Chapter 234 - First Kill Your Father, Then Annihilate Your Foster Father, and You Say You're Not a Patricidal Maniac?
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Unfortunately, the ground beneath Gamora's feet collapsed at an inopportune moment, and she couldn't evade in time, plummeting downward.
At this critical moment, Nebula followed suit and jumped down. Her right hand caught Gamora midair, while her left hand grabbed onto a massive stone pillar. Both of them dangled in the air.
Nebula exerted force to propel Gamora onto the stone pillar, and then she pulled herself up as well.
Meanwhile, above them, Peter Quill and Yondu were dealing with the blue tendrils.
"Peter, I know you don't want to do this." A massive stone face watched the scene from the side. "How terrible must I be as a father to make you make such a choice?"
Peter Quill had no time to respond. The blue tendrils kept him busy as he stood there, dual-wielding his guns and continuously shooting.
Yondu also stood on the ground. With his whistling, his Yaka arrows acted like agile fish in water, darting around in the air, shooting down the blue tendrils.
Rocket Raccoon, wearing his spacesuit, was in aerial combat with the blue tendrils.
"Soon, Peter, we will become one with the universe. So, don't provoke me any further!" Ego swung a massive tendril, hitting Peter Quill, who fell to the ground. His guns clattered beside him.
Peter Quill had barely gotten back on his feet when a luminous figure approached step by step, flesh growing on his form with each step.
The appearance of this luminous figure made the situation even worse. Yondu was hit by the tendrils and buried under rocks, his Yaka arrows severed in two.
Rocket Raccoon flew in the air, shooting his gun continuously, but he couldn't escape the clutches of the blue tendrils.
Drax, carrying Mantis, ran but was quickly engulfed by the ground. His only option was to raise his arms as high as possible, giving Mantis a bit more time above ground.
Meanwhile, Nebula and Gamora were climbing upward, struggling against the blue tendrils that had immobilized them against the cliff.
Inside the tunnel, Groot noticed the passage was shrinking, compressing his space.
In an instant, every member of the Guardians of the Galaxy was in dire straits.
Ego was indeed a god. As soon as he appeared, he overwhelmed Peter Quill and the others. Their efforts were in vain, despite their fierce struggles.
"I told you," Ego, with flesh now covering his form, walked toward Peter Quill, "I didn't want to enjoy all of this alone."
Swoosh!
As he spoke, a massive blue tendril thrust forward from behind, piercing through Peter Quill.
"You cannot deny the mission the universe has bestowed upon you!" Ego questioned Peter Quill. Several tendrils punctured Peter Quill's body as he spoke.
"We didn't have to go down this path, Peter. Why destroy our golden opportunity?" Ego confronted Peter Quill, "Stop pretending. You are one in a billion, even more extraordinary! What significant contribution can a mere insignificant life like yours make?"
"I don't control my arrows with my brain." With only his head above ground, Yondu shouted, "I use my heart."
Somehow, this statement seemed to trigger something in Peter Quill. Though Yondu's words weren't exactly about using his heart, they led Peter Quill to a sudden realization.
He clenched his fist, and his expression changed dramatically.
Dust swirled around him as he seemed to emanate an astonishing aura of power.
A blue radiance spread rapidly from him, transforming the entire ground into a shade of blue.
Ego's expression changed immediately. He could sense that things were about to go terribly wrong.
"You shouldn't have killed my mother or destroyed my Walkman!" Peter Quill roared. He leaped to his feet, not only freeing himself from the blue tendrils piercing him but also launching himself into the air. He propelled Ego forward in midair with each punch.
"Ah!" Peter Quill extended his right hand, yelling out loudly. Stones rapidly coalesced around his arm, forming a massive stone fist.
Boom!
The stone fist slammed down on Ego's head, obliterating a chunk of flesh and replacing it with blue radiance.
Peter Quill's powerful surge awakened his suppressed comrades.
Drax emerged from the ground he had been buried in.
Rocket Raccoon, Nebula, and Gamora, entangled by blue tendrils, were finally freed.
Yondu, buried under the debris, managed to sit up.
The narrowing tunnel expanded once again, allowing Groot's small
"This is placing the bomb next to the brain," Thor remarked upon seeing this. "Finally, we understand what's going on."
"We were debating whether killing Ego meant killing Quill's father or destroying the planet. Now it seems they're one and the same," Steve Rogers said. "Quill's father is the planet itself."
"I've seen it all now. The first time I've heard of someone having a planet as their father," James Rhodes chimed in.
"Looking at it this way, Ego may be powerful, but his weakness is quite clear – it's that brain of his," Tony Stark added. "Just destroy his brain, and he's done for. I wouldn't even need to do it myself. A drone, a bomb, and a glass of red wine at home, and I could take him out."
"Is Ego's brain malfunctioning?" Clint Barton wondered. "He clearly knows that if his brain is destroyed, he's finished. Logically, such an important part should be well-guarded, but he seems to have overlooked that."
"That planet is himself, and Quill and the others are basically on him. He surely knows where they all are, right?" Natasha Romanoff interjected. "Even if he didn't station guards around his brain, wouldn't he sense that tree running toward his brain with a bomb?"
"He definitely could sense it," T'Challa affirmed. "Didn't the tunnel behind them start shrinking and compressing that tree?"
"If he can sense it, why didn't he just take out the tree the moment he felt it?" Natasha continued. "He's got those blue energy tendrils all over the place. Don't tell me he can't reach down into the tunnel."
"So, Ego's massive brain is basically useless because it's not functioning properly," Clint concluded.
"Do you think that tree can correctly trigger the bomb?" Scott Lang asked.
"I doubt it," Sam Wilson chimed in. "For him, this operation is obviously too complex."
However, Sam Wilson was mistaken. In the video, Groot looked left and right, his finger already poised above the button that would detonate the bomb immediately. Yet, he abruptly stopped and instead pressed the button on the left.
Drip, drip, drip!
The five-minute countdown initiated.
And Groot turned and dashed away.
Drax also entered the escape pod with Mantis.
Gamora and Nebula had climbed to the surface.
Peter Quill engaged in an intense aerial battle with Ego.
At this moment, Peter Quill had become just like Ego – he could fly and had immense strength. A single punch from him sent Ego flying a considerable distance.
"Yondu, it's about to explode," Rocket Raccoon informed Yondu after assisting Groot.
"Get to the ship," Yondu loudly instructed.
"I can't leave Quill behind," Rocket Raccoon responded.
"You need to take care of the little tree," Yondu replied.
"And I can't leave you behind either," Rocket Raccoon argued.
"I've never gotten anything right in my life, you little rat." Yondu shook his head. "Give me this chance."
"One spacesuit and an oxygen tank," Rocket Raccoon handed Yondu a small disc and a box. "I've only got one set left."
"I am Groot," Groot, perched on Rocket Raccoon's shoulder, said.
"What did he say?" Yondu asked.
"He said, 'Welcome to the eccentric Guardians of the Galaxy,'" Rocket Raccoon translated, "but he didn't use the word 'eccentric.'"
"Goodbye, little tree," Yondu waved.
"We need to discuss your foul language issue at some point," Rocket Raccoon retorted as he and Groot took off.
Boom, boom, boom!
Peter Quill and Ego engaged in an intense mid-air battle.
Ego grabbed Peter Quill, flung him against a mountainside, and before Peter Quill could react, he grabbed his neck and yanked him back out, flinging him again.
"Ah!" Peter Quill let out a loud yell, kicked his legs, and soared away.
As Ego flew towards Peter Quill, countless rocks converged on him, forming a massive stone figure.
Peter Quill was similarly drawing in numerous rocks, but compared to Ego's formation of a colossal stone giant, his creation was rather unorthodox. He had fashioned a gigantic Pac-Man!
Boom!
A tremendous crash resounded as the stone giant and Pac-Man collided. Both forms shattered, sending debris flying. Ego and Peter Quill simultaneously crashed to the ground.
Meanwhile, Rocket Raccoon and Groot had made their way into the escape pod.
"Where's Peter?" Gamora urgently inquired as soon as she landed. "Rocket, where is he?"
Rocket Raccoon didn't answer. He pulled out a timer and checked the countdown – less than a minute remained.
"Rocket?" Gamora's voice rose. "Rocket, look at me! Where is he?"
Rocket Raccoon shook his head, while Groot pointed outside the ship.
"No, I can't leave him alone," Gamora declared, grabbing a large gun from the escape pod and preparing to leave.
Zzzt, zzzt, zzzt~
However, as soon as she took a step, electric currents surged from her body, causing her to collapse from the shock.
"I'm sorry, I can only bear the pain of losing one friend." Rocket Raccoon said from behind, holding a gun. He had electrocuted Gamora earlier, and he shouted, "Groot, start the ship!"
"Wait, hold on, wait a moment before leaving," Drax also yelled at Rocket Raccoon, "Rocket, where's Quill? Rocket, where's Quill?"
Rocket Raccoon didn't answer, watching in silence as the escape pod's door closed.
The situation outside the escape pod had indeed reached a critical point.
This "critical" was not for Peter Quill, but for Ego.
Once the bomb exploded, he would be finished!
"No, Peter, we need to make it stop, we need to make it stop!" Ego shouted desperately.
Peter Quill heartlessly pushed him to the ground.
"Stop, listen to me, listen to me!" Ego grabbed Peter Quill's collar. "You're a god. If you kill me, you'll be just as ordinary as the others."
"And what does that matter?" Peter Quill calmly asked.
"No!!" This was Ego's final cry.
Boom!
In the next moment, the bomb detonated.
His blue brain was instantly reduced to debris.
Kneeling before Peter Quill, Ego turned into ashes.
Ego had been killed just like that.
Boom, boom, boom!
As Rocket Raccoon had predicted, the entire planet Ego began to explode. The mountains crumbled, the ground collapsed, and flames devoured everything.
Peter Quill remained motionless, silently watching it all.
His spacesuit had long been destroyed, rendering him unable to fly. He couldn't escape on foot either.
He was prepared to die.
But the next moment, a figure flew over, scooping him up and ascending into the sky.
It was Yondu Udonta!
Carrying Peter Quill, Yondu soared into the sky.
The immense explosion was left far behind them.
"He might be your biological father, kid, but he ain't your daddy," Yondu Udonta said as he carried Peter Quill upwards. "Sorry I didn't do none of it right by you. You're lucky, boy."
"What?" Peter Quill didn't quite grasp Yondu Udonta's meaning.
Yondu Udonta tapped the only oxygen canister against Peter Quill's body, looking at him with a smile.
Soon, Peter Quill understood what Yondu Udonta meant.
As they flew out of the atmosphere and into the vastness of space, he realized that Yondu Udonta hadn't activated the oxygen canister!
"Yondu, what are you doing?" Peter Quill shouted. "You can't do this!"
Yondu Udonta didn't respond. He simply looked up and pushed himself to fly higher, as hard as he could.
"No! No!" Peter Quill tried to press the oxygen canister on Yondu Udonta's body, but no oxygen was generated.
Yondu Udonta held Peter Quill's head in his hands, took one last look at him, and died in the vacuum of space.
"No!" Peter Quill clutched Yondu Udonta's lifeless body, tears streaming down his face.
The space darkened, and the video came to an end.
"Yondu..." Peter Quill's emotions were incredibly complex. He never expected Yondu Udonta to sacrifice his life to save him.
"Quill, you may have a father, but he sure as hell ain't that Ego. It's Yondu," Nick Fury stated.
"Yondu is the only father I've ever had," Peter Quill murmured.
"Quill, come find me after this quiz is over," Tony Stark chimed in, "I'll develop some gadgets to deal with Ego. You don't even need to land on Ego's planet. You can remotely take him out from the ship."
"Thank you," Peter Quill expressed his gratitude.
"Among the threats Earth faces, Ego is probably the easiest to handle," Tony Stark commented.
"I'm really curious, though. That tree, no matter what it says, it's always 'I am Groot.' Quill, how did you and Groot hear different meanings from the same phrase?" Stephen Strange wondered.
"I don't know," Peter Quill admitted. "I can't understand it now, anyway."
"Seems like only that raccoon can understand it now," Clint Barton remarked. "He's the one who's been with that tree from the beginning."
[Question Twelve begins. Please prepare.]
[Please watch the following video first.]
The first image to appear was Michelle Jones, Peter Parker's girlfriend after the events of the movie. She was crouching by the riverbank, taking photos with her phone.
Peter Parker stood behind Michelle Jones, a smile on his face. Suddenly, he sensed something and his smile vanished. He turned sharply, looking at the river.
Large splashes erupted from the water, as if some creature was moving beneath the surface.
Boom!
In the next instant, a massive wave surged skyward.
Even though there was no wind here.
Then, to the stunned onlookers, the water on the surface converged in mid-air, forming an enormous and incomprehensible water figure.
"What's that?" Ned asked Peter Parker.
"I don't know," Peter Parker confessed truthfully.
"What are you going to do?" Ned inquired.
"I left my suit at the hotel," Peter Parker said.
"Why?" Ned questioned.
"Because I'm on vacation, Ned, and I'll be noticed." Peter Parker said, "Quick, get everyone out of here."
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The enormous water figure began wreaking havoc, lifting its massive watery fists and hammering nearby buildings.
Peter Parker instructed his classmates to leave first. He put on his web shooters and shot a web at the water figure, but the web simply went into the water figure's body without any effect.
Boom!
The water figure swung a fist towards Peter Parker. Amidst a shower of water droplets, Peter Parker was knocked back and landed on the ground.
Swish! Swish!
Before Peter Parker could even get up, he saw two green beams of light hitting the water figure. The water figure let out a pained roar from its mouth.
Turning his head, Peter Parker saw a figure flying towards them. As it got closer, he could see clearly. This person was shrouded in green mist, wearing a red cape, and had a glass dome resembling a fish tank on their head, giving them an incredibly strange appearance.
Although this person looked peculiar, they had real abilities. Flying in the air, they engaged in battle with the colossal water figure.
Despite being physically smaller than the water figure, this person managed to defeat it, causing the water figure to collapse into a puddle.
"Yeah!" Cheers erupted from the crowd as the water giant was defeated.
The mysterious guest waved at everyone and soared into the air, leaving behind a trail of rolling green smoke.
The video paused here, and the question appeared.
[Why did the mysterious guest Quentin Beck fabricate the "Elemental" deception?]
[A. To act alongside Peter Parker and draw out another villain]
[B. To compete for the title of the next generation Iron Man with Peter Parker]
[C. To deceive Tony Stark out of a pair of glasses from Peter Parker]
[D. To test Peter Parker and see if he's qualified to become the next Iron Man]
[Answer correctly to receive a body that can survive even a fall from 10,000 meters. Answer incorrectly and lose one year of life.]
"Survive a fall from 10,000 meters?" Tony Stark was stunned by the reward. "How sturdy does this body have to be?"
"Yeah, with that reward, he'd probably be impervious to RPGs even," Steve Rogers commented.
"RPGs?" Stephen Strange chimed in, "I think this body might be sturdier than the Hulk's."
"Bruce, could the Hulk survive a fall from 10,000 meters?" Natasha Romanoff asked Bruce Banner.
"I'm really not sure," Bruce Banner shook his head.
"Compared to this reward, the question is more intriguing," Thor said, "The battle just now, though not intense, happened right in front of everyone. The destruction of those bridges and buildings was real, and Peter actually took a punch. No matter how you look at it, it was a real event. Yet, the question says it's a lie!"
"I'm also wondering what this 'lie' is all about," Nick Fury added. "According to the question, the Elementals are fake, but that massive water figure doesn't look fake in the video."
"Could it be that the Elementals mentioned here aren't referring to that water figure?" Scott Lang suggested.
"It must be that water figure," Clint Barton said. "If it's not, then what's the point of showing that video?"
"Exactly, that water figure must be the Elemental, and the mysterious guest is the one with the glass dome on his head," Tony Stark explained. "The lie might be a different interpretation. The water figure is real, but the battle between the mysterious guest and the water figure is fake. The mysterious guest and the water figure are working together. One plays the villain, the other plays the hero, putting on a show for the public."
"Tony's interpretation makes sense," Nick Fury nodded.
"First of all, I think we can eliminate option A," Peter Parker said. "Even if we were acting, with so many people on the scene, a battle of this magnitude could easily lead to casualties. I wouldn't joke with people's lives like that."
"We can also rule out option B, for sure. Peter wouldn't jeopardize people's safety for something like that," Tony Stark excluded option B. "However, this option gives us a rough idea of the timing. The appearance of the mysterious guest must have been after my death. Only when I'm gone does the idea of a new Iron Man make sense."
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[END OF CHAPTER]