Most superheroes couldn't fight in outer space, so Stark once again put his ingenuity to use, outfitting everyone with specialized spacesuits designed for extravehicular combat.
The suits featured thrusters built into the soles and back. This not only helped the wearers maneuver in the vacuum but also prevented the embarrassing scenario of someone accidentally kicking off and drifting into the endless void, unable to return.
The superheroes were an unstoppable force. Cutting down the alien foot soldiers was like mowing grass in a hack-and-slash game.
In just a few minutes, the first wave of aliens was repelled. Iron Man fired an energy blast that blew a massive hole through the warship's outer hull, and the heroes swarmed inside through the breach.
The warship's interior simulated the atmospheric conditions of the aliens' home planet, and the gravity wasn't much different from Earth's.
With a hospitable environment, the superheroes were like fish in water. They rampaged through the alien troops, and not a single enemy could withstand even one exchange of blows.
A few minutes later, a massive brute clad in heavy armor and wielding a giant battle-axe charged out from the depths of the warship.
One glance was enough to tell this guy was an elite, likely holding a high rank. The surrounding alien grunts hastily parted to make way for him, each and every one bowing in utmost reverence.
The brute let out a low roar, swinging his axe in a devastating overhead chop.
He had quite the imposing presence, and the axe in his hands didn't look like a common weapon either. By all accounts, he was probably some sort of high-ranking officer—unfortunately, he never got the chance to show off his exceptional skills.
Before this alien master could even swing his axe for the first time, he took a Hulk fist square on the bridge of his nose. His entire body was launched like a cannonball, crashing right through the wall and flying out of sight.
The aliens in the room gasped in unison. Their reactions were incredibly exaggerated; some of them even started looking at the superheroes as if they were sizing up monsters.
"They seem pretty shocked. Was the guy Hulk just sent flying their leader?"
Stark asked in passing while maneuvering his armor, carving his way in and out of an alien squad.
"Hulk, was that guy strong?"
"Weakling!"
The Hulk slammed a fist into the ground, smashing a massive crater into the floor. The shockwave alone blew away an entire crowd of aliens.
Read daily to win cash and point coins!
"All weak!"
Everyone got the message. To the Hulk, that guy was just as pathetic as the rest of them. He didn't feel any different.
"A pack of uncivilized Earthlings dares to be this arrogant?"
A cold scoff rang out from above.
"Do you really think you can just wander in and out of a Shi'ar warship as you please?"
The crowd looked up to see two figures—a man and a woman—descending in tandem.
Both had light purple skin and wore ornate, luxurious armor complete with capes. Judging by their getup, they weren't on the same level as the cannon fodder.
Naturally, the superheroes couldn't tell the military ranks of aliens on sight, but judging by the sheer reverence on the faces of the surrounding grunts, these two were clearly a step above the guy who had just been one-shot. If they were on Earth, they'd probably be equivalent to elite royal guard captains.
The moment they clashed, everyone immediately realized that these two were indeed cut from a different cloth than the easily dispatched cannon fodder from before.
Their gear was evidently far more sophisticated. The armor they wore seemed to provide some sort of physical enhancement, and their agility, speed, and strength were undeniably at an elite tier.
Which was why, combined, the two of them managed to last a whopping ten whole moves before getting wrecked.
The superheroes didn't give a damn about some "rare experts deserve a one-on-one duel" code of honor. They were the textbook definition of a coordinated team that advanced and retreated together. If there was only one enemy, they'd gang up on them; if there was an army of thousands, they'd charge in as a group just the same.
In just the first exchange, these two alien experts were immediately subjected to a repulsor blast, three missiles, a Gatling gun barrage, a red fist, a yellow-green fist... topped off with a round of "Hulk-style pummeling."
As the battle wore on, the superheroes' confidence only continued to swell.
Earlier, when they heard these aliens boasting about being from the universe's number one empire, the Shi'ar Empire, they had actually been quite worried.
Now, they were realizing that the so-called aliens of the universe's premier empire were... just that?
In front of the superheroes, the Shi'ar grunts were nothing but cannon fodder wiped out by the handful with a single AoE attack. Even the two or three guys who looked like actual experts had been subdued by the superheroes in a matter of moves.
The heroes felt they had merely swatted away a few slightly tougher grunts, yet the surrounding Shi'ar soldiers all wore expressions of utter disbelief, as if they were finding this completely impossible to accept.
To them, S-rank heroes like the Hulk, Red Hulk, Abomination, and Juggernaut were probably no different from "gods."
But just as the superheroes were starting to think that tearing through this warship would be a breeze, the true master of the ship finally made his appearance.
It was a purple-skinned guy dressed in a red-and-blue combat suit, a massive crimson cape billowing behind him. He wore no armor and carried no weapons. His entire aesthetic was immediately, jarringly different from everyone else on the ship.
If anything, his vibe was much closer to that of a superhero—like some eccentrically dressed superhero straight out of Earth.
When this guy entered the room, the surrounding soldiers' reactions were completely different from before.
The soldiers hastily dropped their weapons and retreated to the sides of the room. They abandoned the fight entirely, bowing in utmost reverence. The whole display carried the distinct air of subjects welcoming a grandmaster emerging from seclusion.
Seeing this, the superheroes couldn't help but grow cautious.
It wasn't just because of the Shi'ar soldiers' reactions, but because this man's sheer presence was on an entirely different level.
His cape billowed as he walked with steady, measured steps, each footfall radiating a mountainous, imposing majesty.
His eyes radiated an intense confidence that dared anyone to meet his gaze, sharp as a blade capable of cleaving through anything.
"How peculiar. I never expected my three elite guards to be defeated."
The man muttered to himself, sweeping his gaze over the Shi'ar soldiers littering the floor, beaten down by the superheroes.
"I came here looking for the rumored powerhouses of Earth. I never expected to find warriors of your caliber among humanity. You have my respect."
The superheroes quickly exchanged glances before Stark spoke up.
"Are you their leader?"
"I am," the man replied calmly.
"I am the Captain of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. You may call me Gladiator."
The Captain of the Guard for the universe's premier empire. Anyone with half a brain knew this title was far more substantial than some flashy, hollow moniker like "the universe's greatest assassin."
What the superheroes didn't know, however, was that the man standing before them was Gladiator, one of Marvel's infamous "four knockoff Supermen"—and the one among the four bootlegs who most closely resembled DC's Superman next door.
Gladiator was the sole surviving remnant of his planet, possessing the universe's absolute top-tier super strength, super speed, super durability, microscopic vision, heat vision, and freeze breath...
/-\
Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?
Support the novel and unlock early access to unreleased chapters!
~ +20 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon! (+1 Chapter daily)
https://p-atreon.com/Its_Zack
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access Patreon normally)