After Ebony Maw appeared, he spoke to Loki in the cell. Loki's face was conflicted and struggled internally, but in the end, it transformed into one full of ambition and resolve. Then, Ebony Maw gently split through space with his war spear, opening a small portal, and quietly took Loki away. Throughout the entire process, no alarms sounded, and even Heimdall's gaze—which could peer into the Nine Realms—was blocked by Ebony Maw's unique abilities.
The truth was revealed.
"Look! Check it out! I told you it wasn't me! The one who saved Loki was this guy who looks like air-dried orange peel!" Thor loudly aired his grievances, pointing at the image.
Odin stared at the image, his old face reddening. He coughed slightly, a little embarrassed, then glared at Thor and snapped in irritation, "Alright, alright! This time your father blamed you wrongly, okay?"
"That's all I wanted to hear!" Thor grinned with satisfaction.
After a brief awkward pause, Odin's face grew solemn once more. He frowned, gazing at the image of Ebony Maw. His deep voice rumbled: "This man is Ebony Maw, one of Thanos's five Black Order generals."
"How did Loki get involved with Thanos's men?" Thor blurted, unable to believe it. "And Thanos... that name is heavy even to me."
Indeed, Thanos was one of the most notorious overlords in the universe—insane and immensely powerful.
Lucci spoke calmly: "It might not be Loki who sought them out first. Perhaps they sought out Loki."
"Is that so?" Odin mused.
"Thanos is obsessed with universal balance. He's slaughtered and destroyed countless civilizations across the cosmos," Odin's single eye flashed gravely. "For his men to suddenly target Loki, there's a very high chance they're plotting something major against us."
Lucci watched Odin, who was still struggling, and decided there was no need to hide anything. He spoke with an indifferent expression: "Father, don't guess. Their goal is to gather all six Infinity Stones."
"And then, with a snap of his fingers, wipe out half of all life in the universe."
The moment Odin heard this, his single eye widened, his face filled with unprecedented shock and disbelief!
"Thanos wants to gather all six Infinity Stones?" Thor echoed in disbelief. "And destroy half of all life in the universe?" Was he insane? How could someone this crazy exist?
Even the mini-Dormammu floating behind Lucci couldn't help but click his tongue when he heard this plan. Damn! This move… is bigger than mine! At best, I can devour a few dimensions, but this guy wants to attack the entire universe?! Ruthless!
Just then, Odin seemed to remember something and suddenly fixed his gaze on Lucci. "Wait! Lucci! Your body… you have the Time Stone, don't you? That means… you've become one of Thanos's main targets now!"
Meeting Odin's worried gaze, Lucci smiled nonchalantly. There was no fear in that smile, only anticipation and fighting spirit. "I'm not scared of him… Let him come!"
"Nonsense!" Odin's stern face was rarely so serious toward Lucci. "Thanos is different from other enemies! He and his army are true veterans of a hundred battles—they're executioners who tread on mountains of corpses and seas of blood! Be careful!"
Lucci replied calmly, "Father, don't worry. I have confidence in myself."
Odin saw Lucci's confident eyes and knew persuasion was futile. He sighed, "I trust your strength. But… what about Midgard? As far as I know, the Tesseract, an Infinity Stone, is now on Midgard! Thanos will surely send someone to snatch it! When that happens, Midgard will be in grave danger!"
Lucci still appeared unruffled. "Since I've inherited the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, it's natural for me to protect Earth. And anyway, Father, their goal is all six Stones—there's no hiding from this. Sooner or later, we'll have to face each other. What's the difference between sooner and later?"
Odin weighed this and found it true. After a moment of thought, he reluctantly decided, "Very well, then I'll send Thor to Midgard with you! With the two brothers working together, you'll be able to take care of yourselves and defend Midgard!"
But Lucci shook his head and refused Odin's offer. "No. Thor must stay in Asgard." He looked at Odin and Thor, explaining, "If Thanos can send someone to rescue Loki, it shows Asgard is never truly safe. As long as Asgard is secure and both you and Thor are here, I can focus on Midgard without worry."
After Lucci's analysis, Odin felt a chill in his chest and understood. He could only agree, looking helplessly at Thor. "Alright, we'll do as you say. But Lucci, before you leave, go see your mother. She's been very upset since Loki disappeared."
Lucci nodded. He knew that Loki, despite his mistakes, was still a child his gentle mother couldn't let go of.
Leaving the dungeon, Lucci bid farewell to Odin and Thor. Alone, he walked toward Queen Frigga's palace. Passing through the gardens and down the corridor, he spotted from afar the elegant and luxurious, yet sorrowful figure of Frigga. Dressed in a beautiful court gown, she paced restlessly on the palace terrace.
When Lucci appeared, her lonely eyes finally glimmered with hope. "Lucci, my child, you're back." She rushed forward, holding Lucci's hand, which felt slightly cold.
"Are Odin and Thor arguing again over Loki?" she asked in a slightly weary voice.
Lucci looked at his gentle mother and sighed softly. He took her hand in his, quietly channeling a warm, gentle flow of life energy.
"Mother, don't worry." He helped her sit on a stone bench and spoke softly. "You should know, Loki didn't escape alone, and Thor didn't let him go either. He was rescued by a man called Ebony Maw."
"Rescued?" Frigga was momentarily stunned, but at first, relieved—at least Loki was safe for now. But soon, deeper worries surfaced. "Ebony Maw? Who is he? Why would he rescue Loki?"
Lucci looked into Frigga's troubled and anxious eyes and didn't wish to burden her with Thanos's mad scheme. In a calm and convincing tone, he said, "Perhaps it's because of Loki's talents and unique identity. I'll find out the specific reason. Don't worry, Loki isn't in immediate danger. And I promise—I'll find him."
Hearing Lucci's assurance, Frigga finally felt at ease. She knew Lucci never made empty promises; if he promised, he would do it. She gazed at him, her eyes softening with love and longing.
"Lucci, my child, as the Queen and Mother, I know Loki has made many mistakes, even tried to harm Thor… but ultimately, he's your brother, a child we watched grow up. Deep down, he isn't as bad as he seems. Please, if you ever meet him again, if possible… please, spare him."
Lucci saw the almost desperate light in Frigga's eyes and silently accepted it in his heart. "Don't worry, Mother. I know what needs to be done," he replied gently.
After soothing Frigga, Lucci chatted with her for a while. Seeing she was still a little tired, he quietly infused her tea with spiritual energy to calm her mind. After drinking, Frigga felt unprecedented peace and drowsiness and soon fell asleep.
Lucci returned her to her bed, covered her with blankets, and instructed the palace fairy maids to take good care of her, then turned and left.
As he exited the palace, Lucci's mind raced.
Loki's disappearance wasn't entirely a bad thing for him. In fact, it might even be a blessing.
According to the original storyline, Loki would be manipulated by Thanos—he'd receive the scepter with the Mind Stone, lead the Chitauri army, and invade Earth for the Tesseract. That's like… express delivery to your doorstep! Where else could you find something so convenient?
All he had to worry about was ensuring Loki's actions didn't cause too much harm or sacrifice on Earth. After all, he was now the Sorcerer Supreme and its protector; he couldn't let his "brother" wreck his own domain. He'd also need help—dealing with the Chitauri army alone would be tough. They might be just cannon fodder, but cleaning them up would take time. And Loki and Thanos's minions would need to be subdued by someone equally strong.
Maybe… it's time to assemble my own team, Lucci thought. Familiar names flashed through his mind.
Thor? No, he had to stay in Asgard to keep Thanos from luring him away. The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj had grown stronger, but were more adept at handling magical and extradimensional enemies.
He needed more… muscle.
The moment he thought of "muscle," a name almost popped out by itself—Hulk.
…The pure incarnation of strength, a god of war whose fury only made him stronger. In terms of physical destruction and endurance, none in the Avengers could match him. Perfect for dealing with the Chitauri's cannon fodder.
It's decided, Lucci resolved. It's you, Hulk. Without hesitation, he reached out—his "Path of Flame" sword appeared in his hand. Stroking the air before him, he opened a rift in space leading to Earth. With Dormammu, he stepped through, vanishing instantly from Asgard.
…
Bonus chapter at 100 PS
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