391-395

"The more I continue to improve in the research of Third Magic, the more I feel the brilliance of this idea, and I deeply admire the game producer who came up with this creative idea!"

"Master, compared to that game producer, Baymax thinks that you, who have truly brought this almost fantastical idea to life, are even more admirable. At least in Baymax's heart, you are the most amazing!"

It has been a year since the events of Mark helping Dr. Pym save the original Wasp. With the addition of the new Avengers, Spiderman, and Ant-Man, and the opening of Wakanda to the world, Earth has entered a new era of peace.

In this era of peace, Tony has finally been able to temporarily retire from the Avengers and live a shameless life with Pepper Potts. He even, in front of numerous media outlets, presented a super-luxurious ring with a diamond of over three carats, declaring their love to the world.

As for Mark, after completing the deal with Dr. Pym. He invested almost all of his energy into researching the Third Magic.

If you were to ask why "almost," it's because Mark occasionally needed to deal with some matters at the Mark Research Center and provide technical support for new products every quarter. Sometimes, he also had to deal with a headache-inducing little fan...

The new products from the Mark Research Center every quarter not only provided technological convenience and protection to all of humanity in this unprecedented era of peace but also supported the cash flow for Mark's ambitious research projects.

As for the fan who caused Mark headaches and was hard to refuse—yes, it was T'Challa's sister, Princess Shuri, whom Mark had been introduced to by Black Panther.

The reason Mark found it difficult to handle was twofold. On the one hand, Shuri was overly enthusiastic about Mark, and this kind of fanatical admiration made Mark, who lacked emotional intelligence, feel quite burdensome. Moreover, every time he had to deal with Shuri's visits, it took away time from his research on the Third Magic, which naturally made him feel reluctant.

On the other hand, as the Chief Scientist of the Wakandan Kingdom, Shuri had been exposed to various vibranium-based technologies from a young age, and her talent and intelligence were no less than Dr. Banner's and Mark's own father, Tony. In the process of spending time with her, Mark occasionally gained insights that allowed him to make breakthroughs in his research on the Third Magic.

So, over time, Mark tacitly allowed Shuri to enter his laboratory without permission and enjoyed their interactions, despite the occasional challenges.

If someone like Tony, a seasoned player in the field of romance, were to witness this scene, he would definitely see that Shuri's frequent appearances in Mark's laboratory were not just a fan's admiration for an idol; there were different emotions involved. And Mark's attitude of not refusing and not being averse to it also spoke volumes.

However, Mark, who was a recluse in his past life and had not experienced the education of a beautiful junior high and high school, had a heart-wrenching lack of emotional intelligence in this life. He simply hadn't considered any ambiguous directions, which is why the current situation persisted.

Perhaps there are no truly perfect things in this world; where there is gain, there is also loss. Mark, while gaining superhuman intelligence, also lost a certain level of emotional perception that humans possess.

In a way, except for not going bald, Mark did break the limits of wisdom. It's precisely because of this lack of emotional sensitivity that Mark was able to channel all his energy into his research projects and achieve greater scientific accomplishments than his grandfather Howard and father Tony.

As of now, in just one year, although Mark hasn't fully completed his research on the Third Magic, the phase of practical application is within reach. As long as the last security issue is resolved, this technology can truly make him equal to gods as a mortal! Mark believes that this time frame won't be too far off, at least it should be completed before Thanos begins his assault on Earth.

...

"Baymax, I never expected that after becoming an intelligent life form, you'd pick up the human habit of flattery more and more! But I like it, keep it up.

The ability to materialize the soul with the Third Magic has given me a great surprise. This effect is somewhat similar to the principle when Max wanted to use the Mind Stone to acquire a body, and it's also somewhat similar to how the Soul Stone can be used for soul exchange, thereby giving birth to a physical form.

This should have been a miracle that could only be achieved with the Infinity Stones, but now, in my hands, through the miraculous energy of the quantum realm, there's a possibility of success. Is there anything more exciting for a practitioner of knowledge, a scientific explorer?

Do you know what success in this technology means, Baymax? It means that even if someone acquires the Infinity Stones and uses their power to fulfill their ambitions, it won't have any effect on the life forms transformed by the completion of the Third Magic. This is true bio-enhancement at the level of life itself.

Life after the materialization of the soul is already a higher-dimensional life form. Even if they go to higher-dimensional spaces, it won't harm them. And perhaps through this, I can find a way back to that blue planet..."

"What are you saying, Master? Baymax doesn't understand. Isn't the place you're in now your home planet?"

"Of course, this is also my home. I was reborn here, my experiences and memories continue here, my family and friends live here, my dreams and values have been realized here. So, of course, this is my homeworld, and that's why I want to protect it, protect everything here.

No matter who comes, there's good wine for friends and shotguns for enemies. I will send any invaders who attempt to realize their ambitions on Earth straight to the depths of hell."

"I believe in you, Master. Everything you've achieved now proves your greatness. This is a great era worth remembering in human history, and it's you and your companions who have created it.

However, Baymax has some bad news to report to you now..."

"Bad news? What is it?" Mark suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart. Could it be that Thanos' army was about to arrive on Earth ahead of schedule?

"Princess Shuri has come to see you, and she's almost at the laboratory door now."

"!" From Mark's terrified expression, it seemed that this might indeed be a more daunting challenge for him than facing Thanos...

In the laboratory, Mark was reluctantly engaging in a conversation with Shuri. Deep down, he was complaining that this girl was once again wasting his time that could be used to research the Third Magic.

"By the way, Mark, there's something you'll definitely be interested in. Recently, I made an astonishing discovery in the study of Vibranium. Do you want to know what it is?"

Shuri looked at Mark with anticipation, her expression resembling that of a child eager to show off a new toy to a friend, as if she were not the one revealing the secret but the one waiting for the content.

On the other hand, Mark, who was being questioned, had a calm expression on his face, as if he had not received any information from her words.

'I really don't want to know what interesting little gadget you've found again. For me, the value of Vibranium is nowhere near as important as the Third Magic I'm currently researching. If I didn't know how to reject you without making you cry, I wouldn't want to spend time playing house with you…'

This was Mark's true inner thought at the moment, but even if his emotional intelligence were lower, he knew he couldn't say such things directly in front of Shuri, a young girl.

There was no way around it, so Mark could only cooperate and put on an eager expression as if he couldn't wait to find out, satisfying Shuri's desire to show off. "What astonishing discovery? Please tell me. I really want to know what the latest achievement of Wakanda's best Talent, Chief Scientist Princess Shuri, is!"

Although Mark's acting skills were terrible, Shuri, who had already been appeased by Mark's words, couldn't see any clues. Her small vanity had been satisfied, and she had a smug expression on her face as she directly shared her discovery with Mark.

"Aren't you researching how to materialize the soul and achieve eternal existence through the energy of the quantum realm? So, based on the information and data you've revealed to me during our usual conversations, I found that all the characteristics of Vibranium come from its own atomic structure, which maintains relative stasis eternally.

And based on this characteristic, I tried to introduce a small portion of the energy you gave me into Vibranium, and guess what I found out!?"

"What did you discover?" Mark, who was initially not very interested, changed his attitude when he heard that Shuri was also delving into quantum research. He became somewhat curious.

"I found that after introducing the energy into Vibranium, all the chemical bonds that originally maintained the atomic structure of the metal were completely broken. Vibranium's ability to perfectly rebound various forms of energy was also completely destroyed in this process.

But that's not the key point. What really surprised me is that after undergoing an alienation process with this energy, the resulting new metal seems to be a storage medium. By attaching it closely to the forehead, I can directly input and stably store my thoughts in it."

"What!? Are you sure you're not mistaken?" Mark was shocked, eagerly grabbing Princess Shuri's shoulders, hoping for a definite answer.

"No mistake, I've gone through dozens of experiments to confirm it. How could I be wrong? I am Princess Shuri, the smartest in the Wakandan Kingdom!" Shuri gave Mark the answer he wanted with a hint of coyness.

"That's amazing, truly amazing! You've brought me a huge surprise, Shuri!"

With the confirmation from Shuri, even someone as calm as Mark couldn't help but exclaim in excitement upon hearing this news. He eagerly embraced Princess Shuri, and the two of them joyfully spun around in the laboratory.

Blushing as Mark held her, Shuri appeared quite shy, but the joy in her eyes revealed that she didn't resist Mark's somewhat intimate gesture. In fact, she had been anticipating this moment for a long time.

After the celebration, Mark had only one thought in mind, "Incredible!"

It wasn't the fragrance of Princess Shuri herself but the feeling of "incredible" after being proven wrong. Mark hadn't expected Shuri to make such an important discovery in the research of Vibranium.

For others, and even for Shuri herself, the ability to directly store thoughts and ideas in Vibranium might not have any practical use. After all, the same thing could be stored in the most commonly used storage medium in modern society through brain-wave devices.

However, for Mark, Princess Shuri's discovery undoubtedly filled the last gap in his research on achieving the Third Magic. If he could back up his thoughts and memories without any intermediate devices or conversion processes, it would be like having backup insurance during the process of soul materialization. Even if any issues arose during the experiment, they could be repaired and restored through this backup, reducing the risks to almost zero!

Now, Mark couldn't wait to start working on the experimental application of the Third Magic that he had already calculated and deduced in his mind. After letting go of Princess Shuri, he didn't notice the blush on her cheek.

"Shuri, I have a very important experiment to try now, so I can't continue to accompany you. However, your discovery has been a tremendous help to me, and it has allowed me to make a significant breakthrough in the study of soul materialization.

Therefore, I promise you three wishes to repay your help after the experiment is completed. But for the next month, I may have to devote myself entirely to my research and won't be able to chat with you like this.

Also, I need Wakanda to sell me some Vibranium to complete the final step of this research. As for the price of the transaction, whether it's money or technology, I can agree to it. Please talk to your brother, T'Challa, about this matter when you return, and I'll have Baymax follow up on the details.

Alright, I need to start the experiment now. Don't forget what I told you, Shuri!"

Mark finished speaking, paying no attention to Shuri's reaction as he pushed her out of his laboratory, closed the door, and activated the security mode.

"Hmph! Stupid Mark! Really a blockhead! When I go back, I'll make my brother T'Challa take advantage of the Vibranium trade, just for treating me like this..."

Shuri, although talking tough, decided to complete the task Mark had given her. A young girl ensnared in the web of emotions is often hard to predict.

However, Mark had no idea that his earlier bad feeling wasn't unfounded. Thanos and his army were indeed about to descend upon Earth.

Small changes can be reversible, but larger ones are not. This was a rule Mark had summarized from his 22 years of experience in the Marvel Universe. However, experience-based assumptions sometimes lead people astray and make them overconfident.

Since Mark appeared in this world and influenced so many events, fate had already undergone unpredictable deviations and changes due to these small variables. Therefore, Mark's attempts to predict Thanos' arrival based on his memories as a time traveler were essentially meaningless. But this error in his experience-based thinking would bring him a painful lesson.

...

At the same time as Mark made breakthroughs in his Third Magic research, on the distant planet Xandar, the Nova Prime was commanding her Nova Corps in a difficult battle. Their formidable enemy was none other than the infamous Thanos himself, known throughout the entire universe!

Not long ago, Thanos had invaded the Dwarf Kingdom of Nidavellir and used the lives of all its residents to blackmail the Dwarf King Eitri, forcing him to create the artifact known as the Infinity Gauntlet, which would help Thanos control the power of the six Infinity Stones.

It should be noted that without the Infinity Gauntlet's assistance, even if Thanos managed to collect all the Infinity Stones, his body would not withstand the immense power they held, leading to severe injuries. The Infinity Gauntlet played a miraculous role in alleviating much of the stress, making it an essential tool for Thanos.

Now, with the Infinity Gauntlet in his possession, the only thing missing for Thanos were the Infinity Stones to be mounted on it. His first target was the Power Stone, which had been left on Xandar, guarded by the Nova Corps.

Thanos was feared by countless beings and powers throughout the universe, and even without any of the Infinity Stones in his possession, the Nova Corps was unable to hold their ground against him. Once Thanos acquired the Power Stone, at the moment Asgard faced Ragnarok, none of the Nine Realms would have the power to stop Thanos from realizing his ambitions as the chairman of the Population Commission.

While Thanos launched a massive attack on Xandar, Asgard found itself in a deep crisis as well. With the Allfather Odin's time running out, and the Queen Frigga joining him in the afterlife, Asgard no longer had the means to contain the presence of the Death Goddess, Hela. This most powerful of the Nine Realms fell entirely under Hela's control.

In an effort to resist Hela's tyranny, the Warriors Three of the Royal Palace, each leading their respective legions, engaged in a desperate battle against Hela. However, as long as they stood on Asgardian soil, Hela's power continued to grow with time. Despite their numerical advantage, the three warriors ultimately met their demise at the hands of Hela.

So, where were Loki, impersonating as King Odin, and Odin's son, Thor, at this critical moment?

As they were returning to Asgard from Earth using the Bifrost, they were caught in a temporal disturbance caused by Hela and ended up stranded on the Sakaar planet.

The good news was that Thor had a reunion with Dr. Banner, or rather the Hulk, on Sakaar.

Sakaar was a planet surrounded by the Cosmic Gate, located on the outskirts of known and unknown worlds, where everything lost in the vastness of the cosmos eventually found its way. Dr. Banner had initially been caught in a space-time rift due to the explosion of the space portal created by Max, and he ended up on Sakaar.

However, it wasn't all good news for Thor. The bad news was that the explosion had damaged all of Dr. Banner's devices and apparatus used to control his emotions. Their reunion might involve some rather philosophical discussions...

But the tragic part was that at this moment, the scattered and disjointed Avengers had no idea that a massive catastrophe loomed over their heads, and Infinity War had already begun...

"How's Vibranium, Baymax? Has it arrived from Wakanda?"

The research on the Third Magic had reached its most crucial stage. Just moments ago, Mark had successfully completed the feasibility test for soul materialization, using this theory to refine the process of the Third Magic transformation.

Now, everything was ready, and they only awaited the Vibranium's arrival. Once the Vibranium was in place, Mark could complete the backup of his thoughts and memories and officially begin the experiment of soul materialization.

"Master, Princess Shuri delivered the prepared Vibranium three days ago. However, she said she didn't want to disturb your thoughts, so she left without requesting any compensation," Baymax reported truthfully to Mark.

"Alright." Mark didn't know how to respond to Princess Shuri's behavior but simply acknowledged with a nod. He then controlled the micro-magnetic-axis robots to bring the Vibranium in front of him.

"Baymax, I have a task for you now."

"Please, master, instruct me. Baymax will definitely complete the task."

"I will soon back up my thoughts and memories into this Vibranium, using quantum energy transmutation. It's my contingency plan to prepare for any unforeseen risks. If something unexpected happens to me later on, Baymax, I need you to transfer my thoughts and memories into the magical network and inject magic according to the magic runes I've pre-set. Can you do that?"

"Master, rest assured, Baymax guarantees completion of the task!"

"Alright, the experiment starts now. Activate the quantum conduit and prepare to transmute energy into this Vibranium. Also, activate the brain-wave device; I want to ensure the data remains pure during the consciousness backup."

...

On the other side, Thor not only encountered the Hulk on the Sakaar planet but also found his lost brother, Loki. They, along with the legendary Asgardian Valkyrie, successfully used the Cosmic Gate surrounding Sakaar to return to Asgard and engage in a final battle against the Death Goddess, Hela.

However, even with Thor unlocking his latent Thunder God powers at the cost of one eye, they found themselves powerless against Hela, who could draw unlimited strength from Asgard.

In the end, Thor made the difficult decision to have Loki cast Surtur's crown into the Eternal Flame within Odin's vault, triggering the prophesied Ragnarok, which led to the destruction of Asgard. With the remaining survivors, they boarded a spaceship and set off for Earth to rebuild their home.

However, Thor's misfortune didn't end there. It wasn't until the crisis struck that he remembered his vision from the Water of Sight hadn't entirely come true. But the moment when the prophecy would become a reality was fast approaching.

On their way to Earth, Thor's spaceship encountered the triumphant forces of Thanos, fresh from their victory on Xandar. Of course, this wasn't a mere coincidence. The Cosmic Cube had been taken away from Earth by Thor and kept in Odin's vault on Asgard. The core of the Cosmic Cube, which Thanos sought to adorn his Infinity Gauntlet with, was one of the Infinity Stones—the Space Stone.

This time, Thor's nightmarish vision he had seen in the Water of Truth was coming true!

Thanos' forces didn't hesitate and launched an attack on them. His Black Order and their armies boarded Thor's spacecraft, ruthlessly slaughtering the unarmed civilians of Asgard.

Thor, Loki, Hulk, Heimdall, and the Valkyrie fought fiercely to protect the civilians on board. But even Thor, who had witnessed countless deaths on the battlefield, felt himself on the brink of collapse after their devastating defeat. Following the tradition of Thanos' forces, they intended to kill half of the population and spare the other half. Heimdall, in a final act of sacrifice to rescue the Hulk, used his last ounce of strength to send him back to Earth through the Bifrost, but Heimdall himself was pierced through the heart by Thanos.

Loki feigned submission while secretly plotting an attack. He appeared to hand over the Cosmic Cube to Thanos, but in the shadows, he launched a desperate assault. However, Thanos, already empowered by Infinity Stones, easily saw through Loki's hidden intentions. The result of the failed attack was Loki's utter demise, and the God of Mischief couldn't play his tricks when facing Thanos.

Thor could only watch in despair as Thanos ruthlessly massacred his fellow Asgardians and loved ones before his eyes, feeling powerless. Though he had awakened the power of the Thunder God within him, without an artifact to amplify this strength, Thor was utterly incapable of confronting the mighty Thanos.

"The universe is now in balance. By eliminating half, the other half will have more abundant resources and living conditions. You should thank me, Son of Odin."

"You will pay for this, Thanos! Wherever you go in the universe, as long as I, Thor, have breath left, I will personally take your life!" Thor glared at Thanos, filled with hatred and rage.

But perhaps due to the principle of balance or his absolute confidence in his own power, Thanos didn't kill Thor for his defiant words. Instead, he controlled the Space Stone he had just acquired and, along with his Black Order, left the spaceship.

...

[We are under attack, repeat, we are under attack! The engine was damaged and the life assurance system failed. Request the rescue of any passing ships within the communication range.

We are currently at the 22nd jump point of Asgard. The ship is full of Asgard civilians. We have very few soldiers. This is not a battleship. Repeat, this is not a battleship! ]

"Quill, this is a distress signal. Someone might be injured. Should we go and check it out?" In front of the control panel, Gamora, who had received the distress signal, looked at Star-Lord, the captain of the Milano spaceship, and asked.

"What does this have to do with us?" Rocket, who had just woken up from a nap, rubbed his sleepy eyes and furry face, asking in confusion.

"Of course, it's because we're the good guys!" Star-Lord responded with a righteous tone. "And maybe they'll give us a tiny reward for saving them."

Well, if anyone actually thought Star-Lord was a good guy, they were being overly naive. Don't forget, he grew up with space mercenaries, and cheating, deceiving, burning, killing, and looting were all part of their basic operations.

"That's not the point, Quill." After three years of being together, Gamora, who knew Star-Lord inside out, said with a look that suggested she saw through his thoughts.

"Yes, that's not my main point. My main point is that if they don't appreciate our help and don't offer us a suitable reward, we can take their ship. They've been repeating it several times; it's not heavily armed, and there aren't many combat personnel on board, plus, it's not a warship."

While saying this, Star-Lord wore a smile that only a cunning merchant would have, and his eyes seemed to emit little gold coins.

"Sorry to interrupt your fantasies, Captain, but if the other party is from Asgard, I hope you can help them without expecting a reward. My master knows Prince Thor Odinson of Asgard, and I believe that after reaching Earth, my master will be willing to pay a generous reward for this rescue."

At this moment, Baymax, who had been huddled in the corner of the cabin, suddenly spoke up and made a request to Star-Lord. The main reason Baymax was huddled in the corner was that the cabin was too small, and it usually released gas from its body to ensure more space for the other members.

"Okay, Baymax, you're the first crew member on the Milano and a veteran, so I'll agree to your request!"

Star-Lord made a promise after patting his chest. As for the generous reward mentioned by Baymax upon reaching their destination, Star-Lord guaranteed that it wasn't the reason he agreed, even though his conscience had remained on Earth when he entered space.

"Captain, we're about to arrive near them," Mantis, in charge of navigating the Milano, reminded.

"Alright, team, this journey may be a bit dangerous, but let's stay sharp for Baymax's request!"

Boom!

As soon as Star-Lord finished speaking, a body suddenly fell onto the windshield of the Milano. Well, to be precise, it wasn't a body. If you observed carefully, despite the person's severe injuries, there was still a trace of life left.

While the Guardians of the Galaxy fell into silence due to this unexpected arrival, Baymax stared in disbelief at the injured Asgardian in front of them because it had recognized the person's identity. "Thor!?"

"The patient has lost consciousness, and I will scan the body. Scanning begins—"

Inside the Milano, Baymax activated the diagnostic mode and began examining the heavily injured Thor.

"This guy is so badly injured, I can't believe he's still alive!" Star-Lord exclaimed in surprise.

Outside their spaceship, countless debris and fragments floated haphazardly in the cosmic void. It's not hard to imagine the brutal massacre that the Asgardians, who sent out the distress signal, must have endured. This realization further astounded Star-Lord at Thor's incredible resilience.

"Scan complete. The patient has suffered severe internal injuries and cosmic radiation exposure, along with soft tissue contusions, hypothermia, and minor bone fractures.

The right eyeball has been removed, but it is not related to the current injuries.

Treatment plan: The patient's own tissue cells possess strong regenerative abilities. It is recommended to provide a substantial amount of nutrients to facilitate self-recovery."

Closing the holographic scanner, Baymax extended four nearly invisible nanoneedles from his plump fingers and inserted them into Thor's body, initiating the infusion of high-energy nutrients to support cell division and repair.

Meanwhile, as Baymax treated Thor, Mantis attempted to use her empathy abilities to help him calm down. However, when her hands touched Thor, a strong surge of emotions rushed into her mind. "He's extremely anxious and angry, simultaneously feeling a deep sense of guilt and self-blame. But most prominently, his inner sadness is so profound, almost unbearable..."

Mantis had used her empathy abilities to sense the inner feelings of many different individuals, but such intense sorrow was a first in her memory.

"Wake him up; we need to know what happened here," Star-Lord ordered Mantis.

"Awaken, sorrowful warrior," Mantis used her abilities and attempted to rouse Thor with her thoughts.

Bang!

Thor, whose thoughts and consciousness were reactivated, immediately flipped off the diagnostic table and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

At the same time, the members of the Guardians of the Galaxy were startled by his sudden and unexpected movement, swiftly grabbing their weapons and surrounding Thor.

"Who are you? Wait a minute—Baymax! What are you doing here?"

...

After both sides calmed down and exchanged some words, Baymax briefly explained his experience of entering the wormhole with a nuclear bomb. He also learned from Thor the reason for his current state of destitution.

Gamora, who had been listening on the side, had a suspicion when she heard that half of Thor's Asgardian people had been slaughtered. Thor's answer confirmed her thoughts. The one responsible for all this tragedy was her adoptive father and her nightmare, Thanos.

"Ever since I've known Thanos, he had only one goal—to maintain balance in the universe by erasing half of all life. He believed that the resources in the universe were finite and that the population was constantly growing, leading to an inevitable imbalance between supply and demand.

This imbalance would ultimately result in continuous warfare and conflict, eventually leading to self-destruction. Thanos thought it was better to proactively restore this balance through mass killings, including on my homeworld.

If he were to obtain all six Infinity Stones, he wouldn't have to engage in repeated slaughter like he does now. He could simply snap his fingers and erase half of all life in the universe..."

"You seem quite familiar with this guy called Thanos," Thor said, his gaze sharp, directed at Gamora.

"Gamora is his daughter," Drax, without thinking, revealed Gamora's identity to Thor.

"Your father killed my brother and my dearest friend!" Thor's gaze became even sharper, and he stared intently at Gamora.

"Strictly speaking, Gamora was adopted."

After Baymax uttered these words, all of Thor's anger seemed to dissipate. There was a time when he and Loki used to tease each other like this.

"It seems that every family has its troubles. My father told me before he died that I had a sister, sealed away in hell. When she returned home, she gouged out my eye, and I had no choice but to kill her.

Sometimes family relationships are like this, either you die or I live. I understand you. Even my brother Loki and I used to fight each other. But when he actually died in front of me, I still felt very sad, even though it has happened several times..."

Thor placed his hand on Gamora's shoulder, not releasing his anger on her but rather consoling her with his own experiences.

This scene made Star-Lord quite jealous. He quickly came over and slapped Thor's hand away, then looked at him warily. "Uh, not that I want to compare with you, but I understand Gamora's pain better than you do."

"My own experiences have been quite eventful. My biological father killed my mother, and I had to kill my own father. My adoptive father sacrificed himself to save me. You see, this should be even more painful than killing your sister. But fortunately, I still have both of my eyeballs."

"Captain, now is not the time to discuss these matters. We need to come up with a plan to stop Thanos from getting the Infinity Stones!" Baymax interrupted when he saw his captain being unreliable once again.

"Why? What does that have to do with us? That's Thanos, not Ronan! Ronan nearly wiped us out with just one Infinity Stone. Thanos already has two Infinity Stones, and he's also the mastermind behind Ronan. If we go up against him, won't we be heading to our deaths?"

Star-Lord seemed reluctant when he heard Baymax suggest helping Thor fight against Thanos. Rocket and Mantis didn't express their opinions. Rocket had a short lifespan as a genetically modified creature and wasn't afraid of facing Thanos just because he was Thanos. Mantis, on the other hand, lacked personal initiative.

Groot was still playing his handheld game and wasn't involved in the discussion. As for Drax and Gamora, they definitely wanted to confront Thanos because of their unresolved enmity.

"Captain, if we let Thanos obtain all six Infinity Stones successfully, can you guarantee that none of us will become one of the half of life that gets erased when he snaps his fingers? Rather than leaving our fate in Thanos's hands, it's better to unite all the forces we can while his power hasn't reached its peak and stop his murderous plan."

Baymax, who had been following Mark, was truly logical, clear-minded, and rational. This series of analyses made Star-Lord start to waver.

However, the final straw that broke the camel's back was Gamora's willingness. Gamora hoped to prevent Thanos from causing more tragedies like hers, and so Star-Lord was willing to take a chance for her and try to stop Thanos from completing his plan.

"All right, I agree. Does anyone oppose it?" Star-Lord raised his hand in surrender and looked at the members of the Guardians of the Galaxy gathered around him. Except for Groot, who was still engrossed in his video game, everyone gave affirming looks.

"Now that we've decided, how should we plan our next steps? We don't even know where Thanos has gone. We can't just aimlessly search for him in the universe, can we?"

"Knowhere and Earth!" To Star-Lord's question, Thor provided the answer, "As far as I know, these are the two places where the Infinity Stones exist. If Thanos wants to collect all six stones, he will definitely go to these two places.

Thanos has already cleansed Xandar, taking the Power Stone from them. Then he took the Space Stone from our Asgardians and killed half of our people. The Time Stone and Mind Stone are safely guarded on Earth by a mysterious sorcerer and the Avengers, so they are very secure.

As for the Soul Stone, I've never heard any news about it; no one knows where it's hidden. So, Thanos will undoubtedly go to Knowhere first to take the Reality Stone from the Collector."

"Knowhere? We've been to that dump before. Can you believe someone handed an Infinity Stone to the Collector?" Star-Lord exclaimed in surprise.

"This was done under the guidance of the Guardians of the Nine Realms, the wise king of Asgard, my father Odin. Do you have a problem with that!?" Thor asked sternly.

"Uh... no!" Star-Lord quickly backed down, looking at Thor's muscular physique. "So, who are the Avengers?"

"I thought Baymax should have told you about them? They're the most powerful superhero team on Earth. We once successfully resisted an invasion by Thanos' Chitauri army together..."

"Then let's head to Knowhere now!" Gamora couldn't wait, ready to take action to thwart Thanos's ambitions.

But Thor opposed her suggestion, saying, "No! We should go to Nidavellir first."

"Nidavellir!? I always thought that was a fictional world. Does it really exist?" Rocket, who initially had no intention of joining the discussion, asked with excitement.

For a creature obsessed with various weapons, Nidavellir was a holy land in their minds. Every weapon forged there was a masterpiece, a divine artifact. It was the ultimate dream of every weapons expert, and Rocket was no exception.

"Nidavellir does exist; it is one of the allied nations under our rule in Asgard. My previous weapon was crafted by King Eitri of Nidavellir  . If we want to defeat Thanos, we need a weapon capable of killing him, and only King Eitri, the Dwarf King, can accomplish that."

"Then let's get going! I've always wanted to see that place!" Rocket exclaimed excitedly.

"No, I disagree! If we don't go to Knowhere first to stop Thanos from getting another Infinity Stone, his power will become too overwhelming to stop!" Gamora, who knew how powerful Thanos was without the Infinity Stones, opposed Thor's plan.

"Everyone, please don't argue. Baymax has an idea. The Milano still has a spare ship. We can split into two teams: one team goes with Thor to Nidavellir to forge the weapon he needs, while the other team heads to Knowhere to stop Thanos from obtaining the third Infinity Stone. What do you all think?"

At this critical moment, Star-Lord finally acted like a captain and made a decision based on Baymax's proposed plan.

"That's the plan! Big guy, you, Rocket, Groot, and Baymax will take the spare ship to find the Dwarf King you mentioned. The rest of us will head to Knowhere together to stop Thanos. Now, let's split up!"

Thor and the members of the Guardians of the Galaxy split into two groups and headed towards their respective destinations. However, what Thor, who had been away from Earth for two years, didn't know was that the Avengers, although once the most powerful superhero organization on Earth, had experienced a significant decline in their strength.

While Thanos did indeed head to Knowhere as Thor had speculated, to steal the Reality Stone from the Collector, he also dispatched his most trusted Black Order to Earth, preparing to infiltrate and seize the Mind Stone and the Time Stone.

As they went their separate ways, the massive fleet of the Black Order had already positioned their warships in Earth's atmosphere, eagerly eyeing the Infinity Stones on Earth.

"Ebony Maw, why don't we launch a direct attack? Why are we lingering here?" Cull Obsidian, another member of the Black Order, asked in confusion on board the warship.

"Hmph! You underestimate Earth. Do you really think our previous failure when we sent the Chitauri army was a coincidence? You probably haven't paid attention to the recent rumors circulating in the universe...

The mysterious sorcerer on Earth, using forbidden magic, repelled the invasion of the Celestial-level being Dormammu. If we launch an attack rashly, we'll end up with the same failure as that fool Loki.

Remember, our operation this time needs to be silent, no gunfire! We must acquire the two Infinity Stones on Earth before the humans realize it!

My plan is as follows..."

"Here's the deal, Mark. This guy came down from the sky, smashed the roof of the New York Sanctum, and then told me that a guy named Thanos is planning to cause trouble on Earth. He asked me to contact the Avengers and get ready."

Inside the New York Sanctum, Mark, who was already in a critical juncture of his study in Third Magic, was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Sorcerer Supreme, who had opened a portal. He listened as Strange described what had just happened.

"Sorry for damaging your roof, but Mark, I remember that the Avengers can claim damages for building destruction caused by their members through the Damage Control company's insurance process, right? You know, I've been away from Earth for two years now, and I don't have much savings on me..."

Doctor Banner looked a bit embarrassed as he looked at Mark, hoping to get some help.

"Don't worry, Doctor Banner! Your safe return to Earth is already the greatest surprise! You have no idea how heartbroken we were when the space portal was detonated by Max, and everyone thought you were consumed by space turbulence. If the other teammates, especially Natasha, find out that you're back, they'll be overjoyed."

Mark reassured him and went forward to give the long-lost Doctor Banner a big hug.

"I've missed you all too. It's truly wonderful to be reunited with you again! But I never expected that besides being a scientist, Mark, you're also a magician!"

"The so-called magic is just the realm that science hasn't been able to touch or decipher yet. The two are not necessarily contradictory. Well, Banner, I have something else to say."

Mark patted Doctor Banner on the back, and then the two separated.

"Strange, I've already understood the situation. Kamar-Taj has always been dedicated to resisting magical threats in the universe, which is why you haven't heard of the name Thanos. But that's okay; I'll explain it to you all.

But now, it's best that we gather all our allies who need to know about this and can fight alongside us. I don't want to keep introducing who Thanos is to everyone repeatedly.

So, let's start with him." As Mark spoke, he began gathering magical energy in his hands, opening a portal in space, and on the other side was the person he was looking for.

"Dad, sorry to interrupt your alone time with Pepper and congratulations on your newlywed bliss!

But now, there's something very important I need you to do, Dad. Pepper, I might have to borrow your man for a little while."

"So, Mark, have you made another breakthrough in your spatial teleportation technology?"

Tony asked, stunned, as he watched Mark walk out of the portal, which looked like a circus hoop.

...

Inside the New York Sanctum, Mark had managed to gather all the available members of the Avengers, both old and new, the current and former directors of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the three Sorcerers of Kamar-Taj: Doctor Strange, Mordo, and Wong. Except for Black Panther and Captain, who was currently wanted by the United Nations, nearly all of Earth's top superheroes had assembled here.

Many of them were discovering for the first time that, in addition to being their ally and comrade, Mark had this hidden identity. What was even more astonishing was the realization that magic, which they had thought was only found in fantasy literature, actually existed!

Returning to Earth, Doctor Banner was also the center of attention for both the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D., as everyone was thrilled about his miraculous return.

"Alright, we'll save the catching up for a post-victory party. Today, we need to discuss something more urgent and crucial.

You didn't hear wrong, and I didn't misspeak. I use this word because, without exaggeration, our Earth, and even the entire universe, are in a truly perilous state right now.

This is a fight for survival, where losing means losing everything, and even winning could result in heavy casualties. But I believe that none of you here will back down because, behind us, we have our home and our most important family and comrades."

As he spoke, Mark used illusion magic to present the six Infinity Stones before everyone. "These six stones, I believe most of you are already familiar with to some extent. They are the six Infinity Stones born since the Big Bang, each of them controlling an attribute of the cosmic source: Time, Space, Mind, Reality, Soul, and Power.

Once you collect all six Stones and withstand the tremendous energy they emit when used together, you can make any wish, no matter how absurd, and it will come true.

Now, an entity with the intent to collect all six Infinity Stones has appeared—Thanos! He's incredibly powerful, enough to support his ambition to use the Infinity Stones. And, in fact, this is not the first time we've crossed paths with him. Do you remember the Battle of New York six years ago?

It was him who entrusted the Mind Stone scepter to Loki and dispatched the Chitauri army to Earth, working together with Loki to invade Earth. Their goal was the cosmic cube, also known as the Space Stone, which was still on Earth at that time.

Thanos's ultimate goal, after collecting the Infinity Stones, is to randomly eliminate half of all life in the universe, believing it will achieve a perfect balance between life and resources.

Currently, there are still two Infinity Stones on Earth. One of them is in the possession of our Supreme Sorcerer, Doctor Strange. He serves as the guardian of Kamar-Taj, which you might not be very familiar with. But just like the Avengers, Kamar-Taj also plays a role in safeguarding Earth, although it leans more toward the protection of the magical aspect.

As for the other Infinity Stone, it's the Mind Stone, which we have stored in the underground space of the new Avengers base.

So, without a doubt, if Thanos has no intention of giving up his ambitions, he will certainly launch an attack on Earth, and this time, the scale will undoubtedly far exceed the Battle of New York.

Based on the information Doctor Banner obtained before returning to Earth, Thanos now possesses two Infinity Stones: the Power Stone and the Space Stone. Moreover, one of our allies, Thor, the God of Thunder and one of the most powerful members of the Avengers, is likely to have encountered misfortune.

Considering the current situation, it's highly unfavorable for us. We must relocate the battlefield because if we fight on Earth, we won't be able to employ our last and most extreme resort. Additionally, protecting civilians will divert our attention and prevent us from focusing on the immediate threat.

So, if anyone has any opinions or suggestions, please feel free to speak up now. Time is running out, and I believe the enemy will arrive much sooner than we anticipate."

"I think we should find Captain and the others. They would be a huge asset, and if we really go to war, Captain is undoubtedly the best choice for a commander," suggested Colonel Rhodes, who was the first to provide input. As he spoke, his gaze was directed towards Tony, expecting a response, but Tony skillfully avoided eye contact.

"By the way, I've been curious since just now: Where did Captain go? And what about Hawkeye and Natasha?" questioned Doctor Banner with a puzzled expression.

"We've had internal conflicts, Captain and I had a falling out, and the United Nations and the Security Council used this opportunity to divide the Avengers. We're no longer in contact," explained Tony, the one directly involved.

"Tony, listen carefully to what I'm saying—Thor has fallen at the hands of that guy, and he's coming to Earth with his army to accomplish the same thing. The personal grievances between you and Captain no longer matter."

Faced with Doctor Banner's advice, Tony fell into silence, or rather, he wrestled with himself. After a mental struggle, he ultimately took out the communication device that Captain had sent him two years ago from his jacket pocket, preparing to dial the only number in the phone book.

"Everyone, get ready. I don't think we have time to bring Captain back. The enemy is here now!" Mark's sudden announcement interrupted Tony's actions. And in the next moment—boom! An explosion resounded, and chaos befell New York, where two Infinity Stones were gathered.

"Now, all the superheroes of Earth, it's time to go to war..."