Harvey made his way to a distant, emerald-colored planet named Kilf, more than 1,200 light-years away from Xandar. As he arrived, he took a quick survey of the planet's surface and discovered that in one expansive region spanning thousands of miles, there were eight massive hives constructed around various volcanoes. Smaller hives were scattered densely below the surface.
Swarming across the planet were countless grotesque, crimson-skinned bugs, organized like ants, each carrying out their assigned tasks. Surrounding the larger hives were well-fortified military encampments and groups of unusual-looking people resting nearby.
Harvey recognized these individuals as bounty hunters, likely completing first-tier bounties. However, what caught his attention was a massive, crimson-hued bug, extending tendrils deep into the planet's core, drawing energy from the magma below. Its bloated, pulsating body glowed, and within that light, shadows of developing creatures could be seen—an endless supply of Zerg-like offspring.
The eight large hives were positioned in an irregular formation, all surrounding the central bug, making it clear that this creature was the brood mother he had been sent to eliminate. The fact that it had burrowed so deeply into the planet's core suggested that conventional means of attack wouldn't be sufficient to deal with it.
Harvey could certainly take care of it, but he figured it was worth renegotiating the bounty. After all, if the brood mother wasn't stopped, it would only continue producing more and more of its spawn.
With a single step, Harvey created a Void portal beneath his feet and appeared at the entrance of a military encampment.
The inhabitants of this planet had green skin, reminiscent of the Namekians from Dragon Ball. His sudden appearance startled the soldiers stationed there, and in an instant, they raised their guns with a synchronized shk, shk, shk, creating a tense and hostile atmosphere.
A green-skinned man with a scarred face stepped forward, signaling his men to stand down.
"Who are you, and what's your business here?" the man asked, his gaze fixed on Harvey's golden armor.
"I'm Kassadin. I accepted the bounty to eliminate the brood mother," Harvey replied casually. "However, I've realized that the 20 million reward is far too low for a task of this scale. I want more. So, bring me someone who has the authority to negotiate."
The green-skinned man introduced himself. "I'm Brighton, the commander of this outpost," he said. "If you've taken on a third-tier bounty, you must be at least a second-tier hunter. I respect that—you people tend to have extraordinary abilities."
"But I'll tell you this," Brighton continued, "You're not the first to take on the task of killing the brood mother. Many other second-tier hunters have come before you, but they all left with their tails between their legs. I hope you're not planning to do the same."
Harvey remained unfazed by the man's veiled insult. "That's none of my concern. All I'm saying is, if you raise the bounty, I'll kill the brood mother for you."
At this, several soldiers in the camp couldn't help but chuckle. Brighton, however, maintained his composure. "Let me warn you," he said, "You're not the first one to ask for a higher reward. Plenty of hunters have tried to negotiate, but none of them succeeded."
"The problem is that the brood mother is buried somewhere deep underground," Brighton explained. "That's the heart of their hive, and plenty of people have been devoured trying to reach her. But if you can truly kill her, we'll gladly pay you whatever you ask. Hell, I'll double the reward to 50 million or even a hundred million if that's what it takes."
Brighton's words took Harvey by surprise. Initially, he was planning to negotiate for around 30 or 40 million, as the task wasn't too difficult for him. But seeing the desperation in the commander's offer, he realized he could push for more.
"The difficulty isn't that high," Harvey said. "So, a hundred million will suffice. Just make sure to honor your word—I don't like it when people break deals."
Harvey cast a glance around the camp, his eyes cold and serious. The soldiers who met his gaze felt a chill crawl down their spines as if they were being stared at by a predator far beyond their comprehension. Without another word, Harvey vanished into thin air.
The sky cracked with the sound of a sonic boom, and a shockwave rippled through the clouds, scattering them as if an invisible hand had wiped the sky clean. Even though the explosion happened high above the camp, the resulting force shattered the windows of nearby buildings, and several soldiers were knocked off their feet.
"What the hell was that?" one soldier muttered, wide-eyed and shaken.
The soldiers were hardened veterans, used to dealing with all manner of superhumans and bounty hunters, but Harvey's display left them in awe. They'd seen speedsters break the sound barrier before, but never with such destructive power. And none of them could fly.
Brighton stood in the command center, watching the destruction from a distance, his face pale. He remembered what Harvey had said about the price. If this man truly managed to kill the brood mother, Brighton would have no choice but to pay up—even if it meant emptying his coffers.
But despite the impressive show of strength, Brighton wasn't optimistic. He'd seen plenty of powerful hunters come and go, but none had succeeded in taking down the brood mother.
Suddenly, a faint tremor shook the ground beneath the camp. Pebbles danced on the surface, and cracks began to form in the earth.
Brighton's heart sank. "Damn it," he swore. "Did that idiot use energy weapons? Get to the ships, now!"
The soldiers felt the tremors as well, and within seconds, they were racing toward the transports. In under a minute, they had all boarded the ships and were preparing for takeoff.
"Damn that fool!" Brighton spat, looking down at the cracks forming in the ground. "Didn't he even bother to read the mission briefing?"
Years of fighting the Zerg had taught them one thing: the hives were located inside dormant volcanoes. If those volcanoes erupted, it wouldn't just destroy the hives—it would trigger a chain reaction that could decimate the entire planet's ecosystem.
If they'd been able to use energy weapons, the Zerg would've been wiped out long ago. But because of the risk of volcanic eruption, they were forced into brutal, hand-to-hand combat. It had cost them countless lives and drained their resources.
Brighton clenched his fists. If Harvey's reckless actions caused an eruption, it wouldn't just be the Zerg they had to worry about. The entire planet could be doomed.