Like falling meteors, the two plasma shells struck Ronan's warship directly—but the ship's energy shield absorbed the impact.
However, although the shield blocked the blasts, it was completely destroyed in the process.
"All units—launch and engage immediately!"
Standing in the observation tower of the warship, Nebula saw the shield collapse with her own eyes and instantly ordered the full assault.
At once, countless ships surged out and began firing on the Ravagers.
"Everyone—attack!"
Rocket, piloting his ship and facing an overwhelming swarm of enemies, fired the first shot.
In an instant, the Ravager fleet opened fire. Ships surged forward, launching attacks on the Kree fighters.
Beneath Ronan's warship, Karl hovered beside Quill and Gamora's craft.
Ratatatatat—
Bullets poured out in a relentless stream.
The durability of Ronan's warship far exceeded Gamora's expectations. Even with sustained fire, a single ship couldn't penetrate the vessel's outer armor.
Seeing this, Karl waved at Quill.
Quill immediately understood and steered his ship aside.
Boom—rumble—
Dark thunderclouds suddenly gathered in the sky.
Then purple lightning crashed down violently, striking Ronan's warship.
Under the furious roar of thunder, a massive breach was blasted open in the hull. The surrounding metal was scorched black—the concentrated lightning proving far more effective than ordinary gunfire.
---
On the ground, everyone had now seen Ronan's warship with their own eyes.
No one doubted the truth of Quill's warning anymore.
"Evacuate all civilians immediately!" the Supreme Leader ordered. "Move them away from the battlefield. And place all forces on combat readiness!"
At once, the entire planet mobilized.
Civilians across Xandar began evacuating under military escort, moving toward areas far from the coming battle.
---
In the skies above, countless ships swarmed like hornets, firing at one another.
Green and yellow energy beams rained down in dense torrents as everyone fought desperately to stop Ronan's army.
But Ronan's forces were simply too numerous.
The Ravager fleet alone couldn't hold back the overwhelming number of Kree fighters.
"Quill! When are Xandar's reinforcements getting here?!" Rocket shouted, weaving through enemy fire while piloting his ship. Behind him, Groot continued firing at pursuing Kree vessels.
Suddenly, countless star-like ships appeared from behind them.
"Peter Quill, this is Nova Corps Commander Saal," a voice came over the comms. "Just so we're clear—I'm not here because I trust you."
Saal was the same officer who had previously doubted Quill's message.
But now that he had seen Ronan's warship with his own eyes, disbelief was no longer an option.
With the arrival of the Nova Corps fleet, the battle immediately shifted.
The Kree fighters began to lose ground under the combined pressure.
Karl signaled Quill to leave.
Then he slowly flew into the breach of Ronan's warship.
The moment he entered, large numbers of Kree soldiers rushed toward him.
A flash of icy blue light passed through Karl's eyes.
Instantly, dense frost mist filled the area.
Within the mist, a beautiful ice-blue flower slowly bloomed.
The Kree soldiers froze instantly.
As they breathed, the frost spread from inside their bodies outward, sealing them in ice.
When the mist dispersed, Karl continued walking deeper into the ship without even glancing at the frozen statues behind him.
---
"Ronan, the ship has been breached. An intruder has entered," Nebula reported as she stepped before him.
"Maintain forward advance," Ronan replied calmly.
As long as he could reach the surface of Xandar, the planet's destruction would be inevitable.
"Our objective is to reach the ground. Nothing else matters."
After speaking, Ronan slowly sat down upon his throne, gripping his warhammer.
Nebula ordered the soldiers to seal the doors before leaving.
---
Karl advanced through the corridors until he arrived at a dark chamber where nothing could be seen.
Whoosh.
A small flame appeared beside him, illuminating the surroundings like a lantern.
Only then did Karl realize it was some kind of ship compartment, though its purpose was unclear.
Before he could take more than a few steps—
Nebula suddenly dropped down in front of him.
"I remember you," she said coldly. "You're the Terran who fought Ronan earlier."
She had expected Gamora to be the one infiltrating the ship—not Karl.
"I remember you too," Karl replied. "One of Thanos's daughters. The one whose body was rebuilt with machinery… Nebula, right?"
To be honest, Karl found Nebula somewhat pitiful.
Her entire body had been modified beyond recognition. She hated Thanos yet feared him deeply, envied the affection he showed Gamora, and still cared for her sister in her own conflicted way.
"I won't let you go any further," Nebula said, gripping her twin daggers.
"Then try and stop me."
Karl spread his hand.
The Ultimate Divine Weapon appeared instantly.
Three icy-blue sword arcs slashed forward in succession. Wherever the blades passed, everything froze solid.
Nebula dodged quickly and lunged forward, stabbing at Karl with her electrified dagger.
Karl tilted his head and avoided the strike.
Then he kicked toward her.
Nebula tried to dodge—but suddenly realized her feet had been frozen to the floor.
Bang!
Karl's kick sent her flying.
When she hit the ground, frost rapidly spread across her body—but unlike the Kree soldiers, she did not become a complete ice statue.
A thin frost mist had gradually filled the chamber earlier.
Nebula hadn't paid attention to it—and that was precisely what immobilized her.
"I don't want to kill you," Karl said calmly. "You should leave."
He stepped forward, lifted Nebula with one hand, and tossed her upward.
Boom!
Her body smashed through the upper hull of the ship.
She was thrown straight out into open space.
Nebula fell from the sky and crashed onto a Ravager ship flying nearby.
She smashed through the cockpit glass, killed the pilot, and seized control of the vessel.
Then she immediately fled Xandar.
She had already foreseen Ronan's fate.
There was no way he would succeed.
Waiting to die alongside him was pointless—escaping was the smarter choice.
---
Inside the control chamber, Ronan stood before a massive viewing window, calmly watching the battle outside.
Countless ships clashed in the sky, beams flashing everywhere.
But none of that mattered to him.
All that mattered was reaching the ground.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The supposedly indestructible door behind him collapsed.
Karl stepped inside slowly, the Ultimate Divine Weapon in his hand.
Ronan turned and saw him.
"Terran," Ronan said calmly. "I remember you."
Before, he might have been wary of Karl.
But now he possessed the Power Stone.
He feared no one.
"Enough talk," Karl replied. "I'm here to take the Power Stone."
Two blue ribbon-like streams of energy slowly unfurled behind him like a cloak.
The temperature in the chamber dropped sharply.
A thick layer of ice spread across the floor and walls.
"You may have it," Ronan said.
"—If you can defeat me."
The moment he finished speaking, a beam of purple energy blasted toward Karl.
Karl flashed aside instantly, dodging the attack.
In the next instant—
He appeared behind Ronan.
The Ultimate Divine Weapon, radiating freezing cold, slashed toward him.
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