"What is going on?!"
Kuma, the pilot, had just started the fighter jet when two figures suddenly appeared outside the glass in front of him, startling him so badly that his hands froze mid-motion.
Inside the jet, Gamora, Star-Lord, Groot, and Nebula were all caught off guard.
Gamora's expression changed the most.
The mont she saw Thanos being held like a prisoner in Lucien's grip, her green face went pale.
Before anyone could react, sharp crystal thorns shot out like lightning.
They pierced through Kuma and the others, pinning them firmly to their seats. Their bodies withered instantly, flesh decaying into dust within two breaths.
Lucien's left hand moved casually.
Several souls were dragged out and devoured without resistance.
"Don't move."
His voice carried a strange authority.
Under the effect of Law Following Speech, Gamora's body froze completely. She could only watch as the thorns wrapped around her, binding her in place.
A Space Gate opened.
In the next mont, Lucien, Thanos, and Gamora vanished from Xandar.
They reappeared on a desolate cliff on Vormir.
From space, the planet looked like it had been swallowed by darkness, but within, the scenery was eerily beautiful, quiet and suffocating.
Lucien casually threw both Thanos and Gamora onto the ground.
His gaze shifted forward, locking onto the shadows.
As expected, a figure slowly floated out.
Red Skull.
There was no surprise on his face, no excitent, only endless calm. He had remained here for so long that ti itself had lost aning.
As long as the Soul Stone existed, he would remain its guide.
"To obtain the Soul Stone, one must sacrifice soone they love. Are the three of you prepared?"
He spoke directly, without unnecessary words.
Thanos sat silently, his body still covered in blood. Gamora, however, was filled with fear and confusion.
She had no idea what was happening.
Especially seeing Thanos in such a broken state, sothing she had never imagined.
"Thanos, you understand your own ideals. Make your choice."
Lucien looked down at him, completely indifferent.
Whether Gamora lived or died ant nothing to him.
If Thanos refused, Lucien would simply kill him and return to Earth to find another pair bound by genuine love.
To Lucien, the Soul Stone was not difficult to obtain.
All it required was real emotion.
Romantic love, family bonds, friendship, any of them would work, as long as it was genuine.
There were countless people willing to sacrifice themselves for soone they loved.
Lucien just found it more convenient to use Thanos.
"You and I are similar," Thanos said slowly, lifting his head, his eyes calm despite everything. "But you are not as pure."
"You are an egoist."
Lucien smirked slightly.
"But I can achieve your goal. I know what kind of person you are. You would sacrifice her, or even yourself, for your ideals."
He lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly.
"In another world, many people admire you. I do too."
"You are not a simple villain. You are... interesting."
The wind whistled faintly across the cliff.
Silence stretched between them.
"Cough... cough..."
Thanos forced himself to stand and began walking toward Gamora.
Lucien watched, slightly surprised.
Even now, Thanos was still making this choice.
He had to know the outco.
Even if he gained the Soul Stone, it would end up in Lucien's hands.
He was essentially working for Lucien.
And yet, he still chose to proceed.
"No... no!"
Gamora shook her head violently, backing away as far as she could.
Her expression was filled with fear, disbelief, and sothing deeper.
"You don't love ! You can't!"
Her voice trembled, almost breaking.
Thanos said nothing.
He simply reached out, his blood-covered hand grabbing her.
Step by step, he led her to the edge of the cliff.
Tears began to gather in his eyes.
"You don't understand love," Gamora said, her voice shaking, almost hysterical now. "If you do this, you won't get the Soul Stone. And even if you do, he won't fulfill your dream!"
Thanos remained silent.
He gently placed his hand on her forehead, as if morizing her presence.
Then he pushed.
"Why did you believe him?!"
Gamora's scream echoed as her body fell into the abyss.
For a brief mont, Lucien felt a strange shift.
Then everything changed.
The cliff vanished.
He stood on a surface that looked like rippling water.
Thanos lay within it, slowly opening his eyes.
"Congratulations. You have obtained the Soul Stone."
Red Skull floated nearby, staring at the orange gem resting in Thanos's palm.
The Soul Stone.
At the sa ti, the curse binding him to Vormir was lifted.
He was finally free.
Thanos rose slowly, his face filled with exhaustion.
He stared at the stone for a mont.
Then handed it to Lucien.
"Release ."
The stone floated gently before embedding itself into Lucien's gauntlet.
Now, five stones pulsed with power.
Power, Ti, Space, Mind, Soul.
Only the Reality Stone remained.
Energy surged violently through Lucien's body. Colored lines spread across his arm, blue, purple, yellow, green, and orange intertwining.
Using multiple stones at once placed imnse strain on the body.
Even soone like Thanos had nearly died from it.
Lucien exhaled slowly, stabilizing himself.
"I respect you," he said, looking at Thanos. "I couldn't have done that."
Thanos showed no regret.
Only calm acceptance.
"Let the universe live again."
"Sure."
Lucien's tone was casual.
The next second, crystal thorns pierced straight into Thanos's body.
His life force drained instantly.
At the sa ti, the Soul Stone activated.
Thanos's soul was ripped out effortlessly and absorbed.
Lucien closed his eyes, savoring the sensation.
Every part of him felt like it was evolving, his body and soul elevating to another level.
It was intoxicating.
Red Skull froze.
His body, which had begun to fade, was suddenly pulled back into place.
Lucien was staring directly at him.
Cold. Detached.
Red Skull trembled.
He had just regained his freedom.
He did not want to die here.
Five seconds later, silence returned.
Only Lucien remained.
Standing alone on the rippling surface.
A golden interface appeared before him.
Two notifications stood out.
Theo, naturally, had been classified as a VIP.
Unexpectedly, Thanos was also marked as a destined villain, another VIP.
As for Red Skull, he was nothing more than a secondary target.
A dice spun within the interface.
Then stopped.
"Dragon Ball Saiyan near-death ability restart. Can be repeatedly activated on one target until potential is exhausted."
"Telekinesis."
"Choose one."
Lucien frowned slightly.
For the first ti, the system had given him a choice.
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