"Noooooo!"
A sorrowful cry echoed in the surroundings as if to symbolize that something inside was shattering.
Arthur thought he could hear something breaking... perhaps this was just this woman's fragile glass heart.
Having such a fragile heart was never a good thing, honestly.
Petty emotions like that could ruin more than just one person.
Ignoring Lady Ayesha's hysteria, Arthur switched on Natasha's comms and asked: "How's the situation?"
"They seem to have gone mad, and are attacking each other. I've been watching for a while now, but they still haven't fired on our spaceship." Natasha continued, "Judging by the situation, it doesn't seem like we need to take any further action."
"In fact, this planet might be stuck like this for quite some time," Arthur said. "Inform all ground forces to regroup and pull back! As for Tony, give him a bit more time, but not too much. Even scavenging during chaos has its limits."
"I think he might cry when he hears that order..."
The comms clicked off, and Arthur's figure appeared outside the palace.
He looked up at the chaotic skies and felt a strange sense of confusion.
'Why had he come here exactly?'
'Wasn't he supposed to talk things out?'
'Yet, in the end, what had he done?'
He stormed into the palace, smashing things and looting. He even unleashed Venom, who devoured countless golden Sovereigns. None of that sounded like the behavior of a "good guy."
"I really need to be more careful next time." Arthur let out a sigh as he muttered to himself.
Truthfully, though, given the Sovereigns' current state, he couldn't really blame himself. It was their bizarre evolution that had led to this.
They pursued perfection yet had hearts as fragile as glass. One small spark was all it took to make them crumble.
If Lady Ayesha had truly slaughtered all the council members, it would be surprising if the rest of the populace didn't descend into chaos.
"Still, it's a miracle that this planet made it this far," Arthur muttered, speechless. "Two stolen batteries, two lost wars, and now this civil unrest... All of this over such small things that I wonder what this planet will eventually become."
As he was lost in thought, a massive figure dropped down from above.
Then, the Hulk grabbed Arthur, hoisted him high above his head, and shouted, "UP YOU GO!!!"
"... "
Arthur's face darkened. "Who taught you that?"
"Tony!" Hulk immediately sold out the culprit.
Arthur let out a sinister chuckle. "Hulk, put me down. I'll remember this, and Tony will pay for what he's done."
"Oh." Hulk obediently set Arthur down. A short while later, Star-Lord arrived with the Guardians of the Galaxy, followed by Venom, Spider-Man, and others. They returned in waves.
Everyone who arrived looked at the scene before them in disbelief.
"Are we...destroying their whole nation?" Spider-Man asked with a troubled look on his face. "Weren't we supposed to be the good guys? Why does it feel like we're wiping out an entire civilization?"
Star-Lord repeatedly shook his head, glanced at Arthur, and said to Spider-Man, "How could you ever believe he was one of the good guys? Let me tell you about this guy--"
Arthur shot Star-Lord a look. Star-Lord immediately shut his mouth.
"Let's head back first."
As soon as he finished speaking, Natasha landed the two spaceships. Everyone boarded separately. The team Arthur led boarded the spaceship that Natasha had brought from Earth. Meanwhile, Star-Lord's group entered the ship that had originally belonged to Arthur.
They began saying their goodbyes.
The Guardians of the Galaxy couldn't stick by Arthur's side forever. Now that everything was over and there was no immediate need for their strength, they longed to return to the cosmos and chase that familiar feeling of freedom and open space.
Through the comms, Arthur earnestly asked Gamora to keep an eye on Star-Lord.
After all, he was the kind of guy who could just disappear without leaving a trace, only to turn up later in bed with some woman from a strange planet.
Arthur wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but it seemed like Gamora's face flushed slightly after hearing that. She shook her head and said, "That has nothing to do with me."
'Yeah, right.'
Arthur smirked, then suddenly felt a heated gaze burning into his back. He didn't dare turn around and quickly told Star-Lord, "I'll probably be back before long. I might need your help again, so stay ready for orders."
"Aye aye, Captain!" Star-Lord gave him a crisp salute.
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Get lost already."
As he watched their spaceship launch into the space, Arthur was surprised to find that he wasn't very sad. After all, this world, this universe, wasn't really that big.
Whenever they wanted to see each other, they'd find a way. No matter how long it took, they'd eventually reunite over drinks, pouring their hearts out while drunk.
But as this thought crossed his mind, Arthur suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right! I forgot to steal a couple bottles of Yondu's good liquor to bring back for Tony."
Not that it mattered; Yondu had probably already left. And even if he hadn't, after Hulk's stunt earlier, Arthur wasn't about to give Tony any alcohol.
That rascal needed to be taught a lesson, and Arthur was absolutely going to make sure of it.
Still, there was no rush. Time was long; there'd be plenty of opportunities to get back at him.
Just as Arthur was gritting his teeth, plotting his revenge on Tony, the man himself returned to the ship: "You guys will never believe how much I've uncovered. We're still decoding everything, so I'm not sure yet how much of it will be useful… but even the part we've deciphered so far could push us a huge step forward."
Banner, now back in his human form, looked at Tony, then at Arthur, and chuckled softly. "That's really good news… really!"
Tony gave him a puzzled look. "Why do I feel like there's some weird schadenfreude in your expression?"
"You're imagining things!" Banner denied immediately.
He now fully remembered everything Hulk had done, and he knew this wasn't over. If he said anything now, he might not get to see the coming drama unfold.
"Everyone, buckle up," Arthur said. "We're heading out!"
(End of Chapter)
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