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Upon hearing Rhomann's words, a flicker of surprise crossed the Nova Prime's eyes. She, Irani Rael, had vaguely heard of Earth, a backward civilization within the Sol System, existing under Asgard's protection.
The Nova Corps' archives contained brief records concerning the Nine Realms. As some of the cosmos' earliest pioneers, the Corps footprints spanned the stars, granting them considerable familiarity with various civilizations.
Asgard itself had once enjoyed a glorious history. Had Odin not halted his conquests, choosing instead to consolidate rather than expand, Asgard might well have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the three great empires today.
Yet Odin had his own constraints. The Aesir reproduced slowly, their population sparse. Coupled with Asgard's brutal war against the Dark Elves, the realm simply could not sustain Hela's ambitions of conquest.
Rather than gamble Asgard's future, Odin chose to settle peacefully, using the Nine Realms as a foundation to recuperate and rebuild strength before considering further action.
This reasoning was not flawed. Unfortunately, Odin overlooked one critical factor: after Asgard defeated the Frost Giants and ascended as sovereign of the Nine Realms, an overly comfortable environment and placid lifestyle eroded his people's vigilance and drive for progress.
A millennium flashed by in an instant. Earth, once a primitive civilization during the age of savagery, underwent a technological explosion and developed a science-based civilization brimming with potential. Meanwhile, Asgard, having sheathed its swords and stabled its warhorses, found its forward momentum grinding to a halt...
"The Tivan Group voluntarily withdrew from Knowhere. Subsequently, Accuser Ronan of the Kree Empire dispatched the Sakaaran fleet for protection. But after the peace accord was torn up, that warmonger recalled his forces…" Rhomann reported on Knowhere's developments over the past year.
As one of the cosmos' most prosperous trade hubs, the ancient Celestial's skull had long remained a focal point of universal attention. Acquiring such widely known intelligence posed virtually no difficulty.
"Taneleer Tivan would not simply hand over Knowhere without cause. There must have been an extraordinary transaction involved. Perhaps coercion by Ronan?" Irani ventured, her expression growing solemn.
If that Kree Empire's accuser had seized Knowhere, he would hold an exceptionally crucial bargaining chip, a decidedly unfavorable development for Xandar as it prepared for imminent total war.
"I don't believe that's the case. After Ronan's Sakaaran fleet invaded Knowhere, they swiftly withdrew from the spaceport. Furthermore, according to intelligence gathered by the Corps, Knowhere now belongs to Earth."
As a Denarian of the Nova Corps, Rhomann possessed keen observational skills. From his observations, Ronan's series of actions did not resemble those of someone installing a puppet ruler to control Knowhere.
Moreover, given that Accuser's character, he would disdain such redundant maneuvering.
Based on information collected by the Nova Corps, Rhomann even suspected the Kree accuser's behavior resembled that of a guard dog protecting its master's property.
But this notion seemed too far-fetched. Ronan was a renowned warlord across the cosmos... how could he possibly take orders from an Earthling?
After a moment's contemplation, Irani stated her position, "Maintain surveillance. Ideally, establish a degree of friendly relations with Knowhere's new master."
With Xandar potentially erupting into full-scale war against the Kree Empire, whose internal situation grew increasingly precarious, securing additional powerful allies would undoubtedly prove advantageous.
Irani watched the video footage of a colossal hand crushing the space pirates' fleeing fleet, feeling genuine astonishment.
In this grand cosmic era, lifeforms possessing such overwhelming individual power were exceedingly rare...
Irani turned to Rhomann and asked softly, "What is this Earthling's name?"
The stout Rhomann's face flushed with slight embarrassment. He hesitated before slowly replying, "According to intelligence obtained from Knowhere, this Earthling is the founder of Umbrella Corporation, Watcher of the Nine Realms, Supreme Commander of the First Fleet…"
Under the Nova Prime's astonished gaze, the Denerian recited a lengthy string of honorific prefixes before finally uttering the name itself, "Sean Cyphers, the Sentinel from Earth."
Rhomann exhaled deeply, glancing at the document in his hand and silently cursing the intelligence broker who had supplied such an absurdly verbose description.
"The Sentinel..." Irani repeated the title slowly, then nodded.
…
Sakaar
Compared to the bustling trade hub that is Knowhere, this planet was a genuine cosmic dumping ground, surrounded by spatial anchor points marking the boundary between known and unknown realms.
Especially near the garbage fields, the sky bristled with spatial rifts of varying sizes, from which all manner of space debris and ship wreckage continuously poured through.
In the distance stood a magnificent city, the capital of Sakaar, built by the great Grandmaster, who also reigned as the planet's supreme sovereign...
"Must you insist on such a noisy place?" Taneleer Tivan sat dejectedly in his seat.
He watched the Grandmaster, clad in flamboyantly colorful robes, dancing exuberantly to a pulsating rhythm, clearly reveling in every moment.
Though Taneleer knew his sibling had always been eccentric, surely even a cosmic Elder should maintain some dignity and decorum, right?
"Oh? You don't like my music... or is it my dancing?" The Grandmaster scratched his head and plopped back into his seat.
Like Taneleer, he was one of the cosmic Elders, blessed with immense longevity and privy to vast knowledge and ancient secrets.
Unlike his brother, who obsessed over collecting rare exotic items, the Grandmaster passionately favored competitions and wagers. He mastered thousands of contest rules and game systems across the universe, delighting in establishing betting rings and challenging highly intelligent beings to high-stakes gambles.
"If you dislike these, I'll arrange a Champion's Duel later!" The Grandmaster rubbed his hands together excitedly.
After leaving Knowhere, he had discovered Sakaar and transformed this savage world into a colossal arena. On Sakaar, the Grandmaster wielded absolute authority. Influenced by their ruler, the planet's inhabitants developed an intense passion for gladiatorial combat.
Here, arena combat offered a shortcut to prosperity and the sole path to thunderous adoration. Becoming the arena champion, or even merely a popular contender, guaranteed lavish rewards from the Grandmaster.
So, whenever a Champion's Duel approached, the entire planet erupted in frenzy. Residents stampeded toward the arena for unrestrained revelry, its fervor surpassing even Earth's quadrennial World Cup.
"I hold no interest in those barbaric slaughters." Taneleer shook his head.
After leaving Knowhere, he had come directly to his brother's domain on Sakaar. The swarming space pirates on Knowhere had actually been his own doing, purely to vent his frustration.
"Nothing in this world stirs my interest anymore, except the Infinity Stones." His expression turned gloomy, his mind entirely consumed by the resplendent radiance of the Gems.