175

Chapter 175: Collusion

On a typical day, Thanos' strength was unquestionable. No matter how lazy his subordinates were or how severe the losses, as long as the boss was around, the final decision would be made immediately.

But the boss had been defeated.

Seeing Thanos clutching his broken arm, many soldiers wore bewildered expressions. Even the Black Order, known for their stoic demeanor, seemed to be in shock.

Thanos had wreaked havoc across the universe for years. It wasn't that he had never faced defeat before; he had once been thoroughly beaten by Odin when he invaded Asgard. However, at that time, Odin was considered a cosmic powerhouse, and losing to him was not considered shameful.

In contrast, being defeated by Thor was another matter. Even though Thor had recently risen to prominence, his reputation was still that of a young god. Despite his recent achievements, many viewed him as an inexperienced successor, merely a "second-generation" god.

Thor's real rise had only occurred in the past two decades. For Asgard, an ancient race, twenty years was a mere blink of an eye. Most people still perceived Thor as a brash, inexperienced god who might cause trouble but lacked genuine power.

Although Thor's impressive feats, such as defeating the giants of Jotunheim and the dark elves, had occurred, they were seen as minor victories. Killing Ronan the Accuser was considered notable, but Ronan's cowardice and subsequent failures on Earth led many to dismiss Thor's accomplishments.

Thor's most significant achievements were against Thanos himself, marking him as a formidable opponent. Thanos had made many enemies, and most were too intimidated by his strength to openly challenge him. Now, however, the heavy losses Thanos had suffered were creating opportunities for others to act.

"You failed," a somber voice intoned.

"No, I have not," Thanos insisted vehemently.

"I agreed to cooperate with you in initiating Ragnarök, but you didn't achieve your goals. Asgard resolved Ragnarök on its own, the Soul Gem was taken, and you were nearly defeated by a surprise attack. Isn't this a failure?"

"As long as I'm alive, I haven't lost. They may win many times, but I only need to win once—just one time, and I will prevail!"

The voice on the other end fell silent before responding quietly, "But you can't even win once."

"You are no match for Thor. The gap between you will only widen, especially since the other party now controls four of the Infinite Gems."

"Furthermore, of your Black Order, only three remain. Aside from that octopus-faced member who can restrain my junior, even ordinary Avengers could potentially defeat them, which could not alter the overall situation."

"What are you suggesting?" Thanos asked, frowning deeply. He knew the other party's words held truth.

"Your plan could have succeeded, but its failure is due to one individual. My former teacher, the Ancient One, predicted that the future of the world hinges on this person."

"Thor."

"Thus, my master may be willing to assist you in dealing with this Asgardian. Without him, no one could stop you."

"And what will be required in return?" Thanos asked gravely.

"Destroy the three Sanctuaries in New York, London, and Hong Kong, and break the seal of Kamar-Taj to allow my master to enter this world. He will consume Asgard for you. In exchange, you and your army must annihilate Kamar-Taj!"

"Why the obsession with Kamar-Taj's destruction?" Thanos inquired. Destroying a Sanctuary was one thing, but Kamar-Taj was an ancient and powerful organization, and breaking through it would be costly.

"If your master can indeed descend, why fear a Kamar-Taj without the Ancient One?"

The voice fell silent.