Chapter 316: Slaying Ebony Maw, Clark's Challenge
The Dark Order boasts a master of speech, known as Ebony Maw!
Ebony Maw, a member of the Whisperers, also known as the Obsidian General and "Octopus Brother," possesses the ability to control objects and is skilled in deceiving others with his persuasive tongue. Among the Obsidian Generals, he is the most cunning and difficult to deal with.
For Clark, Ebony Maw is an old acquaintance. In his travels to the Avengers 4 timeline, he had witnessed Maw's death at the hands of the Avengers. However, Maw had never met Clark, and upon hearing Clark's disrespectful words, he simply waved his hand, causing two giant axes hanging on the guest room walls to slice through the air towards Clark.
Using his telekinetic powers to control objects was Maw's specialty!
Clark watched calmly, not dodging or moving, and the axes stopped five meters away from him. Maw immediately realized with terror that he had lost control over the axes!
Having assimilated the Power Stone, Clark could mimic all forms of physical superpowers. With his own god-like strength, he could easily overpower those weaker than himself.
Impression points from Ebony Maw: +333!
Who exactly was this man who could so effortlessly neutralize his telekinetic attack?
Shocked but feigning calm, Maw said, "Your strength is indeed remarkable. But are you really ready to oppose our Dark Order?"
Seeing Clark unmoved, Maw added, "You must have heard of my master Thanos. Since his emergence, no one who has opposed him has lived well. I advise you to consider the consequences before making your decision, lest a moment's impulse brings disaster upon you."
"Disaster?" Clark scoffed dismissively. "To think that Thanos could cause me trouble, you're quite the joker."
Impression points from Ebony Maw: +555!
Could it be that this person truly did not regard Thanos as a threat? Had he really kicked an iron plate today?
Hadn't Odin already died? Who was this man who suddenly appeared in Nidavellir?
Could it be... him!
"It seems you've guessed my identity," Clark said with a cold laugh. "You're right, I am exactly who you think I am. Your comment about no one surviving opposition to Thanos is laughable."
"I've slain Supergiant, defeated General Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight, destroyed his Sanctuary II, annihilated one of his legions, and stolen his personal weapon…"
"Surely that should be enough to have thoroughly offended that purple tuber?" Clark's face showed an innocently harmless smile. "And yet, here I am, standing just fine. It's been a long time, and he hasn't dared to trouble me."
"Oh!" Before Maw could reply, Clark feigned sudden realization, "I see from your expression that you think you're different from Thanos's other minions. If they die, it's one thing, but if you die, Thanos won't let me off easily?"
"Well, I'm curious to see how he won't let me off!"
Maw was taken aback, hastily saying, "No! You can't kill me, I..."
His words choked off as Clark used the Space Stone to freeze all his actions, including speaking or even blinking.
In the next moment, one of the axes previously controlled by Maw flew back in a flash of light, sweeping across Maw's neck.
Impression points from Ebony Maw: +999!
Blood stained the hall.
Ebony Maw was dead!
Impression points from Eitri: +999!
Eitri had known Clark for several years and always thought of him as genteel and harmless.
During Clark's verbal exchange with Maw, Eitri had worried that Clark might be too merciful to his enemy, considering advising him that "mercy to enemies is cruelty to oneself."
But before he could speak, Maw was already dead!
And throughout, Clark's face still bore his harmless smile, unchanged.
Could someone who casually takes lives while chatting still be considered genteel and harmless?
His genteel and harmless nature, it seems, only applies when dealing with his own people.
Stunned for a while, Eitri finally gathered his wits and respectfully said to Clark, "Prince Clark, I am deeply grateful for your intervention in dealing with this vile creature for our dwarven kind, but about Thanos he mentioned…"
"No worries."
Clark smiled nonchalantly, whispering a few words to Natasha, who immediately picked up Maw's head and left the guest hall.
Eitri then called several dwarves to carry away Maw's headless body and clean the room.
After everything was settled, the group sat down, and Eitri cautiously asked, "Prince, did you come here knowing our tribe was in trouble, or was it..."
"To be honest, it was a fortunate coincidence." Clark appeared slightly embarrassed, "Recently, Asgard just battled the Dark Elves, destroying the Bifrost, and Heimdall, responsible for monitoring the Nine Realms, has been preoccupied with the bridge's repairs, neglecting his surveillance, which is why we didn't detect Nidavellir's predicament in time."
Previously, Clark had always appeared as a prince of Asgard, and he had received considerable help in Nidavellir; it wouldn't be right to sever ties just because of a minor oversight.
That would seem too opportunistic for a prince.
Seeing Clark so humbly explaining the situation, Eitri's respect for this cosmic powerhouse grew even stronger, especially after witnessing his unflinching execution of Maw.
The contrast only made the respect more profound.
Clark continued, "Actually, I brought some of Earth's strongest here, intending, as before, to ask Mr. Eitri to help us forge some suitable equipment, including repairing a damaged shield. But that can wait. After I deal with Thanos, this annoying fellow, we can discuss it in detail..."
Meanwhile, not far from Nidavellir, on the other end of a space disturbance, Thanos was aboard his new flagship, "Sanctuary III," waiting for news from Ebony Maw.
In fact, sending Maw to negotiate was merely a hope that the dwarves would be wise enough to voluntarily assist in crafting the gauntlet.
As for sparing Nidavellir afterward, that was never considered.
With something as powerful as the Infinity Gauntlet, one was enough. He did not want anyone using Nidavellir's technology to forge a duplicate to trouble him.
Whether King Eitri agreed or not, his skilled hands would be ruined, and Nidavellir would still face Thanos's wrath.
The difference would only be that if Eitri complied, he might spare half of Nidavellir's lives; if not, there would be no quarter.
As the universe's fearsome Thanos, he would teach the dwarves the meaning of cruelty!
By now, Ebony Maw should have returned.
Just then, as he looked out the spaceship window, Thanos saw a familiar ship emerging from a space wormhole, quickly approaching the direction of "Sanctuary III"—it was the "doughnut" ship Maw had been aboard.
Thanos watched, his expression
calm as ever, still sitting on his throne, waiting for Maw to report back on the negotiation.
He hadn't really cared about the outcome. If the negotiation was successful, great; if not, he would use force. He doubted the dwarves' spines were as hard as the weapons they forged.
But the next moment, his calm was shattered.
"Trouble!" With these urgent words, a Chitauri leader ran in panicked, holding a metal box, knelt before Thanos with a thud, slid half a meter before stopping, and said, "Sir, Maw's ship returned using its autopilot. The crew is missing, and we found only this in the ship."
As he spoke, the Chitauri leader buried his head deep in the ground, holding the metal box high above him, trembling like a leaf.
Seeing his cowardly appearance, Thanos's eyes filled with disdain as he commanded, "Open it."
"Yes, master!"
While saying this, the Chitauri leader didn't dare raise his head but used his dexterous hands to awkwardly open the box, revealing its contents to Thanos.
As the box was opened, a strong scent of blood filled the cabin. Thanos looked down and saw a large human head inside.
It was the head of Ebony Maw, one of his most trusted of the Black Order.
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