Aside from the three Infinity Stones he had already collected, Max also possessed another—the Reality Stone—bringing his total to four Infinity Stones.
Now, only two of the six Infinity Stones remained:
The Time Stone – Currently on Earth, in the possession of the Sorcerer Supreme at Kamar-Taj.
The Soul Stone – Hidden on Vormir, requiring a sacrifice to obtain—"A soul for a Soul Stone."
Max stood up, stretching his arms before turning to Malaika.
"Malaika, set course for Xandar."
Malaika nodded immediately, inputting the coordinates into the ship's navigation system.
The Dark Elf mothership hummed, its engines roaring to life as it prepared for hyperspace travel.
Max grinned. "Time to get the Soul Stone."
But acquiring it wouldn't be simple.
To claim the Soul Stone, he needed to pay the price—a sacrifice.
"A soul for a Soul Stone," he muttered.
Since he wasn't about to sacrifice someone important, he had another plan—
The Plan: Capturing a Criminal
Xandar, home of the Nova Corps, was filled with criminals, pirates, and outlaws lurking in the shadows.
Max's plan was simple:
Find a scumbag criminal.
Capture them.
Take them to Vormir.
Sacrifice them to obtain the Soul Stone.
And while he was at it, he'd explore more of space, discovering new planets along the way.
The ship's warp drive activated, and within seconds—
They jumped into hyperspace, heading toward Xandar.
The Dark Elf mothership emerged from hyperspace, its sleek form appearing just outside Xandar's atmosphere.
Max sat comfortably in his captain's chair, gazing down at the vibrant, futuristic world below.
Xandar, the capital of the Nova Empire, was a thriving metropolis, filled with towering skyscrapers, neon-lit streets, and some of the most advanced technology in the universe.
But beneath its polished exterior…
Crime still lurked in the shadows of the underworld.
Max smirked. "Time to go hunting."
After half an hour of exploring Xandar, Max could be seen sitting in a restaurant, casually enjoying a weird-looking alien dish by Earth's standards.
He chewed thoughtfully, raising an eyebrow at the unusual texture.
"This tastes damn good… despite how weird it looks," Max muttered, eating with relish.
Malaika, sitting across from him, watched him with a mix of amusement and curiosity.
"Master, shouldn't we be focusing on finding a sacrifice?" she asked, tilting her head.
Max waved his hand dismissively. "Relax, Malaika. We've got time. Besides, can't go hunting on an empty stomach."
Malaika sighed, but nodded. "As you wish, Master."
As Max continued eating, his sharp golden eyes scanned the streets outside the restaurant, watching for any potential targets.
Another half an hour passed, and Max was still eating, enjoying his meal without a care in the world.
But this time, there was a problem.
A squad of Nova Corps officers in uniform had surrounded him and Malaika, their weapons aimed directly at them.
The Nova Corps Commander stepped forward, his expression serious.
"Are you finished?" he asked.
Max shook his head, still chewing. "No, I'm not."
He took another bite, completely ignoring the weapons pointed at him.
The Commander sighed, clearly frustrated.
It wasn't hard to guess why they had been exposed.
Xandar's security system was highly advanced, constantly scanning the city's inhabitants for potential threats.
When it scanned Malaika, her energy signature registered as a 'Calamity-Level' threat—something that could cause mass destruction.
And when it scanned Max…
The system didn't even give a proper reading.
Instead, it displayed one word:
[EXTINCTION]
That alone had been enough to set off every alarm in the Nova Corps database.
Seeing two god-like threats casually dining on their planet, the Nova Corps didn't take chances.
Nova Prime had immediately ordered her forces to "politely invite" them to headquarters.
But Max wasn't moving.
He just sat there, eating his food, looking completely relaxed—or maybe it was just the aftereffects of eating food cooked by a Dark Elf…
Malaika, on the other hand, simply smiled at the guards, unfazed.
It was clear—Max wasn't the least bit interested in their "invitation."
And the Nova Corps Commander knew it.
He couldn't do anything but stand there and wait as Max continued eating, silently cursing the situation.
They weren't stupid enough to agitate an Extinction-Level threat without a damn good reason—
Though, aiming their guns at him in "self-defense" was probably one of the dumbest things they could do.
But none of them dared to lower their weapons.
They just… stood there.
An Hour Later…
Finally, after another full hour, Max finished his meal.
He wiped his mouth, stood up, and stretched lazily.
Then, with a smirk, he said, "Alright. Lead the way."
The tense atmosphere immediately lifted.
The Nova Corps officers, visibly relieved, wasted no time and began escorting him toward headquarters.
Malaika simply walked beside Max, completely relaxed, as if none of this concerned her at all.
And so, with every step, Max walked toward Nova Corps HQ—
Not as a prisoner, but as a guest they were too afraid to refuse.
Max walked casually, following the Nova Corps officers as they led him through Xandar's vibrant streets toward their headquarters.
The people around them paused, staring in confusion as they saw armed Nova Corps soldiers escorting a seemingly normal man and a stunningly beautiful woman.
They had no idea that the man walking so leisurely beside them was considered an "Extinction-Level Threat."
Malaika, walking beside Max, simply smirked, her cosmic eyes gleaming. "Master, I find it amusing how they are still pretending they have control."
Max chuckled. "Let them have their little illusion. It makes them feel better."
The Nova Corps Commander gritted his teeth, clearly hearing their conversation, but choosing to ignore it.
He had seen what happens when a being of Max's level is provoked.
And he wasn't about to make that mistake.
After a few minutes, they arrived at Nova Corps Headquarters, a massive high-tech structure at the center of the city.
A squad of higher-ranking officers stood at the entrance, waiting for them.
As soon as Max and Malaika stepped forward, the large holographic doors slid open, revealing Nova Prime Irani Rael sitting at a sleek, futuristic table inside a large conference room.
***
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