The Valkyrie

"I…"

Yondu turned his back to the communicator, unable to shake off his emotions for a moment.

The others didn't rush him, silently waiting for him to collect himself.

It wasn't until forty seconds had passed that Yondu finally managed to wipe away the tears welling up in his eyes and turned back to face his old comrades.

He rubbed his stiff face and explained softly,

"I've run into a bit of trouble, guys!"

"Ha, even a fool could've guessed that much. So, what's the trouble?"

The giant Charlie-27 chuckled, his words prompting a sigh from the displeased Stakar on the other end.

"Indeed, even a fool like you, 27, could've guessed it!"

"Screw you, Stakar, you looking for a fight?"

"Bring it on, you piece of trash! Watch me slam your head into the wall!"

Stakar's frustration finally boiled over, and he exchanged barbs with Charlie.

But with Astro there, this group of friends who'd been together for centuries wouldn't let things escalate.

Astro stepped in and landed a solid punch on both of them.

"Knock it off! Let's hear what the hell Yondu's got to say, damn it!"

"What do I say?"

Yondu paused, then burst into laughter.

"After twenty years, seeing you two bickering like this again—I'm freaking thrilled!

But this isn't the time for me to laugh. The trouble I'm in isn't small—it's huge!"

"Oh?"

Astro hesitated, then flashed a nonchalant smile at Yondu.

"Bigger than that time with the Star-Eater back in the day? Spill it, man!"

"Even if it's not as bad as that, it's close!

Back then… before you kicked me out, there was one of Ego's kids on my ship.

You know, when I found out Ego had brutally murdered all his children, there was no way I was sending that kid back to him!

So I raised him, all the way until now!"

"Whoa, you mean we've got another son, even if he's just a foster one?!!"

Kraglin's eyes lit up with interest. In his heart, if his best friend had a child, that child was his too.

Hearing Kraglin's words, Yondu quickly shook his head.

"What son? I just let him work on my ship and gave him enough food to get by.

And that kid stole my spaceship and credit card—can you believe it? He ran away from home!"

"Ran away, huh." Kraglin smirked mysteriously. "If you didn't consider my ship his home, why call it running away?

Yondu, just admit it—you've got a son, and he's the one in trouble.

And you're even asking us, your old comrades, for help, haha!!"

At this, Kraglin's excitement was palpable. He slapped Stakar's shoulder hard.

"See, old man? I never thought Yondu was a heartless money-grubber. He's got more compassion than you or me!"

As Kraglin spoke, he turned to Yondu, pressing him further.

"Come on, what's happened to our little brother?"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! He's not my son, and even if he is, he's mine alone—nothing to do with you guys!!"

Yondu roared in frustration, then rubbed his head helplessly.

"But you're right—while he was gone, he somehow got tangled up with Asgard!

When I got his message, that jerk was sleeping like a baby in an Asgardian prison!

Guys, I need your connections. Does anyone know any big shots in Asgard? I need to contact them and get that damn fool sent back!"

As Yondu finished, the group fell silent, exchanging bewildered glances.

Finally, it was the simple-hearted Charlie-27 who spoke up, looking confused.

"I've been roaming the universe for over two hundred years, and I've never met a single Asgardian!"

"Right!"

Astro nodded, adding,

"Asgardians stay within their Nine Realms—they barely involve themselves in anything outside.

The only time we hear about them is when some big shot gets beaten back from the Nine Realms, like that Star-Eater we fought together—Asgard kicked him back too…"

Astro shrugged helplessly.

Hearing Astro's words, Yondu wasn't disappointed. After all, he knew his old friends.

As long as the five of them were together, there was no problem in the galaxy they couldn't solve—absolutely none!

Then, the discontented Stakar suddenly slammed the broken table in front of him.

"Yondu Udonta!!"

"I'm right here, man. Even if you can't let go of your grudge, you don't have to use my full name every time you speak!"

...

As Yondu finished, the room fell silent, and everyone turned to Stakar, whose expression grew colder.

After a long pause…

"Pfft, haha…"

Charlie-27 laughed, waving his hands.

"Sorry, sorry, couldn't help it, hehe…"

Stakar shot Charlie-27 a helpless glance, then turned back to Yondu, his tone serious.

"I might know someone connected to Asgard, but first, I need to know what crime your kid committed!

If he's truly done something unforgivable, I won't lift a finger—even if you get him out, I'll take him down myself!"

Hearing Stakar's words, Yondu immediately pointed to his own head.

"Stakar, think about it—if that kid had really done something terrible, how could he still be calling me?!"

As soon as he finished, Kraglin, standing beside Stakar, tapped the device on his wrist.

"Yondu, I just checked your ship's records. A young man named Peter Quill left you recently and took one of your ships.

He was living on Morag, with no criminal record. But when I hacked his ship's logs, it showed he took a mercenary job to investigate the Chitauri invasion in the Nine Realms.

I checked the others on the mission—just a bunch of small-time cosmic thugs.

My guess is their real goal wasn't investigation, but looting or stealing from the Chitauri-Asgard battlefield!"

At this, Kraglin adjusted his device and continued,

"Stakar can relax—Quill's fine. We did similar things when we were young.

He just picked the wrong battlefield—he shouldn't have gone to Asgard's turf!"

"Got it!"

Hearing Kraglin's explanation, Stakar nodded, turning back to the tense Yondu.

Then he spoke softly.

"I've been to Sakaar three times, once with you sixty-two years ago.

Anyway, while on Sakaar, I heard a legend about a woman.

Sakaar's most famous hunter is a woman named Brunnhilde, rumored to have been an Asgardian Valkyrie!

I can't confirm if it's true, but…"

Stakar spread his hands dismissively, continuing,

"You know how rumors are, like those in the cosmic entertainment circles—no smoke without fire!

So, that Brunnhilde was probably an Asgardian Valkyrie."

"Hmm, just a guess?"

Yondu chuckled.

"Didn't expect you, Stakar, to rely on rumors and legends after all these years!"

"So, you piece of trash, I'm just giving advice—take it or leave it!"

"Why wouldn't I? I'm heading to Sakaar right now!"

Yondu nodded decisively. He trusted his old friends as much as he always had.

He hung up the call and immediately set his ship's course for Sakaar.

Some of his crew were puzzled, but no one dared argue with Yondu's authority.

...

Meanwhile, on the other end of the call, Astro and the others exchanged blank stares.

After a moment, Charlie-27 slapped his forehead in frustration.

"He's so decisive—I wasn't done enjoying his sour face!"

"If he wasn't decisive, would he have to deal with Stakar's sour face instead?"

Kraglin joked with a laugh, then extended his right hand, palm down, toward the others.

"I don't know about you, but my old friend's kid is in trouble through no fault of his own. I'm going to help him.

I'm heading to Sakaar—who's with me?"

"Count me in!"

Charlie-27 firmly placed his hand on Kraglin's.

"I don't want to see Yondu get beaten up by Sakaar's gladiators!"

"Same here. We need to help our brother with this!"

Astro placed his hand on top of Charlie's, looking expectantly at Stakar.

After a long pause, Stakar stood up, looking both annoyed and resigned, and extended his…

Suddenly, his expression changed, and Aleta appeared.

"Guys, Stakar's secretly thrilled, haha, he just won't admit it!!"

"Shut up!!"

Stakar finally regained control, but the others were already laughing.

Amid their good-natured laughter, Stakar rolled his eyes and patted their hands.

When the laughter finally died down, Stakar said to everyone,

"I'll never forgive Yondu for what he did, but I'll only hold it against him!

Let's put on our pointy boots and go kick Yondu's ass on Sakaar!!"

"Haha, right!"

"Orgo watches over us!"

"Let's go!"

...

No one knew that the long-disbanded team had quietly reunited in the cosmos.

Just as no one knew that the woman drinking heavily at that moment was the Valkyrie.

On Sakaar, the planet of no return, outside the Contest of Champions arena, in a rundown bar.

Brunnhilde had just delivered her latest catch to the Grandmaster.

She'd captured him near Val'ban in the southern Galactic Rim—he was incredibly strong, so much so that even the Grandmaster paid a fortune for him.

Thinking of the millions added to her account, Brunnhilde couldn't help but flash a toothy grin.

As for the poor soul she'd captured?

Pfft, she didn't care about him!

If this catch hadn't been so strong and the price so high, she wouldn't have given him a second thought!

But thinking of her prey, Brunnhilde had to admit this was the strongest person she'd caught since she started.

If he hadn't already been severely injured when she found him, she wouldn't have stood a chance!

What was his name again?

Brunnhilde thought for a moment—something like Beta Ray Bill.

The name wasn't easy to remember, but his horse-like face was hard to forget.