Chapter 2225 - Ch: 241-250

Chapter 241: Civil War Aftermath

At the critical moment, Steve displayed astonishing combat instincts, deflecting the web with his shield at an uncanny angle, though the edge of the web still caused him to stumble.

Sam tried to dive down to rescue him, but was forced back by the furious Colonel Rhodes, who had finally recovered from Ant-Man's sneak attack and unleashed a barrage of fire.

"Captain!" Seeing this, Clint desperately fired a series of interference arrows; the resulting explosions and smoke temporarily blocked Tony and Natasha's assault on Bucky.

He seized the opportunity to rush toward Steve.

"Clint, take Bucky and go!" Steve shouted through the smoke, knowing there was no way to resolve this peacefully today.

"No one is leaving!" T'Challa roared, breaking through the smoke with his claws aimed straight at Bucky's back.

Bucky gritted his teeth and used his metal arm to take the blow head-on, using the momentum to roll backward and rendezvous with the rushing Clint.

Scott Lang suddenly appeared at Steve's feet, instantly growing to full size. "Captain, time to retreat!"

Sam, in the sky, ignored Colonel Rhodes's gunfire and dove down, grabbing the injured Bucky while shouting to Steve, "Captain, get on!"

Steve glanced at the closing-in Tony, Black Panther, and Natasha, then looked at the injured Bucky and the anxious Clint, knowing that continuing to fight would only lead to everyone's capture.

Clenching his teeth, he hurled his shield at Tony, forcing Tony to block, then turned and grabbed Sam's outstretched hand.

"Catch them!" came a roar from beneath Tony's faceplate.

Colonel Rhodes and the recovered Spider-Man tried to intercept, but Clint's barrage of explosive arrows and Scottshrinking again created a momentary opening for Sam to take off.

Sam, carrying Steve and Bucky, flew toward the edge of the airport at full speed.

Clint and the now full-sized Scott scrambled into a pre-arranged van, smashed through the airport fence, and sped away.

Watching the flying figures and the car's taillights disappear into the night, Tony finally stopped.

Tony stared into the darkness, saying nothing for a long while.

Rhodes walked over. "Tony, we..."

"We lost." Tony interrupted him, his voice low. "We didn't lose the fight, Rhodes. We lost because we're on different paths."

He turned and looked at the others.

"Let's go back," Tony finally said, as if drained of all strength. "The Accords must be enforced. I will sign the Sokovia Accords on behalf of the Avengers."

No one could truly understand the bitterness in Tony's heart.

He knew better than anyone the coldness and cruelty of these Accords.

How could he want to sign? But he was even more aware of the cost of not signing.

He had spent half his life dealing with state machinery and understood all too well that when a massive system, backed by the Five Great Nations and embodying the global will, begins to operate, it ruthlessly crushes all obstacles.

When that happens, individual will, heroic ideals, and even what is considered "right" are as fragile as paper in a hurricane before such a level of national will.

Unless you possess inhuman power like klein, capable of rivaling a nation single-handedly, rewriting rules, and easily destroying the World, you cannot truly remain detached.

Otherwise, talking about staying out of it is all bullshit!

Do they have such power? Without a doubt, no!

Therefore, Tony didn't even dare to dwell on the consequences of not signing.

He himself might be able to maneuver using Stark's trillions in assets and complex web of interests to secure some privileges and buffers within the framework of the Accords.

Steve, as the symbol of the United States and a living legend, could also be treated specially on some levels.

T'Challa was a monarch with Wakanda behind him—an isolated nation with technology that crushed the rest of the World—so he had his own exits and bargaining chips.

But what about the others?

What about those young people whose powers had just awakened and who were still fumbling in fear?

What about those ordinary people who gained powers by accident and just wanted a quiet life but were forced into the whirlpool?

What about those superhumans who had no famous names, no powerful families, and no national backing, but were pushed to the forefront simply because they possessed abilities different from ordinary people?

If they refused to sign the Accords, refused to expose everything about themselves and their families to supervision, what would await them?

The best outcome might be becoming Terrorists who could never see the light of day, spending the rest of their lives in flight and hiding.

A more likely outcome was being arrested and imprisoned in dark, special prisons.

Or perhaps ending up directly on a cold operating table in some secret laboratory, becoming a specimen to be dissected, analyzed, and having their powers replicated.

These images, these tragedies that might result from his persistence at this moment, burned at Tony's nerves day and night.

He couldn't bear it. He couldn't imagine his friends ending up in such a state one day because they refused to sign the Accords.

So he had to sign.

Not as Tony Stark personally, but as a potential protector for countless superhumans lacking the ability to defend themselves, he would sign his name, take up the shackles known as supervision, and try to carve out a sliver of breathing room and a shred of protection for those behind him within the iron cage.

So, was Steve wrong?

In the deepest part of Tony's heart, he didn't truly think so.

He understood Steve's fear. After experiencing HYDRA, his natural vigilance against the abuse of power and his instinctive resistance to the erosion of freedom were understandable.

What that shield represented was not just a soldier's persistence, but a defense of pure ideals, a determination that refused to compromise in any form.

Their disagreement was never simply about right or wrong, but about different stances.

Steve chose to fight for unyielding principles, even if it meant being isolated and helpless, even if it meant making enemies of former comrades.

And Tony chose to fight for more people who might survive, even if it meant bearing infamy, even if it meant putting shackles on his own and his companions' wrists with his own hands, even if it meant becoming a traitor in the eyes of all superheroes from then on.

A few days after the airport battle, Tony, accompanied by Rhodes, came to the Pentagon again.

Inside the office, General Ross sat with his back to the light. On the massive projection screen was the final text of the Sokovia Accords, which had been revised countless times.

"I'm glad you made the wise choice. Stark, you're a smart man.

The Accords will take effect immediately upon signing. The 117 signatory nations worldwide will simultaneously initiate the registration process.

The Avengers, or rather, the remaining Avengers, will serve as the first superhuman rapid-response unit under the framework of the Accords, accepting the command and supervision of the United Nations Special Committee.

Any action, regardless of scale, must be reported in advance and authorized. Any violation will be considered a challenge to international law."

Tony didn't speak. He stepped forward, picked up the pen, and the tip hovered over the signature line, trembling slightly.

This wasn't his first time signing. He had signed contracts worth hundreds of billions and technology patents that changed industries, but never had it felt this heavy.

Letting this pen fall meant compromise, meant surrendering freedom, and meant he had personally participated in building a cage for heroes, including himself.

He took a deep breath and signed his name on the signature line.

Rhodes watched his friend's stiff back, his own feelings equally complex.

Leaving the Pentagon, the blinding afternoon sun made Tony squint slightly.

Rhodes patted his shoulder. "I know it's not easy, Tony. But someone has to do it, to try to make this system work."

Tony twitched the corner of his mouth, wanting to smile, but it ultimately turned into a barely audible sigh.

"Yeah, someone has to. Let's go back, Rhodes. I need some quiet."

He got into the understated Audi R8 alone. The Worldoutside the car window was still bustling and noisy, but his World felt as if it had been severed.

Although the Accords had been signed, at the last moment, using Stark's resources and influence, he had secured a precious 72 hours for those companions who were resolutely unwilling to sign.

He hoped that Steve and the others could make good use of this time to hide deeper and run farther.

Chapter 242 Ragnarok

Just as Tony was trapped by the choices in his heart and the shackles of reality on Earth, on the other side of the boundless Universe.

Thunder God Thor was also feeling infinite sorrow for the destruction of his home.

Back on Sakaar, Thor, together with Loki, Valkyrie, and Dr. Banner, had led the warriors rescued from the Arena, boarded that massive refugee spaceship, and traversed a hidden passage to return to Asgard.

However, his homeland was no longer the place illuminated by its former glory.

The Golden Palace of Asgard was dim, the long streets were desolate, and a deathly silence shrouded the divine realm.

After secretly reuniting with Heimdall, Thor gathered all the surviving Asgardians, preparing to launch a final resistance against the Goddess of Death, Hela.

The battle was extremely brutal; in the fierce fighting, Thorlost his right eye. The intense pain and rage seemed to tear apart some kind of shackle that had always bound him.

His father's teachings, his mother's love, the bond with Loki, Jane's smile, the friendship of his companions, the suffering of his homeland before his eyes, the expectations of his people...

Countless images and emotions surged into his heart like a tide. He was not just the God of Thunder; he was the King of Asgard, the Guardian of the people.

His power should not exist merely for battle, but was born for protection, and shone to give hope!

In the empty socket where his eye had been lost, it seemed as though even deeper cosmic starlight was flowing.

Within his right eye, the azure thunder was no longer just a violent force, but also contained wisdom, responsibility, and compassion.

At this moment, the thunder was the extension of his will, the manifestation of his kingly heart.

The true power of the God of Thunder fully awakened at the moment he endured the greatest sacrifice and understood his own mission.

With Thor fully awakened, his power underwent a qualitative change.

The thunder he summoned began to carry Divine Power, starting to purify the land polluted by Hela's death energy and weaken the undead army.

He could even, to a certain extent, channel the remaining World Tree energy deep within the land of Asgard, providing protection and buffs to his warriors.

But Hela's power was connected to the very land of Asgard; as long as she stood on her homeland, she was almost invincible.

Facing a desperate situation, Thor made a painful and resolute choice: he would personally initiate Ragnarok.

"Loki, go to the vault and find Surtur's Eternal Flamecrown. It is time to let the prophecy be fulfilled."

Loki's pupils constricted; he instantly understood Thor's intention. "Are you crazy? That will destroy everything!"

"Asgard is not a city, not a piece of land; Asgard is where the people are."

"Hela is too deeply bound to this land. Only through complete destruction can we end the nightmare of her eternal rule, and allow all Asgardians to gain true freedom and rebirth. This is the only way."

Loki looked at the resolute, flaming right eye of Thor. In the end, a thousand words turned into a complex sigh, and his figure vanished like a phantom.

Not long after, a violent tremor came from deep within the Heavenly Palace. The heaven-defying figure of the Fire Giant Surtur was reborn in the Eternal Flame, letting out a roar of destruction and beginning an indiscriminate, ultimate devastation of Asgard.

"Take everyone, get on the ship! Now!" Thor roared at Heimdall and Valkyrie.

He turned around, using his fully awakened power of the God of Thunder to buy the final time for the evacuation of the people, while firmly holding Hela back.

The final moment arrived.

In Asgard, which had already turned into a sea of fire and was on the verge of structural collapse, Thor and Helawere engaged in their final duel.

The power of thunder and death collided wildly, while Surtur's Twilight Sword had already dealt the final blow to this World.

"No, you cannot destroy Asgard!" Hela shrieked in the madness of her power source being shaken.

"I am not destroying Asgard; Asgard belongs to its people, and I will rebuild Asgard." Thor concentrated all his Divine Power, unleashing a World-shaking blow that pinned Helain place.

With the Fire Giant's final sword stroke, a heaven-shaking explosion and light swallowed everything in Asgard.

This celestial body, which had carried countless legends and glory, fell apart under the Fire Giant's ultimate destruction, turning into a grand and tragic firework in the sea of stars.

In the distant sea of stars, the Asgardian people witnessed the final moment of their homeland turning into brilliant stardust through the spaceship's observation window. Endless grief spread silently through the cabin.

Just then, Thor walked out.

He had changed out of the battle-damaged armor and was wearing a simple yet solemn dark robe. An eyepatch covered his left eye, and he gripped Odin's Eternal Spear in his hand.

Heimdall stepped forward, his voice echoing throughout the hall,

"People of Asgard! We have lost our land, but we have not lost each other, we have not lost hope, and we certainly have not lost our King!"

"When the end of the World arrived, it was Thor Odinson, our prince, who awakened his Divine Power at the cost of losing his sight, and ended the nightmare with the courage to destroy his own homeland, securing the possibility of survival and a future for us all!"

"He has fulfilled his oath of protection; he embodies the true spirit of Asgard."

"Where the people are, that is Asgard!"

Under everyone's gaze, Thor walked slowly to the front.

"My friends, my family, we have witnessed the end of an era. We mourn for the departed, and we observe a moment of silence for our homeland."

"But today, we stand here not to indulge in sorrow, but to remember history and then forge ahead."

"The crown of Asgard was never worn on the roof of the Heavenly Palace; it is worn in the heart of every Asgardian, in our commitments to one another, and in our pursuit of a better tomorrow."

"The old home is gone, but the new home will be built by our own hands!"

"I, Thor Odinson, hereby swear in the name of all surviving Asgardians:"

"I will lead you across the sea of stars to find a new land."

"There, we will no longer have Ragnarok, only the dawn of a new day."

"We will rebuild our home, not by rebuilding a cold palace, but by building a nation where all Asgardians can settle down, full of hope and glory!"

"Are you willing to walk with me? Are you willing to place your trust once again in this starry sky, in each other, and in a King who may not be perfect, but will surely do everything in his power to protect you?"

After a brief silence.

"Long live the King!"

"For Asgard!"

"Follow King Thor!"

The shouts were sparse at first, then gathered into a roar that swept through the entire hall.

The Asgardian people were no longer so sorrowful; there was more of the relief of surviving a catastrophe, trust in their leader, and firm hope for the future.

Heimdall stood solemnly; he knew that the guardianship of Asgard had entered a new chapter.

Thor felt the trust and expectations of his people. The responsibility on his shoulders was as heavy as a mountain, but his heart was filled with unprecedented clarity and strength.

He had lost an eye, lost his homeland, but he had found his true self and discovered the true meaning of the kingdom's continuation.

"Set sail," Thor issued his first official order as King, "Destination: new home!"

Chapter 243: Infinity Gauntlet

The news of Asgard's destruction spread rapidly through various channels to every corner of the known Universe.

And on a throne of shadows deep within the Universe, Thanos slowly opened his eyes.

"Finally..."

His deep voice echoed through the vast hall, carrying a sense of longing suppressed for ten thousand years and the relief of impending liberation.

Odin, the All-Father, Guardian of the Nine Realms, whose divine power and the barrier of Asgard had once been an insurmountable chasm standing between Thanos's ambition and the many Infinity Stones.

The Ancient One, Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, Guardian of the Time Stone, whose unfathomable magic and protection of the timeline had always made Thanos wary of striking.

He could only use others to attempt to obtain the Infinity Stones.

The Chitauri army's invasion of New York was a test of Earth's defenses and the Space Stone, the price of which was the loss of the Mind Stone.

Ronan the Accuser was the pawn he had carefully selected to seize the Power Stone and destroy the Nova Corps, yet he died on Xandar, hammer and all.

Every indirect reach had been blocked or destroyed by invisible forces.

This made him even more convinced that the cost of directly facing Odin and the Ancient One would likely be the premature end of the hegemony he had been building for ten thousand years.

He had to wait. Wait for the perfect moment, wait for those Guardians to vanish from the chessboard.

Now, the time had finally come.

The Ancient One had abandoned her physical form to embrace Eternity, leaving a brief gap in the succession of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Odin's divine power had waned, he had returned to the stars, and Asgard had fallen into civil strife, eventually turning to cosmic dust in the flames of the Ragnarokprophecy.

The two biggest stumbling blocks no longer existed.

"It is time, my children." Thanos stood up from his cold metal throne. "The great plan begins today."

His most loyal generals had eyes burning with fanatical faith in their Master's plan.

"Before collecting the Infinity Stones, we need a vessel," Thanos said slowly, "an artifact capable of bearing the immense power of the Infinity Stones and channeling their fundamental forces. Without it, the stones are merely dazzling poison."

"Nidavellir." Ebony Maw said the name of the place, "the realm of the Dwarves, the forging center of the Nine Realms. Only the star-core forge there and the skills of the Dwarf King, Eitri, can forge the relic our Master requires. Moreover, Asgard has been destroyed, and Nidavellir has lost its protection."

"Indeed." Thanos nodded. "I will go personally to request their assistance."

Nidavellir, the Star of Forging.

The Planet itself was a massive, intricately constructed furnace; its core was guided by the Dwarves' incredible engineering technology, transformed into an eternal star-core fire used to forge artifacts for the gods.

In the past, the forge fires here roared, the sound of hammering shook the heavens, and countless magical metals were given life in the hands of the artisan-god-like Dwarves.

But today, an ominous silence shrouded the forge hall.

The air was no longer filled with the heat of metal and flame, but with the stench of blood and scorched energy.

Thanos's Sanctuary II, like a ferocious cosmic whale, hovered in the orbit of Nidavellir; its shadow blocked the light of the star and the hope in the hearts of the Dwarves.

The Dwarves were excellent craftsmen and powerful warriors; they had also wielded warhammers to fight against the invaders.

But before the tide of Thanos's army and the absolute power of the Black Order, all resistance seemed pale and futile.

Corpses covered the magnificent forging platform, and many Dwarves still clutched their hammers even in death.

Thanos himself did not participate in the slaughter; he simply sat on the highest throne, overlooking it all.

When the last roar of resistance died down, the Dwarf King, Eitri, was brought before Thanos by Corvus Glaiveand Proxima Midnight.

Eitri's eyes were filled with sorrow and a raging, impotent fury.

He glared at Thanos, "Thanos! Asgard will not stand idly by and watch your atrocities! You will pay the price!"

"That is not important! Now you must consider your people, Eitri." Thanos stepped forward, his massive palm pressing onto Eitri's broad but trembling shoulder. "I need a gauntlet, a gauntlet capable of wielding the power of the Infinity Stones. Use your star-core forge, use your peerless skills to craft it for me. In return..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the surviving old, weak, women, and children below. "I can let the remaining half of the Nidavellir people live."

"Use the lives of half my people to trade for a weapon of cosmic destruction?" Eitri gritted his teeth.

"It is fair. Choose, Eitri."

The Dwarf King looked at the weeping children below, the bloodless women, and the extinguished light in the eyes of the once-spirited craftsmen.

He remembered the warriors who had fallen in pools of blood; he had once sought help from Asgard but received no response.

Now, to continue resisting meant the annihilation of his entire race. Yield? At least he could preserve half his bloodline.

"I need materials. Uru metal, the highest grade; only then can it withstand the backlash of the stones." Eitri compromised in a dry, raspy voice.

"The materials are already prepared." Ebony Maw waved elegantly, and several storage crates shot out from Sanctuary II, landing beside the furnace, containing top-grade Uru metal ingots shining with starlight.

"As for the design? With your wisdom, combined with the properties of these materials, I believe you can create a perfect masterpiece. After all, you are Eitri, who forged the Eternal Spear for Odin."

The following days were an ordeal for Eitri, as if his soul were being repeatedly scorched on the furnace.

He utilized the deepest, almost forbidden, forging secrets of the Dwarf race, smelting concepts like fragments of stars, the bedrock of space, and the quicksand of time into the Uru metal.

The star-core furnace roared, spewing flames capable of vaporizing stars; under Eitri's exquisite control, it bit by bit endowed the gauntlet's prototype with the potential to bear the infinite rules.

Thanos watched silently the entire time, ensuring there were no flaws.

When the final stream of quenching energy sparked a rainbow brilliance that pierced the heavens within the special cooling liquid, a giant metal gauntlet floated quietly on the forging platform.

It was a dull, metallic color throughout, yet it contained a subtle glimmer like the movement of stars, with six distinct grooves reserved on the knuckles and the back of the hand.

Its mere existence, even without the stones, caused the surrounding space to warp slightly.

The Infinity Gauntlet was finished.

Thanos stepped forward and personally placed the gauntlet on his left hand.

The gauntlet automatically adjusted its size, fitting perfectly.

He gently clenched his fist, feeling the vast potential and cold touch within, and for the first time, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

"Very good, Eitri. Your skills are true to your reputation." Thanos flexed the fingers wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, his gaze falling on the group of survivors. "I keep my promises. Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, release these people. We are leaving."

"Yes!"

However, Thanos's mercy always came with cruel conditions.

"Eitri. Your skills are too astonishing. I do not wish for a second Infinity Gauntlet to appear, or anything that could threaten it."

Eitri's heart alarm rang loudly, and he looked up abruptly.

A flash of a blade!

Corvus Glaive's blade was faster than visual capture.

"Ah!!!"

A shrill scream echoed through the forge hall.

Eitri's two arms, which had once forged Mjolnir, the Eternal Spear, and countless other artifacts, were severed at the root!

Blood gushed out like a fountain, and the immense pain made him almost faint instantly.

Thanos looked at the Dwarf King lying in a pool of blood, convulsing from the severe pain and blood loss, and said slowly, "Now, you will be unable to forge anything ever again. Enjoy the rest of your life that you traded for the other half of your people."

Having said this, he turned, and with the Black Order, boarded Sanctuary II.

The massive warship's engines roared, slowly departing from the Planet Nidavellir, which was filled with blood and despair.

On the bridge, Thanos stroked the Infinity Gauntlet on his left hand, his gaze cast toward the star map, where the coordinates of Xandar were highlighted.

"Depart for Xandar. It is time to retrieve the first Stone."

Chapter 244: Obtaining the Power Stone

Thanos led his fleet, exiting space warp in the deep space a few light-years outside Xandar.

Inside the bridge's main control room, Thanos stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at Xandar on the star map.

This was the headquarters of the Nova Corps and the current hiding place of the Power Stone.

"My Lord, we have stopped at the preset coordinates as ordered. Routine scans show that Xandar's defense network is at standard alert status; our large-scale warp signal was not detected," Ebony Maw reported, bowing gracefully.

"Very good. The Power Stone is on Xandar, and the Nova Corps must have layers of defenses. A frontal assault is the most foolish choice."

Thanos turned around, his gaze sweeping over the Black Order standing solemnly below, his fingers moving unconsciously on his left hand.

"The Power Stone is the first cornerstone of this plan and must not be lost."

"This operation requires the complete elimination of all life forms on the surface and in orbit of Xandar."

"Including the Nova Corps headquarters and all its affiliated facilities, and every intelligent being that might witness or record this event… everything must be wiped out. Ensure that before other forces in the Universe notice, the stone is already in my hands, and no one knows it has changed owners."

"No survivors?" A flash of bloodlust crossed Corvus Glaive's scarlet eyes; the glaive in his hand seemed to sense his Master's murderous intent and let out a faint hum.

"Leave no one alive." Thanos's response was decisive.

"Mercy is not applicable here. We require absolute secrecy. Ebony Maw, how is the interference and shielding plan coming along?"

Ebony Maw stepped forward, his fingertips tracing in the air, revealing a complex optical star map and an energy flow analysis chart.

"Ready, My Lord. We will cut in from the Planet's weak magnetic field points and release multi-layered composite interference beams to paralyze their long-range early warning and hyper-space communication arrays for at least seventy-two standard hours. At the same time, Sanctuary II's full-spectrum silent stealth mode has been activated; we will approach like a shadow."

"Ebony Maw, take note. I am deploying as follows: Black Dwarf will act as the vanguard to break through; Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight will be responsible for clearing resistance in the core area; Supergiant will use intelligence to locate the storage point of the stone for me; Ebony Maw, you are responsible for overall coordination and maintaining the information blackout. I will personally oversee the battle to handle any contingencies."

"Yes, My Lord!" The Black Order accepted the orders one after another.

The massive Sanctuary II restarted, accelerating slowly toward Xandar with ghost-like silence, relying on conventional thrusters.

The special wave-absorbing and energy-deflecting coating on the hull made it seem as if it had merged into the darkness of the cosmic background.

Xandar, Xandar City.

As the heart of the Nova Corps, the city maintained a veneer of prosperity.

A huge pale gold energy shield covered the city's core area like an eggshell, and Nova Corps patrol boats cruised in orbit regularly. Although the citizens were still fearful after the fierce battle with Ronan's fleet not long ago, they felt proud and secure that the Corps had successfully protected the Power Stone.

The stone was stored in a multi-dimensional isolation vault deep beneath the Corps headquarters, said to be one of the highest security levels in the Universe.

However, disaster often strikes when people think they are safest.

The first to notice something wrong were the orbital outposts.

Sensors captured an abnormal dark area approaching at an unnatural speed, but all signals attempting to scan or issue alerts were swallowed by invisible interference.

Immediately afterward, the antenna arrays responsible for long-range communication collectively overloaded and smoked, and all contact with neighboring galaxies was instantly cut off.

"Unknown intrusion! Energy readings are off the charts! It's a fleet! The scale is immeasurable!" The observer immediately issued a heart-wrenching warning on the internal channel, but it was too late.

Sanctuary II suddenly appeared from the void, having broken through Xandar's outer defense perimeter and appearing directly in low orbit!

Without any warning, the countless cannons, missile silos, and energy projectors beneath the hull lit up with destructive light simultaneously.

"Fire! Saturation strike! Targets include the Nova Corpsheadquarters, energy nodes, transportation hubs, and densely populated areas!" Thanos's orders were conveyed to every combat unit.

The next moment, the sky of Xandar was dyed in the color of destruction by energy cannons.

Thick annihilation beams struck the energy shield of Xandar City fiercely.

The shield, capable of withstanding a fleet's volley, flickered violently and lasted less than ten seconds before exploding into a sky full of light rain amidst a deafening roar.

Immediately following, more beams, high-explosive missiles like raindrops, and countless small attack craft released by Sanctuary II poured down like a rain of death.

Buildings collapsed in the attacks, streets were torn apart by explosions, and citizens who couldn't reach shelters turned to ash in an instant.

Nova Corps soldiers heroically took to the sky to fight back; their single-pilot aircraft and energy weapons wove a net of fire in the air, shooting down quite a few small enemy craft.

But facing the might of Sanctuary II's main cannon and the elite ground troops led by the Black Order, the resistance appeared pale and desperate.

Black Dwarf, like a humanoid siege hammer, wielded his massive battle axe, easily splitting the heavy alloy gates around the headquarters to pave the way for follow-up troops.

Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight wove through the chaotic battlefield and the interior of the buildings; wherever they passed, Nova soldiers fell in droves. Their goal was to head straight to the deep underground.

Ebony Maw hovered in mid-air, using telekinesis to hurl massive building debris like cannonballs at any organized resistance points, while maintaining the interference field to ensure no distress signals could leave the Planet.

Supergiant infiltrated the Nova Corps' data network and mental network, coldly searching for every bit of information regarding the Power Stone's storage point, and incidentally amplifying feelings of panic and despair, implanting them into the minds of survivors to accelerate the collapse of the resistance.

Thanos himself walked step by step down the landing platform extended from Sanctuary II, stepping onto the surface of Xandar, which had already become a wasteland.

He ignored the explosions and screams around him, his gaze piercing through layers of obstacles, as if he had already seen the stone emitting a seductive purple light.

The slaughter lasted shorter than expected.

Despite their heroism, the Nova Corps was quickly annihilated under the absolute power gap and the surprise attack.

Corvus Glaive, based on the precise coordinates provided by Supergiant, fought all the way to the underground isolation vault.

The multi-dimensional barriers disintegrated one by one before Corvus Glaive's glaive and Proxima Midnight's spear.

Finally, in the center of a containment field made of pure energy, the Cosmic Orb floated quietly.

Corvus Glaive swung his blade to cut off the final energy conduit and grabbed the Cosmic Orb in his hand.

He didn't dare to delay, immediately turning around to present the orb to Thanos, who was walking slowly toward him.

Thanos took the Cosmic Orb, applied slight pressure, and the shell of the orb shattered like an eggshell, revealing the purple Power Stone inside.

Without any hesitation, Thanos aimed the stone at a slot on the back of the Infinity Gauntlet and pressed it in gently.

An indescribably vast energy instantly surged through Thanos's entire body!

Purple light erupted from his gauntlet, illuminating the surrounding ruined battlefield like a supernova.

Thanos let out a low grunt, his body trembling slightly, and purple energy veins bulged and appeared under his skin.

The Power Stone's pure, destructive energy was crazily elevating his life essence.

The seemingly insurmountable chasm between Skyfather level and single-Universe level was rudely crossed under the infusion of the power of this cosmic origin stone!

A few seconds later, the purple light slowly receded.

Thanos stood up straight again, slowly raised his left hand, and clenched his fist.

With just a thought, all the remaining building ruins, metal debris, and even the ground within hundreds of meters were instantly turned into the finest powder under the pressure of an invisible, terrifying force field!

Space itself was slightly distorted because of his pure power.

He opened his eyes, and in the depths of his pupils, galaxies seemed to be born and destroyed.

"Clean up the battlefield, ensure there are no signs of life, and destroy all equipment cores that might have recorded data." Thanos's voice echoed in the minds of the Black Order.

"Then, head to the next target. The Space Stone is still in the hands of the fugitives from Asgard; they shouldn't have gone far."

Chapter 245: Obtaining the Reality Stone

Just as Thanos finished clearing Xandar and was on his way to track the Asgard refugee fleet, a message transmitted through a covert intelligence network caught his attention.

"The Collector, Taneleer Tivan, encountered an unknown powerful enemy at his lair, and a fierce battle broke out.

After the battle, the core structures of the Land of Nihilitywere severely damaged, The Collector himself is suspected to be heavily injured, the activities of his subordinates have drastically decreased, and external trade has almost come to a standstill.

There are unconfirmed rumors claiming that the attacker might be related to the mysterious visitor who has been active in the Universe recently..."

At the end of the message, a blurry energy reading record was attached, showing that the moment the battle broke out, an extremely abnormal high-dimensional energy hedge phenomenon occurred inside the Land of Nihility, which could never have been caused by an ordinary Universe-level conflict.

"The Collector is injured?" Thanos sat on his throne, his fingertips gently tapping the armrest.

He knew well how difficult this Elder of the Universe was; behind his collecting hobby lay an unfathomable foundation and a bizarre application of various forces of rules.

Who could have made him suffer such a great loss?

Thanos pondered for a moment.

According to the original plan, the acquisition order of the Reality Stone might have been further down the line, perhaps even requiring a significant price to trade for. But now, an opportunity seemed to have arrived.

"Change course, go to the Land of Nihility first." Thanosordered immediately.

"Prepare a gift. Pack up that pair of Eternal Star Cores extracted from the remains of an ancient God in my treasury; The Collector has coveted them for a long time.

Also, prepare for a forced assault. If The Collector refuses to trade, take the Reality Stone from him by force!"

"Yes, My Lord." A glint flickered in Ebony Maw's eyes as he immediately began to work.

Not long after, Sanctuary II entered hyperspace again, initiating a spatial jump, heading straight for the Land of Nihility.

When Thanos's flagship approached the Land of Nihility, he could clearly feel the anomaly of the place.

The spaceport area, which was usually chaotic but vibrant, now appeared much more desolate, with only a few scattered, intimidating outlaw ships docked.

In the eye sockets of the iconic, giant skull made of bone on the Planet's surface, the brilliant light that usually shone day and night had dimmed significantly, and one could even see several huge cracks on the surface of the skull.

Thanos did not make a big scene; he only brought Ebony Maw and Corvus Glaive, boarded a small shuttle, and landed in front of The Collector's museum.

They were not greeted by the faceless puppets of the past, but by another servant whose body parts appeared to be in a phantasmal state.

"Mr. Thanos, My Lord Taneleer Tivan has been waiting for a long time."

Walking into the interior of the museum, Thanos's perception further confirmed the intelligence.

Many exhibition halls were empty, and the air was filled with the distinct smell of energy decay.

In the central circular hall, they saw The Collector.

This Elder of the Universe, who always maintained the demeanor of an elegant gentleman, was currently reclining on a temporarily moved lounge chair.

Although he tried his best to hide it, his complexion was unnaturally pale, and his silver hair had also lost its usual oily luster.

Most importantly, the perfect, unfathomable energy field that usually surrounded him now appeared scattered and weak, with extremely obvious fluctuations in his realm.

He had shockingly fallen from the level of the Multiverse, barely maintaining his status at the single-Universe level, and it was extremely unstable.

Seeing Thanos, The Collector's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, but he quickly squeezed out that iconic smile on his face.

"Thanos, what a rare guest. What brings you to my place?" The Collector's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Taneleer, I have brought you a gift." Thanos signaled, and Ebony Maw presented a metal box engraved with countless sealing runes.

After opening it, inside was a pair of Eternal Star Cores slowly rotating like miniature stars.

A burning light instantly erupted in The Collector's eyes; that was the greed engraved in his instincts.

But he quickly controlled himself and smiled bitterly: "It is truly a temptation one cannot refuse. But I'm sorry, Thanos, I don't have anything suitable to trade with you right now."

Thanos watched him quietly, not angered by the refusal.

He walked forward a few steps, feeling more clearly the chaotic backlash of authority and the severely damaged life essence within The Collector's body.

The news was true; he was heavily injured, so heavy that even hiding it was such a struggle.

"Taneleer. How do I remember that you seem to have a Reality Stone? Wouldn't trading it for these two Eternal Star Cores be a good deal?" Thanos said slowly.

The Collector's expression sank completely. He said displeasedly, "Impossible, Thanos. I still have great use for the Reality Stone."

After The Collector was injured by klein, his current realm was very unstable; he had to use the power of the Reality Stone to maintain his rule over the Land of Nihility.

If he didn't even have the Reality Stone, his ruling position would be extremely unstable.

However, Thanos did not speak; he simply revealed the Infinity Gauntlet on his left hand and the Power Stone on it.

The Collector immediately felt Thanos's determination, as well as the sense of oppression brought by that Power Stone.

If he were in his prime, he would naturally not be afraid, and would even have countless ways to toy with Thanos.

But now he was severely injured and not yet recovered, his authority damaged, and his realm fallen.

And Thanos, having just obtained the Power Stone, was at the height of his momentum; as one waned, the other waxed...

The air in the hall seemed to have frozen.

Ebony Maw and Corvus Glaive quietly shifted their positions, sealing off any possible retreat.

From deep within the museum, faint sounds of energy agitation could be heard; that was The Collector's remaining defense mechanisms starting up.

After a long silence.

The Collector's fingers unconsciously gripped the armrest of the lounge chair, his knuckles turning white.

His gaze shifted back and forth between Thanos's Infinity Gauntlet, the Eternal Star Cores in Ebony Maw's hands, and Thanos's unquestionable gaze.

Anger, humiliation, unwillingness, and a clear recognition of reality fought fiercely in his eyes.

In the end, that struggle turned into a hint of forbearance.

If he continued to hold out, today would very likely be the end of him and this museum.

And handing over the stone, while humiliating, would at least allow him to obtain the Eternal Star Cores, which would be of huge help in repairing his essence, and could also temporarily send away Thanos, this plague God.

As for the future?

An Elder of the Universe's life is nearly infinite; there might yet be a time to reclaim the humiliation of today.

"You win, Thanos." The Collector squeezed this sentence out from between his teeth; he raised his hand with extreme difficulty and slashed at the void.

Space rippled like water, and a more hidden inner space opened, inside which floated a red light cluster constantly changing its form—it was exactly the Reality Stone.

It seemed to be imprisoned by some kind of force, but it still emitted an aura that tempted one to fall.

Thanos reached out his hand, and the Infinity Gauntletgenerated a suction force, drawing the Reality Stone into his palm.

He carefully felt the bizarre power of turning the virtual into reality within the distorted reality, and then aimed the stone at another slot on the back of the gauntlet.

After the Reality Stone was embedded.

The red light erupted instantly, shining in reflection with the purple light of the Power Stone.

Thanos's body shook violently again, but this time he was better prepared; he let out a low roar, forcibly suppressing the conflict of rules caused by the two cosmic origin forces within his body.

The red and purple lights swirled and merged on his body, and finally slowly subsided.

His aura climbed again; although he did not break through his current level, his control and understanding of the rules, especially his ability to interfere at the reality level, reached a whole new height.

Chapter 246: The Battle of Asgard

"The deal is done." Thanos left the box containing the Eternal Core where it was and took a deep look at The Collector, who was slumped on his recliner.

"Recover well, Taneleer. The future of the Universe needs witnesses."

After saying this, he did not linger, turned around, and left with his subordinates.

It was not until Thanos's shuttle took off and disappeared that The Collector suddenly spat out a mouthful of dark golden blood, his aura weakening further by another three points.

He stared fixedly at the direction Thanos had left, cold flames burning in his eyes.

"Thanos... and that damned klein... we shall meet again."

...

Sanctuary II set off again, this time with a crystal-clear objective.

Thanos had already obtained two Infinity Stones, and the third one was the Space Stone located in Asgard.

According to information Supergiant obtained from the cosmic black market, after Asgard went through Ragnarok, their new king, Thor, boarded a spaceship, leading the remaining Asgardians to prepare to find a new Planet to migrate to.

Preparing to rebuild Asgard.

"They have lost their homeland, lost most of their weapons and equipment, and are carrying a large number of civilians; their speed will not be fast," Thanos analyzed.

"The Space Stone must be in the hands of Thor, or someone he trusts. This is one of the most important legacies left by Odin."

"My Lord, although the Asgardians have suffered heavy losses, the power Thor awakened during Ragnarok cannot be underestimated, not to mention that God of Mischief Loki, as well as the remaining combat forces like Valkyrie," Corvus Glaive reminded him.

"Precisely because of that, we must resolve this as quickly as possible, before they can establish a foothold." Thanosclenched his left hand, and the red and purple light flowed between his fingers.

"With two Infinity Stones in my possession, Thor is no longer my match. The goal of this battle is to seize the Space Stone while completely annihilating the Asgardianroyal family and their main combat forces, cutting off any possibility of their revival.

As for the civilians? Follow the original plan: eliminate half."

"Yes, My Lord!"

The massive warship entered hyperspace once again, following the predicted trajectory to track the Asgardianship.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the distant sea of stars, the massive Asgardian immigrant ship was sailing through the silent space.

Outside the porthole was eternal darkness. Thor gripped the Eternal Spear tightly, his knuckles turning white, his one eye staring into the endless void ahead, as if trying to force the outline of a new home from it.

He knew that what he carried on his shoulders at this moment was the last divine fire and bloodline of Asgard.

Finding new land was the only mission he, as king, must accomplish.

Loki, for once, was not mocking him from the sidelines; he just sat quietly in the corner.

Suddenly, an indescribable sense of spatial oppression descended!

As if an invisible giant hand had gripped the entire sector of space, the Asgardian immigrant ship shook violently, the lights of its thrusters flickering as it stalled in the void.

"Alert! Space is being forcefully locked down! High-dimensional interference detected, we are locked in place!" Heimdall's booming voice, filled with unprecedented urgency, exploded across the bridge. The golden light swirling in his eyes penetrated the hull, instantly capturing the source of the threat.

"It's a fleet! A massive fleet! They have decloaked from their stealth state, directly ahead, in a formation encircling us!"

Thor looked up abruptly, thunder flickering faintly in his one eye.

Looking through the main observation window, one could see a dark flagship, so massive it was suffocating, like a moving mountain of metal, slowly emerging from the darkness of what had been empty deep space.

Grim warships of all sizes appeared like a school of sharks, their cold muzzles pointed, without exception, at this lone ship.

An indifferent voice clearly reached every corner of the Asgardian ship.

"Remnants of Asgard, hand over the Space Stone. If you do, I can grant half of you the right to continue living."

Upon hearing this voice, Thor's muscles tensed instantly, and the power of thunder uncontrollably surged across his body.

Before he could respond, Loki beside him turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with undisguised terror. "It's Thanos! Thor, be careful! It's Thanos!"

There was no need for Loki's warning; the terrifying pressure that accompanied the voice had already made all the Asgardian warriors who had experienced cruel wars feel as if they were in an ice cellar.

The battle was on the verge of breaking out.

Having already lost their home, the Asgardian warriors would never bow under anyone's pressure.

They erupted with their final burst of valor, the ship's secondary cannons spitting out angry flames of light, attempting to tear through the enemy ship's shields.

However, the gap was too great.

On the Infinity Gauntlet worn on Thanos's left hand, the Power Stone surged with purple light, and the Reality Stone glowed with an eerie red radiance.

The purple force field easily distorted most of the Asgardian energy attacks;

The red shimmer of reality swept past, and the energy shields heroically concentrated by the Asgardian warriors vanished like soap bubbles.

The Black Order generals under Thanos led their massive army like tigers into a flock of sheep.

This was an unequal slaughter.

In less than half an hour, the remaining Asgardian escort ships had all turned into burning wreckage.

The massive immigrant mothership was also heavily besieged, its hull damaged in many places.

The direct confrontation between Thor and Thanos was even more tragic.

The awakened power of the Thunder God was constrained at every turn under the rule suppression of the two Infinity Stones.

The pure energy of the Power Stone repeatedly shattered his strongest thunder.

The eerie changes of the Reality Stone made him even more unable to defend, his attacks sometimes missing, sometimes transformed into harmless phantoms.

"Heimdall! Valkyrie!" After being grazed by a beam from the Reality Stone once again, Thor finally let out a resolute roar.

"Launch all escape pods! Evacuate in different directions! Every one that can escape, let them! Take the people and survive!"

"Your Majesty!" Heimdall's eyes were splitting with rage.

"Go!!!"

Thor was struck by a terrifying blast of combined purple and red energy, which slammed him hard onto the cold deck; the Eternal Spear flew from his hand, humming as it embedded itself into the nearby metal wall.

Watching Thor fall, and seeing Thanos's legion begin to forcibly dock, Heimdall and Valkyrie exchanged a look, both seeing endless pain and the forced resolve in each other's eyes.

Valkyrie wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth fiercely and turned to rush to the command console. "All units, abandon the mothership! Execute the pre-planned dispersal strategy, evacuate at full speed!"

The surviving Asgardian civilians and warriors surged toward the escape pods. Small ships, like a school of frightened fish, ejected from every exit of the mothership, fleeing desperately in different directions.

However, the flicker of hope had just ignited before it was extinguished by an even deeper despair.

"Lock down the airspace, clear all escaping units. Half, I have given my promise. But this half will be screened by me personally." Thanos's cold voice rang out again.

Thanos's fleet, which had long been deployed around them, opened fire; dense, net-like interception beams blanketed every possible space for escape.

The shields of the escape pods were like paper, bursting into silent fireballs in space one after another.

Any warrior attempting to escape by personal ability was mostly caught and killed by Corvus Glaive and others, or by the fleet's firepower.

The final escape route for the Asgardians was completely blocked by death.

Meanwhile, the docking passage between Sanctuary II and the Asgardian mothership had been established.

The generals under Thanos began their charge toward the Asgardian ship.

Thanos's gaze remained fixed on Thor, who was struggling to stand up, covered in blood.

On the Infinity Gauntlet, the light of the Power Stone and the Reality Stone flowed slightly; Thanos wanted to completely break Thor's spine, letting him know who the true victor was now.

Chapter 247: Thor's Defeat

"Thor Odinson, the last King of Asgard. Your resistance ends here. Hand over the Space Stone. This is your only chance to trade for a chance at survival for half your people."

"Cough! Cough! In your dreams!"

Thor spat out a mouthful of blood, lightning flashing wildly in his eyes. He roared, "Asgardians would rather die standing than kneel to survive!"

"A lot of backbone. But backbone cannot save your people."

Thanos raised his left hand, and the Power Stone glowed slightly.

"No!!!"

As Thor's eyes split with rage, outside the observation window on one side of the bridge, an Asgardian escape pod, which had just been ejected not long ago and was filled with women and children, was swept by a purple beam of destruction, silently turning into cosmic dust without leaving even a single piece of wreckage.

"This is just the beginning," Thanos said indifferently. "For every second you delay, another escape pod will be annihilated. Hand over the Space Stone, or watch your kingdom, your bloodline, be completely severed before your eyes. Choose, Your Majesty."

Boundless despair gnawed at Thor's heart.

He could hear the faint cries from outside the cabin and could imagine his fellow countrymen who were scattered and fleeing being ruthlessly hunted down.

He was the new King of Asgard, burdened with the heavy responsibility of leading his people to find a new home, but now...

"I..." Thor's voice was hoarse, every word seemingly exhausting all his strength, "I..."

Just then, Loki, who had been silently curled up in the shadows of the corner, slowly stood up.

He opened his palm, and above it, a cube emitting a faint blue light slowly emerged.

"My Lord Thanos, please calm your anger. The Space Stone is here. I, Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard, am willing to offer this item to you. I only ask that you keep your promise and spare the remaining people."

"Loki! No!!!" Thor turned his head violently and roared hoarsely, struggling to pounce over, but was firmly restrained in place by Ebony Maw's invisible telekinesis. Even his mouth was sealed by a force, and he could only make muffled groans, his eyes filled with unbelievable heartache.

Thanos's gaze fell on the Tesseract, a flash of satisfaction appearing in his eyes.

He reached out his hand, "A wise choice, Loki. Present the stone."

Loki took a deep breath, as if having made his final decision, holding the Tesseract with both hands, and walked toward Thanos step by step.

His steps were steady, his eyes cast down, seemingly not daring to look directly at Thanos's majesty.

Thanos's attention was completely captured by the Space Stone. This stone was crucial to the next step of his grand plan.

Just as Loki reached about three steps away from Thanos, the moment he was about to hand over the Tesseract.

In Loki's lowered eyes, an unprecedented, sharp madness suddenly erupted!

His hands holding the Tesseract twisted strangely, and a dagger tempered with eerie green magic energy inside his sleeve, like a viper flicking its tongue, stabbed directly at Thanos's heart with a speed that exceeded visual capture.

This strike was extremely vicious, with no warning!

Loki even went as far as to use his ultimate source magic, reducing his presence to near nothingness the instant before the attack, interfering with any possible sensory prediction Thanos might have had!

All his bowing and scraping, all his fawning and compromising, were for this desperate strike!

To win a chance—however non-existent—for his brother and for Asgard to turn the tables!

The blade of the dagger was less than an inch from Thanos's heart!

Thanos's pupils suddenly contracted!

He truly did not expect Loki to dare launch such a desperate sneak attack at the moment of offering the stone!

The magic energy contained in this strike was extremely concentrated; if it hit, even with his reinforced body, he would inevitably be seriously injured.

However, on the Infinity Gauntlet, the red light of the Reality Stone flowed on its own the instant Thanos's thought arose!

The concept of existence of the space in front of the trajectory of Loki's dagger was forcibly interfered with by the power of the Reality Stone.

It was as if it had stabbed into absolute nothingness!

The sharp dagger, carrying the eerie green magic light, passed through that void space without any obstruction, swept past Thanos's chest, and stabbed into nothingness!

Powerful inertia caused Loki's body to lean forward, his move spent, leaving him completely exposed.

"Ant!" Thanos was both shocked and furious, a bead of cold sweat even seeping from his temple.

If not for the Reality Stone, he would have almost capsized in the gutter just now!

In his rage, the purple light on his left-hand Infinity Gauntlet surged, and the destructive energy of the Power Stone gushed out, instantly wrapping around Loki's neck!

"Ah!"

Loki only had time to let out a short cry of pain.

Under the crushing pressure of the pure and extreme power rule, his fragile cervical spine and neck bones were easily snapped like rotten wood!

The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, his body went limp like a rag doll, and the Tesseract in his hand rolled to the ground, making a crisp clattering sound.

"Loki!!!!!!"

Thor's soul seemed to be torn apart at this moment!

His eyes split with rage, his restrained body trembled crazily, and he let out a sorrowful howl that did not sound human. What flowed from his single eye was no longer tears, but tears of blood!

He watched helplessly as the brother who always teased him, yet always stood by his side at critical moments, had his life easily crushed before his eyes!

Thanos, still angry, snorted coldly, bent down, and picked up the Tesseract from the ground.

He applied a little force, and the shell of the Tesseractshattered, revealing the Space Stone inside, which was swirling with the Power of Space.

He aligned the stone with the third slot reserved on the Infinity Gauntlet and pressed it in gently.

The blue, purple, and red lights suddenly merged on the Infinity Gauntlet!

A surge of cosmic primal power, more violent than any time before, roared into Thanos's body!

Three completely different rule powers clashed crazily within him.

Thanos let out a painful muffled roar, veins bulged on his body, and the three-colored light darted under his skin like living creatures. His aura was climbing at an astonishing speed, as if about to break through some invisible boundary!

The entire Asgardian mothership, and even the surrounding space, trembled violently under the pressure of these three Infinity Stones initially converging!

Just at the moment when Thanos was fully adapting to the power of the three stones and his mind was slightly distracted!

"Hulk!!! Smash!!!"

A violent, ear-shattering roar exploded from the breach on the other side of the bridge!

A huge green figure slammed fiercely into Thanos, who had just embedded the Space Stone and whose aura was not yet stable!

Hulk, who had been knocked away somewhere during the previous melee, felt the aura of Loki's death and Thanos's suffocating evil power, and his rage broke through its limits!

This collision was unadorned, a purely savage combination of strength and speed!

Under Hulk's extreme rage, its power was far beyond any of his previous performances!

Although Thanos was agitated by merging the three stones, his combat instincts remained.

Facing this sudden savage collision, a fierce look flashed in his eyes. The purple light of the Power Stone on the Infinity Gauntlet flared, and he threw a punch toward Hulk!

Fist against fist!

An indescribable loud noise accompanied an Impact visible to the naked eye that exploded in a spherical shape!

The sturdy Asgardian mothership bridge, with the collision point as the center, shattered instantly like glass struck by a giant hammer.

Violent energy turbulence swept through everything around it!

Chapter 248: Hulk Also Defeated

Some of Thanos's soldiers who were slightly closer didn't even have time to scream before they were torn to pieces by the shockwave!

At the center of the collision, the alloy floor beneath Thanos's feet shattered inch by inch. His towering body slid backward for dozens of meters, plowing two deep trenches into the ground before he barely managed to steady himself.

His left hand felt slightly numb, and the purple light on the Infinity Gauntlet flickered for a moment.

As for Hulk, he fared even worse.

His body, as if hit head-on by an interstellar main cannon, flew backward at an even faster speed than he had arrived.

He crashed through seven or eight thick bulkheads in succession, finally embedding himself deep into a pile of twisted metal wreckage in the distance, with only his legs dangling helplessly outside.

Blood gushed out from beneath his ruptured skin, and his green muscles twisted unnaturally. He had clearly suffered severe internal injuries, and even his angry roars had become weak and intermittent.

"Hmph, an overreaching Beast." Thanos shook his left hand, and the three-colored light on the Infinity Gauntletgradually stabilized and merged, his aura becoming increasingly unfathomable.

He stepped toward the direction where Hulk had fallen, his eyes filled with chilling murderous intent.

This green monster was a variable that had to be completely eliminated.

"No... Hulk..." Thor watched as Hulk suffered heavy injuries to save them, about to be finished off by Thanos, his heart aching as if pierced by knives.

He could not stand by and watch another comrade, a friend, die before his eyes!

He used his last bit of strength to cast an imploring gaze toward Heimdall, who was not far away.

Heimdall understood Thor's gaze. It was the King's final request and the Guardian's final duty.

He took a deep breath, as if to ignite all his remaining vitality.

The golden light in his eyes, which symbolized his insight into the Nine Realms, flared up again like a final burst of life, even more brilliant than at any moment in the past!

He gripped his sword tightly with both hands and thrust it fiercely into the deck beneath his feet, the ancient runes on the sword lighting up one by one!

"In the name of Heimdall! By the pact of the last Watcher of Asgard! Open the trace of the Bifrost Bridge!"

Following Heimdall's shout, a seven-colored rainbow light burst from the tip of his sword, ignoring the barrier of space, and instantly struck the dying Hulk in the distant ruins!

The rainbow light flashed and vanished.

Hulk's body disappeared from the spot along with the light of the Bifrost Bridge.

Heimdall spat out a large mouthful of golden blood mixed with organ fragments. The golden light in his eyes extinguished completely, and his body collapsed to the ground as if all his bones had been drained away.

To forcibly initiate a micro-Bifrost Bridge transport to locate the distant Earth under Thanos's domain lockdown and the interference of the Infinity Stones, he had exhausted his last bit of divine power and life.

Thanos's footsteps stopped.

He looked at the place where Hulk had disappeared, then looked at Heimdall, who had died from exhaustion. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it immediately turned into cold indifference.

"A meaningless sacrifice," he commented. He then paid no more attention, turned around, and looked at the already near-collapsed Thor, as well as the surviving Asgardians throughout the bridge.

He slowly raised his left hand, wearing the Infinity Gauntlet with its three-colored light flowing.

"I, Thanos, keep my word. The Space Stone has been obtained, and my promise remains valid."

His gaze swept over the survivors, a gaze devoid of any emotion, like a farmer counting crops waiting to be harvested.

"Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Supergiant, Black Dwarf." Thanos called their names one by one.

"My Lord, we are here!" The four generals responded solemnly.

"Clear this place. Execute half. Leave the other half to fend for themselves. After completion, take all valuable spoils and return to Sanctuary II. It is time for us to head to the next destination."

"As you command, My Lord!"

Thanos's soldiers, led by the Black Order, began the execution like precision killing machines.

Thor was pressed firmly to the ground by Ebony Maw's powerful telekinesis, his face pressed against the cold, dirty deck.

His only remaining eye, through a gap, stared fixedly at Loki's gradually cooling and stiffening corpse not far away, and at the people who were being killed one by one in despair.

"No... No... Stop... I beg you..."

Thanos's soldiers were like a harvester cutting through a wheat field. Thanos said half, and they were executing this cruel and precise math.

Thor's eyes bulged, the power of thunder rampaging within his body, but it was locked tight by Ebony Maw's telekinesis, rendering him unable to move.

I don't know how long it had been, but the terrifying telekinesis pressing down on him suddenly vanished. Thanos's army withdrew in an orderly fashion.

Dead silence filled the bridge. The survivors collapsed on the ground, most with hollow eyes, having lost their focus, only their bodies trembling instinctively.

Thor struggled, using his elbows to prop up his upper body.

His arms shook violently, and it took several attempts before he could barely sit up.

He didn't dare to turn back to look at the piles of gradually cooling bodies, his gaze uncontrollably fixing on Loki again.

He, this useless brother, couldn't protect his people, couldn't even protect his younger brother.

"Ah... Ah ah... Ah!!!"

Thor's whole body trembled uncontrollably. He knelt there, facing Loki's direction.

Valkyrie walked up to him. She didn't speak, just raised her arm.

"Slap! Slap!"

She slapped Thor across the face, left and right.

Thor's head was knocked to the side, and clear fingerprints instantly appeared on his face. The sharp pain brought Thor, who had already become numb and desperate, back to his senses.

"Look at yourself, look around! Look at the people who are still alive! Look at the fear and hope in their eyes!"

"You are the damn King of Asgard! Your people, half are left, do you want to just lie on the ground like a stray dog with a broken spine and howl until you die?!"

The flame of hope reignited in Thor's previously hollow eyes.

He still had his people, he still had to take revenge, he couldn't just sink into despair like this.

But what needed to be done now was to settle the remaining half of his people. A figure abruptly burst into his chaotic thoughts.

"klein!"

"Perhaps klein... was the only person who could provide shelter for the Asgardian people at the moment."

Thor wiped his split lip with the back of his hand, braced his knees, and slowly stood up.

"Valkyrie. Take the remaining people to Earth. Go find a man named klein; he is the only one who can protect you."

Valkyrie's pupils shrank: "Earth? And you?"

Thor turned his head, his eyes burning with a fire Valkyriehad never seen before.

"I am going to find Thanos."

"Are you crazy?! If you go now, you're just going to your death!" Valkyrie grabbed his damaged chest armor.

"Look at yourself now! Look at Loki! Look at Heimdall! Haven't you woken up yet?!"

"I am very clear-headed, Valkyrie." Thor gently pushed her hand away. "It is precisely because I am clear-headed that I must go. This is my destiny, and it is my responsibility."

He looked at the surviving people behind him.

"Asgard has lost half. Because of my incompetence. This blood debt must be collected by its King."

"Whether living or dead, no matter how slim the hope, I must walk this path to the end."

"Protect them well. Take them to Earth. This is my final command, and my final request."

Valkyrie stared at him intensely, her chest heaving violently.

She knew she could not stop someone who had made up his mind, especially a King who was determined to die and carried a blood debt.

After a long while, her clenched fist slowly loosened. She took half a step back, pressed her right hand heavily over her heart on the left side of her chest, and performed a standard and ancient Asgardian warrior salute.

This was an allegiance to the King, and a farewell to one who was going to die.

"I will lead them to Earth, Your Majesty. I swear by the soul of the Valkyrie."

Thor nodded, took one last deep look in the direction where Loki rested, as if to carve his brother's final appearance into his soul.

Then, he turned around, no longer looking at the crying and devastation behind him, strode forward, and walked toward the emergency passage of a small spaceship on the other side of the bridge that was not yet completely damaged.

Chapter 249: klein Returns to Earth

On Sanctuary II, Thanos sat imposingly on his throne.

The Infinity Gauntlet on his left hand hung slightly low, the light of three stones pulsing slowly.

The The Black Order stood solemnly below, awaiting Thanos's orders.

Outside the spaceship windows were soldiers carrying out final cleanup tasks, along with that broken Asgardian immigrant ship.

Thanos's gaze swept over the three stones on the gauntlet, finally fixing on that deep blue radiance.

Obtaining the Space Stone not only meant he could instantly reach any corner of the Universe, but it also represented a critical milestone passed in his grand plan.

"Xandar, Land of Nihility, Asgard..." Thanos's deep voice echoed in the spacious bridge. "Three stones have already been secured. The scales of balance are tipping in my favor."

He raised his left hand wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, his gaze seemingly piercing through the hull, casting itself toward a distant point in the boundless starry sky.

"Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Supergiant, Black Dwarf."

"We are here!" the five answered in unison.

"Go to Earth." Thanos slowly uttered the coordinate. "Two Infinity Stones are stored there. The Ancient One has returned to Eternity, Odin has turned to stardust, and the greatest obstacles have vanished. The new Sorcerer Supreme? Merely an apprentice who has only just touched the surface of time. Your mission is to bring them back—intact—and place them into my hands."

Ebony Maw bowed elegantly, "As you command, great Master!"

Thanos clenched his left hand, the light of the three stones flaring slightly.

"The five of you go together. If you encounter resistance, you are permitted to use any necessary means. After completing the task, head directly to Titan to rendezvous with me."

Ebony Maw bowed again, "We will not fail you. Then, My Lord, what is your next destination?"

Thanos slowly rose from his throne, casting his gaze toward the boundless deep space outside the main observation window.

"I will go to personally obtain that most special Soul Stone. We will rendezvous on Titan. By then, all six Infinity Stones will be gathered, and the Universe will usher in its fated rebirth."

"For the great balance!" the The Black Order whispered in unison, their eyes burning with unwavering fanaticism for their Master's ideals.

Thanos said no more; he simply raised his left hand slowly, and on the Infinity Gauntlet, the blue Space Stonesuddenly erupted with brilliant light!

A vortex of energy twisting space unfolded before him out of thin air. Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward and entered the spatial portal.

Seeing Thanos depart, Ebony Maw straightened up, his slender fingers elegantly adjusting his lapels.

"Target: Solar System, Earth. Initiate the most efficient jump protocol. Let us retrieve those two weights for our Master."

...

Bringing the timeline back to klein.

Just as Thanos had arrived at the Land of Nihility, preparing to trade with The Collector for the Reality Stone.

klein had already brought Cosmo the space dog, silently crossing billions of light-years to return to Earth.

He did not choose to return directly to the antique shop in Brooklyn, but instead brought Cosmo and landed on a relatively quiet street in New York.

Cosmo, held in klein's arms, was currently trying to poke its furry head out, eyes wide, curiously surveying everything before it.

Skyscrapers rose into the clouds like a steel forest, and holographic billboards flickered with mesmerizing colors in the night.

"Boss... wh-where is this? So many strange houses! So tall! Won't they fall over? Is this Earth? Earth wasn't like this before! In my memories of cities, the tallest buildings only had a few floors!"

Cosmo pointed its paw at the giant, ever-changing electronic advertisements in the distance at Times Square. "What is that moving picture? Is it magic?"

"This is New York. It's been decades; there are bound to be some changes." klein rubbed its ears.

"New York?" Cosmo tilted its head, seemingly searching its memory database for the term, then, as if remembering something, "New York? The United States? This is that nest of evil capitalism! Boss, why did we come here? I heard from my old comrades that the capitalist lords here are terrible; they even eat children alive! The whole country is like that! Are we in danger?"

klein paused, his mouth twitching, momentarily rendered speechless.

What on Earth was this? Had Soviet ideological education really reached this point?

"Who told you capitalists here eat children alive?"

"Of course, the comrades! And the radio! They said that to maintain their luxurious lives and excess profits, capitalists will squeeze the last drop of blood from the workers; how is that any different from eating people? Plus, the U.S. is the most capitalist place on the entire Planet! We have to be careful, Boss; maybe there's a CIA Agent hiding around the corner waiting to catch me for dissection!"

Seeing Cosmo's nervous demeanor, klein gave up on the idea of reasoning with a dog on the street.

He sighed, "Fine, think what you want. But don't worry, with me here, no one is going to catch you for dissection. Come on, let me take you, old socialist comrade, to see what decadent capitalism is really like, and see if I can overturn your stereotypes."

Over the next few hours, klein led Cosmo on a stroll through the streets of New York.

They walked through the neon-lit Times Square, passed the famous Charging Bull on Wall Street, and until nearly late at night, Cosmo was still not finished, full of curiosity about every novelty, tugging at klein's pant leg, wanting to keep wandering.

"Alright, alright, it's time to go home. There are people waiting for us at home." klein scooped Cosmo into his arms without further ado.

"Home? Boss's home?" Cosmo's attention was instantly diverted, with a hint of anticipation and nervousness. "Is there good food? Will I really be full? I won't have to drink that nutrient solution that tastes like rusty screws again, right?"

"You'll be full, and it'll be good." klein promised, taking a step and returning to the backyard of the antique shop in Brooklyn.

Hearing the noise, the people inside came out to check. Seeing it was klein, Wanda threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"klein! You're finally back! It's been so long without a word, I was so worried, I missed you so much!"

klein caught her steadily, feeling the warm, soft body in his arms. He tightened his grip and planted a light kiss on her hair, "Yeah, I'm back. I missed you too, Wanda."

His gaze passed over Wanda's shoulder, looking into the house. Skye stood by the door with an equally joyful smile on her face, while 2B stood quietly a bit further back, her blue eyes calmly watching her returning Master.

"And Skye and 2B, I missed you all too."

"And me! And me!"

Wanda finally snapped out of the joy of reunion, blinking in confusion, lifting her face from klein's arms, "Who's talking?"

"Me! Look down! Look down!" The voice sounded again.

Wanda, Skye, and 2B simultaneously looked down subconsciously. There, by klein's feet, a Golden Retriever was sitting on the ground, head tilted up, a pair of large brown eyes watching them with curiosity.

The most amazing thing was that even though its mouth didn't move, the voice clearly entered their minds.

"!!!"

Wanda opened her mouth slightly in surprise, subconsciously stepping back half a step from klein's arms, crouching down to look at the Golden Retriever at eye level, "You... are you the one talking? A dog can actually talk?"

Cosmo immediately extended its right front paw, making a gesture similar to a handshake. "Hello! Beautiful ladies! My name is Cosmo, the new underling Boss recruited! Boss said you all like dogs, and there's lots of good food at home, and I'll be full! Is it true?"

The surprise on Wanda's face was quickly replaced by immense curiosity. She carefully reached out, gently touching the paw Cosmo had extended, then couldn't help but pet its furry head.

"Oh my god! You really can talk! That's amazing!"

Skye also walked over with a gentle smile, crouching next to Wanda, curiously examining Cosmo, "Hello, Cosmo, welcome here. I am Skye."

"Hello, Ms. Skye! You look so kind!" Cosmo wagged its tail.

"Hello, Cosmo. I am 2B."

"Hello, Ms. 2B!"

klein stood to the side, watching Wanda, Skye, and 2B quickly become attracted to this extroverted space dog, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

It seems that as long as they are women, they will be attracted to cute things. Especially since this is a dog that can talk!

Chapter 250: Coming Home (Part 2)

klein returned, and Wanda, Skye, and 2B started preparing dinner.

Because klein hadn't been home recently, Aunt Mei hadn't been visiting as often, so she didn't come over today.

Cosmo sat by the table, his nose twitching frantically, his tail wagging like a helicopter rotor.

"This is delicious! This is good too! What's that? It smells so good! Oh my god, this soup is amazing! It's been ages since I've had such a tasty meal!"

He buried his face in the special food bowl Wanda had prepared for him, eating without even lifting his head, the slurping sounds never stopping.

Of the table full of dishes, at least a table and a half's worth had ended up in Cosmo's doggy stomach.

Watching him eat like he'd been starved for a lifetime, Wanda smiled with her eyes curved into crescents and reached out to pet his head. "If it's good, eat more. You'll have it every day from now on."

Cosmo looked up, a leaf of vegetable hanging from his mouth, his eyes sparkling. "Really? Then I'll definitely eat more! You're so nice, Wanda!"

Skye smiled to herself on the side and placed a piece of spare rib into his bowl.

After dinner, klein finished washing up and headed toward the bedroom, ready for a good night's sleep.

Cosmo trotted along behind his heels and slipped into the room as well.

klein glanced back at him and pointed toward the door. "Out. You're sleeping in the living room tonight."

Cosmo sat down on the floor with a thud. "I don't want to! I want to sleep with you! I want to sleep with the nice-smelling ladies!"

Without a word, klein bent down, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, walked to the door, and kicked him out.

"You want to sleep in the same room as the ladies? I want to too! Get lost, and don't get in the way of my business."

With a bang, the door closed.

Cosmo lay outside the door, pawing at the crack, but couldn't get it open.

He pricked up his ears to listen for a moment, then his expression suddenly changed. He began frantically scratching at the door, his voice urgent and panicked. "Wanda! I'm coming to save you! Cosmo is here to save you! Boss, don't hit Wanda! Wanda is a good person! Stop hitting her! Open the door! Open the door! Open up!"

There was no response from inside, only some faint, indistinct sounds.

Cosmo scratched even harder, his voice growing louder. "Wanda, don't be afraid! I'm coming in to save you right now! Boss, stop it! If you hit her again, I'm going to… I'm going to break down the door!"

After a while, the door across the hall opened a crack.

Skye poked her head out, blushing, and dragged Cosmointo the room next door. Lowering her voice, she said, "Don't worry about them… I'll cuddle you to sleep."

Cosmo blinked, looked at Skye, then at the tightly shut door next door. He decisively abandoned his rescue mission, and his tail started wagging again. "That works too! As long as there's a nice-smelling lady!"

He obediently jumped onto the bed, curled into a furry ball beside Skye, and let out a satisfied yawn.

The next day, 2B was already dressed and in the kitchen preparing breakfast for everyone.

Skye was also up, holding a coffee cup and sipping it slowly, a lingering blush still on her face.

Cosmo was sitting on the stool next to her with his designated food bowl in front of him, happily digging in.

The breakfast on the table was almost gone, except for the door to klein and Wanda's room, which remained tightly shut.

Cosmo rolled the last piece of bacon into his mouth, licked his lips in satisfaction, looked up at the closed door upstairs, and twitched his ears.

A while later, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Wanda came downstairs. She was wearing loose loungewear, her hair was casually disheveled, and her gait was a bit unnatural.

As soon as Cosmo saw Wanda, he immediately abandoned his food bowl, scurried over on his four little legs to her feet, and tilted his head up, his eyes full of concern and indignation.

"Wanda! Wanda! You're finally down! Are you okay? Last night I heard the Boss hitting you! I heard your cries of pain! How could he do that? You're so cute and so gentle, how could he bring himself to hit you?"

Cosmo became more and more agitated as he spoke, his tail stopped wagging. "Tell me the truth, did he bully you? Even though I'm a dog, I have a sense of justice! I'll go reason with him! He can't treat you like this!"

Wanda's face turned bright red, as if it were about to bleed. Her eyes darted around in a panic. "No… that's not it, Cosmo. We really weren't fighting…"

"Impossible! I heard it! You were screaming so loudly, it must have hurt! Don't be afraid of him. Even if I can't beat him, I can help you scold him! My tongue is sharp!"

"It's really not what you think…" Wanda's voice grew quieter and quieter, almost wanting to bury herself in the floor.

Just then, lazy footsteps sounded on the stairs.

klein was wearing a loose T-shirt and shorts, shuffling in slippers, and walking down the stairs while yawning.

He saw Cosmo circling Wanda, yapping non-stop.

klein raised an eyebrow, and without a word, walked over and kicked, accurately sending Cosmo tumbling.

"How the hell did I not notice you were such a meddlesome idiot of a dog? What are you yapping about early in the morning? Get lost!"

Cosmo rolled twice on the ground, scrambled up, shook off his fur, and glared at klein without fear. "You tyrant! I can endure you hitting me, but you can't hit Wanda! This is domestic violence! I'm going to report you to the Animal Protection Association! I'm going to report you to the Women's Federation!"

"Go to hell!" klein was so angry he laughed. "Who hit her? You stupid dog doesn't know squat! Keep yapping and I'll stew you tonight!"

Wanda blushed and tugged on klein's sleeve, whispering, "Don't scold him. He's just concerned about me…"

klein huffed, decided not to bicker with the stupid dog anymore, and went to sit at the table.

Skye, already blushing, brought over the breakfast she'd saved for him. She kept her head down, not daring to look at him, and whispered, "Eat up, it'll get cold."

klein took the plate, shoveled a few bites in, and suddenly said, "Let's go camping today."

Chewing on a fried egg, he continued indistinctly, "Ask Pietro and Peter to come along. You've been stuck at home for so long, you must be bored out of your minds. Let's find a place with nice scenery—have a barbecue, go fishing, look at the stars, and relax."

Wanda's eyes lit up, and she smiled with anticipation. "Sounds great! Skye and I haven't been out in ages."

Skye also nodded, a smile on her lips. "I'll go prepare the supplies."

2B replied calmly, "I will go check the vehicle and the route."

Cosmo was the first to jump up, his tail wagging like an electric fan. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Camping! I love camping! I can chase squirrels! And I can roll around in the grass!"

klein glanced at him and said irritably, "You stupid dog, how did I not notice you were this dumb before?"

Cosmo held his head high and retorted righteously, "This is called being innocent and lively! A tyrant like you wouldn't understand!"

klein couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore, so he took out his phone and started making calls.