Chapter 1503 The Modified Narrative Author's Note: Unedited Chapter --------------------- Gustav's consciousness drifted through a void of endless darkness. The inky blackness seemed to stretch on forever, punctuated only by a chilling silence that made him feel profoundly alone. His thoughts were interrupted by a sinister voice that echoed through the emptiness. Its tone was dripping with malice and mockery. "So, this is the grand Outworldly, reduced to floating in the abyss," the voice sneered. "How foolish the action you took was, Gustav." Gustav's eyes narrowed in the darkness. He had felt this presence ever since he assimilated Angy's form of darkness. It was a part of him now, but it wasn't welcome. "You're delusional if you think you can take control," Gustav retorted coolly. "I will assimilate you, dominate you. It's only a matter of time." A cold, mirthless laugh echoed through the void. "You think you can dominate the darkness that has existed since the beginning of time? Impossible, even for you." "If I had a cent for everytime someone told me something was impossible, I'd be a billionaire," Gustav stated with an unfettered tone. The voice seemed to shift, as if circling him like a predator. "Why waste your time protecting beings from a plane that has branded you a universal fugitive?" Gustav laughed in defiance. "I'm not doing it for them. I do it for my loved ones." "Ah, your loved ones," the voice mused with it's tone dripping with sarcasm. "So if your loved ones were eliminated, you would stop being a protector?" A surge of killing intent erupted from Gustav the moment he heard that. "I'll advice you to watch what you say because It could be the last thing you ever say." The sinister voice laughed again, this time with genuine amusement. "I have my answer. Your loved ones are your weakness." The surroundings in the physical world began to tremble. The containment facility shook, causing the scientists and MBO officers to struggle for breath. Angy who was standing before him, felt the oppressive weight of Gustav's killing intent pressing down on her. She watched in horror as the facility seemed to buckle under the immense pressure. "What is going on?" All scientists fell to their knees choking as the oppressiveness swept across the region. Meanwhile back in the void, the voice vanished, leaving Gustav alone with his thoughts. The oppressive atmosphere lingered briefly before finally calming. In the physical realm, Jack stood before the scientists and MBO officers who had rushed back to the enclosure after the killing intent reduced. "Whatever is happening to him, it's causing this instability. One of the scientists, stepped forward. "Even his killing intent is powerful enough to cause death. We need to understand the nature of this dark energy. If we can isolate it, we might be able to stabilize him." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦 "He's fighting something terrible inside him. I couldn't win but I believe he is stronger. I will help however I can," Angy voiced from the side. - Gustav's consciousness drifted into a meditative state, seeking to quell the unprecedented altercation of darkness spreading from the root of his core. The sinister voice that had taunted him earlier was a distant echo now. With every breath, Gustav focused on centering himself, drawing strength from the depths of his being. ... ... ... Meanwhile, Aildris, Falco, E.E, and Endric finally arrived at the location of the Alliance. The structure, shaped like a syringe, floated ominously in the vastness of space. At first, it seemed tiny, almost insignificant against the display of distant stars. But as their spacecraft drew closer, the structure began to expand, revealing its true size. White spatial lights cascaded down like a waterfall, bathing the surroundings in an ethereal glow. "This place is massive," Falco muttered, his eyes wide with awe. "I agree but stay focused," Aildris replied with a straight gaze. "Remember the plan." Their spacecraft approached the lights, and as it passed through, the scene before them transformed. They appeared inside a vast, bustling hub, filled with Alliance Corp members moving about with purpose. This vicinity didn't look like it had ceilings. The top was a view of space with glistening stars twinkling and distant galaxies. Protocols were being meticulously followed, with spacecraft coming in and out, each one undergoing thorough checks. "Identification, please," a stern-faced officer demanded to the corp members ahead of the four. 'We need to provide that rhombus cubed identification,' Aildris said through their mind comms while glancing at the others. They had prepared for this and each had a particular high grade technological device in their possession but the rhombus shaped cube was still missing. E.E created miniature vortexes to discreetly consume the identification cubes from some unsuspecting Corp members who had just gone in. He handed the cubes to the rest of the group just as it was their turn. 'Time mirage...' Endric's index finger glowed as he twirled it slightly. Replicas of the identification cubes E.E had stolen appeared in the possession of the corp members he had taken them from. This way, they wouldn't know they fakes until the time limit of the ability was reached. Hopefully the group would be done with their business here by then. Although these cubes were specifically for personal identification data, the specialty of the secret tech in their possession would rewrite the data in the cube and tailor make it to become theirs so they can appear on the alliance corp database. Another stern-faced officer approached them, scanning their faces with suspicion. "Identification, please." Aildris, Falco, E.E, and Endric presented their cubes with ease. The officer scanned each one, his gaze lingering on them for what felt like an eternity. The seconds stretched and tension slowly began to build. "Welcome," the officer finally said, stepping aside. "Proceed." They reached a particular distance before exhaling collectively. "That was close," Endric whispered. "Let's keep moving," Aildris urged while taking the lead. They followed the necessary proceedings, blending in with the other Corp members. Each step they took felt like walking a tightrope. The threat of discovery was ever-present. The interior of the Alliance structure was a maze of corridors and chambers, each one more imposing than the last. The place where Alliance leaders held their meetings was at the far east while the alliance gatherings were held in a different position. The sights here were marvelous beyond words. It was like an extremely modern city floating in deep space. "We need to find out where they're holding Ria," Falco said while his eyes scanned the area. "Deitrick said Cell Block Delta-7. We need to find out where prisoners are kept first," Aildris chipped in. As they navigated through the alliance they encountered several checkpoints. At each one, they presented their stolen identification cubes, maintaining their cover. At one point, they nearly stumbled. A particularly vigilant officer scrutinized their identifications, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. He asked a series of probing questions, and for a moment, it seemed their cover was about to be blown. "Where were you stationed before this?" the officer demanded, his gaze sharp. "Sector 14, under Commander Vexus," Aildris replied smoothly with a steady tone. The officer's eyes flicked between them, weighing their words. The silence stretched, each second a heartbeat. "Very well," he said finally, stepping aside. "Proceed." They moved forward as the tension eased slightly. Every step felt like a gamble, but they pressed on, driven by the need to rescue Ria. Aildris had overhead some corp members discussing and the name commander Vexus came up. To save their cover, he had to use it. Finally, they reached a more secluded part of the complex... a section that seemed less frequented by the bustling Corp members. There were rectangular shaped structures that looked like pillars reaching the very top. The rectangular shaped structures were lined in rows and one could move in between them. E.E glanced around as his eyes narrowed. 'This looks like it might be the right place.' 'Yeah but this is block A... I think we still need to move further in,' Falco responded with narrowed eyes. ... ... Across the Earth, news outlets were abuzz with breaking news: Gustav Crimson, the Planet Destroyer, had been captured. Headlines flashed across screens, and newscasters spoke with barely concealed excitement. "Gustav Crimson, the most wanted fugitive in the universe, has finally been apprehended," one reporter announced, her tone triumphant. "Thanks to the efforts of Jack, the most powerful Mixedblood, the threat has been neutralized." As images of Gustav, restrained and in a darkened state, filled the screens, the narrative was clear: Gustav was the villain, and Jack was the hero. The masses, unaware of the true events that had unfolded, cheered the news. Their fear of Gustav's power had clouded their judgment. Meanwhile, in a quieter part of Plankton City, a far different story was unfolding. Angy, now fully human and free of the darkness that had consumed her, stood before a door. Her heart raced as she approached the door with her hands trembling in anticipation. Her parents hadn't seen her in over a year. She wondered how they would react. If they had moved on with their lives completely or if she even still had a place here for worrying them all this time.