"Confirming coordinates. Confirmation complete. Third fallback point."
Even with the power of a Path and quantum reinforcement, half of his body had still suffered catastrophic damage. Shredded flesh hung together in tatters, barely attached, on the verge of falling apart.
A single glance was enough to make one's scalp crawl.
Irontomb paid no attention to the signals of pain coursing through his body. His consciousness linked to the nearest supply point.
It was one of the countless reserve bases he had scattered across the cosmos.
"That is… Irontomb?" Jade looked over, her gaze catching the faint outline of that figure in the rear sector.
Irontomb had never appeared in the cosmos before, no one knew what he looked like.
Even his other bodies were swapped casually. Unless someone could lock onto him at the level of consciousness, an ordinary person would never realize who they were facing.
Yet Jade recognized him at a glance.
She only held one tenth of an Emanator's authority, but even so, it was still Emanator authority.
When it came to distinguishing Emanators who were not deliberately hiding themselves, it worked exceptionally well.
She was somewhat surprised that Irontomb had chosen to appear in an organic/ human form.
But it was not truly strange. Lord Ravagers changing bodies was nothing unusual. What shocked her was that he was openly showing himself in a place like this.
Aside from the half of his body reduced to a bloody mess, the remaining half was actually a form that rippled like a phantom, constantly fluctuating.
It was not hard to imagine that if not for the special nature of that half, what had been blown apart would not have been just one side of him.
Quantization.
Jade did not neglect in getting herself up to date on the latest happenings' of the cosmos.
The concept of quantization had spread throughout the cosmos long ago.
In the works published by Lady Herta later on, it was pointed out that any being who trespassed into the Quantum Sea without its recognition would be forcibly quantized and expelled back to their original state.
Clearly, Irontomb was not among those cases.
His quantization was obviously a deliberate transformation on his own part. Its purpose was unclear for the moment, but it certainly had additional effects.
"Withdraw to a safe distance," Jade said.
"Lady Jade, where exactly counts as a safe distance?" the operator asked, scratching his head.
"Naturally it would be…" The words reached her lips, and Jade fell silent.
On one side was an Lord Ravager. On the other was Godzilla, a being with confirmed kills of Lord Ravagers.
Both were existences capable of destroying star systems. Godzilla had even recently stood upon Jarilo and annihilated an entire galaxy from long range.
Around those two, even being separated by two star systems might still put one's life in danger.
"Run as far as you possibly can, use maximum drive," Jade finally said.
"Boom!!"
As she spoke, a thick azure beam swept past the ship. Before the eyes of everyone present, the ship shot away from the battlefield without a second of delay.
Jade was about to speak again.
"Boom!!!"
At that moment, even the captain, who usually cherished his starship more than anything, did not hesitate. The engines were pushed to full power without warning.
…
Even with the unimaginably dangerous situation behind him, Irontomb remained expressionless.
The current situation was far from ideal, but he did not regret it. Sooner or later he would have to face Godzilla. This was merely a bit earlier than planned. As long as he could withdraw, the data gathered today could be used for upgrades specifically targeting Godzilla.
The prerequisite was that he could leave alive.
One chased, one fled. The entire process was like a cat playing with a mouse. Godzilla was the cat, Irontomb the mouse.
But this mouse was not the type to go limp the moment it saw a cat. At all times, he was ready to sink his teeth into the cat with all his strength.
As his mind raced through countermeasures, Irontomb suddenly sensed a familiar presence rising.
In a distant region, dazzling and radiant, a barrier that shone with planetary brilliance rose up, enveloping the surroundings.
The power of Preservation stood firm and unyielding before him.
"Diamond," Irontomb said calmly.
Diamond's involvement had long been accounted for in Irontomb's calculations. Along this path of destruction, too many of the worlds he had ruined were markets cultivated by the IPC.
As a supervisor of the Interastral Peace Corporation and an Emanator holding authority, Diamond could not possibly refrain from acting.
Judging by the situation, however, he seemed more inclined to let Irontomb and Godzilla clash directly.
…
"I do not have absolute confidence in keeping Irontomb here. I can only place my hopes on Godzilla to finish the job," Diamond said calmly, maintaining the thin layer of shield he had used his power to create. His hasty makeshift shield covered an immense territory.
Emanators of Preservation were not incapable of battle, but whether Irontomb could truly be restrained was an unknown. Moreover, Irontomb's current state was clearly different from that of ordinary Emanators.
Without understanding the attributes of his quantum power, acting rashly could leave hidden dangers.
This vast domain was the modest assistance Diamond provided for this battle.
Centered on the star system where Godzilla and Irontomb were located, the range expanded outward, covering multiple neighboring systems.
A complete 360 degree barrier.
Irontomb could leave behind insidious traps across countless worlds. There was no way the IPC, which expanded markets to every world where civilization arose, would fail to leave its own preparations.
At this moment, ten cornerstones, including Pearl, all shone simultaneously.
Centered on Diamond, the latent measures left behind across the nearby star systems were linked together, forming a solid barrier.
Within the barrier were two existences capable of tearing apart entire star systems.
Irontomb glanced back at Godzilla. Even from such a vast distance, the huge figure was still clearly visible.
His consciousness linked to the surroundings. Streams of data beyond comprehension surged into the nearby planets.
The planetary distribution in this region was unusually harmonious, as if arranged by deliberate design.
"Boom!!"
As successive roars echoed, planets shattered into debris that drifted freely through the void. At the locations where those planets once existed, what replaced them were massive steel constructs forged under the extreme pressure of planetary detonation.
Steel bodies assembled rapidly, shifting and transforming without pause.
As two crimson beams of light flared, a gigantic mechanical colossus the size of a planet awakened. Metallic joints moved casually, emitting the distinctive hum of metal.
Its dark red metal body unfolded five sharp claws. Countless gun barrels covered every surface of each finger from top to bottom, radiating a chilling aura that made one shudder. In the palm of each claw was a bottomless crimson cannon, molten liquid energy flowing within, reflecting against the dark red frame.
An overwhelming sense of terror surged forth.
Before this monstrous existence that truly held stars in its grasp, Godzilla's several-thousand-meter body appeared almost small.
"Hmph." Two dismissive jets of white vapor burst from Godzilla's nostrils.
A pile of scrap metal toys. He could tear this thing apart with his bare hands.
Countless gun barrels flashed in unison. From afar, it looked like a cosmos of twinkling stars, brilliantly bright.
Godzilla slowly spread his arms. His long, thick tail rose gradually. Vast energy gathered in an instant, forming a ring of power centered on him.
His dorsal fins ignited. His eyes flared.
Azure turned to crimson. Flames that could burn everything rose at that moment. In the silent cosmos, an eternal sacred fire was lit.
"ROAR!!"
A furious bellow shook the empty space.
As that energy was released, waves rippled outward. Every meteor and fragment of planetary debris in its path was reduced to dust, leaving not a trace behind.
At that instant, countless beams fired from afar toward Godzilla, streaking like a meteor shower across the sky.
Before they could reach him, a blinding light erupted, like a star exploding. Endless scorching heat burst forth. The beams slammed into it one after another.
"Boom!!" Crimson light flashed, collapsed, and exploded.
The figure standing at the heart of the stellar blaze revealed its true form. Golden vertical pupils shone brightly, proclaiming to this cosmos what true destruction was.
Godzilla.
Simply standing there, the heat radiating from his body warped the surrounding space. Flames rose from him constantly, illuminating the darkness.
His emotionless gaze swept over the feeble attacks that could not even break through the defenses formed when he gathered energy, filled with disdain.
The opponent clearly had never expected those strikes to hit him. In the palm cannon of the planetary claw, magma-like liquid energy poured in endlessly. Energy so dense it was nearly mist was absorbed and utilized, every strand put to perfect use.
That cannon was enormous, half a planet in size, exuding a dangerous aura. The unfathomable barrel gradually filled with crimson, every flowing stream of liquid seeming to cheer.
It was always ready to fire. But preparing for too long meant that all that preparation was meaningless.
"Bang!!"
Like a hot knife through butter, two arms blazing with boundless heat plunged straight into the core.
Looking down, Godzilla had already arrived at the very front of the cannon without anyone noticing. He faced the boiling barrel head-on, white vapor billowing from the corners of his mouth as if mocking this futile effort.
Then his arms tightened.
"Bang!!"
Terrifying force erupted. Metal was torn apart with a deafening screech, forcibly ripped asunder.
Godzilla paid it no mind.
Sensing its impending end, the core of the claw flashed rapidly, gathering its final energy to unleash a last burst of heat.
"BOOOM!"
A gaping maw ended its final struggle.
The entire core was swallowed whole.
With the loss of the energy core, the claw could no longer resist. Its light faded, and it collapsed naturally.
The planet-sized metal claw was torn apart.
Flames fell like rain. The cosmos was like a sea, burning endlessly.
"A boring toy." Godzilla casually tossed aside the two lumps of scrap. This kind of toy could not even scratch an itch.
He turned his gaze toward the direction where Irontomb's presence lingered and set off once more.
Suddenly, he stopped. He turned slightly, casting a glance back at the ruined wreckage that should have been nothing more than scrap.
On the still-burning framework of the shattered claw, faint blue light flickered, abrupt and eerie.
Quantum Energy.
Godzilla, long familiar with the Quantum Sea, recognized it at once.
At that moment, waves surged. It poured backward, violent and overwhelming.
In an instant, it covered half a star system, engulfing Godzilla's position.
"Click."
"Click."
A continuous series of mechanical sounds rang out. Looking down slightly, countless quantum mechs emerged from the surface of the sea, first their heads, then their bodies, then their full forms.
Unnoticed, the mechanical claw had been completely engulfed in quantum Energy. Every part of it had transformed into a heavy quantum state.
"Zing!" Blue light flashed, replacing the former crimson.
Irontomb's presence emanated from it.
Clearly, this small-scale quantum sea similar to the real one was Irontomb's handiwork just moments ago. The planet-sized mechanical claw had merely been a smokescreen.
"Among organic lifeforms, you are the strongest individual I have ever encountered, heard of, or witnessed. No one can be compared to you."
Suddenly, Irontomb's mechanical voice echoed from within.
Without the electronic distortion, it was clear that his experience inhabiting an organic body earlier had given him new insights.
He looked at Godzilla, whose body radiated endless flames.
Irontomb had to admit it. This was the strongest enemy he had ever faced.
Emanators were powerful, but before this being, even Emanators seemed weak.
If not for his special circumstances and top-tier survival capabilities, he would have long followed in the footsteps of the Zephyro.
But he was also exhilarated. If he could take down Godzilla, that would mean that beneath the Aeons, there would be no one left in the cosmos capable of opposing him.
He was absolutely certain of it.
Including those Emanators. As long as Godzilla was destroyed, it would mean that he had truly matched all the ultimate trump cards of this era.
Before they could unite, he had to crush them at the fastest possible speed. Then the cosmos would unfold in the most perfect form envisioned in his plan.
"ROAR!" What are you even babbling about?!
Godzilla did not care in the slightest about what this thing was planning. He only knew that no matter what it wanted to do, as long as he blasted it until not even scraps remained, everything would be fine.
An atomic beam swept across the field. Countless mechanical units that had just climbed out of the quantum sea were destroyed once again, while new ones surged forward to take their place.
The entire star system became a battlefield. Scorching heat and ethereal quantum mecha overlapped endlessly, forming waves that slammed into Diamond's barrier .
"It's pretty lively in there. Can you still hold on?" Diamond glanced at Taravan, his expression calm.
"As long as the will of Preservation continues to shine, it will endure until everything is over."
Even so, power was needed to constantly repaired cracks torn open by the aftershocks. At certain moments, the repairs could barely keep pace with the destruction. The barrier groaned under immense pressure.
Irontomb's combat power far exceeded the IPC's estimates.
What exactly had he gained from the Quantum Sea to sustain such massive consumption?
…
Irontomb did not know what Diamond was thinking, but he was under tremendous strain.
Every one of Godzilla's attacks struck with terrifying precision. If not for his absolute rationality, always making the most correct choices in an instant, he would not have lasted this long.
He consigned himself to quantum existence.
The half-quantized body was always ready to sink back into the Quantum Sea, using it to evade Godzilla's attacks.
As for the other half… he could only wish it good luck.
After all, there was scrap material everywhere. If things really went south, he could always pick up a few pieces and assemble himself again.