Chapter 109: Knowhere
<strong>Chapter 109: Knowhere</strong>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Selene, are you ready to go?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin appeared in Selene’s room and asked, only to be met with an intense re.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I was already ready yesterday! What took you so long!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene shouted with a wronged look.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin scratched his head in embarrassment.
<span style="font-weight:400">Well, I didn’t really expect things to happen with Jeanst night. There’s that matter with the Phoenix Force too.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not like I could just say that…
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin cleared his throat and then exined simply.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, some stuff happened and it took longer than expected…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Couldn’t you have told me at least!? I’ve been waiting for so long!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene snapped.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin felt a bit ashamed as it was indeed his fault for forgetting to mention it to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, fine. It was indeed my mistake. How about this? I’ll do something you want. Of course, except removing that ve cor or anything that goes against my conscience.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hearing that, Selene fell silent.
<span style="font-weight:400">After a while, she confirmed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Anything?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. As long as it doesn’t go against my conscience or remove that cor.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Really anything?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...What is it? What do you want me to do!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was a bit worried but since he already said it, he could only bite the bullet and do it.
<span style="font-weight:400">Anyway, as long as it''s not killing an innocent person or destroying a continent or something, it should be fine…right?
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene smirked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hmph! I won’t say it now! Let’s go already! I’m already all packed up!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Fine.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin sighed and shook his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">He then opened a portal to his garage where his modified DeLorean was waiting for them.
<span style="font-weight:400">It’s been a while since he took the car for a spin. Thest time he used it was when he was road-killing Thanos.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was finally time to take it to the skies and into the universe!
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene looked at the car and frowned.
<span style="font-weight:400">She asked Benjamin in confusion.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We’re taking this…car?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, don’t worry. I’ve modified it so we can take it to space.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But…can’t you just open a portal to where we’re going?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ve contacted Carol and the others, there’s no hurry for now. I want to try and visit others. I’ve only been to like, 3s after all. And that includes Earth and not counting other universes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Besides, where’s the fun in just using portals when you’re traveling in space!?
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">Anyway, she didn’t care about their objective. She only wanted some excitement as she’s been cooped up for a long time.
<span style="font-weight:400">“So where are we going first?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Knowhere!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nowhere? Huh?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene was confused. She felt like he was making fun of her again.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. Knowhere is a ce. From what I was told, it’s a ce where all kinds of thugs, criminals, ouws, and outcasts in the universe gather! It sounds fun!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...You’re not gonna arrest them all, are you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I won’t bother with them if they know what’s good for them. Besides, I know some of the people there are good guys. Just banished or hiding for whatever reason. Of course, if I see some famous wanted criminal there, I’ll catch them!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene was a bit speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">Why does it sound like he wanted to catch some rare Pokemons…
<span style="font-weight:400">“Anyway, let’s go. After touring Knowhere, I want to visit Nidavellir too before we go to Sakaar. If all goes to n, we should be back to Earth within the week.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">After the two got inside the DeLorean, Benjamin opened up the hatch leading outside, switched the DeLorean to flight mode, then took to the skies!
<span style="font-weight:400">Once they exited Earth’s atmosphere, Selene reveled in the sight of the vast universe for a brief moment.
<span style="font-weight:400">She then remembered something and asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wait, you said we only need a week on this trip? I thought you wouldn’t be using portals?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin entered some coordinates and pushed a big red button.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I didn’t say I’m not going to use Jump Points.”
<span style="font-weight:400">After he said that, a hexagonal tear appeared in the space in front of them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin didn’t hesitate and drove right into it!
<span style="font-weight:400">A few minutester.
<span style="font-weight:400">The scenery changed and they appeared in the space just outside of Knowhere.
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene looked like she had a lot to say but sighed and gave up in the end.
<span style="font-weight:400">In the end, they were still technically using a portal!
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well…that was certainly a unique feeling.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin chuckled.
<span style="font-weight:400">Entering a Jump Point was different from his magic portals.
<span style="font-weight:400">When entering his portals, other than the visual disorientation, it feltpletely normal. As if just walking through a door.
<span style="font-weight:400">But Jump Points on the other hand makes one feel as if their insides were stretched thin and reformed in an instant.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was certainly a weird feeling that’s hard to describe in words.
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene took a few moments to recollect herself before finally focusing on the sight in front of them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is that…a skull…?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. That’s the severed head of a Celestial.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Celestial?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just think of them as like a race of Gods. Even as a skull, it contains valuable resources so people gathered and made a city here. That’s Knowhere.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Interesting.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene’s eyes lit up. She was excited to see what’s in store for them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin drove over and found a ce tond the DeLorean. Afternding, he stored the DeLorean in his Inventory to avoid losing it or getting damaged while they looked around.
<span style="font-weight:400">When Selene got out of the car, she took a deep breath and wondered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Howe we can breathe here? Does this skull have an atmosphere? Also, the gravity here is quite simr to Earth?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The question stumped Benjamin.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh, gravity is the attraction between two objects where the object with higher mass pulls the lighter object towards it. Considering the size of this head, it’s normal for gravity simr to Earth. As for the atmosphere, it’s probably artificially made?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">He didn’t really want to bother with these details. Anyway, he can breathe and walk normally so that’s all that matters.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Come on. Let’s go see what this ce is all about.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nudged Selene and the two began walking the streets of Knowhere while looking around the various aliens around them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Simply put, Knowhere wasn’t exactly a pleasant sight. It’s dirty, smelly, and full of ruffians.
<span style="font-weight:400">Just five minutes of walking and there were already ten attempts to pickpocket them!
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin didn’t bother with them much. He knew there weren’t exactly anyw officers here so he simply sunk them in the ground, leaving their heads above ground so they don’t suffocate.
<span style="font-weight:400">While the two were touring and trying some alien street foods, Benjamin was also looking around while using his HUD Contacts to identify the aliens around him.
<span style="font-weight:400">He hasn’t been using these contacts for a while now since there was no need for it much before. But now that he was in an alien city, Benjamin wanted to at least know the alien race of those around him.
<span style="font-weight:400">As he looked around while munching on a weird tentacle-like limb on a stick, he saw a figure covered in robes lying in the middle of a narrow alley.
<span style="font-weight:400">At first, Benjamin just nced at it and didn’t mind much, thinking it was probably a homeless alien or something.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, his HUD Contacts revealed that figure''s identity and made Benjamin’s eyes wide in surprise.
<span style="font-weight:400">[Proxima Midnight - Formerly affiliated with the ck Order of Thanos]
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was surprised to see her here.
<span style="font-weight:400">He did hear that Proxima escaped the earliest together with Corvus ive.
<span style="font-weight:400">But why is she here?
<span style="font-weight:400">And why’s she lying on the ground?
<span style="font-weight:400">Since he’s seen her, it was hard to ignore her so Benjamin walked up to her to take a look.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sensing a shadow loom over her, Proxima opened her eyes to look up in annoyance.
<span style="font-weight:400">Is it another scum trying to take advantage of me? Why can’t these pieces of shit leave me alone?
<span style="font-weight:400">Just as Proxima was about to attack, her eyes widened in shock as she saw the figure who approached her.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was Benjamin! The human who absolutely trashed Thanos!
<span style="font-weight:400">“Y-you-!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey. You’re Proxima Midnight, right? Do you have a nickname? Your name’s kinda long.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin asked, trying to lighten the mood and gloss over the fact that he beat up her former boss.
<span style="font-weight:400">But seeing her still looking at him like he was a monster, he sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll just call you Prox then. Anyway, so you were here? Where’s your husband at?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hearing Benjamin mention Corvus and sensing no hostile intentions from him, Proxima calmed down somewhat and turned around in frustration.
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you’re here to kill me, just do it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not gonna kill you. At worst, I’ll capture you and put a cor on you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">…Isn’t that worse!?
<span style="font-weight:400">Proxima retorted in her mind but didn’t dare to say it out loud.
<span style="font-weight:400">Who knows if it angers him and he really enves her?
<span style="font-weight:400">Proxima sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“...If I tell you where Corvus is, will you let me go?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hm? Isn’t he your husband? I heard you even helped him escape.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Remembering what she did, Proxima gritted her teeth in anger.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He isn’t my husband anymore. When I helped him escape before, he was angry and cursed at me for being disloyal and a coward. Afterward, he left to rally some forces to try and retake your. He should be at Titan now with his new army.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded and asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And what about you? Don’t you want revenge?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Proxima scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you think I’m an idiot? You have the Infinity Stones. No matter what I do, I won’t be powerful enough to defeat you. I’m different from Corvus and the others who only follow Thanos blindly. I joined because I wanted power. And since he can no longer provide me that power, I left.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">She certainly looked the type.
<span style="font-weight:400">There was one thing he was confused about though.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Speaking of which, why did you marry that Corvus guy? You didn’t seem like the type to fall for a co-worker. Moreso someone weaker than you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Corvus ive was the weakest of the ck Order as far as Benjamin could tell.
<span style="font-weight:400">There wasn’t really anything special about him. At least Proxima has superior fighting skills.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not to mention his face looks worse than Wade Wilson''s.
<span style="font-weight:400">Proxima made a rare mncholic expression as she sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“His strength lies more in his strategic mind and charisma as a leader. It’s something the others don’t have which is why he’s the one leading the ck Order. Also, he was quite persistent when he courted me and I did like him at the beginning even though he sucked at bed. When I told him about it, I wanted him to improve himself since it wasn’t really a problem with size but it seemed to only increase his insecurities and started to be irritable and reckless. What is it with men thinking sex is everything?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded again while Selene only nced at him with half-closed eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">I don’t think you, of all people, have the right to agree to that…
<span style="font-weight:400">As if agreeing with her, the System also popped up in Benjamin’s vision.
<span style="font-weight:400">[Host, as the Marvel Manslut, you can’t agree to that.]
<span style="font-weight:400">What is that supposed to mean!? I don’t always have sex!
<span style="font-weight:400">[Host, may I remind you that you literally fucked the Phoenix Force just yesterday?]
<span style="font-weight:400">I…
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin started to speak but trailed off as he didn’t know how to respond to that.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not knowing the thoughts of the two, Proxima looked up and sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Although Benjamin was her enemy, it felt relieving to rant to someone about her frustrations.
<span style="font-weight:400">After leaving Corvus, she had been drifting from to, chased by Thanos’ enemies at every turn, before finally copsing here.
<span style="font-weight:400">Coincidentally, she was found by Benjamin here as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">If it were someone else, Proxima would either attack or escape quickly but knowing how powerful Benjamin was and that she was unable to escape, she rxed and just let go.
<span style="font-weight:400">She had given up on running. But in a way, it also let her take a moment to breathe without worry.
<span style="font-weight:400">Proxima closed her eyes again and said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ve told you where Corvus is. If you aren’t going to catch or kill me, just leave already.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin thought for a moment and answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You said you wanted power, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“So what?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If I give you power, can you catch Corvus for me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Huh?”