The Temptation of Thanos

As soon as Caesar closed his eyes, he planned to strike down Supergiant without hesitation.

Suddenly, an image flickered into existence from Supergiant's bracelet. There, depicted in the projection, sat Thanos on a majestic, floating throne. He was a towering figure, clad in splendid golden armor, a long sword in one hand and a scepter in the other, the embodiment of power and command.

Facing him was Caesar. The two titans of the universe, long entwined in a dance of destiny and dread, were now confronting each other—this was the moment Caesar had envisioned in countless nightmares since his inception.

The meeting was formal, yet charged with an underlying tension. Thanos, ever the formidable and regal adversary, seemed unchanged. But Caesar was no longer the timid and trembling figure of old.

Elevating himself upon the celestial throne, Caesar looked down upon Thanos with a frosty gaze and declared sharply,

"With merely a projection, you cannot hope to save her. Why not come yourself?"

"Or better yet, face me directly on Star Angel. If you prevail, not only will Supergiant be spared, but the billions of realms under my control will be yours to command!"

Thanos lifted his gaze, meeting Caesar's eyes with a grave expression, and responded,

"You are not Tiffany!"

"You aren't my target at this moment. To battle against you on Angel Star... even I might not emerge unscathed."

His eyes briefly swept over Valina and Lian Bing standing by Caesar's side—both Tier 4 powerhouses—and Holy Kaisha, the renowned commander of the First Angel Legion, celebrated across the cosmos.

With such formidable allies under Caesar's command, venturing into this stronghold was akin to plunging into a den of lions, where foes potentially stronger than himself awaited.

Thanos was not ready to meet his end—not until his mission to balance the universe was complete.

"The Lord of Heaven - Caesar, can you grasp the essence of this universe?"

"Caesar, think about it. The universe has its limits, and so do the resources within it. Everything in this universe needs to find its balance!"

"Otherwise, sooner or later, all life will face eternal annihilation!"

"Death now could mean a better life in the future. The universe craves equilibrium!"

"Caesar, are you willing to lend me your hand?"

"If we unite our forces, even without relying on external means, we can restore balance to the universe as swiftly as possible!"

"No one in the entire cosmos can withstand the might of our alliance. Together, we will shape destiny!"

A voice, dripping with temptation, whispered in Caesar's ear.

In Thanos' grip, atop a scepter, a small yellow gem glowed softly.

Caesar concentrated, promptly dispelling the temptation. Then, fixing his gaze on the scepter in Thanos' grasp, he spoke deliberately,

"Did you use that to sway their minds and recruit them to your cause?"

Thanos chuckled, gesturing as he tossed aside the mind scepter.

"It merely serves to tip the scales slightly in my favor when facing you."

"Yet, even if I see through it, for individuals like us, it holds little significance!"

"And do you truly believe that mere stones can exert control over them?"

Thanos motioned towards Ebony Maw, who deftly caught the scepter, and gestured to Supergiant, who stood resolute.

His words resonated with unwavering conviction.

As the master of the Universe, with a weak fourth-order strength, Ebony Maw wielded psychokinetic abilities.

And Supergiant possessed unparalleled spiritual prowess, nearly rivaling fourth-order combat capabilities.

Even with the Mind Gem alone, their wills remained unyielding.

"They have all witnessed the concept of cosmic equilibrium firsthand,"

"Countless worlds, countless lives, have thrived after experiencing balance,"

"My ideology remains steadfast."

"It's like this, in this world, I'm the only one willing to take on all the burdens and suffering of existence for this idea, all on my own!"

"I am destiny!"

"Heh, destiny?"

Caesar scoffed, "Let me ask you something, do you love the entire cosmos, or just the life within it?"

"Are you shouldering the weight of the entire universe or just the life it contains?"

"Between the cosmos and its inhabitants, who gets your final allegiance?"

The tension in the air seemed to thicken, and the Blue Spirit Tribe, who had just begun to relax, grew tense again at the sight of Thanos's image.

Thanos's reputation loomed large!

After a moment of silence, Thanos spoke softly, "A house, no matter how splendid, means nothing if it's empty!"

"But when it's overflowing with people, too many people,"

"This beautiful home becomes almost unbearable!"

"I aim to rid this house of those excess occupants, or at the very least, prolong its lifespan!"

"To give them a place to call home!"

"That's my answer!"

"Caesar, would you stand with me?"

"After restoring balance, the entire universe will be yours, and all the faith will be yours to command!"

"You'll truly become the supreme ruler!"

"Just know, before that happens, we'll bring a little hardship to the entire universe."

"Time will erase those pains, and they'll only remember that it was you who brought about a better life for all."

"Caesar, isn't this the future you desire?"

"As long as we stand together!"

....

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