Because of Karl's actions, the disappearance of two stars had already begun affecting multiple star systems. The original neutron star's gravitational inertia caused nearby planets to break free from their orbits and race uncontrollably through space.
Now, with their main stars gone, the planets drifted chaotically. Collisions between them became constant, triggering violent spatial disturbances. The energy released from these impacts generated massive tidal forces across the region.
Only Karl and Di remained unaffected—and all of this was under Karl's deliberate control.
"So why did you come to me in the first place?" Di demanded. "I've always been like this. I know I'm not very smart—I don't understand many things. But what about you? Were you fooled by my naive sweetness too?"
"If you already knew my personality would lead to my death, did you ever think about why?"
The ship had already landed on the planet, but neither of them stepped outside. They were still arguing—and the conflict only grew more intense.
Karl finally lost his temper. He dragged Di off the ship.
She struggled, but this time his grip was unbreakable.
Grabbing her by the head, Karl said coldly without looking back,"Stop acting like you're above everything. This isn't my fault. When you calm down, you should reflect on yourself—not just think about what I did wrong."
Di slapped him hard with her free hand, then kicked him repeatedly."Let go of me! If you don't, don't ever expect to see me again!"
"Ha!"
Karl sneered."You think you can escape? The space around the quark star is locked by its magnetic field. Where exactly do you think you're going?"
"So now you're imprisoning me?" Di's voice trembled with anger."What are you trying to do? Is this how you treat me—locking me up like some slave to please you?"
Unable to break free, frustration filled her heart. This was not the relationship she wanted.
Karl stopped and turned, his expression grave.
"Please you? When have I ever forced you to do anything?" he shot back."You think I'm that kind of person? I didn't tell you how hard it is to go home—and now you're throwing a tantrum like a spoiled princess?"
"You say you're not a decorative vase, but have you ever thought about why I'm doing this? I'm leaving you here so you can think things through—calm down and reflect on our relationship. Who is it that doesn't value what we have?!"
He dragged her further across the planet.
The surface beneath their feet resembled glass, made of an extremely rare, almost unprocessable substance—an energy-based material frozen in a stable state. Only someone like Karl could manipulate it.
With a simple gesture, Karl raised his hand—and a house formed from the planet's material. It resembled an ancient, modest dwelling.
He dragged Di inside. The room contained a bed, a table, chairs—simple, almost archaic.
"Think carefully," Karl said, pressing her down onto a stool and sitting opposite her."You've been too indulgent with me. You blow small things out of proportion. I never treated you like a child—but your behavior right now is childish."
Di grabbed a teacup from the table and threw the contents at him.
"And whose fault is that?!" she snapped."You hide everything from me, treat me like a child—and expect me to respond maturely?"
"You want me to depend on you for everything. I hate that feeling! Don't you understand? Small things, I can ignore—but something this big, and you don't even tell me? And I'm supposed to stay calm and reasonable?"
Karl closed his eyes, suppressing his anger.
After a long pause, he spoke quietly:
"Then what about us? Where do you place our relationship? Is going home really more important than what we have?"
"Answer me when you've calmed down."
Di turned her head away.
The question stunned her into silence.
For the first time, she truly thought about it—what it would mean to return home… without Karl.
Just imagining it made her chest tighten. The emptiness, the suffocating loneliness—it terrified her.
Her anger faded instantly, replaced by fear.
She had always dreamed of going home. She believed that once Karl broke through the barrier of the universe, they would simply return.
But today, she learned the truth—going home was far more complicated.
The hope she had clung to collapsed into despair.
If she had known from the beginning how difficult it was, she might never have dared to hope at all.
What angered her most wasn't the universe, nor its secrets.
It was the fact that Karl had hidden the truth from her.
It made her feel… deceived.
"Go out," she said softly. "I need time. I don't want to talk right now."
Karl nodded and left without argument.
While their conflict subsided, chaos erupted across the universe.
The Orion region began to destabilize. Once-bright starfields turned chaotic as the disappearance of two stars—and the gravitational effects of neutron stars—sent shockwaves across nearby systems.
Meteor storms streaked across space. Entire planetary systems fell into disorder.
Karl had sealed off his own system, isolating it completely—beyond the influence of space itself. A feat that was anything but simple.
"Ebony Maw," a deep voice commanded.
On a massive warship, Thanos sat upon his throne, addressing Ebony Maw below.
"Go to Orion and investigate."
Ebony Maw bowed slightly."Shall we stop searching for the Infinity Stones, my lord?"
Thanos replied calmly,"Such a disturbance may be connected to them. Take Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian with you. Report anything you find."
Ebony Maw bowed again and departed.
Meanwhile, the Guardians of the Galaxy, now near the Taurus-Orion region, detected the disturbance.
They moved to investigate.
"Quill, you seriously need to lose weight!" someone shouted.
Just as they reached the edge of Orion, a massive energy wave slammed into their ship, throwing it violently through space.
Inside the chaos, Peter Quill clung tightly to Nebula.
He got up, forcing a grin."You wouldn't understand—this is the perfect body. Pure masculinity!"
Rocket Raccoon, strapped to his seat, sneered:"If obesity were a species, I'd wish for extinction just to cleanse the universe!"
"Enough—look outside!" Gamora interrupted.
Everyone turned.
Before them lay a catastrophic scene—shattered planets drifting through space, distant stars exploding, the entire region resembling a cosmic disaster zone.
"Down!"
Drax the Destroyer pushed Mantis to the ground.
Another energy wave struck, hurling the ship again—but fortunately, it held together.
When the storm subsided, Rocket burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Good thing I reinforced this ship with the materials I found on Karl's ship! Otherwise we'd all be dead!"
During their stay, Rocket had discovered a hidden storage full of extremely rare materials—likely gathered by the Kree to reinforce their mothership.
Karl hadn't cared about them at all.
After all, if his power couldn't protect a ship, no material ever could.
Quill stood up, brushing himself off.
"Hearing a thief talk like a genius… I'm impressed."
They looked outside again.
The energy tides had shattered another planet, forming a vast asteroid belt.
Quill muttered in shock,"I'd really like to know which bastard did this… Orion is finished."
Rocket's eyes gleamed.
"Or maybe… it's not a person."
"Maybe it's a treasure."
"A weapon powerful enough to destroy an entire star region."
At those words, everyone's eyes lit up.
If such a thing existed…
They might finally have a chance against Thanos.
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