"Smack!" In the next moment, just when Ronan thought his strike with the Power Stone and the Universal Weapon would be a success, a hand blocked it. The terrifying energy swirling on the weapon instantly vanished.
Robert casually held the hammer head of the Universal Weapon with one hand, sneering at Ronan in disdain. "Really? Even with the Power Stone and the Universal Weapon, this is all the strength you can muster? Is it that the Power Stone isn't enough, or are you just too weak?"
"Die!" Ronan was thoroughly enraged by Robert's words. With his fury, the Power Stone on the Universal Weapon began to emit a vibrant purple glow, and the already potent energy became even more concentrated, making the hammerhead of the weapon heavier.
"Buzz!" As the Power Stone unleashed even more power, a terrifying wave of energy gathered in Robert's palm. The two forces clashed at a very close range.
Fortunately, both Robert and the Universal Weapon were incredibly durable, as they did not shatter in the collision of these two opposing energies. However, everything around them was not so lucky, as the ground beneath Robert began to crack. The earth surrounding his feet crumbled, forcing Star-Lord and the others to retreat, fearing the energy waves would reach them.
"Wait! Where's Drax?" Star-Lord suddenly realized something after retreating a safe distance. He glanced around at his companions before exclaiming in panic.
"Oh no! He was knocked out by Ronan earlier and hasn't woken up yet. He's probably still in the Collector's lair!" Rocket Raccoon recalled the earlier events first. Due to the immense pressure from Ronan, no one had the chance to check on Drax. Then, with Robert's arrival distracting them, they completely forgot about him.
Now that they remembered Drax, they couldn't just leave him. Moreover, the battlefield wasn't far from the Collector's lair. Even though it was unlikely that Robert and the Power Stone's energies would immediately affect the lair, it wasn't guaranteed to be safe either.
"Em Groot!" At this crucial moment, Groot stepped up. He quickly began growing his body, transforming into a towering tree. His numerous branches extended toward the Collector's lair to search for Drax.
"This tree creature is quite interesting!" Robert, still in the middle of his confrontation with Ronan, even had the time to observe Groot. In truth, Robert wasn't exactly fighting Ronan but rather contending with the energy of the Power Stone, while Ronan was merely a conduit for that energy.
Since Ronan was just a conduit, even with the help of the Universal Weapon, he couldn't fully harness the Power Stone's power.
Of course, Robert had encountered several Infinity Stones but had yet to meet anyone capable of unleashing the full power of a single stone. Even the Dark Elf leader Malekith, who had held the Reality Stone for many years, couldn't do it.
As a result, Robert understood that the Infinity Stones were among the universe's six ultimate forces, having experienced their nearly boundless energy. But he still didn't know the full extent of their potential.
"Ahh! The tree monster is coming for me! Help!" Back in the Collector's lair, Drax, who had been unconscious, suddenly woke up in a panic. He found himself unable to move and immediately recalled how Ronan had knocked him out earlier.
Fearful of another attack, Drax instinctively fought against the vines entangling him. When he finally looked up, he saw Groot's branches wrapped around him. Realizing the situation, Drax started screaming even louder, struggling against Groot's grip.
Hearing Drax's shouts, Groot nearly flung him away in frustration, but instead, he tightened his hold in annoyance.
"Drax, stop yelling! Groot's rescuing you!" Star-Lord, standing next to Groot, sighed helplessly as he saw Drax being dragged back, still struggling.
"I know, I was just kidding! You guys always said I couldn't make jokes, but clearly, I can!" Drax stopped struggling and earnestly looked at everyone. "I called Groot a monster as a metaphor. How did I do?"
"..."
Drax's joke left the group in a long, awkward silence, so much so that it even distracted Ronan and Robert from their battle for a moment.
Ronan's twitching lips and distracted expression made it clear—he had heard Drax's joke, and it had definitely rattled him.
"Boom!" Unfortunately for Ronan, Robert could afford to be distracted in battle, but Ronan could not. The difference in their strength was simply too great. Seizing the moment, Robert kicked Ronan away with ease.
"Hiss!" The sharp pain in his chest felt like it was tearing through his body, making Ronan gasp. He instantly regretted letting Drax's terrible joke distract him.
In fact, Ronan started to wonder if Drax had some kind of special ability. Otherwise, how could he have gotten distracted so easily?
"You seem a bit off your game," Robert remarked, shaking his head as he watched Ronan slowly get up, still lost in thought. He seemed even more disappointed. "It looks like even with the Power Stone, you're not much of a challenge."
"No! I'm fine!" Ronan snapped back to his senses, roaring in defiance. He swung the Universal Weapon toward Robert once again.
"Enough. You and the Power Stone clearly aren't compatible. I don't feel like wasting any more time on you," Robert said, his disappointment deepening. "Besides, the Universal Weapon isn't yours alone. Someone else will wield it soon enough."
"Huh?" A sense of foreboding washed over Ronan as he heard Robert's words, but before he could react, Robert's figure appeared right in front of him. A powerful energy wave engulfed Ronan's body.
Without the Power Stone truly enhancing his strength, Ronan's combat abilities hadn't significantly improved. Because he was relying on the Universal Weapon, his overall enhancement was incomplete.
Even if Ronan, armed with the Power Stone and the Universal Weapon, had confronted Captain Marvel, he still wouldn't have stood a chance. While Ronan had some raw power, his speed and reflexes were sorely lacking, unable to keep up with Robert's attack rhythm.
"Boom!" In the wake of another explosion, Ronan's body disintegrated, leaving only the hand holding the Universal Weapon behind. In the end, even that was reduced to cosmic dust by the Power Stone's energy, which flared one last time as it detected the fading life force.
Ronan left nothing behind—except for his Universal Weapon and one survivor, Korath, the last of his Kree followers from this mission.
"My lord!" Korath cried out in anguish. He hadn't expected Ronan, who had possessed the Power Stone, to die so easily, especially without Robert even seeming to break a sweat.
To Korath, the Power Stone and Ronan—who had terrorized the universe for so many years—seemed like a joke in front of Robert. The overwhelming disparity left Korath stunned, unsure of what to do next.
"What's wrong? Don't you want to avenge your lord?" Robert's devilish voice rang out, causing a spark of determination to light up in Korath's eyes.
"Revenge? Could I really…? But even with the Power Stone, my lord couldn't defeat him. What chance do I have?" Despite the temptation of the Universal Weapon and Power Stone, Korath hesitated. After all, Robert had killed Ronan so effortlessly.
"That's because your lord never truly earned the Power Stone's approval. How do you know you won't?" Robert's voice continued to entice Korath. "Besides, even if you don't, do you think you can escape? Your ship's destroyed—where would you go?"
"You're right! If I don't seek revenge, I have nowhere to run. I might as well take my shot!" Korath finally convinced himself. He rushed to the Universal Weapon, lifting it high like a symbol of sovereignty.
"Buzz!" With a new life force activating it, the Power Stone's energy surged again. The terrifying purple energy flowed from the weapon into Korath's body.
"Oh? He actually did it?" Robert was mildly surprised. He hadn't expected Korath to receive the Power Stone's gift, as he'd only wanted to test another candidate.
"Maybe Ronan was just unlucky? Should he have embedded the Power Stone into the weapon before trying to harness its power himself?" Robert mused. After sensing the changes between Korath and the Power Stone, he couldn't help but feel a hint of sympathy for Ronan.
If Ronan hadn't failed in his first attempt to directly use the Power Stone, and instead used the Universal Weapon to channel its energy, maybe he could have received the same blessing as Korath. Though in the end, Ronan's fate would have remained unchanged.
"Hahaha! Such incredible power! So this is the true power of the Power Stone!" Korath, now emboldened by the stone's energy, seemed to forget that Ronan had just died at Robert's hands. Without hesitation, he launched an attack on Robert.
"Crackle!" A bolt of energy like purple lightning shot out from the Universal Weapon. Korath was clearly stronger than Ronan, having unlocked a new form of the Power Stone's energy. The difference was as dramatic as the transformation from Thor wielding a hammer to Thor embracing his true powers as the God of Thunder.
"Hiss!" Robert casually released an energy wave to counter the purple lightning. But as the two energies clashed, Korath vanished from sight. His abilities had become far more comprehensive, and his speed had improved dramatically.
"Boom!" Yet as soon as Korath appeared at Robert's side, Robert kicked him away. The only difference between him
and Ronan was that Korath had attacked first, whereas Ronan had been more passive. But in the end, the outcome was the same.
"Die!" Korath, more resilient than Ronan, quickly got back on his feet. He slammed the Universal Weapon into the ground, its head embedding into the earth. With a fierce shout, the Power Stone's energy became even more dazzling.
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