I Know This Is Cruel to You

The atmosphere fell into a deathly silence.

Thanos, Odin, Laufey, Beckett, and even Hela all turned their gazes to the small, thin kitten.

The orange cat, its eyes wide open, looked around curiously at Thanos and Odin.

As Energy Devouring Beast, it sensed danger from the two men, a completely new experience for it.

Meow~

Licking its lips, the orange cat leaped to return to Beckett's side, but its small figure was Thanos, who grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.

???

The orange cat, its body firmly bound by an invisible force field, looked completely bewildered.

It tried to break free, but its attempts were all in vain.

"Energy Devouring Beast?"

The well-informed Thanos immediately recognized the species of this rare and exotic beast.

Retrieving the Reality Stone from inside the cat's belly would be a difficult task, even for Thanos.

The reason is simple: according to legend, the stomach of the Energy Devouring Beast is connected to a universe.

The difficulty of retrieving the Reality Stone from the vast universe with absolute precision is unimaginable.

"Rua..."

After struggling in vain and realizing that it was bound, the orange cat opened its mouth and spat out half of the undead of Svartalfheim!

The densely packed army of the undead, the standard armor of the Dark Elf soldiers—all accumulated over thousands of years in Malekith's [Artificial Underworld]. Of course, along with this army of the undead, there was also a Mind Stone that Thanos recognized all too well, and two broken scepters.

After The Other turned to ash, out of curiosity, it swallowed the Mind Stone along with the scepter that had fallen to the ground.

"Meow!"

It grabbed the Mind Stone with its right forepaw, and after a babyish cry, came the terrifying undead calamity!

Under the manipulation of the Mind Stone, Malekith's undead army, amassed over millennia, is enough to terrify any civilization in the Nine Realms.

Including Asgard.

After all, Odin didn't want Asgard to be engulfed in war.

Although these undead soldiers have lost the ability to resurrect indefinitely, they still maintain considerable combat power and are adept at destroying homes and civilizations.

"Meow!"

The ruffled Energy Devouring Beast threatened in a childish voice, while an endless army of undead eyed Thanos covetously.

"The Mind Stone?"

Thanos turned his gaze to his adopted son, Beckett, who suddenly clenched his fists, and a ball of energy appeared in his palms.

"Leave it to me, Father."

Freed from its restraints, the Energy Devouring Beast fell to the ground, rolled around a few times, and shook off its orange fur. It then bared its teeth at Thanos, who had attacked it, and meowed.

"Hand over the items."

The energy ball that appeared near its mouth caused the Energy Devouring Beast to freeze in shock. After sniffing the familiar scent, it wagged its tail, threw the Mind Stone on the ground, and began to eat the energy ball that Beckett had handed it, taking small bites. A satisfied smile spread across its cute little face.

Meow~

The orange cat chewed the energy ball that seemed like a delicacy, then rubbed against Beckett's tattered trouser leg as if it had thought of something. It turned its head, opened its mouth, and swallowed back the half- Svartalfheim undead soldier that it had stuffed into its mouth.

The orange cat, holding the energy ball with satisfaction, smacked its lips and then leaped up, landing directly on Beckett's shoulder.

"This Energy Devouring Beast seems to like you."

Thanos, who had witnessed everything Thanos his hand, and the scepter that The Other had broken earlier flew into his hand.

"Probably." Beckett turned his head, and the orange cat, who was nibbling on an energy ball, tilted its head and blinked its big eyes at him curiously.

Energy Devouring Beast like to consume their own energy, something Beckett already knew back in the Artificial Underworld.

Snap!

Thanos personally shoved the Mind Stone back onto the broken scepter, and a strange energy field rapidly spread outward from Thanos's center.

Click!

The scepter was restored to its original state by the Mind Stone. The only change was that the person who used to hold it was The Other, but now it is Thanos.

"Let's go, child, we should go back."

Thanos held the scepter in his hand and said nothing more. His objective for the journey through the Nine Realms was achieved; although the Energy Devouring Beast had interfered, it now seemed to have become a good place to store the gems.

To collect the formless Aether, Thanos would need to use another Infinity Stones. However, using the stone would inevitably divert and weaken Thanos's power.

Thanos would never do something as foolish as reducing his own power while Odin is still present.

Two people who were once inseparable, though connected through their children, still harbored deep distrust towards each other.

The fact that both sides were present in Svartalfheim is the best proof of this distrust.

As for Laufey...

Without the Casket of Ancient Winters, Laufey is no longer a threat to Thanos. Unless he can awaken the power remaining in the bloodline of the Frost Giant, the ancestors of the giants, Jotunheim will soon be crushed by Odin after losing the powerful Dark Elf King as an ally.

"Yes, Father."

Beckett responded, his indifferent gaze sweeping over everyone present. After lingering on Hela's expressionless face for a second longer, he followed Thanos step by step into the dazzling teleportation light.

"It seems you've made a deep impression on Beckett this time." Odin's eyes did not miss the extra second Beckett's gaze lingered.

Hela pursed her lips, not wanting to speak.

Out of pride, she didn't want her father to know about the humiliating history of being completely dominated by Beckett from beginning to end.

All she wants now is to work hard to integrate and train her Death Divinity. Sooner or later, she will be able to get back at him, pin this arrogant Saiyan down, and lock his throat!

Hela unconsciously touched her throat.

Perhaps influenced by Beckett's penchant for chokeholds, she now seems to have developed a particular fondness for this skill as well.

"Father, Laufey has run away."

"He can't escape, Jotunheim, he's still here."

On Thanos in space.

"Lord Thanos."

Ebony Maw, who was controlling the spaceship's teleportation system, bowed respectfully to the returning Thanos. Beckett, with an orange cat perched on his shoulder, had a cold expression, and his golden hair had turned back to jet black under his will.

"Looks like you've suffered a pretty big loss this time, Beckett." Ebony Maw looked at Beckett's empty back with amusement, noticing the absence of his usual sycophantic self.

Even that sycophant's scepter ended up in Thanos's hands.

Do you want to die?

Beckett was not in a good mood, narrowed his eyes and, under Ebony Maw's shocked gaze, locked his throat tightly!

How could this be?!

"That's enough, Beckett."

Thanos, who had returned to the control chair on the main ship, spoke, Beckett finally let go of his hand.

"I know this is cruel to you."

"But that's reality."

You must learn to accept it.