The entire expanse of Knowhere had been swallowed by war.
Endless waves of mechanical forces surged forward, launching relentless, indiscriminate assaults against Thanos' army. In response, his forces struck back with equal ferocity. Fire and destruction spread in every direction, turning the battlefield into a blazing inferno.
And yet, at the very heart of it all, Nolan and Thanos stood locked in a strange stalemate.
"Second round?"
Thanos gripped his massive blade, his expression unreadable. Only the remaining three members of the Black Order could sense the fury simmering beneath his calm exterior. It was a rage so intense that even they felt a chill run through them.
They understood why.
The Black Order had dominated the cosmos for years without losing a single member. But now, against an obscure force like Rock Technology, two of their own had fallen in an instant.
It was more than a defeat. It was humiliation.
Thanos repeated the words once more, then suddenly snapped his gaze toward Nolan.
In the next instant, he launched forward like a missile.
A thunderous explosion ripped through space as the collision shattered the air itself, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
Nolan and Thanos crashed into each other head-on.
The surrounding mechanical units were obliterated by the sheer force of the impact. The AT Field fractured instantly, and one of the Evangelion mech's arms nearly tore apart under the pressure.
Raw power. Absolute speed.
Nolan felt it again, clearer than ever.
But just as Thanos prepared to press his advantage, something unexpected happened.
From the damaged arm of the Evangelion, strands of organic tissue burst forth, wrapping around the shattered structure. In moments, the arm regenerated, though the underlying metal remained scarred and warped.
At the same time, the AT Field reformed.
Aside from its more battered appearance, it was as if the clash had never happened.
Nolan did not hesitate.
Returning a blow was only proper courtesy.
He surged forward, launching his own counterattack while the surrounding mechanical army moved in to support him.
The remaining members of the Black Order tried to intervene, but Thanos raised a hand, stopping them.
As one of the universe's supreme warlords, he refused to let anyone interfere in his battle.
It was a matter of pride.
Far from the center of the conflict, another force arrived.
Yondu's Ravager fleet.
"They've started."
Yondu's expression turned grim as he stared at the blazing sky. The outer reaches of Knowhere had been lit up by endless streams of weapons fire.
Peter Quill stood beside him, stunned.
"So this is what a real space war looks like?"
He had seen his fair share of chaos before, but nothing on this scale. At this rate, Knowhere itself might be reduced to dust.
"Do we join in?" one Ravager asked.
Rock Technology had made it clear. The Ravagers were not the main force, only support.
But looking at the overwhelming scale of both sides, it was obvious that neither army was something they could face alone.
Yondu hesitated for only a moment before making his decision.
"We fight."
His voice hardened.
"There's no turning back between us and Thanos. And Rock Technology is based on our world. If we sit this out, we're finished either way."
The others nodded, resolve settling in.
"Then we go all in."
Yondu grinned slightly.
"Not just fight. We use everything we've got."
A subordinate blinked in surprise.
"You mean… the stash too?"
"Exactly."
Yondu's grin widened.
"If we're doing this, we do it right. We win first. As for the losses…"
He shrugged.
"Rock Technology can pay the bill."
The Ravagers burst into laughter, their spirits reignited. They might live rough lives, but that did not mean they lacked firepower.
"Deploy everything! Terminator units, APU exoskeletons, all of it!"
A Ravager tossed a massive weapon toward Peter.
"Hey, Quill! Drop that toy and try this. This is Rock Technology's latest model. The Devastator. Now that's a real weapon."
Peter's eyes widened as he caught it.
Rocket, on the side, practically lunged forward.
"Now that's what I'm talking about! Grab as much as you can, boys. Let's tear Thanos' army apart!"
The Guardians of the Galaxy armed themselves without hesitation.
Moments later, their fleet entered the battlefield.
"Fire!"
Yondu gave the order, and the silent fleet erupted in a devastating volley. In a single barrage, numerous enemy ships were wiped out.
Only then did Yondu open a channel to Rock Technology.
"Hey, partner. What do you need from us?"
The response came from Red Queen.
"Proceed to Knowhere's surface. Engage in ground operations. The surrounding space will become a restricted fire zone in three minutes. Any non-allied units will be targeted."
Yondu's eyes narrowed.
He believed her instantly.
Good thing we didn't stay out there.
"Heh. Ground combat? That's our specialty."
He gave a sharp whistle.
"You heard her! Prepare to land!"
Under the cover of Rock Technology's fleet, the Ravagers broke through the outer defenses and descended onto Knowhere.
The moment the flagship doors opened, Yondu stepped out, whistle arrow in one hand and blaster in the other.
Behind him, the Guardians followed, brimming with battle intent.
The Ravagers charged forward with wild howls.
There was no need to search for enemies.
The entire planet had become a battlefield.
Yondu let out a low whistle.
The arrow shot forward like a streak of death, weaving through the battlefield at impossible speeds. Wherever it passed, enemies fell in droves.
Within minutes, the area around him was cleared.
He recalled the arrow and laughed.
War suited him.
It was where his skill became art.
Elsewhere, the Guardians fought fiercely, quickly drawing attention.
Proxima Midnight's eyes burned with anger.
"I'll handle them."
Her voice was cold, her grief for Corvus Glaive fueling her rage.
She accelerated, then hurled her spear toward Yondu with deadly precision.
Sensing danger, Yondu dove aside just in time.
The spear struck where he had stood a moment before.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
That was close.
Proxima Midnight appeared, retrieving her weapon, her gaze locked onto him.
"You're strong," Yondu said, steadying himself. "Walk away now, and you might live."
She did not respond.
She attacked.
Yondu whistled sharply. His arrow streaked toward her, but she dodged effortlessly and closed the distance, her spear thrusting forward.
Their battle erupted instantly.
At the same time, the rest of the Guardians were wreaking havoc, though not quite on Yondu's level.
It was enough to draw the attention of another member of the Black Order.
Supergiant stepped forward.
"I'll deal with them. Ebony Maw, watch over our lord."
With that, she rushed toward the Guardians.
Drax roared and charged to meet her.
"I've got this!"
But the moment they collided, his confidence shattered.
It felt like crashing into an immovable wall.
Before he could react, Supergiant sneered and sent him flying.
She moved in to finish him, but a wooden arm shot out, wrapping around her.
"Nice one, Groot!" Rocket shouted, already firing.
But the restraint did not last.
Supergiant broke free, grabbed Groot, and swung him like a weapon before hurling him away.
The team staggered.
"Damn it," Peter muttered. "Where do these monsters come from?"
Rocket shot him a look.
"They're Thanos' people. Of course they're monsters. What, you scared now?"
"Scared? Not a chance!"
Peter raised his weapon, but bravado did little to change reality.
Supergiant's gaze shifted to Gamora.
"Gamora. It's been a while."
The moment their eyes met, Gamora felt a chill of mortal danger.
She knew exactly how powerful the Black Order was.
She could not win.
She tried to retreat, but it was already too late.
In a flash, Supergiant was in front of her, fingers closing around her throat.
"Gamora!" Peter and the others shouted.
Supergiant's expression was filled with disdain.
"You betrayed our master. No matter the reason, your fate is sealed."
She tightened her grip.
Gamora struggled, barely managing to break free at the last second, but it did nothing to change the tide of battle.
Supergiant did not care.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared in front of Peter.
A devastating strike landed squarely on his chest.
The impact was overwhelming.
Peter did not even have time to react.
The light in his eyes faded.
Supergiant released him, letting his body slump to the ground.
"One down," she said coldly. "Now for the next."
For a moment, everything froze.
Peter… dead?
The Guardians stared in disbelief.
In the distance, Yondu saw it happen.
"Peter!"
Rage exploded within him.
"That was my son!"
His voice trembled with fury.
"Thanos! I won't stop until one of us is dead!"
The battlefield burned even hotter as grief turned into vengeance.
----------------------------------------
Caught in the currents of this adventure? Tell us what hooked you—your thoughts and reviews keep the story blazing! Every 300 Power Stones unlocks a bonus chapter, propelling the journey even further!
Nolan's path is just getting started, and the story of justice is only unfolding. Keep riding the waves with Unbound Evolution and sail beyond the horizon!
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.