to protect his home.

The Mysterious Person curled his lips into a smirk, looking pleased with himself. "Looks like I've achieved my goal. I might spare you, but you'll have to become my slaves and help me build a space battleship!"

The commander's heart tightened at those words. Becoming slaves meant the Ark People would lose their freedom and dignity. But if he refused, the entire planet would cease to exist, and countless people would die. Faced with this difficult choice, he fell silent for a moment, then raised his head and said loudly, "We can agree to your demands, but you must promise not to harm any Ark Person until the battleship is finished. Once it's complete, you must set us free."

A glint of amusement flashed in the Mysterious Person's eyes as he looked the commander over, apparently considering whether the offer was acceptable. After a long pause, he said coldly, "Fine. I accept. But if you dare try anything, I'll show you what true despair looks like." With that, the sphere of dark energy in his hand slowly dissipated, and the Ark Planet was spared—for now.

Meanwhile, elsewhere~

(This was still happening at the time of the explosion caused by the destruction of the planet Goku Black had just destroyed.)

The Interstellar Universe Alliance keenly sensed the unusual energy fluctuations. They knew this was no ordinary celestial event and that a tremendous crisis might be lurking behind it. The Alliance promptly convened an emergency meeting to discuss how to respond. After a heated debate, they decided to send several superpowered candidates to investigate the source of the explosions on the nearby planets.

Each of these superpowered candidates had extraordinary abilities and immense strength. Eric could manipulate gravity, freely changing the gravitational pull on objects and trapping his enemies in a vortex of gravity. Lina was an expert in elemental forces, able to wield fire, water, wind, and earth with ease. In battle, she could unleash an endless variety of attacks to suit the situation. Then there was Loki, whose body could become quantumized. Instant Transmission came easily to him, and he could also use quantum properties to disrupt his enemies' energy attacks.

They boarded a state-of-the-art spaceship and raced toward the source of the energy fluctuations. Along the way, the ship's Scouter continuously gathered data on their surroundings. But the energy from the explosions was too powerful and chaotic, interfering with the Scouter's normal operation and preventing them from pinpointing the exact location for the time being.

"These energy fluctuations are bizarre. We have to hurry, or who knows how many more planets will be threatened," Eric said gravely, his brow furrowed.

Lina nodded and gently ran her hands over the control panel, determination shining in her eyes. "Don't worry. No matter what we encounter, we won't back down. We have to uncover the truth and stop this disaster from spreading."

Loki gave a mischievous grin. "What's there to be afraid of? I'm here. No matter how powerful the enemy is, I'll find their weakness." Despite his words, a hint of gravity showed in his eyes. After all, they were about to face an unknown and powerful force.

At the other end of the universe, the atmosphere aboard the flagship of the Space Pirate Group was tense and charged. Flashing warning lights cast an intermittent glow across the cabin, alarms shrilled without pause, and the screens flickered with data on the mysterious force.

"Boss, this force is insanely powerful! If we could equip our pirate ships with it, we wouldn't have to fear the Interstellar Alliance anymore!" shouted a scar-faced pirate, greed gleaming in his eyes.

The group's leader, a towering, sharp-eyed man, stared at the screen and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmph, it won't be that easy. The Interstellar Alliance must have noticed it too. They might have already sent people there." His voice was low, and his authority unquestionable.

"What's there to be afraid of? When has our group ever been scared of anything?" another pirate shouted, brandishing his fist and looking eager for a fight.

The leader sneered. "Don't be rash. Those people from the Interstellar Alliance aren't pushovers. They'll definitely send their best. We need a thorough plan—one that lets us take this power without getting into a head-on fight with them."

Just then, the group's strategist stepped forward. He was a thin man wearing glasses. "Boss, I think we should quietly follow the Interstellar Alliance's people. Once they find the source of that power, the two sides will surely clash. Then we can swoop in and reap the rewards."

The leader's eyes lit up. He patted the strategist on the shoulder. "Good idea! That's what we'll do. Adjust our course at once, and keep a close eye on the Interstellar Alliance. Don't let them discover us."

Meanwhile, the Interstellar Alliance's superpowered candidates were still making their way toward the source of the energy fluctuations at full speed. Eric sat in the cockpit, focused on the navigation system, his brow furrowed. "These energy fluctuations are getting more and more unstable. I have a feeling some enormous danger is waiting for us up ahead."