"Since our military strength is insufficient and we cannot afford attrition, what about an ally—the Kree Empire?"
"No."
Selene turned to look at Esdeath, who had just returned from leading the cleansing fleet, her brows carrying a look that practically said she had enjoyed the slaughter. Selene smiled faintly.
"Don't let the blue-skinned species mislead you with their militaristic, racial, and belligerent behavior on the battlefield and in foreign policy."
"They are not rigid at all. The Parliament, the Senate, the Supreme Intelligence—they balance and coordinate one another. The current Kree will not lose their heads and recklessly go all out against Thanos."
Especially the being known as the Supreme Intelligence.
It was the crystallization of tens of thousands of years of Kree development, the highest intellect they had ever produced. It encompassed science, philosophy, military theory, ideology, and more. It did not ask about stance or personal preference. It would only perform the most ruthless calculations and comprehensive evaluations to determine the option most aligned with the Kree Empire's interests.
"Xandar."
Selene spoke a single geographical name.
"The Nova Empire should currently have quite a bit of anger to vent on Thanos."
Where had Thanos obtained the Power Stone? The Orb. And where had the Orb been stored? After Ronan the Accuser was defeated in that absurd dancing duel, Star-Lord handed it over to the Nova Empire, where it was kept on their capital world, Xandar.
And as the universe's number one terrorist, Thanos was clearly not as civilized as Master Chief John. Even when selling planet-destroying weapons in exchange for money and resources, John would seek guarantors and follow proper procedures.
As for the so-called Neutral Treaty, the Mad Titan would find it abrasive even to use as toilet paper. And the guards of Xandar? Mere chickens and dogs, heads marked for the taking. If they fought, they fought.
He never cared about the process, nor did he deign to consider the consequences. Thanos only cared that his objective was achieved.
Without even checking the galactic news, Selene could already guess that Xandar's situation was far from ideal.
The Nova Corps was decent, but faced with the sudden arrival of the universe's top terrorist at their doorstep, they likely fell short. Moreover, Xandar's neutral status as one of the universe's major commercial transit hubs meant enormous traffic flow. There would inevitably be loopholes, and complacency among the defenders was normal. The breach of their defensive perimeter would not be surprising.
However, the Nova Empire was still one of the universe's recognized major powers. They had once withstood the Kree Empire's military conquest. The annihilated capital garrison could not possibly represent the entirety of their strength.
Thanos only wanted the Power Stone. The massacre and destruction of Xandar were incidental. He would come quickly and leave just as quickly.
If even so Thanos could cripple Xandar's military, then setting aside whether the Xandarians were simply too incompetent, would that not suggest Thanos' power was becoming excessive?
The Shi'ar and the Kree would never sit still. No matter what, they would seek to weaken such an unstable and violently terrorist force.
In the original timeline, Selene guessed it was because Thanos achieved his goal so quickly. The Snap eliminated half of the Nova Empire's population. Then he retired to become a farmer, and the Black Order disbanded on the spot. With so many factors layered together, the Nova Empire ultimately lacked the impetus to pursue vengeance against him.
"We at least shared a pleasant auction. Contact Xandar. Let us see whether they intend to avenge this grievance."
Selene closed the information stream on the screen in a teasing tone and casually snapped her fingers.
"Try contacting the Shi'ar Empire as well. At worst, it's just one more interstellar long-distance message."
As if recalling something else, Selene added with a playful edge, "The Shi'ar are probably quite resentful about the Mad Titan prisoner who managed to escape."
This was not a deeply buried or secret piece of information. Thanos had been active for so long that he had inevitably stumbled before.
The one who had caused him to fail was the Shi'ar Empire—the fastest developing, most promising, and youngest of the universe's three great rogue powers.
The Shi'ar Imperial Guard and Gladiator had once overwhelmed Thanos through coordinated assault and imprisoned the Mad Titan.
Although Thanos ultimately escaped, and his subsequent growth in strength along with the expansion of the Black Order made it inconvenient for the Shi'ar to attempt another capture, that did not prevent them from publicizing the incident.
"Understood. I will discuss it with Master Chief."
Esdeath nodded. She glanced out the viewport at near-planetary space, then turned and walked out. As if still harboring doubts, she stopped at the access door and turned back, a trace of contemplation flashing across her face.
"Ask," Selene said, perceiving her confusion.
"What is the purpose of all this? What effect are we trying to achieve?"
Esdeath knew she was overstepping. She carefully chose neutral phrasing, trying not to cross any lines.
"Nourishment." Selene leaned against the corridor viewport, rubbing her clawed blades together.
"'Nourishment'?"
Esdeath's delicate brows lifted slightly as she lowered her head.
She instinctively assumed Selene intended, as she often did, to annex this universe and use it as sustenance to climb higher... but she quickly shook her head. That was the ultimate end toward which all empires marched when conquering worlds. Everyone understood that.
Selene did not elaborate. She merely smiled gently and pointed to her Servant body, now an amalgamation after housing chaotic demonic power, cosmic energy, singularity energy from the Gemstones, photon energy, the Power of the Sentinel, primordial cosmic essence, a trace of the Phoenix Force, and far too many other fundamental forces.
"Savor this body well. You and I are but dust... A fulcrum to pry open 'this place' still awaits our feeding."
Esdeath still did not quite grasp Selene's meaning. She tapped her forehead lightly. Forget it. She was merely an executor. She bowed and withdrew.
Baring her teeth in a smile, Selene withdrew her gaze and turned slightly, looking straight through the viewport toward the distant end of near-orbit starfields. The deep curtain of stars shimmered like a dream, glittering in the darkness like the eyes of heaven silently watching everything here.
"Thanos will thank me."
"Everyone will thank me. You, me, them—we all win."
She raised an invisible cup to the bright moon. Multicolored spirit and essence flowed outward from her palm like the veins of a leaf, radiant and resplendent.
"Power, Space, Reality... now Soul... The next will be Time, I presume."
The surrounding cosmic energy trembled, as if in an instant it had grown a fraction denser.
Selene could sense it. When four Gemstones gathered together, the singularities of that primordial power resonated with one another. In her hand, the Time and Mind Stones trembled faintly.
Thanos forged the Infinity Gauntlet as a vessel to bear the six Infinity Stones. There was a precise installation sequence that could not be reversed or misplaced—from Power, Space, Reality, and Soul, to Time and Mind. It was a process designed to help the wielder reproduce the true power of the Gemstones to the greatest extent possible.
Time and Mind were the final two. That was also the reason Selene had seized these two Gemstones first. From illusion to reality—without authority over the Mind, Thanos would be unable to turn thought into manifestation. Even if he snapped his fingers, it would be meaningless. He would have to face Selene.
"I will be waiting for you here..." A blazing fire burned in Selene's eyes.
The stage had already been set. All that remained was for the guests to don their makeup and step into the spotlight.
Let us hope Thanos would not court death by coming alone... If he did, Selene would find it difficult to play along and rescue the scene... she would have no choice but to adjust certain parts of her plan.
"Do not disappoint me, dear Thanos."
...
"Ebony Maw, assemble my fleet."
Two had gone. One returned. Thanos, back from Vormir alone, stood before the shattered star-ring throne of his flagship, Sanctuary III. His voice was heavy and hoarse, carrying a faint trace of sorrow.
"Yes, my lord."
Gamora was nowhere to be seen. Knowing enough of the truth, Ebony Maw did not dare question him. He did not even report news concerning his so-called son-in-law, Star-Lord, or the Guardians of the Galaxy. Converting everything into data transmissions instead, he bowed and withdrew at once.
"..."
"The hardest choices require the strongest wills."
For a long while, the vast throne hall remained empty save for Thanos. He looked at the gem in his palm—the one radiating a translucent orange glow. In his terrifying, cold eyes lingered tenderness and profound pain, as though he were gazing upon a sleeping girl. Gently, he lifted the stone and pressed it to his brow.
Even Thanos could not describe what he felt in that moment. His tear ducts seemed beyond his control. A large, scalding tear slid down the Mad Titan's rough purple cheek and fell onto the table with a clearly audible drip.
The pain burrowed into his bones, like a dulled rasp grinding against his heart.
"I am sorry, little one."
His voice was low and heavy as he covered his face with one hand, concealing his expression beneath the golden helm.
"Forgive me, daughter... Now I will fulfill my promise to you. I will prevent tragedy. Every newborn child will eat their fill beneath clear skies and live in paradise..."
His tone gradually firmed. When he opened his eyes again and the final tear fell, the Titan's imperial majesty and cold authority returned. His wide, luminous eyes turned toward the trembling, twisting void outside—the disturbance caused by the Black Order's fleet assembling in numbers vast enough to blot out the stars.
Ding.
"I will succeed."
Thanos gently set the Soul Stone into the Infinity Gauntlet. It embedded itself at the position between the little finger and the metacarpal.
Buzz—
Streams of orange energy surged outward from the Gauntlet, then quickly flowed through his entire body, as though the blood in his veins had become accelerating currents of radiant liquid. Thanos clenched his left fist.
He felt it.
From the Andromeda Galaxy—the resonance of the Time and Mind Stones held by the Eternal's Apostle.
Thanos said nothing further. He did not use the Space Stone to teleport directly before Selene. Instead, he slowly ascended the steps, turned, and seated himself upon the Void Throne.
"Summon the Five Generals, the leaders of every race, and the Dark Lords."
He was not a fool.
Nor was arrogance exercised in such a manner. His opponent this time was the Divine Empress Order, followers of the Eternal God's apostle—not Earth's mortal superheroes who could be compared so lightly.
Yes, in recent times he had grown far stronger by constantly absorbing cosmic radiation and gathering ancient universal energies, steadily unlocking the limits of the Eternal race's potential. But his opponent was no less formidable.
If he possessed divine favor, they possessed divine blessing.
If he were to charge alone into the garrison of the Divine Empress Order, that would not be fulfilling his promise to his daughter, nor repaying or courting the favor of Lady Death—it would be the act of a court jester, amusing the gods with clumsy antics and tasteless jokes.
"I will wager everything..."
...
"Ah—! Thanos, Thanos is here!"
"Calm down, calm down! Hey, Dr. Bruce Banner, it's Stark—wake up!"
Beside a monitored bed in the ship's medical ward, Stark watched as Dr. Banner's emotions fluctuated violently, triggering an instinctive stress response. There was no helping it. The rampage in Johannesburg years ago, which indirectly led to the Sokovia crisis, had left a deep impression.
"Don't turn into the Hulk. Easy, Dr. Banner, you can do it. Don't turn into the Hulk..."
Amid Stark's incessant repetition, "Tony?" Banner called out. He opened his eyes. The pale ultraviolet sterilization lights and the familiar scent of disinfectant quickly pulled his consciousness back to reality.
"And Thor! That's great—you're alright!"
Seeing Thor with short hair standing beside Stark, Banner immediately recalled the horrific scene aboard the refugee ship. Grabbing Thor's hand, he shook it excitedly. "Where's Thanos? You defeated him?"
His sweat-soaked hair clung messily to his forehead and neck. Banner looked like a startled animal, shoulders trembling, neck hunched, as though he had been beaten into psychological trauma by Thanos.
Stark glanced at Thor. Was Thanos really that strong?
After spending considerable time explaining what had happened, Stark finally finished. Banner fell silent, his mouth slightly open in disbelief.
"I was only gone from Earth for a short while... and things changed this much?"
"That's why I'm not afraid of you turning into the Hulk now. I'm afraid you'd be treated as an uncontrollable threat and beaten to death," Stark joked.
"The Hulk probably doesn't want to come out anymore..." Banner said bitterly. "I can feel it. When I tried to suppress him before, there was no response at all."
Thor was not pleased to hear that. They were about to fight—how could the green giant lose his nerve now? "Hulk, come out! We really need you right now..." Thor grabbed Banner by the shoulders and shook him.
"NO—!" came the Hulk's reply.
Half of Banner's face briefly turned green before quickly reverting. He collapsed back onto the bed.
"Silence!"
Just as Stark and Thor exchanged helpless looks, heavy footsteps echoed against the deck—Orichalcum magnetic boots striking metal. A deep voice with a metallic timbre resounded from the speakers.
A silver helmet of intimidating design loomed before the private ward. The figure wore armor even more excessive than the Veronica anti-Hulk suit—an iron giant adorned with double-headed eagles, lightning motifs, and winged skulls.
"No noise inside the infirmary. Must I repeat myself?"
Stark admitted fault with proper decorum. Thor merely grinned sheepishly.
Only Banner remained frozen. For a researcher, this was a situation difficult to remain calm in.
"Did General Ross' unreliable super soldier project actually succeed?" he muttered.
The silver-armored giant lowered his gaze upon him. "Since you're awake, Bruce Banner—come register."
—
—
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven