The photonic energy surging from Carol's body pinned Yon-Rogg to the ground with crushing force. His suit's systems flickered in distress, struggling against the raw power pouring off her.
"D-Damn it! How can you be this strong?!"
Panic laced his voice. He always knew Carol was powerful, but he had never truly grasped the full extent of her abilities. The Supreme Intelligence had never shared precise data with a mere Kree squad commander like him.
Back on Hala, he had sparred with Carol countless times. Even when she used her abilities, as long as he wore his Kree squad uniform equipped with its gravity regulator, he could hold his own against her.
But this time, when he tried to activate the regulator, nothing happened. He had completely lost control of his suit. Carol's energy, though not even directly focused on him, had completely suppressed it.
Carol exhaled slowly, withdrawing the energy radiating from her body as she looked down at the battered Yon-Rogg.
"I used to respect you."
Freed from the oppressive force, Yon-Rogg carefully pushed himself up. He met Carol's gaze and said, "I did everything I could to train you. I sincerely wanted you to control your power."
"You mean control it under Kree rules?"
Carol cut through his deception with a single sentence.
"You were just using me. If you really saw me as one of you, you wouldn't have lied to me from the start. At the very least, we wouldn't be enemies now."
The first time she met Yon-Rogg, he had killed Mar-Vell—the person she admired most.
If the Kree had been honest, if they had told her the truth about their war against the Skrulls, things might have turned out differently. She wouldn't have joined them, but maybe… she wouldn't have hated them this much either. Because right and wrong were never absolute.
From the Kree Empire's perspective, executing Mar-Vell, a traitor, was a logical decision.
But they hadn't been honest.
Instead of the truth, they had chosen deception. And now, the consequences had come crashing down.
"What do you know?!" Yon-Rogg snapped, anger flaring in his eyes. "Everything I did was for the Kree Empire!"
Without warning, he lunged, his suit flaring to life. The gravity regulator on his arm released a surge of greenish-blue energy, creating a powerful gravitational field meant to subdue Carol.
But this time, the suit he had always relied on failed him completely.
The moment the gravitational field touched her, a pulse of photonic energy instinctively burst from her, shattering it instantly.
"Yeah, you fight for the Kree Empire," Carol said coldly. "And now? I fight for myself—even if that means standing against you."
With that, she moved.
Wrapped in blazing energy, she broke the sound barrier in an instant.
Like a living sun, she blasted out of the chamber. Yon-Rogg, standing in her way, was sent flying once again.
"Damn it! This kind of power…!"
Yon-Rogg finally understood just how strong Carol had become. He had no intention of fighting her anymore. But he still activated his communicator, contacting the Kree elite forces.
"Vers is out of control! Kill her at all costs!"
He issued what was essentially a suicide mission for his soldiers, then turned and ran for the Kree ship. He had to return to Hala. He had to warn the Supreme Intelligence about Carol's power so it could make the right decision.
...
Meanwhile, Carol tore through the ship at breakneck speed, her golden energy illuminating the metallic corridors. Any Kree soldier who stood in her way was incapacitated in the blink of an eye.
At the same time, hearing Yon-Rogg's orders, sniper Minn-Erva and the hand-to-hand combat specialist Bron-Char rushed in to stop her.
Though Carol had only gone on one mission with them, they had still been teammates once. She didn't want to unleash her full strength against them.
Bron-Char's arms pulsed with green energy as he charged, relying on his suit's enhanced strength to overpower her.
But that kind of strength meant nothing to Carol now.
She hesitated for a brief moment, worried she might hit too hard and kill them. But then, through their mental link, 'Martian Manhunter' shared his combat knowledge with her, showing her how to control her power with precision. In an instant, she mastered it.
Bron-Char barely had time to react before she sent him crashing to the floor with a single punch.
Minn-Erva raised her sniper rifle, ready to fire. But before she could pull the trigger, Carol grabbed the weapon and snapped it in half.
"You always knew the truth, didn't you? Is that why we never got along?"
"No. I just never liked you."
Carol's question didn't change anything between them. With both of them easily defeated, she turned and headed toward Reid and Korath's battle.
But something about Minn-Erva's words hit her. She realized these Kree had never truly seen her as one of their own.
Korath wasn't as lucky.
Before he even noticed Carol's arrival, she knocked him out cold.
"Oh? Nice armor, Reid. Let me guess, Martian tech from J'onn?"
Carol took one look at Reid's suit and immediately understood. It was built more for defense than combat, but even so, its technology was on par with the Kree Empire's best.
"This?" Reid smirked. "This is human ingenuity. Don't forget, even that Martian you admire so much? I'm the one who brought him to Earth. You should be thanking me."
Carol's face turned red. That was exactly the reaction Reid wanted. After all, once this whole situation was over, it would be the real Martian Manhunter dealing with her. He wouldn't have to handle this troublesome heroine himself. So why not give her a little push in the right direction?
"J'onn's handling the Accuser's fleet," Carol said, regaining her composure. "I'm heading there now. You get Fury and the others onto the quadjet. Get them out of here."
She left in a hurry, flying off the Kree cruiser.
...
Reid watched Carol leave, then turned his attention back to Korath's unconscious body. The Kree warrior lay sprawled across the floor, motionless.
A moment later, 'Martian Manhunter's' voice echoed in his mind.
"Don't worry. Carol barely has any attachment to the Kree anymore. And as a human, you have your own stance in this."
Reid nodded. If 'Martian Manhunter' said so, he had nothing to worry about.
Glancing down at the unconscious Korath, he extended his arm. A glowing energy blade popped out from his gauntlet.
"Goodbye, alien scum. Next time, I'll be the one coming for you. Your whole damn species deserves to be wiped out."
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