Chapter 287: Just Teasing You~
As the massive mental power flooded in, Peter's movements suddenly froze.
The golden flames burning in his eyes suddenly extinguished, and the relaxed expression on his face turned hollow and vacant.
It worked!
Seeing this, Supergiant was almost moved to tears of joy!
In the safe house, the citizens of New York, who had just been immersed in the ecstasy of The Arbiter killing a powerful enemy in one hit, felt their hearts tighten once again, and cries of alarm rose one after another:
"Mr. Punisher... what happened to him?"
"Is he being controlled?!"
"Oh no!"
On the battlefield, Superheroes who didn't know Petervery well, like The Prowler and Red Guardian, couldn't help but have their expressions change drastically, instinctively wanting to rush over.
Meanwhile, Daisy and Natasha, after breaking free from the mental control, rubbed their throbbing temples and looked at the 'controlled' Peter and the ecstatic Supergiantwith extremely strange expressions on their faces.
In the distance, Felicia and Gwen, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, couldn't help but glance at each other.
In their eyes was the same mix of thirty percent sympathy, thirty percent pity, and forty percent... the slyness of a successful prank.
Their mischievous boyfriend... was at it again!
Supergiant didn't notice the change in Gwen and the others' expressions.
She looked at the man before her, who was like a puppet, a twisted and frenzied smile appearing on her face.
I won!
In the end, she had won this war!
She told herself that on this tiny Earth, there was no way someone could exist who was as physically powerful as Lord Thanos while also possessing mental strength that was almost perverted.
So what if he's the strongest on Earth?
He's still destined to become a puppet for the Great Supergiant.
With that thought, Supergiant panted, looking at Peter, and issued her first command as the victor in a tone that was both extremely venomous and filled with supreme pleasure:
"Now, for me... kill all of your companions!"
Supergiant's command echoed across the battlefield.
Causing the New York citizens in the safe house to let out collective gasps of horror.
Lord Punisher being controlled by the enemy to massacre all the Superheroes...
Please, don't let that happen!
Just as countless people instinctively closed their eyes, not daring to watch the impending tragedy.
The battlefield fell into a deathly silence.
One second passed.
Five seconds passed.
Ten seconds passed.
The expected scene of Peter going on a killing spree did not occur.
What's going on?
The citizens opened their eyes one by one, only to find that their Lord Punisher was still standing there motionless, like a wooden statue.
His eyes were still hollow, clearly still under control.
But he remained completely unmoved by Supergiant's command.
Huh?
The smile on Supergiant's face faltered slightly.
Is it because the mental energy consumption was too high, causing a delay in the transmission of the command?
She frowned and was about to issue the command again when she suddenly noticed something was wrong.
The Superheroes around her... their reactions were wrong!
They didn't show expressions of fear or despair, they didn't turn to run, and no one even shouted out to try and wake the strongest man on Earth.
Instead, they were all looking at her with... a look as if they were watching a joke?
An ominous premonition welled up in Supergiant's heart.
"I told you to act! Kill them all! Can't you hear me?!"
She screamed in a fit of humiliation and rage, issuing the command to Peter once more.
However, Peter still had no reaction.
"You..."
Supergiant finally realized that things seemed to have spiraled out of her control.
To prevent any more complications!
Her gaze sharpened, and with a flash of light from her waist, a dagger shimmering with eerie blue energy appeared in her hand. Without a second thought, she lunged it toward Peter's heart!
Regardless of what caused the issue with the mind control, she would kill this guy first!
Once he was dead, the rest would be of no concern!
Squelch!
In the next second, a flash of fire swept before her eyes.
And then... Supergiant suddenly couldn't feel her right hand anymore.
She instinctively looked down, only to find that her right arm was empty; there was nothing there!
Her arm... had evaporated into thin air!
Immediately following that, a voice filled with mockery rang in her ear:
"You can't even play the role of a clown properly. Tell me, what use are you?"
Supergiant's whole body shook as she jerked her head up.
She saw that the Peter who was supposedly 'hard-controlled in place' had recovered his spirit at some point. In those crimson-gold eyes, there wasn't a trace of vacancy left, only playfulness and disdain.
"You... you... how is this possible?!"
Supergiant let out an incredulous scream, her voice cracking:
"My mental power clearly didn't sense even the slightest bit of resistance! The mind control was successful, so how can you still move?!"
"Mental power?" Peter scoffed, as if he had heard the World's greatest joke.
"That stuff... is ineffective against me."
"Impossible! Then why did you just..."
Slap!
Before she could finish, a crisp and loud slap sent her spinning twice in place, and half of her teeth were sent flying.
"Idiot." Peter shook his hand with a look of disgust. "I was just teasing you earlier!"
"Teasing me?"
Supergiant's brain short-circuited.
"No! This can't be real!"
"Roar!"
A roar abruptly resounded across the battlefield!
It's Hulk!
He had appeared behind Peter at some unknown time, his massive green fist carrying a terrifying aura that could destroy anything as it smashed toward the back of Peter's heart!
This was her final trump card!
At Peter's most careless moment, she would use the Hulk—whom she had been controlling all along—to deliver the true killing blow!
At that thought, a small flame of hope rekindled in Supergiant's eyes.
But that flame was completely extinguished in the next second.
Peter didn't look back.
He simply reached back casually and caught Hulk's fist—which was larger than a washbasin—with nonchalant ease.
A fist powerful enough to trigger a massive earthquake couldn't even make his body sway.
"Bruce, wake up."
Peter spoke calmly, and a soft white light shone from his palm, instantly sinking into Hulk's body.
The Horse Talisman—dispelling all abnormalities!
Hulk's violent movements came to a sudden halt. The vacancy and crimson in his eyes rapidly faded, and even his massive body began to shrink gradually.
He stood dazed for two seconds before letting out an unwilling low growl, his form slowly returning to that of Bruce Banner.
...
With the cruel reality laid bare before her, Supergiant fell into utter despair.
She looked at the man before her, who seemed omnipotent, and couldn't help but let out a frenzied roar:
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a lowly creature like you resist my mental..."
"So noisy."
Peter frowned, and an invisible pressure erupted with a bang!
Conqueror's Haki!
Supergiant felt as if her soul had been struck hard by an invisible giant hammer.
The terrifying pressure made her legs go weak, and she fell to her knees uncontrollably.
Not just her, but the tens of thousands of Chitauri Soldiersaround them were also instantly paralyzed under the influence of this Conqueror's Haki!
Every single one of them became a lamb for the slaughter!
"You like playing with mental power, don't you?"
Peter looked down at her with a cold gaze.
He slowly raised his hand and pressed it against the crown of Supergiant's head.
"Then I'll let you... truly feel what it's like to be mentally controlled!"
The moment his words fell, the Omnitrix on Peter's wrist quietly turned to the Vanir entry.
Countless complex and mysterious golden runes suddenly emerged from Peter's palm.
These runes were like living things, frantically flooding into Supergiant's brain through his fingertips!
It wasn't destruction, but infusion!
In an instant, an almost infinite flood of information was forcibly poured into Supergiant's mental World!
This information was just like Satori Gojo's Unlimited Void, causing Supergiant's brain to completely crash!
Ah... Aaaaaah!!!
Supergiant let out a scream a hundred times more shrill than Natasha and Daisy's had been.
This was the difference between Peter's mental attack and Unlimited Void.
Unlimited Void merely causes the opponent's brain to stop functioning.
His mental attack, however, was actual destruction, and the damage caused was completely irreversible!
In an instant, bright red blood flowed from Supergiant's eyes, nostrils, and ears.
This once-insufferable Great Supergiant had fallen into a state of permanent brain death!
Chapter 288: The War Ends, Peter's Space Plan
After dealing with Supergiant, Peter casually shook his hand and tossed her aside like a piece of trash.
Once everything was finished, he flashed a smile at the surrounding Superheroes and said:
"Are you ready, guys?"
"Aye-aye, Captain!" Harry quipped, playing along. His antics caused the people around him to instinctively take a few steps away, feeling as though this rich young master had some kind of mental issue.
Peter winked at him, then raised his wrist and lightly flicked the dial of the Omnitrix with his fingertip.
The dial turned and stopped on the icon representing Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman.
"Now, it's time to sound the horn for the counterattack!"
A glimmer of light flashed by.
Peter skipped the transformation sequence entirely and simply snapped his fingers.
Snap!
The crisp sound of the finger snap echoed over the battlefield.
In the next second, a translucent light shield, nearly invisible to the naked eye, lit up on the bodies of all the Superheroes who were currently fighting hard.
It was the ultimate defense, composed purely of the Invisible Woman's telekinetic power!
The Superheroes who had experienced the previous battle in Hells Kitchen were all too familiar with this kind of energy shield.
"Yahoo~"
Harry couldn't help but start showing off:
"Aliens, prepare to die! My cheat code has arrived!"
As he spoke, the boy even abandoned his flying skateboard and pumpkin bombs.
He charged straight at the Chitauri Soldiers holding energy rifles, smugly spreading his arms wide.
Seeing this, the Chitauri Soldiers frantically pulled their triggers one by one.
But when the high-heat beams hit the light shield, they didn't even cause a ripple; the nearly bug-like shield directly absorbed all the energy.
Harry walked up close and, with a double-palm strike to the ears, flattened a Chitauri Soldier's head, shouting triumphantly:
"Wuhu~ This feels great!"
After shouting, he didn't forget to look at the surrounding Superheroes:
"What are you still standing there for? All units, attack!"
"The trial card is going to expire if you wait any longer!"
The Red Guardian, who was just as eccentric as Harry, was the first to react. He let out a shout of "Ura!" and followed Harry's lead, charging into the Chitauri army and starting a relentless slaughter.
The other Superheroes, seeing this, naturally refused to be left behind and launched their counterattacks one after another.
With the Telekinetic Shield protecting them, they completely abandoned defense, focusing entirely on lethal strikes.
On the other hand, of the remaining three Chitauri motherships, one had completely lost its troops.
The other two motherships had become brainless bots that only knew how to charge blindly because they had lost their commanders, Supergiant and Black Dwarf.
It could be said they had completely turned into experience packs for everyone.
Over the next ten minutes or so, the Superheroes fought bravely, each striving to be the first.
They slaughtered the Chitauri Soldiers until not a single one was left!
Finally, as the last Chitauri Soldier fell,
the war came to a complete end. Those three Chitauri Leviathans also had their neural centers easily destroyed by Peter, leaving them completely paralyzed in mid-air.
In the underground safe house, there was silence for a full three seconds.
Immediately afterward, a sudden burst of cheers erupted, nearly blowing the roof off!
People hugged each other tightly, screaming The Arbiter's name at the top of their lungs.
The cult of personality reached its historical peak at this moment!
Some even proposed changing the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to The Arbiter Memorial,
directly replacing the 5.8-meter-tall statue of Lincoln—the one inscribed with 'Lincoln will be immortal and live forever in the hearts of the people'—with a statue of The Arbiter.
And on distant Titan,
Thanos stared at the images playing on the light screen. Not a hint of anger could be seen in his eyes; instead, they were filled with an eager desire for battle.
How many years had it been? How many years since he had encountered an opponent of this level?
Crushing uru metal with bare hands, killing Supergiant in a single glance.
This level of combat power was a rare existence in the entire Universe!
"My Lord, should we send a fleet over?"
Ebony Maw, standing to the side, couldn't help but ask tremulously, fearing he might draw Thanos's ire.
To this suggestion, Thanos simply waved his hand casually:
"Now is not the time."
Although he loved battle, he was not a brainless war maniac.
He knew very well that behind that blue Planet stood not only that mysterious Arbiter but also Odin, who was secretly guarding it.
That man's power was something even he had to be wary of.
A full-scale invasion of Earth now would not be worth the cost!
He still had to find the remaining Infinity Stones first.
Thanos gazed into the distance, silently setting his strategy.
Once he had gathered the stones, he would have a good time playing with this interesting Earthling...
...
After the war ended, Peter didn't stay idle.
He strolled through streets filled with ruins and broken walls.
Wherever he went, the white light of the Horse Talismanspread rapidly like ripples on water.
Where the light passed, collapsed buildings rose from the ground again like a movie playing in reverse.
Broken glass was restored to its original state, and fractured roads were re-joined.
In just a few minutes, several of the most valuable commercial districts were restored to their original appearance.
This 'resurrection' trick, no matter how many times they saw it, left the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents responsible for assessing the damage dumbfounded.
After restoring a few commercial streets to ensure basic supplies,
Peter began to take stock of his spoils of war.
He came to Supergiant's corpse. After searching her body with his hand, he suddenly punched through her heart and pulled out an object resembling an energy crystal.
[Detected sacrificeable dark blue item: Damaged Supergiant Psychic Core]
[Sacrifice to obtain points: 10,000]
Next was an entire Chitauri Leviathan:
[Detected sacrificeable purple item: Paralyzed Chitauri Leviathan]
[Sacrifice to obtain points: 20,000]
In the blink of an eye, a full 30,000 sacrifice points were credited.
As for the large axe of Black Dwarf that he had crushed,
he hesitated for a moment and chose not to sacrifice it.
Because this thing had already been crushed by him.
Perhaps because the axe blade was broken and could not be repaired, the system gave it a very low rating, and the price was only about 7,000 sacrifice points.
This price was simply ridiculously low.
Rather than letting the damn system have it cheap, Peterwould rather find an opportunity to melt this thing down himself and extract the uru metal within.
He could use it along with the uru metal and the World Tree branch Odin had left him to forge a divine artifact exclusive to himself!
After completing the sacrifices, Peter picked the most intact Leviathan and had the "Wheel of Fortune" possess it.
When the Stand took over this alien beast, it directly underwent an adaptive transformation into Peter's exclusive interstellar ride.
At this point, Peter finally had his own spaceship!
Looking at the Chitauri Leviathan, which had completely changed its appearance—its biological traits visibly decreasing as it became more and more like a starship from a science fiction novel—
Peter unconsciously rubbed his chin.
Since this ready-made spaceship was already in his hands,
should he also try to start a brand-new space instance?
Chapter 289: The Deal; You Might Make a Killing, But I Never Lose
Three days after the war, Avengers Tower.
A post-war meeting was being conducted in full swing.
Tony pulled up several post-war loss assessment charts and projected them onto the center of the conference table.
"Guys, even though the casualties were well-controlled this time, the economic losses still give me a heartache."
He tapped on the table and presented the first agenda item.
"We can't always just sit back and take the hits."
"So I propose... initiating the AI Armor Mass-Production Plan."
"We will build a tireless Iron Legion that will surround Earth from space 24 hours a day, keeping threats outside the atmosphere as much as possible!"
According to the original trajectory, Captain Americashould have slammed the table in opposition by now.
But now, Captain America was behaving incredibly well.
After the Hulk—who was not under Supergiant's control—shattered his spine with a single punch, Captain Americafinally understood.
Facing these monsters, one truly couldn't afford a shred of soft-heartedness.
Of course, what was more important was that the current Avengers was no longer a dual-power dynamic between the two of them!
Peter was the one in charge of the entire Avengers, and even the entire S.H.I.E.L.D.
Under these circumstances, even if Tony developed some inappropriate thoughts later on, Peter could easily suppress any potential threats.
In that case, why would he bother doing something unnecessary?
Captain America remained silent, and the proposal naturally passed unanimously.
Next was the second agenda item.
"Defense alone isn't enough; we need to have our own eyes."
Peter leaned forward, scanned the crowd, and then spoke:
"In the Battle of New York, if Asgard hadn't helped provide intelligence, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"This also serves as a reminder that we can't fully rely on the help of Asgardians; we must establish Earth's own outposts in space."
This time, Captain America finally spoke up:
"Peter, your idea is good, but the problem is, who would be willing to stay in lonely space for a long time? Although it's a great mission, it's unfair to anyone."
"Don't worry, Comrade Old Popsicle, I've already thought of the perfect candidate!"
Peter gave Captain America a mysterious smile and then uttered a name that surprised everyone present:
"That is... Nick Fury!"
"Nick Fury?" Captain America couldn't help but blurt out.
After saying it, he instinctively covered his mouth, thinking to himself how he had accidentally spoken his inner thoughts.
Looking around and making sure no one was snickering at him, Steve cleared his throat and spoke as if he didn't care:
"That... former Director Nick, wasn't he already transferred to the CIA for dereliction of duty? By now, I'm afraid..."
Captain America wanted to say he'd probably been executed by firing squad ten minutes ago, but he felt it wasn't quite appropriate, so he simply shut up; anyway, everyone understood what he meant.
"That guy has been plotting in S.H.I.E.L.D. for so many years; there's no way he'd be controlled by others so easily."
As Peter spoke, he clicked on a surveillance video. The video recorded Nick Fury being rescued by Skrulls after being put into a CIA vehicle.
"Leave finding him to me. From now on, he'll be responsible for the outpost guard duty in space. It can be considered atonement for his previous dereliction of duty."
Hearing this, no one naturally had any objections.
After the meeting ended, Peter didn't hesitate and immediately stepped onto his flying skateboard, searching for traces of Skrulls across the United States.
Skrulls have perfect shapeshifting abilities, allowing them to lurk in human society unnoticed.
This is a thorny problem for others.
But in front of Peter, who has the Byakugan, it couldn't be easier.
Peter soon found a Skrull, then grabbed him by the neck and had him lead him to the Skrull hideout—Mar-Vell's Near-Earth Orbit Laboratory.
Without any hesitation, Peter charged straight in.
Instantly, alarms blared loudly.
Countless fully armed Skrulls swarmed out from all directions with energy rifles, surrounding him, but not a single one dared to pull the trigger on Peter.
Are you kidding? This group of Skrulls also watches the news!
Who doesn't know now that The Arbiter's strength is so terrifying he can easily blow up even a Chitaurimothership?
With their meager strength, how could they be his match?
"Call your leader out."
Before long, Talos, the leader of the Skrulls on Earth, rushed to the scene.
Peter glanced at the old Skrull and didn't waste any words, asking directly:
"Where is Nick Fury?"
Talos hesitated for a moment but still ordered someone to bring out Fury, who was hiding in a secret room.
Seeing Nick Fury alive and well, Peter couldn't help but mock him:
"Just as I expected, not only are you a HYDRA mole, Nick Fury, but you're also a traitor to Earth."
Nick Fury was fuming with rage, but he also knew Petermust have come looking for him because he could be of use, so he didn't speak and just let Peter vent.
Seeing him like this, Peter felt it was a bit boring, so he simply said to Talos:
"Give him to me. In exchange, I will personally go into space and help you find a habitable Planet that belongs entirely to the Skrulls."
"Once I find a Planet suitable for you, you leave immediately. If I find even one Skrull who dares to stay behind, they will be executed on the spot!"
Hearing this, Talos's originally dull eyes instantly burst with light, and even his breathing quickened:
"Are... are you serious?"
He even used honorifics.
Peter glanced at the silent Fury next to him and said sarcastically:
"I'm not like Nick Fury over there who likes to make empty promises."
"He will be responsible for monitoring all movements in space at the space outpost in the future. You can continue your reunion in space then."
Recalling Peter's almost omnipotent performance in the news and live broadcasts, easily taking down experts like Supergiant and Black Dwarf.
Talos naturally didn't dare to harbor any doubts and immediately agreed to the deal.
He handed Nick Fury directly over to Peter.
On the way back with Nick Fury, the man observed Peterfor a long time before finally asking:
"Why... why did you save me?"
"Don't overthink it," Peter said coldly after glancing at him.
"I simply need a tool!"
After leaving Nick Fury speechless, Peter couldn't help but secretly plan his upcoming space trip.
He was certainly no philanthropist; the reason he made this deal with the Skrulls was entirely for convenience.
He had already thought of a Planet suitable for the Skrulls' survival.
The answer was Star-Lord's father—Ego the Living Planet.
That old fellow is a genuine Celestial. Not only is he incredibly powerful, but most importantly, he possesses the characteristic of energy sharing.
Peter had been coveting this ability for a long time.
As long as he killed Ego.
Firstly, it could provide a living environment for the Skrulls, getting them off Earth.
Secondly, he could use the Omnitrix to extract his genes, making himself a perfect Celestial.
Then, he could share the Celestial power with Gwen, Felicia, and the others, allowing them to break through their own strength limitations!
This move... this move is called 'the Skrulls might make a killing, but I, Peter, never lose!'
Chapter 290: Attack in Space!
In the few days after bringing Nick Fury back from the Skrulls' territory, Peter didn't do anything else.
Instead, he spent all his energy saying goodbye to his "wings."
This trip to space would last at least a month or two, and at most half a year.
This was the first time Peter was going so far for so long, so naturally, he had to appease his "wings" in advance.
For this, he worked day and night; although the Horse Talisman wouldn't let his physical condition suffer,
the excessive exercise still caused him to lose a few pounds.
...
A few days later, Cape Canaveral Space Base.
The Chitauri Leviathan that Peter controlled with the Wheel of Fortune had now completely changed its appearance.
The original hideous biological shell was replaced with streamlined dark-gold armor, and many gun ports and energy weapons were added to the hull, filled with an aesthetic of interwoven sci-fi and occultism.
This Leviathan was now named "the destiny" by Peter, serving as the exclusive space ride for him and the future S.H.I.E.L.D.
At this moment, in front of the main gate of the space Base,
the Superheroes of the Avengers had all come to see Peteroff.
"Buddy, are you sure you won't take me with you?" Tonylooked at the the destiny, drooling with envy for a moment.
Not only did he want to pilot this spaceship he had never flown before, but also because exploring space was something he had always fantasized about but never had the chance to do.
"Next time!" Peter patted his shoulder with a smile.
"Your priority right now is to update your Jarvis and accelerate our 'Space Swarm Project.' As for exploring space, I'll definitely take you along next time!"
After brushing Tony off, Peter said his goodbyes to the rest of the Superheroes.
Then, he reached out to Sif, who had already swapped her casual clothes for armor:
"Are you ready, my beautiful guide?"
Sif blushed slightly, then lightly thumped her well-developed pectoral muscles with her right fist:
"A warrior of Asgard is always ready!"
Peter only took Sif with him on this space trip, but not because she had just joined his "Wings of the King."
The main reason was that among the people on Earth, only she had experience in interstellar adventure.
Although Sif had seemed very unreliable before, with her there, she could at least provide him with some common-sense space knowledge.
Furthermore, even if they encountered an unsolvable problem, she could try calling for Heimdall's help.
It wouldn't let the situation get too bad.
And so, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Peter and Sif boarded the the destiny hand in hand.
Accompanied by a violent roar, the massive starship slowly ascended, turning into a streak of dark-gold light and quietly vanishing into the azure horizon.
...
The vast, boundless Universe was magnificent and silent.
Countless celestial bodies formed a brilliant and colorful landscape outside the porthole.
Inside the Captain's quarters of the the destiny, Peter and Sif were lying on a luxurious large bed, quietly admiring the magnificent star map visible through the skylight.
Ever since that combat practice where they broke the final barrier between them, their relationship had progressed rapidly.
Now, this Valkyrie of Asgard had completely shed the outer armor of arrogance, gradually revealing the tenderness unique to a girl within.
At this moment, Sif lay on Peter's chest, letting him toy with her smooth black hair.
"This is so nice," Sif suddenly sighed as she watched.
"What's nice?" Peter looked at her with a smile, his finger pointing first to the skylight,
"Is it here that's nice?"
Then pointing to his chest,
"Or here?"
Finally moving all the way down,
"Or maybe here?"
This sudden suggestive turn caught Sif off guard.
If it were Gwen and the others, they would surely tease Peter for his narcissistic behavior in different ways.
But Sif was different after all.
Her affection was always expressed so directly.
Between options A, B, and C, she decisively recalled Peter's teaching:
When you don't know the answer, choose C!
"Then here is definitely the best!"
"I really never thought before that there was something in this world even more physically and mentally pleasing than fighting."
Peter couldn't help but laugh. Seeing the atmosphere heating up, he was about to work hard once more to respond to this beautiful moment...
"Hum—!"
The the destiny suddenly jolted violently, followed by a piercing alarm!
"Warning! Warning! The ship's right wing has been hit by an unknown energy attack!"
"Warning! Large amounts of high-energy readings detected approaching!"
Peter's face instantly darkened.
Damn it, ruining my fun at the critical moment!
I'm really going to become Peter 'Liang Kun' Parker!
I'm very fired up right now!
He immediately activated his Byakugan, his vision instantly piercing through the the destiny's biological and physical armor to look into the distant, dark Universe.
There, dozens of points of light were flanking them at high speed.
It was a well-trained space fleet!
Since they dare to attack me... none of them will have a good time!
The next second, with a thought,
on both sides of the the destiny's originally smooth hull, countless dark-gold armor plates rapidly flipped and reorganized, revealing dense gun ports beneath!
At the core of these gun ports flickered golden flames identical to those in Peter's eyes!
Those were countless energy weapons enhanced by the Wheel of Fortune.
Following that, two energy conduits abruptly extended from the sides of the large bed.
Peter grabbed these two energy conduits with both hands, and his body suddenly erupted with blinding electric light entwined with golden runes.
Boom boom boom boom!!!
In an instant, hundreds of energy torrents cut through the dark Universe, pouring toward that fleet!
The opponent clearly hadn't expected their target to hide such terrifying firepower.
Caught off guard, the small fighters in the front didn't even have time to dodge before being swallowed by the golden energy torrents, exploding into bursts of brilliant fireworks in space.
"Well done!" Sif couldn't help but cheer.
However, there was no relaxation on Peter's face.
Because he noticed that after taking the first wave of strikes, the enemy fleet, instead of scattering, quickly changed formation to form an even denser encirclement, continuing to charge forward fearlessly.
Even at the limit of his Byakugan's observation range, more and more ships were surging forward like a tide.
Did I stir up a hornet's nest?
Seeing that the show of force was ineffective and accelerating couldn't shake them off,
Peter simply sneered, then looked at Sif and said:
"Get dressed. I'm taking you to pay a visit to the enemy ships."
"Since they're courting death by coming for us, today we'll make them kneel and sing 'Conquered' no matter what!"
Chapter 291: A Mix-up, Encountering the Nova Corps
After Sif was fully dressed, Peter immediately turned the Omnitrix on his wrist.
As he twisted it, the Omnitrix settled on an icon resembling a celestial body.
It was exactly the Cosmic Energy Peter had copied from Soros!
As Peter pressed down on the Omnitrix,
Cosmic Energy, shining like the starry sky, instantly enveloped Peter's entire body.
With the protection of this Cosmic Energy, he could move freely in space even without wearing any armor.
Once he had completely transformed into Captain Universe mode,
Peter took Sif's hand, encased her in an energy shield, and flew straight out of the the destiny's hatch.
Empowered by the Cosmic Energy, Peter's flight speed was even faster than the incoming energy weapons.
He easily wove through the dense barrage and instantly arrived before the hatch of the largest and most luxurious ship in the fleet.
Rip!
With a casual tug, Peter tore the hatch right off.
Peter led Sif directly into the opponent's flagship.
Seeing this, the soldiers inside the flagship were all dumbfounded.
Despite holding energy weapons in their hands, they couldn't even think to pull the triggers; they just stared blankly as the two people, who completely ignored the space environment and had torn open their flagship's door, strolled in grandly.
It wasn't until their leader received the news and rushed over that the group finally snapped out of it.
One by one, they aimed their energy guns at Peter and Sif.
"Are you... an Asgardian?"
Compared to the soldiers under him, this alien leader, who looked like a middle-aged Earthling male, was slightly more rational.
After sizing up Sif's attire and appearance, he couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise:
"Could it be that Asgard has also succumbed to Thanos's tyranny?"
Hearing this, Sif's hair practically stood on end, and she immediately drew her longsword:
"How dare you insult the glory of Asgard! You seek death!"
Seeing her like this, the surrounding soldiers instinctively wanted to pull their triggers.
But before they could even move their fingers...
"Buzz—!!!"
An invisible, intangible, yet overbearingly majestic and terrifying pressure erupted violently, centered on Peterstanding beside Sif!
Conqueror's Haki!
Before this aura of a supreme ruler, time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Then...
Thud!
Thud! Thud!
The alien soldiers, who looked like Earthlings, collapsed in heaps like harvested wheat.
Countless people rolled their eyes back and foamed at the mouth!
Even their leader was now kneeling on the ground, his body trembling as if he had Parkinson's.
Seeing the monster bathed in starlight beside the Asgardian warrior woman still walking toward him step by step...
Though the leader was scared to death, he still forced himself to shout defiantly:
"I! Rhomann Dey, as a Nova Corps Centurion, will never yield to Thanos's tyranny!"
"Don't think you'll get any information out of me! Even if you kill me, my brothers will surely drive you lackeys of Thanos out of the Xandar sector forever!"
After saying this, he steeled his heart and, enduring the powerful pressure of the Conqueror's Haki, prepared to aim his energy gun at his own temple.
Just as Rhomann Dey had resolved to use his life to defend the dignity of the Nova Corps,
He suddenly felt that terrifying pressure recede like a tide.
The monster bathed in starlight couldn't help but speak:
"Nova Corps?"
As he spoke, the starlight on his body suddenly dissipated, revealing a handsome face that made Rhomann Dey feel like his world was crashing down.
"You... you're also a Xandarian?!"
Rhomann Dey hadn't even considered the possibility that Peter was an Earthling.
Looking at Peter's physical features, which were highly similar to his own, he instinctively took Peter for a Xandarian as well.
At that thought, Rhomann Dey felt like the sky was falling!
Thanos had actually managed to secretly subvert a Xandarian, while they were still messing around with an idiot like Ronan!
"Peter, I remember now!"
At this moment, Sif also finally recalled the cosmic knowledge taught to them by Asgard's cosmic tutors:
"This Nova Corps belongs to Xandar; they are a major power in the Universe on par with the Kree and the Skrulls."
"However, compared to the other two, Xandarians are relatively peace-loving and are a more friendly interstellar race."
In fact, even without Sif's explanation, Peter had already recalled the lore regarding Xandarians.
He looked back at his own "the destiny," which was full of bio-punk style.
Well, this design really was easy to misunderstand.
After all, it was modified from a Chitauri Leviathan; it was only normal for people to mistake them for Thanos's lackeys invading the Xandar sector.
No wonder they had been pursuing them so relentlessly.
"Uh... Big Stomach, was it?" Peter scratched his cheek and simply reached out to pull the man up from the ground.
"It's Rhomann Dey!" Rhomann Dey retorted, his face darkening.
"Oh, right!" Peter slapped his forehead and then spoke sincerely:
"I'm sorry, I think there's been a misunderstanding between us."
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Peter Parker, and I'm from Earth."
"Earth?" Rhomann Dey instinctively tilted his head.
This Planet was clearly outside his field of knowledge.
"Simply put, I come from a Planet that hasn't established contact with cosmic races yet, and like you, we don't get along with Thanos.
Not long ago, we wiped out five of Thanos's Chitauri Leviathans that were invading Earth."
Saying this, Peter pointed to the the destiny in the distance and said:
"That is the trophy I captured during the battle. I think that's the reason for the misunderstanding between us."
Hearing Peter's account, Rhomann Dey's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Had he heard correctly?
A backward Planet that couldn't even manage to establish contact with cosmic races actually had the ability to annihilate Thanos's Chitauri Leviathans—and five of them at that!
Once he came to his senses, Rhomann Dey didn't hesitate and immediately extended an invitation to Peter:
"Respected powerhouse of Earth, on behalf of the Nova Corps, I apologize to you for our previous reckless behavior.
To show our regret, I wonder if you would be willing to head to Xandar to rest for a while? We will surely provide the highest level of hospitality."
On one hand, it was to make amends; on the other, it was to take the opportunity to figure out Peter's background.
After all, such a powerhouse of unknown strength was both an opportunity and a potential threat to Xandar, and certainly couldn't be underestimated.
"Go to your place?"
Peter rubbed his chin, a conflicted expression appearing on his face.
Xandar... Nova Corps...
As he thought about it, an idea suddenly flashed through his mind.
He narrowed his eyes at Rhomann Dey and asked quite casually:
"By the way, speaking of which..."
"In your prison, have you recently captured a group of guys who aren't quite right in the head?"
Hearing this, a look of confusion appeared on Rhomann Dey's face:
"How... how did you know?"
He did remember that a couple of days ago, a report came from The Kyln prison saying they had arrested several illegal entrants who were trying to steal the 'Cosmic Orb' on Xandar.
"Oh ho."
Hearing Rhomann Dey's answer, Peter couldn't help but slap his own forehead.
Well then~
You can search far and wide and find nothing, only to stumble upon it by chance.
It turned out that through a series of coincidences, he had run right into the opening plot of Guardians of the GalaxyVol. 1!
Chapter 292 Sif: "What? Jump up and hit my knees?"
Upon realizing he had stumbled into the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy 1, Peter couldn't help but rub his hands together in anticipation.
If he remembered correctly, the core item of this plot arc was the Cosmic Orb.
Inside this thing was nothing other than the Power Stone!
As the name suggests, this thing was the one among the six Infinity Stones that boosted combat power the most!
If he were to sacrifice this thing, he estimated it could provide him with hundreds of thousands of sacrifice pointsin one go!
Furthermore, Peter also had the intention of befriending those in the Guardians of the Galaxy.
First of all, these people were not bad guys; establishing a connection with them could allow them to act as Earth's eyes and ears in the Universe.
Secondly, Peter personally coveted Star-Lord and Grootvery much.
Star-Lord, Peter Quill. To most people in the current Universe, this name was nothing more than an unknown thief.
But Peter knew his true identity; his lineage was not simple at all.
This kid was the biological son of Ego the Living Planet, and Ego treasured him immensely.
Ever since learning that he could withstand the impact of the Power Stone, he had even more intention of letting him inherit his legacy.
It could be said that as long as he used Star-Lord as bait, he didn't have to worry about the big fish, Ego, not taking the hook!
Once Ego took the bait, it would be time for him to hand over his powers and his Planet!
Additionally, there was Groot. This goofy tree-man who could only say "I am Groot" was also not simple.
He was a descendant of the Flora Colossus, belonging to a super ancient species! He possessed near-infinite regenerative abilities and the power to manipulate plants.
As long as he used the Omnitrix to copy his genes... he could become Marvel's little Senju Hashirama on the spot.
No, calling himself little Senju Hashirama was still too modest. With his current strength, combined with the top-tier Flora Colossus physique selected by the Omnitrix, he would clearly be a Senju Hashirama Pro Max version!
By then, he would be the Wood Golem Technique incarnate!
With this thought, Peter immediately put on an enthusiastic smile. He patted Rhomann Dey on the shoulder, looking like they were best buds:
"Old Dae, considering that this whole thing was just a misunderstanding, I'm willing to go to Xandar with you, and incidentally, help you solve those little troubles as an apology!"
Hearing Peter's address for him instantly upgrade from "Big Eater" to "Old Dae," Rhomann Dey couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.
However, dazed or not, seeing that Peter, this great expert, was willing to show his friendly side, Rhomann Deynaturally had no reason to refuse.
Regardless, Peter being willing to maintain a friendship with Xandar was an excellent opportunity for both him and Xandar.
"That's great! Mr. Parker, please allow me to represent the Nova Corps and extend our highest respects for your generosity and kindness!"
Rhomann Dey excitedly performed a standard military salute, "Please return to your 'the destiny' with your companion, and I will personally guide your starship to Xandar!"
… After experiencing two space jumps, Peter finally arrived at Xandar. The Planet before him looked exactly like a high-tech cosmic city-state. It wasn't as resplendent as Asgard, but instead, it was filled with a sense of technology.
"This is Xandar," Rhomann Dey's communication image appeared on the main screen of the "the destiny," his tone filled with pride, "The beacon of peace in the Universe, the headquarters of the Nova Corps. Welcome, powerhouse from Earth."
Upon arriving at Xandar, Rhomann Dey had clearly already used his communication device to inform the Nova Corpsabout Peter's relevant information and general strength in advance. Therefore, Peter and Sif received super-standard treatment the moment they landed.
The leader of Xandar, who was also the supreme Commander of the Nova Corps, Irani Rael, personally received Peter and Sif. But Peter was not interested in the high-class banquet they had arranged. He only wanted to visit Kyln Prison first.
Regarding this, Irani did not choose to refuse. A powerhouse who could seize a Chitauri Leviathan to use as a vehicle deserved to enjoy special privileges wherever they went in the Universe.
Thus, under Irani's arrangement, Peter soon arrived at Kyln Prison with Sif. This steel fortress built on an asteroid belt was also the place the Nova Corps used to imprison the most heinous criminals in the entire Universe.
When Peter and Sif arrived here following Rhomann Dey, the entire prison was staging a standard Hollywood-style prison break. Piercing alarms resounded through every alloy corridor, countless prisoners in yellow prison uniforms were charging the prison guards' defense lines like mad dogs, and energy beams and all sorts of strange weapons were flying across the chaotic crowd.
"Damn it! Those bastards are rioting again!" Rhomann Deywatched the scene in the surveillance footage, which was in complete chaos, and punched the console in anger.
"Don't worry, it's just a small scene." Peter comforted him, then, as if strolling through his own backyard, he leisurely walked out of the command room with Sif.
Just after walking out the door, several strange-looking prisoners who clearly weren't good news rushed up, brandishing energy batons they had snatched from the guards. Sif frowned, flicked her hand to draw a pair of thin swords, and knocked them to the ground in a few moves.
As Peter and Sif headed toward the cell block, the number of prisoners who didn't know their place became increasingly numerous. Some even stared at Sif with lecherous eyes, looking her up and down. Seeing more and more flies rushing up, Sif was gradually becoming overwhelmed.
Peter finally stopped watching the show and quietly activated Conqueror's Haki. An invisible aura, like a tsunami, rapidly swept across the entire cell block. This caused the chaotic prisoners on the scene to all kneel on the ground, foaming at the mouth.
In the blink of an eye, the once incredibly noisy Kyln Prison instantly became silent enough to hear a pin drop.
The Nova Corps Centurion who had followed Rhomann Dey to watch the excitement nearly pissed himself on the spot. Seriously, man! Why is Earth unknown in the Universe when it has a powerhouse like you guarding it! With your ability to destroy countless warships with just one look, wanting to dominate the Universe would just be a matter of time!
Amidst the frantic complaints of these people, Peter was able to meet the people he wanted to see. Soon, five "key suspects" were escorted in front of Peter.
Leading them was an Earth man wearing a red leather jacket with an old-fashioned Walkman hanging from his waist. He was trying hard to put on an unruly expression, but his shifting eyes betrayed his inner anxiety.
Standing next to him was a green-skinned woman with sharp eyes; she pursed her lips tightly, looking at Peterwarily. Next to her was a burly man with a sturdy build, covered in red markings, who was staring blankly at the ceiling.
Finally, there was the most peculiar combination: a raccoon carrying a heavy energy gun, jumping up and down and cursing, and next to him, a tree-man who only repeated one sentence.
"Hey, kid, my name is Star-Lord, and I'm a... legendary outlaw!" Peter Quill lowered his voice, forcing a look of great importance, trying to take the initiative. But the feeling he gave off when he spoke was still full of goofiness.
"I am Groot." The tree-man said in a muffled voice.
"Shut up!" Rocket Raccoon slapped Groot on the calf, then bared his teeth and shouted at Peter: "Listen, kid, whoever you are, you'd better let us go right now! Otherwise, when my buddies come, you're going to be in for it!"
Hearing this, Sif couldn't help but laugh. She looked at this bristling little raccoon and couldn't resist retorting: "What do you plan to do? Jump up and hit my knees?"
Chapter 293: Mere? Just?
Hearing Sif's teasing, Rhomann Dey and the others merely smiled.
However, Star-Lord and Destroyer instantly broke their composure.
They laughed uncontrollably!
"That's good, I'm writing that down in my notebook~"
Seeing the two of them laughing so happily, Groot also started giggling foolishly along with them.
That sight left Rhomann Dey and the other Nova Corpsmembers completely bewildered.
Uh, aren't you guys all together?
Is it really okay to mock your teammates like that?
Rocket also lost his cool; he didn't even bother targeting Sifanymore, jumping up to scratch Star-Lord's knees:
"Idiot! I shouldn't have agreed to that crappy deal you mentioned earlier!"
Gamora looked at the four goofballs, helplessly rubbed her forehead, and subconsciously stepped aside, wearing an expression that said, "I don't know them."
"Enough!"
After some laughter, Peter looked at Star-Lord and said:
"Let's make a deal. Leave the Cosmic Orb behind, and I'll let you go."
Gamora's expression changed instantly.
Rocket bristled immediately: "What did you say? That's worth four hundred million..."
"Shh."
Star-Lord immediately covered the bristling raccoon and smiled at Peter:
"Deal!"
...
Not long after, Peter, fiddling with the "Cosmic Orb," walked out of the Kyln prison with Sif.
"That's it? That was too easy."
Sif couldn't help but furrow her brows, subconsciously recalling a Chinese proverb she had seen while on Earth—when things seem abnormal, there must be something sinister afoot!
Crack~!
As soon as she finished speaking, Peter crushed the Cosmic Orb in his hand.
As expected, it was completely empty inside!
"Of course it wouldn't be that easy to get what we want."
Speaking of which, he couldn't help but add a thought in his mind:
If he were so easily willing to obediently hand over the Cosmic Orb, then he wouldn't be Star-Lord, right?
"Fake?!"
Sif was startled, then involuntarily narrowed her eyes, a cold murderous intent appearing in them:
"They actually dared to play you for a fool?"
"I'm going to catch them and hang them all from the bow of the 'the destiny'!"
"Hey~" Peter casually pulled Sif into his arms, gently stroking her back as he said:
"Don't be so hot-headed. Think about it, who is your man? How could I possibly be deceived by them?"
Hearing this, Sif couldn't help but pause, then belatedly realized:
"You let them go on purpose?!"
"What else?" Peter gently flicked Sif's nose, a playful smile appearing on his face:
"Letting them run away makes the game even more fun."
"What do you mean?" Sif was confused.
"Sometimes, one has to learn to create some fun for oneself."
As he spoke, Peter took Sif's hand and said:
"Let's go, let's see what's different about this Xandarcompared to Earth or Asgard!"
Sif looked at the confident Peter, decisively took his hand, and felt a surge of love welling up in her heart.
Isn't this confidence and power of having "everything under control" exactly the reason she was so addicted to him, unable to extricate herself?
...
Sure enough, Peter had only spent the afternoon strolling through the streets with Sif.
That night, Rhomann Dey contacted Peter in a rush:
"Mr. Parker! Something big has happened!"
"What's wrong?" Peter was still his usual unhurried self.
Rhomann Dey's voice was trembling continuously:
"Just received news that Ronan the Accuser has attacked those scammers' ship, and the Cosmic Orb... is now in Ronan's hands!"
Not long after, in the Nova Corps operations room.
When Peter walked into the operations room, the atmosphere was heavy.
He saw Star-Lord, Gamora, Destroyer, Groot, and Rocketkneeling on the judgment platform below, looking disheveled.
"Sorry, we messed everything up!" Star-Lord sat on the floor, looking dejected.
"It's all your fault! If you hadn't insisted on going to that Land of Nihility to sell that crappy orb!" Rocket couldn't help but point at Star-Lord's nose and curse.
"What's the use of saying that now!" Gamora's expression was extremely grave. "After Ronan gets the Power Stone, he will definitely come to destroy Xandar first! We must stop him!"
Several centurions looked at the culprits, trembling with rage, and subconsciously drew their energy guns, wanting to execute them on the spot.
"Stop him? With what? Because of you idiots, the entire Xandar faces total annihilation! I am now sentencing you to death in the name of the Nova Corps!"
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Just then, a mocking whistle came from the doorway.
A blue-skinned alien wearing a deep red trench coat with a metal fin on his head walked in swaggeringly, accompanied by a large group of space pirates dressed in the same manner.
It was Star-Lord's adoptive father, Yondu.
"Hey, kid, looks like the trouble you've gotten yourself into is even bigger than I imagined."
Yondu whistled and pointed at Quill with his telepathically controlled arrow. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be paying back the money you owe me?"
For a moment, the Nova Corps, the nascent Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Space Raiders were all crowded into this small room, the scene as chaotic as a pot of boiling porridge.
Everyone was arguing, shifting blame, and calculating their own interests.
"Enough."
A calm voice rang out; it wasn't loud, but it clearly cut through everyone's noise.
It was Peter.
The room instantly went quiet, and everyone's eyes focused on him.
Whether it was the angry Rhomann Dey or the arrogant Yondu, they subconsciously felt a chill when they made contact with Peter's calm, waveless gaze.
"Ronan has arrived."
Hearing this, Rhomann Dey was startled and hurriedly ran to the technical console to operate it.
Immediately after, a space projection appeared before everyone.
In space, a massive, pitch-black warship shaped like a cross, exuding an aura of death and destruction, was slowly sailing toward Xandar.
It was the Dark Aster—Ronan's flagship!
Seeing the appearance of the Dark Aster, everyone present uncontrollably descended into chaos once again.
"Run!" The space pirates were the first to lose their composure!
"It's over! Ronan has gained immense power after getting the Power Stone; our defense system can't stop him at all." The Nova Corps members couldn't help but hold their heads in despair.
Star-Lord subconsciously wanted to speak up and encourage everyone, but when the words reached his lips, he didn't know how to say them.
It was he who caused all of this; what right did he have to ask everyone to unite?
Just as everyone was unconsciously falling into a chaotic mess of scattered sand in the face of the crisis,
A lazy and casual voice rang out:
"What is everyone panicking about! It's just a mere Ronan."
Who else could it be but Peter?
Hearing this, everyone subconsciously widened their eyes, looking at Peter as if they were looking at a madman.
Dude, are you sick?
That's Ronan!
What do you mean by "mere Ronan"?
And "just"?
Chapter 294: A Mantis Trying to Stop a Chariot? The Show Begins!
Peter's remark, "Just a mere Ronan," was like dropping a stone into a boiling pot of oil.
The entire war room fell deathly silent for a moment, and then it completely exploded.
"Mere? And 'just'?"
A Centurion of the Nova Corps, his face turning the color of pig liver from a mix of rage and fear, pointed at the dark aster on the screen—which was radiating an ominous aura—his voice cracking with agitation.
"Look closely! That is the dark aster! Even before he got the Power Stone, there were few beings in the entire Milky Way Galaxy who could stop him!
Not to mention that he and his dark aster are now augmented by the Power Stone!"
Another Centurion couldn't help but clutch his head and howl in misery:
"We're finished! Xandar is about to become the next Planethe destroys!"
With these two setting the tone, the morale in the war room plummeted instantly.
Some were even contacting their families, thinking about how to flee!
"Hmph!"
Seeing their scattered and disorganized state, Sif couldn't help but let out a cold sneer.
"I thought the Nova Corps was something special, but I didn't expect a bunch of cowards like this!"
"What did you say?!" A Centurion glared at Sif.
"What, am I wrong?" Sif slammed the table imperiously.
"Asgardians do not engage in infighting when faced with a great enemy, and certainly don't focus all their thoughts on how to run away! Our Peter would never hide like you cowards!"
Hearing this, the Centurions' faces turned beet red, and many even drew their energy weapons, ready to fight Sif to the death.
"Enough!" At this point, let alone Sif, even Irani, the Nova Prime, couldn't stand it anymore.
Though her face was also slightly pale, her years of leadership allowed her to force herself to remain calm.
"This Asgardian lady is right. Facing Ronan, we have no path of retreat! The only thing we can do now is give it our all and fight to the last moment for all Xandarians."
Speaking to this point, she took a deep breath and turned her gaze toward Yondu.
"Captain Yondu, we are all in the same boat now. I need the help of you and your Raiders."
Yondu whistled, and that lethal Yaka Arrow hovered by his lips. He tilted his head, looking at Irani Rhom with a roguish expression.
"Helping is no problem, of course, but you know, the price for us to risk our lives isn't cheap."
"If you survive, you can name your price from Xandar's treasury!" Irani Rhom said through gritted teeth.
"Deal!" Yondu grinned and then roared at his subordinates, "Did you hear that! Get to work, boys! For the money!"
"For the money!" The Raiders' morale soared instantly.
"Mr. Peter!" Then, Irani turned to look at Peter. After a moment of hesitation, under the incredulous gazes of countless commanders, she bowed deeply to him.
"This incident itself has nothing to do with you, and I have no reason to force you to fight alongside us, but if you are willing to contribute your strength to this war..."
"You can set the same conditions as Captain Yondu. Furthermore, if we are truly fortunate enough to deal with Ronan, Xandar will become Earth's staunchest ally in the Universe from now on."
Noticing Irani's attitude, Peter couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. He raised his wine glass and gave her a remote toast.
"For your sake, I will provide necessary assistance to Xandar at the critical moment."
His demeanor made the Centurions who were already doubting him gnash their teeth.
But under pressure from Irani, they could only swallow their sarcastic remarks.
With Irani's mobilization, an alliance was barely formed, and she immediately began to command.
"All starfighters, take off immediately! Form a defensive line!"
"Activate the 'Star Net' defense system! Boost it directly to the maximum energy level!"
With Irani Rhom's order, Xandar's defense system was fully activated.
Thousands of Nova Starfighters rose from all over the city like a golden swarm of bees, merging with Yondu's scarred 'Eclector' and his Raiders' ships to form the final defensive line protecting Xandar.
In the sky, the dark aster was drawing closer. The shadow cast by its massive hull almost covered half of Xandar.
"Fire!" Rhomann Dey roared the command.
In an instant, ten thousand cannons fired at once!
Golden and red energy beams poured onto the dark aster's surface shields like a rainstorm, exploding into brilliant but powerless ripples of energy.
That purple shield only flickered a few times before showing no further reaction.
"It's no use! Our attacks can't penetrate his shields at all!" a pilot shouted in despair.
"'Star Net' is attempting to connect... connection failed! The opponent's energy level is too high; our systems are being completely suppressed!" The technician's report caused the temperature in the war room to drop to freezing.
"Breaking through the dark aster's defensive field is simply impossible. Even if we pour in all our output, we can only briefly tear a tiny crack."
This was the power of the Power Stone. Even the mere overflow of its energy augmentation was enough to completely paralyze the defense system that an interstellar civilization took pride in.
"Let us try!"
Seeing that the moment to risk everything had arrived, Star-Lord and the others finally stepped forward.
"This matter started because of us, and we should be responsible for it. Let us charge in; maybe we can find an opportunity to take back the Power Stone."
Hearing this, both Yondu and Irani subconsciously turned their gazes toward Star-Lord and the others.
This seemed to be the only method they could attempt.
Only... letting this bunch of unreliable fellows go against Ronan, what were the chances of success?
Just as everyone was hesitating about whether to let Star-Lord and the others go to their deaths, Peter, who had been sitting aside watching the show, finally moved.
"Save the sentimental drama. Things haven't developed to that point yet!"
While speaking, Peter stretched and stood up.
A light as brilliant as the stars visibly lit up on his body.
In the next second, he transformed into a streak of light and charged directly out of the war room.
Without any protective suit or weapons, he was all alone, charging toward the massive dark aster like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"Is he crazy?!" Star-Lord's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"That idiot! Is he going to his death!" Rocket shouted, crossing his arms in disbelief.
Rhomann Dey, Irani Rhom, and the others looked even more ashen. In their view, Peter's action was no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot—the most pointless sacrifice in this disaster.
Only Sif, with her arms crossed, watched the screen leisurely, a playful smile playing on the corners of her mouth.
The show has begun.
Chapter 295: Star-Lord: It's over, I can't even do a dance-off!
Almost everyone thought Peter was crazy, but what happened next caused all of them to unconsciously open their mouths wide.
Peter was seen strolling leisurely in space, dodging all the energy rays fired by the dark aster, and easily arriving before the defense field that was like a Wall of Sighs.
Faced with this defensive power that was enough to make the entire Nova Corps feel powerless,
Peter reached out with a relaxed expression and pressed his hand against the field.
Immediately following, countless golden inscriptionsspread rapidly across the dark purple energy field like a virus.
Before long, a large section of the field was completely covered in gold.
Then, as Peter made a fist-clenching motion,
Ping!
The nearly indestructible defense field shattered instantly!
Countless fine cracks emerged upon it.
Peter's finger lightly swiped across the field.
Rip—!
A light sound like paper tearing was transmitted to everyone's ears through the vibration of energy.
The entire energy shield of the dark aster, that layer of absolute defense that thousands of warships were helpless against, was easily torn open with a huge gap by him, just like tearing a piece of scrap paper!
Next, Peter grabbed both sides of the rift with his hands and yanked them outward!
Ping!
The entire shield system overloaded instantly, purple energy turbulence scattered everywhere, and finally collapsed completely, turning into a sky full of brilliant spots of light that dissipated into the dark Universe.
Inside the combat room, there was dead silence.
Everyone stared dumbfounded at the figure floating calmly in front of the dark aster on the screen.
The Walkman in Star-Lord's hand fell to the ground with a clatter.
Rocket's face was filled with an expression that screamed, "Is this guy really a damn carbon-based lifeform?"
Gamora was also stunned; as Thanos's adopted daughter, she couldn't help but constantly compare the Black Orderunder Thanos with Peter.
A thought that secretly alarmed her jumped into her mind—if it were this man, perhaps it really would be possible to kill Thanos?
As for the people of the Nova Corps, they felt as if their worldview was being repeatedly rubbed into the ground.
Tearing apart a ship's shield powered by the Power Stone... with his bare hands?
Just how strong has this guy become?!
Only Sif still maintained a calm expression at this moment.
She had long since become accustomed to small scenes like this.
"What are you waiting for?"
Sif lightly tapped the desk with her knuckles:
"If you don't charge in now, do you really want my man to solve the trouble for you all by himself?"
Hearing this, Irani was the first to react and immediately ordered:
"All forces, attack."
In an instant, countless ships swarmed toward the dark aster, firing frantically at the main ship.
...
In the main control room of the dark aster, Ronan, just as things had developed in the original story, arrogantly took the initiative to tear up the cooperation agreement with Thanos.
Although Ronan used a clever method, using the Kreehigh-tech energy hammer as a medium to successfully control the Power Stone,
his mind was simply not worthy of the Power Stone.
Therefore, unsurprisingly, he suffered a backlash from the Power Stone.
Now, his thinking was completely influenced by the stone.
He felt that he was already invincible in the World.
At this moment, in his heart,
what was Thanos?
He wasn't even fit to carry his shoes!
Now, with the enhancement of the Power Stone, he was almost omnipotent!
Conquering Xandar would be as easy as turning over a hand; counter-attacking the Kree planet, or even an expedition to Titan to make Thanos bow down and submit, was only a matter of time!
While Ronan was fantasizing about his dream of ruling the Universe with the Power Stone, a strong vibration caused him to fall flat on his butt on the spot.
It almost shook the Power Stone embedded in the hammer loose!
While Ronan broke into a cold sweat because of this,
his subordinate rushed in with hurried steps:
"Ronan, My Lord, something bad has happened!"
"The Nova Corps sent a monster who tore apart the dark aster shield and is now launching a fierce attack on the dark aster. The dark aster... I'm afraid it won't last much longer!"
"What?!"
Hearing this, Ronan was first taken aback, and then a furious expression appeared on his face.
Daring to attack his dark aster?
Truly seeking death!
Thinking of this, he no longer hesitated, picked up his hammer, and took the initiative to walk out of the cabin.
Thus, while everyone was still shocked and dazed by this unimaginable scene, the hatch of the dark aster slowly opened.
A tall figure holding a war hammer and emitting a purple glow all over stepped out.
It was Ronan the Accuser.
His gaze almost instantly locked onto Peter, who was floating in mid-air.
A hideous smile then appeared on his face:
"mortal, you have successfully angered me."
As he spoke, he raised his hammer high.
Just this simple movement caused a terrifying energy Impact to spread rapidly.
The moment they were affected by the Impact, the weapons that were originally attacking the dark asterinstantly fell silent.
Many Nova ships that were charging at the very front even exploded on the spot!
This visually impactful scene caused everyone in the command room to fall silent instantly.
The bit of excitement from seeing Peter tear the energy field apart earlier also vanished immediately.
That was Ronan holding the Power Stone!
That monster has personally taken the field!
What should they do?
"Continue the attack!"
At the critical moment, it was Irani who was the first to regain her senses:
"We must never let Mr. Peter fight alone for us!"
Hearing this, the people of the Nova Corps regained their senses one after another, and each of them gritted their teeth to launch suicide attacks on Ronan once again.
But their resistance appeared so pale in the face of the Power Stone.
They... had no power to fight back at all!
What to do?
What exactly needs to be done to defeat Ronan, who is now as powerful as a god?
"I have a plan!"
After wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Star-Lordproposed an extremely unreliable plan:
"I'll go out now and do a dance-off to attract his attention. You guys take the opportunity to destroy that hammer, how about it?"
"Once his hammer is destroyed, he might no longer be able to control the Power Stone."
Everyone:???
Everyone at this moment had the expression of the 'old man on the subway' meme.
They really wanted to ask Star-Lord if he was serious.
But on second thought, although the matter of attracting attention with a dance-off was very unreliable, destroying the hammer was indeed the correct line of thinking!
Just as they were hesitating whether or not to give it a try...
"Heh."
A light laugh resounded across the battlefield.
The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly revealed an undisguised... sense of contempt.
"You... are mocking me?"
Ronan's voice instantly darkened, and the purple energy surrounding him began to surge violently; that was the energy of the Power Stone boiling along with his rage.
He couldn't understand why a mere mortal, who had emerged from some remote corner, could still be so reckless after witnessing the power of an Infinity Stone.
"No, no, no." Peter waved his hand, but the smile on his face became even more brilliant,
"I'm not mocking you."
Ronan's expression softened slightly, thinking that the other party had finally realized fear.
But Peter's next sentence caused Ronan's anger value to instantly max out:
"I just think you're hilarious."
Smack~!
Hearing this, Star-Lord couldn't help but facepalm hard.
It's over. Now, it'll be impossible to even try to distract this guy's attention!