The first time Kurogai met Peter Quill, he witnessed the infamous "mouth cannon" in action. The guy could talk endlessly without pausing for air, rambling on about anything and everything. After enduring the monologue for a while, Kurogai finally raised a hand.
"Alright, that's enough. I get the picture. Stretch out your palm," he said calmly.
Peter blinked, confused. "Huh? What for?"
Still unsure of Kurogai's intentions, he obediently extended his right hand. In a flash, a small blade appeared in Kurogai's grasp, and he sliced lightly across Peter's palm, drawing a thin line of blood.
"Whoa—what the hell, man?!" Peter recoiled, clutching his hand, wide-eyed and alarmed. "What kind of greeting is that?! Are you some kind of maniac?!"
"Relax," Kurogai replied with a faint smirk. "Just verifying your identity."
In truth, when Kurogai first spotted Peter, something about him had triggered a memory. He recalled that Star-Lord's lineage was unusual—something tied to the Celestials. It piqued his curiosity.
For Kurogai, activating and upgrading the Ultimate Eye had become a personal quest. Ever since discovering that Kree blood had contributed to unlocking one of the Eye Rings, he'd been keeping a close eye on other unique bloodlines. Celestials were on that list.
And Peter Quill, though unaware of it himself, was the son of Ego—a Celestial.
Kurogai had adopted a simple rule: when in doubt, test the blood. His small blade had become a constant companion, and it had earned him the nickname "Vampire" in certain corners of the galaxy. Even Old Ou had called him that recently.
Kurogai examined the drop of Peter's blood with practiced precision. The reaction was subtle—but unmistakable.
"The Celestial bloodline... so it does resonate," he murmured to himself. A faint smile curved across his lips. Not just the next Eye Ring—this one resonated from deep within the Ultimate Eye. His theory was correct. The Celestials were indeed tied to a later Eye Ring's activation.
Peter, meanwhile, was still freaking out. "Who are you?! Why'd you take my blood like some psycho?!"
"Calm down," Kurogai muttered. He traced a glowing sigil in the air with his finger, pressing it against Peter's wound. In a blink, the cut sealed itself, leaving no trace. Unbeknownst to Peter, Kurogai had embedded a subtle tracking rune into him during the healing.
Finding the Celestials now would be nearly impossible. They were ancient beings created by Eternity himself—one of the cosmic entities of the Marvel universe. But Peter's father, Ego, would eventually find his son. When that happened, Kurogai would be ready.
"Whoa! Was that magic? Or some advanced tech?" Peter asked in awe, inspecting his healed palm.
Kurogai didn't bother responding. He knew better. One word from him, and Peter would talk for another hour.
Right then, the front doors of the cantina burst open. Several figures entered, drawing attention immediately. At their center stood a blue-skinned alien with a prominent red fin mohawk.
"Boss, there he is—Quill's over there!" one of the newcomers said, pointing at Peter.
Kurogai raised an eyebrow.
The Ravagers.
And their leader—Yondu Udonta.
"That kid's got some nerve, sneaking off like this," Yondu grumbled. "With his skills, he won't last a day. Grab him and bring him back."
The crew began moving toward Peter, but before they got far, Kurogai raised a hand. A shimmering wave of pressure erupted from his fingers, pinning all of them to the floor.
Their limbs locked under the weight of a complex magical binding.
"Blue skin? What, are the Kree already here?" Kurogai said coldly, eyeing Yondu. "Or did your fleet decide to show up early?"
Yondu's eyes widened in panic. "W-Wait! No, sir! I'm not Kree! Definitely not! You're… the Kree Hunter, right? I swear, I'm not one of them!"
He had recognized the multicolored gleam in Kurogai's eyes—eyes that had become infamous across star systems.
And his own skin, a familiar Kree-like shade of blue, was doing him no favors.
Desperately, Yondu raised both hands. "I'm a Centaurian, not a Kree! Totally different species!"
Kurogai studied him for a moment, then let the pressure ease. "Fine. But watch yourself next time. I'm not always this forgiving."
Yondu nodded furiously, still too shaken to respond properly.
Peter glanced between the two of them, eyes full of questions. "Kree Hunter? Who are you, man?"
Kurogai didn't answer. He just looked away, mind already turning to the future. The Celestial race. The Ultimate Eye. And the road that would soon take him closer to both.
___
Be a good boy/girl, and send Powerstones 🙂