After these words were spoken, the operations room fell silent for a moment.
Thor looked at her, sighed helplessly, rubbed his temples, and finally his gaze swept over the four of them, landing on Wanda, who remained silent.
Wanda met his gaze and finally slowly lowered her arms, which were crossed over her chest. Crimson Chaos Magic surged quietly at her fingertips, causing even the surrounding air to distort slightly.
Her voice was soft, without the slightest hesitation.
"The invasion of dimensional demons is never just a disaster for Earth. What they seek to break down is the boundary of reality."
She looked up at Thor.
" Kamar-Taj is the last gate guarding the boundary of dimensions; it is my duty."
Thor looked at the four women before him, each with an equally determined gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing, before he finally let out a low chuckle.
He didn't say another word.
" Kamar-Taj is now the weakest point. Those old fogies who want to squeeze in through the dimensional rifts will have to get past us first."
The moment he finished speaking, Thor snapped his the Snap, and a portal suddenly opened in front of everyone.
On the other side of the gate lies the perpetual snow-capped Himalayas and the sacred Kamar-Taj courtyard, hidden in the clouds.
Betsy was the first to step forward, her steps never faltering. She only glanced back at Thor, a knowing smile in her eyes.
"Stop dawdling. We can't wait until those demons tear down the gate before we arrive."
Emma Frost, carrying the remaining half-bottle of red wine, slowly followed, pausing as she passed Madelyne.
He glanced at her sideways, a half-smile playing on his lips. He said nothing, but Madelyne instinctively clenched her fingers.
But she didn't back down an inch. She took a deep breath and followed Emma Frost into the portal, her gaze fixed on Thor's back the entire time.
Wanda was the last to move. She looked up at Thor, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear her.
" Chthon is here too. I can sense that his dark magic is eroding the boundaries of reality."
Thor's smile faded slightly. He casually summoned Stormbreaker and nodded heavily.
"I know. That's why we must hold this place."
As soon as they finished speaking, the two stepped into the portal together.
The golden light faded, and the portal quietly closed in the war room, leaving only an empty room and the still-flickering star map on the holographic projection.
The biting wind from the Himalayas, whipping up snow, rushed towards them, only to be torn to shreds by the lightning surrounding Thor the instant it reached them.
The courtyard of Kamar-Taj was quiet, with only the Book of the Vishanti suspended in the air emitting a faint golden light. Countless floating magical runes slowly flowed through the courtyard, forming a dimensional barrier that covered the entire mountaintop.
Without saying much, the group found their own places to stand.
Thor stood in the very center of the courtyard, lightning flowing slowly around him, his aura as a god-king spreading out in all directions, firmly locking down all the dimensional gaps around him.
Betsy stood to his left, her fingertips swirling with psionic energy, her sharp gaze sweeping across the void, ready to tear apart any dark energy that tried to penetrate.
Emma Frost leaned against a stone pillar in the courtyard, slowly swirling her wine glass. The playfulness in her eyes had long since vanished, replaced by extreme calmness. Her mental power had already spread out in all directions, bringing every corner of the entire dimensional barrier under her control.
Madelyne stood to Thor's right rear, her back straight and her eyes showing no fear, even though she knew her strength was insignificant in this dimensional war.
Wanda stood before the Book of the Vishanti, crimson Chaos Magic intertwined with golden holy magic. Her eyes were closed, her consciousness already sunk into the dimensional rift, staring intently at the terrifying auras that were constantly colliding with the boundaries of reality.
The five people stood silently on the mountaintop, the wind and snow swirling around them, and time seemed to stand still at that moment.
They are waiting.
When those dimensional demons lurking in the darkness smash through the boundaries and walk right into the trap.
In the crevices separated from the real world by countless dimensions, boundless darkness surges, where even light cannot survive.
This is a rift in the universe, a blind spot of rules, a lair where all dark beings rejected by reality hide.
Thanos hovered silently in the darkness, his massive body exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
His left hand was adorned with the Infinity Gauntlet, the Power Stone glowing purple and the Soul Stone glowing orange, both firmly embedded in their grooves. The energies of the two Infinity Stones intertwined, forming a terrifying energy field that repelled all the surrounding darkness.
To his right, a Tyrant's Blade, entirely black and exuding an aura of endless violence, was thrust diagonally into the void. The killing intent flowing across the blade could easily cleave through dimensional barriers.
Before him, five terrifying auras, powerful enough to shake the entire universe, were quietly lurking.
Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension. Endless dark energy surged around him, coalescing into a near-physical humanoid form. Every energy fluctuation caused the surrounding dimensional rifts to tremble.
Mephisto, the lord of Hell.
He wore a well-tailored black tuxedo, held a glass of scarlet liquor in his hand, and wore an elegant yet cunning smile. Deep in his eyes lay Soul Stone -devouring greed, like a lurking venomous snake ready to bare its fangs at any moment.
Eye Demon, Shuma Gorath.
Countless twisted eyes opened and closed in the darkness, an aura of madness and violence overwhelming everything. A single glance from them could shatter the Soul Stone of an ordinary person, driven by an almost instinctive obsession with destruction and devouring.
Chthon, the god of black magic.
He was enveloped in a thick, impenetrable black magical mist, his chaotic aura originating from the same source as Wanda's, yet far more ancient and terrifying. He was the source of Earth's black magic and the creator of countless forbidden spells.
Snake god, Set.
One of the oldest ancient gods on Earth, his body is covered in dark golden scales, and his vertical pupils are full of ruthlessness and violence. As the ruler of the past, his obsession with Earth is deeper than anyone else present.
Six beings capable of overturning the universe confronted each other in this narrow dimensional gap. The energy in the air was stretched to its limit, as if a storm could sweep across the entire multiverse at any moment.
Finally, Thanos broke the silence.
His deep purple eyes slowly swept over the five dimensional demons before him, his voice low and thunderous, carrying an undeniable authority, without the slightest hesitation.
"I need your help to hold off the new Sorcerer Supreme on Earth, and those small fry trying to hold the dimensional boundaries."
His fingertips gently caressed the gems on the Infinity Gauntlet, and the light of the two Infinity Stones instantly surged, the terrifying power causing the surrounding darkness to tremble.
"I will lead my fleet in a direct assault on Earth and seize the remaining Infinity Stones."
Upon hearing this, Mephisto chuckled softly, swirling the wine in his goblet, the crimson liquid drawing eerie arcs on the glass.
He looked up at Thanos, his tone elegant, yet every word was calculated.
"You madman from Titan, why should we help you?"
He took a sip of his drink, and his smile deepened.
"Helping you hold off the Sorcerer Supreme is equivalent to taking all the firepower from Kamar-Taj for you, and even facing the Asgard God-King and the wielder of Chaos Magic. Such a huge risk should have a corresponding reward, right?"
He leaned forward slightly, his greed undisguised.
"I want to know, after this war is over, how will the spoils be distributed?"
"I only want the Infinity Stones."
Thanos answered without the slightest hesitation, his tone cold and hard, as if he already considered the remaining gems as his for the taking.
"Once I collect Six Infinity Stones and achieve the balance of the universe, you can have whatever you want from Earth and everything else in this universe."
He knew all too well what these dimensional demons were thinking.
A group of madmen trapped in the dimensional rift for thousands of years have never wanted the Infinity Stones, but rather Earth, control of the real universe, and the chance to break free from the dimensional constraints.
And he just happens to be able to give them this opportunity.
Upon hearing this, the five dimensional demons exchanged a glance in unison.
In the darkness, their eyes met, and they all saw calculation, suspicion, and barely suppressed greed in each other's eyes.
They certainly didn't believe Thanos's nonsense.
This madman from Titan, who could slaughter half the universe's inhabitants for his twisted theory of cosmic balance, how could he possibly relinquish the benefits he's already gained?
But they didn't care.
Cooperation is merely a stopgap measure; first, we need to use Thanos's fleet to tear apart Earth's defenses and break through the boundaries of dimensions.
As for who will ultimately conquer Earth and who will control the universe, that depends on their own abilities.
In the end, whoever has the strongest fist will be the rule-maker.
Almost simultaneously, the group slowly nodded, acknowledging their agreement to the collaboration.
Just then, Chthon suddenly spoke up.
The black magical mist around him surged, his scarlet eyes were fixed on Thanos, and his voice was hoarse and eerie, like the hissing of countless venomous snakes.
"I smell the scent of dark magic on you. Titans, your thirst for power suits my taste perfectly."
He took a step forward, and the dark magic mist instantly wrapped around Thanos's arm, but it was blocked by the energy of the Infinity Stones.
"I can lend you my power, the primordial power of the God of Dark Magic."
Chthon's tone was incredibly seductive.
"With my power, you could easily crush not only the Avengers, but even if Odin or the Ancient One were to reappear. What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, the other dimensional demons also spoke up.
"Interesting. Then I'll add my share: the primal power of the Dark Dimension, enough to make you immune to all physical attacks."
Dormammu's voice boomed, and dark energy swept in instantly.
"The power of Hell is lent to you, and the Soul Stone of all living beings will bow down before you."
Mephisto chuckled and swirled his wine glass, the flames of Hell dancing at his fingertips.
"I will give you the power to tear reality apart, so that your battle blade can cleave through all dimensional barriers."
The Eye Demon's countless eyes lit up simultaneously, surging with frenzied energy.
"The authority of the ancient gods and the venom of the serpent god will grant you an immortal body."
Set's vertical pupils narrowed, and his dark golden scales gleamed with a cold light.
Five terrifying forces, capable of overturning the universe, converged on Thanos in the darkness. Each of them was enough to instantly grant an ordinary being power comparable to a god.
Thanos stared at the surging, multicolored energies before him, his purple eyes devoid of any emotion, only displaying extreme calm.
He knew, of course, that these powers weren't given away for nothing.
Accepting their power is tantamount to signing Soul Stone contract with these dimensional demons, selling one's Soul Stone to these madmen lurking in the darkness.
But so what?
His entire life was dedicated to the great cause of cosmic balance. For this goal, he sacrificed his beloved daughter Gamora, slaughtered countless planets, and even wiped out his own race.
It's nothing more than selling Soul Stone.
As long as he can collect Six Infinity Stones and complete his life's work, he would be willing to sell his Soul Stone, or even fall into an endless abyss and never be reborn.
"Good."
Thanos uttered only one word, without the slightest hesitation.
He slowly raised his left hand, and the two gems on the Infinity Gauntlet shone brightly, actively opening his energy barrier and allowing five terrifying forces to surge into his body.
The energy of the Dark Dimension, the flames of Hell, the mist of black magic, the mad power that tears reality apart, the immortal authority of the ancient gods.
All of it surged into his body, intertwining with the power of the Infinity Stones, etching strange contract runes onto his body.
Throughout the entire process, Thanos didn't even flinch.
He felt the power surging within him, his body being constantly strengthened, and even his Soul Stone being enveloped and imprinted by these forces, yet his eyes only gleamed with ever-growing sharpness.
The moment the contract was signed, Thanos slowly clenched his fist, and the energy around him exploded, causing the entire dimensional rift to tremble violently, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.
He didn't even glance at the five dimensional demons in front of him again, but raised his hand to activate the spatial device on his wrist, and a spatial rift instantly opened behind him.
See you on Earth.
As the two cold, hard words fell, Thanos's figure instantly vanished into the spatial rift, leaving only five lingering auras in the darkness, staring at each other in bewilderment.
After a moment of silence in the darkness, Mephisto chuckled softly, downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, his eyes filled with calculation.
"What an interesting madman."
His figure gradually blended into the darkness, leaving only a light, fleeting sentence that echoed in the dimensional rift.
"But it doesn't matter. Once he collects all the gems, his Soul Stone, and the entire universe, will be mine."
The moment he finished speaking, Mephisto's presence vanished completely.
Immediately afterwards, Dormammu, Chthon, the Eye Demon, and Set didn't say another word. They each transformed into a torrent of energy and disappeared into the boundless darkness.
They all knew very well that this collaboration was just the beginning of a hunt.
Thanos used them as pawns, but they also used Thanos to tear apart Earth's defenses.
Who is the hunter and who is the prey? Only when the dust settles will we know.
Earth, in near-Earth orbit.
In the deathly stillness of the cosmic vacuum, a violent spatial ripple suddenly appeared.
The next second, countless interstellar warships, blotting out the sky, suddenly burst out from the space jump, densely covering the entire near-Earth orbit.
The cannons were all aimed at the blue planet beneath their feet, their cold metallic gleam radiating a suffocating killing intent under the Cosmic Rays.
On the flagship's bridge, Thanos stood quietly before the main seat, looking down at the Earth below through the porthole.
The two gems on the Infinity Gauntlet were emitting a dazzling light, which spread from his arm to his entire body.
He could clearly sense that the remaining four Infinity Stones were on this planet, radiating alluring energy fluctuations.
He instantly guessed the Avengers ' plan.
This group wants to gather all the Infinity Stones together, using Earth as a shield to set up an encirclement, waiting for him to walk into their trap.
Thanos's lips curled into a cold smile.
childish.
He slowly raised his right hand and grasped the Tyrant's Blade at his side. The black blade was instantly enveloped in mist of black magic, flames of Hell, and energy from the Dark Dimension. The terrifying aura of slaughter caused even the alloy walls of the bridge to tremble slightly.
He looked up at the Black Order beside him, his voice deep and thunderous, carrying an unquestionable command. Every word was like the death Deathstroke, exploding in the vacuum of space.
"All troops, attack!"
"Leave no life on this planet alive."