Tony Stark could immediately tell that the Guardians of the Galaxy's ship was highly advanced, far surpassing the Chitauri crafts they had encountered before. Originally, Robert had planned to bring Tony a top-tier Kree warship after the destruction of the Kree Empire, but those ships were ultimately obliterated by the Annihilators.
Fortunately, Tony could now have J.A.R.V.I.S. scan and record the ship's detailed data for Reed Richards to study. This might help further elevate the Avengers' technological capabilities.
As for Tony himself, he was determined to visit Ego's planet. He was growing increasingly suspicious that Earth's dimensional consciousness might share similarities with Ego.
"Armor? Is it the one over there? Why does it look so much like Quill's gear?" Rocket Raccoon asked, his sharp eyes noticing the resemblance between the suits and Star-Lord's equipment.
"Exactly," Tony replied. "I designed Quill's equipment. But if you have space survival capabilities, feel free to ignore this."
"Alright, then suit us all up," Rocket said without hesitation. While he could craft a space survival device if given time, saving Star-Lord was a time-sensitive mission. They couldn't afford any delays.
With the Guardians now wearing the suits, the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy quickly set off. Using a Sling Ring portal, they instantly arrived on Oa. The ease of magical teleportation, even more efficient than wormholes, left Rocket and the others stunned, giving them a newfound hope.
Perhaps the Avengers, armed with a combination of science and magic, could truly stand against Ego.
---
As Rocket and the others reached Oa, their communication devices buzzed. Gamora's eyes lit up as she quickly answered the call.
"Quill! Are you okay? We're with the Avengers now. Did you escape from Ego's planet?" Gamora fired off questions without giving Star-Lord a chance to respond.
"You've teamed up with the Avengers? That's great!" Star-Lord breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, I managed to get out, but I'm still near Ego's planet. We haven't gotten far."
"Is that Star-Lord's energy signature?" Robert muttered, his eyes narrowing as he sensed Quill's presence. He quickly noted a remarkable change in Star-Lord's energy compared to before.
Previously, Star-Lord's energy was that of an ordinary person, weaker than even a battle-hardened soldier like Frank Castle. But now, his energy rivaled that of Thor when he first arrived on Earth.
"I'll bring you there. Open a portal for the others," Robert said, placing a hand on Kaecilius' shoulder. The two disappeared from Oa and reappeared aboard Yondu's ship.
---
"Who the hell are you?!" Yondu exclaimed, startled by the sudden appearance of Robert and Kaecilius. His whistle sent his arrow flying, ready to strike.
"Relax, Yondu! They're on our side!" Star-Lord shouted, just as startled but quick to intervene. He feared Robert might blast Yondu into oblivion with a single energy wave.
After learning about Ego's true nature, Star-Lord had come to understand why Yondu had never delivered him to Ego. Yondu likely knew about Ego's sinister motives and refused to hand him over to a being who looked human but lacked any humanity.
Just then, a Sling Ring portal opened, and the Avengers and Guardians stepped through, filing into Yondu's ship. Yondu stared in disbelief as the group entered.
Though he had initially misjudged the Guardians, he now realized they hadn't abandoned Quill and had actually found reinforcements. Still, he doubted whether even this group could take on Ego.
"Quill, since you've escaped and your friends are safe, we should leave. Ego is too powerful. I don't think anyone can defeat him," Yondu advised, his tone sincere. "Even with their magic, your friends are no match for a living planet."
---
Robert ignored the conversation and turned his gaze to Ego's planet. To his senses, it felt like any ordinary celestial body. However, deep within, he detected an energy identical to the planet itself.
"An avatar? A planetary consciousness?" Robert muttered, his thoughts drifting to Earth's own dimensional awareness.
When he attempted to teleport directly into Ego's core, he found it impossible. Just as he couldn't teleport inside living beings, even massive ones like Celestials or Hell Lords, the planet's singular energy made insertion impossible.
"I can't just leave Ash behind. He saved my life! If not for him, I wouldn't have escaped Ego's planet," Star-Lord said resolutely, his eyes fixed on the planet.
"Who's Ash?" the Guardians asked, puzzled.
"Ash is Ego's son. The first to awaken divine power," Mantis explained. "But he defied Ego, even injuring him once. So Ego imprisoned him deep within the planet, using him as a reserve battery."
"So he's your brother? And he saved you?" Gamora asked, understanding dawning on her face.
Before anyone could reply, Ego's enormous face appeared above the planet. Unlike before, his expression now burned with rage, his eyes glowing with fiery anger.
"Still here, Peter? Looks like Ash's efforts were for nothing. All of you will become my reserve batteries until I find the next divine child," Ego growled. His gaze shifted to the ship. "Huh? Why are there so many Earthlings here? What are Earthlings doing on Yondu's ship?"
---
"Fascinating. A planet that can talk," Robert mused, his voice low. "Its awareness seems sharper than Earth's dimensional consciousness. I wonder if Ego's structure makes him more durable than a normal planet."
Without hesitation, Robert teleported to Ego's surface, preparing to test his theory.
"Who—" Ego barely registered Robert's presence before an energy wave shot from Robert's hands, slamming into the planet.
"What the hell?! You dare attack me without introducing yourself?!" Ego bellowed, hastily summoning an energy barrier to block the attack.
But the hastily formed barrier shattered instantly. The energy wave slammed into the planet's surface, obliterating everything in its path.
"Impressive. You're much tougher than a normal planet. A regular celestial body would've been reduced to cosmic dust by now," Robert said, observing the damage.
"Are you insane?!" Ego roared. He couldn't believe it—first, Ash had attacked him, and now this stranger was bombarding him. If this continued, his true form, the brain at the planet's core, would be exposed to space.
With a snarl, Ego retaliated, firing an energy beam at Robert. If Robert didn't play fair, neither would he.
"Such abundant energy. Fitting for a planet," Robert said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He hadn't engaged in an energy clash of this scale in ages. He unleashed successive energy waves, colliding with Ego's beams.
---
Explosions echoed across the planet's atmosphere. While the blasts hadn't reached Ego's core, the surface bore the brunt of the destruction. What once had been a lush environment meticulously cultivated over centuries was now a barren wasteland, riddled with craters.
On Yondu's ship, the crew watched in stunned silence as the space battle unfolded.
"Is that… a human?" Yondu stammered, his eyes wide as he witnessed Robert firing energy waves like a cosmic warship.
"I've seen countless powered beings, but nothing like this," Yondu muttered. "Wait… could he be the one who destroyed the Kree Empire?"
Star-Lord nodded. "Yeah, that's him—the Saiyan."
But Star-Lord wasn't worried about Robert or Ego. His mind was on Ash, still trapped within the planet. If Robert didn't hold back, Ash might not survive the assault.
---
Meanwhile, Tony Stark quietly remarked, "No, the Kree Empire was destroyed by the Celestials, not him. Still, this is the first time I've seen anyone match a Saiyan in energy clashes and hold their ground."
What no one knew was that as they fought on Ego's planet, a fleet of ships was quietly making its way toward Earth.
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