"How presumptuous."
Floating in mid-air, Lothar withdrew his hands and looked down at the planet's core, now pierced by his energy, his expression filled with disdain.
"Rejoice!"
The Other, who had witnessed everything firsthand, was overwhelmed with excitement. He had never imagined that in his lifetime, he would see someone destroy an entire planet with their own hands.
Though there had been an issue with the planet's core, it did nothing to dampen The Other's enthusiasm.
Tidal waves and volcanic eruptions raged across the planet, mountains and landmasses collapsing in tandem with The Other's exalted hymn, composing a symphony of destruction.
"Behold, the mighty Prince of Titan, Lothar! At this very moment, he—"
His song was abruptly cut short. A wave of fire, annoyed by his noise, struck him, sending him reeling, his vision exploding with stars.
Planet U40's core had already been shattered by Lothar. Once a world already depopulated by Shafrin's massacre, it was now on the brink of total annihilation.
"Prince Lothar, U40 will be completely destroyed in three minutes. Please prepare for evacuation."
As the chaotic planetary energy was analyzed, the reflection of a sleek, azure robotic cat appeared in Lothar's pupils. Despite its adorable appearance, its words conveyed nothing but a chilling truth.
"All warships docked in the planetary ports have been destroyed. The signal towers and planetary defense systems are nonfunctional. Woz has been unable to locate any operational ships."
"Prince Lothar, Woz strongly advises immediate departure."
While Lothar could briefly survive in space under the protection of his energy field, this was precisely why Woz kept urging him to leave—before the immense power, forcibly awakened within him by the Mind Stone, faded.
Woz had already mapped out a retreat route for him. Given his current state, Lothar could safely land on a nearby planet and wait for General Corvus Glaive and the forces from Black Quadrant to arrive.
"Three minutes, huh?"
Lothar narrowed his eyes, watching the countdown displayed on the holographic screen. His gaze instinctively drifted to The Other, who was still bounding around the planet's crumbling surface.
If he remembered correctly, The Other did not possess the ability to survive in the vacuum of space.
"Prince Lothar!!!"
"How are we getting out of here?!"
The Other, incapable of flight, sprinted across the fractured terrain, shouting up at Lothar against the backdrop of lightning and storms. His sapphire staff continuously tapped against the Casket of Ancient Winters, freezing a temporary path for himself to tread upon.
"Lord Lothar, please—"
"Who?!"
Lothar's voice turned sharp, abruptly cutting off Woz's warning.
"What?"
Woz froze. Countless lines of data flashed through his optical sensors, but no analysis could identify the presence Lothar had detected.
The sky remained shrouded in darkness.
No… something's not right!
Woz's synthetic pupils widened. An unfamiliar, unreadable data signature suddenly flooded his system.
A second later, the ominous sky was torn apart by a brilliant, seven-colored beam of light.
This is…?
The prismatic column stretched between heaven and earth. From within, a figure emerged—tall, draped in long, flowing black hair. Her jet-black combat suit, inscribed with intricate runes, accentuated her commanding presence. Her sharp eyes gleamed with intrigue as she surveyed the crumbling U40.
Hela.
The daughter of Odin. The heir to the throne of Asgard. The Goddess of Death.
"You truly never cease to surprise me, Lothar."
Hela's steps were smooth as she strolled through the air. She eyed the golden-haired warrior before her, his radiance almost blinding.
"You look… poisoned."
"Do you want to die?"
Lothar's eyes narrowed, his aura surging. A formless pressure filled the space between them, erasing the smirk from Hela's lips.
"I want the Casket of Ancient Winters."
Hela's tone turned serious.
After Lothar had cut off communications with her last time, no amount of effort had restored their link. In the end, under Odin's orders, she had resorted to using the Bifrost. Heimdall had pinpointed Lothar's location and sent her here.
As for how she had tracked him down…
"You'll never understand the wonders of magic. Only magic can counter magic."
Hela lifted her chin, but before her smirk could fully form, a hand had already wrapped around her throat.
The speed was incomprehensible. Even with the immense power she had reclaimed in Asgard, she hadn't reacted in time.
"!!!"
"You overestimate yourself, Hela Odinsdottir."
Lothar tilted his head slightly, his eyes glacial.
"AAAAAAAAHHH!!! PRINCE LOTHAR!!!"
Below them, on the collapsing ground, The Other's shriek of desperation echoed louder than the crashing thunder and crumbling mountains.
"I can get you out of here."
Hela wrenched herself free, rubbing her neck and suppressing her irritation. Right now, fulfilling Odin's orders took precedence over arguing with Lothar.
"Leave this place. Return to the safety of Asgard."
Lothar stared at her in silence.
"Heimdall!"
Seeing Lothar's lack of response, Hela chose to let actions speak louder than words. With a single command, the Bifrost activated once more, its radiant bridge stretching across the battlefield.
"I know the Casket is of little use to you."
Stepping into the Bifrost, Hela extended a hand toward Lothar.
...
Centaurian Star System, Black Quadrant Base.
After bathing and donning his golden battle armor, Thanos sat upon his throne, his gaze lost in the vast expanse of space.
"Lord Thanos, Woz—Lothar's AI—has transmitted the coordinates of the 'Mysterious Place' to us."
Ebony Maw, ever respectful, approached Thanos and reported the outcome of the trade.
"Inform Corvus Glaive. Have him accept the Kree Empire's ceasefire terms. Dispatch the Black Order to retrieve Lothar from U40."
Thanos idly tapped his throne's armrest with a finger before rising, issuing his command.
Ebony Maw hesitated before speaking again.
"…Lord Thanos, U40 has… exploded."
There was a brief pause, as if he were choosing his words carefully.
Thanos remained expressionless. Without a word, he reached for the double-edged blade resting beside his throne.
"Continue."
"Our planetary observers detected it. The Skrull-controlled U40 has been destroyed. As of now, we have not been able to locate Woz's signal."
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