Although Ronan had reached a partnership with Thanos, it didn't mean he was content being subordinate to him. They were merely collaborators, not bound by any hierarchy. Moreover, Ronan was still bitter about how Thanos had dismissed him in the past.
Of course, Ronan knew that a newly dubbed "Drax the Destroyer" was no threat to Thanos. Drax was tough, but not even Ronan's equal, let alone capable of confronting Thanos. However, Drax's weakness didn't matter. Ronan could continue slaughtering planets in Thanos's name, creating more people like Drax, all hungry for revenge. Eventually, it wouldn't just be Drax after Thanos.
Ronan was even planning to target planets with more advanced technology. Where individual strength was lacking, technological prowess could fill the gap. As long as there were enough enemies and hatred, they could eventually give Thanos some trouble.
With this thought, Ronan was delighted as he left the backward planet, already searching for the next unlucky one. Thanos had only asked him to destroy a single planet as a show of loyalty, but Ronan had developed a taste for it.
Thus, a wave of bloodshed swept through the cosmos. As Ronan slaughtered half the population of one planet after another, his brutal actions soon became impossible to conceal. Many planetary civilizations, unable to locate Ronan, turned their ire toward the Kree Empire. Even the Nova Empire, which had been preparing to sign a peace treaty with the Kree, suspended negotiations.
After all, the Nova Empire had sought peace with the Kree due to the madness of Thanos, the rampaging Titan. Now, the Kree seemed to be doing the same thing. How could the Nova Empire continue peace talks in good faith?
Some high-ranking officials in the Nova Empire grumbled privately, wondering why the Kree were acting so brazenly. With their technological superiority, destroying a civilization should have been easy. If they really wanted to, they could have done it discreetly. Why leave survivors, as Thanos did, and stir up so much public outrage? No one would dare sign a treaty with them under these conditions.
Unintentionally, Ronan had disrupted the peace negotiations, indirectly achieving one of his goals. But even without the treaty, Ronan still had his sights set on Xandar, a planet he had long wanted to destroy. Now, intoxicated by the feeling of controlling life and death, he couldn't stop.
"Interesting. Is Ronan imitating us? Or has he just become absorbed in the act?" Thanos mused when he heard reports of Ronan's rampage. For a moment, he was unsure of Ronan's true intentions.
"Father, Nebula has sent a report!" Supergiant interrupted his thoughts, activating the communication system. "She's found a place that might contain the Orb. She's preparing to investigate. Should we...?"
"Let Nebula handle it," Thanos replied, shaking his head slightly. "We've heard rumors of mysterious forces on several planets. It's time to investigate the location of the next Infinity Stone."
"Yes, Father," Supergiant responded, relaying the order to Nebula, who then set out to track down the Orb.
"Does Father really trust me that much?" Nebula's eyes lit up when she received the message. She was excited and energized. "This is my chance to surpass Gamora! That woman has always beaten me, but this time, I'll prove to Father that I'm more valuable!"
Although both Nebula and Gamora were adopted daughters of Thanos, it wasn't easy to earn that title. Thanos raised them through a brutal system, essentially pitting them against each other in a deadly rivalry.
Unfortunately for Nebula, she was always outmatched by Gamora in both strength and resolve. After each defeat, Nebula endured torture and further cybernetic enhancements. By now, she had lost count of how many times she had been modified. She was no longer a purely organic being, but a cybernetic lifeform.
This only deepened her desire to defeat Gamora, in any way possible. Otherwise, all the suffering and alterations would have been in vain.
Both Nebula and Gamora had been tasked with searching for Infinity Stones, but Nebula had received better intel about the Orb, while Gamora had not.
Confident in her abilities, Nebula embarked on a solo mission. Unfortunately, the information she had was false. Not only did she fail to find the Orb, but she also sustained serious injuries. If not for the countless defeats and enhancements she had endured, Nebula might not have even escaped alive.
When Thanos received the news of her failure, his eyes gleamed with discontent. If Nebula had been nearby, she would have likely faced another round of torture and modifications.
"Where is Gamora? Have her accompany Nebula from now on! Nebula alone is useless," Thanos ordered Supergiant, his voice filled with frustration. Unlike Nebula, Gamora rarely failed, and Thanos valued her far more.
"Should Gamora lead Nebula? Their relationship might cause problems if they work together..." Supergiant cautiously reminded him.
"I'm well aware of their rivalry, but I don't care about their personal issues. I want results!" Thanos shot Supergiant a cold look. "Tell them this: if Nebula can't follow orders, Gamora has my permission to kill her!"
"Yes, Father!" Supergiant's body stiffened, and she quickly relayed the message to both Nebula and Gamora.
"Follow Gamora's orders? Damn it!" Nebula grumbled in frustration upon receiving the command. But no matter how much she disliked it, she dared not defy Thanos's orders. Meanwhile, Gamora was equally displeased. She had been planning to distance herself from Thanos and saw Nebula as a burden.
"If you show even the slightest hint of disobedience, I'll kill you!" Gamora's hologram appeared before Nebula, her voice filled with menace. She intended to send Nebula off on a side mission at the first opportunity to continue her own plans—but only if Nebula cooperated.
Reluctantly, Nebula and Gamora began working together, continuing their search for the Orb. Though Nebula was visibly unhappy, she knew better than to openly defy Gamora, who held Thanos's decree.
Meanwhile, Thanos and his forces continued their search for planets where mysterious powers had been reported. But once again, they came up empty. Some planets did indeed possess powerful forces, but none of them were linked to Infinity Stones. They were merely native miracles or phenomena.
On other planets, Thanos's forces found nothing at all. Whether they had received false intel or simply arrived too late, someone had already taken whatever power had once existed.
After another fruitless search, Thanos's mood soured further. Ever since his recent awakening, things had not gone well. Frustrated, he cast a displeased look at Supergiant, who had been in charge of gathering intel.
"..." Supergiant shuddered under Thanos's gaze. She knew she was in trouble, even though she was only responsible for gathering intelligence. If she could predict the location of the Infinity Stones with certainty, she wouldn't be an information gatherer; she'd be a prophet.
The truth was, this job had originally belonged to Ebony Maw, who had died on Earth. When he fell, the thankless task of intel gathering had fallen to Supergiant.
"Father, since we've come this far, why not proceed with our original plan?" At that moment, Corvus Glaive intervened, glancing at Supergiant as he spoke. "Ronan is already drawing attention. We can continue our mission to slaughter those planets. There are no new leads on the Infinity Stones anyway."
"You're right. We might as well," Thanos agreed after a brief pause. He then turned to Thor, smiling. "Thor, you haven't had a chance to experience this yet. It's time you joined in on the fun."
"I imagine this is new for you, Prince of Asgard. You've spent your life protecting primitive planets from invaders and rebels, but this will be your first time as the invader, won't it?"
"There's not much difference," Thor said calmly, shaking his head. Though the Mind Stone controlled him, it didn't impede his thinking. "Asgard only ruled those worlds after conquering them by force. Many so-called rebellions were actually uprisings of civilizations resisting Asgard's domination. Their power was just too inferior, so they were easily crushed."
"You see things clearly," Thanos remarked, surprised by Thor's perspective. "Very well. Choose a nearby planet and demonstrate your strength. The others aren't entirely convinced of your value."
"If they doubt me, they're free to challenge me. Mjolnir will show them the gap between us," Thor replied confidently, without even glancing at the three remaining Black Order members.
"You...!" Proxima Midnight's eyes flashed with anger, and she stepped forward, ready to confront Thor, but Corvus Glaive held her back.
"Trust Father's judgment!" Corvus Glaive's words immediately quelled Proxima Midnight's anger. Even Supergiant, who had been irritated moments before, calmed down. The tension in the warship eased as Supergiant swiftly adjusted the ship's course, selecting a nearby planet with life for them to land on.
Unlike Ronan, who needed the power of his warships to subdue natives, Thanos and his forces were strong enough to dominate most planets on their own. Planets like Earth, filled with powerful beings, were rare exceptions.
With a thunderous boom, Thor unleashed his power upon the planet. Dark clouds quickly gathered over the sky, shrouding the entire world in darkness. Thunder and lightning crackled within the storm, and Thor's figure moved like a blur through the clouds, striking down one life after another with bolts of lightning.
"The sheer strength of his power is terrifying! What incredible divine might!" Supergiant's eyes widened in shock as she watched Thor's display of force. Although it didn't match the fearsome power of individuals like Robert or Kara, who had once terrified her on Earth, Thor's strength seemed to rival even Thanos himself.
Supergiant couldn't help but wonder—without the Mind Stone's control, would Thanos even be a match for Thor?
"He's indeed powerful. Without the Mind Stone, I wouldn't have been able to subdue him, much less bring him under my command." Thanos smiled subtly as he caught Supergiant's thoughts. His keen gaze lingered on her as he spoke quietly.
"Forgive me, Father! I overstepped!" Supergiant's face turned pale. As a telepath, she knew that Thanos had read her mind. Her mental abilities were insignificant compared to the supreme power of the Mind Stone, and she hadn't even noticed Thanos probing her thoughts.
"Hm? The lightning seems to have stopped. Could Thor be facing resistance from the natives?" Corvus Glaive furrowed his brow as he noticed the sudden halt in the storm. The lightning had vanished, and even the rumbling thunder had ceased. He looked toward Thor's direction, muttering to himself in confusion.
High above, Thor stood motionless in the sky, his hammer lowered. Something had drawn his attention, and the storm he had summoned began to dissipate, leaving an eerie silence hanging over the planet.
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