Chapter 1467 The Cleanup

Chapter 1467 The Cleanup

Author's Note: Unedited Chapter

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"I don't have to say, 'Use force if necessary' because it will be... but keep casualties to a minimum."

And with that, Gustav set out on his own darker path—hunting down the crime lords and kingpins who had plagued the Nereus Sector for too long.

His reputation as a formidable force grew with each step he took into the shadowy corners of the sector, where the criminal elite hid in their fortified dens.

Karnex, known as 'The Untouchable,' was a notorious crime lord whose operations spanned across smuggling and illegal weapons trade. His lair was a fortified compound deep in the industrial quadrant, guarded by a cadre of heavily tech-armed mercenaries.

Gustav approached the compound under the cover of night. As he neared, the guards became alert to a presence, their nerves on edge. Without hesitation, Gustav surged forward, not bothering to evade shots from blasters as they bounced off his body.

Within moments, he had dealt decisive strikes to the body of the guards, taking them down one after the other.

He breached the compound with explosive force, the doorways, and walls crumbling under his power.

Inside, he encountered Karnex, a hulking figure clad in armor designed to withstand heavy assaults. It would seem that he had already been alerted of the threat.

The crime lord roared in defiance and charged augmented fists aiming to crush Gustav.

[ Atomic Manipulation Has Been Activated ]

The battle was brutal and swift. Gustav dodged a crushing blow, then countered with a thrust of his palm surrounded by milky-colored waves that sent Karnex flying into a wall, the impact leaving a spider web of cracks in its wake.

The armor fell off his body like tissue as Gustav manipulated its atomic structure.

Before Karnex could recover, Gustav was already upon him, delivering a final strike that silenced the crime lord permanently.

Bang!

His hand ripped right through Karnex's chest.

Gustav didn't stop, he moved on to the next person on his list...

Vela, known as the Siren of the Slums, controlled the illegal narcotics and trafficking rings. Her stronghold was less a fortress and more a maze of underground tunnels beneath the slum districts, her domain veiled in shadows and deception.

Gustav navigated the underground passageways with his perception spread out. He was well aware of the traps and ambushes that lay in wait.

Vela who had snakes for ears, appeared almost out of thin air, her appearance beguiling and her intentions lethal. She attacked with a mix of seductive illusions and deadly strikes, hoping to disorient and then dispatch Gustav.

Unfortunately for her, due to Gustav's high perception and mental fortitude, her ability was useless. Gustav could see right through the dance of shadows and light pinponting precise locations of hidden foes.

Without restraints, he pierced through illusion after illusion, dealing blows to her henchmen.

Bang!

A henchman thrust a glowing dagger from his blindspot which he spun around to slap away while swinging his other hand forward.

Bang!

A single punch was destructive enough to deal with foe after foe.

[ Atomic Manipulation Has Been Activated ]

Atomic Manipulation allowed him to alter the density and composition of his surroundings, creating barriers and weapons from thin air.

A swing of his hand turned a gust into a blade, slicing through approaching foes with precision.

One of the henchmen who possessed a rare cloning ability had Gustav surrounded by over a hundred foes who leaped onto his frame, overwhelming him with numbers.

[ Energy Discharge Has Been Activated ]

Crimson Energy Discharge burst from him in waves, each pulse a devastating explosion of raw power that knocked back waves of attackers, searing through their defenses as though they were mere paper.

The crime lords adapted as their tactics evolved with the battle.

Nerissa of the Deep, a water manipulator, conjured a tidal wave in an attempt to overwhelm Gustav.

But with a stomp, Gustav's Genetic Manipulation Bloodline activated Partial Transformation, turning his legs into pillars of unbreakable alloy that anchored him against the tide while he used his enhanced strength to send a shockwave that vaporized the water before it could touch him.

The battle raged as the Nereus Sector shook under the collective might of the conflict. Buildings crumbled, streets cracked, and the air was filled with the sound of battle cries and the clash of power.

Gustav, however, was relentless. His raw power combined with strategic acumen, allowed him to isolate and dispatch his foes one by one.

Zorath, realizing the tide was turning, attempted a final gambit, channeling all his energy into a massive beam aimed directly at Gustav.

Calmly, Gustav raised his hand as crimson energy peaked from his form. With a silent push, he unleashed his counterblast. The two forces collided with a thunderous roar, a spectacle of light and power that illuminated the sector.

Boom!

Energy swept across the surroundings wreaking havoc on the weaker ones around.

When the light and mist faded, Gustav stood victorious while Zorath and the others lay defeated. Their alliance broken. The ground-scorched surroundings, proof of the ferocity of the battle.

Gustav surveyed the destruction around him.

Marnix, barely conscious, coughed as he tried to speak.

"What are you?"

Gustav's reply was simple and resolute.

"A stronger darkness."

With a stomp, Gustav's foot created a dent in Marnix's skull, causing brain matter to splatter across the ground.

....

Gustav stood on the viewing deck of a colossal spacecraft as he watched as the last of the freed alien and former slaves boarded.

The craft, a massive structure designed for heavy cargo and extensive passenger transport, buzzed with the activity of those eager to leave their nightmares behind.

It wasn't the only spacecraft in the surroundings. There were two others, each of which was about to be piloted by Endric and Aildris.

As Gustav turned to join the others inside a spacecraft, Falco approached him.

"Gustav, are we really going to pull this off? There are tens of thousands of them."