Tivan, who was closest, was hurled away by the blast and slammed hard into a wall. He spat out a mouthful of blood, utterly bedraggled.
Quill, Gamora, and the others hurried to dodge as well, scrambling desperately.
Ronan stood at the center of the explosion, yet he did not retreat an inch. Instead, he charged into the heart of the energy storm like a ravenous tiger pouncing on its prey.
Swinging his warhammer, he forcibly cleaved through the raging energy currents, snatched the Orb as it was flung out by the explosion, and quickly sealed it again.
"The Power Stone! It's actually the Power Stone!"
Ronan gripped the Orb tightly, a feverish gleam in his eyes.
"Hmm?"
Hermione was about to act when she suddenly sensed something. She turned to look aside, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. "Looks like things are pretty lively today."
An oddly shaped spaceship resembling a gigantic doughnut slowly descended onto Knowhere.
Two figures emerged from the ship.
Leading the way was a hulking man carrying an enormous battle-axe.
The man following him was tall and slender, dressed in exquisite, lavish clothes, with elegance and arrogance in his every movement.
He looked like Squidward.
They were Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian, two members of Thanos's Black Order.
Seeing the Orb in Ronan's hand, Ebony Maw smiled in satisfaction:
"Well done, Ronan. Hand it over and come with us to meet Lord Thanos. He will certainly honor his promise and help you achieve your wish."
But Ronan tightened his grip on the Orb and did not budge. Instead, he looked coldly at Ebony Maw. "Ebony Maw? What are you doing here?"
"Lord Thanos received intelligence suggesting that an uninvited guest had interfered in this matter. Concerned that you might suffer a mishap, he specifically ordered