"A huge cockroach?"
"Since when could cockroaches mutate into full-grown adults?"
The three turtles exchanged looks, their expressions filled with disbelief. But given Donatello's track record, they knew better than to doubt him.
"No, you misunderstood."
Donatello adjusted his goggles, his voice serious.
"I don't mean a mutated cockroach. I mean—his entire body is a cockroach. He's just wearing human skin as a disguise."
Michelangelo froze.
"So… it's like a wolf in sheep's clothing… but worse?"
At the same time, Leonardo and Raphael grasped the bigger issue.
"Wait—when did something like this even appear on Earth?"
"Have you already forgotten who called us here? This whole mission was commissioned by the Men in Black. And what do they specialize in?"
A pause.
"Alien affairs," Raphael muttered.
"So this thing is an alien?"
"An alien cockroach?"
The realization hit them all at once.
BOOM!
Just as the thought crossed their minds, the man standing by the truck suddenly twitched.
His inhuman eyes flickered with something violent, as if he had sensed the turtles' hostility.
"Weak humans… pathetic, unevolved primates… thinking they can stand in the way of the great Zerg?"
His voice was guttural, layered, like multiple voices speaking at once.
Then—
BOOM!
He kicked open the truck door, leaping out stiffly before turning toward the four turtles.
His movements were unnatural.
Jerky.
Like something trying too hard to imitate human behavior.
"Mikey, Donnie, Leo, Raph—"
A familiar voice cut through the tense air.
Anton.
The Men in Black had arrived.
"Stop him."
Anton's voice was sharp and unwavering.
"Don't hold back—this guy is dangerous."
"Got it!"
The turtles didn't hesitate.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
All four shot forward, launching themselves at the alien threat.
The Zerg didn't flinch.
In its mind, Earth was nothing more than a forgotten, backwater planet.
What real threats could exist here?
What, turtles?
Were humans so desperate that they now relied on tortoises for protection?
Disgusted, the Zerg raised its arms and—
RIP!
It tore away its human disguise.
SQUELCH!
A sickening, wet sound filled the air as thick, lubricant-like mucus splattered across the pavement.
Where once stood a man, now loomed a monstrous figure—
A grotesquely enlarged cockroach, its massive mouthparts snapping hungrily.
Its long, twitching antennae swayed in the air, while its beady, soulless eyes locked onto its prey.
"OH, GROSS!"
"What the hell is that?!"
"Is this… drool?!"
"Disgusting!"
The turtles recoiled, their faces twisting in horror.
Sure, they had grown up in the sewers.
Sure, they had seen their fair share of filth.
But this?
Even the worst sewage water had never been this revolting.
At least Splinter kept their home clean!
But here, standing in the middle of a city street, covered in alien bug slime—
Yeah, no. This was too much.
And they weren't the only ones who thought so.
The New York police officers, hardened as they were, instinctively took a step back.
Not out of fear.
But because this thing—this grotesque, hideous nightmare—was an assault on every ounce of their common sense and personal hygiene.
It wasn't just dangerous.
It was disgusting.
From a distance, the onlookers watched the scene unfold, their faces twisted in shock and disgust.
Some felt their stomachs churn. Others gagged.
It was just too ugly.
This cockroach monster wasn't just terrifying—it was viscerally repulsive.
As gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd, the battle between the monster and the turtles erupted.
BOOM!
The four turtles surrounded the Zerg and launched a relentless assault.
Fists, kicks, and weapons clashed against the alien's thick exoskeleton.
The cockroach monster opened its grotesque mouth, revealing rows of jagged, bloodstained teeth. Its hard shell absorbed much of the turtles' attacks, and it countered by violently whipping its long, segmented lower body.
CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks flew as their strikes ricocheted off the Zerg's armor-like plating.
"Damn turtles!" the monster hissed, pain flashing in its insectoid eyes.
Its mouthparts twitched—and then, suddenly—
WHIP!
A pair of barbed tendrils shot out like whips, lashing across the battlefield.
BOOM!
The sheer force sent streetlights crashing down.
Parked cars on both sides of the street were flung into the air, twisting and flipping before slamming onto the pavement with deafening crashes.
Michelangelo barely dodged a flying bumper, his eyes wide with fascination.
"Whoa! Are all aliens this freaky?!"
Despite the chaos, he didn't look the least bit afraid.
In fact—he looked thrilled.
Because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles weren't ones to run from a fight.
They ran toward it.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Blades and weapons clashed, but the cockroach monster held its ground.
It was tough. Strong. And despite their best efforts, the turtles had yet to break through its thick exoskeleton.
For now, they could only dodge and weave, looking for an opening.
Meanwhile...
Not far away, Anton remained motionless, watching the fight unfold.
He had no intention of stepping in.
Instead, his gaze flicked to the agents standing beside him and gave a subtle nod.
Time to assist.
In the Men in Black universe, the Zerg were considered an extremely dangerous race.
But in the Marvel universe?
They were nothing.
Compared to threats like the Skrulls, this single cockroach monster was hardly a concern.
Especially in New York—where superheroes practically outnumbered tourists.
If something like this caused a city-wide panic, it would be an insult to both the Men in Black and Earth's superheroes.
DA-DA-DA!
The agents moved in, guns in hand.
Among them, K took the lead, his sharp eyes locked onto the target.
"Fire!"
The air filled with bursts of glowing energy as their weapons discharged, drawing the monster's attention.
"His shell is too hard—"
Leonardo's voice cut through the chaos. His twin katana gleamed under the sunlight.
He turned to Raphael.
"But his mouth is wide open. Raph, pin it down with your sai!"
Raphael grinned.
"On it!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, he lunged forward.
With a powerful leap, he closed the distance—
And threw his twin sai.
SCHLICK!
The sharp weapons struck true, embedding themselves deep inside the monster's gaping maw.
The Zerg reeled back, letting out a bloodcurdling shriek.
"NOW!"
K shouted.
The agents fired in unison.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Blasts of energy streaked through the air—
Slamming directly into the monster's open mouth.
The high-powered beams pierced straight through, ripping into its insides.
For the first time, the Zerg's cockroach-like body shuddered.
Its soulless, insectoid eyes widened.
And then—
It began to fall.
CLICK!
Cracks formed across the cockroach monster's hardened shell.
"Now!"
Leonardo's voice rang out, commanding his brothers.
Without hesitation, the other three turtles sprang into action.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
They charged at the wounded monster, whose massive mouthparts dripped with a sickening mix of saliva and blood.
BOOM!
The shell shattered beneath their combined assault.
And then—
BANG!
The cockroach monster's body exploded.
A thick, viscous liquid sprayed into the air, raining down in slimy droplets.
Unfortunately for the turtles...
They were directly beneath it.
SPLAT!
"OH GOD, THAT'S DISGUSTING!"
"I NEED A SHOWER! IMMEDIATELY!"
"Wait—was that thing really an alien?"
Despite their complaints, the mission was a success.
As the agents in black exchanged nods, they swiftly moved in to secure the area, planning to take the Zerg's remains back for research.
Meanwhile, the citizens of New York cheered.
For them, this kind of chaos was nothing new.
Scanning the crowd, his eyes landed on a particular figure—
A man with an unfortunate hairline, standing silently in the distance.
He held an orange cat in his arms.
His expression was blank. His eyes, hollow. His movements, stiff.
At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
But Anton had long since reached his conclusion.
And if his hunch was correct—
This was important.
TAP. TAP. TAP.
Anton raised a hand, gesturing toward K.
"K."
The agent immediately jogged over.
"Sir?"
Anton motioned toward the man with the cat.
"Bring him in. Tell him we need his cooperation for an investigation."
K gave a sharp nod.
"Understood."
Just as he turned to leave—
"Be careful."
Anton's tone was firm.
"Be very polite—to both him and his pet. If that cat turns out to be a Metamorph Beast, things could get messy."
K froze mid-step.
His head slowly turned back.
"Did you just say... Metamorph Beast?"
Anton nodded.
"A terrifying creature. Far more dangerous than the Zerg."
He waved a dismissive hand.
"Just be respectful. That guy... he might be useful to us."
K swallowed but nodded.
Then, stepping forward, he carefully approached the man and struck up a conversation.
The man remained expressionless, listening in silence.
But after a brief exchange, his hollow eyes flicked toward Anton.
A moment later—he nodded.
Without another word, he followed K to the black sedan parked nearby.
Anton sat across from the man, his expression unreadable.
His voice, however, was calm.
"Acheron?"
A flicker of surprise flashed across the man's blank face.
"Oh?"
For the first time, his voice carried emotion.
"You know who I am."
His shock was fleeting, though, and he quickly regained his composure.
Then, with quiet curiosity, he asked:
"How did you figure it out?"
Anton leaned back, arms crossed.
"The moment I saw the Zerg, I knew something was off. That thing wouldn't come to Earth for no reason."
His gaze sharpened.
"It's here for the Galaxy you're holding."
For the first time—
The man's composure cracked.
His face remained emotionless, but his voice betrayed his reaction.
"Where did you learn about that?"
His grip on the cat subtly tightened.
And then—
As if realizing something—
His expression shifted.
"Wait…"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Are you the 'helper' that Carol Danvers mentioned?"
"...What?"
For the first time, Anton was the one caught off guard.
His gaze snapped to the man, stunned.
"Carol Danvers? You know her?"
In the Men in Black universe, the Aquilonians were an advanced civilization.
Their technology? Terrifying.
Their weapons? Capable of wiping out planets with a single shot.
And yet—
They themselves were incredibly fragile.
The Aquilonians are incredibly small, roughly the size of half a human palm.
In Men in Black, their activities on Earth are conducted in secret—hidden inside humanoid robotic bodies. They control these machines with precision technology, allowing them to operate undetected.
The first Men in Black film revolves around the conflict between the Zerg and the Aquilonians.
Seeking the Galaxy, a powerful artifact, the Zerg arrived on Earth and discovered the hidden Aquilonians, triggering the events that led to the involvement of the Men in Black.
This was also the key to Anton's deduction—he worked backward from the answer to the question.
If this was a Men in Black story, then there was no way the Zerg had come to Earth without reason.
The real target?
The Aquilonian and the Galaxy in his possession.
"You know Carol Danvers..."
Anton's brows lifted in surprise as he studied the Aquilonian before him.
His gaze narrowed.
"So that's it. You believed Earth was safe because of her. That's why you came here—to escape the Zerg, didn't you?"
The Aquilonian stiffened.
His silence was telling.
Anton scoffed.
He had no patience for this.
"If you won't talk, I'll have no choice but to throw you off Earth."
His tone was calm, but the threat was clear.
"And when the Zerg come for you again, I won't interfere."
At that, the Aquilonian sighed in defeat.
"Fine," he admitted.
"Yes, Carol saved me. She told me Earth was safe and advised me to hide here from the Zerg."
Anton's eyes remained sharp.
"Did she say anything else?"
"You mentioned I was her 'helper'—why?"
The Aquilonian hesitated before answering.
"That was a misunderstanding."
His voice was oddly careful.
"I assumed she had someone on Earth to assist her, and since you saved me, I thought you were the one."
Anton's frown deepened slightly.
He didn't believe him.
There was something off about this explanation.
But for now, he let it go.
"Meow—"
Anton's eyes flicked to the orange cat nestled in the Aquilonian's arms.
With a swift motion—
He reached out and lifted the cat.
"Wait!"
The Aquilonian's face changed drastically.
"What are you doing?!"
Anton smirked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
His fingers brushed against the cat's neck.
"I want to see the Galaxy."
"You can't!" The Aquilonian panicked. "The Galaxy is dangerous—it's not a toy!"
Anton ignored him.
Despite the Aquilonian's technological prowess, his physical body was weak. The robotic shell he controlled had no combat capabilities.
He was no threat to Anton.
With a quick movement—
CLICK!
Anton detached the object from the cat's collar.
A glass-like bead, shimmering with the depth of a starry sky, lay in his palm.
He studied it intently.
From his knowledge of the original story—
The Galaxy was the most potent energy source in the universe.
If the Zerg obtained it, they could easily annihilate the Aquilonians.
But that wasn't what interested Anton.
At the end of the movie—
There was a scene.
One that hinted at something far more incredible.
A universe—
Inside the Galaxy.
Just as Anton examined the glass bead—
A chill ran down his spine.
A voice—
"If I were you, I wouldn't play with that."
The words were soft, almost gentle.
Anton's fingers froze over the bead.
His head snapped up.
A figure stood before him—
Clad in robes, with a head that glowed faintly, wearing an enigmatic smile.
Anton's breath hitched.
His eyes widened.
He knew this figure.
All too well.
"Ancient one..."
The name left his lips as he stared at the Ancient One.
Taking a deep breath, Anton's expression turned cautious.
His voice was steady, but his mind was racing.
"What exactly is the Galaxy… that even you would be concerned about it?"
…
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