Chapter 143: Killing Ronan

###

The Collector wore a miserable expression and said, "Of course, this is my way of handing the problem over to you, hoping you'll help me get rid of this trouble."

Link thought for a moment, then asked the Collector to unlock the Orb. After doing so, Link casually slipped the Power Stone onto his finger like a ring. As soon as Link put it on, there was no reaction whatsoever, which made the Collector realize that Link's body was so powerful that even the strength of the Power Stone couldn't affect him.

Link showcased the four rings he was wearing. Each one was separate, unlike the Infinity Gauntlet, where the stones formed a unified whole. Of course, Link could merge them into one anytime he wanted.

Currently, the Time Stone was still with the Ancient One, and the Soul Stone required a sacrifice to obtain, making both inaccessible to Link. So, how exactly would Thanos flaunt his power?

Should Link just kill him now?

He dismissed the idea quickly, realizing he was getting carried away. Without the power of a yellow sun, he figured it was better to stay low-key to avoid accidentally delivering the stones directly into Thanos' hands.

Link then opened a portal, allowing Bruce, T'Challa, and Sam to come through while maintaining communication with Natasha. After they regrouped, Link led them downstairs from the Collector's gallery and began explaining the situation.

The "Knowhere" they were in was a mining colony located in the massive skull of a long-dead Celestial, where valuable materials from the brain tissue were extracted. This astonishing revelation left Bruce, T'Challa, and Sam in awe, as they had never imagined such things existed in the universe.

All three of them were clad in their combat suits, as this place was notorious for its chaos. Link had a box of throwing knives strapped to his waist. He anticipated Ronan would bring soldiers with him, and these knives would be useful for quick kills. Handguns weren't suited for this kind of environment, and energy guns were too powerful for close quarters. The knives were the ideal choice.

If a battle broke out and Ronan's fighters entered the area, energy guns would be reserved for dealing with those aircraft.

Their ambush spot was set just below the Collector's gallery, where Ronan would be led in by one of the red-skinned slave girls. For now, Ronan's fleet hadn't arrived, giving the team some time to scout the area, but they had to be cautious since Knowhere was full of criminals and fugitives from all over the galaxy.

The chaotic environment meant that no one would be out of place, and their combat suits didn't attract much attention. Most people here wore some form of armor or combat gear, always ready for a fight.

...

It wasn't long before the Collector sent a message: Ronan's fleet had moved. He had released Peter Quill, resolving the standoff with the Ravagers, though their movements remained unclear. But Ronan was now en route to Knowhere.

Link contacted Natasha and instructed her to prepare for action. Meanwhile, he and the others set up their ambush beneath the Collector's gallery. They dispersed and took positions, with Bruce transforming into the Hulk and sitting directly by the entrance.

Link and the others hid opposite him, ready to attack from behind. Hulk was the bait.

Ronan's enormous warship suddenly appeared outside Knowhere, and a few Necrocraft fighters descended, carrying Ronan and Nebula.

Link observed from a distance. Only Ronan, Nebula, and a handful of soldiers had come—nothing too difficult for them to handle.

Hulk sat by the entrance, bored, doodling circles in the dirt with his massive fingers. Everyone kept their distance from the massive green giant, but Ronan paid no heed, thinking size alone meant little.

Nebula briskly approached and shouted, "Move aside, big guy."

Hulk smiled. Sitting there was part of his orders from Link, who had been the first to help Bruce accept the Hulk as part of himself. Their mutual understanding, thanks to Link's support, allowed them to share control smoothly.

Hulk had grown fond of simple pleasures like bathing in lakes, something that had even led Tony Stark to purchase an entire lake and the surrounding land just for him.

At that moment, Link called Natasha: "Time to move!"

Hulk, staring down at Nebula, suddenly lashed out. *Boom!* With a single punch, Nebula was sent flying.

Ronan stared in disbelief as Nebula vanished from sight, then barked orders at his soldiers: "Kill him."

Suddenly, multiple throwing knives flew from behind. Each of Ronan's soldiers was struck in the neck, dropping them instantly.

T'Challa leaped from the shadows, landing a powerful kick squarely on Ronan's back. His movements were swift and graceful, resembling a panther stalking its prey. Even Ronan hadn't noticed him.

As Ronan staggered forward, Hulk raised his foot and *crashed* it down on him.

Link couldn't help but grin. Ronan's defeat was so swift and brutal it felt almost anticlimactic.

Walking over with an energy gun in hand, Link targeted the few Necrocraft nearby. *Biubiu!* Two energy blasts later, the fighters were exploding into fiery balls in the distance.

Standing before Hulk, Link said, "Hulk, let's see how our friend is doing."

"Hulk!" Hulk roared, proudly showing off his strength before lifting his foot, revealing Ronan embedded deep in the ground.

Link glanced at him, then raised his energy gun. *Biubiu!* Several shots later, Ronan's body was riddled with holes, looking thoroughly broken.

Sam, who had just returned, dragging Nebula with him, frowned at the sight. "Was that necessary?"

"Absolutely," Link replied. "Didn't you read his profile? Ronan's a warmonger. Even after the Kree signed a peace treaty with Xandar, he couldn't accept it and led his fleet in search of power to destroy Xandar. The guy's a threat to peace; the world's better off without him."

Link's arm transformed into a camera, snapping pictures of Ronan's corpse. "We can take these to Xandar and show them as a sign of goodwill."

"Now, let's get ready for the next fight. Tie her up," Link said, nodding toward Nebula. She couldn't be killed yet, not until they knew more about her situation. Perhaps she could even be handed over to the Xandarians.

"Link, the Necrocraft are descending," came the Collector's voice through the comms.

Link's flight board materialized behind him. "Time for battle. Natasha, fire on their ship's left wing."

"Got it!" Natasha responded. The Avengers' warship was already approaching Ronan's vessel from behind at high speed. "Main cannon, target the enemy's left wing!"

"Secondary cannons, prepare to fire!"

Though the vacuum of space carried no sound, two massive beams of light surged forward, striking the enemy ship's left wing and causing twin explosions of fire.

"Secondary cannons, fire at the breach!" Natasha commanded.

Ronan's warship was in a dire situation. Few Necrocraft had been deployed, and most of them were concentrated in the wings, which had now suffered catastrophic damage. As the secondary cannons unleashed their full firepower, the main cannon began to recharge.

(End of Chapter)