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Chapter 374 Vormir
Vormir.
This was a very inconspicuous planet belonging to the Kree Galaxy.
Its environment was harsh year-round, with frigid temperatures. Large swaths of accumulated matter formed small and medium-sized island-like landmasses on the calm ocean.
This planet was inhabited by a species of red lizard creatures. The more powerful among them could traverse space and had a penchant for stealing energy.
A blue vortex materialized, and a black-clad Tony slowly walked out. His expression was indifferent, his bulging muscles containing explosive power. His every move could trigger a terrifying surge of energy.
Sensing the energy, several red lizards rushed over, fanatical and greedy, obsessively sniffing the residual scent in the air.
The pure, boundless energy from the Infinity Stones drove them to the brink of madness. With a few low roars, they charged forward insanely, completely disregarding the gap in power between them and Tony.
A red light flashed, leaving only a pile of mangled corpses on the ground.
Tony set foot on this massive planet. On the desolate land, under the endless sky, in the biting cold, the entire world seemed to hold only one thinking being—himself. It was filled with solitude.
Oh, the reptiles he had casually slaughtered didn't count.
"Only one left... If I get this, I might be able to win... if I'm lucky..."
Tony started walking, treading on the grayish-white, sand-like ground, and ascended a ten-thousand-meter-high cliff.
The steps, as if sculpted by a master carver, were identical in their edges and height, without the slightest difference.
At some point, a heavy snow began to fall. Unusually large flakes hammered down from the sky. As the light snowflakes landed on Tony, he felt a sense of weight, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
The snow fell, yet even upon contact with Tony's skin and body heat, it showed no sign of melting.
This snow blotted out the sky and sun, soaking the entire planet. As far as the eye could see, one's vision was obscured by the ceaseless curtain of falling snow.
It was too much; the snowfall was too heavy, unnaturally so.
"Hmph, what a pretentious display."
Tony snorted coldly and paid it no mind, stepping on the snow as he ascended the steps one by one. Up ahead, a powerful force was pulling him forward.
In a single stride, Tony crossed countless steps in a flash.
At the summit, a figure shrouded in a tattered gray robe stood waiting silently for him.
The figure's head was slightly bowed, obscuring its face. It wore a wide, ragged robe that concealed its entire body. At the robe's hem, one could even see a dense collection of tiny, tattered holes.
A fierce wind howled, violently whipping the robe, yet it made no sound, like a ghost.
It was as if this person had been waiting here for thousands of years, all alone, like a gatekeeper, silently waiting day after day for the one who was to come.
Waiting for the being who could collect all six Infinity Stones.
When Tony stepped onto the highest step, the gray-robed figure seemed to be startled awake, raising his head with a whoosh.
A red skull.
It wasn't a pure skull. The cranium looked as if... its skin had been peeled off bit by bit with a small knife by the most skilled executioner, leaving only smooth, red flesh.
Tony's face was impassive. This gatekeeper-like character didn't stir the slightest emotion in him.
It didn't matter that even he couldn't quite comprehend this creature's state of being.
"Tony, Guardian of Earth, Sorcerer Supreme who shakes the universe, the supreme Machine Emperor. I have been waiting for you."
Red Skull said, head raised, his voice low and hoarse. The intonation was raspy, as if he hadn't spoken for a very, very long time.
"Machine Emperor?" Tony repeated.
"Not yet, but you will be soon. If you do not die, your name will echo throughout the Multiverse. Not even the Speed Force Wall will be able to hide your brilliance."
Red Skull lowered his head slightly. The fleeting glint in his eyes, which were no different from a normal person's, vanished, as if he was maintaining his respect for Tony.
Tony remained noncommittal and said, "Lead the way. You know what I want."
Red Skull paused, extremely surprised, as if shocked that Tony didn't follow the script.
"Don't you want to ask who I am? Perhaps you've heard my name..."
"I have. Red Skull, the one defeated by Captain America. Now hurry up and lead the way," Tony said, taking the lead and brushing past Red Skull.
It was as if Tony was the master, familiar with everything here, and Red Skull was the outsider.
This sense of incongruity made Red Skull feel uncomfortable. That last remark made his eyelid twitch, but he still hurried forward to walk by Tony's side.
His deeply suppressed, strange gaze surreptitiously glanced at Tony's right hand. The possessiveness and a violent, greedy emotion almost couldn't be restrained from erupting.
A voice was telling him: Do it! Take it!
Take it, and you will be the master of the Universe! You will forever break free from the Soul Stone's shackles and cast off your status as a slave!
Red Skull madly suppressed the greed in his heart, bowing his head low to maintain his humility.
If he wasn't humble, he would die.
"You know me well. Anyone else would have made a move," Tony said, stopping at the cliff's edge.
On his gauntlet, the yellow glow of the third Infinity Stone, the Mind Stone, flickered and then gradually dimmed.
Red Skull's heart leaped. He said humbly, "The Soul Stone has told me everything. Besides, as the keeper of the Soul Stone, I am, to a certain extent, immune to the Mind Stone's control."
Tony was noncommittal, giving Red Skull an indifferent glance.
Who knew Red Skull's character better than him? An ambitious schemer who had come close to succeeding.
But at the final moment, he ran into his lifelong nemesis, Captain America.
During World War II, while serving as a high-level commander and the leader of Hydra, his research on the Tesseract failed to produce any progress that could turn the tide of the war, and he was ultimately defeated by Captain America.
His technology couldn't overwhelm his opponent, and the serum he injected was inferior to Captain America's.
Most importantly, the wretch had been played by the Infinity Stones.
The Infinity Stones deceived him, gave him hope, and then kicked him into an even deeper abyss. The Infinity Stones abandoned him, throwing him directly to Vormir to be enslaved by the Soul Stone, becoming a pitiful wretch akin to a gatekeeper.
A man who coveted the Infinity Stones and had once possessed one was now bound here for life, unable to touch them ever again, waiting day after day for someone who could claim them.
Until today.
Red Skull had been enslaved by the Soul Stone for nearly eighty years!
To be honest, if he had any other choice, Tony really would not have come to collect the Infinity Stones.
At the very least, he wouldn't touch the Soul Stone.
The Soul Stone concealed many secrets, such as the mysterious soul dimension, its tangled connection with Thanos's adopted daughter Gamora, and Nemesis.
The Soul Stone was also the only one of the six Infinity Stones with a clear sense of self-awareness. It held the highest status and possessed a subtle ability to command the other Infinity Stones.
(end of chapter)
Vormir.
This was a very inconspicuous planet belonging to the Kree Galaxy.
Its environment was harsh year-round, with frigid temperatures. Large swaths of accumulated matter formed small and medium-sized island-like landmasses on the calm ocean.
This planet was inhabited by a species of red lizard creatures. The more powerful among them could traverse space and had a penchant for stealing energy.
A blue vortex materialized, and a black-clad Tony slowly walked out. His expression was indifferent, his bulging muscles containing explosive power. His every move could trigger a terrifying surge of energy.
Sensing the energy, several red lizards rushed over, fanatical and greedy, obsessively sniffing the residual scent in the air.
The pure, boundless energy from the Infinity Stones drove them to the brink of madness. With a few low roars, they charged forward insanely, completely disregarding the gap in power between them and Tony.
A red light flashed, leaving only a pile of mangled corpses on the ground.
Tony set foot on this massive planet. On the desolate land, under the endless sky, in the biting cold, the entire world seemed to hold only one thinking being—himself. It was filled with solitude.
Oh, the reptiles he had casually slaughtered didn't count.
"Only one left... If I get this, I might be able to win... if I'm lucky..."
Tony started walking, treading on the grayish-white, sand-like ground, and ascended a ten-thousand-meter-high cliff.
The steps, as if sculpted by a master carver, were identical in their edges and height, without the slightest difference.
At some point, a heavy snow began to fall. Unusually large flakes hammered down from the sky. As the light snowflakes landed on Tony, he felt a sense of weight, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
The snow fell, yet even upon contact with Tony's skin and body heat, it showed no sign of melting.
This snow blotted out the sky and sun, soaking the entire planet. As far as the eye could see, one's vision was obscured by the ceaseless curtain of falling snow.
It was too much; the snowfall was too heavy, unnaturally so.
"Hmph, what a pretentious display."
Tony snorted coldly and paid it no mind, stepping on the snow as he ascended the steps one by one. Up ahead, a powerful force was pulling him forward.
In a single stride, Tony crossed countless steps in a flash.
At the summit, a figure shrouded in a tattered gray robe stood waiting silently for him.
The figure's head was slightly bowed, obscuring its face. It wore a wide, ragged robe that concealed its entire body. At the robe's hem, one could even see a dense collection of tiny, tattered holes.
A fierce wind howled, violently whipping the robe, yet it made no sound, like a ghost.
It was as if this person had been waiting here for thousands of years, all alone, like a gatekeeper, silently waiting day after day for the one who was to come.
Waiting for the being who could collect all six Infinity Stones.
When Tony stepped onto the highest step, the gray-robed figure seemed to be startled awake, raising his head with a whoosh.
A red skull.
It wasn't a pure skull. The cranium looked as if... its skin had been peeled off bit by bit with a small knife by the most skilled executioner, leaving only smooth, red flesh.
Tony's face was impassive. This gatekeeper-like character didn't stir the slightest emotion in him.
It didn't matter that even he couldn't quite comprehend this creature's state of being.
"Tony, Guardian of Earth, Sorcerer Supreme who shakes the universe, the supreme Machine Emperor. I have been waiting for you."
Red Skull said, head raised, his voice low and hoarse. The intonation was raspy, as if he hadn't spoken for a very, very long time.
"Machine Emperor?" Tony repeated.
"Not yet, but you will be soon. If you do not die, your name will echo throughout the Multiverse. Not even the Speed Force Wall will be able to hide your brilliance."
Red Skull lowered his head slightly. The fleeting glint in his eyes, which were no different from a normal person's, vanished, as if he was maintaining his respect for Tony.
Tony remained noncommittal and said, "Lead the way. You know what I want."
Red Skull paused, extremely surprised, as if shocked that Tony didn't follow the script.
"Don't you want to ask who I am? Perhaps you've heard my name..."
"I have. Red Skull, the one defeated by Captain America. Now hurry up and lead the way," Tony said, taking the lead and brushing past Red Skull.
It was as if Tony was the master, familiar with everything here, and Red Skull was the outsider.
This sense of incongruity made Red Skull feel uncomfortable. That last remark made his eyelid twitch, but he still hurried forward to walk by Tony's side.
His deeply suppressed, strange gaze surreptitiously glanced at Tony's right hand. The possessiveness and a violent, greedy emotion almost couldn't be restrained from erupting.
A voice was telling him: Do it! Take it!
Take it, and you will be the master of the Universe! You will forever break free from the Soul Stone's shackles and cast off your status as a slave!
Red Skull madly suppressed the greed in his heart, bowing his head low to maintain his humility.
If he wasn't humble, he would die.
"You know me well. Anyone else would have made a move," Tony said, stopping at the cliff's edge.
On his gauntlet, the yellow glow of the third Infinity Stone, the Mind Stone, flickered and then gradually dimmed.
Red Skull's heart leaped. He said humbly, "The Soul Stone has told me everything. Besides, as the keeper of the Soul Stone, I am, to a certain extent, immune to the Mind Stone's control."
Tony was noncommittal, giving Red Skull an indifferent glance.
Who knew Red Skull's character better than him? An ambitious schemer who had come close to succeeding.
But at the final moment, he ran into his lifelong nemesis, Captain America.
During World War II, while serving as a high-level commander and the leader of Hydra, his research on the Tesseract failed to produce any progress that could turn the tide of the war, and he was ultimately defeated by Captain America.
His technology couldn't overwhelm his opponent, and the serum he injected was inferior to Captain America's.
Most importantly, the wretch had been played by the Infinity Stones.
The Infinity Stones deceived him, gave him hope, and then kicked him into an even deeper abyss. The Infinity Stones abandoned him, throwing him directly to Vormir to be enslaved by the Soul Stone, becoming a pitiful wretch akin to a gatekeeper.
A man who coveted the Infinity Stones and had once possessed one was now bound here for life, unable to touch them ever again, waiting day after day for someone who could claim them.
Until today.
Red Skull had been enslaved by the Soul Stone for nearly eighty years!
To be honest, if he had any other choice, Tony really would not have come to collect the Infinity Stones.
At the very least, he wouldn't touch the Soul Stone.
The Soul Stone concealed many secrets, such as the mysterious soul dimension, its tangled connection with Thanos's adopted daughter Gamora, and Nemesis.
The Soul Stone was also the only one of the six Infinity Stones with a clear sense of self-awareness. It held the highest status and possessed a subtle ability to command the other Infinity Stones.
(end of chapter)
