Fury stayed silent about his discovery. He quietly let the Kree restrain him, crouching on the ground without resistance.
Carol, now powerless, was connected to a special neural link embedded deep within her Kree suit, digging into her brain.
Yon-Rogg still had no intention of killing her. He wanted the Supreme Intelligence to break her spirit and reshape her back into the Kree soldier she once was.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, Reid carefully pulled out the box containing the Tesseract and placed it in front of Goose, the Flerken.
"Come on, Goose. Eat it."
After serving as Goose's personal climbing post all day, Reid figured it was time for the cat—or whatever Goose really was—to finally do her part.
Goose tilted her head, then shook it, almost like she was refusing. But suddenly, her mouth opened unnaturally wide, and a mass of slimy, octopus-like tentacles shot out. They wrapped around the metal box and yanked it into her gaping maw, swallowing it whole.
"Not gonna lie... that was kinda terrifying."
Reid had to admit, he was genuinely startled. Goose usually looked cute, but when that mouth opened, the charm vanished, replaced with something straight out of a nightmare.
"What was that sound?!" Shouted one of the Kree guards.
The commotion from Goose swallowing the Tesseract drew attention, and Reid's hiding spot was blown.
Att-Lass, a member of the Kree Starforce who favored dual energy pistols, slowly advanced toward him.
'So much for staying hidden,' Reid thought.
Now that Goose had obediently swallowed the Tesseract, there was no point in sneaking around. He stood up boldly and raised his hands in surrender as Att-Lass closed in.
"Let me guess... my threat level's practically zero too?"
Earlier, the Kree had scanned everyone with a special device. Nick Fury had been labeled as "Low to none." Reid assumed he'd get the same result.
Att-Lass didn't respond to his remark, staying focused. He pulled out the scanner and pointed it at Reid.
But this time, the result wasn't what anyone expected.
"Species: Human male. High-tech armor detected. Threat: High."
The alert caught Att-Lass off guard. He stared at the scanner in disbelief. How could an Earthling possess armor advanced enough to register as a high-level threat, even to Kree warriors?
And it was exactly that underestimation that cost him.
"Oh? Seems like your tech isn't half bad after all."
Reid smirked and waved his hand. A flicker of energy surged around him, and in an instant, a sleek, black suit of armor—reminiscent of Luthor's Warsuit designs—materialized around his body.
Before Att-Lass could react, Reid's fist connected squarely with his face.
Even though Kree physiology was far superior to that of humans, flesh and bone still couldn't compete with technology. One clean punch, and Att-Lass's head caved in with a sickening crunch.
His body crumpled to the floor, lifeless. There was no saving him.
"Damn it!"
Minn-Erva, the Kree sniper, immediately pulled the trigger. A blazing energy bullet shot straight for Reid's unprotected head.
But just before it hit, a transparent energy shield shimmered into existence, blocking the shot effortlessly.
"You didn't seriously think I'd leave such an obvious weak spot exposed, did you?" Reid scoffed. "I'm not like you Kree idiots, running around on missions without even wearing a helmet."
The sight was almost comical now: Att-Lass, taken down with a single punch, lay lifeless on the ground, while Reid stood tall, effortlessly deflecting attacks with his energy shield.
For all their so-called superior technology, the Kree now looked less like an advanced civilization and more like fools.
"Take him down!"
Yon-Rogg, having witnessed Att-Lass's brutal death, barked the order. To Carol and Earth, he might be the villain. But to the Kree Empire, he was a loyal soldier, unwavering in his duty. He wouldn't let anyone insult the Kree or kill his team without retribution.
Minn-Erva, Bron-Char, and Korath, the remaining Starforce members, charged.
Seeing their energy axes and twin blades, Reid wasn't stupid enough to engage them head-on. He dashed toward a nearby corridor, leading the three of them into a tighter, more confined space where their weapons wouldn't be as effective.
This distraction gave Fury and Talos the opening they needed.
With the elite Kree soldiers now occupied, the remaining warriors—though still formidable —lacked the same level of discipline and combat prowess. Fury and Talos pretended to comply, following their captors toward the prison. The moment they slipped out of Yon-Rogg's line of sight, they struck back.
They swiftly eliminated the unsuspecting Kree guards, confiscated their weapons, and regrouped in the cell block holding the Skrull prisoners, turning it into a defensive stronghold for their counterattack.
Naturally, this uprising didn't escape Yon-Rogg's notice; but his attention was locked on Carol, who remained connected to the Supreme Intelligence, enduring its relentless reprogramming. He couldn't afford to leave her side, so he relayed the situation to his remaining soldiers chasing Reid.
"Two of you, fall back. Skrulls are revolting!"
The three exchanged glances. In the end, Korath, the melee specialist, pressed on after Reid, while Minn-Erva and Bron-Char turned back to handle the Skrull rebellion.
Reid glanced over his shoulder. "Looks like Fury's in trouble. Guess it's time for 'Martian Manhunter' to step up."
He skidded to a stop and turned, facing Korath.
"Not running anymore, huh?" The Kree warrior sneered.
"Pity," Reid said with a grin. "Even now, you Kree still don't get it… you're already dead."
Hearing the mockery in Reid's voice, Korath's expression twisted with anger. Without another word, he lunged forward, energy blades slicing through the air.
From Reid's black armor, two sleek, vicious-looking arm blades extended with a mechanical hiss. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed: one a relentless Kree warrior, the other a cunning tactician in a suit designed for destruction.
The corridor echoed with the sound of metal and energy colliding, neither side yielding.
...
At the same time, within Carol's mind.
Her consciousness drifted, once again pulled into the Supreme Intelligence's fabricated reality. The connection, forged through the ship's systems, dug into her mind, twisting her memories.
The Supreme Intelligence worked tirelessly, reshaping Carol's thoughts, trying to mold her back into the loyal Kree warrior she once was.
But Carol, having reclaimed fragments of her true past, wasn't about to let those hard-won truths be buried under falsehoods.
She remembered Maria, her closest friend, and the life they shared. She remembered the new friends she'd made, the ones fighting to protect Earth. Among them was J'onn J'onzz, standing now as a defender of the planet.
These weren't just memories: they were her anchor, proof of who she really was.
Yet every time she tried to push back, the device on her neck sparked, suppressing her powers and weakening her will.
Her defiance wavered. The more she struggled, the more the false memories filled the gaps in her mind. Too many pieces were still missing—blank spaces the Supreme Intelligence twisted and filled with manufactured truths.
Slowly, her resistance began to crumble.
Carol Danvers… was slipping away.
...
Back on Earth, inside the White House.
"So, Mr. Luthor, who exactly is the person you said could resolve this crisis? According to images from the LexCorp satellite, the enemy's cannon has already started charging!"
Realizing the alien invasion was inevitable and having already spread the news to nations around the world, the U.S. President once again called Luthor. But this time, Luthor didn't give a direct answer.
"Judging by the time, he should be right behind you now."
"Behind me?"
The President, confused, slowly turned around, only to see a tall, imposing figure with green skin and glowing red eyes standing before him.
"Hello, Mr. President," the figure spoke calmly. "I'm J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter. A battle is about to unfold in space above your nation. I've come to inform you in advance."
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