1 Warm-Up And Run-In

Shaking awake, the same nightmare I'd been experiencing ever since I'd been sent to this universe happening once more. Gritting my teeth, I shook my head and tried my best not to think about that abomination. Even then, I could vividly remember how it felt having it's tentacles slivering around me, wrapping me tight like dozens of boa constrictors. And it's voice. Jesus, it sounded like someone scratching a black board with their very long, very jagged fingernails.

I'd come to this universe a year ago, after dying in a car accident. After dying, I found myself in the clutches of some sort of Elder God.

It wasn't very pretty, let me tell you that. I'm lucky I'm unable to fully remember it's visage otherwise I'd no doubt have gone insane by now. Either way, it gave me a run-down on the situation, gave me some add-ons and sent me on my way. I didn't get a choice and I didn't ask for one either - When faced with an Eldritch being, you do what it wants you to when you're just a little mortal like I was.

Moments later, I found myself in a new body, floating in space.I was no longer Human by that point. I was now a Viltrumite with a superior bloodline. Something brought into fruition through combining both Omni-Man and Thragg's genetics. The ultimate Viltrumite, with both the strength of Thragg's genetics and the adaptability of Omni-Man's royal genetics. At that point, I knew I'd be a force to be reckoned with. The only bad thing? I was at the starting point for every Viltrumite:

I'd seemingly just awoken my powers. This was the weakest any powered Viltrumite would find themselves. Yet I had an advantage.

[Are you really going to monologue inside your own head just after waking up? Oh how I feel woe for the future of Viltrum,] a sarcastic yet regal voice sounded in my head, even the sound of the voice sounded strong.

Ignoring the voice who was indeed my advantage, I wilfully sped up my flying as I saw the gas giant not too far off in the distance. My advantage? I had a copy of Thragg's spirit to teach and tutor me. Under his tutelage, I'd been growing stronger ever since I arrived here. Sadly, all things must come to an end and today was the last time Thragg would be able to teach me.

Coming within the effect of Jupiter's gravity, I allowed myself to get sucked into the cloudy embrace of the planet. Instantly I felt the difference of the gravity when compared to the void of space and even on Earth. It was heavy but not impossibly so.

Slowly, I came to a stop when I felt the gravity giving my muscles a nice warm up.

As a Viltrumite, the lack of surface wasn't anything too troubling and I simply used my ability to fly to simulate leverage-able ground below my feet. When I got there, I began going through the martial forms Thragg had practically drilled into me like a PT instructor. Doing these on Earth wouldn't really do much for me and even when I do 'em in Jupiter it's only really good enough for a warm-up. The surface of Jupiter has a gravity roughly around 2.5 times stronger than Earths and the deeper you go into the planet's atmosphere, the stronger the gravity becomes.

Same goes for the pressure and harshness of the environment. But even if I went and sat on the core of Jupiter, it still wouldn't be enough. I've gone to the Sun and stood on the surface and even that behemoth's gravity wasn't enough.

If it were feasible with a mind like mine, I'd have made a gravity chamber or something. Alas, all I can do is use the celestial bodies around me to train.

Just last month I'd gone to Mars and went around lifting mountains like some shounen protagonist training montage. But this was enough for now, for a warm-up, the gas felt like very thick water as it impeded all my movements - though it didn't impede them for long. I pushed through and completed stance after stance, kata after kata until I felt my muscles practically humming with warmth.

[Good. You've finally reached an acceptable level so as to not embarrass Viltrum. Now, Alex, about remaking the Viltrum Empire--] Thragg tried to broach the subject he'd always go on about if you gave him a chance but I cut him off.

'Nope,' I thought, not really having the oxygen to spare to speak vocally, 'We've been through this before Thragg. I'm not interested in being an Emperor or a Grand Regent or whatever. I just wanna be strong and do fun stuff,' I bluntly explained my 'grand' goals for the future and I heard Thragg click his tongue in my head but he said no more on the subject as he knew I was just as stubborn as he was. We'd once had an argument for five days straight - I only stopped because a meteor was heading straight for Earth and I had to stop it.

It was a fun experience.

[Well,] Thragg started once more but this time he appeared in my vision like some sort of Force Ghost - am I gonna get copyrighted for this?? It was the Eldritch being, not me! I swear! - and despite my impressive height and build, he still towered over me and made me look smaller than I actually was. [That aside, our time is up, Alex. You've been an acceptable disciple...you've done me proud, even if you refuse to do your duty as a Viltrumite,] he said, his brilliant mustache bending with his lips as he smiled an uncharacteristic smile, [I hope you'll at least listen to my last wish.]

It wasn't a request like it sounded. Not really. One thing I knew about Thragg is that he didn't ask. He said things and expected them to happen - but even then, this was the most question/request like thing I'd heard from Thragg.

Even the imperious tone he usually used was lacking when compared to usual.

Guess the old bastard is getting sentimental, huh?

'Sure, as long as it isn't making the Viltrum Empire great again or whatever,' I smirked over at him as I stopped my exercise. Though just flying where I was (in Jupiter's clouds) was a workout in and of itself. A normal human would've been crushed by now. That is if they didn't run out of oxygen before losing consciousness and eventually dying.

If it weren't for my training deep in the oceans of Earth, I'd probably be pretty screwed myself. Don't underestimate high gravity and crushing pressure when mixed together, I guess? The Mariana Trench training was an uncomfortable experience, for those wondering.

Oblivious to my thoughts, or just ignoring them, Thragg spoke once more, [Show this universe how strong a Viltrumite is. You hear me, Alex? SHOW THEM THE MIGHT A SUPERB MEMBER OF OUR RACE HOLDS!] and without further ado, his projection disappeared.

'Aaaand he's gone,' I clicked my tongue out of habit, 'Always one to try and get the last word.'

Shaking my head, I took what he said to heart and resolved myself to not let him down. I didn't hold the same views as him but he was a good teacher...I could do at least as much as he wanted me to.

Either way, I continued training deep without Jupiter's atmosphere. Doing it for so long and so intensively that I actually found myself pretty worn out. Viltrumite muscles recover and adapt quickly, so even a few seconds after my workout I was already feeling somewhat better. Muscles were torn and remade even stronger than before. Same goes for my bones. Even after a year, I still couldn't get over how superior my new Alien physique was when compared to a human.

The weirdest place I'd gone to in my previous life was some sort of wax museum where everything felt like it was watching you. And here I am now, deep in the solar system, far beyond where any human has ever been...and working out.

I'll never be able to comprehend the intentions behind that Eldritch being or why it chose me, but I guess you could say I was thankful for this chance.

My previous life was going nowhere fast and I was genuinely in the deep throes of depression. Thankfully that didn't follow me across - new body and all means new brain chemistry - but the memories did and that gave me perspective. Perspective on how low someone could really go, while this new life was something I was determined to make into an example on how high someone could really go.

I wanted to live this life and be proud of it. Besides, I'd always been a big fan of Superman and seeing as I'm a knock-off of the boy scout, it seemed fitting to be somewhat like him. I'd always dreamed of being able to save people and it wasn't until this situation was sprang on me that I realized it.

Thragg was thoroughly unimpressed with my ideals and what I wanted to do but after that five day long argument, there wasn't much he could do or say that wouldn't just be shut down with 'No' or 'We've been over this before'.

Didn't mean he didn't try whenever he could to try and change my mind on remaking the Viltrum Empire. Honestly, it just seems like a lot of work for not a lot in return.

Besides, I'd have to turn myself into a breeding animal to even think about starting that Empire and I'm not gonna lower myself to that sort of level for someone else's ideal Empire. If I'm gonna do that, it's gonna be with a woman I love - not to make a Viltrumite army.

It does make me wonder: Why are all the MC's in fanfics so f-d up in the head? They always go straight to ''I'm gonna make a harem'' or ''Imma kill people if they look at me wrong'' just because they get an inkling of power. Now, if the world is one like Dark Souls or Berserk, I can see why you'd take the latter thought process and run with it. Or if the world was Highschool DxD and you wanted to make a harem.

But I've read about dudes who go full psycho-slaughterer mode in anime fanfics where it's not needed. Not to mention how selfish some of the MC's are.

Always 'Mine, mine, mine!' and not enough 'I could probably help people with my marvellous powers'. I don't know, I guess that's because those fanfics were wish fulfilment or something. But what does that say about authors who write them like that? Food for thought I guess.

Mental conundrums aside, I was fully finished with my exercise my now. To think I travelled hours just to fit in such a small workout. Shrugging, I slowly lifted myself away from the clouds of Jupiter and back into the cold expanse of space. Luckily my eyes were absolutely beastly and even from here I could see Earth floating in space.

With that as my destination, I shot forth, pushing myself through space so quickly it warped and allowed me to flash forward faster than light. Then I hit the space behind that and repeated the process of smashing through it.

This is how Viltrumites fly faster than light - we beat up space with muscle power. It shouldn't be that surprising.

The distance between Jupiter and Earth was in the hundreds of millions of kilometres region. Which meant I was about a light hour away from Earth right now. Well, more like 40-something light minutes away. I could travel a little under the speed of light, so it'd take me roughly an hour to get back to Earth.

Fun fact about Viltrumite eye sight? I don't rely on light to see. I mean, if I did I wouldn't be able to see anything if I went beyond light speed. Neither would I be able to see Earth in real time from where I am - which is what I was doing right now.

Viltrumites are broken and they break the laws of physics on a daily basis. Trust me, I know--I'm a Viltrumite and I have to put up with my reality breaking powers every time I open my eyes.

Still, right now, I'm thankful for them. Why?

Because I can see a city-sized spacecraft speeding towards Earth. It was heavily damaged and hurtling towards Europe like nobody's business. If that hit Earth...oh boy. Wherever it hit might as well just be taken off the map because there's no way anything will survive that collision. That's not even including the big kaboom whatever that thing uses for an engine and fuel source will produce.

God I hope it isn't Nuclear. That shit is always so unstable.

Welp, just another Tuesday for a Viltrumite like me--Wait, it is still Tuesday, right? I need a space watch. This keeps on happening. Fly to Jupiter, get lost in training martial arts and then before you know it, you've been here for days and you're fired.

Complaining aside, I pushed myself even harder, crushing through the asteroids between me and Mars. The crashing ship was about halfway between Mars and Earth by now and it was making up the last half quicker and quicker as it was drawn in by Earth's gravity. So there was really no time to mess about.

With that in mind, I flashed forward, smashing through space and slowly creeping up to light speed.

. . .

POV Change - ???

She hadn't expected this. Any of this. When she left to explore the galaxy, she'd thought her powers would lend her the ability to deal with just about anything she could come across.

She'd been wrong.

And now hundreds of people were dead. Civilians. Old people, children--the images flashed through her head and caused a violent anger to spike in her stomach. An anger she channelled into her hands as she pushed against the hull of the damaged ship she called her own. The thrusters and 'brake' had been damaged in the earlier battle which meant they were careening right for Earth. Which was obviously very, very bad.

She pushed her energy projection abilities even higher, trying to equal her thrust with the momentum of the ship she was trying to stop and yet she couldn't do it. The momentum was already too high and now they were close enough for Earth's gravity to add onto that.

Flashes of the survivors went through her mind and she felt spurred on as a drop of blood came from her nose, dropping out of the energy and bubbling in the vacuum.

A feeling brewed within her - a feeling of reaching something beyond what she currently was. The force pushing against her, her pushing back against it felt like it was pushing her closer and closer to this 'something' beyond her current power. But it didn't feel right. Something about it felt too...inhuman. Like tapping into it would forsake the little humanity she still felt like she had.

She was well aware she was only half-human. That she'd never be truly human anymore. But she hoped to at least safeguard that little last bit of humanity inside of her.

Before she could think any further, the momentum of the ship lowered drastically.

For a second, she was scared. Scared that she tapped into whatever that thing was before. All her time as a soldier, all her time going throughout the galaxy hadn't prepared her for that fear which is why it took her a second or two to figure out that she wasn't any stronger. If anything, she was running on fumes at the minute.

Looking around for the cause of the slowing ship, it didn't take long to see it. To see him. She hadn't even sensed when he arrived - and right next to her no less.

She looked over him and sensed him for energy...and found nothing else but an abundant life force. No energy like hers, none like those sorcerers--the man next to her was helping her purely through physical might. With no supernatural energy to bolster his physique like her.

...She couldn't help but wonder what had happened on Earth in her absence? What was Fury doing?

It hadn't been the first time that thought had entered her head, and she doubted it'd be the last, but never before had she thought someone like her would appear on Earth again.

The newcomer was dressed in a skintight suit with two main colours: red and grey. The top part of his shoulders was grey, followed by his chest and stomach being red and anything below his stomach being grey again. His waist and crotch were covered by a grey loincloth while he had an odd symbol on his chest: a circle with three vertical lines through it.*

(A/n - Just imagine Thragg's suit without the cape if you want.)

He didn't bother covering his face, which meant she could see the man's face. She wouldn't admit it, ever, but the man's face was simply gorgeous. She was even sure she felt her heart skip a beat when she saw him.

His eyes met hers, a shining blue that was so blue it almost looked purple. His blond hair was similar to hers as well - a golden colour. He flashed her a smile and got back to pushing against the ship. The momentum dropped massively once again.

Good timing too. She looked back and see they were close to Earth's moon. A few more seconds and they would've hit Earth.

She felt the ship get taken from her hands and instantly looked back over to the man who held the ship aloft with a single hand before he motioned over to the nearby moon. The woman thought for a few seconds before nodding in agreement - she didn't know whether to trust the newcomer or not. He had come to help her when she needed it most but she didn't know about his reasons. Despite her earlier thoughts of him coming from Earth, he might not be from there. She had to play it safe.

She'd trusted the Kree before and look how that turned out. No. The woman knew she had to find out why he helped her. The woman, Carol Danvers, followed after the mystery man as he flew to the moon, safely lowering the ship to the ground.

...Carol was a bit stunned by his level of strength. What HAD Fury been doing?