Technology??????

While the Cantels pressed hard on the human camp, their other battle positions also faced heavy counterattacks. The Iron Legion mechs were spread across the battlefield, fighting Cantel commandos in multiple places. In each area, they quickly supported the human garrisons and helped turn the tide of the fight.

Far above, on a floating island within a space station, the head of the Cantel Legion was closely watching the action on the ground. As the only commander on this mission, he was a high-ranking leader among the Cantel. The Cantel race was nomadic and worked as mercenaries for hire, with no single ruler. Only the strongest could lead a legion, and very few in their entire species could claim such a title.

The legion leader frowned as he watched the screen, speaking in a low, frustrated voice. "This isn't what you promised. You said the target was humans—a simple, backward race that no one cares about. You said it would be easy."

"Not exactly," replied a voice from the shadows. A faint green light appeared, like an eerie flame, illuminating the tall, powerful figure of the envoy who had mysteriously vanished from Earth.

"I told you the mission target was Earth," the envoy said, "but I didn't say it would be simple. The terms of this job were set long ago, and if you're thinking of breaking our agreement now, that's a breach of contract." The envoy's glowing eyes narrowed slightly. "Remember, I represent the Almighty Lord. You wouldn't want to break this deal."

The legion leader stayed silent, realizing the envoy was right. The price for this job had been agreed upon, but the Cantels had expected humans to be easy to crush. Based on their briefing, they'd assumed humans wouldn't stand a chance. But now, the humans were resisting fiercely, and their abilities were shocking.

"These powers…" the legion leader muttered, almost talking to himself. "Our best fighters are helpless against them. Who are these creatures who control fire and ice? What race do they come from? We've never heard of powers like these."

"It's not from any race of aliens," the envoy replied calmly. "The only beings even close to the Almighty Lord are those humans call 'the ancients.' Long ago, the Almighty Lord spread seeds on Earth to influence some life forms, guiding their evolution. However, that line failed, and only one member of that species remains. Modern humans have not been blessed by any god."

The legion leader stared, shocked. "But Earth's star system is within the Yevgon star realm. Foreign gods don't usually operate here. And they created this power on their own?"

The envoy took a moment, seeming to carefully choose his next words. "It's not god-given. Humans call it 'technology.' They developed it themselves."

The legion leader was dumbfounded. "Impossible."

He turned, his rigid, strange face fixed on the envoy. "Do you understand what you're saying?"

The envoy nodded, his voice calm. "Yes, I know this sounds strange. I admit, I didn't believe it at first either. Earth is a remote planet, so we ignored it. But somehow, out of nowhere, these humans created incredible machines and warriors strong enough to rival some of the best in the star realms. It doesn't make sense, but it's happening."

The legion leader was still doubtful. "Are they truly that powerful?"

The envoy hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Yes. I fought one of their strongest, and it was a difficult battle."

Of course, he didn't mention that he'd actually had to retreat after only a few blows, sparing himself the embarrassment. The legion leader, however, assumed that the envoy and the human warrior had fought to a standstill, which left him stunned.

"On par with a divine envoy? A human warrior?" The legion leader couldn't fully believe it. "But if they're so powerful…"

"I've been wondering the same thing," the envoy said, shaking his head.

He had planned to lure Earth's strongest defenders into the open by bringing the Cantel army. He was hoping that the warrior he had fought before would be forced to step in. If the Cantels could wear him down enough, he and the legion leader would have a good chance to finish the job together.

It wasn't a bad strategy. Earth had many powerful heroes, but they all drew power from limited energy sources. The envoy knew that Tony Stark, Earth's leading hero, wouldn't waste his energy on small battles if he could avoid it. That's why he had invested so much in building the Iron Legion—machines that would weaken the enemy forces, leaving Earth's heroes free to focus on the bigger threats.

Suddenly, a faint, whistling sound cut through the shadows. Without warning, two small metal darts shot out, heading straight for the envoy and legion leader's backs. Each of them dodged instinctively, leaping to the left and right, letting the darts zoom past and strike a nearby Cantel warrior, who vanished instantly upon impact.

"Really?!" a voice complained from the darkness.

Out of the shadows stepped Ant-Man, looking frustrated. "Do all aliens have eyes in the backs of their heads?"

"What?!" The legion leader stared at the strange, red-clad human who had somehow appeared in their sealed spaceship. The floating island was fully enclosed, made of high-tech materials only found in their galaxy. He couldn't understand how this human had gotten in.

He was still reeling from the dart attack when he noticed the Cantel soldier who had completely vanished without a trace. No flames, no explosion—he was simply gone, as if he had never existed.

"What kind of weapon does that?" he thought, his heart racing.

The legion leader couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. If he hadn't dodged, would he have vanished just like that?

When he looked back at Ant-Man, his fear grew. The envoy's warnings about Earth's heroes might be truer than he'd realized.

He glanced accusingly at the envoy. "Didn't you say you were evenly matched with one of these humans?"

The envoy looked just as stunned by Ant-Man's weapon. He'd never seen anything like it, and he was just as shaken.

Meeting the legion leader's accusing look, he threw up his hands, equally clueless. 

"How was I supposed to know?! They didn't have these abilities the last time I fought them!"