"Very well, so, are you ready?"
Ragna's voice was calm as he gazed at Nebula, his expression unreadable.
"Definitely, as long as you promise to kill Thanos in the end!"
Nebula's cybernetic eyes burned with hatred, and her voice carried the weight of years of suffering under the Mad Titan's rule.
"Thanos must die," Ragna affirmed. "The moment he acquires the Soul Gem, he will be eliminated."
Nebula nodded silently.
"I have modified your cybernetic memory storage," Ragna continued. "Even Thanos won't be able to easily access your thoughts anymore. If he does manage to probe your mind, he'll only see what we want him to see."
A subtle but sharp glint passed through Nebula's gaze as she processed Ragna's words.
"Go back to Thanos," Ragna ordered. "Tell him that Gamora knows the location of the Soul Stone. Then, provide him with her coordinates. Once he acts on that information, your vengeance will be one step closer to completion."
Nebula clenched her fists, her servos whirring as she did so. Then, without hesitation, she turned and walked out of the Prime Minister's Office.
Looking toward the distant starfield where Gamora had long since departed, Nebula felt her mechanical body tighten in quiet fury. She swore to herself—Thanos would pay the price for everything.
The Cosmic Mercenary Union
With Yondu and Star-Lord's safe return, the raucous hall of the Ravagers erupted with excitement.
The moment they stepped inside, Yondu's subordinates swarmed him with eager questions.
"Boss, what was it like meeting the ruler of the Heavenly Palace?"
"Boss, why did he summon you?"
"Do you two know each other? Does that mean we can walk through the universe without fear now?"
"Boss, boss—"
"Enough with the questions!" Yondu barked, pushing the crowd aside. He turned to Star-Lord. "You, come with me!"
Star-Lord hesitated for a second, then followed Yondu to a quieter corner.
"Listen to me, boy—Ego is not a good father," Yondu said, his grip firm on Star-Lord's shoulders.
Star-Lord frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I delivered a lot of kids to him over the years," Yondu admitted. "He had countless children spread across the universe. But every single one I gave him… disappeared."
Star-Lord's eyes widened.
"I realized something was wrong," Yondu continued, voice heavy with regret. "That's why I kept you. Do you get it now? Ego is dangerous. If you go to him, he'll kill you, just like the others."
A chill ran down Star-Lord's spine. His father—a celestial, a literal god—wanted him dead?
"One more thing," Yondu lowered his voice. "I don't know what the ruler of the Heavenly Palace wants from you, but whatever it is, stay sharp. Protect yourself. Get stronger. Don't be a fool."
With that, Yondu gave Star-Lord a firm pat on the shoulder and left.
Back in the hall, Yondu's loud voice carried over the crowd.
"I'm telling you, the ruler of the Heavenly Palace personally invited us for a drink! Star-Lord and I are gonna help him with something big—"
Whether true or exaggerated, his words stirred the entire gathering.
Star-Lord reentered the hall quietly, still processing Yondu's warning. Around him, mercenaries and bounty hunters exchanged knowing glances, their greed and curiosity evident.
Despite their watchful eyes, none dared to make a move against him.
Arrival at Ego's Planet
The massive, ornate battleship of the Heavenly Palace followed closely behind Yondu's Ravager flagship as they passed through one jump point after another. Eventually, they reached a planet unlike any other.
"That's Ego's planet," Yondu informed them.
"No," Ragna corrected him, his tone almost amused. "Ego is the planet."
Star-Lord and Yondu exchanged confused looks.
"A planet can be alive?" Star-Lord muttered. "That's insane."
"You'll see soon enough," Ragna said simply.
At that moment, a sleek, white spherical spacecraft emerged from the distance, moving toward them.
A middle-aged figure with graying curly hair, a full beard, and a rugged face stood atop the ship.
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