Reading settings
text size
Text alignment
theme

Marvel: Start Signing in with Megatron_chapter_0063

Chapter 98

Marvel: Start Signing in with Megatron Chapter 63

Red Skull, his face red as if flayed, gazed silently at Thanos.

Thanos nodded noncommittally and said, "Tell me, how can I acquire the Soul Stone?"

Red Skull bowed his head deeply, maintaining a humble demeanor.

Yet, in his heart, he desired Thanos to obtain the Soul Stone more than anyone.

Once the Soul Stone had a master, he could escape this cursed place, return to Earth, and wage war against his old rival, Captain America!

This damned Infinity Stone had deceived him. Back then, it gave him hope of ruling Earth, but in the end, it kicked him into an even deeper abyss, directly teleporting him to Vormir. His soul was enslaved by the Infinity Stone; it abandoned him, turning him into an unlucky wretch, little more than a servant.

He was a man who craved the power of a gem, even once possessing an Infinity Stone, but ultimately he was forever imprisoned on this barren planet, year after year, patiently waiting for someone to obtain the Soul Stone.

He had waited until now.

This damned Soul Stone had held him captive for over seventy years!

Although, through the Soul Stone, he had learned many secrets he would never have known in normal circumstances, it wasn't important; secrets were nothing compared to freedom.

He gazed at Thanos's figure; he had waited too long for this moment.

"You can't give the Infinity Stone to this butcher!!" Gamora, dragged along by Nebula, furiously roared at Red Skull.

Red Skull, his face serene, led Thanos to the edge of the cliff and said lightly, "The Soul Stone is the most special of all the gems. It despises all mediocre life. If you wish to obtain it, you must pay a price."

Red Skull stood beside Thanos, his low, steady voice reaching Thanos's ears.

Thanos said coldly, "What does the Soul Stone demand?"

Red Skull replied, "What the Soul Stone demands is simple: a soul for a soul. It is a fair exchange. If you wish to obtain it, you must offer the soul of a loved one to the Soul Stone." Red Skull's voice was calm.

Everyone turned their heads to look at Red Skull, their eyes filled with utter incredulity.

Make the Cosmic Butcher, this fellow named Thanos, offer the soul of a loved one?

A loved one?

How could their master possibly possess such ridiculous emotions?

Instantly, the subtle greed and longing for the Soul Stone in the eyes of the Black Order, along with Nebula, vanished. Originally, they had considered seizing the Soul Stone themselves, before Thanos could get his hands on it.

They would instantly possess power surpassing Thanos, easily capable of killing him.

But now? The soul of a loved one? Don't be ridiculous; high-ranking members of the Dark Quadrant like them had no such thing.

A meaningful glint also flashed in Red Skull's eyes.

He was an arch-schemer who had founded Hydra, possessing the keenest grasp of human nature. Now, as he looked at Thanos, his eyes revealed a probing curiosity, as if he had found an amusing toy.

How would the last Titan, who came for a grand ideal, a man burdened with the future yet feared by countless others, act now?

If he didn't choose, he would never have another chance to turn the tide. When the person named Martin found Vormir, he would surely use every means to acquire the Soul Stone, and Thanos would be left with no opportunities.

"I've been waiting for this day," Gamora suddenly laughed, her voice filled with delight, "to witness your dream crumble!"

Nebula immediately fell into a rage, drawing her blade at Red Skull. "You damned thing, you did this on purpose, didn't you? It's a lie!"

"No, this is fair and entirely reasonable. The Soul Stone has its own willpower; what it desires must either be offered to it, or you leave this place," Red Skull said lightly. At the same time, he looked at Thanos, who was silent as a rock. "Furthermore, Thanos is already prepared to offer a loved one to the Soul Stone."

Thanos stood at the very front, overlooking the cliff below, his back to everyone. Heavy snow drifted over, quickly piling snowflakes onto his body.

On either side of him, countless colossal stone pillars rose from the earth, and at this moment, they seemed to be observing Thanos, awaiting his decision.

Tears, one after another, slipped from the eyes of the Cosmic Butcher, scattering in the wind.

"Father?" Nebula stared at Thanos, disbelief etched on her face.

Even the Black Order looked astonished. A loved one, that kind of thing—Thanos having one?

Thanos turned.

His face was already streaked with tears.

His gaze shifted, slowly, landing on Gamora.

Gamora froze, then her expression dramatically changed: "No! This is impossible, how could a monster like you... No!"

"I'm sorry, my daughter."

Thanos grabbed Gamora's arm, then forcibly dragged her and threw her off the cliff.

The expression on Gamora's face was frozen forever, filled with deep confusion. Even at the moment of her death, she still couldn't believe that Thanos, whom she considered her sworn enemy, the butcher she dreamed of killing, loved her the most...

With a soft thud.

Everything froze at this scene.

In that instant, the countless stone pillars on either side suddenly erupted with brilliant light, shooting straight into the sky. Amidst a thunderous roar, a latent power was awakening, resonating with Thanos.

"Thanos, you have obtained the Soul Stone, possessing the power to reverse this universe!"

The most frantic one was none other than Red Skull; he laughed almost maniacally, clearly feeling the shackles binding him continuously disappearing. He was gaining freedom!

Everything was enveloped by this terrifying light. A boundless power, directly targeting the soul, erupted suddenly, engulfing them all.

Thanos abruptly opened his eyes, his consciousness returning. He warily looked around, only to find himself standing in a pool of water.

A small, green-skinned girl was quietly looking at him.

"Daughter?" Thanos softly called out, like a father calling his child.

"You have obtained the Soul Stone. You succeeded."

The young Gamora spoke, gazing at him quietly.

"Yes, as long as I can get the Soul Stone..." Thanos murmured.

"Now that you have the Soul Stone, what do you plan to do? Go after Martin to seize the other Infinity Stones?"

"I will seek out the Reality Stone, and then..."

"No, that won't do. Even if you find the Reality Stone, you won't be able to win with strength alone."

Gamora gently shook her head.

At this moment, Thanos understood; the person before him was no longer his beloved daughter.

"Who are you?"

Thanos looked at the other party with cold indifference.

The young Gamora calmly stated, "The Soul Stone is the most unique of all the gems. It possesses its own willpower and can subtly interfere with other Infinity Stones. Thanos, if you wish to win, to achieve your ideals, to save the future destiny of this universe, the Soul Stone is the key to your ultimate victory."

Thanos's gaze grew even colder, a glint of frost flashing in his eyes.

"You will understand one day, Thanos... the one to whom destiny belongs." As Gamora's voice faded.

A power originating from the soul surged forth from Thanos, obscuring all the visions.

When he awoke again, a beautiful orange stone lay quietly in his palm, emitting a dazzling radiance that captivated the soul.

"The Soul Stone..."

A rare hint of numbness appeared in Thanos's eyes. His heavy, blood-stained hand slowly closed and tightened.

This, his daughter had exchanged her life for.

No one knew the anguish in his heart at that moment, having personally sacrificed the daughter he raised from childhood to the Soul Stone, solely to gain the power to realize his ideals.

The price was too heavy, so heavy that even Thanos, with his unyielding willpower, now breathed rapidly, struggling for air.

"No matter which deity is reminding me, I have my own plans."

Thanos took a deep breath, his icy demeanor returning. His heart once again turned cold-blooded.

Whoosh!

A blue Space-Time Vortex suddenly appeared on Vormir, precisely in front of Thanos.

A tall figure emerged from the vortex, wearing a peculiar gauntlet on his right hand, adorned with four sparkling Infinity Stones.

"This is our first meeting, Thanos."

Martin slowly walked over, then stopped ten meters in front of Thanos, his gaze fixed on the orange gem in Thanos's hand.

Thanos looked at Martin, who seemed to have been waiting for a long time, and a flicker of shock immediately appeared on his face.

"Why do you know the Soul Stone is on Vormir?" Thanos's face darkened.

"No reason, I just know."

Martin revealed his gauntlet; the four lights shimmered, intertwining with the orange glow of the Soul Stone. Faintly, a unique frequency, existing only between Infinity Stones, began to fluctuate.

"I don't care what those decaying deities told you, nor am I interested in your inner thoughts. I'm just here to tell you one thing... Die here, Thanos."

Chapter 125

Martin gazed at the Soul Stone in Thanos's hand, a blatant possessiveness evident in the fluctuation of his eyes.

The Soul Stone, which required the soul of a loved one to obtain, was the most inscrutable and difficult Infinity Stone to acquire. But clearly, Thanos had obtained it for him. All Martin had to do now was kill Thanos and reclaim the Soul Stone.

"You are holding what belongs to me, Thanos."

Martin raised his right fist, and an indentation immediately formed on the Magnetic Gauntlet. He had even planned where to place the Soul Stone once he seized it.

"I am the destiny of this universe, Martin. I am the one who will ultimately achieve victory."

Thanos took a deep breath. Facing Martin, who exuded immense pressure, a hint of solemnity finally appeared on his face. He tightly clutched the Soul Stone, drawing as much power from it as possible; this was his only reliance against Martin.

Otherwise, as merely a Sub-Skyfather level being, he would be utterly powerless against Martin.

The brilliant orange light shimmered, as if imbued with life, swirling around Thanos, dancing ceaselessly like lively sprites.

Streaks of soul aura surged from the Soul Stone.

"Die, Thanos. I will bury your corpse on a farm, letting sunlight and flowers be your companions."

Martin shook his head. Putting aside his objective stance, at least this Thanos before him was one of the few he could genuinely respect and admire—this had nothing to do with strength, but purely with that noble ideal.

Compared to those foolish Thanoses who frantically groveled before Death, this Thanos was undoubtedly the most admirable.

Boom!

Four beams of light surged, enveloping Martin, and he moved.

A terrifying purple light suddenly erupted, transforming into a dreadful purple beam, carrying absolute power that crushed everything in its path, and blasted towards Thanos.

At the same time, Martin himself, his face icy, took a step forward, personally lunging towards Thanos.

This time, Thanos must die!

"I am destiny; no one can kill me, not even you!"

Thanos roared, and with a flash of orange light, immense soul power suddenly burst forth, protecting Thanos. That peculiar ability, purely for augmenting the soul, endowed Thanos with the power to manipulate souls.

He swiftly dodged the Power Stone's might. As the orange light flickered, it began to spread widely, and endless energy waves erupted with a boom. In an instant, nearly half of Vormir was covered.

That boundless, pure soul power instantly swept over everything. Any life caught within its grasp felt a strange sensation, one that made them feel as if they wanted to wholeheartedly immerse themselves in this soul energy.
(end of chapter)

Similar Novels