Conquest of Viltrum 2.0 Part II

Bursting through the clouds, Nolan let out a roar as he rocketed towards the ground. A boom echoed behind him, air displacing around him as he aimed directly towards a small speck upon the ground of Viltrum. A speck that rapidly grew in size as he came closer, both fists extending above his head as he slammed into the figure, tackling him off the ground and carrying him through the air.

Both wrestled and much as he had earlier in the fight, Nolan knew he was outmatched in a contest of strength. The horse-like cyborg alien fought against him every step of the way as they smashed into the ground.

It broke beneath their bodies, both bouncing and skidding along the ground before rolling to a stop. Nolan himself rose to his feet, the figure of Beta Ray Bill leaping through the air and came down, fingers interlocked as he brought both fists down. An explosion erupted from the strike, Nolan flying back into the air as he escaped from the debris and attempted to put some distance between him and the invader.

Except something tugged upon his cape and when he turned around, he saw Beta Ray Bill gripping hold of it tightly. A smile tugged on Bill's face as his muscles tensed, veins pulsing as he ripped Nolan out of the sky and smashed him into the ground. It caved beneath them for a mile around, Bill thrusting his second fist down but Nolan managed to deflect it to the side ever so slightly.

Nolan used that very same hand to strike out with a straight jab. It did little to damage Beta Ray Bill, but it stalled him slightly allowing Nolan to slam a more powerful hook into his side that stumbled Bill.

This opening was something he used to his advantage, flying out of the trap, uncaring of his cape ripping as Beta Ray Bill kept ahold of it. Turning, Nolan watched his attacker leapt after him and spun, leg lashing out and striking him across the face, launching Beta Ray Bill through the air, Nolan flying directly after him.

'I may not be able to match him in strength, but I have the advantage in skill.' Nolan had every intention of using that to his advantage.

He rapidly closed in, intending to once again use his opponent's lack of ability to fly as a means to leverage a position of strength. Only for Beta Ray Bill to be prepared for this tactic, one that Nolan had used many times throughout the course of this fight.

As soon as he drew in, fist swinging forwards at the beginning of a fast combination, Beta Ray Bill intercepted it. He had seen it many times before and he knew which fist Nolan liked to use first; his right. His own hand shout out, catching the fist before it could come close to him and Nolan came to a pause, shocked at the response.

Both continued to fly, Beta Ray Bill dragging Nolan with him as he began to plummet towards the ground. In which, he used his greater strength to fling Nolan into the ground and came down upon him with a follow-up strike. A powerful punch that slammed into the back of Nolan's head and drove him further into the ground. With one foot braced against his back, Bill unleashed a plethora of powerful blows directly into Nolan's head.

Each one echoed out, the crater that had formed from their fight exploding outwards and becoming deeper with each loud boom. If it was anyone else, Nolan would have lost consciousness, he would have even died, yet he held on, just barely retaining the last of his consciousness.

Beta Ray Bill reaching down and gripping his head in one large hand.

There he picked the Emperor of Viltrum off the ground, raising him into the air as he rose to his full height. With a mighty roar, he lofted the beaten form of Emperor Nolan into the sky, an announcement of his triumph.

It had not been an easy victory.

Emperor Nolan may not have been the most powerful opponent Beta Ray Bill had ever encountered, but he challenged him in an entirely different way. But nonetheless, he had emerged victorious.

-X- Line Break -X-

Reaching down to his side, Korg gripped hold of the large slab of stone and with a shout throw it into the sky. Grand Regent Kregg spun around it, diving down towards Korg, intending to make use of his superior speed. However, Korg was prepared for it this time, he had grown used to the hit and run tactics used by his opponent.

Slamming his foot into the ground with all his strength, a large slab of earth rose up, Kregg was forced to rapidly react in time to avoid being smacked out of the sky. Leading him directly into the rocky fist that Korg smashed across his jaw.

Air displaced around the blow, the ground cracking and sinking from the force as Kregg's body momentarily seemed to fold around his fist before being flung backwards at rapid speeds. Korg didn't let up, leaping across the sky and coming down upon Kregg. Both feet smashed into the exposed chest as he drove him directly into the ground.

For good measure, he rose his right foot into the sky and slammed back into Grand Regent Kregg's head. If he had been conscious before, he would certainly be unconscious now, which is exactly what he was now.

It had not been easy, just as Tah had said, Kregg was cunning and fast. But ultimately, Korg had emerged victorious, from this fight he knew he had grown stronger something he knew was exactly what Tah had wanted from the very beginning.

Seeing a flash of green in the sky, Korg looked up, witnessing the final battle taking place that would decide the fate of Viltrum. The one between Tah-Rao and Tyran'r the Mighty.

-X- Line Break -X-

I would admit, returning to Viltrumite invoked some strange emotions. Here was the moment everything changed for me in a lot of ways. It was one of the reasons I prioritised this place over the Vrangs.

That place held importance to Krypton, this place held importance to me.

Beta Ray Bill and Korg had already begun their battles against their respective opponents. It was only a matter of time until I saw which would emerge victorious. Would Korg and Beta Ray Bill adapt and prove that they would be helpful against future threats? Or would I have to reevaluate my position and future plans?

The last thing I wanted to do was bite off more than I could chew and end in a similar situation as before. Not only that, but I didn't want to spend my entire life being overly cautious. I wanted adventure, to venture into the unknown and have the element of risk, of high stakes. That was the one thing that always invested me in stories and comic books as a child, that was unknown as to what would happen next.

Being on Sakaar, there hadn't been any of that risk and it had been boring. I knew what was going to happen and so long as I played a similar role to the Hulk, I was able to take full advantage of my knowledge of the story. At the same time, that had been necessary considering how weakened I had been at the time.

Now though, I wanted to return to that time when I could take full advantage of everything, but still have that high stakes that made things more exciting. Beta Ray Bill and Korg if they proved useful would only help me in that endeavour.

Right now though, I had to play the role of a wall.

I had to ensure that no Viltrumite got through and could provide aid to either Kregg or Nolan. They weren't much of a threat, their numbers and skill was a little trouble, but the sheer difference in physical abilities plus my vastly improved fighting skills meant that I was able to keep them at bay quite easily.

The funny thing though, is they're actually wearing headphone-like contraptions to cover their ears. I guess that was their answer to the sound based frequency I unleashed on them previously. Which is weird, did they only just discover that weakness when I arrived? Or was it something they had always known about, but only now just decided to do something about? I don't know which one sounded more outlandish or believable, either way, it was an amusing sight to see them all fighting in what was effectively headphones.

However, one by one, they each were taken out of the fight with powerful blows that left them gasping and wheezing for air. A follow-up strike to any left conscious rendered them unconscious.

All the while I held Anissa by the throat in one hand, my other hand dealing most of the damage. A little challenge I had undertaken to make things more challenging, fighting the entire Viltrumite race one-handed. I have to admit, I'm doing a pretty good job. Though I am having it utilise both principles of Torquasm to do so, it still went to show how far I had improved upon Sakaar from what I had been like before.

"You really should have killed me that day, Anissa," I told the woman who was clawing at my hand that was squeezing her throat, legs fruitlessly kicking at my legs. "I'm sure General Kregg or Conquest must have told you what I promised if you betrayed me and well, that's exactly what you did."

She didn't respond, obviously, but I didn't expect her to.

"However, I have spent some time looking inward and reflecting upon myself," I told her, a backhand knocking another Viltrumite from the sky, from the way his form spiralled to the ground and showed no sign of stopping, I'd say he was unconscious. "I'm not the same person I once was and I can still see how useful your people would be. So I'll make you an offer, get your people to surrender and I'll spare them from extinction."

I would still put them to work, they had still betrayed me and I wouldn't forget that. A few members of their society would be spared, allowed to breed with other races and provide more Viltrumites. The rest though, they would be put on the frontlines and I would make good upon my promise with Kregg and Conquest.

The Viltrimute people would survive but would be near extinction unless they did something that earned the redemption. However, their fate would be on recorded within the annuls of my empire, a reminder to all those who entered as to the consequences of betraying me.

It was then I received an alert from my ship, I looked up to the sky to see a green light breaching through the clouds. "Finally, he arrives." I had always expected that there might have been some sort of agreement between Tyran'r and the Viltrumities, it only made sense considering they shared a mutual in myself.

I may not have made much use of my military acumen previously, but that didn't mean I wasn't an accomplished tactician. I had briefly lost sight of who I once was and had since regained my bearings so to speak. Therefore, predicting something like this was very simple and easy to do and I looked forward to our battle once more. I wanted to savour the look upon his face when Tyran'r realised how outmatched he was.

Then, I'd take his ring for my own. If it worked then that was more power for me and if not, well I'd just use it as leverage.