Chapter 472: Seizing the Infinity Stones
Parallel Marvel Universe
After much deliberation, Silas decided to simply remain in this parallel universe. He would wait for the plot to unfold and slowly interfere from the shadows. Having made his decision, he retreated into the Shadow Kingdom, observing the life of his parallel self.
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, the infant version of himself grew into an adult. Silas watched as his counterpart "stole the kill" at the end of the battle between Tony Stark and Iron Monger, securing the reactor from Obadiah Stane's chest.
This activated the Talisman System for the other Silas. From there, his life became a series of "cheat-like" successes: first, the growth and transformation of Peter Parker, and then the sudden assault by Dr. Connors.
Although this world's Silas had awakened the Shadow Kingdom, he could not detect the original Silas's presence. The original Silas's magical power was far superior; neither Destiny nor the Shadow Ninjas could sense him lurking in the folds of their reality.
Under Silas's silent witness, the Shadow Ninjas "Big Black" and "Little Black" were born, though he knew they were not the same companions from his own world. Later, when Dr. Connors was being absorbed by the Shadow Eaters, Silas hesitated before secretly intervening to save the doctor's life. This led the parallel Silas to believe the Shadow Eaters had simply accidentally "digested" Connors, and he thought no more of it.
Then came the Green Goblin. The Parker brothers teamed up to subdue Norman Osborn. As Tony Stark arrived on the scene and Osborn neared death, a sudden anomaly occurred—the Peter Parker from the future appeared! He saved Osborn at the last moment, though he did not leave him in this timeline.
Osborn was saved?Silas was genuinely surprised. Would the Peter from his own world also save Osborn during his time travels?
Despite this deviation, everything else proceeded in an orderly fashion until the Battle of New York. This was where Silas decided to step in.
The Battle of New York
The Avengers assembled and thwarted Loki's scheme, closing the wormhole and saving the Earth. While the team decided to head to a nearby restaurant for a well-earned meal, leaving the cleanup to SHIELD, Silas watched from the shadows. He saw the Avengers from the future secretly take the stones and then return them a second later.
It's time.
Silas stepped out of the Shadow Kingdom. He wore obsidian-colored robes that completely concealed his features, and he utilized the stealth of the Snake Talisman to remain invisible.
Inside the Elevator:
HYDRA agents had just secured the Mind Scepter and the Tesseract. As they prepared to descend, Silas materialized inside the elevator.
"Excuse me, sir, who are you with?" a HYDRA agent asked suspiciously. He had never seen this man in black before.
Silas ignored the question, reaching out to press the elevator button. The doors slid shut. Sensing something was wrong, the HYDRA agents simultaneously reached for the weapons at their waists.
In that moment of extreme tension, Silas leaned into the ear of the lead agent and whispered:
"Hail HYDRA."
He let out a faint, knowing smile. The agents froze in shock, assuming this mysterious, powerful figure was a high-ranking member of their own secret organization.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened. Silas walked out carrying the two briefcases, leaving the stunned HYDRA agents behind. They figured the organization must have forgotten to mention a special operative.
Having secured two Infinity Stones, Silas opened a portal to the Moon. He had thought about merging them on Earth but feared the energy signature would be too easily detected. On the Moon, with the power of Tso Lan and the Dog Talisman, he was immune to the vacuum and solar radiation, and he had no need for oxygen.
"Infinity Stones... the 'me' in my original universe was far too hesitant. I should have just taken them from the start."
Silas pried the Mind Stone from the scepter and crushed the crystalline shell of the Tesseract to reveal the Space Stone. The glowing gems floated before him—their power was as mesmerizing as it was lethal.
"Incredible power. I need it."
He began to form hand seals. Endless magical energy poured from his body, like a dam bursting. Black Demon Chi enveloped the two stones. Silas exerted his will.
CRACK!
With a sound like shattering glass, the physical casings of the Infinity Stones broke! The raw energy within exploded outward, attempting to scatter into the cosmos, but was caught by a massive, spectral hand.
"I didn't release you just so you could run away," Silas smiled. His telekinetic grip held the yellow and blue energies fast.
The Tiger Talisman within him began to spin rapidly. "Become part of me!"
His voice rang out like a great bell across the lunar surface. The two energy streams surged toward him. Since Infinity Stones naturally seek a host, they were more than happy to enter Silas. However, the moment they entered his body and attempted to tear his physical form apart to claim it, the Taiji symbol of the Tiger Talisman expanded across his chest.
The violent energies were instantly tamed, flowing through his veins as gently as kittens, providing him with a localized, inexhaustible source of power.
"Such strength!"
Silas was ecstatic. The power of the stones was far greater than the initial level of his talismans, and their energy felt bottomless. Centered on the Moon, a beam of light shot straight into the heavens, vibrating through the solar system and echoing across the galaxy.
Technological civilizations across the cosmos detected the massive energy spike on Earth's moon.
"What is happening?" In deep space, Thanos felt a cold shiver. He had lost his connection to the Mind Stone. It felt as though it had been isolated—or consumed. If it was gone, his plan was in ruins. Yet, he dared not approach Earth while the Ancient One still lived. He decided to accelerate his other plans outside of Earth's reach, turning his fleet toward Xandar.
Earth
Governments worldwide observed the lunar eruption but could not explain it. Amidst the global panic, Silas returned to Earth. The Ancient One approached him once more, but she didn't come to stop him. Instead, she made a request: let Stephen Strange stop Dormammu before he took the Time Stone.
Silas readily agreed. Relieved, the Ancient One departed.
He continued to wait. He needed the events of Thor: The Dark World to occur so he could claim the Reality Stone. Because of the "disappearance" of the Tesseract and Scepter, SHIELD underwent a massive internal purge. Thor, having no other choice, took Loki back to Asgard. There, Odin forbade Thor from returning to Earth until he grew stronger, much to Thor's agony.
Time passed. Through a rift in a different dimension, Silas found the Aether. The moment he touched it, the Aether surged into his body. Unlike the other stones, the Aether desperately sought a qualified host. It intended to dominate him, but it was met by the massive Taiji seal and the familiar presence of the Space and Mind energies.
"Stronger still."
Silas flexed his hand, his bones popping with a sharp crackle. He flew back into space. He could no longer stay on Earth; he had to find the Power and Soul Stones.
However, the conditions for the Soul Stone were harsh. It required the sacrifice of a loved one.
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