A quantum blast erupted from the cannon, striking Ronan directly in the chest.
Boom!
Amidst a small blue mushroom cloud, Star-Lord and the others quickly turned to shield themselves.
As the smoke gradually dispersed, everyone stared intently ahead with solemn expressions.
Witnessing the quantum cannon's immense power, all believed Ronan was certainly dead. Drax was even preparing to celebrate, but at that very moment, a figure broke through the dust and appeared before them.
This person was none other than Ronan, wielding his warhammer.
While the quantum cannon was indeed powerful and had inflicted damage on Ronan, it hadn't been enough to kill him. In fact, Ronan still possessed the strength to continue fighting.
Enraged, Ronan didn't even need to use his warhammer or the gem's power. With a single step, he charged at Drax and unleashed a flurry of punches, knocking him to the ground.
Gamora tried to intervene, but her strength was limited. She was thrown aside by Ronan within three moves.
Just as Ronan was lifting Drax by the neck, preparing to finish him off, Rocket arrived in his fighter jet, crashing through the flagship's glass. He dragged Ronan for six or seven meters before slamming him hard against a wall.
Rocket's surprise attack was indeed effective, using the fighter jet's weight to suppress Ronan. However, with Rocket's intervention, the flagship, unable to bear the strain, began to plummet rapidly towards the ground.
This put Star-Lord and the others in a dire situation. They were inside the flagship, which was still a considerable distance from the ground. Attempting to pull it up was impossible, as the damaged control console indicated.
If the flagship were to crash into the ground at this speed, their bodies wouldn't survive. As for the fighter jet Rocket had used for his surprise attack, it was severely damaged, and its control system had been completely destroyed in the collision.
In a panic, Star-Lord stepped forward, trying to calm everyone down. "As long as we head to the bottom of the ship and find a Kree spacecraft, we can escape from here."
"Are you out of your mind?"
As soon as Star-Lord finished speaking, Gamora retorted, "Do you think those Kree are fools? With the flagship out of control and falling, they probably won't leave a single spacecraft for us. Besides, at this speed, the flagship will hit the ground before we can get down there."
"Then what do you suggest! Just wait here to die?"
The situation was incredibly critical, and Star-Lord was equally anxious. Being rebuked by Gamora instantly ignited his temper.
As the two argued, Groot, who had been silent until then, made a decision. Branches grew from his body, extending left, right, up, and down. Once they reached a certain length, they closed in front, and in an instant, Groot's body transformed into a ball composed of countless branches, enveloping Star-Lord and the others.
"No, no, no, Groot, you'll die like this!"
As a companion who had spent so much time together, Rocket knew the consequences of Groot's actions. But no matter how he tried to dissuade him, Groot showed no signs of stopping. Finally, Rocket saw a look of determination in Groot's eyes.
Boom!
The flagship crashed down. Protected by Groot, Star-Lord and the others survived, while Groot, in the explosion, had already disintegrated into scattered branches.
As Rocket picked up a thicker branch from the ground, mourning his friend, and the others breathed a sigh of relief now that everything seemed to be over.
A figure slowly emerged from the burning flagship.
Once they clearly saw the person's true form, everyone's relieved hearts tightened again. Many faces were filled with despair.
The person emerging was none other than Ronan, the mastermind behind this attack.
The destruction caused by the flagship's crash had still not killed Ronan. Instead, it had ignited a greater fury towards Xandar.
Now, Ronan walked out, his warhammer embedded with the Power Stone in hand. In the eyes of everyone present, he was Death himself, crawling out of hell.
Of course, not everyone was terrified of Ronan. Rocket, who had just lost his companion, saw Ronan appear and was instantly consumed by rage. He roared and charged forward.
"You killed Groot!"
Alas, in the face of absolute power, Rocket's strength was still too weak. Ronan didn't even exert himself; a mere ripple from the Power Stone sent Rocket flying, crashing heavily into the ruins, his survival uncertain.
Ronan surveyed the group and began his speech, "Behold, this so-called Guardians of the Galaxy. What have you protected? Now, I have finally achieved my wish and avenged my planet and my grandfather. Citizens of Xandar, betray your pathetic faith and welcome my arrival!"
As he spoke, Ronan raised the warhammer in his hand.
"You are about to receive salvation, Pizza Hut! Yeah!"
Just as Ronan was about to swing his warhammer down, a voice suddenly echoed in his ear.
"Don't you know villains always die talking too much?"
Hearing the voice, Ronan shuddered and looked around, unable to find its owner.
Although Ronan couldn't locate the voice's source, he saw fear in the eyes of the surrounding group. However, this fear that struck the soul did not originate from him, but from behind him.
Ronan quickly turned around. A massive hand appeared in his vision. Before he could react, Ronan felt as if he had been hit head-on by a speeding spaceship, sending him flying backward, rolling several times on the ground before stopping.
This surprise attack didn't inflict any significant damage on the tough-skinned Ronan. But as he stood up, he discovered that the warhammer embedded with the Power Stone had been snatched from his hand.
Following the direction he had been thrown, even Ronan was shocked. He finally understood why the Xandarians had been so terrified.
The one who had launched a surprise attack on him and stolen his warhammer was actually a colossal demon dragon with crimson eyes.
Just a single glance instilled immense pressure. Staring at it for too long even made Ronan feel a sense of fear, an illusion of wanting to flee.
However, hatred quickly overcame his fear. Everything he had done was to destroy Xandar and avenge his father and grandfather. Now, only the final step remained; how could he give up now?
Even if his opponent was a demon dragon, for the sake of revenge, he would slay it for them.
With newfound determination, Ronan didn't hesitate. He strode towards Bai Qi, who had taken the Power Stone.
"Mere whines of the weak."
Looking at the formidable Ronan, Bai Qi remained unfazed. Perhaps this fellow wasn't weak in the Marvel universe, but in his eyes, he was merely an ant that could be crushed with a flick of his wrist. Since you're seeking death so earnestly, I'll grant it.