Marvel: The Villain Chapter 386 I’ll be there in a few hours

"The Power Stone!"

As the purple radiance bathed the hall, the shock on Ronan's face slowly morphed into raw, unfiltered greed. As a Kree general, he had certainly heard of the Infinity Stones. Legend spoke of their unimaginable power—to possess even one was to hold the universe in your palm. Ronan had always dismissed such tales as myths, but seeing it now, he realized the terrifying truth.

No wonder. No wonder Thanos went to such lengths to secure it.

"What the hell is that shiny rock actually for?" Rocket asked, shielding his eyes and looking utterly bewildered.

Valkyrie explained, "At the start of time, the universe was a void of chaos. The Big Bang forged six elemental crystals, each governing a specific aspect of existence: Time, Space, Reality, Soul, Power, and Mind."

"Power!" Drax stared at the glowing gem, his eyes burning with desire. "So, whoever holds that stone... they become the strongest being in the universe?"

Valkyrie nodded. "Essentially. A master of the Power Stone can dismantle entire civilizations with a thought."

"Whoa! That's insane!" Rocket yelped. He then turned to her, sounding genuinely annoyed. "If it's that powerful, why didn't you use it against Ronan's fleet back there?"

"The Infinity Stones possess absolute power," Valkyrie replied. "And because of that, they can only be wielded by beings of equivalent strength. For mortals like us, touching the raw Stone means instant disintegration. There would be nothing left to bury."

The warning effectively killed any lingering thoughts of snatching the gem. They were as ordinary as mortals could get.

Hearing this, Gamora's mind raced to Thanos and his grand, twisted design. If Thanos wanted the Stones, he already knew their power and their lethal price. The fact that he hadn't stopped proved he believed he was strong enough to master them.

The thought was chilling. If he gathered all six, the entire universe would fall under a reign of terror unlike anything ever seen.

Then there was Valkyrie's master. He was collecting them too. She didn't know his ultimate goal, but she was certain he wasn't doing it for the greater good.

Entranced by the gem, Ronan slowly reached out his hand, his fingers twitching with the urge to pry the Power Stone from its casing.

Just then, Korath the Pursuer sprinted into the hall. "Ronan! Thanos has heard of the capture. He demands an immediate audience!"

Ronan's arm trembled. The muscles in his face spasmed. He was paralyzed by a massive internal struggle: to seize the power for himself or to remain a servant. The core of his fear was uncertainty. If he grasped the Stone and it tore him apart, everything was for nothing. But if he handed it over to Thanos...

He'd be a slave forever. Just as this woman had said, he would crawl at the Titan's feet until the end of his days.

The hall was silent as everyone waited for his choice. Finally, with a look in his eyes, Ronan snapped the Orb shut. Valkyrie watched closely, a faint smirk touching her lips. The look in Ronan's eyes had changed completely.

A massive holographic projection filled the wall of the hall. Thanos's face loomed over them, his expression grim.

"Gamora, my daughter. It is good to see you..."

Under that heavy, predatory gaze, Gamora began to shake. It felt as if she were falling into a bottomless pit of fear. Memories of her past flooded her mind, leaving her paralyzed.

"Do not be afraid," Thanos said, his voice carrying a hollow warmth. "Return to me, and all your mistakes are forgiven."

Nebula watched in silence, a bitter taste in her mouth. Ronan, you idiot, She thought. You've already forgotten our deal for this purple rock.

Turning his attention to Ronan, Thanos spoke coldly. "I have heard the reports. Where is the Orb?"

Ronan raised his hand, clutching the metal sphere. "The prize is mine. I am a man of my word."

"Deliver it to me!" Thanos commanded.

"Our agreement was simple," Ronan said, handing his heavy warhammer to Korath and raising the Orb high. "I find the Orb for you, and you raze Xandar for me. But now that I know what lies within... what use do I have for you?"

The hall gasped in unison. Only Valkyrie looked unsurprised. After all his brooding, Ronan had finally succumbed to the temptation. He was betraying the Titan.

Thanos's eyes narrowed. "Boy. The Infinity Stones are not toys for children to master. You would do well to remember your place."

"Let me show you my place!" Ronan roared, his rage boiling over. He wrenched the Orb open, unleashing a flood of violet light.

"Master, no!" Korath shouted. "Thanos is the greatest power in the galaxy!"

"His reign ends today!" Ronan shrieked, his hand closing around the Power Stone.

The impact was instantaneous. A torrent of raw energy flooded Ronan's body, causing him to glow with a blinding purple aura. Arcana lightning skittered across the floor, shattering the tiles beneath his feet. The scene was grotesque and terrifying. Gamora and the others scrambled back, terrified of being caught in the energy overflow.

"AAAAAAGH!!!"

The Power Stone was a cruel master. The energy began to rip Ronan apart from the inside out. He screamed in agony, his body buckling under the strain. But through sheer, fanatical will, he held on. He was being broken, but he was not being destroyed.

"Give it to me!" He gasped, reaching out an arm. Korath, trembling, handed over the massive Cosmi-Rod.

Ronan slammed the Power Stone into the head of the hammer. With the weapon acting as a conduit, the raging energy instantly stabilized. Ronan's eyes glowed with a steady purple light. He felt the surge of godhood through his veins. He felt invincible.

He glared up at the projection of Thanos. "You dare call me boy?! I will show you how a Kree judges Xandar. And once I am done with them... I am coming for you!"

Thanos didn't say a word. He watched for a long beat, then simply cut the transmission.

Gamora and the others were staring at Ronan in sheer despair.

Nebula, however, had a different look in her eyes. It was hope.

She stepped forward and asked, "After you wipe out Xandar... will you really kill my father?"

Ronan gave her a dismissive, arrogant glance. "Do you plan on stopping me?"

"Look at what he made of me!" Nebula shouted, her voice thick with emotion. "If you kill him, I will help you conquer a thousand worlds. My loyalty is yours."

Gamora stared at her sister in shock.

Valkyrie couldn't help but comment, "Thanos is having a rough day. His Stone is stolen, and of his two daughters, one betrayed him and the other wants him dead. Rough."

"If you had lived through our childhood," Gamora said quietly, "You wouldn't find it strange."

Ronan gripped his hammer, relishing the power. He was high on it. Nebula looked at the prisoners and checked in with her new master. "My lord... What of these people?" Her eyes were fixed on Gamora. She didn't care about the others; she only wanted her sister dead.

Ronan strode toward them, his hammer humming with power. "Woman," He addressed Valkyrie. "How do you know so much about the Stones? And who is this Jason? What does he want with them?"

The group looked at Valkyrie. It was the question they had all been asking. Aside from his name, they knew nothing about him.

"The Stones are a secret to many, but not to everyone," Valkyrie said coolly. "Thanos knows. Jason knows. I know. Jason is the most ambitious and capable man I have ever met. His power and his vision commanded my respect, which is why I serve him."

"As for his goal? Universal domination. Same as any man with a brain."

The group's faces fell. They had hoped Jason might be the lesser of two evils. Instead, he sounded like just another warlord with a god complex. They began to wonder if getting caught by Ronan was actually a blessing in disguise.

Ronan wasn't satisfied with the answer. He tightened his grip on his hammer, the gem flaring. "Is that so? Well, since you have no further value, I suppose I'll—"

"Who said I have no value?" Valkyrie interrupted, her expression bored. "I know the location of another Infinity Stone. Interested?"

Ronan froze. "Which one?"

"The Mind Stone."

Ronan's eyes widened. "Tell me! Tell me now, and I might let you live."

Valkyrie laughed, shaking her head. "I'm not that stupid, Ronan. If I tell you now, I'm as good as dead."

"Then what do you want?"

"A wager," Valkyrie said. "I joined Jason because I wanted a winner for a boss. If you can actually destroy Xandar and hold your own against the Nova Corps, you'll prove you're a horse worth betting on. Succeed, and I'll give you the Mind Stone as my initiation gift."

Ronan slowly began to smile. He lowered the Cosmi-Rod. "A fair bet. Keep your eyes open, woman. Watch as I bring Xandar to its knees."

"Master!" Nebula shouted, sensing things were getting out of hand.

"Silence!" Ronan barked. "Launch the fleet. We set course for Xandar immediately!"

"As you command!" Nebula shot one last hateful look at Gamora before leaving the hall to execute the order.

Valkyrie raised her shackled hands. "Since we have a deal, how about taking these off?"

Ronan tapped the shackles with the head of his hammer. They disintegrated into dust instantly.

The Dark Aster powered up and jumped into hyperspace.

*

Not long after, Peter Quill piloted the Milano through the same jump point, only to find a field of debris floating in the void.

"That's... that's Valkyrie's ship!"

Quill stared in shock at the jagged wreckage. No wonder they had lost contact. He brought the Milano close, suited up, and drifted into the remains of the ship.

The interior was surprisingly clean. There was no blood, no signs of a struggle or bodies.

"What the hell happened here?"

Quill searched the wreckage, confused. The exterior damage suggested a massive ambush with overwhelming fire. But the interior looked like everyone had just... walked away. He spent an hour tearing through the ship, hoping for a clue. He opened every locker he found; when he hit a locked keypad, he just used his blasters to melt the hinges.

Finally, in Valkyrie's private storage, he found a discarded communicator. He powered it up, and a pre-recorded message played.

"Quill, if you're seeing this, you're not as big an idiot as you look. As you can see, we were ambushed. Hard."

"It was Ronan's fleet. The same bastards from Morag. I have some leverage to keep us alive, so we aren't in immediate danger. Yet."

"I need you to keep going to Morul. Find Jason. Tell him exactly what happened. He's the only one who can get us out of this mess."

"You're a bounty hunter, and I'm not asking for a favor. Do this, and the entire four billion unit bounty is yours. Rocket and Gamora have already agreed. Consider it your payday."

"Move fast, Star-Prince. Don't let us down."

The video ended. Quill finally knew the truth. When he heard it was Ronan the Accuser who had taken them, he felt a cold chill. He had done some reading at the Kyln; he knew Ronan was a monster who commanded a fleet that could level worlds. He wasn't equipped for that.

But four billion units... and Gamora's life...

Peter grit his teeth. He had a shred of conscience left, even if it was mostly motivated by greed. He returned to Milano and set course for Morul.

On the way, his mind was a whirlwind of anxiety. Would he be walking into another trap? Who was this Jason guy? Could he really stand up to Ronan?

The floodgates of doubt were open. Peter paced the deck, feeling like he needed insurance. He needed someone else who was just as crazy and twice as dangerous as him.

He hesitated for a long time, looking at his comms panel. Finally, he made the call.

"Yondu, it's Peter."

"Peter! You bastard! You betrayed me and you stole my money!"

"Hey! Look, I'm sorry about the theft, but I've got a job for you. A massive one. Too big for me to handle alone. I need the Ravagers."

"To hell with your 'massive job'! You think an apology fixes this—"

"Yondu! This job is worth four billion units!"

The line went silent for a very long time.

"Are you still interested in talking?" Peter asked.

"Hmph. Where are you?"

"I'm two hours out from Morul. It's a resort planet. You better move your ass, Yondu. This is a one-time offer."

"I happen to be in the sector. I'll be there in a few hours."

"Good. I'll see you there."

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You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.

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200 power stones.

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