Boom!
A blinding beam of concentrated energy erupted from the World Engine.
The massive Kryptonian warship hovered in the void outside the Kyln prison, its primary weapon systems fully engaged. The beam shot across the battlefield like a spear of light, striking the Kree fleet stationed around the prison.
The attack arrived so suddenly that the Kree ships had no time to react.
Several warships were destroyed instantly.
Explosions blossomed across the darkness of space as entire vessels collapsed into fireballs. Fragments of shattered hulls scattered across the battlefield while burning debris drifted silently into the void.
Inside the command chamber of the World Engine, Lilith sat calmly at the central control console.
Her fingers moved quickly across the holographic interface as she directed the ship's weapons with precise efficiency.
The battle unfolded like a carefully calculated operation.
But while monitoring the battlefield, Lilith suddenly noticed something unusual.
"Your Majesty," she reported immediately. "Another fleet has appeared near the Kyln."
Her fingers moved across the screen as she analyzed the incoming vessels.
"Identification complete," she continued. "They belong to the Marauders."
The Marauders were a notorious group of interstellar raiders.
Operating mostly within lawless regions of space, they lived by their own code. Although some of their leaders followed certain rules, many of their members were ruthless criminals who survived through piracy and plunder.
Across the galaxy, their reputation was extremely dangerous.
Years ago, Peter Quill had been abducted from Earth by the Marauder captain Yondu.
For reasons no one fully understood, Yondu had never delivered Quill to the mysterious buyer who originally wanted the child. Because of that decision, Star-Lord had grown up within the Marauder fleet.
Even now, Quill maintained a strange relationship with Yondu and the organization.
Ethan Drake had heard of the Marauders before.
Their sudden appearance near the Kyln could only mean one thing.
They were here for the Orb.
Lilith continued speaking.
"Black market intelligence indicates that Taneleer Tivan—the Collector of Knowhere—has also expressed interest in purchasing the Orb."
Her tone remained calm as she added another detail.
"He has offered an extremely high price."
Ethan smiled faintly.
The Collector clearly understood what the Orb truly contained.
Inside that artifact rested one of the oldest and most powerful objects in existence.
An Infinity Stone.
Specifically, the Power Stone.
If someone could truly purchase such an artifact with money alone, the Collector would probably consider it the greatest bargain in the history of the universe.
At this moment, multiple factions were converging on the same prize.
The Kree Empire.
The Black Order.
The Marauders.
And Ethan himself.
"All hunting the same treasure," Ethan said quietly.
Then his smile widened slightly.
"Unfortunately, not everyone can be the oriole."
Without sufficient strength, rushing into a battle like this was simply suicide.
Ethan barely considered the Marauders a threat. Compared to the forces already present, their fleet was relatively weak.
"Continue the attack," he ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Boom!
The World Engine fired again.
As one of the last surviving large-scale Kryptonian warships, its combat power far surpassed that of the ordinary Kree vessels surrounding the prison.
Another series of devastating energy blasts tore through the battlefield.
Within seconds, several more Kree ships were destroyed.
"Damn it!"
Ronan the Accuser slammed his fist against a control console.
He had never expected someone else to suddenly intervene in the middle of his operation.
Even worse, the attack had forced his attention away from the prison itself.
Fortunately, Ronan had anticipated potential resistance.
Before launching the assault on the Kyln, he had brought a large portion of his fleet to ensure victory.
But as he prepared to redirect his forces, a message arrived from one of his officers.
"Commander… we've identified the attacking ship."
Ronan frowned.
"What is it?"
"A massive Kryptonian warship."
Ronan's expression changed instantly.
"What?"
His face darkened as realization struck him.
"That bastard… he's here again."
Ronan knew exactly who commanded a ship like that.
Ethan Drake.
The Kryptonian Emperor.
The terrifying warrior who had repeatedly ruined Ronan's plans in the past.
Ordinary fleets were useless against him.
The realization sent a chill down Ronan's spine.
What frightened him even more was the possibility that Ethan had come for the same reason he had.
The Orb.
His mind raced as a disturbing thought emerged.
Why had Thanos demanded this artifact so strongly?
And now even the Kryptonian Emperor had arrived to seize it.
"Could it be…"
Ronan's eyes darkened.
He wasn't a fool.
An object capable of attracting multiple cosmic powerhouses had to possess unimaginable value.
At that moment, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Ronan," someone said coldly. "What exactly are you thinking?"
Corvus Glaive stepped forward.
As one of the generals of the Black Order, Corvus carried himself with unmistakable arrogance. His loyalty belonged only to Thanos, and he had no intention of treating Ronan as an equal.
"Who are you so afraid of?" Corvus demanded.
Ronan's expression tightened slightly.
"A powerful enemy has arrived," he admitted. "We should consider withdrawing."
"Withdraw?"
Corvus laughed.
The sound carried obvious contempt.
"Running away isn't the style of the Black Order," he said. "Perhaps the Kree Empire prefers cowardice, but we do not."
Ronan's fists clenched.
"You…"
But he said nothing further.
The name Thanos carried enormous weight.
Even Ronan could not openly challenge one of the Mad Titan's generals.
Still, the humiliation burned in his chest.
The Kree Empire no longer trusted him.
Thanos treated him like a disposable pawn.
And now even one of Thanos's servants dared to mock him.
Ronan's eyes filled with dark fury.
"I won't remain like this forever," he muttered quietly.
His gaze shifted toward the Orb.
Perhaps this artifact could change everything.
Meanwhile, inside the Kyln prison, events were moving quickly.
Gamora had already taken the Orb from Star-Lord's possession.
Unlike the events that once unfolded in another timeline, she and Quill had not grown closer here. Without the moment of shared heroism that once connected them, their relationship remained tense and distant.
Gamora examined the Orb carefully.
Her adoptive father Thanos had shown great interest in this artifact.
That alone meant the object had to be extraordinary.
Before she could continue studying it, Ronan stepped forward.
"Let me see it," he said.
Gamora hesitated briefly before handing him the Orb.
Corvus Glaive immediately reacted.
"Ronan—!"
But it was already too late.
Ronan crushed the outer shell of the Orb with one hand.
The metallic casing shattered instantly.
Inside, the true object revealed itself.
A smooth oval gemstone radiating brilliant purple light.
The Power Stone.
For a moment, Ronan simply stared at it.
An overwhelming wave of energy surged through his body the instant he touched it.
The power was unimaginable.
He had witnessed many powerful beings in the universe before, but compared to the raw energy flowing through this gem, those forces were nothing more than sparks from a dying fire.
Ronan began laughing.
"So this is the treasure everyone is fighting for."
But the triumph lasted only a moment.
The Power Stone's energy surged violently into his arm.
The overwhelming force began tearing through his flesh.
"What…?"
Ronan gritted his teeth.
The power was simply too immense.
No ordinary body could control it.
Then suddenly he had an idea.
With a swift movement, Ronan pressed the stone directly into the head of his massive war hammer.
Click.
The gem locked perfectly into place.
Immediately the energy stabilized.
The hammer now served as a conduit for the stone's power.
Ronan raised the weapon slowly.
His laughter echoed through the prison chamber.
"Thanos… Kryptonian… whoever you are," he declared.
"I now possess what you all desire."
His eyes burned with madness.
"None of you will ever stand above me again."
"Ronan!" Corvus Glaive shouted angrily.
His scythe rose as he prepared to strike.
But things had changed.
Ronan swung his hammer casually.
The blow released a massive surge of purple energy.
Corvus Glaive was blasted backward instantly, thrown across the chamber and crashing into the distant wall with devastating force.
The Black Order general collapsed several kilometers away, badly injured.
Ronan looked down at the glowing hammer in his hands.
"Pathetic," he said coldly.
His voice carried overwhelming confidence.
"For someone so weak… you had quite a lot to say."
The crushing humiliation that had haunted him for so long had vanished.
With the Power Stone in his grasp, Ronan felt invincible.
For the first time in a long while—
He believed he controlled the fate of the entire universe.
....
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