When Reed realized that Franklin might become the new Galactus, his first reaction was not excitement.
It was confusion.
[Why would it be Franklin...]
Reed could not help sinking into his memories. He recalled his first encounter with Galactus, the strange results from comparing and sequencing the X Gene template after returning to Earth at Miles's reminder, and the peculiar coupling between Franklin's X Gene expression and Galactus's Cosmic Energy...
[Inheriting the cursed throne...]
[So this is the key to ending the apocalypse...]
[But he is Sue's and my child.]
Reed closed his eyes tightly.
"Reed."
Sue frowned again and asked, "You look terrible."
"I-I'm fine..."
Reed looked at Susan and forced out a smile before continuing, "I just... no, it's nothing. Really, it's nothing..."
His repeated denials left the others rather baffled.
"We should deal with Victor first."
Reed forced himself not to think about Franklin for the moment, then said, "Victor has gained Galactus's power. Before we find him, I'd better make preparations..."
"That's true."
Johnny instinctively looked at the Surfer. "He may not have become the second Galactus, but he really is far more powerful than before."
The Surfer himself had no objection to that.
"The most straightforward method is still the Cosmic Energy Dampener. After all, it's a proven design." Reed continued, "And compared to Galactus, Victor's individual life level has not changed much. He is not a god, but a human who has obtained divine power."
"But didn't Victor destroy all the global energy network nodes before?" Johnny asked. "Where would we get the equipment?"
"My lab still has a prototype. After changing a few parameters, it can be put into use immediately. The target scale is completely different. Victor is not a gigantic giant like Galactus. As long as we compress the local field