Chapter 261: Knowhere (End)
"Ebony Maw, where is he?"
Corvus Glaive retreated towards the Spaceship, protected by several Chitauri Soldiers. All around him, dense masses of Aliens surged forward like a sea wave.
"Puff, puff, puff, puff—"
"Swish, swish, swish—"
Dozens of Ship Cannons on the Spaceship fired at full power, providing cover for Corvus Glaive, who had lost an arm. Under the powerful, high-energy Ship Cannons' fire, the Aliens were directly blasted into puddles of yellowish-green viscous liquid. The viscous liquid that burst out splashed onto their fellow Aliens nearby, and even the Aliens' hard carapaces were corroded, leaving holes the size of human heads.
Corvus Glaive, protected as he was pushed towards the Hatch, stood on the ship and looked into the distance, searching for Ebony Maw's figure.
It wasn't because his feelings for Ebony Maw were particularly deep. He had held out here for so long; as long as Ebony Maw could get the Power Stone and that guy from Another Universe, they would have something to report to Thanos.
He was absolutely loyal to his master, serving as his most loyal blade, before they captured Nebula from Another Universe.
But after learning Thanos's secret from Nebula from Another Universe, Corvus Glaive suddenly discovered that the person he served was a madman. They had worked so hard to collect the Infinity Stones for him, believing he wanted to rule the Universe, only to find out it was to eliminate half of the life in the Universe, for the sake of so-called Cosmic Balance.
Cosmic Balance? Whether it was the Black Order or the Black Order under Thanos, their reason for following Thanos, besides his powerful strength, was more for the benefits they received by following him.
Now, Corvus Glaive felt more fear than loyalty towards Thanos. It was impossible not to feel fear; what normal person would think of eliminating half the Universe's population?
Thinking about how he had been serving a rational madman all this time, Corvus Glaive felt an inexplicable sense of fear.
He was deeply afraid that he hadn't completed the mission Thanos assigned and would anger this madman.
He turned back to look at the dense swarm of Aliens charging forward against the Warship's artillery fire, and gazed into the distance, still not seeing Ebony Maw.
"General! We need to leave here first!"
At this moment, the Angelic Legion, Aliens, and Yellow Turban Warriors, who were densely packed and fighting fiercely in the sky, also noticed the Spaceship suspended in mid-air and swooped down towards them from the air.
The Spaceship had to divert half of its firepower to intercept them. The consequence was that, with firepower reduced, the Alien army on the ground quickly closed in on the Spaceship from below.
Several agile Aliens leaped up and directly clung to the Ship's Hull. The liquid secreted from their bodies easily caused white smoke to rise as it corroded the hull.
More and more Aliens swarmed onto the Spaceship's surface, causing the entire Spaceship to shake. The Captain responsible for piloting the Spaceship couldn't help but urge Corvus Glaive.
"Activate the Ship's Protective Shield! Ascend into Outer Orbit!"
Receiving Corvus Glaive's order, the soldiers on the Spaceship all breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, the Protective Shield on the Spaceship's surface rose up.
Large numbers of Aliens were bounced off the Spaceship's surface by the Protective Shield.
"Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish—"
Hundreds of laser turrets extended from various parts of the Spaceship, firing outwards in a 360-degree arc. The black Warship Spaceship instantly turned into a blue-glowing hedgehog, firing at the Angels, Aliens, and others flying from all directions.
With the Spaceship's propulsion system operating under overload, the Spaceship quickly broke through the encirclement, rushed out of Knowhere's low orbit, and reached Outer Space.
Corvus Glaive connected to the Fleet's command system only to find that in Outer Space at this time, more than half of the nearly one hundred Warships that had remained behind were lost, with only thirty to forty scattered ones remaining!
And the perpetrator, who had just passed by them, flapped his wings again and flew towards Knowhere.
Corvus Glaive sat in the main seat of the Spaceship's command cabin, gripping his Long Blade with his left hand, silently allowing the medical officer beside him to urgently treat the wound on his severed arm with Nanite Spray.
Nanoworms devoured the corrosive viscous liquid at his severed arm, reconnecting the nerves and vascular network of the severed limb.
After the Nanoworms finished processing the severed arm's wound, several alien soldiers carried a blue-gray metal prosthetic over and carefully aligned it with Corvus Glaive's severed arm.
A faint red glow appeared on the surface of the metal prosthetic, and then vein-like networks rose up, connecting to the severed arm—
"Click, click, click!"
Corvus Glaive flexed his metal arm, took the Long Blade in his left hand, and a hint of brutality flashed in his eyes.
"General! What do we do next?" Inside the command system, there was dead silence. After a long time, a trembling voice finally sounded.
"How many Level 3 Warships do we have left!?"
"General, including your command ship, we have three Level 3 Warships left!"
"Activate the Star Annihilation Cannons inside the Warships, aim them at Knowhere, and fire all Antimatter Annihilation Bombs. No matter who they are, blow them up along with the entire Knowhere!"
"But, General, Lord Ebony Maw is still in Knowhere?" In the command cabin's communication channel, a blue-skinned alien captain hesitated slightly.
Corvus Glaive's cold gaze swept over the Captain: "Ebony Maw has sacrificed himself. I will avenge him! Do you have any objections?"
Even though it was just a virtual image, the blue-skinned alien captain felt a bone-chilling cold wash over him. He decisively closed his mouth.
"Since no one has any objections, go prepare!"
After closing the communication channel, Corvus Glaive walked to the bridge and looked at Knowhere, which was covered in a patch of white holy light. Those were the vast wings of Angels that blotted out the sky, Angels continuously flying out from that Heaven's Gate, like white locusts.
The gold and black flashing within the white were like two drops of ink in a white ocean, eye-catching yet insignificant.
"Dispatch two small spaceships to Knowhere's low orbit. If you find any trace of Ebony Maw, bring him back!"
Although he didn't think Ebony Maw could still get the Power Stone in this situation, after all, they had been "Colleagues" for many years. Before issuing the destruction order, Corvus Glaive still prepared to send two small spaceships down to meet him.
Tang Song learned the difference between the Marvel World, the Single Universe, and the Multiverse from Tivan.
If a Universe is like a house, then the upper limit it can bear is the size of the space inside the house, excluding the space occupied by other objects and decorations inside the house.
Reaching the upper limit of this universe's space capacity is the Single Universe Level.
To break through this upper limit, one must break the barrier of this house, so that one's strength is not limited to one house.
This is the Multiverse.
Simply put, in each Universe, there is a The Collector Tivan, but their individuals are different, their thoughts are different. Although similar, they are two completely different people, two similar flowers.
But if two Tivans were integrated into one, becoming one person, combining the strength of the Tivans from two universes, then Tivan would be able to break through his current strength bottleneck.
And integrating the strength of all his other selves in all Marvel Universes is the Multiverse! The Collector's eyes shone with greedy radiance:
"We can cooperate. The aura of the Universal Origin in their world is very weak. We can completely seize the Primal Power of the other selves in that universe! Then, using the method they used to come to this Universe, we can find the next universe. After integrating the Primal Power of all universes, we will then be able to break through and become Multiverse existences like Eternity, Death, and the other five."
Tang Song, who was thinking, glanced at The Collector in surprise. He didn't expect him to have such ambition.
Other selves, the Origin/Source of another Universe World, this was somewhat like the plot of a movie from his previous life called "Wanted".
Kill one's self in another Universe, and then the strength of their death can be distributed among the remaining individuals.
Honestly speaking, Tang Song wasn't very interested in this method for breaking through to the Multiverse.
He was currently only in the Pill Break Nascent Soul Formation stage. The concept of the Multiverse was still relatively far from him.
Moreover, this method was completely useless to him. He was fundamentally not a person from the Marvel World. The probability of his existence in another Marvel Universe was extremely small.
Tang Song subconsciously glanced at Star-Lord in the crystal coffin. But what if? Does the Multiverse correspond to the Da Luo of the Jambudvīpa World? The Collector Tivan looked at Tang Song's expression, thinking he was tempted, and was just about to say something.
Tang Song waved his hand: "We'll talk about it later. First, let's get rid of this little rat who's eavesdropping!"
At the wreckage of a Spaceship, a thin figure wearing a dark leather jacket and looking very much like Ben Bo'er Ba stepped out from over the wreckage.
Ebony Maw looked at Tang Song and Tivan. A look of shock still remained in his bulging fish-like eyes.
Multiverse, getting rid of one's self in other Universes, devouring their Origin/Source, that is the key to breaking through and becoming Multiverse, to becoming an omnipotent deity like the Goddess of Death!
Compared to Corvus Glaive, who had been fighting outside, Ebony Maw had always attended to Thanos's side. He clearly knew that the Thanos he served was not some so-called idealist for Cosmic Balance.
He had massacred countless beings, slaughtered thousands of planets, and even wanted to eliminate half the life in the Universe, merely to please a woman.
The Goddess of Death, one of the Five Great Cosmic Entities.
That's right, simply because the Goddess of Death controls all souls in the Universe, Thanos wanted to eliminate half the life in the Universe. The purpose of doing everything was merely to win a beauty's smile! Ebony Maw deeply knew that this "sycophant" he served couldn't even compare to the Thanos of another Universe. The reason they were sent to search for the visitor from Another Universe and the Power Stone was merely because Thanos wanted to offer all the souls of another universe to Death to win Death's favor.
Ebony Maw served Thanos because of his strength. Now that he had overheard the conversation between these two people before him, he seemed to have found a method to become powerful himself without relying on anyone.
His gaze couldn't help but look towards the Crystal Coffin behind Tang Song. What was inside was his hope of becoming someone superior. Ebony Maw's fish-like eyes struggled for a moment, revealing a hint of ruthlessness: "Gentlemen, I have no intention of being your enemy. Hand over Star-Lord, otherwise you will be considered Enemies of the great His Majesty Thanos."
"Thanos? Thanos! You are one of his Black Order. Judging by appearance, you are Ebony Maw—"
Tang Song's eyes flashed. Looking at this guy who strongly resembled a fish-head person, his heart became cautious.
Don't let Ebony Maw's unremarkable appearance fool you, but in the movie universe, he was an existence that could wipe out the Avengers, a spellcaster who was called more like a Mage than the Sorcerer Supreme.
Ebony Maw's body suddenly trembled violently. He felt a cold killing intent coming from beside him. He raised his palm, and the soil and sand on the ground lifted him directly into the sky,
The moment he flew up, at the place where he had just been standing, a bloodlight flashed and disappeared instantly. Flying in mid-air, Ebony Maw waved his hand, and all objects around Tang Song—Spaceship wreckage, mud and sand, Alien remains—all surged, turning into a wave that surged towards him.
Sand and stone turned into a torrent, metal turned into sharp steel cones—
Tang Song was like being in the Ocean, a surfer facing boundless, towering giant waves before him.
Tang Song clapped his hand. At his Heavenly Spirit, a stream of black and white Qi rose up. The black and white Qi spread out above his head, forming a Yin-Yang Fish Taiji Diagram emitting bursts of radiance.
Inside the Taiji Diagram, the Yin-Yang Fish rotated. Inside the pure white Yang Fish, an ancient great Bell appeared, golden and carved with sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, flowers, birds, insects, and fish.
The great Bell swayed, and its deep bell sound, carrying a powerful vibration wave visible to the naked eye, swept towards the surroundings.
The wave of attack sweeping towards Tang Song was slapped back, as if it had encountered a larger destructive wave.
The great Bell vibrated. Under the effect of the bell sound's soul suppression, the Six-Winged Angels within a hundred miles all fell towards the ground like a headfirst dive.
On the contrary, normal Two-Winged Angels and Four-Winged Angels, these combat puppets, were not greatly affected by the bell sound. Lacking souls, they still mechanically fought fiercely with the Yellow Turban Warriors and Aliens in the sky.
The Demonic Heaven Blood Transformation Blade's saber light flashed, transforming into a Blood-Robed Daoist who rose up into the sky, chasing and slashing towards Ebony Maw—
Ebony Maw flew in mid-air, occasionally controlling the surrounding Angels and Aliens, using them as weapons to throw towards the Blood-Robed Daoist.
The Blade Spirit casually slashed out with a blade. The saber light dyed the entire sky blood red. Looking down from High Altitude, it was like a long blood-red Blood River traversing Knowhere.
The Blood River rolled, and the waves that rose slapped the Angels into it one by one. The Angels who fell into this Blood River struggled for a moment, and their white wings were dyed blood red, quickly transforming into Blood Angels who rushed out of the Blood River and chased after Ebony Maw.
However, this action by the Blood-Robed Daoist angered one person! "Heretic! How dare you insult God!"
Michael, who had just rushed back from Outer Space, felt immense blasphemy in the strength of this Blood River, especially the scene of these Angels being assimilated into Blood Angels by the Blood River, which reminded him of a name he didn't want to mention.
He raised the Holy Sword in his hand, and his twelve pairs of wings behind him spread out. A Holy Cross Sword Qi shot towards the Blood-Robed Daoist transformed by the Blade Spirit.
In the Blood-Robed Daoist's hand, the saber light magic power transformed into a blood-red lotus flower, holding up the sword light Michael swung over. His shoulder swayed, and dense blood-red saber light appeared in the surrounding space, directly slashing towards Michael.
At the same time, the Blade Spirit's left hand flicked out dozens of Blood Shadow Yin Thunder, striking directly at Michael.
These sinister bloodlight exploded silently. Michael, who was swinging his sword to block the Demonic Heaven Blood Transformation Blade's saber light, was caught off guard and was directly stuck to his wings by the foul blood of this Blood Shadow Yin Thunder.
Blood-red firelight flickered, and Michael let out a mournful scream. Large patches of foul blood were continuously spreading along his wings. His pure white wings that symbolized holiness were turning blood red.
Just at this moment, a white light shot out from near Heaven's Gate. A figure flashing with holy light pulled Michael thousands of meters away.
Without the slightest hesitation, with a wave of her hand, she slashed off Michael's contaminated wing with a cruciform sword with rose patterns.
"Gabriel!"
Michael endured the pain of his wing being severed and looked at the Angel whose hand was on his shoulder.
As countless Angels around them sang hymns together, specks of white light continuously converged from all directions and merged into Michael's body. The wounds inside Michael's body rapidly healed, becoming exactly like before he was injured in the blink of an eye. The severed wing also slowly grew back in a patch of pure white holy light.
The price paid was that hundreds of thousands of Angels around them all turned into light and shadow and dissipated.
Gabriel released the hand resting on Michael's shoulder and looked at the Blood-Robed Daoist.
When she saw the Blood Angels flying up from the Blood River in groups, this Archangel, one of the four Archangels of Paradise Mountain and the one who sounds God's Horn, couldn't help but furrow her brow.
The Lord's strength is unique. Except for those who fell on their own like Lucifer, it's difficult to be contaminated by other strength. This bloodlight before her...
Heretic! Cannot let him leave here alive!
Tang Song looked into the distance at the Golden Arches from which Angels continuously emerged. The Yin-Yang Fish above his head rotated. He was planning to summon the Ghoul White Bone Banner to block the door when suddenly he looked up at the horizon. His eyes flickered. He summoned the Five Yin Pouch and put Tivan and the crystal coffin containing Star-Lord into the pouch. With a casual swipe, a space gate emitting firelight in all directions suddenly appeared.
Tang Song stepped out and arrived beside Kane.
"Boss!"
Kane, Adam, and a crowd of Card Soldiers looked at the suddenly appearing Tang Song and all greeted him.
Tang Song subconsciously glanced at the greasy middle-aged man who was exactly like Star-Lord inside the crystal coffin. He didn't bother to respond to the crowd. He formed hand seals with both hands. The Reality Stone in his palm emitted a faint red glow, connecting to Earth's Space Gem and the magic array he left behind.
Soon, a blue energy vortex portal appeared out of thin air.
"Go!"
Tang Song stepped out first. Kane, Adam, and a crowd of Card Soldiers, bringing Star-Lord and Elder Mandel, quickly followed.
Gabriel and Michael, standing at High Altitude, noticed the space fluctuations here. The two cast their gaze over and quickly noticed the crowd about to disappear inside the space gate.
"The lost Paradise Mountain is on them!" Michael finished speaking, urgently flapped his wings, and was about to rush towards the space gate.
The Blood-Robed Daoist's saber light flashed in his hand, drawing out a Blood River that intercepted Michael and Gabriel.
"Unleash Judgment of God! The two of us will take the lead! We cannot let them take Paradise Mountain!"
Gabriel looked at the Blood River blocking her path and decisively took out a pure white horn. Numerous Angels all prayed together. Soon, the entire Knowhere was enveloped in a white light.
The strength of millions of Angels was completely activated under the Horn of the Apocalypse. Along with the sound of prayer, it converged on Michael and Gabriel's bodies.
Michael felt the strength of millions of Angels converging on his body. Incomparably powerful holy power continuously surged into his body.
A gentle circle of white light enveloped him, and then, a circle of white light appeared behind his head.
Michael's body immediately swelled up. This strength was too powerful. The holy power of millions of Angels plus the strength of the Horn of the Apocalypse had reached a point Michael could not bear. He had to vent it. With a wave of the longsword in his hand, he slashed out a Holy Cross Sword.
This sword light, carrying infinite force, swept towards the Blood River blocking their path. Swish! Under the holy light, this seemingly infinitely powerful Blood River immediately dissipated like an illusion. Even the figure in blood-red clothes disappeared with it.
Michael was startled. Could it be that the force of Judgment of God had increased again? He subconsciously looked towards Gabriel beside him.
Gabriel's complexion was ashen as she looked at the gradually closing space gate. There they could vaguely see a blood-red shadow.
"Chase! We must find the coordinates on the other side of the space gate!"
Just as Gabriel and Michael were planning to fly to the space gate to investigate, they, who had just been interfered with by the Blood River, suddenly looked up in unison.
In the sky, several iron lumps like flowers were rapidly falling downwards under blue booster flames.
"What is that?"
Those metal spheres in the sky were about the size of a house. Outside the silver-gray metal shell, they were adorned with lenses like curved glass. On the surface of that metal sphere, there were constantly jumping electric arcs flashing.
Gabriel turned her head to look at Michael. He actually felt a sense of threat from these metal spheres.
"Corvus Glaive!"
Different from the two who were ignorant, Ebony Maw, who had luckily escaped from Tang Song's hands, looked up, and his eyes immediately split with rage.
Antimatter Annihilation Bomb! This guy Corvus Glaive actually disregarded his life and death and released this kind of planet-destroying great killer weapon.
But at this moment, no matter how Ebony Maw roared, Corvus Glaive could no longer hear him.
Inside several spherical bombs, a pink electric arc leaped out, and then... Boom!
A terrifying loud noise erupted in the Outer Space outside Knowhere.
Light... a tangled mass of light, like compressed energy, splattering in the dark space.
It erupted at the center of Knowhere. Those dancing light arcs expanded outwards from the explosion core, which was like a black hole, within one ten-thousandth of a second.
Like a spiderweb made of radiance, it enveloped everything within the explosion range.
The burning halo of light tore at space. The annihilation of every antimatter particle would release energy. After these annihilation actions were replicated hundreds of billions of times, they finally intertwined into light like a star.
In an instant, it illuminated the pitch black star sea.
It melted everything, like burning ash that has passed away, silently devouring everything within it.
That scene was exactly like a sun that was ignited! The explosion came quickly and went quickly.
In just the blink of an eye, the stars outside Knowhere became quiet again. This ancient space returned to calm once again. It became pure and peaceful again.
There was no longer the provocation of war, no longer restless sparks.
That former largest Black Market in the Southern Galaxy, the Head of the ancient Celestials, along with the millions of Angels, hundreds of thousands of Aliens, and tens of thousands of Yellow Turban Warriors fighting on Knowhere, all turned into nothingness.
Everything disappeared.
The original site of Knowhere only left behind a patch of broken bone fossils drifting in the dark space, like a newly formed asteroid belt.
(End of chapter)