The red dust of Titan, carrying an aura of rust and death, swept over us.
The massive wreckage of a starship, like the skeleton of an ancient behemoth, lay askew on the desolate earth, casting a distorted shadow.
The aftershocks of the spatial folds had not completely dissipated, and a faint smell of ozone lingered in the air.
Not far in front of them, a massive body sat quietly on a relatively intact throne wreckage, its back to the group.
He simply sat there, as if he were the center of this ruin, the sole ruler of this dead planet.
Death Titans, the Thanos.
Thor's gaze swept over the broad purple back, and he clicked his tongue inwardly.
Sure enough, it's that old acquaintance. No matter which universe you're in, as long as there are Infinity Stones, you'll always find that purple-faced guy.
Seemingly sensing the arrival of the uninvited guest, the massive body moved.
He slowly turned around, his movements not fast, but carrying a heavy weight that seemed to crush mountains.
A deep purple face appeared before them, the distinctive lines on its chin resembling deep knife scars.
His eyes were as calm as a still, dead sea, but beneath the surface lay a powerful undercurrent capable of swallowing everything.
Everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to his raised right hand.
It was an enormous glove covered in golden metal, inlaid with five dazzling gems that emitted a faint glow.
Space, Mind Stone, Soul Stone, time, power.
Only one more, the Reality Stone, is missing.
"What?" Thanos's gaze swept past Strange and Thor, landing directly on the Silver Surfer. His deep voice echoed in the thin air, tinged with mockery.
"You've brought in a few more helpers, are you planning another futile attack, Norlin Ryder?"
The Silver Surfer's silver body tensed; he clearly still remembered the humiliation of his previous defeat.
" Thanos," Strange stepped forward, shielding the Silver Surfer behind him, his voice calm and clear, "We're not here to fight, we're here to discuss cooperation."
"Cooperate?"
Thanos laughed, but there was no warmth in his smile, only pure mockery.
He sized up the group of people in front of him: a mystical mage, an Prince of Asgard, a gothic girl exuding an aura that was both familiar and strange to him, and a defeated opponent.
"With you?" he retorted, his contempt undisguised. "What qualifications do you have to talk to me about cooperation?"
Thor, carrying his hammer, remained silent, simply watching with interest.
He was eager to see what tricks this version of the Sorcerer Supreme would pull off.
This is much more interesting than just going straight into battle.
"We know a secret you most want to know, but can never attain." Strange remained unmoved, calmly throwing out the bait.
Thanos's smile froze for a moment.
Strange stared directly into those abyssal eyes and said, word by word, "With your perception, you should have already sensed it. The Goddess of Death, whom you spent your entire life chasing and pleasing, has been banished from this universe by the God of Shadow and Void..."
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire Titan seemed to fall silent.
The oppressive feeling that had been hanging over the air vanished without a trace at that moment.
Instead, there is a chilling and deathly silence that could freeze the universe.
The sneer on Thanos's face vanished completely.
For the first time, his expression became incredibly serious, his eyes fixed intently on Strange, as if trying to rip his Soul Stone out of his body.
"What did you say?"
"I said," Strange repeated, bracing himself against the terrifying pressure, "She's gone. Forever gone from this dimension. You could sacrifice the entire universe and still not get a single glance from her."
Thor mentally applauded Strange. Goodness, he really dared to say that!
To Thanos himself, a Thanos simp, say that his goddess has been banished!
As expected of Strange!
He glanced furtively at Tetiyu and saw that Death was looking at Strange with a curious expression, not at all displeased, but rather filled with a sense of wonder that "so this is how I am in the Marvel Universe."
Thanos remained silent.
His massive body remained motionless, like a petrified statue.
But Thor could feel the power within him, which had been like a dormant volcano, awakening and surging wildly.
The five gems on the Infinity Gauntlet shone brightly, and the surrounding space began to groan under their strain.
However, a few seconds later, all the energy fluctuations receded like the tide.
The rage and madness in Thanos's eyes were replaced by a deeper, colder chill.
He sat back on his throne, looked at Strange, and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Tell me, how do you want to cooperate?"
"It's very simple." Strange seemed to have anticipated this question.
"You should also know that this universe is being devoured by a kind of 'hunger.' Those walking corpses, those zombies... they are infecting everything. I believe that the 'death' you believe in and admire does not represent this rotten, twisted, and restless 'immortality.'"
He paused, then emphasized, "These things are the greatest blasphemy against the concept of 'death'."
This statement precisely hit Thanos's sore spot.
He could destroy half the universe for the sake of the Goddess of Death, but what he seeks is a balance, an ultimate tranquility.
Those zombies represent chaos, disorder, and endless suffering and hunger, which runs counter to his beliefs.
"We'll help you collect the last Infinity Stones." Strange threw out his final trump card.
He held up one finger. "You need to snap your the Snap. Not to destroy, but to rebuild. To restore the entire universe to its original state, or at the very least, to completely eradicate this damn zombie virus."
Thanos did not answer immediately.
He looked down at the Infinity Gauntlet on his hand, the light from the five gems reflecting on his emotionless face.
Thor could guess what he was thinking.
It is ironic in itself to cooperate with a group of people who were enemies not long ago to fulfill one's lifelong ambition.
But given the current situation, he had no other choice.
The "departure" of the Goddess of Death completely stripped away the ultimate meaning of his actions, while the spread of the zombie virus is challenging the very foundation of his ideology.
Strange's suggestion was practically his only way out.
After a long while, Thanos slowly raised his head, a resolute glint flashing in his deep purple eyes.
"Okay," he said in a deep voice, "Deal."
He stood up, looking down at the group, and added, "However, after this is done, our agreement will be null and void. You can still try to stop me, and I... will show no mercy."
"It's a deal," Strange replied crisply.
Thanos stopped talking nonsense. He raised his right hand, which was covered by the Infinity Gauntlet. The Space Stone flashed blue, and a twisted portal suddenly opened beside him.
On the other side of the door, deafening music and frenzied cheers rang out, and bizarre neon lights shone through, creating a stark contrast to the deathly silence of Titan.
A familiar yet chaotic aura wafted from behind the door.
"Let's go." Thanos glanced at the door and said to them, "You said you'd help me collect the Infinity Stones. Let's do it. The last person who knows the location of the Reality Stone is right there."
Strange and the Silver Surfer exchanged a glance, then stepped into the portal first.
Tetiyu curiously peered into the bizarre world behind the door and followed her inside.
Thor, carrying his hammer, followed at the back.
Thanos stood there, watching Thor and his group disappear into the distance, his eyes shifting with uncertainty.
Finally, he glanced at his empty left hand and stepped into the portal.
As his last figure disappeared, the portal connecting the two worlds abruptly closed and vanished without a trace.