Above the Sovereign Royal Palace!
Arthur floated in midair. Tony stood at his side. Behind them, countless Mark Series drones hovered in the sky.
All of the combatants on the ground had landed safely.
Their killing intent was palpable. Yet, even after Arthur spoke, the palace remained eerily silent.
After a moment, Tony muttered, "Do you think they don't understand what an epitaph is?"
"...Then let's fight."
The first to act was Hulk, ever restless. He yanked the head off a statue and smashed it straight through the roof, but the rest stayed calm, waiting.
Hulk stood among the group at that moment, his eyes fixed on Arthur, waiting for orders. As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Hulk leapt with a thunderous crash, bursting through the palace roof and into the enemy's stronghold.
Suddenly, golden aircrafts materialized behind them. The Mark Series Drones spun in formation and unleashed a barrage that lit up the sky above the palace with the first wave of dazzling explosions.
This made one thing clear: the enemy had no intention of surrendering!
It was not surprising, really. A planet this technologically advanced wasn't about to give up easily. Even if they were doomed, struggling to the bitter end was in their nature.
Unfortunately for them, perfection didn't equal invincibility. Their spacecraft were agile and sleek but fragile, beautiful designs that simply couldn't withstand punishment. The heroes on the ground were already charging toward the palace. Arthur linked their comms and deployed the Eye of Horus for total battlefield oversight.
Arthur was taking this fight very seriously.
After all, it was the first time since their war against the Kree that the Superhero Alliance had waged war against an entire civilization.
Though they'd fought on the frontlines back then, it was Arthur's decapitation strike team that ultimately determined victory. This time was similar yet different.
The enemy's strongest forces were likely concentrated in the royal palace. Crushing the palace defenses in a direct assault would be a massive morale boost for the entire Alliance!
The Eye of Horus scanned every corner of the palace, mapping its defenses and identifying every fortified position.
Just then, Tony's voice came over the comms: "The scanners have completed a sweep, but there are several areas we can't access. You'll need to check them yourself."
A map pinged in.
Arthur continued coordinating his forces, assigning teams to attack different zones while personally scanning the restricted areas Tony had flagged.
After finishing the first scan, he marked the location and sent it to Hulk with instructions: "Once you're in, don't kill them all."
"Got it. But I don't know the way." Hulk's reply was blunt as ever.
Arthur rubbed his forehead. "Move forward from your position. The first junction has twelve hidden micro-weapons. I can't confirm if they're lethal, so I recommend large-scale destruction. Then, proceed and you'll see a door. Both hallways on either side of that door are packed with enemy troops. Honestly, they won't pose any real threat to you."
"Of course not. HULK IS INVINCIBLE!"
Arthur's words seemed to ignite the giant green brute, who roared and charged forward.
Moments later, the Hulk's comms erupted with the sound of thunderous crashes and explosions.
Meanwhile, Arthur switched his attention to Star-Lord: "Up ahead is a tech-based trap. Scan and crack it in advance. It shouldn't be a problem for you."
"Of course not. By the way, does this suit have a tracking system?"
"Of course it does," Arthur replied. "I'm responsible for keeping you alive."
"Great. But here's the thing, no offense, but if our positions get leaked to the enemy, wouldn't that cause some unpredictable problems?"
As he spoke, Arthur could hear the sound of gunfire in the background. A moment later, Star-Lord added, "So, only you can see our locations, right? With enough encryption to keep them safe?"
"Relax. We've got top-tier professionals handling that."
"Fantastic!"
Star-Lord chuckled. "Honestly, I've always thought that if we all worked together out here in space, conquering the entire galaxy would just be a matter of time."
Arthur thought for a second. "You know, there's someone who'd probably get along with you really well. She's a beauty."
"Can I get her contact info?"
Right after he asked, Star-Lord hurriedly clarified: "I'm just curious! Pure curiosity, I swear."
Clearly, that frantic clarification wasn't aimed at Arthur.
Arthur smirked. "I don't know her contact info, but I know her address... roughly. It's called 'Hell.'"
"Are you cursing me right now?!" Star-Lord yelled, even in the midst of the chaos. Then he quickly added, "Gamora! I can explain!"
Switching the comm channel, Arthur said, "Venom, I know eating people brings you joy, but I'd appreciate it if you kept your appetite under control."
"Honestly, these guys don't even taste good," Venom growled through Arthur's earpiece. "Their shiny golden skin? Horrible texture. Are your enemies all these glittery, flavorless snacks?"
"Of course not," Arthur assured him. "There's a sizzling, mouthwatering feast waving at you right now. It won't be long before it's all yours."
"Excellent!" Venom growled with excitement.
"Oh, and you might want to watch your back."
"Ah, damn it! When did these little golden hors d'oeuvres sneak up on me?!"
Arthur switched comms again, this time to Tony.
"Transfer the Mark Series Drone's command to Natasha. I just received a proximity alert from our ships. Something's incoming, and I'll need the Mark Series support."
"Understood!" Tony replied. "Want me outside too?"
"Trust Natasha. She can handle anything." Arthur said firmly. "I've scanned the second unknown zone; it's probably a data vault. If you want, you can head there and collect intel. I'm sending you the details…"
"Perfect! So, we don't have to ask for their permission first, huh?"
"That's the difference between voluntary surrender… and this," Arthur said. "Anyway, I've spotted something unusual. I need to check it out myself."
He ended the transmission. Through the Eye of Horus, Arthur's vision zoomed in on… a cocoon.
(End of Chapter)
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