Seeing Rimuru's ashen face, looking like he was about to punch someone, Nick Fury quickly waved his hands to explain, afraid that the other party would really get angry and give him a couple of punches.
"I really didn't think about it that way at the time!"
"The first batch of Skrulls were obedient, efficient, and reliable, never causing trouble. Compared to the billions of people on Earth, a mere few hundred thousand Skrulls seemed insignificant."
"For twenty years, they adhered to the agreement, helping humanity deal with extraterrestrial threats and clean up messes. Who could have predicted that they would eventually rebel and seize power?"
Rimuru was absolutely furious.
"The root of the problem is this lousy agreement you signed!"
"You made a promise to them that if they helped protect Earth, you and Carol would help them find a new habitable planet and give their people a home."
"Someone has worked diligently for you for twenty years, and you haven't kept a single promise. Anyone would feel like they've been used and fooled from beginning to end. Anyone would be furious!"
Nick Fury instantly looked aggrieved and utterly helpless.
"It's not that I intentionally broke my promise! The level of technology on Earth is what it is; the leap is too great. Interstellar star search and the resettlement of races in other locations—are these kinds of technical matters that I can do just because I want to? It's just that current technology can't support them."
These words made Rimuru laugh in exasperation.
"If you can't do it, what were you bragging about?!"
"You dare to make such confident promises without being able to deliver, issuing empty checks for twenty years. If I were Skrulls, I would have killed you long ago!"
Fury felt even more aggrieved and whispered his defense.
"It's only been twenty years. Human development is slow to begin with. Besides, the Skrulls have a lifespan of over two hundred years. Twenty years is just a blink of an eye for them. Who would have thought they'd lose their composure after only a tenth of their lives?"
Rimuru was speechless for a moment.
He finally witnessed firsthand Fury's silver tongue.
This person is incredibly good at making excuses.
No wonder he can hold onto his position Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. With his logic and ability to shift blame, he would be a top-notch fraudster if he were to actually commit fraud. His lies might not even be detectable by a lie detector.
"Just because you live a long life doesn't mean you deserve to be fooled and ruined by me, right?"
Rimuru retorted irritably.
"Look back at the original timeline yourself, it's a full thirty years! For thirty years you haven't made a single move, haven't delivered a single promise from beginning to end!"
How many thirty-year periods does a person have in their lifetime? Even if they live a long time, that's no excuse for you to keep making empty promises and procrastinating!
"Fuck you!"
So aliens aren't human?! Aliens don't have parents?!
"Just because someone lives to be two hundred years old, longer than humans, does that mean they deserve to be wasted by you?"
"For thirty years, they've genuinely helped you protect the Earth, working tirelessly for you, and selflessly cleaning up your messes!"
"And what have you done?! You've been making empty promises and drawing grand gestures for thirty years! You haven't delivered on a single one!"
"You still have the nerve to use people's long lifespan as an excuse?"
"Long lifespan is their own ability, not a reason for you to deceive people, act like a rogue, or make empty promises!"
"Who wouldn't be anxious? Who wouldn't rebel?"
"People are patiently waiting for you to fulfill your promise, and you're pretending not to understand, dragging your feet!"
"You should be secretly grateful that they didn't immediately sacrifice you to the gods by choosing to turn against humanity in the end!"
"Thankfully, their plan failed in the end. If those people had succeeded in seizing power and overthrowing humanity, your name, Nick Fury, would be nailed to the tombstone of human civilization."
"Single-handedly introducing alien races, sowing the seeds of annihilation, and dragging down the entire human civilization—being remembered with infamy for eternity would be the least of your worries!"
"Let's find planets for aliens!"
After being thoroughly berated by Rimuru, Nick Fury completely lost the will to defend himself.
He pursed his lips, his face turning pale and then flushed, feeling both ashamed and fearful.
It must be admitted that everything Rimuru said was the truth.
This enormous disaster was, from beginning to end, a mess he had created years ago.
"It was my fault. I admit I was a bit young and impetuous back then. Actually, I had already found their planet, but it's 600 light-years away, and with Earth's technology, it's impossible to send it there."
Upon hearing his forced attempt to exonerate him, Rimuru's anger flared up again, and he almost cursed him out on the spot.
"You're really good at making excuses."
"So what if you actually help them find a habitable planet?"
"You don't have the capability to send them there. They're relocating across interstellar space on their own. Do you really need to make empty promises and take twenty years of their labor for nothing?"
"In the end, you've been getting everything for free from start to finish!"
Nick Fury was completely speechless, his head bowed, unable to utter a single word in defense.
At this point, there's no point in dwelling on right and wrong or pursuing the past.
The feud is irreconcilable; the latent crisis has been rooted in the earth for twenty years, and there is absolutely no room for reconciliation.
Rimuru suppressed his inner irritation and his attitude became even colder.
"If we can't solve the problem, then we can only deal with the people who created it."
"I can live my whole life with guilt, but I absolutely cannot live my whole life in fear."
"Since things have come to this point, we have no choice but to make the Skrulls suffer."
He paused, and inexplicably felt a sense of self-consolation.
I guess I'm still too soft-hearted.
If I really want to wipe them out completely, I'll just send the Decepticons out to hunt down all the exiled Skrulls across the universe and completely sever their roots.
Cleaning up only the Earth is already the biggest concession we can make.
Rimuru sighed inwardly, realizing he had been far too kind.
The argument was finally over. He stopped dwelling on the rights and wrongs of the past, turned to look at Nick Fury, and spoke crisply and decisively.
"Stop wasting time. Contact Carol immediately and tell her to return to Earth right now. This matter must be resolved face-to-face."
Upon hearing this, Nick Fury's expression immediately turned troubled, his heart filled with concerns, and he couldn't help but voice his biggest worry.
"I can accept the extermination of the Skrulls, and I know it's the only way."
"But not Carol. Those Skrulls she personally rescued and sheltered, a people she personally protected."
"She would absolutely not agree to a cleansing plan that nearly wipes out an entire race. What if things get deadlocked and negotiations completely break down?"
This is indeed the biggest variable at present.
Rimuru his eyes and pondered for a moment, his eyes filled with absolute calmness and dominance.
He had already made up his mind: the Skrulls had to be wiped out.
Raising a tiger to cause trouble is unacceptable, and releasing a tiger back into the mountains is even worse. Any threat that could endanger humans or those around them has no right to exist.
Since reasoning doesn't work, the only option left is the most direct one.
"If reasoning doesn't work, then solve it physically."
Nick Fury's pupils contracted sharply, his whole body trembled, and he stared at Rimuru with a look of horror on his face.
Does this mean he'll kill Captain Marvel along with Carol if she dares to stop him?!
Seeing the Shocker in his eyes, Rimuru shook his head helplessly, his tone indifferent yet extremely oppressive.
"What are you thinking? I won't kill her."
"It was just a matter of beating her into submission."
"Many times, force is more effective than reason."
"All order in this world was initially established through violence, and all rules and bottom lines were also supported and solidified by violence."
" Carol's decision to save that person out of kindness was her personal choice and her private matter."
"But now that these aliens are threatening the survival of all human civilization, this is no longer just her private matter."
"The rules of this world have always been simple: whoever has the biggest fist has the most say."
"Tangible power crushes those illusory morals and laws."
Rimuru his eyes, his gaze sharp and piercing, each word resounding with conviction.
"That'll be it then."
"If Carol can beat me, I'll back down without hesitation."
"I'd accept it even if the Skrulls continued to infiltrate Earth, let alone enslave humanity."
But once she loses...
"I will not only exterminate all the Skrulls on Earth, I will also settle accounts with her."
"As humanity's strongest fighting force, they've turned against their own kind, protecting alien races and threatening their own. Their bias is utterly blatant."
"If it really comes to that, don't blame me for being ruthless. I'll teach her a lesson about what it means to stand on the side of humanity."
My ultimate AI life form, Gillvalis, and the Civilization Judger Galactron, are already itching for more.
Let the Milky Way burn! Let the sea of stars boil! Let the stars fall!
I'll directly initiate the Great Crusade Era; Megatron should be quite happy to conquer them.
If they're going to make my life miserable, then let's all just give up on our lives.