CH-154. Ego, The Living Planet

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"Teacher, is this the living planet? It just looks like any ordinary planet with life. Nothing special!" Jean remarked, observing Ego, the planet, with curiosity. He and Luke had just finished discussing the forging plans and final design of the Green Lantern Central Energy Battery, leaving the rest to the dwarves to complete. Now, they stood outside Ego's orbit.

Luke chuckled, "Don't worry. You'll soon see how this one is different from the others."

As soon as Luke finished speaking, a figure flew towards them from the planet below. Within moments, an old man with curly hair, dressed in a silver robe and wearing a kind expression, hovered before them.

"Haha, I sensed a familiar aura as soon as you appeared." The old man greeted with enthusiasm, "It seems I was right—you are one of us, a cosmic god."

"My name is Ego, and the planet behind me is my exclusive territory. If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to visit me!" Ego extended his arms toward Luke, preparing to hug him warmly.

Despite Ego's friendly demeanor, jealousy and greed burned within him. Although he called himself a god, he was merely an incomplete being—a brain without a body. Over the eons, Ego had painstakingly built himself up, but he remained an imperfect product.

In the comics, Ego gained tremendous power when he received a gift from Galactus, transforming from just a brain into a complete body, stepping into the multidimensional level of power. Now, upon meeting Luke, his only thought was to deceive him, earn his trust, and ultimately devour him. If Ego could consume a complete god like Luke, he might finally become whole and ascend to true godhood.

Luke, observing Ego's seemingly harmless expression, decided not to act immediately. Instead, he chose to play along and see what clumsy tricks Ego would try. To further conceal his intentions, Luke hid the Infinity Gauntlet from sight. Ego, a veteran figure in the cosmos, would likely recognize the Infinity Stones' power and be on high alert if he saw them.

Feigning surprise, Luke embraced Ego warmly, "I also sensed a fellow god's presence and followed the aura to find you. I'm honored to meet a kindred spirit."

"Even without your invitation, we were already planning to visit the owner of this unique planet." Luke added with a subtle shift in tone.

However, Ego, preoccupied with devising a way to keep Luke there long enough to strike, missed the change in Luke's voice. His mind churned with schemes, calculating how best to ensnare his guest. If given the time, Ego was confident he could find the right opportunity to consume Luke. No longer would he need to spread the seeds of life across the universe and wait for ages to reap his offspring.

Jean watched the exchange, feeling a mix of discomfort and embarrassment. She knew Luke's real purpose, and it certainly wasn't anything good for Ego. But the planet's "god" was putting on such an enthusiastic performance that Jean felt something was terribly off. To distract herself, she forced her face into a neutral expression, though her unease was palpable.

Understanding Jean's discomfort, Luke simply treated her as his quiet follower for now.

Under Ego's warm hospitality, Luke and Jean officially set foot on the planet's surface. From the outside, the planet appeared much like the moon, with its surface covered by vegetation. It was evident that Ego took great care of his "body."

"Lord Ego, is this your esteemed guest?" A woman with a human-like appearance, though with two small tentacles on her head, approached them respectfully. This was Mantis, the only one of Ego's offspring he hadn't devoured over the years, thanks to her powerful psychic abilities. Mantis had the unique ability to put Ego into a deep sleep, which was the sole reason he kept her around.

She was also Ego's trump card, intended to be used against Luke. Ego knew Mantis could hypnotize him if caught off guard, and he intended to use this power to control Luke.

"Mantis, prepare to entertain our most distinguished guest." Ego instructed.

"Yes, Master Ego!" Mantis replied, casting an inconspicuous glance at Luke and Jean. She knew all of Ego's deeds over the years but had been conditioned by him since childhood. To her, there was nothing unusual about Ego consuming his children; she saw it as routine, as ordinary as eating or drinking. Now, she regarded Luke and Jean as Ego's next meal.

The code words Ego had spoken earlier were a prelude to what every visitor to Ego's planet had experienced: a warm welcome, followed by their eventual demise, reduced to dry bones within the planet.

"My fellow god, it seems you were born not too long ago." Ego said conversationally as they entered a grand reception hall.

"It's been over twenty years." Luke responded, pretending to be casual.

Ego's jealousy intensified. How could they both be from the godly race, yet Luke was born with a complete body and full divine power, while Ego was an incomplete being from the start? His desire to devour Luke grew, though the smile on Ego's face became even friendlier.

In the following period, **Luke** and **Jean** settled down on Ego's planet. During this time, Ego shared many details about the God Clan with Luke. Compared to Luke, who was more of a "new god," Ego had accumulated an immense amount of knowledge over countless years.

Jean, meanwhile, became familiar with Mantis. Both being psychics, Jean found Mantis to be like a blank canvas—pure and inexperienced—which made her fond of the innocent creature. Over time, as they spent more time together, Mantis gradually learned something called friendship from Jean. It was a new concept for her, and for the first time, Mantis began to understand what it meant to have a friend.

However, knowing Ego's true intentions, Mantis started feeling conflicted.

"Mantis, what's wrong? You seem a bit absent-minded today." Jean asked one day when she noticed her friend's uncharacteristic sadness as they prepared to stroll around Ego's planet.

Mantis looked at Jean, but her eyes fell to the ground. She feared Ego might be monitoring their conversation, so instead of speaking aloud, she decided to communicate telepathically. Her antennae glowed faintly as her voice echoed in Jean's mind.

"Jean, you need to leave this place immediately!"

Jean, confused, replied, "What are you talking about, Mantis?"

"This place is dangerous. Both you and your teacher are in danger. Ego...he's planning to eat you and your teacher." Mantis revealed, her voice trembling slightly as she struggled with her loyalty to Ego and her newfound friendship with Jean.

Upon hearing this, Jean's expression hardened. She had grown fond of Mantis, and over time had come to trust her. Yet, she knew that both Luke and herself had come here with their own motives, and Ego had his intentions as well. Still, Mantis' warning solidified the bond between the two women—Mantis genuinely saw Jean as a friend.

"Don't worry, Mantis. Luke and I will be fine." Jean reassured her, though her mind was already racing with the implications of what Mantis had revealed.

Later, Jean shared Mantis' warning with Luke.

"Teacher, I think you need to be cautious around Ego." She advised him telepathically.

"Well, it seems it's about time." Luke replied, his tone calm, "Time to see this fox reveal his tail."

Jean hesitated, still concerned, "Are you sure you can handle him?"

"Don't worry. If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have brought you along." Luke responded confidently.

Reassured, Jean ended their telepathic link and waited for Luke to make his move.

The next day, under Luke's subtle manipulation, Ego finally took the bait.

"Luke, you might not know this." Ego began, "But closing our consciousness at regular intervals can help us better control our powers. Mantis can guide us into a short, deep sleep that allows us to do this. Would you like to try it?"

Luke pretended to be intrigued, "I didn't know that. I'd love to give it a try."

Ego smiled, sensing that his plan was progressing smoothly, "Don't worry, I'll be entering this sleep with you. My planet is completely safe—you have nothing to fear."

Meanwhile, Mantis, nervous and uneasy after receiving Ego's instructions, immediately reached out to Jean.

"Jean, something terrible is happening! Ego asked me to hypnotize Luke. I think he's planning to eat him. What should I do?"

"Mantis, don't worry. Just do as he says." Jean replied calmly, reassuring her friend once again.

With her concerns momentarily set aside, Mantis prepared to follow Ego's orders and hypnotize both him and Luke.

"Mantis, as usual, hypnotize me first." Ego instructed, attempting to make everything appear routine.

"Yes, Lord Ego." Mantis said, stepping forward and placing her hand on Ego's forehead. Her antennae glowed, and within seconds, Ego appeared to fall into a deep sleep.

Next, she approached Luke. Though filled with conflicting emotions, she placed her hands on him, her antennae lighting up again. Luke, ever the actor, cooperated fully, closing his eyes and pretending to fall under her spell.