"Is Clark really okay?" Martha's expression softened slightly after hearing Robert's words, but there was still a hint of disbelief in her eyes. She needed further confirmation of her son's condition.
"How about I bring him here for you to see? His condition isn't great, but he's alive," Robert offered, seeing the doubt in both Martha and Jonathan's eyes. He was prepared to use instant transmission to bring Clark over. However, given Clark's fragile state, Robert knew that he'd need to return him to the sun as quickly as possible to avoid further complications from lack of solar energy.
"Wait!" Jor-El suddenly interrupted, pointing toward the ship. "I've made some progress with the Space Stone. We can now open a portal to see him without having to bring him here. It's safer this way."
Clearly, Jor-El believed it was better for Clark to remain in the sun, given his current condition. He wanted to avoid unnecessary risks, assuming Robert's account was truthful.
The group quickly gathered on the ship, where the blue glow of the Space Stone began to pulse with energy. A portal opened, revealing Clark lying in the heart of the sun. Despite the Space Stone's protective barrier, the brightness of the sun made it difficult for the Kent and Danvers families to look directly at it.
Buzz! Robert waved his hand, sending a gentle aura into their bodies, which alleviated the discomfort and allowed them to look at the massive ball of fire—and within it, the lifeless figure of Clark, his wounds still unhealed.
"Clark!"
"Kal!"
Both the Kents and Jor-El called out Clark's name, but he showed no reaction. Clark was far from recovery and, in his current state, was not much different from a vegetative being.
"Kal still shows signs of life, but they are faint. Can he really recover from this?" Jor-El's face grew even more concerned after scanning Clark's body.
Without the yellow sun's radiation, Kryptonians were no different from ordinary humans. When General Zod had killed Jor-El, his injuries hadn't been as severe as Clark's were now. Even though Clark was surrounded by solar energy and showed no visible signs of damage, Jor-El remained deeply worried.
"Don't worry. Clark is healing, though it will take time. He will wake up," Robert reassured them confidently, sensing that Clark's aura was growing stronger, albeit slowly.
"As long as he wakes up, that's all that matters…," Martha sighed in relief, her entire body relaxing.
Earlier, Martha had been on the verge of despair. First, she and Jonathan were kidnapped, then they were hastily rescued and taken to the island to hide. During this chaotic time, Robert had nearly been lost, and then she had heard Clark's death cry, leading her to believe she had lost both of her sons.
But now, Robert had returned unharmed, and while Clark was badly hurt and needed a long recovery, at least he was alive.
Being alive in such a turbulent time was no small blessing.
Soon, the portal closed. With Clark still unconscious, there was no point in staring at him indefinitely. Additionally, keeping the Space Stone connected to the sun could cause unforeseen problems, so Jor-El quickly deactivated the portal.
---
Meanwhile, far away from the solar system, Thanos stood with three of his Black Order members, gazing at the stars.
"Earth has used the Space Stone again. The Sorcerer Supreme is gone, and the powerful Kryptonian is dead. Asgard, which once protected Earth, has long since abandoned it. Do you think we can seize the Space Stone this time?" Thanos asked in a calm voice as he surveyed his subordinates.
"Moreover, I've also detected the presence of the Reality Stone. For some reason, it too is on Earth, alongside the Time Stone. Three of the six Infinity Stones are now on that planet."
"Father, I think it's best we don't make a move on Earth just yet!" Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive exchanged glances, but before they could speak, Supergiant quickly interjected. "Earth is still home to another formidable fighter—a Saiyan. His strength is terrifying!"
"During the Chitauri invasion, this Saiyan alone slaughtered the entire Chitauri army. The combined energy he unleashed could have easily destroyed a planet," Supergiant said, her voice filled with both respect and fear.
"The Saiyan… Is he really as powerful as you say?" Thanos asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes, Father. Though I hate to admit it, the Saiyan is truly terrifying. We still don't know what exactly happened on Earth that led to the Kryptonian's death, but until we figure out the situation with the Saiyan, it's unwise to attack Earth," Supergiant insisted firmly.
Supergiant knew Thanos' approach well. If he intended to strike Earth, he wouldn't go himself but would send the remaining three members of the Black Order first. However, Supergiant had no desire to return to that dangerous planet, nor did she want to face Robert and Kara again, both of whom were exceedingly powerful.
"I agree. The Sorcerer Supreme may be gone, but the wizards of Kamar-Taj remain. Last time, they prevented us from even getting close to the Time Stone. Without overwhelming force, it will be difficult to take it from them," Corvus Glaive added, understanding Supergiant's point.
"The wizards of Kamar-Taj, huh? I recall there are some magicians in the universe who have inherited their teachings. Do you think we could use them to our advantage?" Thanos pondered. The situation on Earth was indeed tricky, and it frustrated him to see three Infinity Stones lying within reach but just out of his grasp.
Thanos was well aware that he wasn't the only clever being in the universe. He knew Earth was no mere backwater world. If it were truly insignificant, it wouldn't have produced so many powerful defenders, nor would it have repelled his forces and Krypton's armies.
As time passed, the people of Earth would only grow more familiar with the power of the Infinity Stones. A Stone wielded by a novice and one fully mastered were on completely different levels.
Even Thanos had not yet fully unlocked the Mind Stone's potential, as manipulating mind energy wasn't his area of expertise.
"Earth is the source of Kamar-Taj's magic. It would be nearly impossible to use cosmic magicians against them, especially since we'd struggle to gather all the sorcerers from across the universe," Supergiant said, shaking her head.
"It looks like I'll need to unlock the full power of the Mind Stone. The scepter isn't enough anymore. It's time to retrieve the Infinity Gauntlet!" Thanos' eyes gleamed with determination. "Contact Gamora and Nebula. Keep searching for the Power Stone and the Soul Stone. I'll go to Nidavellir!"
"Father, let us handle this," Corvus Glaive offered respectfully.
"No need. It's time I stretch my legs. I have a feeling there's a great battle ahead of us on Earth. It's been too long since I last fought. The last time was when I razed worlds with Gamora," Thanos said with a smile, lifting his double-edged blade.
"Let's hope Eitri, the dwarf king, knows his place. Otherwise, he'll be slain by the very blade he forged!" Thanos warned, laughing as he headed toward his ship.
"Eitri will understand," Supergiant chimed in confidently.
As Thanos departed, Supergiant, Proxima Midnight, and Corvus Glaive breathed a sigh of relief. They knew that until Thanos was ready, he wouldn't make a move on Earth. Or at least not until he had secured the Power Stone. Without it, their chances of success were slim.
"I wonder if Gamora has found any leads…" Supergiant mused, looking toward Corvus Glaive. "There are only three of us left in the Black Order. It's important we work together. More numbers mean more power—and more chances of survival."
"You're right," Corvus Glaive agreed, his expression serious. "This isn't like the past. Back then, we could sweep across the cosmos, wiping out half the population of entire planets with ease. But now, we face increasing resistance. Even Father can't face so many powerful civilizations alone. That's why we've turned to the Infinity Stones."
"The universe is vast, and even a backwater place like Earth has produced powerful warriors. We've been lucky so far," Supergiant sighed. "We've encountered divine realms before, yet none of the gods intervened. Otherwise, things wouldn't have been so easy."
"Gods are irrelevant," Corvus Glaive scoffed. "By all accounts, Father is as much a god as any of them. We live in a new era—one where gods no longer matter. What we must worry about are those civilizations watching us. We aren't the first to seek the Infinity Stones, and we won't be the last."
Supergiant nodded, her voice low. "There's likely more going on than we realize. No one has ever managed to collect all six Infinity Stones. There could be forces waiting to swoop in once we gather them. We have to be cautious."
"I'm sure Father is aware of that. Otherwise, he wouldn't be taking matters into his own hands this time," Proxima Midnight remarked, her gaze distant as she watched Thanos leave.
"Let's get moving too. I heard Nebula has split off from Gamora. Who knows what they've found," Supergiant
said, standing and heading for the ship.
---
In Nidavellir, the dwarf king Eitri stared in silence at the half-forged Infinity Gauntlet before him. As one of the universe's oldest races, the dwarves knew well the power of the Infinity Stones. This was not the first time they had crafted an Infinity Gauntlet.
Long ago, Odin had ordered the dwarves to forge a gauntlet during Asgard's peak, when he sought to conquer not just the Nine Realms but the entire galaxy—and perhaps even the universe. However, after the gauntlet was completed, Odin suddenly abandoned his ambition. He locked the gauntlet away and never made any attempt to collect the Infinity Stones.
Even when the Space Stone fell into his hands, Odin showed no interest in keeping it, let alone using it within the gauntlet. Despite knowing the location of the Reality Stone, a prize won from the Dark Elves, Odin refrained from pursuing it.
Had Odin sought to collect the Stones, it would have been much easier for him than it was for Thanos now. The Reality Stone was an Asgardian prize, the Space Stone had been taken from the Frost Giants, and Odin's strength was unmatched in the universe.
If he had wanted, Odin could have taken the Time Stone from the wizards of Kamar-Taj with relative ease. With three Infinity Stones in hand, few would have been able to challenge Odin.
Yet, despite these advantages, Odin gave it all up. He became a benevolent king and renounced all his ambitions. And it all seemed to start with the completion of the Infinity Gauntlet…
Eitri's heart filled with unease at the thought. Just then, a spaceship arrived at Nidavellir…
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