Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
*****
On the planet Contraxia, within a sprawling private room inside a large-scale entertainment establishment.
At this moment, the private room was filled to capacity with the leaders of various Ravager teams. The atmosphere was one of complete solemnity, entirely lacking the joyous celebration of bygone days, to say nothing of the service staff who would normally weave between the Ravagers, revealing their attractive assets and providing... special services.
Of the various Ravager leaders present in the private room, the vast majority of them remained standing, with the distinct exception of four individuals.
One of these individuals had silver-gray hair and was clad in a standard black Ravager uniform, which was distinguished by two bright yellow stripes upon the shoulders. He possessed a robust, strong build and a face with sharp, clearly defined angles.
Stakar Vaughn,
He was the most renowned of all the Ravager team leaders. In fact, Yondu, the adoptive father of Star-Lord, had once been counted as one of his very own team members.
Seated at his side was a woman with long hair, Aleta Ogord, whose facial features bore a striking resemblance to those of an Asian from planet Earth.
She was the wife of Stakar Vaughn, and at this moment, she was observing the other attendees with a look of amusement, a glint of undisguised contempt flashing in her eyes from time to time.
Positioned opposite the pair were two others: one was a tall, powerfully built black man known as Charlie-27, and the other was Martinex, who possessed a body composed entirely of crystal.
These four individuals represented the most famous and influential Ravagers present at this particular conference.
Beyond their fame, however, there was another, more practical reason why these four were seated while all the others remained standing...
They were a single, unified team. When they gathered together as one, they were more powerful than any other Ravager team present.
Stakar Vaughn tapped his knuckles on the table and directed his gaze toward a Ravager leader standing off to the side. "Regarding this meeting, can we finally begin, Edison!"
This individual, Edison, was the very person who had convened this meeting of the Ravagers.
He possessed pink-colored skin and an appearance that was surprisingly alluring, which contrasted sharply with the explosive, bulging muscles of his physique.
The primary theme of their meeting on this occasion was how to deal with the utterly shameless scoundrel who had been exceptionally arrogant recently, robbing an untold number of Ravagers!
"Respected Starhawk Stakar, please wait just a little longer. We still have another guest who has not yet arrived."
Edison replied cautiously, his face fixed with an ingratiating and subservient smile.
Stakar Vaughn gave a slight nod.
He had come this time, naturally, for the very same purpose: to deal with that shameless scoundrel who had been robbing Ravagers, the one known as Magneto.
To be more precise, a full seventy percent of the Ravagers currently in this room had been robbed by that very individual. Merely speaking of him, they were all so filled with hatred that their teeth practically itched.
And what made the situation even more detestable was that this person had several abominable accomplices.
According to reliable intelligence, among those several accomplices, one of them had previously been a member of the Ravagers himself. This was how they were able to so accurately locate their targets and carry out their despicable robbing operations.
Just as Stakar Vaughn was conversing with the people at his side, another Ravager leader strode into the room, walking with an arrogant, defiant strut that suggested he didn't care about anyone.
He was a Kree, possessing the conspicuous blue skin of his species. The most obvious feature, however, was the dark red device installed in the center of his scalp, which looked somewhat like a slender, dark red... piece of melon rind?
"Yondu!"
Stakar Vaughn's eyes narrowed instantly, and a furious rage rapidly began to spread from their depths, becoming visible to all.
Upon hearing that roar, Yondu's body went imperceptibly rigid for just a moment, but he immediately recovered and broke into a wide smile.
"Well well, if it isn't you, Stakar! It really has been a long time!"
"Damn you! What are you doing here!"
Stakar Vaughn shot to his feet. The three individuals who had been seated with him also rose slowly, their gazes fixed coldly upon Yondu.
Yondu, as if provoked by the expressions and cold stares of the four, retorted with a sneer, "And why in the hell can't I be here?"
"Why? You know perfectly damn well why!"
Stakar Vaughn glared daggers at Yondu and began to walk slowly in his direction, moving like a proud lion king who had just been challenged.
Edison, the organizer of this Ravager meeting, quickly stepped between the two men. A placating smile was on his face as he said, "Gentlemen, please. No matter what has happened, you were once friends. If there are some misunderstandings, let's all sit down and talk about them. Isn't this the perfect opportunity?"
"He stopped being one of us a long time ago!"
Stakar Vaughn stated icily, roughly shoving Edison aside. "You were the one who summoned Yondu here. You must know what the consequences of this action will be."
"I had a very compelling reason why I had to bring him here," Edison replied, a bitter smile on his face.
"I don't care what your reason is. Make your choice, right now! Do you want his help, or do you want ours!"
Edison's face was a mask of indecision. "Well, I think..."
"If you won't choose, then get out of the way!"
Stakar Vaughn stated this coldly, not even sparing Yondu a single glance, and prepared to lead his companions out of the room.
Edison was left standing there, his face covered with embarrassment.
Yondu glared at the four departing figures and shouted angrily, "You can all go to hell! I don't give a damn what any of you think of me!"
Stakar Vaughn's footsteps paused. He turned, walked back to stand directly in front of Yondu, and said, "If you think I was happy about exiling you, then you are mistaken. But regardless of that, you violated the foundational Ravager principle: we do not buy and sell children."
He gave Yondu a light, almost sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "A person must always pay the price for the things they have done."
Yondu's lips trembled as he tried to speak, but no words came out. He remained frozen in place.
Stakar Vaughn turned to walk away again, but just as he reached the doorway, a new figure appeared as if from nowhere, like a phantom. With a simple, light point of a finger, an invisible force barred the path of Stakar Vaughn and his companions.
Stakar Vaughn stared at the slender figure, who was draped in a black robe with their entire head concealed within its deep hood. He could feel an immense pressure emanating from this person, and a golden light flashed within his eyes.
"Shh, do not be so tense. I am not here to act as your opponent."
The person spoke in a calm, faint tone. With an elegant wave of his hand, Stakar Vaughn and his three companions were sent flying backward, landing back inside the room.
He walked further into the room and snapped his fingers lightly. The door behind him swung shut with a quiet click.
Stakar Vaughn glared at the newcomer and demanded, "What is it that you want to do?"
"The question is not what I want to do, but rather what all of you are forgetting you are here to do."
The figure chuckled softly. Under the collective gaze of all the assembled Ravagers, he slowly explained, "I am here to provide you all with some crucial intelligence. As for Yondu, he has a very significant part to play."
He paused for a beat, then suddenly added, "Of course, if I were the one being forced to choose, I would most certainly choose you, Stakar Vaughn."
If Stakar Vaughn had actually departed with his companions, this meeting would have been severely impacted. At a minimum, more than half of the people present would have followed him right out the door.
These individuals had all come to participate in this meeting specifically because of Stakar Vaughn's formidable reputation.
The mysterious person extended a finger and pointed it directly at Yondu, asking with a playful, mocking tone, "How about this... what if I just help you get rid of Yondu right here and now?"
Upon hearing this threat, Yondu's eyes narrowed, and his hand immediately went to his belt, pressing against his Yaka arrow.
Stakar Vaughn replied in a cold, measured tone, "We merely exiled him. We have no need to kill him."
Hearing this response, the mysterious person let out another low chuckle, while a complicated, unreadable emotion flashed within Yondu's eyes.
"Since that is the case, why don't we temporarily set aside the matter of Yondu and move on to discussing the business of Magneto? How does that sound?"
The mysterious person smiled slightly, clasping his hands behind his back. "As for myself," he added faintly, "you may refer to me as 'Gray-tongue'."
"Er, yes, Mr. Gray-tongue is our most important guest for this meeting," Edison, who had been silent, quickly interjected.
"So, Edison, that means you're nothing more than a pink-skinned hunting dog who just follows the commands of others?" Stakar Vaughn remarked, a slight smile on his face.
"You've gone too far, Stakar!" Edison roared in anger.
Stakar Vaughn completely ignored Edison's outburst, instead directing his attention to Gray-tongue. "Alright, speak. What is this intelligence you have for us?"
Gray-tongue opened his palm and tossed out a small, black orb.
The orb rolled twice upon the floor, and then a virtual screen flickered into existence in front of the group. Several figures subsequently appeared upon that screen.
Gray-tongue pointed to the figure at the very front, the one wearing a distinctive helmet. "This," he said, "is Magneto. He is your adversary, a terrifying opponent who takes pleasure in robbing Ravagers for sport."
"He originates from the planet Earth. He is a mutant, and his ability is the manipulation of magnetism. Therefore, in his presence, your battleships are nothing more than oversized toys."
Upon hearing this revelation, the expressions on the faces of every Ravager in the room became extremely ugly.
An ability like that... what kind of sick joke was this!
It was no wonder that their opponent, despite having only a few people, was able to succeed in their robberies time and time again.
Gray-tongue observed the dreadful expressions on the Ravagers' faces with satisfaction before continuing. "In addition to Magneto, among this group of people, you also need to pay close attention to him, her, and her!"
He extended his hand, pointing in turn to Star-Lord, Gamora, and Nebula.
"His name is Peter Quill, though he is more commonly known as Star-Lord. He was previously a Ravager himself, and he served on Yondu's ship. Yondu should be extremely familiar with him, which is precisely the reason why Yondu was summoned here today."
"So, he's the one who has been helping Magneto track us down?" Stakar Vaughn asked, his eyes sweeping over Star-Lord's image, then shifting his gaze to Yondu. He noticed a fleeting trace of anxiety in Yondu's eyes, and a hint of surprise flashed in the depths of his own.
It seems, he thought, that Yondu cares a great deal about this Peter Quill.
"That is correct." Gray-tongue nodded. He then pointed to Gamora and Nebula. "As for these two, they are the adopted daughters of Thanos."
Thanos!
Upon hearing that name, the breath of every Ravager in the room hitched simultaneously.
Even though the combined might of their fleets could easily conquer a planet with formidable armed forces, just hearing the name of Thanos still caused an involuntary sense of profound fear to rise within them.
"So, do you all understand now exactly who it is you are up against?"
Gray-tongue was extremely satisfied with the terrified expressions that had appeared on their faces.
The adopted daughters of Thanos...
Could it be that this entire business of robbing Ravagers was actually being done on Thanos's orders?
In that case, if they were to make a move against Thanos's adopted daughters, what would Thanos's reaction be?
The instant they considered this possibility, they couldn't stop a feeling of utter despair from welling up inside.
"Heh, do not worry."
Gray-tongue offered a faint smile. "This," he said, "is the other reason I have come here today."
"These two girls are indeed the adopted daughters of Thanos, but they have both betrayed him. If any of you were to succeed in capturing them and delivering them to Thanos... hehe, you would receive an extraordinarily valuable reward."
At this, the eyes of everyone in the room lit up, and the gazes they fixed on the images of Gamora and Nebula instantly became fiery and covetous.
Stakar Vaughn considered this for a moment. "And what about you? You are providing us with all this intelligence... what is it that you seek?"
"Magneto!"
Gray-tongue made no attempt whatsoever to conceal his own objective.
"I want Magneto... and I want him alive!"
...
Far away, in a beautiful stretch of starry space, a spatial wormhole suddenly tore open. A single spaceship abruptly jumped into existence from it, and then smoothly transitioned into a stable flight trajectory.
This was the Milano, Star-Lord's personal ship.
At this very moment, the interior of the ship was filled with the sounds of joyous laughter and celebration.
"We're rich again!"
Rocket cackled maniacally, his entire body shaking so hard that all of his fur trembled along with it.
"You all should have seen it! The look on that damn guy's face when he finally lost his nose!"
"Oh no, I don't have a nose! How will I ever smell my stinky feet now!"
Rocket perfectly mimicked the Ravager's horrified expression, and then immediately burst into another fit of wild laughter, slamming his paws on the table.
"I am Groot!"
Groot, who had grown quite a bit and was now even a little larger than Rocket, spoke in a very serious tone. He then glanced at the beer mugs sitting in front of everyone. While all attention was focused on Rocket's antics, a single vine quietly extended from his hand. Like a makeshift straw, it snaked its way into one of the cups. He then pinched off the other end of the vine and stuffed it directly into his mouth.
He smiled happily to himself, let out a long breath, and was just about to take a massive gulp when Star-Lord's hand shot out and grabbed the vine 'straw'. "Hey! Kid, you can't be drinking alcohol! You're still just a sapling!"
As he spoke, Star-Lord yanked the vine free and tossed it to one side.
"I am Groot!"
He glared at Star-Lord, his voice rumbling in a low, unhappy tone.
Star-Lord's eyes widened in mock horror. "Dammit! How can you use such foul language! Rocket! Just look at what you've taught Groot!"
"Huh!? What's that you say!?" Rocket cupped a paw to his ear, pretending he couldn't hear a thing.
Star-Lord could only shake his head in exasperation.
"Why do you care so much? Are you Groot's mother now?" Drax interjected with his usual bluntness.
Gamora and Nebula both couldn't help but laugh out loud. After having been through so many battles together, the two sisters had finally reconciled and put their past grievances behind them.
Mantis covered her mouth, laughing secretly to herself. She snuck a quick glance at Drax, and a slight blush colored her cheeks.
Watching the expressions of his companions, Erik gave a faint smile and raised his own glass.
"Cheers!"
Clink!
With a clear clinking sound, the atmosphere in the cabin became lively and festive once more.
Over this recent period, Erik and the members of the Guardians of the Galaxy had become the absolute bane of the Ravagers. Together, they had successfully robbed an innumerable number of them.
Erik distributed a portion of the money among the other members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the vast majority of the proceeds were used by him to purchase valuable resources, which he then had transported back to Earth.
During this period of time, Erik no longer needed to conceal his true self, nor did he need to constantly worry about the affairs of mutants. He had been living quite happily.
After the celebration wound down, the group members all returned to their own private quarters. Star-Lord, however, quite shamelessly slipped into Gamora's room instead.
Erik just smiled and shook his head at this. He didn't have even the slightest romantic interest in the other two women aboard the ship.
Speaking of which, his father, Mike, had Raven. His older brother, Clark, had his childhood sweetheart, Hope. And his younger brother, Charles, also had a rather ambiguous relationship with his student, Jean.
And now...
"Am I the only one who is still single?"
Erik was left with a completely speechless expression.
"Things were so much better back in college..."
As he remembered the few girls he had dated back during his university days, a distinct trace of nostalgia flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Half-reclining on his bed, Erik gave a slight flick of his finger. A pile of scrap metal that he had casually tossed into a corner was immediately manipulated, flying through the air to hover in front of him.
His fingers danced lightly in the air, and the pieces of metal responded like a disciplined army following his commands. Under Erik's precise control, they began to warp and reshape into countless tiny components. Then, these components began to assemble themselves, forming a handgun.
But such a simple item was completely useless to Erik. Therefore, in the very next second, the gun was disassembled, and under Erik's continued control, the parts began to reconfigure into a much more complex weapon.
Over the course of the next several minutes, a series of intricate weapons appeared, only to be constantly disassembled and reformed.
Finally, Erik looked at the bizarre, intricate weapon now hovering in front of him and revealed a satisfied smile. With a casual wave of his hand, he collapsed it back into a messy, disorganized pile of metal, which he then tossed back into the corner.
(End of this chapter)