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Chapter 578: Welcome to the Yellow Lantern Corps
In a certain asteroid belt, Parallax was resting comfortably.
Its long, slender, golden body was sprawled lazily across a large asteroid. Dazzling yellow light bloomed wantonly, dyeing a vast area a brilliant color.
It had an insect-like body with giant wings spread out on its back, lying flat on either side.
Parallax is one of the ancient creatures in the universe, a peculiar being formed from the crystallization of countless fearful emotions. It was born immensely powerful, capable of drawing out the deepest fears from within any living being.
Wherever it went, it was bound to bring endless fear.
Suddenly, Parallax's eyes snapped open. Its massive body rose, and the swing of its tail inadvertently sent a large number of asteroids flying.
Within those cunning eyes, a human-like expression of surprise and delight was revealed.
It had detected the aura of Hal Jordan, which was a delightful surprise!
Parallax had never encountered a being that matched it as perfectly as Hal. If it could possess Hal's body and become Parallax, it would instantly gain terrifying power.
Starting at Level Seven, it would be strong enough to fight a God-King to the death.
"Hal, Hal..."
Parallax excitedly swung its long tail, clearing a large area of asteroid debris. Overjoyed, it stared wide-eyed in a specific direction.
From that direction, it could clearly feel Hal's aura.
"If I possess Hal's body and control the endless fear being born within him, I won't have to keep hiding anymore!"
Parallax's eyes widened, filled with desire.
It still remembered clearly how, a few months ago, it had been patiently waiting for a chance to capture Hal not far from Cybertron. But unfortunately, it was discovered by a passing God-King. With just a single glare, it was forced to flee in disgrace and hide here.
It couldn't afford to provoke a God-King-level being.
Although it could not die—or rather, as the avatar of fear, it could be reborn even if it died—that didn't mean it couldn't be enslaved. If a Level Seven being captured it and raised it as a pet, it would be doomed. It couldn't just bite its tongue and commit suicide, could it? It couldn't bear to.
The cunning Parallax desperately needed a perfectly compatible host with infinite potential.
Acting under the name of Parallax, it would become powerful enough to be completely unrestrained.
"As long as I capture Hal Jordan..."
Parallax eagerly stuck out its tongue, licking its equally golden-glowing teeth. The gloom and cunning in its eyes flickered for an instant before it immediately rose and began to sneakily swim in Hal's direction.
Its long, slender body was like a fish swimming in the cosmos.
The aura grew stronger and stronger. The mark on Hal was like a bonfire in the darkness, something Parallax could clearly smell from hundreds of millions of light-years away.
The closer it got, the more cautious and careful Parallax became.
Capturing Hal was simple, but it had to guard against being surrounded and killed by those from Cybertron. If a large group of demigods swarmed it, even a being as strong as Parallax would have to kneel.
"Hal, Hal..."
Parallax was drooling. With a slurp, it stared wide-eyed ahead, carefully concealing its tracks as it slowly approached.
It could sense that Hal was not far ahead.
It crossed one galaxy after another, quietly bypassing the massive battlefield where the Kree and the Skrulls were beating each other's brains out. Just as Parallax was feeling smug about its caution and care, the sound of a conversation suddenly reached its ears.
"You see, Hal? I was right, wasn't I? Parallax is just a dumb bug. It was bound to show up."
With a flash of white light, Tony suddenly appeared before Parallax with Hal Jordan in tow.
To the hundred-meter-long Parallax, Tony seemed incredibly tiny, but his satisfied eyes looked as if they were gazing down upon a large insect.
With a gloomy expression, Hal raised his head and looked coldly at Parallax, a complex look on his face.
His hometown, Coast City, had been destroyed in an attack by Mongul and Cyborg Superman, and seven million people were killed. Only he and a few others, like his childhood sweetheart, Carol, survived.
Carol had actually died before being revived by Tony with a serum. She now lived in the New World, continuing her career as a white-collar professional.
But this still couldn't erase the scars on Hal's heart. His friends, brothers, parents, and relatives were all dead.
This had caused a huge change in Hal's personality.
This was undoubtedly one of the major reasons why Parallax coveted him.
"If you capture it, will you grant me power?" Hal asked, his face full of anticipation and unease.
He wasn't a mutant. Even if he had the X-Gene, it was too late for an awakening now. Not only would it be impossible to determine what his ability might be, but his potential would also be close to zero.
Among mutants, the hierarchy of power levels was appallingly strict. The upper limit of each mutant's power seemed to be determined from the moment of their awakening, or perhaps even from birth.
Aside from the four Omega-level mutants, all others had their own limits.
"Of course, Hal. I never lie to my own people, and you are a resident under my command. There's no need for me to lie to you."
Tony smiled, his tone gentle. He was always lenient with his own people, never bothering with superfluous and nonsensical etiquette or words.
"In this cruel universe, powerful abilities and a steadfast heart are what give you the capacity to protect the ones you cherish."
"On Earth, ability can be crudely summarized as making money. But as you've seen, that's completely unreliable. Only power is true ability."
"I will capture Parallax. I will bestow upon you a powerful weapon that I have forged myself, giving you the ability to protect your loved ones and destroy your enemies."
Tony pointed at the dumbfounded Parallax before them, treating it as if it were nothing, and spoke cordially with Hal, "You were once controlled by this thing. You personally experienced the feeling of that power, and I will grant you the same kind of power."
Hal lowered his head in thought, then stared intently at the great monster before him.
Parallax's voice echoed in Hal's mind, "Hehehe, Hal, come on, join me! If we team up, no one in the entire universe will be our opponent... including the Tony next to you!"
"Together, you and I can easily take out Tony, and then you can do whatever you want without having to accept handouts."
Parallax tempted him, desperately trying to win Hal over while looking at Tony with a wary gaze.
If it merged with Hal, it could turn the tables and kill Tony. But if it didn't... it felt it would be out of luck.
In Parallax's senses, Tony's intense spirit was bottomless, stabbing at its brain and causing a dull ache.
Hal thought silently for a moment, then looked at the quietly waiting Tony. A look of respect showed in his eyes as he said, "I wish to receive power from you."
Tony grinned. "I'd be more than happy to grant you power, Hal. You possess the ability to instill great fear in others. Welcome to the yet-to-be-established Yellow Lantern Corps."
A dangerous gaze cut into Parallax like a knife, making it shudder violently. It then whipped its tail and turned, intending to flee for its life.
(end of chapter)
In a certain asteroid belt, Parallax was resting comfortably.
Its long, slender, golden body was sprawled lazily across a large asteroid. Dazzling yellow light bloomed wantonly, dyeing a vast area a brilliant color.
It had an insect-like body with giant wings spread out on its back, lying flat on either side.
Parallax is one of the ancient creatures in the universe, a peculiar being formed from the crystallization of countless fearful emotions. It was born immensely powerful, capable of drawing out the deepest fears from within any living being.
Wherever it went, it was bound to bring endless fear.
Suddenly, Parallax's eyes snapped open. Its massive body rose, and the swing of its tail inadvertently sent a large number of asteroids flying.
Within those cunning eyes, a human-like expression of surprise and delight was revealed.
It had detected the aura of Hal Jordan, which was a delightful surprise!
Parallax had never encountered a being that matched it as perfectly as Hal. If it could possess Hal's body and become Parallax, it would instantly gain terrifying power.
Starting at Level Seven, it would be strong enough to fight a God-King to the death.
"Hal, Hal..."
Parallax excitedly swung its long tail, clearing a large area of asteroid debris. Overjoyed, it stared wide-eyed in a specific direction.
From that direction, it could clearly feel Hal's aura.
"If I possess Hal's body and control the endless fear being born within him, I won't have to keep hiding anymore!"
Parallax's eyes widened, filled with desire.
It still remembered clearly how, a few months ago, it had been patiently waiting for a chance to capture Hal not far from Cybertron. But unfortunately, it was discovered by a passing God-King. With just a single glare, it was forced to flee in disgrace and hide here.
It couldn't afford to provoke a God-King-level being.
Although it could not die—or rather, as the avatar of fear, it could be reborn even if it died—that didn't mean it couldn't be enslaved. If a Level Seven being captured it and raised it as a pet, it would be doomed. It couldn't just bite its tongue and commit suicide, could it? It couldn't bear to.
The cunning Parallax desperately needed a perfectly compatible host with infinite potential.
Acting under the name of Parallax, it would become powerful enough to be completely unrestrained.
"As long as I capture Hal Jordan..."
Parallax eagerly stuck out its tongue, licking its equally golden-glowing teeth. The gloom and cunning in its eyes flickered for an instant before it immediately rose and began to sneakily swim in Hal's direction.
Its long, slender body was like a fish swimming in the cosmos.
The aura grew stronger and stronger. The mark on Hal was like a bonfire in the darkness, something Parallax could clearly smell from hundreds of millions of light-years away.
The closer it got, the more cautious and careful Parallax became.
Capturing Hal was simple, but it had to guard against being surrounded and killed by those from Cybertron. If a large group of demigods swarmed it, even a being as strong as Parallax would have to kneel.
"Hal, Hal..."
Parallax was drooling. With a slurp, it stared wide-eyed ahead, carefully concealing its tracks as it slowly approached.
It could sense that Hal was not far ahead.
It crossed one galaxy after another, quietly bypassing the massive battlefield where the Kree and the Skrulls were beating each other's brains out. Just as Parallax was feeling smug about its caution and care, the sound of a conversation suddenly reached its ears.
"You see, Hal? I was right, wasn't I? Parallax is just a dumb bug. It was bound to show up."
With a flash of white light, Tony suddenly appeared before Parallax with Hal Jordan in tow.
To the hundred-meter-long Parallax, Tony seemed incredibly tiny, but his satisfied eyes looked as if they were gazing down upon a large insect.
With a gloomy expression, Hal raised his head and looked coldly at Parallax, a complex look on his face.
His hometown, Coast City, had been destroyed in an attack by Mongul and Cyborg Superman, and seven million people were killed. Only he and a few others, like his childhood sweetheart, Carol, survived.
Carol had actually died before being revived by Tony with a serum. She now lived in the New World, continuing her career as a white-collar professional.
But this still couldn't erase the scars on Hal's heart. His friends, brothers, parents, and relatives were all dead.
This had caused a huge change in Hal's personality.
This was undoubtedly one of the major reasons why Parallax coveted him.
"If you capture it, will you grant me power?" Hal asked, his face full of anticipation and unease.
He wasn't a mutant. Even if he had the X-Gene, it was too late for an awakening now. Not only would it be impossible to determine what his ability might be, but his potential would also be close to zero.
Among mutants, the hierarchy of power levels was appallingly strict. The upper limit of each mutant's power seemed to be determined from the moment of their awakening, or perhaps even from birth.
Aside from the four Omega-level mutants, all others had their own limits.
"Of course, Hal. I never lie to my own people, and you are a resident under my command. There's no need for me to lie to you."
Tony smiled, his tone gentle. He was always lenient with his own people, never bothering with superfluous and nonsensical etiquette or words.
"In this cruel universe, powerful abilities and a steadfast heart are what give you the capacity to protect the ones you cherish."
"On Earth, ability can be crudely summarized as making money. But as you've seen, that's completely unreliable. Only power is true ability."
"I will capture Parallax. I will bestow upon you a powerful weapon that I have forged myself, giving you the ability to protect your loved ones and destroy your enemies."
Tony pointed at the dumbfounded Parallax before them, treating it as if it were nothing, and spoke cordially with Hal, "You were once controlled by this thing. You personally experienced the feeling of that power, and I will grant you the same kind of power."
Hal lowered his head in thought, then stared intently at the great monster before him.
Parallax's voice echoed in Hal's mind, "Hehehe, Hal, come on, join me! If we team up, no one in the entire universe will be our opponent... including the Tony next to you!"
"Together, you and I can easily take out Tony, and then you can do whatever you want without having to accept handouts."
Parallax tempted him, desperately trying to win Hal over while looking at Tony with a wary gaze.
If it merged with Hal, it could turn the tables and kill Tony. But if it didn't... it felt it would be out of luck.
In Parallax's senses, Tony's intense spirit was bottomless, stabbing at its brain and causing a dull ache.
Hal thought silently for a moment, then looked at the quietly waiting Tony. A look of respect showed in his eyes as he said, "I wish to receive power from you."
Tony grinned. "I'd be more than happy to grant you power, Hal. You possess the ability to instill great fear in others. Welcome to the yet-to-be-established Yellow Lantern Corps."
A dangerous gaze cut into Parallax like a knife, making it shudder violently. It then whipped its tail and turned, intending to flee for its life.
(end of chapter)
