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*****
Blue flames burst in midair. Under Gwen's command, sparks of azure fire intertwined with streaks of energy, falling onto one of the Necrocraft fighters.
The blue flames roared fiercely, spreading across the hull of the undead war machine. In moments, the fire burned through the chassis and spilled inside, consuming the necro-soldier piloting it and reducing him to ash.
Gwen descended and was caught by the Night Hawk.
One woman and one hawk circled through the sky. When two more Necrocrafts launched their attack toward her, Gwen let out a cold laugh.
"Crash into them!"
With a sharp command, Gwen pressed herself against Night Hawk's back. The hawk folded its wings tightly to its sides and dove like a flaming meteor straight into the incoming Necrocraft, smashing it cleanly in half.
With a shrill cry, Night Hawk spread its wings again. Its flaming talons clamped onto the second Necrocraft, tearing open a massive gash. It grabbed the necro-soldier inside and hurled him from the sky.
"Let's show them something nasty!"
Laughing, Gwen guided Night Hawk higher, flying over the battlefield toward the densest cluster of enemy fighters. As they brushed past the Necrocrafts, flaming missiles launched from Night Hawk's body, raining down in every direction.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of deafening explosions detonated across the air. Every enchanted missile hit its target with pinpoint precision.
Gwen cheered as she burst through the flames, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield.
"Hm? What's that?"
Gwen caught sight of a faint purple glow plummeting from the sky, like a fractured star. And falling beside that violet light—was Mike.
"Dad?"
Gwen puffed out a tongue of flame like she was sticking it out in surprise, then quickly changed direction and flew toward the remaining Necrocrafts.
At the same time, Mike was "falling" alongside Ronan.
More accurately, Mike was hovering beside him while Ronan was in free fall.
Right now, Ronan was clutching the Universal Warhammer tightly. The Power Stone embedded within it glowed with a threatening purple light.
With the Power Stone in his hand, Ronan's physical strength and durability had reached an invincible level.
In other words, he no longer feared close combat with Mike—and with the Power Stone's energy attacks added on…
"Hey, not bad!"
Mike rubbed his chin and muttered. Watching Ronan glower at him, he spread his hands and teased, "Don't look at me like that—you're scaring me."
Ronan's eyes burned with rage; he hated that expression on Mike's face.
Taking a deep breath, Ronan focused, letting the energy of the Power Stone shield him completely.
As long as he held that power, not even the man before him could hurt him!
Once he hit the ground, he could destroy Xandar. He could kill this man!
"You seem to be thinking about something dangerous."
Mike murmured, suddenly gliding in front of Ronan. He gave Ronan a smile.
Ronan jolted and purple energy burst around him.
Mike gave a soft snort, drew back his fist, and punched.
Ronan raised his arm to block, but the recoil stopped his fall and sent him flying upward instead.
"Fark!"
Ronan roared.
How was he flying upward instead of down?
He needed to hit the ground!
With a furious shout, the purple energy blazed across his body, dyeing even his eyes violet as he glared at Mike.
If Mike dared attack again, Ronan would unleash everything on him!
He swore it!
But the next second, his eyes widened in fury.
Mike appeared below him. His pupils shifted into a terrifying shade of red, and in the next instant, two scorching beams erupted from his eyes, blasting Ronan even higher into the sky.
"AAAHHH!"
Ronan screamed. He swung the Universal Warhammer, unleashing a giant purple beam downward. It skimmed past Mike and crashed into the ground.
Boom!
A violent explosion echoed across the battlefield, carving a crater into the earth.
"So scary."
Mike muttered, glancing up at the now airborne Ronan, then flew after him.
"Don't look at me like that."
Seeing Ronan's look of murderous intent, Mike spoke calmly, then added with a smile, "If you've got no more tricks… you can go ahead and die now."
Ronan's pupils shrank, and he began swinging the Universal Warhammer wildly. One violet blast after another burst forth, slashing across the sky.
Up here, with no way to push off or gain leverage, he couldn't fight properly.
But… as long as he could fall—if he could just fall—
Boom!
Mike struck him again, sending him even higher.
Ronan was on the verge of exploding from rage.
If you've got the guts, let me fall!
"Can you survive in space?"
Suddenly, Mike's voice echoed.
Space?
Ronan's eyes flickered, and then he saw it—a faint golden energy point appeared nearby, rapidly swirling into a spinning golden portal.
On the other side of the ring was the cold vacuum of space.
Mike flew through the portal, waved at Ronan, and before Ronan could finish roaring in rage, the golden ring shot toward him and swallowed him whole.
The next moment, the portal vanished. Ronan now floated in the void of space outside Xandar.
With no gravity anchoring him, he drifted helplessly, and the terror quickly set in.
He thrashed like a fish dragged ashore, panicked and gasping.
Seconds later, frost crept across his skin. His thoughts froze in that instant—forever.
Mike watched calmly, hand at his chin. "Huh. That's pretty convenient."
After waiting a bit longer to make sure Ronan's heart had stopped beating, Mike flew over, removed the Universal Warhammer, gave it a toss in his hand, then placed it on Ronan's body. A flash of violet light erupted—and Ronan's corpse disintegrated into dust that scattered into space.
Fight done. Work over.
Mike looked at the Power Stone on the Universal Warhammer, popped it out, and held it in his hand.
Instantly, the stone's energy surged into him.
Mike frowned slightly.
Fortunately, it wasn't as difficult to control as expected. The invasive energy was uncomfortable, but to tear his body apart like it did to Star-Lord in the original story… that would take a lot of time.
He shrugged and casually stashed the Power Stone into his dimensional pocket.
That brought his total to three Infinity Stones.
Power, Reality, and Space.
With those three Infinity Stones, he could fortify the underwater base into an impenetrable fortress—or even rip up a chunk of land anchored to it and raise it into an island. An island guarded by three Infinity Stones.
And that island would be the gift he prepared for Erik and Charles.
Mutants…
Thinking of their situation, Mike's gaze flickered.
Ever since the cure serum appeared, he'd had a bad feeling.
So if the scenario he predicted came true, then this island would become the mutants' new—
Wait.
Star-Lord. Peter Quill. His father, Ego. A living planet…
A nearly insane idea flashed through Mike's mind.
He took a deep breath, his eyes glinting.
If possible, with the Infinity Stones, he could try it.
With that thought settling, Mike looked toward distant Xandar and flew in that direction.
…
At that moment, on Xandar.
With the Dark Aster destroyed and Ronan's Necrocraft fleet slaughtered by the Ravagers and Nova Corps, the sky was slowly returning to peace.
And in this war, one figure had been firmly etched into the memories of both the Nova Corps and the Ravagers.
A knight wreathed in blue flames.
She had swept through the battlefield like a wind of annihilation. Every pass she made left only exploding and crashing Necrocrafts behind her.
And when the war ended, the Azure Knight vanished without a trace.
Perhaps… that is what a hero is.
So thought the Ravagers and Nova soldiers who had been saved by Gwen—intentionally or otherwise.
Gwen flew toward the Eclector.
The hatch opened, and she flew inside.
She leapt off Night Hawk's back and landed lightly. With a snap of her fingers, the Night Hawk obediently walked to a corner, while Gwen, still wreathed in flames, walked toward Star-Lord and the others.
The four of them instinctively shrank back in fear.
Gwen smiled, and the flames on her body gradually faded away. Her flesh and skin shifted back to normal.
The four let out a relieved breath.
It had to be said: Gwen's performance on the battlefield just now—as well as the terrifying form of the Spirit of Vengeance—had put immense pressure on them.
Just then, the hatch opened again, and Mike flew in wearing a black combat suit.
"Dad!"
Gwen cheered and hugged him briefly.
Mike patted her head. "You didn't make trouble, did you?"
"Nope, I stayed here the whole time. I was very well-behaved."
Gwen said that to Mike—but her threatening gaze slid over to Star-Lord's group.
Her eyes seemed to flicker with blue fire.
The four of them shivered.
Terrifying.
"Right?"
Gwen flashed them a sweet smile.
They nodded frantically.
Seeing this, Raven couldn't help but laugh. Noticing Mike glancing at her suspiciously, she smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just thought of something amusing."
Mike gave a faint smile and walked toward Star-Lord and the others.
"All right, how about introducing yourselves?"
As he spoke, four cards appeared in his hand. He gave them a light wave.
Name: Rejuvenation.
The cards dissolved into points of light, and four streams of verdant energy descended onto the group, circling around their bodies.
They stiffened in alarm, but soon felt their injuries beginning to heal.
Comfort…
A few seconds later, the energy of Rejuvenation faded, and all their wounds were gone.
The four of them gave a brief introduction to Mike.
"Thank you for your help, sir," Drax said with humble sincerity.
Gamora gave a cool nod. "Thank you."
Star-Lord couldn't help blurting, "Are you really from Earth?"
Given the power Gwen and Mike just showed, it was hard to believe.
"Yes."
Mike smiled and nodded.
At that, Rocket and the others gave Star-Lord a very strange look.
Star-Lord: "…"
Don't look at me like that—I really am from Earth!
(End of this chapter)