"What the heck?!" Robert was taken aback when Ebony Maw revealed Thanos' ultimate goal. He had encountered many villains before, but they typically aimed to defeat their enemies, achieve immortality, or rule the world. The idea of reducing the universe's population by half was so bizarre that it left Robert dumbfounded.
It wasn't just Robert who was shocked—Thor and his companions also snapped out of their daze, their expressions incredulous as they stared at Ebony Maw.
Thor found Thanos' ultimate goal utterly impractical. The universe, despite having fewer life-bearing planets than lifeless ones, was still teeming with life. The notion of eliminating half of all life seemed utterly impossible.
"Wipe out half of all life? How does he plan to do that? Does he think that after gathering the Infinity Stones, he'll have enough power to go to each life-bearing planet and kill half of its inhabitants one by one?" Robert asked, frowning as he processed the information.
"Let's not even talk about the vastness of the universe—does he really think he can find every planet with life? And how does he decide who lives and who dies? And what if there's an odd number of beings on a planet? Does he cut one in half?" Robert continued, his tone laced with skepticism.
"We've faced these questions many times before. Or rather, it's because of these challenges—our inability to address every situation with our strength and abilities—that Thanos decided to gather the six Infinity Stones. With the combined power of the stones, he can accomplish this goal with a snap of his fingers," Ebony Maw explained calmly.
"To wield the power of the stones, Thanos had the Dwarf King Eitri of Nidavellir forge the Infinity Gauntlet. Once all six stones are embedded in the gauntlet, Thanos can use its power to snap his fingers and wipe out half of all life in the universe."
"A snap of the fingers? To make a wish? So, in total, with the Infinity Stones and the gauntlet, seven items can fulfill any wish? I'm very familiar with this concept!" Robert said with a touch of admiration after hearing Ebony Maw's explanation.
Robert, having originated from the Dragon Ball world, found the concept strikingly familiar. When Ebony Maw described the Infinity Gauntlet, Robert couldn't help but think of the Dragon Balls, which also granted wishes when gathered. However, the Infinity Stones were different in that each one individually contained terrifying power, surpassing even Robert's current strength.
"So, the Infinity Stones are like a combination of Dragon Balls and magical talismans? They not only grant wishes but also bestow immense power? Interesting…" Robert thought, forming a new understanding of the Infinity Stones.
"Impossible!" Thor suddenly shouted, glaring at Ebony Maw with intense anger. "Nidavellir is under Asgard's protection! There's no way Thanos could have forced the Dwarf King Eitri to forge the Infinity Gauntlet!"
"A lion that has grown old no longer commands fear; instead, it becomes prey for others," Ebony Maw replied, his gaze piercing as he looked at Thor. "Asgard was once powerful, respected across the universe. But now, Asgard has declined. Your strength is decent, but it's not enough to carry Asgard's legacy. And frankly, if I'm to die here today, your fate might not be much better…"
"Their fate isn't something you need to worry about," Robert interjected coldly, cutting off Ebony Maw. "You mentioned earlier that you've done this many times before. Does that mean you've already killed many beings on various life-bearing planets, each time sparing only half?"
"Yes, we've slaughtered countless beings. In the universe, we're infamous, feared by many civilizations," Ebony Maw admitted. "We're far from invincible, but the universe isn't united. Each civilization that ventures beyond its home planet is more concerned with its own survival, ignoring others. That's why our mission has progressed so smoothly."
"So, I'm curious—why does Thanos have this ultimate goal? Was he traumatized, or is he just insane?" Robert asked, his expression unchanged as he pressed for more information.
"Thanos believes that the unchecked growth of populations across the universe will eventually deplete all resources, leading to the collapse of civilization. To prevent this, he aims to eliminate half of all life, bringing the population back into balance with available resources," Ebony Maw explained, his eyes gleaming with conviction.
"All of this stems from what Thanos witnessed on his homeworld, Titan. He saw firsthand how the conflict between resources and population led to the downfall of civilization. Thanos believes that by reducing the excess population, he can prevent famine and war, maintaining a balance between life and resources across the universe."
"So, in Thanos' twisted logic, he's the good guy? A noble figure with a grand vision, willing to endure any hardship to achieve his goal?" Robert asked, smiling as he eyed Ebony Maw with interest. "In his eyes, we're all parasites draining the universe's resources, while he's the universe's savior? But tell me, do you believe his rhetoric?"
Robert's mind wandered to Krypton, a world whose destruction he had heard about from Jor-El. Krypton had faced a similar fate, its resources exhausted due to overexploitation, leading to its eventual collapse. Despite being an advanced civilization with the means to leave their planet, most Kryptonians chose to perish with their world.
In a way, Thanos' thinking wasn't entirely wrong. When a civilization grows too large and consumes too many resources, it risks destroying the very world it depends on. But that didn't mean Thanos' plan to wipe out half the universe's population was the right solution.
This wasn't a scientific universe; it was a Marvel universe, one where artifacts like the Infinity Stones existed. If Thanos could use the stones to eliminate half of all life, why couldn't he just wish for resources to increase alongside civilization's growth?
And even if half of all life were eradicated, how long would that balance last? Civilizations would continue to grow, perhaps even more aggressively, to regain their former glory, consuming resources at an even faster rate. When that happened, would Thanos simply snap his fingers again?
Moreover, the half that Thanos intended to eliminate would have already consumed vast amounts of resources, contributing nothing before they were wiped out. Their existence and the resources they consumed would be a complete waste.
In the end, Robert found Thanos' plan full of flaws. It would have made more sense if Thanos simply wanted to rule the universe as a tyrant but felt that the universe was too crowded and needed to thin the herd.
"I don't entirely believe in his cause, but as his subordinate, what choice do I have? I can only follow his orders, can't I?" Ebony Maw shrugged, his tone filled with resignation.
"He disregards half of all life while claiming to care for the other half's well-being. Sometimes, even I find his motives contradictory. But it doesn't matter now—these things are no longer my concern…"
"Do you have anything else to say?" Robert asked, nodding slightly as he looked at Ebony Maw. "Like Thanos' location, the extent of his power, and how many followers he has?"
"Even if I told you Thanos' location, you wouldn't be able to find him. He roams the universe on a floating throne, capable of traveling across galaxies," Ebony Maw replied, shaking his head. "As for his power, I've never seen its limits, nor have I seen the full extent of yours. I can't say who would win if you two fought, especially given the vast difference in strength between us."
"However, I think you could hold your own against him in a brief encounter. Oh, and Thanos wields a massive double-edged sword in battle, capable of unleashing terrifying power."
"As for his followers, aside from the Chitauri army, it's just us, the Black Order. With me and Black Dwarf falling here on Earth, that leaves Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, and Supergiant. They're the only ones besides Thanos who are truly formidable."
"Supergiant specializes in mind control. While her power is slightly weaker than mine, her abilities are more insidious, making her harder to guard against…"
"Proxima Midnight is skilled in close combat, and her spear can unleash devastating energy blasts, though she rarely uses it…"
"Corvus Glaive, the leader of the Black Order, is the most powerful among us. He possesses immense strength and an incredible healing factor. Even if his body is destroyed, he won't die as long as his soul remains bound to his weapon, the Glaive. As long as it exists, he can keep coming back…"
"If you want to take down Corvus Glaive, try capturing Proxima Midnight first. Their relationship is a weakness you could exploit…"
"Detailed information," Robert commented, nodding approvingly. However, he had no intention of using Proxima Midnight to hold Corvus Glaive hostage; he was more interested in seeing how many times Corvus could resurrect himself.
"I've told you everything I know. Please, just give me a quick death. Don't bring me back again…" Ebony Maw pleaded, his voice filled with desperation as he faced Robert.
Before Robert's relentless torture, Ebony Maw had never imagined he would willingly divulge so much information. The thought that he would do anything to die quickly, as Robert had promised, filled him with a deep sense of bitterness.
"Don't worry, once I've verified some of this, I'll grant you your wish," Robert replied with a smile, though his words sent a shiver down Ebony Maw
's spine.
"Smack!" Before Ebony Maw could react, Robert knocked him out cold, leaving him unconscious next to the still-slumbering Black Dwarf.
"Now, it's your turn," Robert said, turning his gaze toward Thor and his companions with a smile.
"You… Saiyan, are you really going to harm Loki?" Thor asked, gripping Mjolnir tightly as he looked between Robert and the unconscious Loki in his arms. He took a deep breath, trying to steel himself for what was to come.
"Buzz!"
"Whoosh!"
Before Thor could finish his sentence, a brilliant light shot down from the sky, racing toward him and his friends. Robert watched as the Bifrost descended, his lips curling into a smirk as he spoke: "Guardian, disrupt the Bifrost…"
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