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Chapter 519: Red Skull's Revenge
2022-10-19 Author: Great Demon Spirit
"You will go attack Cybertron. Take all five million Outriders and seize it for me."
Thanos tilted his head, listening. A moment later, he suddenly turned back to the Black Order and said this.
Everyone was startled.
Corvus Glaive shouldered his scythe, letting out a cold, strange laugh. The sound from his throat was like bones grinding together.
"My master, I am willing to serve you." Corvus Glaive sneered, the corners of his mouth tearing into a ferocious grin.
Ebony Maw shot Corvus Glaive a dissatisfied glance. A perfectly good opportunity to show off had been snatched by this guy again.
"Master, I request command of the Outriders. I will bathe that planet Cybertron in blood for you," Ebony Maw said, seizing the chance.
Thanos gave a noncommittal nod.
He was well aware that each of these subordinates had their own little schemes, but he didn't care.
If they dared to show dissent, he would kill them.
Nebula scrambled to her feet, ignoring the intense pain radiating from all over her body and paying even less mind to her battered mechanical frame. Mustering her courage, she said, "Father, I request to go to that planet as well. I will personally charge onto the front lines and cut off the head of its ruler."
To put it bluntly, they didn't even know what Cybertron was, where it was, or who was on it. They just assumed it was some special planet. Or perhaps, was it an excuse for Thanos to send them away?
The five generals of the Black Order wore respectful expressions, but a strange light flickered in their eyes.
Ebony Maw swept a cold glance over them, his movement subtle, his gaze filled with ridicule. He understood Thanos's temperament the most thoroughly; whatever the tyrant wanted to do, he would never accept anyone's persuasion.
Dare to persuade him, and you would be killed.
Ebony Maw waited in anticipation. Perhaps some fool would actually jump out and request to follow by Thanos's side?
Did they really think they could take the Soul Stone right under Thanos's nose?
But unfortunately, no one was a fool. Ebony Maw's anticipation was destined to be in vain.
Thanos looked coldly at Nebula as she struggled to approach. "Your courage has grown. If you had been like this in the past, you wouldn't have been suppressed by Gamora, forcing me to tear your body apart piece by piece."
Nebula's expression stiffened. Suppressing the resentment in her heart, she bowed her head deeply.
Every time she lost to Gamora, a part of her body would be torn apart by Thanos as punishment. She always lost, for all sorts of reasons.
"I hope you survive." Thanos waved his hand dismissively, then looked up at the massive, faintly visible mountain range ahead. He lifted his foot and, braving the fierce wind, began to walk step by step like an ordinary human.
The members of the Black Order's hearts skipped a beat. They couldn't help but exchange glances, seeing the coldness and wariness in each other's eyes, before turning and boarding the spaceship.
Nebula also stood frozen in place, chewing on Thanos's words. In silence, she boarded the spaceship, ignoring the waves of contempt and ridicule coming from those around her.
The massive spaceship took off, carrying five million Outrider bio-weapons, and quickly flew toward the cosmos. During the journey, they would locate this so-called Cybertron.
Thanos himself remained standing on Vormir. Facing the heavy snowfall, he strode forward.
It was the same high peak, with cyan-blue steps stretching endlessly out of sight.
At the summit, several enormous stone steles stood tall, encircling the center, silently awaiting the arrival of strangers.
The Red Skull, dressed in tattered black robes, waited as always for the one chosen by the Soul Stone.
"Thanos, welcome to Vormir."
The Red Skull paused. He felt aggrieved, but he had no choice but to repeat the words and actions he had performed before.
His tone, however, was tinged with a slight stiffness.
"You know me?" Thanos didn't stop walking as he stepped onto the high platform.
"Yes, your name is known within the Soul Stone. The moment you began to desire the Infinity Stones, the Soul Stone perceived you," the Red Skull said in a low voice.
"Tony has been here before. Why didn't he take the Soul Stone?"
Thanos looked down at the Red Skull, the tyranny on his face undisguised.
"Because the Soul Stone abandoned him. He is a fraud, unworthy of the Soul Stone's favor," the Red Skull replied.
"What must I do to earn its favor?"
"That... is for the Soul Stone itself to decide," the Red Skull said cautiously.
The mere thought of this made the Red Skull feel aggrieved. The last time Tony came, the Soul Stone had decisively chosen Tony and abandoned him—not that it mattered, as the Red Skull was nearly mad with joy at regaining his freedom.
He had even prepared numerous revenge plans for his return to Earth. He was going to go back, retake control of Hydra, and stir up trouble.
But as it turned out, not long after the Soul Stone had abandoned him, it suddenly flew back on its own, dragged him back here, and once again commanded him to serve as its guide.
The Red Skull, who had just captured an interstellar spaceship, was completely stunned. He nearly died of anger.
And so, he went back to his old job, waiting endlessly for the next person to show up.
Fortunately, the ambitious tyrant Thanos had arrived.
But the Soul Stone seemed to be angry and dissatisfied at being deceived by Tony, and it maintained the same wariness toward the newly arrived Thanos.
The Red Skull stepped aside, allowing Thanos to walk toward the cliff's edge. The rest had nothing to do with him.
"You said you would help me get the Soul Stone."
"With this one stone, I can kill Tony and make you happy."
"You don't believe me? You say I'll lose? I will prove it to you, just like all the things I've done for you over the past decades."
"I, Thanos, have never lost. Never."
Thanos suddenly began muttering to the empty air.
The Red Skull looked at Thanos in astonishment, utterly bewildered. Still, he couldn't help but say, "Although I don't know what's happening, if you want to defeat Tony, it will indeed be difficult with the Soul Stone alone... because even the Soul Stone was helpless against Tony. That's also why it abandoned him."
With his back to him, Thanos said, "As far as I know, of the six stones, only the Soul Stone remains. The others were all destroyed during Tony's battle against Trigon."
"No, the Infinity Stones cannot be destroyed. Given enough time, they will be reborn," said the Red Skull. "The stones are the ultimate convergence of a singular power. The stone being shattered doesn't mean the power itself has vanished."
Thanos turned, reached out, and seized the Red Skull by the neck. A chilling smile spread across his face, a vicious glint flashed in his bloodshot eyes, and he said in a low voice, "Tell me, what exactly must I do?"
"The Infinity Gauntlet and the shattered remnants of the five stones are still in Tony's possession. I am not certain if he knows about the Infinity Stones' properties." The Red Skull's expression remained unchanged, though a gurgling sound came from his throat.
In his heart, a tremendous sense of vengeance arose. He was personally guiding a tyrant to challenge Tony.
Most importantly, he needed to quickly escape the Soul Stone's bondage so he could return to Earth and take back control of Hydra. Those idiots had inherited his organization and technology, yet they had made a complete mess of everything, like rats in a sewer.
"Then I will go and seize them."
Thanos said coldly. He slowly raised his head, looking at the swirling snow in the sky as if it were an omen. The wind howled, dyeing the heavens and the earth a vast expanse of white.
"First, I must obtain an Infinity Gauntlet."
(end of chapter)
2022-10-19 Author: Great Demon Spirit
"You will go attack Cybertron. Take all five million Outriders and seize it for me."
Thanos tilted his head, listening. A moment later, he suddenly turned back to the Black Order and said this.
Everyone was startled.
Corvus Glaive shouldered his scythe, letting out a cold, strange laugh. The sound from his throat was like bones grinding together.
"My master, I am willing to serve you." Corvus Glaive sneered, the corners of his mouth tearing into a ferocious grin.
Ebony Maw shot Corvus Glaive a dissatisfied glance. A perfectly good opportunity to show off had been snatched by this guy again.
"Master, I request command of the Outriders. I will bathe that planet Cybertron in blood for you," Ebony Maw said, seizing the chance.
Thanos gave a noncommittal nod.
He was well aware that each of these subordinates had their own little schemes, but he didn't care.
If they dared to show dissent, he would kill them.
Nebula scrambled to her feet, ignoring the intense pain radiating from all over her body and paying even less mind to her battered mechanical frame. Mustering her courage, she said, "Father, I request to go to that planet as well. I will personally charge onto the front lines and cut off the head of its ruler."
To put it bluntly, they didn't even know what Cybertron was, where it was, or who was on it. They just assumed it was some special planet. Or perhaps, was it an excuse for Thanos to send them away?
The five generals of the Black Order wore respectful expressions, but a strange light flickered in their eyes.
Ebony Maw swept a cold glance over them, his movement subtle, his gaze filled with ridicule. He understood Thanos's temperament the most thoroughly; whatever the tyrant wanted to do, he would never accept anyone's persuasion.
Dare to persuade him, and you would be killed.
Ebony Maw waited in anticipation. Perhaps some fool would actually jump out and request to follow by Thanos's side?
Did they really think they could take the Soul Stone right under Thanos's nose?
But unfortunately, no one was a fool. Ebony Maw's anticipation was destined to be in vain.
Thanos looked coldly at Nebula as she struggled to approach. "Your courage has grown. If you had been like this in the past, you wouldn't have been suppressed by Gamora, forcing me to tear your body apart piece by piece."
Nebula's expression stiffened. Suppressing the resentment in her heart, she bowed her head deeply.
Every time she lost to Gamora, a part of her body would be torn apart by Thanos as punishment. She always lost, for all sorts of reasons.
"I hope you survive." Thanos waved his hand dismissively, then looked up at the massive, faintly visible mountain range ahead. He lifted his foot and, braving the fierce wind, began to walk step by step like an ordinary human.
The members of the Black Order's hearts skipped a beat. They couldn't help but exchange glances, seeing the coldness and wariness in each other's eyes, before turning and boarding the spaceship.
Nebula also stood frozen in place, chewing on Thanos's words. In silence, she boarded the spaceship, ignoring the waves of contempt and ridicule coming from those around her.
The massive spaceship took off, carrying five million Outrider bio-weapons, and quickly flew toward the cosmos. During the journey, they would locate this so-called Cybertron.
Thanos himself remained standing on Vormir. Facing the heavy snowfall, he strode forward.
It was the same high peak, with cyan-blue steps stretching endlessly out of sight.
At the summit, several enormous stone steles stood tall, encircling the center, silently awaiting the arrival of strangers.
The Red Skull, dressed in tattered black robes, waited as always for the one chosen by the Soul Stone.
"Thanos, welcome to Vormir."
The Red Skull paused. He felt aggrieved, but he had no choice but to repeat the words and actions he had performed before.
His tone, however, was tinged with a slight stiffness.
"You know me?" Thanos didn't stop walking as he stepped onto the high platform.
"Yes, your name is known within the Soul Stone. The moment you began to desire the Infinity Stones, the Soul Stone perceived you," the Red Skull said in a low voice.
"Tony has been here before. Why didn't he take the Soul Stone?"
Thanos looked down at the Red Skull, the tyranny on his face undisguised.
"Because the Soul Stone abandoned him. He is a fraud, unworthy of the Soul Stone's favor," the Red Skull replied.
"What must I do to earn its favor?"
"That... is for the Soul Stone itself to decide," the Red Skull said cautiously.
The mere thought of this made the Red Skull feel aggrieved. The last time Tony came, the Soul Stone had decisively chosen Tony and abandoned him—not that it mattered, as the Red Skull was nearly mad with joy at regaining his freedom.
He had even prepared numerous revenge plans for his return to Earth. He was going to go back, retake control of Hydra, and stir up trouble.
But as it turned out, not long after the Soul Stone had abandoned him, it suddenly flew back on its own, dragged him back here, and once again commanded him to serve as its guide.
The Red Skull, who had just captured an interstellar spaceship, was completely stunned. He nearly died of anger.
And so, he went back to his old job, waiting endlessly for the next person to show up.
Fortunately, the ambitious tyrant Thanos had arrived.
But the Soul Stone seemed to be angry and dissatisfied at being deceived by Tony, and it maintained the same wariness toward the newly arrived Thanos.
The Red Skull stepped aside, allowing Thanos to walk toward the cliff's edge. The rest had nothing to do with him.
"You said you would help me get the Soul Stone."
"With this one stone, I can kill Tony and make you happy."
"You don't believe me? You say I'll lose? I will prove it to you, just like all the things I've done for you over the past decades."
"I, Thanos, have never lost. Never."
Thanos suddenly began muttering to the empty air.
The Red Skull looked at Thanos in astonishment, utterly bewildered. Still, he couldn't help but say, "Although I don't know what's happening, if you want to defeat Tony, it will indeed be difficult with the Soul Stone alone... because even the Soul Stone was helpless against Tony. That's also why it abandoned him."
With his back to him, Thanos said, "As far as I know, of the six stones, only the Soul Stone remains. The others were all destroyed during Tony's battle against Trigon."
"No, the Infinity Stones cannot be destroyed. Given enough time, they will be reborn," said the Red Skull. "The stones are the ultimate convergence of a singular power. The stone being shattered doesn't mean the power itself has vanished."
Thanos turned, reached out, and seized the Red Skull by the neck. A chilling smile spread across his face, a vicious glint flashed in his bloodshot eyes, and he said in a low voice, "Tell me, what exactly must I do?"
"The Infinity Gauntlet and the shattered remnants of the five stones are still in Tony's possession. I am not certain if he knows about the Infinity Stones' properties." The Red Skull's expression remained unchanged, though a gurgling sound came from his throat.
In his heart, a tremendous sense of vengeance arose. He was personally guiding a tyrant to challenge Tony.
Most importantly, he needed to quickly escape the Soul Stone's bondage so he could return to Earth and take back control of Hydra. Those idiots had inherited his organization and technology, yet they had made a complete mess of everything, like rats in a sewer.
"Then I will go and seize them."
Thanos said coldly. He slowly raised his head, looking at the swirling snow in the sky as if it were an omen. The wind howled, dyeing the heavens and the earth a vast expanse of white.
"First, I must obtain an Infinity Gauntlet."
(end of chapter)
