Bold words. Arrogant words.
Nolan acknowledged them, though he did not believe in them.
Still, he was in no hurry.
When it came to Thanos, Nolan felt little fear. It was true that Thanos stood as a cosmic overlord, a being of immense strength with few equals in the universe. Yet there was one undeniable fact. While the Ancient One and Odin were still alive, even knowing that Earth held more than one Infinity Stone, Thanos had never dared to come and claim them.
That alone said enough. His power was not greater than theirs.
And now, Nolan possessed the Apostle Armor along with a variety of other means. Even if he could not defeat Thanos, escaping would not be a problem.
In truth, he wanted to test it.
Compared to the future Thanos who would wield multiple Infinity Stones, if there was a chance to deal with him now, it would be far better.
Of course, before that, letting the Collector test Thanos first was the perfect move.
So Nolan stepped back.
This was not his battlefield. Rather than wasting time clashing with the Collector, it was better to prepare for what was coming.
Seeing Nolan withdraw so calmly, the Collector said nothing. Only after Nolan had completely left did he speak coldly,
"Let's go. It's time to meet Thanos. This is my planet."
With that, he strode out.
Meanwhile, Nolan opened a portal and returned directly to his ship.
"Red Queen, report the situation outside."
"Sir, scans indicate a large number of life signatures surrounding the planet. Based on probability analysis, there is a 78 percent chance that a military force is present. Due to current technological limitations, further confirmation is not possible."
"That's enough."
Nolan nodded. For him, 78 percent might as well be certainty.
After a brief pause, he asked,
"What about our allies?"
By allies, he meant the Ravager forces.
After establishing Lock Technology on the Ravager planet and integrating over time, a working alliance had formed. Led by Yondu, the Ravagers had already mobilized and were heading toward the Collector's planet.
The reason was simple.
The Ravagers needed protection.
Yondu was strong, but his son, Star-Lord, had stirred up serious trouble. To resolve it, Yondu had chosen to step forward himself.
And there was also Thanos to consider.
This time, everything had aligned perfectly.
"The Ravager fleet is approaching at high speed. Other allied forces have also mobilized. The first wave is expected to arrive within three hours."
"Then we wait."
Nolan nodded again.
The Collector, as a long-standing power, could hold out for three hours.
Elsewhere, Yondu stood at the front of his ship, surrounded by his roaring crew. None of them showed fear.
They were Ravagers. Space pirates.
They might avoid danger when necessary, but that did not mean they were afraid of a fight.
"Listen up!" Yondu shouted. "Our ally has invited us to a feast. Once we take down the Collector's planet, everyone gets a share of the spoils!"
One sentence was enough to ignite the entire crew.
Only Yondu himself felt unease deep down.
He was not like his men. He knew exactly who the Collector was, an old and powerful figure in the cosmos.
He could not help wondering what Nolan was thinking.
But he had no choice.
Because of Star-Lord.
Turning his head, Yondu shot Star-Lord a glare that made him shrink back.
Rocket snickered beside him.
"Thought you said you were fearless?"
Star-Lord scoffed.
"Try it yourself. Let's see if Yondu doesn't send that arrow straight through your skull."
Rocket immediately shut his mouth.
He was not stupid.
Drax, however, burst out laughing.
"You're all cowards. Watch me!"
He started to step forward, but in the next instant, the rest of the Guardians tackled him to the ground, forcing him down before he could do anything reckless.
They looked up at Yondu and gave awkward smiles.
Yondu glared at them but said nothing. Whatever chaos they were up to, he did not care.
Except for one thing.
His son.
"Everyone listen carefully," Yondu continued. "No one makes a move without my command!"
"Yes!"
"Got it!"
"Understood!"
The responses came one after another, and Yondu finally relaxed slightly.
He would judge the situation himself.
This was cooperation, not blind loyalty. Fighting was not always necessary.
Just then, a communication came through.
"Boss, message from Lock Technology. A new force has appeared on the Collector's planet."
"Who?"
Yondu frowned.
"Looks like Thanos's forces."
"Fuck!"
Yondu lost his composure instantly.
The Guardians of the Galaxy were equally shaken. The whole reason they had been hiding with the Ravagers was to avoid Thanos. Because of Gamora, they were already on his wanted list.
Star-Lord immediately stepped forward.
"Shouldn't we run? If we face Thanos's army, we're dead."
Yondu's expression shifted.
"What does Lock Technology say? We're not what we used to be. We've got advanced weapons now, even a mechanical army. Facing Thanos doesn't necessarily mean defeat."
He paused, then added,
"Confirm their intentions first. Running before the fight even begins isn't just embarrassing. It could cost us everything."
He understood the stakes.
Their equipment came from Lock Technology. They could not produce it themselves. Betraying their ally now would not only offend a mysterious and powerful force but also destroy everything they had built.
Soon, the answer came.
"Boss, Lock Technology says… they might fight."
Yondu frowned deeply.
"Is Nolan Lock crazy? That's Thanos. There's no benefit in confronting him head-on."
He grabbed the communicator and contacted Nolan directly.
"Mr. Lock, what are you planning? You want a direct war with Thanos? We're allies, not your soldiers. Without certainty, we won't do it. I have to answer to my men."
Nolan did not get angry. He never expected blind loyalty from pirates.
"It may not come to war. This is just preparation. And even if it does, you won't be the main force."
He paused, then added calmly,
"From what I know, your son doesn't exactly have a good relationship with Thanos. Don't you want to take this chance to teach him a lesson?"
Yondu was unmoved.
"Don't try to provoke me. Of course I want to beat him, even kill him. But wanting and doing are different. Show me something real. Otherwise, I'm not risking my people for your madness."
He was completely rational.
He had to be.
He was not just a father.
Nolan's reply was simple.
"You'll see soon enough."
Then he cut the communication.
At the same time, the forces Nolan had quietly built across the cosmos began to reveal themselves.
Within Thanos's fleet, a report reached the commander.
"Commander, multiple ships are approaching from all directions. They appear to be forming an encirclement."
The commander remained calm.
"No need to worry. Likely the Collector's forces. They won't dare attack. If anything happens to the Collector, these rats will scatter."
He smirked.
"Prepare for battle. If the Master gives the order, we wipe them all out."
Confidence radiated from him.
Because he commanded the elite of Thanos's army.
In this universe, that name meant absolute power.
Meanwhile, inside the Collector's palace, the Collector stood face to face with Thanos.
Thanos remained calm. Ebony Maw stood respectfully behind him.
"Thanos, why have you come to my world?" the Collector asked cautiously. "I'm just a collector. I've never offended you."
Thanos looked at him.
"I have only one purpose. The Space Stone. Hand it over."
The Collector stiffened.
He remembered Nolan's earlier words.
But how could he give it up?
He had paid dearly for it, trading countless treasures to Odin. The Space Stone was his pride, his life.
Giving it up was no different from dying.
His expression turned cold.
"This is no joke. I don't know where you got your information, but the Space Stone is part of my collection. No one takes anything from me. Not Lock Technology, and not even you."
"Lock Technology?"
Thanos narrowed his eyes.
This was not the first time he had heard that name. Their weapons were everywhere, even within his own army.
Cheap. Effective.
But wanting the Space Stone?
What qualification did they have?
He dismissed the thought.
The Collector had some strength, but compared to him, it was nothing.
"It seems you won't hand it over."
Thanos stepped forward.
The Collector's face darkened.
Should he give it up?
The thought flickered, then vanished.
He had his pride.
Even facing Thanos, he refused.
Rage surged within him.
"Thanos! You want to fight? I may be a collector, but I am no easy target. This is my world!"
His power erupted, filling the palace with crushing pressure.
Outside, countless people stared in fear. Soldiers rushed toward the palace.
No one believed the Collector could lose.
But only minutes later—
Boom!
A figure was blasted out, crashing heavily into the ground.
It was the Collector.
In the next instant, Thanos descended, his blade aimed directly at him.
Panic flooded the Collector's face.
"The Space Stone… I already gave it away!"