Inside the Nova Corps flagship, tension filled the command chamber.
A communication officer suddenly turned pale as the incoming reports flashed across the console.
"Your Majesty… both Centurions are gone."
Queen Nova looked up sharply.
"What did you say?"
Her voice carried disbelief.
"Centurions Geoffrey and Edgar… are dead."
For a moment, silence gripped the room.
Queen Nova's expression darkened.
"How is that possible?"
To ensure success, she had personally authorized the transfer of half the Nova Force to those two warriors. With that level of cosmic energy flowing through their bodies, they should have been nearly unstoppable.
Yet despite such overwhelming power—
They had still died.
Her mind raced with questions.
What kind of enemy could kill two Nova Centurions empowered with half the Nova Force?
And what exactly was that massive black warship?
Outside, chaos still continued around the Kyln prison.
Explosions rippled through the surrounding starfield as ships continued to break apart. Escape pods launched in every direction as surviving prisoners fled the battlefield.
Even the Nova Corps fleet could not intercept all of them.
Among those who escaped were several notable figures.
The newly formed group later known as the Guardians of the Galaxy slipped away during the confusion.
Meanwhile, Corvus Glaive of the Black Order managed to escape the encirclement as well. Taking advantage of the chaos, he retreated with Gamora and disappeared into the depths of space.
The chaotic confrontation between multiple factions had finally ended.
The ultimate victor was clear.
Ethan Drake had taken the prize.
Yet the story had one final twist.
Because while the mantis hunted the cicada, there was always the possibility of an oriole waiting behind.
In the distance, another fleet still followed quietly.
The Marauders.
Inside the World Engine's cockpit, Lilith observed the radar display carefully.
"That pack of jackals is still following us," she said coldly. "Those space bandits really have no fear of death."
On the screen, the Marauder fleet lingered stubbornly behind them.
Even after witnessing the destruction of Ronan's forces, they still hoped to steal the Orb—or whatever remained of it.
Their greed refused to let them withdraw.
Ethan glanced toward the distant ships.
"The price of greed is death."
A crimson glow ignited in his eyes.
In the next instant—
A blazing beam of heat vision pierced across the starfield.
The attack crossed an enormous distance in seconds and struck the pursuing vessel directly.
Boom!
The Marauder flagship exploded instantly.
The blast triggered a chain reaction as the ship's engines detonated, engulfing the surrounding vessels in a storm of fire and debris.
Flames spread through the fleet like a wildfire in space.
Escape pods ejected frantically from the burning ships. Some managed to flee before the explosions reached them.
Others weren't so lucky.
Within moments, the entire Marauder fleet had been reduced to a drifting field of wreckage.
Carol Danvers watched the destruction through the observation window.
She shook her head slightly.
"Your abilities really are enviable."
Her voice carried genuine admiration.
"You can breathe hurricanes. Your eyes fire beams strong enough to destroy warships. It's incredible."
Compared to the sheer versatility of Kryptonian powers, her own cosmic energy manipulation suddenly seemed less impressive.
Ethan shrugged slightly.
"It's nothing special."
Carol smiled faintly.
"My injuries will heal soon," she said. "Recovery is only a matter of time."
This was the first real conversation they had shared since she regained consciousness.
Ethan nodded.
"In that case," he said calmly, "I'll take you to Neptune."
Carol blinked.
Neptune.
The new homeland of the Kryptonians.
The idea made her curious.
At the moment, she had nowhere else to go. Yet following Ethan like this made the situation feel strangely intimate.
Almost like she had somehow become part of his world.
The thought made her cheeks flush slightly.
She quickly turned away before he noticed.
—
Far away from all of this, in a dark and forgotten corner of the galaxy, lay a silent world.
Titan.
Once the proud home of an advanced civilization, the planet was now nothing more than a graveyard of ruins.
The ground was barren.
No plants grew.
No signs of life remained.
Darkness and cold dominated the entire world.
On a floating throne overlooking the desolate horizon sat a towering figure.
Thanos.
The Mad Titan gazed toward the distant sunset, resting his chin on one hand as if lost in thought.
A shadow approached and knelt before him.
It was Corvus Glaive.
"Great Thanos," he said quietly. "I failed this mission."
His voice carried deep frustration.
"I did not retrieve the Power Stone."
Thanos remained silent for a moment.
Then he asked calmly,
"Who holds it now?"
"A Kryptonian," Corvus replied. "A being they call Superman."
Thanos's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Superman?"
His voice carried faint curiosity.
"I was under the impression that the Kryptonian Empire was destroyed long ago. Why does such a being still exist?"
Corvus lowered his head.
"Krypton did not vanish completely. A new Kryptonian has emerged recently. He has caused enormous trouble for the Kree Empire."
He hesitated briefly before adding,
"Ronan the Accuser is dead."
"And the Power Stone?" Thanos asked.
"It fell into his hands."
A faint trace of displeasure passed across Thanos's face.
The Power Stone had been an important part of his plans.
And now it belonged to someone else.
"Where is Gamora?" he asked suddenly.
Corvus forced a bitter smile.
"She escaped during our retreat."
Thanos frowned slightly.
He knew that his adopted daughter carried knowledge about another Infinity Stone.
The Soul Stone.
But Gamora had slipped from his grasp once again.
Still—
Thanos remained calm.
Everything was still under his control.
Gamora could run, but eventually she would reveal herself.
And the Infinity Stones would all belong to him.
"There is another development," Thanos said slowly.
"The location of the Space Stone has been confirmed."
Corvus looked up.
"Where?"
"On a planet called Earth."
The name echoed softly across the ruins of Titan.
Thanos continued calmly.
"Loki will lead the Chitauri army to conquer that world."
"While he does… he will retrieve the Space Stone for me."
A figure standing beside the throne bowed respectfully.
"I will not fail you," he said.
"Earth will fall. And I will deliver the Space Stone."
If Thor had been present, he would have been stunned.
Because the speaker was none other than Loki.
The Asgardian prince stood with a confident smile, holding the scepter Thanos had granted him.
Clearly, he had earned the Mad Titan's favor.
Corvus clenched his teeth slightly.
The failure of his mission still burned in his chest.
He stepped forward again.
"Great Thanos," he said respectfully. "Allow me to redeem myself."
His intention was obvious.
He wanted to join the Earth campaign.
Loki laughed lightly.
"I don't think that's necessary," he said with mocking amusement. "Having someone like you beside me might only slow things down."
"You—"
Corvus's eyes flashed with anger.
Thanos raised a hand slightly.
Both of them fell silent.
After a moment of thought, the Mad Titan spoke again.
"In that case, I have another task for you."
He casually tossed a holographic blueprint toward Corvus.
The image displayed a design for a powerful artifact.
"To control the Infinity Stones properly is not easy," Thanos explained. "Holding all six at once would create chaos."
His voice carried quiet certainty.
"But with a suitable tool… their power can be harnessed perfectly."
Corvus examined the blueprint.
A pair of gauntlets.
"Corvus Glaive," Thanos said calmly.
"Find the greatest craftsmen in the universe."
"Have them forge this weapon for me."
Corvus hesitated briefly.
The mission seemed far less glorious than he had hoped.
Still, he bowed deeply.
"I will not fail you again."
....
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