When Robert appeared, Thor felt an overwhelming sense of dread and shock. He hadn't expected Robert to show up here, and what was most unsettling was that Robert seemed to have been present for some time without Thor noticing. This wasn't necessarily because Robert was particularly skilled at hiding but perhaps due to the vast difference in their power levels, rendering Thor completely unaware of Robert's presence until he chose to reveal himself.
"Let me go!" Loki struggled fiercely in Thor's grasp, but he quickly realized that Thor's strength had grown so much that he couldn't resist at all. This left Loki feeling like a stubborn dog being held down by its owner, defiant yet helpless.
In Loki's mind, his hatred for the Black Order and Thanos far surpassed his resentment toward Robert. However, seeing Robert brought back memories. If it hadn't been for Robert destroying the Bifrost, Loki wouldn't have been stranded in the universe, nor would he have become Thanos' puppet.
To Loki, Robert was the root cause of all his suffering.
But before Loki could act on his anger, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. The next moment, his world went dark as he lost consciousness.
"Sorry about that, Saiyan. Loki doesn't have the power to threaten you, so I hope you can forgive him…" Thor said solemnly after knocking Loki out. "I'll leave these two invaders to you and won't interfere any further. Don't worry, I'll contact Asgard soon and let them know that Earth is still under Asgard's protection…"
"No need to rush. Let me deal with these two first, and then we'll talk about Asgard," Robert replied with a smile, shaking his head. "Besides, you know as well as I do that Asgard's protection is hardly necessary for Earth anymore…"
Robert had overheard Thor's earlier conversation and knew that Thor's perspective on godhood had changed. He hadn't arrived late but also hadn't arrived early enough to witness the Black Order members escaping with the Space Stone.
When Robert arrived, he saw Thor had already subdued Ebony Maw and left him for Loki to deal with. This allowed Robert to catch Thor's remarks about the redundancy of Asgard's protection.
Unlike Loki, who was astonished by Thor's change, Robert wasn't particularly surprised by Thor's rejection of the title of god. From Robert's point of view, gods weren't all that special. In fact, Robert didn't consider Thor or even Odin to be true gods; they lacked the mystique and power he associated with beings like Galactus, who truly embodied the essence of a god.
Robert was aware that Thor was still on Earth but wasn't concerned about it. Thor knew the gap between their powers and wouldn't act recklessly. However, Loki was a different matter. Though weaker than Thor, Loki posed a far greater danger to Earth, mainly because of his unpredictable nature and vengeful personality.
Unlike Thor, who had matured, Loki showed no sign of understanding the concept of power disparity. He would either resort to trickery or plot some underhanded scheme to strike at his enemies.
Robert was confident Loki couldn't deceive him, nor could he easily fool the Avengers. But Robert worried that Loki might take his frustration out on innocent Earthlings, becoming a hidden killer that no one could detect.
Given Loki's malicious nature and lack of moral restraint, Robert couldn't allow him to remain on Earth unless he drastically changed his ways.
Thor seemed to realize something from Robert's words and fell silent, furrowing his brow in thought. His instincts and newfound rationality told him that the best course of action would be to leave Loki behind and walk away with the Warriors Three and Sif.
However, Loki wasn't just another Asgardian warrior. Despite the drastic changes in Thor's personality and the growing power gap between them, Thor still saw Loki as his closest ally, someone indispensable to him.
Beyond Loki's cleverness, which Thor believed would be useful, it was the habit formed over a thousand years of companionship that made Thor reluctant to abandon his brother, even if he knew he couldn't defeat Robert.
"Tell me more about this Thanos. Who exactly is he? And what are these Infinity Stones you mentioned?" Robert asked, turning his attention to Ebony Maw, who seemed to hesitate.
Ebony Maw wasn't sure who Robert was or what his relationship with Thor might be. While he could see that Thor was wary of Robert, he couldn't be sure if Robert would spare his life.
"If you want to know about Father, you can go to hell!" Black Dwarf suddenly roared, swinging his massive axe at Robert.
"Buzz!" With a single glance from Robert, Black Dwarf froze in place. His powerful muscles twitched as he struggled to break free, but his body remained immobilized.
"Telekinesis?" Ebony Maw's eyes widened in shock. He recognized the power Robert was using, but it was far more potent than his own. This realization filled him with dread, and he began to consider his options.
"Don't worry, you'll get your turn. I'll have some questions for you too," Robert said calmly, shaking his head at Black Dwarf. The giant warrior felt his consciousness fade, and he soon drifted into unconsciousness, suspended in midair.
"Thud!"
The next moment, Black Dwarf collapsed to the ground, his axe clattering beside him. Robert smiled at Ebony Maw and asked, "Now, can you answer my questions?"
"Yes… but I'm too weak right now…" Ebony Maw replied weakly, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
"That's no problem." Robert placed a hand on Ebony Maw, causing him to flinch, fearing the worst. But to his surprise, a warm energy flowed through him, instantly healing his injuries and restoring his strength.
"This can't be possible!" Ebony Maw jumped up, unable to believe what had just happened. He felt his body and found that he was completely healed. "What kind of power is this?"
Ebony Maw was no stranger to healing abilities. He had traveled the universe for years, encountering advanced civilizations with impressive medical technologies, some capable of near-miraculous healing.
But those methods required sophisticated equipment, energy, and time—nothing like the instantaneous, flawless healing Robert had just performed. Robert's power seemed more efficient than even creating a new cloned body.
"Now, can you answer my questions? And remember, don't lie. If your answers differ from his, you'll suffer. Believe me, if I can heal you, I can make you worse off than before," Robert warned, his eyes locking onto Ebony Maw's.
"Thanos comes from the Eternal race of Titan, a species said to be created by true gods," Ebony Maw began, sensing the seriousness of Robert's threat. "He possesses immense physical strength and terrifying mental powers, making him one of the most formidable beings in the universe."
"And the Infinity Stones? They are said to be ancient gems that existed since the beginning of the universe, each holding infinite power. Our mission here on Earth was to retrieve the Space Stone and the Time Stone…"
"The Space Stone was the one used to open the portal earlier, but it was taken away by a mechanical device…"
"As for the Time Stone, it's believed to be in the hands of a magic organization. We attempted to retrieve it, but their ranks were filled with powerful individuals, forcing us to retreat…"
"Filled with powerful individuals?" Robert blinked in surprise, looking at Ebony Maw. "Did you encounter the Ancient One? Is she still at Kamar-Taj?"
"They were powerful because each of them wielded one or more magical artifacts, which granted them immense strength. We had no way to fight back. As for the guardian you mentioned, the Ancient One, we didn't see her…" Ebony Maw shook his head slowly.
"Go on. Tell me about the remaining Infinity Stones. What is Thanos planning to do with them?" Robert nodded, understanding the situation, but his focus remained on the Infinity Stones.
Robert had sensed the power of the Space Stone when the portal opened. He admitted that the energy within the Space Stone was indeed limitless, even surpassing his own strength.
What intrigued Robert was that this energy, particularly the spatial aspect, was far more potent than ordinary energy. If each Infinity Stone held such boundless power, any single stone could create a top-tier cosmic entity.
Thanos' plan to collect all the Infinity Stones must be part of a much larger, more dangerous scheme.
"There are six Infinity Stones in total. Thanos currently has only one, the Mind Stone. We brought it here in the scepter, and it was used to strengthen our control over Loki, enabling him to wield the Space Stone…" Ebony Maw explained, his eyes darting as he slowly inched closer to Robert.
"Oh? So even if the Infinity Stones are collected, they aren't easy to wield or control? And Loki has that kind of ability?" Robert asked, noting the distance between them.
"Indeed, while Loki's power is weak, his abilities are unique. Any weapon he holds, he can utilize to some degree, as long as it isn't already controlled by someone else," Ebony Maw confirmed.
"If we hadn't discovered this about him, even as an Asgardian prince, Thanos wouldn't have spared his life…"
"What about the other three? Thanos only has one Stone?" Robert asked, watching as Ebony Maw inched closer, amused by the attempt.
"Thanos only possesses the Mind Stone. The other three are the Power Stone, the Soul Stone, and the Reality Stone…" Ebony Maw continued, his voice taking on a persuasive tone. "These three stones are even more powerful. The Power Stone grants unmatched strength, the Soul Stone can create souls, and the Reality Stone can alter reality itself, even changing the very fabric of existence…"
"And Thanos has found leads on these three stones. They are…"
Ebony Maw's voice grew increasingly persuasive, and Robert appeared to be deeply engrossed in his words, as though he was lost in thought, imagining the immense power of the Infinity Stones.
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