Kapitel 57: Restart, Spider-Man! [57]
"Hummm~"
In an instant, golden light was absorbed into the artifact, and mysterious runes on its surface began to glow, becoming increasingly brilliant.
Under the surprised gazes of Xia Luo and the others, the artifact emitted a magnificent purple starlight, which enveloped Thanos completely.
Suddenly, Thanos's expression twisted in pain.
"Argh!! No, what is this!?"
He clutched his head and wailed as the blood in his veins seemed to boil. His entire body was wracked with unbearable pain, and the visions flooding his mind shocked him to the core, leaving him in utter despair.
Seeing Thanos writhing on the ground, Xia Luo and the others immediately retreated several dozen meters.
"What's happening to him?"
"Is he trapped in another illusion?"
"No, this seems different from before."
Xia Luo observed closely and saw that Thanos's purple skin was gradually darkening, his bones creaking and cracking. His armor was stretched taut by his bulging, steel-like muscles, and his figure became even more massive and imposing.
The iconic large chin began to take shape, and soon, his once-thick black hair rapidly fell away.
"He's going to be pretty miserable when he wakes up—he's turned bald," said Lizard Parker, touching his own smooth head with a sigh.
"He's lost his hair, but he's gotten stronger," Xia Luo nodded.
His Spider-Sense told him that Thanos was becoming increasingly dangerous.
"What's happening to him?" Carter asked, confused.
Xia Luo speculated, "He's evolving."
"Evolving?"
"Yes," Xia Luo explained. "Thanos slaughtered countless of his own people with the goal of becoming an Eternal Titan. Only as an Eternal Titan could he complete the Exile Journey and save Titan. But until now, he had never succeeded.
"Now, it seems that the power of the Infinity Stone, combined with the artifact, is allowing him to transform into an Eternal Titan."
It didn't take long for Tony to understand.
"The Exile Journey was already initiated, and I know it's because of you. But without you, Thanos would never have been able to start the journey alone, nor become an Eternal Titan."
Old Steve added, "Without becoming an Eternal Titan, the Exile Journey would never have begun. It's a paradox. What is the true purpose of this Exile Journey?"
"I suspect there's more than one Infinity Stone, isn't there?" Carter immediately saw the key issue.
Tony nodded. "There are six Infinity Stones. No one knows their power better than I do."
As he spoke, his right hand trembled slightly, and a flicker of fear crossed his eyes.
"But why is it specifically the Mind Stone that appeared here?"
Xia Luo narrowed his eyes, his mind filled with suspicions.
After a while, Thanos's transformation neared its completion, and the light from the artifact began to dim.
"Hu~~"
On the cliff's peak, the towering purple figure knelt, gasping for breath.
The sacred artifact rolled to the ground, and the glow of the Mind Stone flickered faintly.
Staring at the golden stone before him, sweat pouring down his face, Thanos's eyes were filled with boundless despair.
Even though his life force had been elevated, and the power of an Eternal Titan now coursed through his body, making him feel stronger than ever before…
Before, Spider-Man and the others had managed to defeat him.
But now, he could easily crush them.
Yet despite this newfound strength, there was no joy in his transformation into an Eternal Titan.
Because as the Mind Stone activated the bloodline of the Eternal Titan within him, Thanos learned the darkest secret of the Titan race.
It was a truth only Eternal Titans were privy to.
The Celestials!
The entity lying dormant at the core of Titan was a newly forming Celestial.
It was invincible!
As long as the population on Titan reached a certain threshold, the biological energy emitted would fully awaken the Celestial.
Celestials, upon birth, were as large as planets, and no world could sustain their existence.
Even as an Eternal Titan, Thanos realized he could never defeat the Celestial.
For the Eternal Titans themselves were the creations of the Celestials.
The Celestials had created the Eternal Titans for the sole purpose of protecting life on their planets, ensuring it would proliferate and eventually nurture the growth of the Celestial seed.
Eternal Titans were both protectors and executioners.
Thanos never imagined that his seemingly just slaughter of half the population—his attempt to start the Exile Journey—was actually the only way to delay Titan's inevitable destruction.
By killing half the population, he had managed to slow the birth of the Celestial.
Thus, the Exile Grounds held no salvation for Titan.
The true purpose of the Exile Grounds was to remind the Eternal Titans of their grim mission.
Protect the life on Titan… and then watch it be destroyed.
Over the centuries, as the Titan race devolved, this secret had been lost to history.
But now, Thanos knew the truth, and with it came total despair.
He slowly stood, picking up the Mind Stone with the artifact.
At the cliff's edge lay another stone altar.
He would return to the planet he loved.
His home.
And it would become a slaughterhouse.
His hands would soon be drenched in blood.
He had made his decision.
The birth of a new Celestial was imminent, and there was no time to evacuate the population of Titan.
In order to save half of Titan's people, he would become the greatest villain, the most ruthless tyrant the universe had ever known.
From this moment forward, he was no longer fit to be a leader.
What awaited him now was the endless hatred and nightmares brought on by the lives he would take.
He had no other choice.
Thanos staggered, step by step, toward the altar, as if using every ounce of strength he had left.
There were no furious roars, no resistance, no helpless sobbing like on that dark night.
As they watched Thanos's lonely figure retreat, Tony inexplicably felt a wave of sadness wash over him.
"Did he find a way to save Titan?" he asked.
Old Steve's expression was calm. "Maybe he did. But he doesn't want to accept it."
Lizard Parker pondered. "I think he's just having a hard time accepting that he's bald now."
"It's the price of getting stronger," Xia Luo remarked.
"And the cost of saving Titan."
"If he saves Titan, he'll be hailed as a hero," Carter smiled.
Xia Luo shook his head. "If he had the choice, I don't think he'd want to be a hero," he said with certainty.
As Thanos finally disappeared into the altar, nothing unexpected happened.
This time, the revival contest had only required three restarts, leaving Xia Luo with a strange sense of disbelief.
Am I really this good now?
But thinking it over, this round hadn't been particularly difficult.
Then, a system prompt appeared before the group.
Old Steve glanced at his reward and covered his face in despair.
"Oh no, this is not the reward I wanted…"
Lizard Parker, however, was moved to tears. "My lizard abilities have become a voluntary skill. I can live a normal life again."
"Congratulations, Peter, and of course, congratulations to myself," Tony smiled, his usually tense expression finally relaxing.
He could finally return to his own world.
Pepper, Morgan, Peter...
He couldn't wait.
Carter was also overjoyed, but then looked at the others in confusion.
"Did we all get different rewards?"
"Obviously," Tony said.
Old Steve, looking downcast, asked, "Spider-kid, what are you going to do next?"
He looked at Xia Luo with a hint of expectation.
Xia Luo: "..."
"Sorry, I've got something really important coming up. I probably won't be able to join you for any more revival contests."
His eyes shifted to the five-pointed star shield in Old Steve's hand, and a cold gleam flashed in his gaze.
Hydra Captain, I'm back!
Tonight at midnight… I'm coming for you, Hydra Captain!
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Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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