"You're my father?!"
"What're you talking about, taking advantage of me?!"
Star-Lord, who had finally scrambled free from Ego's kicks and punches, yelled. "I'll say I'm your dad!"
Having grown up in a pirate's nest, Star-Lord was not about to take this insult lying down, and he fired the verbal jab right back. This enraged Ego so much his hair nearly turned Super Saiyan. The tendrils of his planet's essence transformed into a whip of loving punishment, lashing out at Star-Lord's body again and again.
Ego truly couldn't understand why he had such an unfilial son! It was bad enough he was selling nude photos of his own father to strangers, but now he was trying to change their relationship dynamic?
"Tell me! Where did you get this stuff from?!"
Seeing Star-Lord's nimble movements as he dodged and weaved through the alley, Ego felt a slight sense of comfort and had finally let off enough steam. He asked about the origin of the photo album.
It was his embarrassing past, a history he never wanted anyone to mention. Ego remembered clearly that the album was just bait that Lothar and Hela had used to lure him to Sakaar. After the battle on Sakaar, Lothar had killed his most important avatar, and the humiliating album had disappeared without a trace.
After his consciousness returned to his main body, Ego had recuperated for a while, then spent several centuries burning every single copy of the album in circulation, both on and off the market.
That's what bothered Ego the most—where did Star-Lord get his copy? Or rather, who gave it to Star-Lord?
That was the question that truly concerned him. He suspected someone was deliberately targeting him. That was his first thought when he saw a few copies of the album "for sale" on the market.
"I don't know!"
"Look, I know it's wrong to sell this stuff without your permission. But I'm a space pirate, you understand? A pirate!"
"What's wrong with a space pirate privately selling things I found in some ruins?"
Now that he had been caught red-handed by the rightful owner, Star-Lord could only consider himself unlucky. He rubbed his sore shoulders and secretly looked around for a chance to escape.
He never imagined that selling a nude photo album would lead him to the person in the pictures himself. What a drag!
"Ruins?"
Ego froze.
Sakaar was currently thriving, with the Gladiator Championship in full swing. It could not be called ruins.
Gafa.
Ego's expression changed as he thought of another place, the place where his conflict with Lothar had begun.
'Now!'
Seizing the opportunity, Star-Lord turned to make a swift escape, but as soon as he did, several silver tendrils appeared in his view.
"Come back with me."
"???!?? What???"
"I really am your father!!!" Ego was fuming. If he hadn't felt the energy signature of Lothar tearing open a cosmic portal, Ego would not have wanted to contact his son this soon. But he had no choice. If he didn't increase his power quickly, he'd be toast if Lothar found out he was still alive.
Fortunately, his demigod son was still clueless, a blank slate he could draw on as he pleased.
....
Meanwhile, in the Centauri Galaxy, the Black Quadrant.
After parting ways with Hela, Lothar returned to the base alone. He had to talk to his adoptive father about something, but strangely, he didn't see him anywhere in the base.
"Has Father not returned yet?" Lothar couldn't find Thanos anywhere, so he had to temporarily push the Soul Stone matter to the back of his mind and returned to his private chamber.
The Other was meticulously watching the footage transmitted from the surveillance cameras. Seeing Lothar return, he eagerly hurried to him. "Your Highness, Prince Lothar."
"What is it?"
"We have a new discovery, Your Highness Lothar." The Other bowed respectfully and had Woz display the footage previously sent by the sisters, Gamora and Nebula.
"As you commanded, Princess Gamora and Princess Nebula have been monitoring the raccoon and Star-Lord, who were locked up in the Kyln."
"Just as you predicted, Your Highness Lothar, the two of them teamed up and broke out of the Kyln, escaping the control of the Xandarians."
As The Other spoke, the blue screen showed footage of Star-Lord and the raccoon fleeing. The surveillance equipment, created with Black Quadrant technology and installed on the two of them, provided clear images. The two were completely unaware.
"And then, Your Highness Lothar, look who this is."
The fast-forwarded footage stopped at the most recent transmission point, and a white-haired figure appeared on the screen.
"?" Lothar found the man familiar but couldn't quite place him.
"It's Ego, Your Highness Lothar." Woz helpfully provided his analysis. The agile and powerful old man on the screen was Ego, the one Lothar had killed on Sakaar.
"Ego? He's not dead?"
Lothar was stunned, and his expression instantly turned grim.
"Yes, Your Highness Lothar."
"Ego took Star-Lord and the raccoon to a planet we've never had a record of."
"Oh?" Lothar looked at the vibrant planet on the screen, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
....
Earth, Sanctum Sanctorum pocket dimension.
This place, which should have been an infinite time loop, was now completely enveloped in a thick black mist. The current Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, and Thanos had already stopped fighting and were sitting in the pocket dimension, each thinking of a way to break free.
"It's no use, Thanos."
"This prison is one I forged specifically for you, for Odin, and for Agamotto during the thousands of years I was sealed away."
"Though it only holds you for now, it doesn't matter, Thanos."
"Odin will soon be here to join you."
The dark, hoarse voice was filled with resentment. The Lord of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu, who had broken free from his ancient seal, looked ferocious.
"You'll regret this, Dormammu."
"I promise." Even while trapped, Thanos's face showed no panic. His sharp, giant blade was plunged into the ground beside him. That a successor of Agamotto would have ties to Dormammu was something Thanos had never anticipated.
Pfft!
In the real world, the Ancient One, who had managed to escape just before the dark prison fully encompassed the pocket dimension by using the power of the Time Stone, spat out a mouthful of blood and opened her eyes.
"Using the power of the Dark Dimension..."
"Something has finally gone wrong..."
The Ancient One's expression was somber. She thought that by constantly monitoring Dormammu's seal, she could prevent this, but it had still caught her off guard. She had to find a successor.
The Ancient One stood up, and a few cracks began to appear on her body beneath the orange robes. The cracks vanished in an instant, but the Ancient One's face was pale.
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