The Battle of New York had finally co to an end. The remaining Leviathans were being hunted down by Earth's heroes, and every last Chitauri soldier had been eradicated—thanks to Kurogai. Not a single one was left standing.
Yet, despite the victory, Kurogai's expression was far from pleasant. Even after eliminating every Chitauri invader, he still hadn't t the requirents to awaken the eighth pupil ring.
"If I'd known I needed more Chitauri life force, I wouldn't have destroyed that imitation psychic scepter so quickly," he muttered, rubbing his temple in frustration. Closing the space gate too early now felt like a mistake. Many of the Chitauri troops hadn't yet made it to Earth—only a fraction had slipped through before he sealed the portal.
To make matters worse, most of the first wave had consisted of chanized units rather than living beings. The Chitauri's technology was advanced enough that they rarely risked real soldiers on the front lines. The ones who fought were mostly combat drones—aning fewer actual kills that contributed to his progress.
It was inevitable, but still disappointing.
"It seems I'll have to make a trip to outer space," he mused quietly. He didn't want to, not yet—but the decision was made for him. The next step in his evolution required it. Sowhere out there, among the stars, waited what he needed. The Chitauri themselves, and perhaps even Thanos.
Truth be told, he'd already planned to venture beyond Earth's atmosphere at so point. The Soul Stone was still out there, after all, and if Thanos had begun his quest for the Infinity Stones, then the ti for the Soul Stone's appearance was drawing near.
But before he could leave Earth, there were still loose ends to tie up. The world was in chaos, and he couldn't just disappear without settling certain matters.
With that, Kurogai turned away from the battlefield. He ignored the surviving Leviathans, leaving the cleanup to the Avengers. By the ti they finally destroyed the last of the alien beasts, he was long gone.
Though the war was over, the recovery would take ti. The Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. would be buried in reconstruction efforts for weeks. Kurogai, however, had no interest in staying. He vanished from the ruined city, his mind already focused on the next move.
Far away, deep in the vastness of space, aboard a dark, obsidian warship, Thanos sat upon his throne. His gaze was fixed on the stars beyond the viewport, his expression contemplative, calculating.
"King," ca a sharp voice. Supergiant entered the chamber, bowing respectfully. "The battle on Earth has concluded."
Thanos turned his head slightly, his deep voice rumbling through the chamber. "And the outco?"
"Loki has lost contact," Supergiant reported. "The psychic scepter has vanished as well. He was defeated."
Thanos nodded slowly, showing no surprise. "As I expected. And what of Earth's defenders? Any remarkable beings?"
When his previous lieutenants had failed against Earth's resistance, Thanos had realized that the planet was not as weak as it seed. Loki's failure rely confird his suspicions.
Supergiant continued, "There are indeed several extraordinary individuals among them, though none with power approaching your own. The most notable are a green-skinned giant with imnse strength, and a peculiar sorcerer who appeared to have a personal vendetta with Loki. The rest were unremarkable."
She paused, then added, "Thor of Asgard also appeared on Earth, but beyond him, nothing else stood out."
Thanos's fingers drumd against the armrest of his throne. "Hmm. A green beast and a thunder god... interesting."
He was not impressed—but neither was he dismissive. Every fragnt of information mattered when preparing for conquest.
Supergiant hesitated for a mont before continuing. "There was... another presence. A man who fought Loki briefly, though his power signature was faint. He didn't use his full strength, so I assud he was insignificant."
"Faint power can be confidence ," Thanos said coldly, his gaze sharpening. "Do not underestimate the unknown."
A brief silence passed before he gave his next command. "It seems Earth still hides its true strength. Send scouts—small units, silent and efficient. Let them observe carefully and identify anyone who might pose a threat to my plans."
Supergiant bowed deeply. "Understood, my king."
As she departed to carry out his order, Thanos leaned back on his throne. His massive fra lood like a shadow over the galaxy, the faint glow of distant stars reflected in his eyes.
He could feel it—sothing on Earth pulsed with untapped power. It wasn't just the Infinity Stones. There was sothing—or soone—else.
And soon, he would uncover what it was.
____
Here are my Patreon tiers and their benefits:
Wanderer's Path: 40 Advanced Chapters
Bladebearer's Oath: 70 Advanced Chapters
Dragonheart Vanguard: 100 Advanced Chapters
I really need your support, uploading daily can be exhausting.
It might seem like I'm doing little, but I upload 40 chapters daily on Patreon (for 4 different fanfics), and reading/editing them takes hours. Eventually, these chapters get uploaded to Webnovel after about a month.
I don't want this to feel like begging, but if you can, please support : Patreon/Zphyr
Arigato!
Reviews
All reviews (0)