Chapter 805: The Power of a Single Word |
The truth of the world is often concealed.
One usually has to pay a price to uncover those truths hidden beneath layers of deception.
The supercomputer that recorded Xandar's civilization and history turned out to be none other than Rhomann Dey, the first Nova, who was the only person capable of wielding the Nova Force and single-handedly tilting the scales in the war between two superpowers, forcing the Kree Empire to sign a peace treaty.
However, no one had imagined this:
Rhomann Dey had separated his consciousness and merged it with the supercomputer to ensure the continuation of the Nova Force.
There wasn't just one Centurion in the Nova Corps. There were many, all clones of Rhomann Dey, sharing the Nova Force under the control of the digitalized Worldmind, functioning like puppets to protect the massive Xandarian civilization.
But were they truly Rhomann Dey? Or were they simply extensions of the Worldmind supercomputer?
Or had the Worldmind developed its consciousness, becoming something more than Rhomann Dey ever was?
No one could provide a clear answer.
These Centurions, who shared Rhomann Dey's genetic code, might only be manifestations of that man's lingering obsession. Whether or not they were Rhomann Dey no longer mattered.
At this moment, they were Rhomann Dey, or perhaps more aptly... the Centurions of the Nova Corps!
The Black Order and Ronan the Accuser had unintentionally discovered the long-hidden truth of Xandar's civilization, and now they had to pay for it—with their lives.
The Nova Force within the nine Centurions resonated together, creating a colossal wave of energy that surged through the sky.
One person alone could only bear a fraction of the Nova Force, perhaps a little more than ten percent of what Rhomann Dey once wielded. But if nine people shared the burden, the amount of Nova Force they could bear increased exponentially.
The nine Centurions had surpassed even Rhomann Dey at his peak through their synchronized resonance.
The golden torrent of Nova Force surged like a heavenly river, flooding most of Xandar's sky. The city and landscape, which should have been bathed in the night after dusk, were now illuminated by a radiant golden glow as if everything had been gilded with gold leaf.
Boom—!
In the blink of an eye, nine beams of golden light scattered in all directions.
The intense golden light, accompanied by afterimages, flashed at speeds beyond what the eye could track. It was as if ink had been splashed across a pristine canvas, with golden radiance filling every corner of the scene.
There were no words to describe the sheer magnitude of the sound.
No word had ever been created to describe such a thunderous roar. All that one could feel was pure, unbridled awe.
Golden beams of light streaked through the air, sharp like the edge of a sword, cutting through the battlefield.
In that moment, the golden light transformed into the scythe of death, mercilessly reaping the invaders' lives. In just a matter of seconds, millions of ships were struck down, like massive summer fireworks exploding beautifully but tragically in the sky.
The winds howled as fireballs fell from the sky.
Ebony Maw was struck speechless, his throat convulsing as if blocked, unable to utter a single word.
This wasn't a battle.
It was a one-sided slaughter by the Nova Centurions.
At that moment, he realized that the survival of the Black Order was far from guaranteed today.
Even more terrifying was that Xandar was still at a disadvantage against the Kree Empire despite this immense power.
The Kree Empire, which had existed for millennia as a superpower, had unfathomable depths. Ebony Maw couldn't help but wonder if, just like Xandar, the Kree Empire had also concealed some of its power.
Especially the Supreme Intelligence, the Kree Empire's supercomputer.
Could there be some special connection between Xandar's Worldmind and the Kree Empire's Supreme Intelligence, encompassing the Kree's most significant scientific, philosophical, and military knowledge?
Unfortunately, Ebony Maw had no more time to ponder this.
By the time he snapped back to reality, he realized that the other members of the Black Order were either gravely injured or nearly dead. Only he and Ronan remained unscathed.
The nine Nova Centurions had silently surrounded them, their cold, emotionless eyes fixed on the two like mechanical beings ready to execute judgment.
"Is... is it over?"
Despair consumed Ebony Maw, and he wondered if surrendering might give him a slim chance of survival.
As for his loyalty to Thanos, Ebony Maw, he quickly decided that his life was more important. After all, betraying Thanos didn't necessarily mean death, but standing firm now would guarantee a gruesome end.
"This is the Power Stone. It's yours now!"
After a brief moment of contemplation, Ebony Maw made a quick decision. He offered up the universal weapon, bowing his head. "Spare my life, and I'll do whatever you ask."
Ronan stood in stunned silence, his mouth agape. He hadn't expected Ebony Maw to betray Thanos so swiftly.
Just moments ago, this man had been proclaiming his loyalty to Thanos, yet at the first sign of real danger, he was the first to switch sides without hesitation. Even the Centurions were taken aback by his quick betrayal.
"We do not need your loyalty."
The Centurion hesitated for a moment before his gaze turned even colder. "A servant who betrays their master so easily is worthless. Xandar has no need for your power. Your only fate is death."
These words instantly erased any thoughts of surrender from Ronan's mind.
If death was inevitable, he might as well fight and die with some dignity.
Ebony Maw was momentarily stunned, not expecting his offer to be so flatly rejected. His powers of magic and persuasion were precious across the universe, yet the Centurions showed no interest in him.
"Those who know Xandar's secrets... must die!"
The nine Centurions locked onto the Ravagers and the smiling black-haired woman as if delivering their final judgment.
In the next moment...
Three Centurions moved through space, appearing directly in front of Unohana Retsu. Meanwhile, another three surrounded the Ravagers' ship.
Clearly, they intended to leave no one alive who knew Xandar's secret.
Star-Lord, Groot, Rocket, and Gamora had just crawled out of the creature's mouth, only to witness the situation and begin trembling in fear. They cursed their decision to get involved, realizing they might have doomed themselves.
"Oh dear, would you allow me to leave?"
Unohana Retsu smiled warmly, seemingly unaware of the Centurions' killing intent. "I'm just a simple medical practitioner and have no interest in your secrets."
"No. Everyone must die."
The three Centurions replied in unison, their voices cold. "Xandar's secrets cannot be leaked. You are all targets for elimination."
"Hm, why not reconsider?"
Unohana tilted her head slightly, still smiling. "Perhaps agreeing to my request wouldn't be too late."
"Kill her. Stop wasting time."
The Centurions, growing impatient, began to unleash their Nova Force, aiming to kill her and the others.
Three golden beams of Nova Force shot out from the Centurions' palms, releasing overwhelming brilliance as the scorching light and heat surged toward Unohana and the terrified Guardians.
"Ah..."
Unohana Retsu remained standing in place and sighed softly. "I gave you a chance, but you didn't appreciate it."
In the next instant, the brilliant beams of energy vanished.
The enormous light and heat generated by the Nova Force disappeared instantly as if wiped away by some unseen force. Even the Centurions were stunned, their faces betraying their shock and confusion.
A single prominent symbol remained in the void where the energy had vanished.
Like ink, the symbol was pitch black, with sharp strokes carved deeply into the void, as if drawn with an iron pen. The character exuded an overwhelming presence, so strong that even looking at it caused a sense of awe and intimidation.
Its aura surpassed mountains and dominated the heavens and earth.
In front of that single character, the Centurions suddenly felt as insignificant as ants.
The universal translator revealed the meaning of the character, translating it as "Erase."
"Yo-hoho~ Seems like I arrived at the wrong time."
A large, rotund man dressed in a flowing white robe appeared, wobbling as he walked in wearing wooden sandals. His thick eyebrows and honest face gave him a simple, trustworthy appearance as he scratched his bald head.
