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Chapter 338: The Supreme Legend
With a single "landing" motion, he reversed the tide of battle. The moment the Giant from the stars descended, he became the absolute focus of the entire battlefield.
The Manhunters were annihilated in the light, and yellow power rings flew everywhere. Suddenly, the Blue Lanterns were no longer important. Both the Manhunters and the Yellow Lanterns turned their weapons in unison, locking their firepower onto the outsider who had suddenly burst in.
"Target changed! All units."
The leading Yellow Lantern commander roared into their team channel.
"...Focus fire on that Giant!"
A dense barrage of firepower formed a massive curtain of light. Each Yellow Lantern unleashed their most powerful constructs. There were soaring giant dragons, industrial constructs, interstellar warships, lasers, and missiles, as well as the most ferocious monsters from various galaxies.
The Manhunters opened fire at the same time. The energy they had absorbed from the Blue Lanterns during the battle was converted into the thermal energy and impact of the weapons in their hands. Their powerful firepower was like a tsunami of energy.
At almost the same instant, powerful attacks swept in from all directions. Orin Vale was surrounded in the very center, like a lighthouse besieged by a storm and crashing waves.
This was within his expectations.
In other words, he had made such a grand and ostentatious entrance precisely because he wasn't afraid of drawing fire. Sometimes, the best way to deal with Fear is to crush it head-on.
Sometimes, all you need to do is show your enemy an even greater Fear.
"How... how is this possible???"
Witnessing the scene before them, all the Yellow Lanterns present seemed to freeze in place.
The constructs they had fired, all their constructs, seemed to be pulled by an unknown power as they flew to within fifty meters of Orin Vale.
Whether they were light beams, giant beasts, or steel warships, all of them stopped dead as if bewitched. Then, every Yellow Lantern felt with utter shock that their connection to their constructs... had been severed!
It was simply unbelievable!
Those were products of their imagination, brought to life by the energy of Fear channeled through their power rings. If their concentration wavered for even a moment, those creations would instantly dissipate into thin air.
How could they possibly remain floating there after the connection was cut?
What they saw next shocked them even more. Under the continuous influence of that formless power, the constructs began to disintegrate, breaking down from their various forms back into their original yellow light energy.
Then, all that energy converged upon the Giant of Light, like countless streams flowing into the sea. The Fear energy unleashed by the full power of the numerous Yellow Lanterns gathered in one place, forming a majestic, churning golden orb of light. The excess energy spilling from its periphery burned like a flame as it floated quietly in Orin Vale's palm.
At this moment, the Yellow Lanterns were beyond shocked.
*Wait a minute...*
*Between the two of us, who exactly represents the Light of Fear?*
*We're clearly the ones wearing the yellow power rings, so why the hell can you just steal our energy!?*
Orin Vale found this amusing. It was obvious that these Yellow Lanterns were just rookies temporarily conscripted into the Sinestro Corps for the war. They could light up their power rings and create passable constructs, making themselves look like competent ring wielders, but in reality, their use of the Light of Fear was, at best, like a child waving a torch, completely ignorant of how it actually worked.
All Orin Vale had done was use his own light manipulation techniques and his understanding of the Emotional Spectrum—especially his recent research on the Fear spectrum from Parallax—to reverse-engineer and command the yellow light energy fired by his enemies.
This wasn't some unique technique. In fact, Sinestro could do it too. In the comics, when Hal Jordan's Green Lantern ring was out of power, he casually scooped up ten yellow power rings as weapons and fired the combined yellow light energy output of all ten rings at Sinestro.
But Sinestro had mocked him for wielding Fear like a little brat trying desperately to learn to ride a bike. He had nonchalantly caught the energy Hal shot at him with his bare hands and reflected it back, just as Orin Vale was doing now.
Similarly, the Guardians of the Green Lantern Corps didn't need rings to manipulate the green light fired by novice Green Lanterns with weak willpower, likely based on a similar principle.
Manipulating light was already Orin Vale's strong suit. He had been studying the Emotional Spectrum for quite some time now, and with the amplifying effect of blue light, which could counter yellow light, controlling the energy released by a few Yellow Lantern rookies was a piece of cake.
"You think you have mastered Fear."
They stared wide-eyed as the yellow light they had unleashed churned in the Giant's palm. At the same time, a majestic and powerful voice echoed in each of their minds, accompanied by an oppressive pressure that made their very souls tremble.
"...You know nothing of Fear."
The Yellow Lantern commander's pupils constricted violently, and he screamed, "Shields! Raise your shields!"
The quicker-reacting Yellow Lanterns hurriedly threw up barriers, but it was useless. With a gentle flip of the Giant's hand, the mass of Fear energy was turned back on them. The shields they had hastily erected were no match for that power, shattering with a crisp crack. The group of Yellow Lanterns cowering behind them were instantly sent scattering in disarray.
Although the new Blue Lanterns had all heard stories of Ultraman, and within the Lantern Corps, his tale was even passed down as the "Supreme" legend, a symbol of Hope, this was the first time any of them had witnessed him in person. The shocking scene was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds. The gloomy despair from being pushed to the brink just moments ago was swept away. This was reflected in their very beings, as the blue aura surrounding them grew several shades brighter.
"Did you know, in my hometown, Anistone, there is a legend," Saint Walker said with a smile.
"They all say that no matter how dark, no matter how desperate the situation, as long as you never give up Hope and hold on until the very last moment... 'He' will definitely come."
A look of admiration and anticipation lit up the eyes of the new recruits.
"This is what he taught us, and it has inspired us all. And our mission is to spread this light to more people who need it."
Saint Walker took a deep breath and raised his ring.
"So now, brothers and sisters, let's believe together..."
The Blue Lanterns responded in unison, flying up together and raising their rings toward the spot where Ultraman stood.
"...Everything will be alright!"
The blue light erupted, centered on Ultraman's body, and shone in concert with the Blue Lantern Central Power Battery not far away. The sweeping curtain of light enveloped all the Blue Lantern members, and their ring energy began to rise at an incredible speed.
"Hope energy at 170%..."
"Hope energy at 210%..."
"Hope energy..."
The Blue Lantern Corps, fully charged!
Faced with the Giant of Light who radiated invincibility, and the team of Blue Lanterns who were all hyped up as if on steroids, the combined forces of the Yellow Lanterns and Manhunters immediately lost the will to fight.
Their lines were broken, and everyone was struggling just to protect themselves.
The Yellow Lantern commander initially tried to struggle: "Hold the formation! Hold it... Follow orders! Hey, you, don't run! Dammit, you're all disobeying orders, deserting your posts, is that it?"
"Fine, then I'm outta here too..."
With that, he turned and broke into a hundred-meter dash, joining the great escape.
But it was already too late.
The endless blue light caught up from behind, swallowing him and his shield whole, annihilating him within.
"Yellow Lantern 2933, connection terminated."
(end of chapter)
With a single "landing" motion, he reversed the tide of battle. The moment the Giant from the stars descended, he became the absolute focus of the entire battlefield.
The Manhunters were annihilated in the light, and yellow power rings flew everywhere. Suddenly, the Blue Lanterns were no longer important. Both the Manhunters and the Yellow Lanterns turned their weapons in unison, locking their firepower onto the outsider who had suddenly burst in.
"Target changed! All units."
The leading Yellow Lantern commander roared into their team channel.
"...Focus fire on that Giant!"
A dense barrage of firepower formed a massive curtain of light. Each Yellow Lantern unleashed their most powerful constructs. There were soaring giant dragons, industrial constructs, interstellar warships, lasers, and missiles, as well as the most ferocious monsters from various galaxies.
The Manhunters opened fire at the same time. The energy they had absorbed from the Blue Lanterns during the battle was converted into the thermal energy and impact of the weapons in their hands. Their powerful firepower was like a tsunami of energy.
At almost the same instant, powerful attacks swept in from all directions. Orin Vale was surrounded in the very center, like a lighthouse besieged by a storm and crashing waves.
This was within his expectations.
In other words, he had made such a grand and ostentatious entrance precisely because he wasn't afraid of drawing fire. Sometimes, the best way to deal with Fear is to crush it head-on.
Sometimes, all you need to do is show your enemy an even greater Fear.
"How... how is this possible???"
Witnessing the scene before them, all the Yellow Lanterns present seemed to freeze in place.
The constructs they had fired, all their constructs, seemed to be pulled by an unknown power as they flew to within fifty meters of Orin Vale.
Whether they were light beams, giant beasts, or steel warships, all of them stopped dead as if bewitched. Then, every Yellow Lantern felt with utter shock that their connection to their constructs... had been severed!
It was simply unbelievable!
Those were products of their imagination, brought to life by the energy of Fear channeled through their power rings. If their concentration wavered for even a moment, those creations would instantly dissipate into thin air.
How could they possibly remain floating there after the connection was cut?
What they saw next shocked them even more. Under the continuous influence of that formless power, the constructs began to disintegrate, breaking down from their various forms back into their original yellow light energy.
Then, all that energy converged upon the Giant of Light, like countless streams flowing into the sea. The Fear energy unleashed by the full power of the numerous Yellow Lanterns gathered in one place, forming a majestic, churning golden orb of light. The excess energy spilling from its periphery burned like a flame as it floated quietly in Orin Vale's palm.
At this moment, the Yellow Lanterns were beyond shocked.
*Wait a minute...*
*Between the two of us, who exactly represents the Light of Fear?*
*We're clearly the ones wearing the yellow power rings, so why the hell can you just steal our energy!?*
Orin Vale found this amusing. It was obvious that these Yellow Lanterns were just rookies temporarily conscripted into the Sinestro Corps for the war. They could light up their power rings and create passable constructs, making themselves look like competent ring wielders, but in reality, their use of the Light of Fear was, at best, like a child waving a torch, completely ignorant of how it actually worked.
All Orin Vale had done was use his own light manipulation techniques and his understanding of the Emotional Spectrum—especially his recent research on the Fear spectrum from Parallax—to reverse-engineer and command the yellow light energy fired by his enemies.
This wasn't some unique technique. In fact, Sinestro could do it too. In the comics, when Hal Jordan's Green Lantern ring was out of power, he casually scooped up ten yellow power rings as weapons and fired the combined yellow light energy output of all ten rings at Sinestro.
But Sinestro had mocked him for wielding Fear like a little brat trying desperately to learn to ride a bike. He had nonchalantly caught the energy Hal shot at him with his bare hands and reflected it back, just as Orin Vale was doing now.
Similarly, the Guardians of the Green Lantern Corps didn't need rings to manipulate the green light fired by novice Green Lanterns with weak willpower, likely based on a similar principle.
Manipulating light was already Orin Vale's strong suit. He had been studying the Emotional Spectrum for quite some time now, and with the amplifying effect of blue light, which could counter yellow light, controlling the energy released by a few Yellow Lantern rookies was a piece of cake.
"You think you have mastered Fear."
They stared wide-eyed as the yellow light they had unleashed churned in the Giant's palm. At the same time, a majestic and powerful voice echoed in each of their minds, accompanied by an oppressive pressure that made their very souls tremble.
"...You know nothing of Fear."
The Yellow Lantern commander's pupils constricted violently, and he screamed, "Shields! Raise your shields!"
The quicker-reacting Yellow Lanterns hurriedly threw up barriers, but it was useless. With a gentle flip of the Giant's hand, the mass of Fear energy was turned back on them. The shields they had hastily erected were no match for that power, shattering with a crisp crack. The group of Yellow Lanterns cowering behind them were instantly sent scattering in disarray.
Although the new Blue Lanterns had all heard stories of Ultraman, and within the Lantern Corps, his tale was even passed down as the "Supreme" legend, a symbol of Hope, this was the first time any of them had witnessed him in person. The shocking scene was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds. The gloomy despair from being pushed to the brink just moments ago was swept away. This was reflected in their very beings, as the blue aura surrounding them grew several shades brighter.
"Did you know, in my hometown, Anistone, there is a legend," Saint Walker said with a smile.
"They all say that no matter how dark, no matter how desperate the situation, as long as you never give up Hope and hold on until the very last moment... 'He' will definitely come."
A look of admiration and anticipation lit up the eyes of the new recruits.
"This is what he taught us, and it has inspired us all. And our mission is to spread this light to more people who need it."
Saint Walker took a deep breath and raised his ring.
"So now, brothers and sisters, let's believe together..."
The Blue Lanterns responded in unison, flying up together and raising their rings toward the spot where Ultraman stood.
"...Everything will be alright!"
The blue light erupted, centered on Ultraman's body, and shone in concert with the Blue Lantern Central Power Battery not far away. The sweeping curtain of light enveloped all the Blue Lantern members, and their ring energy began to rise at an incredible speed.
"Hope energy at 170%..."
"Hope energy at 210%..."
"Hope energy..."
The Blue Lantern Corps, fully charged!
Faced with the Giant of Light who radiated invincibility, and the team of Blue Lanterns who were all hyped up as if on steroids, the combined forces of the Yellow Lanterns and Manhunters immediately lost the will to fight.
Their lines were broken, and everyone was struggling just to protect themselves.
The Yellow Lantern commander initially tried to struggle: "Hold the formation! Hold it... Follow orders! Hey, you, don't run! Dammit, you're all disobeying orders, deserting your posts, is that it?"
"Fine, then I'm outta here too..."
With that, he turned and broke into a hundred-meter dash, joining the great escape.
But it was already too late.
The endless blue light caught up from behind, swallowing him and his shield whole, annihilating him within.
"Yellow Lantern 2933, connection terminated."
(end of chapter)
