Chapter 231: Ego Prepares to Act
Just as Yondu led Rocket, Drax, Korath, and his men to head underground.
In the cellar, the battle between Gamora and Nebula was nearing its end.
The air was filled with the acrid smell of burning energy and the harsh screeching of metal grinding against metal.
Nebula was knocked back once more, her back slamming heavily against the glowing wall. A cluster of sparks erupted from the mechanical joint in her left arm; clearly, the internal energy circuits could no longer withstand the continuous, high-load collisions.
Gamora panted slightly, the blade of her dagger held an inch from Nebula's throat, yet she did not strike.
Her gaze was complex; beneath the anger lay a deeper sense of exhaustion and sorrow.
"I don't want to live that kind of life anymore, Nebula. Thanos treated us like tools; he sharpened us, and once we were used, he would discard us.
Our existence was only meant to serve his goals, our hands stained with the blood of the innocent. I don't want to live like that anymore."
Nebula glared at Gamora, her eyes churning with pain, resentment, and a flicker of panic at having her deepest, most vulnerable spot touched.
"The time I've spent with Peter and the others has been short," Gamora continued,
"Often hanging by a thread... but I have felt freedom. The freedom to choose who to fight for and what to live for.
Even if I die, I want to die freely, dying for what I believe in, rather than as an extension of Thanos, dying a meaningless death."
She looked at Nebula and urged, "Think about it, Nebula. No matter how many people you bring back for him, or how many missions you complete, has Thanos ever truly looked at you? Has he ever viewed you as a daughter?
He only treats you as a more useful weapon. In his eyes, we are never perfect enough, always replaceable.
Our ultimate fate will only be worse than death: completely losing ourselves and becoming empty shells that only know how to execute orders."
Gamora took a step back and completely sheathed her dagger.
"So why not take a chance? Fight for yourself just this once. Think about it carefully, sister."
Having said this, she stopped looking at the frozen Nebula, turned around, and sprinted toward the depths of the cellar.
Peter was still down there, in Ego's hands; she had to go and rescue Peter.
Nebula leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to the ground.
Gamora's words were like a dagger, piercing through the shell she had constructed out of anger and resentment, revealing the scarred soul within that had always longed to be recognized and loved, yet had been shattered time and time again.
She lowered her head, looking at her left hand, which had been completely replaced by metal and was currently trembling slightly due to overload.
Really... do I still have to go back? Can I even go back?
...
Meanwhile, deep inside the Planet, at the end of the spiral staircase.
This was no longer a man-made passage, but a natural chamber of unimaginable size.
At the center of the chamber was not hot magma or a hard planetary core, but a miniature star cluster.
Inside it flowed brilliant bands of light like a galaxy, while on the outside, countless semi-transparent energy tentacles of varying thickness extended, piercing through the rock layers and connecting to the entire Planet like nerve endings.
At the very center of this Nebula, there was a faint, huge, and blurry outline of a human face, as if sketched out by starlight.
This was Ego's true form, and also the core of this Planet.
Star-Lord stood on a protruding rock platform at the edge of the chamber, looking up at this unimaginable sight, so shocked that he almost forgot to breathe.
The rich energy in the air had almost condensed into liquid; every breath carried a burning sensation.
Ego spread his arms and said to Star-Lord, "Welcome to my source, Peter. This is the real me. The surface realm you have seen is merely a toy I carved in my spare time."
After Ego finished speaking, he merged with the star cluster at the core.
Subsequently, the gaze of the star cluster fell upon Star-Lord, carrying a non-human scrutiny.
"You are very special, Peter. I have split off countless avatars and sown seeds across the endless galaxy. Most of my descendants are mediocre, and a few can inherit a trace of meager divine power, but that is all. Only you..."
Ego's voice carried a hint of near-fanatical fluctuation,
"Your bloodline purity and your instinctive affinity for energy far exceed my expectations. That despicable pirate Yondu actually dared to hide a treasure like you, almost causing me to miss the most perfect key."
"Key?" Star-Lord felt a chill shoot up from the soles of his feet.
"Yes, a key." A smile seemed to appear on Ego's face,
"The key to open the door to my final evolution. Look..."
The void in front of Star-Lord twisted, revealing grand and ancient scenes:
Ego's avatars descending upon countless primitive Planets and mating with local lifeforms;
His descendants being born and growing up in every corner of the Universe, and then being mysteriously taken away and disappearing at some point;
Ego's true form, through some inconceivable method, extracting threads of vibrant energy from these descendants,
Each time it extracted energy, its light would grow more vigorous, and the energy tentacles extending out would become thicker and reach further...
"I sow, I harvest; this is fair." Ego's voice was like a declaration of truth,
"Using the unique life and divine power of my descendants to nourish myself, pushing me to evolve to a higher level.
This is the true meaning of reproduction. And you, Peter, are the most perfect, most mature fruit I have cultivated in my billions of years."
Star-Lord felt a wave of intense nausea and dizziness.
He understood, he understood everything.
Yondu had not lied to him.
Ego was not his father; he was a farmer, a harvester.
And he, along with those half-siblings he had never met, were all just crops waiting to be picked and devoured!
"As long as I absorb your power," Ego's voice rose abruptly, filled with endless desire,
"My long-stagnant evolution will restart! My will will be able to cover a more vast star territory, and my form will transcend the shackles of matter!
We will truly become one, Peter! Your life will be sublimated in my Eternity! This is glory, this is your destiny!"
Before the words had faded, the Nebula true form suddenly contracted violently. Immediately after, the thickest dark golden tentacle, like a giant python pouncing on its prey, shot out from the center, piercing straight at Star-Lord on the platform at a speed that transcended visual capture!
Before the tentacle arrived, the terrifying pressure had already locked the space around Star-Lord. He couldn't even move a finger; he could only watch helplessly as that flash of death rapidly magnified before his eyes.
It was over...
Just at this critical moment!
"Tsk, if you want to eat your children, just eat them; you don't have to make it sound so refined and unconventional. Shameless!"
A voice of disdain sounded abruptly in Star-Lord's ear.
At the same time, a figure seemed to walk directly out of space, just happening to block the space between Star-Lord and the fatal tentacle.
He just casually raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and faced his palm toward the energy impact that was strong enough to tear apart a small starship.
In the next second, the dark golden light that was bright enough to illuminate the entire underground chamber stopped abruptly and vanished silently before klein's palm,
As if it had been swallowed by an invisible black hole, not even a ripple was stirred.
Ego: "...?!"
Star-Lord: "!!!"
klein shook his hand, as if he had just brushed off a bit of dust, and then slowly looked at the Nebulaconsciousness that was temporarily frozen in astonishment.
He grinned, revealing an arguably nasty smile,
"Hey, what's-your-name, what did you just say... you wanted to become one with whom again?"
Chapter 233: Dealing with Ego
The giant face formed by Ego's core consciousness began to fluctuate violently.
"Who are you? How can you interfere with the laws of my domain?"
"My name is klein, just a bystander passing by." klein tilted his head, observing the Nebula with great interest.
"By the way, where I come from, this behavior of yours—eating your own children—is considered a violation of all human morality and deserves to be struck down by heaven."
"Struck down by heaven?" Ego seemed to hear the most absurd joke in the Universe, his Nebula-like face twisting into a hideous expression.
"In this star sector, I am heaven! I am the law!"
Before the words had even faded, the entire star cluster underwent a sudden, violent transformation!
The previously relatively stable energy field instantly turned violent. Translucent energy tentacles extending from the surrounding rock walls danced wildly, strangling toward klein and Star-Lord from all directions.
Each tentacle contained enough energy to pierce a warship, leaving faint black cracks in space wherever they passed.
"Get down, don't move." klein didn't even turn his head, merely saying this casually to Star-Lord behind him.
The next second, he took a step forward.
Just one step.
With him as the center, an invisible ripple quietly spread out.
The moment those energy tentacles, capable of tearing apart stars, touched this ripple, they began to disappear silently from the point of contact, like pencil marks erased by an eraser.
No, they were directly denied the significance of their existence by klein.
It was as if they had never extended into this space, as if they had never been created by Ego.
"This is impossible!" Ego felt fear for the first time.
As a God who had lived for billions of years, He had seen countless powerful beings and had even clashed with the Elders of the Universe.
But this power before him, this ability to deny the existence of things from the most fundamental level of logic, was completely beyond his scope of understanding.
"There are plenty of impossible things. Your moves are quite intimidating, but unfortunately, they are all show, flashy but lacking substance."
klein looked up, his gaze piercing through layers of energy mist to stare directly at the core of the Nebula.
"True power is not something a parasite like you, who relies on devouring the life force of your descendants to survive, can understand."
This sentence completely enraged Ego.
For billions of years, he had prided himself on being the most perfect creation in the Universe, a pioneer on the path of evolution, and a God transcending the mundane.
And now, he was being looked down upon by a human who had appeared out of nowhere?
"Arrogant!!!"
The Nebula face expanded violently. Countless streams of dark golden energy converged from all directions, condensing in front of him into a destructive energy ball over a hundred meters in diameter.
Inside that energy ball, scenes of stars being born and destroyed played out repeatedly. Time and space twisted and entangled within it, emitting terrifying fluctuations that caused the entire Planet to tremble.
"With the divine power I have accumulated over billions of years, I grant you eternal extinction! Wrath of the God!"
The energy ball transformed into a dark golden torrent that pierced through heaven and Earth, crashing down toward klein!
The power of this strike even exceeded the sum of all the power used earlier to confront the Sovereign fleet on the surface of the Planet.
Ego had utilized the primordial divine power he had accumulated over countless epochs, swearing to completely erase this ant that dared to challenge his majesty from the level of existence.
Wherever the dark golden torrent passed, space completely shattered, revealing the unformed void behind it.
Time lost all meaning in this area; fragments of the past, present, and future intertwined into eerie light and shadow.
Even though Star-Lord was shielded behind klein, he still felt his soul trembling in the aftermath of this strike.
He had a premonition that if this strike were to land on Earth, it would be enough to erase the entire Solar System from the star map of the Milky Way Galaxy.
However, facing this World-destroying strike, klein merely sighed softly.
"How many times do I have to say it? Just show."
He raised his right hand, splayed his fingers, and made a grasping motion toward the World-destroying dark golden torrent.
There was no Earth-shattering explosion, no brilliant light from an energy collision.
The dark golden torrent, capable of destroying a galaxy, began to collapse inward in a way that violated all laws of physics the moment it touched the space in front of klein's palm.
Like light falling into a black hole, it converged crazily along an impossible trajectory toward a singularity that should not exist.
The hundred-meter-thick energy torrent collapsed in a ten-thousandth of a second into a fist-sized point of dark golden light, silently hovering above klein's palm, as docile as a pet.
"Returning this to you."
klein flicked his wrist, and the point of dark golden light shot back at ten times the speed it had come, accurately hitting the center of Ego's Nebula face.
"No!!!"
Ego let out a shrill, miserable scream.
The light, compressed to the extreme, exploded at his core. The face on the star cluster began to dissipate rapidly from the center of its brow, like a chalk drawing being wiped away by an eraser.
The laws, memories, consciousness, and divine power that constituted Ego's existence all returned to nothingness under the scouring of that power.
"I am immortal... I am eternal... I..."
Ego's final whisper echoed in the cavity, then fell completely silent.
The massive Nebula, like an extinguished candle, quickly dimmed, and the energy tentacles extending from it dissipated one by one.
Ego the God, this ancient existence who had lived for countless epochs and evolved by devouring his descendants, was erased from the level of existence in his most core domain by a human using a method he could not comprehend at all.
klein shook his hand, then turned to look at Star-Lord, who was sitting slumped on the ground in a daze, and grinned.
"Done. These old monsters just need a beating; they always think they're hot stuff just because they've lived a long time."
Star-Lord opened his mouth, but couldn't make a sound.
He looked at the remains that were rapidly disintegrating, then at the man in front of him who looked as relaxed as if he had just swatted a mosquito; his worldview was completely shattered.
"You... who exactly..."
"Who I am is not important." klein interrupted him, walked up to Star-Lord, crouched down, and examined him carefully. "What's important is that you have a choice now."
klein held up a finger. "Ego is dead, but his divine bloodline is real within you. I will purify and refine this divine power, then inject it into your body. You can inherit this power, but how much you inherit will depend on you."
klein stared into Star-Lord's eyes, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "But I must tell you, the process of fusing with the divine power will be extremely painful—worse than death. And from now on, you will no longer be just human; you will be a demigod. The enemies you will face and the responsibilities you will bear will be completely different."
"Will you fuse or not? Choose, kid. I'll give you ten seconds."
Star-Lord's breathing became rapid.
He looked at the remains of Ego before him. In his mind flashed the smile of his mother before she died, the blue face of Yondu who was always cursing, Gamora, Rocket, Drax, Groot...
Ten seconds was very short, short enough for only a few breaths.
Ten seconds was also very long, enough for a person to think many things through.
Star-Lord raised his head, the confusion in his eyes gradually replaced by an unprecedented determination.
"I choose to fuse. I am not doing this to become some God, nor to inherit the power of that monster."
Star-Lord clenched his fists and said, word by word,
"I will use this power to protect the people I care about. To protect everyone who has been hurt by monsters like Ego."
"I want the Universe to know," Star-Lord stood up, his eyes shining with a light that had never been there before, "Star-Lord will not become a second Ego. I will use this power to do the right thing."
klein watched him quietly. A few seconds later, a genuine smile, completely devoid of mockery, appeared on his face.
"Alright, then it's settled."
Chapter 233: Dealing with Ego (Part 2)
klein turned and walked toward the disintegrating remains of the Nebula, his hands forming a gesture so complex it was difficult to comprehend.
"Chaos Origin, Divinity Stripping!"
An invisible force surged from klein's body, enveloping the entire mass of the Nebula remains.
Under the influence of this force, the residual divine power, law fragments, and corrupted will began to be forcibly stripped, purified, and refined.
The entire process lasted about five minutes. When the last trace of impurity was cleared, floating in the palm of klein's hand was a fist-sized, crystal-pure silver orb of light.
Inside the orb, countless stars seemed to be slowly rotating, emitting a vast aura.
"Are you ready?" klein looked at Star-Lord. "It might hurt a little."
Star-Lord took a deep breath and nodded vigorously. "Bring it on!"
klein said no more; with a flick of his wrist, the silver orb transformed into a stream of light and instantly sank into Star-Lord's chest.
"Arghhhhhhh!!!"
Star-Lord's scream resounded throughout the entire space.
The pain was indescribable.
It felt as if every bone were being crushed and reconstructed, every cell burning and exploding, and his soul being torn into billions of fragments before being pieced back together.
He felt as if he were dying, yet simultaneously being reborn.
Something ancient and powerful awakened deep within his bloodline, fusing frantically with his will, memories, and emotions.
He saw the birth and destruction of stars, the rise and fall of civilizations, time flowing between his fingertips, and space folding before his eyes...
He didn't know how long had passed; perhaps an instant, perhaps an Eternity.
The intense pain receded like a tide.
Star-Lord slowly opened his eyes.
He was still standing in the Planet's core, surrounded by the debris left after Ego's disintegration.
But the World looked completely different in his eyes.
He could hear the pulse of the Planet's core beneath his feet, see the trajectories of energy flowing through space, and feel the gravitational pull of stars in distant star systems.
He raised his hand, and a soft, silver-white light automatically manifested above his palm.
The light contained the rudiments of creation and destruction; it was his own unique divine power.
"How do you feel?" klein's voice came from the side.
Star-Lord turned his head and discovered that he could clearly see an indescribable halo of chaos surrounding klein.
The halo was as deep as the Universe itself, yet as peaceful as the warm sun of a spring day.
"I... I feel..." Star-Lord tried to organize his words.
"I can do many things. But I don't know exactly what I can do, nor do I know how to do it."
"Normal." klein nodded.
"Divine power is just like muscle; it requires training to master. Your current level is roughly equivalent to a Godinfant who has just learned to walk. Don't get cocky; you have a long road ahead."
Star-Lord gave a wry smile, but the light in his eyes grew brighter.
He could feel that while the power within him was vast, it obeyed his will docilely.
Just then, a violent explosion came from the rock layer above.
Immediately after, a section of the rock wall was blasted open, and several figures rushed in through the smoke and dust.
It was Yondu, Rocket, Drax, Gamora, and... Nebula?
"Quill!" Gamora was the first to see Star-Lord. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes, but it immediately turned into vigilance. She gripped her short sword, her gaze scanning the entire chamber sharply, finally settling on the dissipating remains of the Nebula.
"Is that Ego?"
"He's dead." Star-Lord spoke, his voice carrying a strange resonance he hadn't even noticed himself.
Everyone was stunned, including Yondu.
They looked at Star-Lord in shock, then at klein, who was standing to the side looking relaxed, and finally, their gazes fell back onto the remains belonging to the God.
"Did you do this?" Rocket's small claw pointed at Star-Lord, then at Ego's remains; his eyes were practically popping out.
Star-Lord shook his head and looked at klein. "It was him. I just inherited what was left of Ego."
"Part of it?" Gamora keenly caught the word. She walked up to Star-Lord and examined him carefully.
"How do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable? Did Ego do anything to you?"
Her concern warmed Star-Lord's heart. He extended his hand, and the silver-white light manifested in his palm.
"I'm fine, Gamora. I could even say I've never felt better."
Everyone looked at the light, feeling the vast power contained within, and for a moment, they were speechless.
Drax was the first to react; he slapped Star-Lord's shoulder heavily, nearly knocking the newly empowered Star-Lordto the ground.
"Well done! This is a true warrior! Defeating an evil father and seizing his power!"
"I am Groot!" Little Groot appeared from nowhere, wobbling over to Star-Lord's feet and touching his leg with a small twig, seemingly checking if he was alright.
Star-Lord crouched down and gently stroked the top of Little Groot's head.
He could feel a tenacious vitality slowly recovering within Groot; it was the result of the Chaos Energy klein had infused.
"Thank you, my brother." Star-Lord said softly.
Yondu stood behind the crowd, his blue face wearing a complex expression. He looked at Star-Lord, at the divine light in his palm, and at the unprecedented determination in his eyes.
After a long while, Yondu stepped forward and stood in front of Star-Lord.
The two looked at each other for a few seconds.
Then, Yondu extended his fist and punched Star-Lord's chest, not too lightly and not too heavily.
"Next time you go around claiming random fathers, I'll break your legs."
Star-Lord smiled, his eyes slightly moist. He knew this was Yondu's way of acknowledging him, a Raider-style expression of care.
"It won't happen again, Dad."
Yondu huffed and turned to walk toward klein.
He stood before klein and solemnly performed the highest Raider salute.
He clenched his right fist against his left chest and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for saving this idiot kid."
klein waved his hand. "Just a casual favor. But you really should thank me; if it weren't for me, you might have already been turned into space fertilizer by Ego."
Yondu's mouth twitched, but he didn't refute it.
"What are your plans now?" Gamora asked Star-Lord. "Ego is dead, but his Planet is still here. Here..."
She looked around; the originally massive space was slowly collapsing.
Having lost the maintenance of Ego's will, the entire Planet's structure began to become unstable.
"This Planet will soon disintegrate on its own," klein explained.
"Most of Ego's power was purified by me and given to Star-Lord; the small remaining portion of divine power will be annihilated along with the Planet. This is the best possible outcome."
He looked at everyone. "You should leave. While this place hasn't completely collapsed yet."
"What about you?" Star-Lord asked.
klein stretched. "Me? I plan to wander around the Universe a bit more, then return to Earth. There are still some things to handle there."
Star-Lord opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he just nodded.
"Then... goodbye. Thank you, klein. Thank you for everything you've done."
"Alright, stop being sappy." klein waved his hand dismissively. "Get lost. Remember to train that divine power of yours well; don't waste it."
He looked at Gamora, Rocket, Drax, and Groot again, finally letting his gaze linger on Nebula for a moment.
"The same goes for you guys. The Universe is big, and there are many troubles. Keep at it, and don't die."
Having said that, he no longer looked at them, his figure slowly disappearing from their sight.
Chapter 234: Skull Planet
"We should get going too," Yondu said in a deep voice, glancing at the violently trembling surroundings. "This dump won't hold for more than a few minutes."
Everyone didn't delay any further and, led by Yondu, quickly returned the way they came.
They passed through the collapsing tunnels and rushed through the shaking caverns, finally boarding the Raidersmothership parked on the surface before the entire Planetcompletely disintegrated.
The ship shot into the sky, quickly escaping the atmosphere of Ego.
Outside the porthole, the Planet that was once as beautiful as a dream was now disintegrating from within.
Huge cracks ran through the surface, and dark red light surged from the core. The entire Planet, like a ball of clay crushed by an invisible giant hand, turned into cosmic dust in a silent explosion.
Star-Lord stood before the porthole, watching the scene quietly. He could feel the divine power within him resonating slightly, as if sighing for the end of an era.
A hand rested on his shoulder. It was Gamora.
"Are you alright?"
Star-Lord turned his head to look at the concerned gazes of his companions, and Yondu, who was standing not far away, pretending to check the instruments while glancing over from the corner of his eye.
Star-Lord smiled, a smile filled with relief, determination, and anticipation for the future.
"I'm fine. Actually, I've never felt better."
He took a deep breath and looked out at the boundless starry sky beyond the porthole.
"So, where to next? What should we take as the Guardians of the Galaxy's first official job?"
Rocket jumped up immediately. "I know! I just intercepted an encrypted communication. A warlord in the Xandar system has a bounty out for a space jellyfish that stole his treasure. The bounty is this much!" He held up three claws.
Drax frowned. "A jellyfish? Does that thing taste good?"
"I am Groot!"
Gamora rubbed her forehead, but there was a smile in her eyes.
Nebula stood at the edge of the group, watching the scene, a flash of extremely complicated emotion in her eyes.
She looked down at her mechanical hand, the words Gamora said in the cellar echoing in her mind.
"Fight for yourself..."
She raised her head, looking at Gamora's back, then at the vast Universe outside the porthole. That mechanical hand slowly clenched into a fist.
Yondu watched this, his lips curling into an almost imperceptible arc.
"A bunch of troublemakers," he muttered, but there wasn't much disdain in his tone.
The first mate walked over and asked in a low voice, "Captain, where to next..."
Yondu looked at the star map, the sharp light characteristic of a Raiders Captain flashing in his eyes.
"Full speed ahead, to the Troy Transit Station. I heard a new shipment of good stuff just arrived there. If we're late, those Harkers will snatch it all up."
"Yes, Captain!"
The Raiders mothership adjusted its course, its thrusters spewing hot exhaust as it headed deep into the sea of stars.
Just then, Star-Lord asked Gamora,
"How did you get underground? I heard intense fighting sounds when you arrived. Did you run into any trouble?"
"A little bit, not much, but we handled it." Rocketimmediately interjected, his furry tail flicking proudly, his little claws gesturing,
"Those glowing rock lumps, there were quite a lot of them, but their brains are worse than Drax's."
"Those rock men, their combat power is average, but they are tough. Even after being shattered once, they could still get back up."
Gamora nodded. "When I was heading down to find you, I was stopped by at least three waves of those crystal puppets."
"Their defense is very strong, energy attacks are almost ineffective, and after being physically shattered, as long as they are still within the range of this Planet, they can absorb Ego's residual energy and quickly reorganize."
"Fortunately, Yondu and the others arrived in time. And Nebula." Gamora's tone paused slightly.
Nebula's movements paused imperceptibly. She didn't look up; she glanced at Gamora and quickly looked away.
"We used heavy firepower to clear a path, Rocket and Groot disrupted their energy connections, Drax tore through the defensive line at the front, and Nebula and I handled the attacks on our flanks and rear."
Yondu added, "We tore our way all the way to the center, finally making it before that old monster digested you."
Star-Lord listened as his companions described the intense battle they fought to rescue him in tones that were either relaxed or indifferent, and a strong wave of warmth surged in his heart.
He could imagine the hardships of that journey—facing an army of regenerating puppets, how they fought desperately, chiseling through the internal organs of this monster Planet step by step, just to find him.
"Thank you." Star-Lord's gaze swept over everyone. "Thank you for not giving up on me."
"Duh." Rocket rolled his eyes. "We are a team."
...
Meanwhile, deep in the Universe.
klein was drifting aimlessly through the sea of stars, all alone.
He wasn't riding a ship; he was just walking through the void, each step crossing a distance of several light-years.
"Time to go back to Earth..." he muttered to himself. "Wanda must be getting anxious, and I wonder how things are at home."
Just as he was preparing for his next space jump, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye.
He stopped and turned to look to the side.
There, a strange Planet was floating quietly in the sea of stars.
The shape of the Planet was, shockingly, a giant skull.
Deep within the skull's eye sockets, eerie red lights flickered. The surface of the Planet was covered in craters and cracks, and one could vaguely see the reflection of mechanical structures inside.
klein narrowed his eyes, examining the skull floating quietly in the sea of stars.
He had heard legends about it. A certain unknown Celestial member had fallen in an era too distant to trace, and its immortal remains were drifting through the Universe.
Later, this skull ended up in the hands of The Collector.
This Elder of the Universe had transformed the head of the Celestials into a functional museum.
More importantly, this was a famous neutral zone.
The Collector had established an iron rule here: any individual or force setting foot on this Planet must set aside all disputes and coexist peacefully.
Any grudges were to be settled after leaving the Planet.
Violators would suffer the wrath of The Collector and would likely become the newest exhibit in his vast collection.
Therefore, this place had become the most peculiar safe haven in the entire Universe, an information exchange station, a black market hub,
and... a temporary shelter for outlaws and those with nowhere else to turn.
Chaos and order had reached an eerie balance here.
Furthermore, klein hadn't felt the existence of this Planet at all just now.
It was as if it had appeared out of thin air at that spot the moment he turned his head.
No, it didn't appear out of thin air. Something had used some extremely sophisticated method to interfere with his perception and guide him here.
It seemed The Collector had deliberately lured him here, but he didn't know what his intentions were.
Trying to settle the score for the Grandmaster?
klein's lips curled into an intrigued arc. "Well, since I'm already here, let's see what this old guy is really up to."
He stopped his space jumps, adjusted his direction, and walked unhurriedly toward the giant skull.
Chapter 235 The Collector
klein stepped into the interior of the skull Planet; it was far more bizarre and grotesque, as well as dirtier and more chaotic, than it appeared from the outside.
The interior of the giant cranium had been hollowed out, forming a complex multi-layered structure.
Buildings of all styles clung to the inner walls of the bone like a festering sore, without any planning, layered one upon another, crooked and twisted, stretching all the way to the horizon of one's vision.
The air was filled with a strange stench—a mixture of low-quality fuel, the body odor of alien creatures, cheap energy drinks, and some indescribable scent of decay.
A cacophony of noise surged from all directions; the languages of different races, the hum of machinery, the crackle of energy weapons, and some jarring music intertwined, assaulting the eardrums.
The narrow gaps that wound between piles of trash and makeshift shacks, barely passable, were crowded with all sorts of creatures.
There were reptiles covered in scales with fierce gazes; energy lifeforms with drifting forms, like condensed mist; mysterious figures wrapped in tattered robes, revealing only pairs of vigilant eyes; and desperadoes in groups of two or three, bearing obvious signs of battle and modified prosthetic limbs.
Almost every gaze cast toward klein carried an undisguised, instinctive malice toward a newly arrived "fat lamb."
But when klein looked back calmly, those gazes would quickly shift away.
Here, the iron law of The Collector was the only inviolable bottom line.
Any person or faction that dared to take action inside the Planet would be reduced to ashes in an instant by the omnipresent power of The Collector, or become a part of his exhibits.
Therefore, a strange peace had formed here—tense on the surface, but surging with undercurrents beneath.
klein was completely unconcerned; he strolled through these streets leisurely, hands behind his back, like a tourist on a sightseeing trip, his gaze sweeping over the shops on both sides.
The items sold were of every variety—some real, some fake, some good, some bad.
There were even open trades of slaves or prisoners of war; the creatures locked in cages had eyes that were either numb or filled with hatred.
"It's quite full of life, actually." klein muttered, but after wandering for a while, he lost interest.
The things here might be dangerous and novel to ordinary people, but to him, there was really nothing worth looking at.
He looked up toward the crown of the skull, which was the highest and most central area of the entire Planet's interior.
A massive building, constructed relying on the eye socket bone of a God, with a style so ornate and complex it was almost exaggerated, was The Collector's private museum and his true residence.
klein didn't delay any longer; his figure flickered slightly, disappearing from the crowded and chaotic bottom-level streets. The next moment, he appeared directly in front of the ornate museum's gate, which was inlaid with countless gemstones.
There were no guards before the gate, only two lifelike gargoyle sculptures that seemed as if they could come alive at any moment.
As klein approached, the eyeballs of one of the gargoyles rotated, emitting a harsh, grinding sound.
"Visitor, state your name and purpose." A cold, mechanical voice rang out.
"klein. Here to see The Collector." klein said casually.
After a few seconds of silence, the heavy museum gate slid open silently inward, revealing a long corridor behind it, covered with a deep red carpet, with various specimens of strange creatures or artworks hanging on the walls on both sides.
A tall female android, dressed in a classical maid's gown, stood quietly inside the door and curtsied slightly toward klein.
"The Master has been waiting for a long time. Mr. klein, please follow me."
The faceless female android turned and led the way. klein followed behind, his gaze sweeping over the collection on both sides.
There were interstellar pirates sealed in transparent force fields, still maintaining expressions of terror;
there were strange plant communities in slowly rotating ecological boxes, simulating miniature galaxies;
and there was even an entire ancient interstellar fleet, as if frozen in time, suspended in mid-air.
Everything here exuded a sense of extreme obsession.
After passing through several corridors and several dazzling exhibition halls, the android finally stopped before a massive relief-carved door depicting the scene of the Universe's birth.
The door opened automatically to both sides.
Behind the door was an extremely spacious circular hall with a transparent dome, through which one could directly see the shimmering sky of the skull Planet outside, composed of bone.
The hall's layout, however, was exceptionally simple, with only a set of sofas that looked extremely comfortable placed in the center, along with a coffee table filled with various strange wine bottles.
A figure stood up from the sofa facing the starry sky and slowly turned around.
He looked like an exceptionally well-maintained middle-aged gentleman, wearing a perfectly tailored dark purple velvet suit, his silver hair combed back meticulously, his face handsome, carrying a sense of vicissitudes and weariness from having lived through endless years.
But those eyes were startlingly bright, filled with greed.
It was none other than one of the Elders of the Universe, The Collector—Taneleer Tivan.
"An interesting traveler, you have finally arrived!" The Collector spread his arms exaggeratedly, striking a welcoming pose. "Seeing you, I am sincerely delighted!"
klein walked into the hall, glanced at the environment, and then looked at The Collector. "How delighted?"
The enthusiastic smile on The Collector's face paused slightly, and the light of curiosity in his eyes grew stronger. He lowered his arms and clapped his hands with great interest.
"Interesting! Truly interesting! Your reactions are always beyond my expectations." He walked over to the coffee table, poured himself a glass of amber liquid, and swirled it gently.
"It's alright," klein said, walking over to the sofa and sitting down on his own, crossing his legs, his tone casual. "I was having quite a fun time in the Universe, but as I was walking along, I got invited here. To be honest, seeing you, I can't bring myself to be happy just yet."
"Hahahaha!" The Collector let out a low, pleasant laugh and sat down on the sofa opposite klein.
"Please forgive my little bit of guidance, but I am truly too interested in you. I am very curious what the existence that my arrogant brother misses so much, and even suffered a loss without being able to obtain, actually looks like."
He took a sip of wine, his eyes flickering. "After seeing you with my own eyes, I find that he was right, and your refusal of him was also right. You are truly too interesting! Far more interesting than most of the collections I have gathered!"
"What?" klein raised an eyebrow. "Looking to get even for your brother?"
"No, no, no, please don't misunderstand." The Collectorwaved his hands repeatedly. "His affairs have nothing to do with me. Even if he really met with some misfortune, I might go collect the last wisp of his consciousness as it dissipated as a memento, but sad? That would not be the case."
He set down his wine glass and crossed his hands on his lap. "I am just very interested in you, extremely interested. How about it? Consider it—stay here and become one of my most precious collections? I guarantee you will receive the best preservation and maintenance. I will craft a one-of-a-kind display stand for you, making subsequent visitors marvel at your wonder!"
klein shook his head inwardly. Did these Elders of the Universe live too long, to the point where they all developed some issues?
The Grandmaster relied on his strength and authority to try and force things; with what kind of confidence did this brother The Collector think that he would be willing to be a collection?
Seemingly seeing through klein's thoughts, The Collector was not discouraged; instead, he became even more excited.
"It seems a direct invitation won't work... Then, let's go by the rules commonly accepted in the Universe." He stood up and elegantly adjusted his cuffs.
"Let's have a fight. If you lose, you stay and become my collection. If I lose..." He paused, a gambler's fanaticism flashing in his eyes, "you can choose any one item from all my collections to take away. Any one!"
klein leaned back slightly, resting against the soft sofa back, looking at him with a half-smile. "Any one? Including the Reality Stone?"
The Collector's pupils contracted imperceptibly, and immediately, the smile on his face became even richer, even carrying a few parts of admiration.
"You really do know! How interesting! That's right, as long as you win, anything is possible, including the Reality Stone." He admitted frankly.
"Then let's begin." klein also stood up, loosened his wrists, his tone as relaxed as if agreeing to a post-meal stroll.
"No, no, no," The Collector shook his head, extended a finger, and pointed around. "Not here. The entire Planet, everything here, is my collection; they are very fragile. If they get broken, even just a little bit, I will be heartbroken. Let's go outside."
The Collector raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The space around the two of them instantly rippled like water.
The next moment, they had left that luxurious museum hall and were placed in a completely unfamiliar space.
There was no concept of up, down, left, or right here; there was no matter, no light, and no darkness. There were only countless colorful patches constantly being born and destroyed, ever-changing, flowing lines, and indescribable flocculent matter, originating and annihilating in the void.
The laws of time and space appeared ambiguous and fragile here, with various contradictory physical phenomena playing out simultaneously, and simultaneously failing.
This was one of the storage rooms The Collector used to place special exhibits.
"This place is not bad, very spacious, and also very sturdy, enough for us to stretch our limbs." The Collector smiled slightly at klein, that smile containing an extreme madness.
"Then, Mr. klein, please let me appreciate your interesting aspects properly."
Chapter 236 The Collector II
The moment The Collector's words fell, this strange storage space underwent an indescribable change.
Those color blocks and lines, which were originally just flowing in a disorderly manner, suddenly received some kind of command.
They began to converge around klein, forming layers of conceptual webs that looked fragile but actually contained a strange, restrictive power.
These webs were neither solid nor material; they were forcibly materialized, attempting to define klein as a static collectible at the most fundamental level.
"Conceptual capture, numbered collection, untamed traveler." The Collector's voice echoed in the space.
klein could clearly feel that the surrounding space, time, and even the meaning of his own existence were being pulled by this force, attempting to define him directly.
In the past, facing such an attack that touched the root of existence, he might have needed to use massive Chaos Divine Power to force his way through, or use Time Magicto disrupt the process, a process that would inevitably be intense and consume a great deal.
But at this moment, klein just stood quietly in the center of the web and raised his left hand.
He traced lightly with his fingertips.
A line of fate, existing between being and non-being, was traced out by him.
The instant this line of fate appeared, the conceptual webs that were frantically defining klein seemed to encounter the most fundamental logical paradox.
A tiny, yet irreparable, break appeared.
It was like a precision machine where the tip of a tooth on a critical gear had been erased out of thin air.
Thus, a strange scene occurred.
The conceptual webs still shrouded klein, but he moved freely within them, as if those webs were merely holographic projections.
klein took a step forward, and the forces capable of imprisoning stars slid silently over him, failing to leave any trace.
For the first time, a clear look of astonishment appeared on The Collector's face, which always wore a curious smile.
His collection process was essentially about definition and solidification.
Using knowledge and authority accumulated over endless years, he would forcibly analyze the target's essential existence, then define it as an item within his collection system, and finally solidify its state.
This process was akin to the application of the Universe's underlying rules and rarely failed.
Yet the person before him, clearly captured, seemed to exist independently of these rules.
It was like using a bear trap to catch a breeze, or a fishing net to dredge up a thought; the tools themselves were intact, and the target was right there, but the design logic of the tools and the essence of the target were simply not on a level where they could interact.
"Interesting! Too interesting!" The Collector's astonishment lasted only an instant before being replaced by a more intense fanaticism. "The logic of your existence has undergone a shift I cannot comprehend! This shift itself is a priceless treasure!"
He raised his hands, his ten fingers moving as if playing invisible piano keys.
The entire storage space began to boil!
Those colorful blocks and lines transformed into the deadliest weapons.
A crimson color block swept past, and wherever it passed, the continuity of space was crudely cut away, like tearing off a part of a painting, revealing the void of the canvas underneath, attempting to cut klein's existence away in the same manner.
A jet-black line twisted and darted; it carried the ultimate concept of sealing. Anything it touched, whether energy or matter, would instantly lose all activity and turn into an absolutely static specimen.
There were also indescribable flocculent substances, permeated with an aura of stripping, attempting to infiltrate klein's perception and memory, disintegrating him from the level of self-cognition and turning him into a blank collectible waiting to be named.
Facing this multi-dimensional attack coming from all directions and on a conceptual level, klein finally moved.
His movements did not look fast, yet The Collector's attacks inexplicably deflected by a fraction.
It was like a flying knife aimed at a target's heart; at the moment of release, the thrower's finger trembled imperceptibly.
Thus, the color blocks grazed the corner of klein's clothes, cutting the void behind him into pieces, yet failing to touch even a single strand of his hair.
Just like that, klein strolled casually amidst the storm-like multi-dimensional conceptual attacks.
He did not destroy the attacks head-on, nor did he dodge their trajectories; he simply kept fine-tuning the causal relationship between the attacks themselves and his own existence.
Causing guaranteed hits to miss, lethal effects to fail, and eroding concepts to lose their way.
Seeing that ordinary attacks were ineffective, The Collectorbegan to grow increasingly furious.
He stopped limiting himself to this storage space and began to use a portion of his authority as an Elder of the Universe, invoking deeper underlying rules.
In an instant, klein felt an indescribable pulling force; The Collector was directly modifying local physical constants, launching an attack from the Universe's underlying rules.
klein's eyes narrowed slightly. He raised his right hand, pinching his index finger and thumb in the air as if holding an invisible thread, and then flicked it lightly against the causal chain acting upon him.
"Causal Inversion!"
An invisible and formless force erupted from klein as the center, tracing back up along the flicked causal thread and instantly acting upon The Collector himself!
The luxurious dark purple robe on The Collector suddenly shrank inward, and the space around him groaned under the unbearable pressure, as if it were about to crush him and that piece of space together into a single point.
"Hmph!" The Collector let out a muffled grunt, his eyes filled with even greater surprise.
He did not panic; with a mere thought, countless tiny points of light lit up on his body. The damage he had received was forcibly smoothed out, returning to its normal state.
But this clash made The Collector completely abandon the last shred of his contempt.
Not only could the opponent protect himself under his conceptual attacks, but he could also manipulate causality with such finesse to counterattack?
This level of understanding and application of rules was definitely not something an ordinary Universe-level powerhouse could possess!
"It seems that conventional means are indeed insufficient to include you in my collection sequence. Then, let us move on to the next phase."
He raised his assessment of klein to a level that required seriousness and considered using higher authority to archive klein.
The Collector brought his hands together in front of his chest, making a strange gesture.
The entire storage space, and even The Collector's personal domain, began to resonate with it.
Countless streams of light seeped out from every corner of the museum, from the strange items that had been collected, and even from the skeleton that constituted this Planet, crossing space and converging between The Collector's palms.
There, a halo of light, constantly changing shape and exuding an indescribably ancient aura, slowly emerged.
Within the halo, one could vaguely see the miniatures of countless civilizations, the birth and death of galaxies, and the manifestation of laws...
This was the accumulation of The Collector's endless years, a partial manifestation of his conceptual authority of 'collection,' and the yardstick he used to measure and define all things in the Universe!
"With this Radiance of Myriad Collections as the ruler, I measure the essence of your existence, adjudicate your final value, and grant you the unique sequence position within my collection hall!"
The halo of light detached from The Collector's hands, hovered in the air, and shone towards klein.
Enveloped by this light, klein immediately felt that everything about him, from inside to outside, from past to future, from matter to soul, was being subjected to an incredibly detailed analysis.
His power composition, his life level, his potential and risks, his connections with other known existences, and even some of the deepest traits and memory fragments within his soul...
Everything was being rapidly tagged with various abstract labels, as if making the final appraisal and assessment for a top-tier collectible about to be cataloged.
This was not just an investigation; it was a reinforced definition.
Once fully assessed, klein would obtain an inescapable "sequence position" in The Collector's collection system, would be completely stripped from the Universe, and branded as one of The Collector's items.
At that point, wanting to resist or escape would increase in difficulty exponentially.
Chapter 237: The Collector (3)
"Trying to archive me?" klein sensed the omnipresent power of assessment, yet instead of fear, he laughed.
"What a coincidence, I can do that too." klein took a step forward.
At the same time, he closed his eyes, utilizing his ability to manipulate fate to constantly disrupt the authority of The Collector's rules.
The composure on The Collector's face gradually vanished.
He felt his authority becoming chaotic as never before.
Countless complex, and even conflicting, data streams flooded back, and the expected archival conclusion remained unable to generate.
It was as if he were facing a mist that was constantly shifting.
"How is it possible… How is it possible?" The Collectormuttered to himself, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"The Myriad Treasury Radiance cannot complete a stable assessment of you? You have actually reached this level? No, this is impossible?!"
He realized that his opponent not only possessed the ability to resist the Myriad Treasury Radiance but also wielded strange methods capable of contending with his own authority as an Elder of the Universe!
The look in The Collector's eyes changed completely.
Cold murderous intent ignited in the depths of his eyes.
"I have to admit, klein, you have given me too many surprises. Precisely because of this, your value in my heart has risen to an unprecedented level. I have changed my mind."
He extended one hand, palm upward, and that mass of brilliant radiance suddenly contracted, flying back to his palm and merging into his body.
"With this body, this authority, and the accumulation of endless ages, I declare…"
His palms slowly closed together.
Endless light erupted from every corner of the dimension, surging madly toward The Collector.
His figure became blurred and expanded within the light, as if merging into the entire collection realm.
An indescribable power, like the eruption of a singularity during a Big Bang, swept toward klein with The Collector at its center!
Under this power, everything around klein—space, time, light, energy, and even the most fundamental states—began to distort.
This was one of The Collector's true trump cards, an ultimate method to forcefully define local reality using his own authority and endless accumulation.
Within this domain, he was the author who compiled the rules; his words were the plot currently being written.
Facing this overwhelming power that fundamentally denied the meaning of his own independent existence, the once-calm face of klein finally revealed a look of gravity, but at the same time, an unprecedented fighting spirit ignited.
"Finally getting serious. But it's a pity…"
klein suddenly opened his eyes. In them were two chaotic vortices composed of countless shattered light and shadow and interwoven threads.
Deep within those vortices, the causality of all things was reflected, as were endless possibilities.
Utilizing his absolute control over causality, klein forcefully plunged The Collector's power of law into a brief logical chaos, making it unable to complete the final marking.
This was a silent war, a bombardment and deconstruction at the level of laws.
There were no brilliant energy explosions, no shocking spatial fractures; only the most fundamental rules were being madly annihilated.
The special space itself began to tremble violently, emitting a groan of being overwhelmed.
The forces constituting this space began to crack under the high-intensity clash of authority between the two beings. Those shifting color blocks and lines became chaotic, as if they could collapse completely at any moment.
The composure on The Collector's face had long since vanished, replaced by an expression of shock and excitement.
He had never encountered such a difficult opponent.
The nature of his opponent's power was so strange that it could actually interfere, to a certain extent, with his authority as an Elder of the Universe!
This simply overturned his understanding!
"I must have him! I must!" The greed and obsession in The Collector's heart burned to the peak.
"Such a unique specimen, such a wondrous ability! Even if it means destroying this sub-space, even if it means paying any price, I must include him in my collection!"
He no longer cared about the limits of this special space, beginning to drive his authority without regard for the cost, even going so far as to draw upon his own essence, vowing to solidify klein completely.
The pressure on klein increased suddenly. A wisp of pale golden blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and tiny wounds began to appear on his body.
That was the power of definition piercing through the gaps in his causal interference, causing real damage to his physical body.
Although his causal manipulation was clever, facing the desperate, essence-fueled assault of an Elder of the Universe, he began to appear somewhat overwhelmed.
"This can't go on…" klein's eyes were sharp. He sensed that this special space was nearing its limit under the clash of their authorities and felt The Collector's offensive growing increasingly frenzied.
His thoughts raced, and a bold plan formed in his mind.
Just as The Collector mobilized his vast essence once more, suppressing klein with overwhelming force.
The chaotic vortices in klein's eyes spun madly; he no longer attempted to disperse or deflect this most violent wave of attacks.
Instead, he focused all his spirit and causal power into a single point, transforming it into a formless, intangible blade of causality that could sever anything.
Following this force of suppression, he went against the current, and with pinpoint accuracy, struck at the causal chain between this special space and The Collector!
The Collector groaned as if struck by lightning, his body shaking violently.
He felt the connection between himself and this special space, which he had spent countless efforts to create, being forcefully severed by an extremely brutal power!
Almost at the same time, the special space, having lost the continuous support and stability of The Collector's authority, could no longer maintain its internal law structure, which was already on the verge of collapse from the clash of authorities.
A law storm that could not be described in words erupted.
Space, time, energy, matter, and even various abstract concepts completely lost their order at this moment, madly annihilating, clashing, and exploding against each other!
The entire space was like an oil painting thrown into a meat grinder—distorted, shattered, and turned into the most primitive chaotic turbulence.
This collection space, which should have been incomparably stable, met its most thorough end since its birth.
The terrifying storm of law annihilation swept over everything.
The Collector bore the brunt of it; he was already mentally injured from having the causality he maintained severed, and now he was hit squarely by the backlash of his own space collapsing.
He spat out a mouthful of golden blood shimmering with starlight, his luxurious dark purple suit instantly becoming tattered, and countless terrible wounds deep enough to see bone appeared on his body, his aura withering at a speed visible to the naked eye.
More seriously, this space was built based on his authority and massive amounts of rare materials and law fragments, and it was closely connected to his essence.
Now that the space was completely destroyed, it was equivalent to this part of his authority being violently demolished, causing him heavy injuries bordering on damage to his essence.
In the short term, not only would his strength drop significantly, but even mobilizing his complete authority would become extremely difficult, and it might even leave permanent flaws.
In contrast, although klein had also suffered significant backlash from that final causal severing and was now covered in blood and pale,
the essence within him, which fused multiple powers and especially contained powerful vitality and chaotic characteristics, played a key role at this moment.
His wounds were self-repairing at a speed far exceeding common sense, and his consumed power was also rapidly recovering.
Although it would still take time to fully recover, compared to The Collector's heavy injuries that nearly knocked him down a realm, his state was far better.
The raging law storm gradually subsided, and the two returned to the interior of the Planet of Skulls, inside that luxurious circular hall.
However, the hall was now in a mess; expensive furniture had turned to powder, the walls were covered in cracks, and the transparent observation window on the dome was mostly shattered.
The Collector knelt on one knee, barely supporting his body, and coughed up a few more mouthfuls of golden blood. The look in his eyes as he gazed at klein was filled with extreme complexity.
Shock, unwillingness, regret, and a trace of hard-to-hide fear.
He had lost.
Not only had he failed to make his opponent a collection, but he had also lost one of his extremely important sub-space treasure vaults, suffered heavy injuries himself, and had his authority damaged.
"You…" The Collector's voice was hoarse and weak, "You won."
"According to the agreement, you may choose any one of my collections." Every word The Collector spoke seemed to exhaust his strength, and his face turned a shade paler.
klein wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "I accept your concession."
Chapter 238: Space Dog
The Collector watched as klein walked without hesitation to a corner of the exhibition hall and pulled a golden-furred... dog? from a seemingly unremarkable ecological pod.
In The Collector's eyes, which were slightly dim from his injuries, a trace of astonishment appeared once again.
"You..." He managed to raise a hand, pointing at the seemingly ordinary canine in klein's arms, his voice raspy from weakness and confusion.
"You chose this? Cosmo? A dog that can use telepathy? Even if it can use telepathy, it's still just a dog!"
He remembered this dog.
About fifty years ago, one of his automated collection ships had salvaged the wreckage of an artificial object styled after an early extraterrestrial civilization on the edge of a desolate star system.
The life support system inside the wreckage had long since failed, yet this creature had survived in a strange, low-efficiency dormant state, relying on the faint cosmic radiation leaking from the wreckage.
Tests showed it came from a remote Planet called Earth, and was a test subject from that civilization's early space exploration, a passenger on a failed satellite.
The long space drift and unknown radiation had accidentally activated certain areas of its brain, granting it telepathy and communication abilities.
To The Collector, this was just a small specimen with a minor, accidental mutation, barely interesting enough to be collected.
But compared to the treasures in his vast collection—treasures that could easily affect the survival of galaxies or contain the secrets of the Universe's origins—this dog was simply not worth mentioning.
He had assumed that after defeating him, the other party would unhesitatingly choose the Reality Stone, which was capable of distorting reality and driving countless galactic-level civilizations mad.
He had even mentally prepared himself to hand over the stone, even though it would break his heart.
Yet the other party had actually chosen a dog?
"Won't you reconsider?" The Collector couldn't help but speak up again. "That is the Reality Stone. With it, you can do almost anything. As for Cosmo, it's just a rather special dog."
klein was looking down, scratching the chin of Cosmo, the space dog in his arms.
Cosmo narrowed its eyes comfortably, and a faint but clear and friendly telepathic wave entered klein's mind: [Two-legged beast, good technique. Much better than that purple-clad pervert who keeps babbling about specimens to me all day.]
Hearing The Collector's words, klein looked up. "Who said I wanted the Reality Stone?"
The Collector: "..."
"I was just asking." klein shrugged, pulling Cosmo closer into his arms and adjusting to a more comfortable position.
"This dog is just fine. Fluffy, can talk, and not noisy. My girlfriends are too bored at home. I'll bring it back to surprise them! As for the Reality Stone? That thing is too much trouble, you'd better keep it and play with it yourself."
The Collector opened his mouth, and as he watched the dog in klein's arms transmit the telepathic thought [Home? Is there meat to eat?], he felt a mouthful of blood welling up in his chest, unable to go up or down.
He had paid a huge price, even suffering damage to his authority, to fight a battle with this guy?
And the result was that the other party's greatest trophy was actually a dog?
This made The Collector feel even worse than if he had just had the Reality Stone stolen.
"...Fine." The Collector finally squeezed out the word through gritted teeth, his face even more ashen than before, though it was unclear if it was from his injuries or his anger.
He waved his hand, lacking even the strength to maintain superficial politeness. "Take your dog and get out."
"Thanks. Heal up well, and try not to invite people to see your collection so casually in the future. Bye!"
klein held Cosmo and waved at The Collector.
After saying this, he took a step forward, and his figure, along with Cosmo the space dog in his arms, rippled like water a few times before vanishing completely from the museum.
Having left The Collector's territory, klein did not delay. After identifying the direction, he began a series of ultra-long-range space jumps toward that azure Planet in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Cosmo was clearly very intrigued by this method of instantly crossing the endless sea of stars. It poked its fluffy head out from klein's arm, its psionic senses spreading out: [Wow! The stars are running backward! Much faster than my old ship cabin! Two-legged beast, you're pretty amazing!]
"Not bad," klein said while traveling, using his finger to rub its ears. "Call me Boss from now on, none of that 'two-legged beast' stuff."
[Okay, Boss!] [Boss, are we really going back to Earth? I remember it, it was super pretty. But I think I've been gone for a long time.]
"It has been a long time. But don't worry, you'll have a home from now on. There are a few people at home, I'll introduce you to them when we get there. They should really like you."
[Them?] Cosmo's tail wagged subconsciously. [A lot of people? But girls who like dogs are all good girls! Boss, can I eat something when we get home? I don't think I've eaten in a long time. That purple-clad pervert kept injecting me with nutrient solution all day, it tasted like rusty screws!]
"All you can eat."
The timeline shifts back to shortly after klein left Earthand began wandering the Universe.
The aftermath of Sokovia continued to ferment.
Especially during a United Nations meeting, where U.S. Secretary of State General Ross stood at the podium, in front of representatives from 189 member states, repeatedly playing footage on the screen of the massive casualties and property damage caused after superhero operations.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in the past few years, the Worldhas witnessed at least seventeen major catastrophic events. The direct death toll exceeds four thousand, with indirect impacts affecting millions. This is not a story of heroes saving the World, but an uncontrolled global crisis."
General Ross took out a document. Through the screen projection, the members saw the cover of this document: "Superhuman Registration and Deployment Accords," also known as the Sokovia Accords.
"The core of this accord is simple. First, all superheroes must register their identities and their abilities with a special United Nations committee; second, any superhero action must be authorized by the United Nations or approved by the government of the country where it occurs; third, those who violate the accord will be considered international criminals and will be jointly pursued by the signatory nations."
The venue was silent. The representative from Russiaraised their hand first. "We support this. We cannot allow private armed forces from the United States or any other country to operate freely around the World anymore."
The representative from France hesitated. "But the Avengers did stop Loki's alien invasion, and stopped Ultron's global extinction plan..."
"And then created the Sokovia disaster." The representative from Britain said coldly. "The accord must be passed. This is the bottom line for the civilized World."
The subsequent vote was 117 in favor, 42 against, and 30 abstentions.
The Sokovia Accords officially went into effect at the end of the meeting that day.
Chapter 239: Conflict
The Superhuman Registration Act, which had been debated for over half a year, officially went into effect.
Tony Stark stood before the floor-to-ceiling panoramic window, holding a cup of coffee that had already gone cold.
Outside the window lay the brilliant lights of Manhattan, but his eyes were fixed only on the image of the United Nations bill taking effect.
Pepper walked up behind him softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"We have to take responsibility, Pepper." Tony did not turn around. "I will never forget the look in the eyes of those children's mothers as long as I live."
"So you're going to send your comrades into a cage?"
"It's the rules! We can't just act on what we feel is right anymore! Look at what we've caused!"
At the same time, in a safe house somewhere in Brooklyn.
Steve Rogers gently placed a medal on the table; it was a memento of Carter.
"Once we register, they will have control over everyone's identities, families, and weaknesses." Steve's voice was low.
"If one day this committee is infiltrated or manipulated, who will protect those who trust us?"
"Tony says this is for safety," Sam said.
"Safety at the cost of freedom is not safety. Besides, there are some things that must be done, regardless of the rules."
From this moment on, a rift began to form in everyone's hearts.
The cause that led everyone toward division was a routine United Nations meeting.
The image of King T'Chaka of Wakanda collapsing on the podium outside the United Nations conference center in Vienna, his chest blown open, was instantly broadcast globally through countless news cameras.
This was not a war against alien invaders or a World-destroying catastrophe; it was not any kind of global crisis that could be easily categorized.
This was a blatant assassination attempt against a head of state who advocated for peace.
And according to video clips captured amidst the chaos at the scene, as well as preliminary cross-verification from multiple intelligence channels,
the suspect who carried out the explosion was found to have symbols of extreme superhero worship on them. Their motive was preliminarily inferred to be an attempt to eliminate conservative forces obstructing the superhero cause through extreme means.
Although no known super-powered individual was directly involved, headlines like "Fanatical Atrocities Born from Superhero Culture," "Terrible Derivatives of Uncontrolled Power," and "Copycat Crimes Resulting from Vigilante Behavior" had swept through all media outlets like a tsunami.
The public's fear and doubts, feelings that had long been suppressed by events like Sokovia and New York, finally found an outlet and erupted completely.
Waves of mourning and anger swept across the globe.
Wakanda was plunged into national mourning. Its image as an isolated yet technologically advanced nation cast an even deeper shadow over the incident—a tragedy of an advanced civilization suffering a barbaric attack—and the international community's condemnation was unprecedentedly unified.
Pressure, like a landslide or tsunami, bore down on the Avengers and every single superhero.
Tony Stark was invited to the Pentagon by General Ross.
"Stark, the ruins of Vienna are still smoking. The Prince of Wakanda is demanding blood for blood. And public opinion has already pushed you all to the edge of a cliff."
"I know, General."
"Knowing isn't enough! The Accords have taken effect! This is the law! But now, Captain America is actually leading his little group in open defiance! Is he still the Captain of the Americans? This is a declaration of war against the whole World!"
Tony closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Steve has his reasons..."
"I don't care what his reasons are!" General Rossinterrupted Tony rudely.
"Stark, listen. The President's patience is limited, and so is mine. The Accords must be enforced. All super-powered individuals must register and submit to oversight. This is the last chance to regain public trust and avoid total collapse. Either you convince Rogers and his cohorts to sign and accept the arrangements, or... I will have to initiate the Thunder Protocol. I will designate them, and anyone who assists or harbors them, as global Terrorists. When that happens, it won't be my troops hunting them down, but the armies of the entire World. Do you want to see that, Tony? Do you want to see Captain America become a global enemy, surrounded and killed in some dirty sewer?"
"Alright, General, I will do my best to convince them."
Returning home, Tony stood for a long time, gazing at the night view of New York outside the window. The myriad lights now seemed blindingly harsh.
Tony found Steve Rogers in the safe house in Brooklyn. On the small round table in front of him lay a slightly worn medal.
"We need to talk, Steve. Seriously."
"We've been talking, Tony. But the answer won't change." Steve's gaze shifted from the medal to Tony, his eyes filled with unquestionable determination,
"Registering identities, disclosing all information, waiting for approval before every action... This is equivalent to handing the hilt of the sword to someone else. Who will oversee the overseers? The United Nations? Politicians? Or General Ross?"
"Someone has to oversee us! We can't continue to be outlaws, Steve! Look outside! Look at how many people have died because of our actions! King T'Chaka is dead! He died because of the worship of a madman! We can no longer afford the price of this kind of free action!"
"So you want to trade freedom for a sense of security?" Steve stood up and met Tony's gaze.
"If we sign, the next time there's a Loki or an Ultron, do we have to wait for the committee to hold a vote? Wait for politicians to weigh the pros and cons? Wait for General Ross to nod? By the time that happens, how many people will have already died? Freedom has a price, Tony, but compromise and fear have a higher one."
"This isn't compromise! This is the rules! We need to prove to the World that we can be responsible and adhere to order! This is the only way to regain trust! Do you want to watch Sam and the others turn into fugitives one by one? Watch the Avengers fall apart, just like S.H.I.E.L.D., and be hunted by the whole World?"
"If that means abandoning our principles and submitting to a system that could be manipulated and exploited, then yes. I would rather face the hunt than sign an agreement that could harm innocent people. There are some bottom lines that cannot be crossed, regardless of convenience or safety."
After Steve finished speaking, the two fell into a long silence.
"We can't convince each other, can we?" Tony spoke first, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness.
"It seems not." Steve picked up the medal and held it tightly in his palm.
"Then let's settle it our way." Tony took a deep breath as if he had made a decision, his expression becoming complex and resolute. "I can't just watch you lead everyone toward a dead end. Let's have a fight. The winner decides how we proceed from here."
Steve looked at Tony deeply for a long moment before slowly nodding.
"Fine. Where?"
"The old place. You know it, there's an abandoned airport there. It's spacious enough and private enough." Tonypaused. "I'll bring some people. You do the same. Just between us."
"It's a deal."
Chapter 240: Civil War
In Brooklyn, at a deserted small cargo airport, several skeletal remains of decommissioned planes lay silently under the setting sun.
In the center of the airport runway, two groups of people stood in clear opposition.
On one side was Steve Rogers.
Falcon Sam spread his wings, hovering at a low altitude behind his left.
Bucky the Winter Soldier stood silently on the right, while Hawkeye Clint Barton stood on a high vantage point in the back; because he had a family, he did not want to sign the document.
Ant-Man Scott Lang was a little fanboy of Captain America, and because he had served time in prison before, he deeply understood the price of signing this agreement, so he stood firmly by Captain America's side.
On the other side was Tony Stark; his faceplate had not yet descended, and the clear exhaustion and struggle on his face were visible.
War Machine Rhodes was now by his side; as a member of the Military, he stood firmly on Tony's side.
Black Panther had just lost his father, and he also stood firmly on the side of signing the agreement.
Natasha looked at her former teammates with a complex expression. Although she had gone through the transformation of the Red Room, in her heart, she still felt it was necessary for superheroes to sign this document.
At the very back was Spider-Man, wearing a red and blue bodysuit; he was the external aid Tony had brought in.
Tony had originally wanted to seek help from klein, but upon going to the shop, he learned that he was not on Earth.
Wanda and Pietro also followed klein's previous advice, clearly stating that they would not participate in the battle between the two sides.
In the end, Tony had no choice but to go find the friendly neighbor of New York, Peter Parker.
"One last time, Steve. Sign it, accept the oversight. We can participate in drafting the details together to ensure it won't be abused. Don't let things escalate to the point of no return."
Steve shook his head slowly, his voice exceptionally firm,
"Who oversees the overseers, Tony? The agreement itself could become a shackle, or it could become a blade in the hands of certain people. Today they use the agreement to demand we register, and tomorrow they might use it to order us to execute missions we shouldn't. There are some bottom lines that cannot be retreated from."
"So this is your answer? Division? Civil War?" Tony's voice rose, suppressing anger and disappointment,
"Look behind you! They all have families. Have you thought about the consequences?"
Captain America pursed his lips, but his eyes did not waver. "Some things are more important than consequences."
"Then there is nothing left to say." Tony sighed, and the nanotech armor instantly spread from his chest to cover his entire body. The faceplate descended, and the lights lit up.
"Move out."
"Fire!" Colonel Rhodes's roar rang out almost simultaneously. The energy cannon on his shoulder charged first, and a beam of incandescent light tore through the air, heading straight for Steve!
Steve's reaction was astonishingly fast; his shield moved in front of him instantly.
A deafening impact sound accompanied by scattering energy sparks, and Steve was pushed back several meters by the force of the impact.
Almost at the same instant the energy cannon hit the shield, a streak of black lightning cut across the runway!
Black Panther shattered the ground, pouncing toward Captain America at a speed difficult for the naked eye to track, his sharp claws aiming straight for his throat!
Captain America blocked Black Panther's claws with his metal shield; the metal collision emitted a harsh screech, and the two were instantly locked in combat.
Tony's target was Bucky; he soared into the sky, his palm repulsors charging, intending to attack Bucky directly.
But Sam swooped down from the side, micro-missiles whistling as they intercepted Tony's flight path, while the machine guns on his wrists strafed Tony, forcing him to turn to deal with it.
"Mr. Stark said to subdue you!" Peter Parker swung down from high above, his movements incredibly agile, kicking toward Bucky in mid-air.
Bucky turned slightly to the side, and Spider-Man's flying kick grazed past his shoulder, the gust of wind it brought stinging his face.
Peter landed lightly, and spider-silk immediately shot toward Bucky's legs. "Whoa, this metal arm is so cool! Can you let me see the construction? But for now, please just stay still..."
He didn't finish his sentence because Clint's explosive arrow had already landed at his feet.
Peter yelped and did an exaggerated backflip to dodge the explosion, leaving a crater where he had been standing.
"Hey! That's dangerous!"
"Focus, kid!" Natasha's voice came; she had already engaged Clint in combat.
The battle between the two top-tier combat masters lacked dazzling energy beams, but it was incredibly perilous.
The crisp sounds of fists and feet colliding and daggers blocking, the locks and counters of joint techniques—every move was aimed at vital points, yet each was neutralized by the other by a hair's breadth.
"Natasha, stop, we don't have to do this!" Clint slid to dodge Natasha's shock baton and shot an arrow backhand toward her lower body, which Natasha twisted her body to kick away.
"This is for a greater goal, Clint!" Natasha panted, throwing a whip kick toward Clint's waist. "The agreement must be enforced; there cannot be any more senseless sacrifices!"
"The greater goal is to divide us? Just watch, the only thing that will be hurt in the end is trust!" Clint blocked her leg and used the force to push her away.
On the other side, Scott Lang pressed the controller. His figure instantly shrank and vanished from everyone's view.
"Someone has disappeared! Watch out for an ambush!" Colonel Rhodes circled in the air, using his armor to scan the ground while using his machine guns to suppress Sam, who was trying to support Steve.
Steve, having just repelled a fierce assault from Black Panther with his shield, caught his breath and shouted into his comms, "Scott, proceed with the plan!"
"Copy that, Captain! Watch this!" The miniaturized Scottraced along the ground and quickly climbed onto the leg seam of War Machine Colonel Rhodes's armor.
"What the—?" Rhodes felt something strange on his leg, but before he could look down—
Scott suddenly returned to normal size!
"Waaah!" The impact and positioning caused by the massive change in size instantly made Rhodes's armor lose its balance,
He screamed as he tumbled from the air and crashed heavily onto the runway, kicking up a large cloud of dust, unable to struggle up for a moment.
"Nice job, Lang!"
Tony saw Rhodes fall, his heart tightening. "Rhodes!" He wanted to go to the rescue, but Sam's entanglement left him unable to spare the effort.
The battle quickly evolved from one-on-one duels into a chaotic melee, with everyone falling into situations of facing multiple opponents or being surrounded.
Although Peter Parker's combat experience was far inferior to these veterans, his Spider-Sense, superhuman strength and agility, and that near-instinctual fighting style made him the most unpredictable factor on the battlefield.
He would weave between Bucky and Black Panther to interfere, try to trap Falcon with spider-webs, or jump away to dodge Hawkeye's stray arrows.
His activity significantly tied down Captain America's side.
The battle between Natasha and Clint was the most intense; they knew each other too well, and for a moment, neither could do anything to the other.
Natasha finally found an opportunity, using her shock baton to briefly paralyze Clint's arm and knock him back, then she quickly glanced at the overall situation.
Rhodes was down, temporarily out of the fight.
Ant-Man Scott was missing after shrinking, likely lurking in the shadows, preparing for the next sneak attack.
"Can't let this drag on..." Natasha's eyes sharpened; she had to break the stalemate.
She dashed toward Spider-Man, who was fighting Bucky, and shouted loudly to Peter: "Parker! Go help Black Panther suppress the Captain! Leave this to me!"
Peter paused for a moment. "Oh, okay!" He immediately shot out a web and swung toward the battlefield of Black Panther and Captain America.
Natasha took over for Peter, using her exquisite combat skills and electric weapons to coordinate with Tony, together surrounding Bucky.
With the addition of Black Widow, Bucky was suddenly overwhelmed; soon, several deep claw marks were added to his body, and his movements slowed down.
"Bucky!" Seeing his friend in danger, Steve felt a sense of urgency, and his defense had a momentary lapse.
"Now's the time!" Peter caught this fleeting opportunity and shot a huge spider-web, covering the top of Steve's head.