"It's useless. Everything you're doing now is nothing more than futile struggling."
"Still, I must admit your strength is truly surprising. It seems Thanos' ability to cultivate a son is no less impressive than his other talents."
As Lothar adjusted his breathing, Shafrin swept his hand outward. His vibrant red cape, once draped over his golden battle armor, detached and instantly transformed into a massive drill, hurtling straight toward the battle-ready Lothar.
"But in the end, you are merely the son of Thanos… not Thanos himself."
If Thanos had personally arrived, Shafrin wouldn't be so confident. But now, wielding a fraction of the Mind Stone's power, he didn't see Lothar as a true threat.
In terms of raw power, they weren't even on the same level. As far as Shafrin was concerned, the fact that Lothar had managed to break free from his mental control was already impressive enough.
BOOM!
A pure energy explosion instantly shredded Shafrin's cape-drill into countless crimson fragments. As the torn fabric fluttered through the air, Lothar's figure vanished from his original spot—reappearing right before Shafrin.
"You talk too much."
The cold remark rang in Shafrin's ears as Lothar lashed out with a savage roundhouse kick. However, instead of striking Shafrin's golden armor, his foot merely slammed into the ground, sending mud splattering in all directions.
"Too slow."
The afterimage in front of Lothar gradually faded, and Shafrin's real body materialized behind him. Closing his deep-set eyes, Shafrin raised his hands, forming them into a blade-like shape.
In the air, he traced an X.
A window into his mind creaked open.
Monstrous creatures, countless in number, roared as they clawed at the X-shaped rift, widening its center into a gaping door, large enough for a person to pass through.
Eyes still shut, Shafrin spread his arms wide, listening intently to the darkness within his soul.
"ROAR!!!"
A writhing horde of grotesque entities howled at the sky, scrambling madly over one another to emerge from the airborne rift.
"This… this is impossible…"
The Other, jolted from his philosophical stupor, watched as the number of enemies multiplied. In a panic, he fumbled for the Casket of Ancient Winters, intending to unleash its frozen power with his sapphire scepter.
But just as he raised the artifact—
Darkness.
Everything vanished.
He could no longer see.
"Prince Lothar!"
"Prince Lothar!!"
"I— I can't see! What's happening?!"
Panic-stricken, The Other's hands trembled. The sudden blindness left him lost and disoriented.
The Casket of Ancient Winters slipped from his grasp, tumbling to the ground. He dropped to his knees, groping desperately in the dirt, but his hands found only emptiness.
"Annoying little fly, isn't he?"
Shafrin retracted his index finger, his voice laced with amusement.
Lothar's senses screamed with warning.
Too late.
In the blink of an eye, Lothar also lost his sight.
What?!
"Let's see how long you can endure, son of Thanos."
With a light chuckle, Shafrin opened his eyes and waved his hand.
Behind him, the monstrous horde that had poured forth from the X-shaped gateway surged forward, charging directly at the now-blinded Lothar.
Sight— Deprived.
One of Shafrin's two thousand abilities, a technique derived from the power of the Mind Stone.
"So, I've… lost my vision?"
Suppressing his initial shock, Lothar forced himself to adapt. He closed his eyes completely, relying on sound to locate his enemies. His body weaved through the relentless swarm of creatures, his ten fingers crackling with explosive energy beams.
"This energy signature…"
Astra, standing beside The Other, narrowed his eyes in astonishment.
The power radiating from Shafrin reminded him of the Power of the Grand Cosmos—the same mysterious energy that lay dormant within his own body.
"This can't be…"
He had only stumbled upon that enigmatic force due to a laboratory accident.
But how did the leader of U40 possess the same power?
And not only that… he could wield it freely—unlike Astra, who had struggled to control his own.
"Hey, Lothar! That bastard's power—it's the same one I told you about! The Power of the Grand Cosmos!"
Astra shouted, knowing full well that Lothar's survival was crucial to his own.
The Power of the Grand Cosmos?
What kind of ridiculous name is that? If there's a Grand Cosmos, does that mean there's a Lesser Cosmos too?
Hearing Astra's words, Shafrin's hand momentarily paused.
A faint smirk curled beneath his mask.
Even after all these years, his brother still had the same absurd naming sense.
Enough games. Better end this quickly—before something unexpected happens.
Mindful of Thanos' lingering influence, Shafrin raised his index finger once more, pointing directly at Lothar.
The Mind Stone's power surged, expanding into a vast illusionary domain that enveloped Lothar completely.
"Hearing— Deprived."
"Smell— Deprived."
"Touch— Deprived."
"Taste— Deprived."
The five senses— completely lost.
For the first time, Lothar experienced something beyond comprehension.
It was as if he had stepped into the realm of death itself.
His connection to the world had been severed.
No wind, no sound.
No feeling, no taste, no smell.
Nothing.
He stood there, utterly still—helpless as the monstrous tide swallowed him whole.
"LOTHAR!!!"
Astra roared in fury.
He hoisted his heavy cannon onto his shoulder, locking onto the approaching creatures, and pulled the trigger.
As flames erupted from the barrel, the monsters' snarling faces were engulfed in fire.
But Lothar remained motionless.
His expression cold. Lifeless.
"It's useless," Shafrin said calmly. "He's already fallen into my illusionary domain. Now… it's your turn."
In an instant, Shafrin appeared behind Astra.
A sharp hand chop slashed toward Astra's nape.
CRACK!
An energy barrier surged around Astra, deflecting the strike—an innate defense powered by the same force running through Shafrin.
"Not necessarily."
Seizing the brief moment his passive ability granted, Astra broke free, rolling across the ground until he landed beside Lothar.
He knew his own limits.
He wasn't strong enough to take on Shafrin alone.
So there was only one option—
He pressed his hand to Lothar's forehead.
He had to wake him up.
He had to force the Power of the Grand Cosmos inside him to respond.
"Wake the hell up!!!"
With a desperate roar, Astra poured every ounce of his willpower into Lothar.
For the first time, the slumbering power within Astra stirred—reluctantly surging into Lothar's body.
ZZZZT…
ZZZZT…
The air crackled with unstable energy.
And then—
Lothar's fingers twitched.
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