Chapter 148: The Brood of the Negative Zone

Bobby said, "General Kallruth mentioned that you were in danger."

"Yes, though I'm not sure how he learned about it. But it's true—we're trapped here." The Skrull Queen let out a sigh, recalling everything they had done to bring this upon themselves.

"After our homeworld was devoured by Galactus, we fled across the stars, carefully avoiding detection by other civilizations. Eventually, we arrived at this remote location…"

The Skrull Queen recounted the events following the destruction of their homeworld to Bobby.

It turned out that the creatures outside weren't native to this planet either. The Skrulls, desperate to preserve the remnants of their civilization, had too many enemies in this universe. At their weakest moment, they made a fateful decision—to open a portal to another universe, hoping to establish a foothold there.

Unfortunately, luck was not on their side. The portal led directly into a Brood hive, and swarms of ravenous creatures poured through, overwhelming the Skrulls. They were forced to flee, abandoning their base on the other side of the gateway.

"We call that universe the Negative Zone, and those creatures are an intelligent species known as the Brood." There was anxiety in the Skrull Queen's voice. "Their numbers keep growing. I fear it's only a matter of time before they discover this place."

"They're just insects. How strong could they really be?" Bobby was skeptical. The Skrull Empire was one of the three great superpowers of the universe, and the Brood hadn't seemed particularly formidable—he had easily taken one down before.

The Skrull Queen regarded him thoughtfully. "Are you an Inhuman or a Mutant?"

The Skrulls' database contained records of Earth's Inhumans and Mutants. Mutants were the result of the Celestials' experiments, while the Inhumans were a creation of the Kree, developing powers through exposure to the Terrigen Mist.

"I'm a Mutant. But I'm more than that now." Bobby was not just a Mutant anymore—he also wielded the power of a Death Knight.

Suddenly, the Skrull Queen placed a hand on Bobby's shoulder. Her body writhed and shifted, much like Mystique, the shapeshifting Mutant from Earth.

Before his eyes, the Queen took on Bobby's exact appearance. A shard of ice materialized in her hand.

"What is this?" Bobby was stunned. Even Mystique could only replicate biological traits, not superpowers.

Seeing his reaction, the Queen explained, "General Kallruth and I are Super-Skrulls. We don't just take on the form of our targets—we also acquire their abilities."

"Kallruth didn't seem to have that power," Bobby remarked, feeling a bit unnerved speaking to his own "doppelgänger."

"Perhaps he lost the ability due to unforeseen circumstances. He may regain it one day. But let's not dwell on that—I want you to join our vanguard and help us control the Brood."

Having no immediate destination, Bobby agreed to the Skrull Queen's request.

After spending several days on this unknown planet, Bobby observed that the Brood's numbers were increasing. They hunted in large packs, preying on the planet's native creatures, gradually transforming the environment into a wasteland.

These creatures could implant their larvae inside living hosts, feeding off them from within before bursting out violently. The parasitized victims died in excruciating agony.

No one dared to venture outside anymore. The Skrull Queen knew this could not continue. Summoning Bobby and Captain Alan, she declared, "I've made my decision. We must return to our old base and shut down the portal to the Negative Zone."

Bobby asked, "Can't you just leave? To be honest, there are too many of them outside—we won't be able to hold them off."

Alan and the Queen exchanged regretful glances. "We used up all our energy activating the portal. And there's a powerful Brood Queen at the base—we can't defeat it."

When they first entered the Negative Zone, they were unprepared for the Brood's ferocity. Their forces suffered devastating losses, and in their hasty retreat, they failed to close the portal.

"Understood, Your Majesty. I will accompany Bobby and lead our soldiers to the base." Captain Alan bowed slightly, preparing to leave with Bobby.

The Skrull Queen called after them. "Wait. I'm going with you."

"Your Majesty, you needn't put yourself in danger," Alan said firmly.

Before she could reply, a deafening explosion shook the underground city. The ground trembled violently.

"What was that?! Captain Alan, go check it out!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Their planned operation was abruptly interrupted. The Skrull Queen prayed that this wasn't the start of a Brood attack.

Inside the control room, Alan launched the last two remaining reconnaissance drones, sending them beyond the city limits.

Meanwhile, the Skrull citizens, alarmed by the tremors, emerged from their shelters. Fear gripped them as cracks appeared in the reinforced rock overhead, dust and debris trickling down.

"This is…" Bobby's eyes widened as he stared at the surveillance feed.

A colossal Brood had appeared outside. Its massive body stretched hundreds of meters, its chitinous exoskeleton eerily resembling the smaller creatures he had encountered earlier—only magnified to monstrous proportions.

The titan clung to the mountainside, its claws pounding against the rock, while swarms of smaller Brood hovered around it.

"Have they discovered us?" The control room fell into a tense silence.

Aellen looked to the Skrull Queen, but she was momentarily speechless. Given the sheer size and power of this creature, they had no means of defending against it—let alone defeating it.

"We need to evacuate. But to ensure our people escape, we must divert the Brood's attention," the Queen said grimly. "Some of us will have to stay behind."

Another explosion rocked the cavern.

As Captain Alan organized the evacuation, preparing the soldiers for battle, the relentless assault from above reached a breaking point. The mountain's summit finally gave way under the onslaught, massive chunks of rock collapsing into the underground city below.

In an instant, countless Skrulls were crushed. Blinding sunlight streamed through the gaping hole, revealing a momentary pause among the Brood—before they swarmed downward, pouring in through the breach.

A deafening hiss echoed through the cavern as an enormous Brood head pushed through the opening, its hungry eyes scanning the chaos below, filled with insatiable greed.

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