It was evident that Ash was a kind-hearted person. Neither he nor Star-Lord, despite inheriting Ego's powers, had adopted Ego's cruel personality or warped perspective on life. This was likely because neither of them had been raised by Ego.
With his plan taking shape in his mind, Ash instantly changed his approach. He couldn't defeat Ego in a direct confrontation. Even though Ash had made significant progress during his years of captivity, defeating a being who had lived for millions of years was far from possible.
A radiant glow of divine power surrounded Ash. Instead of forming another divine spear to clash with Ego, he struck the ground with all his might.
The impact caused a deafening rumble. Despite being a planet Ego had meticulously forged over countless years, far stronger than any ordinary celestial body, the ground trembled violently. The surrounding soil began to crumble under the force.
"What are you doing?!" Ego's expression changed. He saw Ash shifting his focus away from direct attacks and panicked. While Ego had the power to repair the damage caused to his planet, it required significant energy.
But what alarmed Ego most was the suspicion dawning on him: Ash was trying to break through to the planet's core—his brain—and attack his most vulnerable point.
"You already know what I'm doing, don't you?" Ash replied mockingly, his voice dripping with disdain. "You've lived long enough, Ego. It's time for you to die."
"Damn it!" Ego's face darkened. "I should never have explained myself to these brats. This one has figured out my weakness and is trying to exploit it!"
With a flash, Ego disappeared from where he stood and reappeared in the earth before Ash, like a sprout bursting from the ground. Simultaneously, Ego launched a massive barrage of divine energy attacks directly at Ash, confident they would severely wound him.
"So strong!" Ash muttered, his pupils contracting as the overwhelming power closed in. He hastily summoned a divine shield to block Ego's attack.
But with a loud crack, the shield shattered instantly. Ash was thrown back, blood spraying from his wounds.
Oddly, despite the fierce exchange, both combatants wore faint smiles, as if each had achieved their respective goals.
"Are you doing this just to save Peter?" Ego sneered, watching as Ash moved to free Star-Lord from the divine spear pinning him. "Even if you save him, it's meaningless. Peter has only just awakened his power and can't fight. Neither of you stands a chance against me!"
"He's right," Ash said, turning to Star-Lord, whose injuries had mostly healed. "Even if I recover, the two of us together can't beat him. That's why your priority now is to survive. Escape this place!"
"What do you mean?" Star-Lord asked, puzzled. Before he could grasp Ash's intent, divine energy enveloped him, lifting him into the air against his will.
"Don't you dare try to escape!" Ego roared, his face red with fury. He disappeared and reappeared on the surface, chasing the rapidly ascending Star-Lord.
"Let's see how you choose, Ego," Ash said calmly. At the same moment, a brilliant light erupted from the ground—Ash's divine power, concentrated to its peak.
Ego was faced with an impossible dilemma. If he ignored Ash, the concentrated divine energy would unleash catastrophic damage on his planet. While it wouldn't completely destroy Ego's world, it would leave it severely crippled—a fate Ego couldn't tolerate. His brain, the core of his existence, would be at great risk.
As for Star-Lord, Ego reasoned he could capture him later. Dealing with Ash and protecting his planet took precedence.
With a flash, Ego vanished again, appearing in front of Ash. He unleashed an even greater surge of divine energy, wrapping it around Ash's volatile power to contain the imminent explosion.
"What's the point of this? Do you really think he can escape me?" Ego asked coldly.
"Once you're off this planet, use your divine power to sustain flight in space. You'll survive in the vacuum," Ash shouted toward Star-Lord as if Ego hadn't spoken. "Don't rush back here until you're ready. Otherwise, your mother's death will go unavenged!"
Star-Lord's eyes reddened with emotion. He didn't acknowledge Ego as his father, but he couldn't deny that Ash's actions carried the weight of an older brother's sacrifice.
Star-Lord clenched his teeth. He couldn't waste Ash's efforts. Besides, even if Ash was recaptured, it would merely return him to his previous condition. If Star-Lord could defeat Ego in the future, he could still save Ash.
"It's useless resistance!" Ego growled at Ash. "If I were you, I'd stop now. Otherwise, the suffering you'll endure will be unimaginable!"
"Is that so?" Ash sneered, blood trickling from his lips. "Have you forgotten? I've already endured more pain than you can imagine. Like when I landed a punch on that smug face of yours. That was the first time anyone ever hurt you, wasn't it? You were absolutely furious back then…"
"Silence!" Ego bellowed, his eyes blazing with fury. Divine power surged toward Ash.
Consumed by rage, Ego abandoned any pretense of restraint. All he wanted was to subdue Ash and make him pay for his rebellion.
But as Ego struck, Ash's lips curled into a triumphant smirk.
The collision of their powers ignited an explosion within Ego's planet. The ground trembled violently, and a thunderous roar echoed through the air. Ego's own divine energy, used in containment, had acted as a catalyst, amplifying the blast and causing severe damage to the planet.
Even Star-Lord, now flying away, felt the shockwave and heard the deafening boom. Remembering Ash's instructions, he gritted his teeth and propelled himself further into space, enveloped in a protective layer of divine energy.
Outside the planet, Yondu, observing the sudden disappearance of the energy barrier, hesitated. Was this one of Ego's tricks?
Yondu decided it didn't matter. He had to reach Star-Lord. Whether to save him or die alongside him, Yondu couldn't accept doing nothing while Star-Lord perished on Ego's planet.
He piloted his ship toward the planet, separating it into sections to ensure his loyal crew wouldn't needlessly sacrifice themselves.
Meanwhile, Star-Lord, now beyond the planet's grasp, recognized the approaching ship. Realization dawned on him, and his expression changed.
"Gamora and the others are still on Ego's planet!" he exclaimed, turning back toward the planet in desperation.
"Quill, what are you doing?!" Yondu shouted. Acting quickly, he activated a tractor beam, pulling Star-Lord aboard.
"Let me go! Gamora and the others are still on the planet!" Star-Lord yelled, his voice raw with anguish.
"They're not there anymore," Yondu replied. "Ego threw them off the planet a while ago. They said they were going for help. No idea what kind of reinforcements they're bringing, but they took your new ship for it."
Star-Lord froze, then sighed in relief. "They're safe. That's all that matters."
Elsewhere, Gamora and the Guardians had reached Earth using a series of wormholes, including those used by the Green Lantern Corps. They landed in a city, seeking the Avengers. Local residents, alarmed by their fearsome appearance, helpfully contacted the Avengers, who promptly dispatched a team.
Hearing the Guardians' story, the Avengers were stunned. Ego, a living planet? And Star-Lord was his son? Even the seasoned heroes found the tale hard to process.
"I wonder… Could Earth also harbor such a consciousness?" Tony Stark muttered, recalling past events involving Earth's dimensional awareness. The thought filled him with unease.
"Get in touch with Kaecilius," Tony instructed Jarvis. "We need someone to check the Hell Dimension for communications."
Meanwhile, Rocket Raccoon marveled at the Avengers' advanced technology. Though unimpressed by Earth's cities, he admitted the Avengers' tech rivaled that of Xandar.
Just then, Robert returned with Kara and the others. Seeing their numbers, Rocket suggested they detour through Oa for faster transport using their wormhole network. With Kaecilius opening a portal, the team prepared for their next move.
"You can leave your ship here," Tony offered. "If you don't have space suits, we can provide some armor."
Tony's curiosity wasn't purely altruistic—he couldn't resist taking a closer look at Star-Lord's expensive new ship.
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