Blue light flashed, and Temple II vanished into deep space. When it reappeared, it hovered above the surface of a nearby wilderness planet.
It was not a graveyard Russell had deliberately chosen for Thanos. It just happened to be nearby, and the rows of sunflowers had not been planted by anyone either. It was purely accidental and coincidental.
In short, everything was an accident. There was not the slightest trace of premeditation.
Temple II released a beam of light, and Thanos appeared with the Black Order. Besides the Black Order, there were three men, one woman, and a lump of metal. For the time being, that counted as five people.
Their positions made it obvious that there was a divide between them. They belonged to two separate factions.
Blue light flashed again as Russell appeared with a group of thugs and lackeys: Hydra's three legion commanders, the three members of The Marvels, and the sibling pair Hela and Thor.
"Thanos, long time no see. Did you call up some friends to join you for a last meal before execution?"
Russell glanced at Thanos's Infinity Gauntlet. The gold, green, and orange gems were eye-catching. He had already obtained the Soul Stone.
Yondu had confirmed that Gamora was alive and well. Thanos obtaining the Soul Stone had nothing to do with his adoptive daughter.
Clearly, he had obtained the Soul Stone through another method.
Thanos did not respond. He glanced at the two gems in Russell's hand, swept his gaze across the gathered lackeys, and frowned slightly when he saw Hela and Thor.
The Asgardian royal family, Odin's children—he had already recognized the identities of the two heirs.
"Guests who have come from afar should be welcomed, though this is a little sudden. For example, these people..."
Thanos was a man of