Marvel: Reincarnated as Superman

Inside a sprawling, desolate chamber.

The architectural style of the grand hall was remarkably austere. Aside from a handful of structural pillars, it featured absolutely no ornamental decorations.

The vast expanse contained no furniture whatsoever, completely hollow. It was readily apparent that the master of this palace possessed extreme self-discipline and harbored zero pursuit of luxury.

At the very peak of the rising steps stood a massive throne. Thanos, having removed his heavy battle armor, sat upon it with unwavering presence.

He was deep in reflection. Leaning heavily back against his throne, a whirlwind of tumultuous thoughts flooded Thanos’s mind.

He had lost.

Ever since he began carving out his legend across the universe, this marked the very first time he had ever been defeated, and it wasn’t a narrow loss, not a hard-fought battle, but a complete and merciless annihilation, a crushing defeat in which he had been utterly powerless to resist.

Thanos recalled the scenario perfectly.

As he lay deeply embedded within the crater, his soul had roared in absolute fury, desperately commanding his body to stand back up and continue the fight with Daniel, yet he had failed completely.

His entire frame was wracked with agonizing pain, completely devoid of strength. It felt as though his entire physical form was on the verge of collapsing into pieces.

Having sustained such horrific injuries, the Chitauri soldiers had initially assumed their lord was on the brink of death, yet he had successfully endured.

’I have not yet brought my grand ideal to completion. How could I possibly perish in such a manner?’

The moment he was brought back aboard his flagship, Thanos had already regained consciousness. By the time they arrived back at his primary base, he was already capable of walking, his physical injuries having recovered by forty to fifty percent.

As he analyzed every piece of information he possessed about Daniel, a rare feeling of confusion surfaced within Thanos’s mind.

From Daniel’s very first debut on Hala all the way to their chance encounter today, Thanos now possessed absolute clarity regarding the deeds Daniel had performed over the past five years.

Furthermore, he was aware that Daniel had an elder sister whose power was equally terrifying. At that very moment, she was proving to be an overwhelming obstacle for his ally, Ronan the Accuser, leaving him with a relentless and troublesome adversary.

’Where exactly did these two siblings come from? How can they possibly be this powerful?’

Thanos mused inwardly. He felt a distinct wave of anxiety and irritation creeping up.

It had been an exceptionally long time since he last experienced such emotions. It wasn’t born out of despair over his own personal defeat, but rather the terrifying prospect that his grand ideal might remain unfulfilled.

Daniel was one thing; the intelligence reports clearly indicated that he wasn’t someone who actively meddled in external affairs. This time around was merely a chance encounter, a sudden whim that resulted in a brief clash between them.

However, his elder sister, Carol, was an entirely different story. Unlike Daniel, she was infamous for constantly involving herself in matters that had nothing to do with her.

For five consecutive years, she had roamed the universe enforcing her version of cosmic peace, actively intercepting the Kree Empire’s invasions against other civilizations day in and day out.

It was merely a stroke of luck that their paths hadn’t crossed yet. But if they ever did meet, a massive conflict would inevitably erupt, and she might even actively hunt him down.

Thanos didn’t fear Carol herself. Yes, she possessed formidable strength, but she didn’t project the kind of absolute, inescapable despair that her younger brother did. Otherwise, the Kree Empire would have long since dissolved into absolute chaos.

No, Carol alone was not what concerned him.

What truly troubled Thanos was the possibility of her bringing her younger brother along and seeking him out together. That would be a disaster of the highest order.

After all, he had only narrowly endured his previous encounter with Daniel, where he had been beaten into a state of utter defeat.

If they crossed paths again and Daniel decided not to restrain himself this time, would everything he had spent countless years preparing not be destroyed before it could even reach its conclusion?

"I must devise a plan to handle him." Thanos muttered to himself.

He harbored a distinct, instinctual premonition that he would inevitably clash with Daniel once more in the future, and if his strength remained completely stagnant like this, the game would be entirely over.

I wonder... was his claim about using only one-tenth of his strength actually true?

Thanos recalled the moment Daniel was pummeling him, openly declaring that he was merely employing ten percent of his raw power.

"If that claim holds true... then it is far too terrifying."

Thanos, an entity universally described as terrifying by the rest of the universe, was now actively branding someone else as terrifying.

"It appears the progress of that plan must be accelerated immediately."

Thanos stated, his gaze hardening into absolute resolve. He recognized that continuing to slaughter his way from planet to planet would never allow him to realize his ideal before dropping dead of exhaustion.

The universe was far too vast. With countless worlds teeming with intelligent life, how could he possibly slaughter them all manually?

Possessing knowledge accumulated across countless civilizations, Thanos had long since devised an alternative approach.

The six Infinity Stones.

If the ancient records were accurate, an individual who successfully assembled all six Infinity Stones could accomplish absolutely anything. Each individual stone harbored monumental raw power, capable of vaporizing an entire planet with absolute ease if utilized correctly.

The realization of his grand ambition, the eradication of half the universe’s population would require no army, no war, and no conquest. A single snap of his fingers would be enough.

Thanos currently possessed one Infinity Stone securely in his grasp: the Mind Stone.

He had acquired it in the distant past, and its existence had been the catalyst for his relentless pursuit of knowledge. Through countless ancient texts and forgotten archives, he discovered the terrifying truth, the one who gathered all six stones would possess the power to achieve anything.

’Unfortunately, the power contained within a single Infinity Stone is still far too limited. It is nowhere near enough to challenge him.’

Thanos felt a pang of inner regret. Although the stone contained an infinite reserve of raw energy, if one failed to assemble all six, that energy could never be fully unleashed. At most, it could destroy a planet, a level of destructive force he could successfully survive himself, let alone Daniel.

Thanos estimated that in order to successfully handle Daniel, he absolutely had to gather all six stones. Furthermore, he required a specific vessel capable of channeling and handling the combined power of the stones.

All of this demanded substantial time, necessitating extensive searching and rigorous investigation.

Originally, Thanos wasn’t particularly pressed for time. After all, he possessed an exceptionally long lifespan which allowed him to search at a leisurely pace. Sooner or later, he believed, he would get the remaining Infinity Stones.

The universe was boundless and infinite, making the search for the stones akin to retrieving a needle from a vast ocean, acting out of desperation was entirely useless.

But now, for the first time, Thanos began to feel a sense of urgency.

His recent defeat had completely disrupted his carefully laid plans. The overwhelming humiliation and crushing loss had thrown his entire schedule into disarray. What truly troubled him was the possibility that he would encounter Daniel again before he had even gathered the Infinity Stones.

If that happened, not only would his grand ideal remain unrealized, but he might never even have the opportunity to exact vengeance.

Having suffered such a humiliating defeat, even the normally emotionless Thanos carried a deep and burning fury within him. Being rendered completely powerless before countless subordinates and soldiers was an insult he could not easily accept.

As the supreme warlord who had spent countless years crushing enemies beneath his feet, Thanos was accustomed to being the one who delivered despair not the one who experienced it. To be beaten to the brink of death by another being was not merely a defeat; it was an unbearable disgrace.

"The day I successfully assemble all six stones shall mark the dawn of my retribution." Thanos soliloquized. "When that time comes, I shall still refrain from taking your life. I shall mirror your actions precisely, driving your head deep into the dirt right in front of the masses."

Thanos shifted his jaw slightly, which still throbbed with a lingering ache.

"And I shall likewise only strike your face."

Recalling the moment he first regained consciousness and caught a glimpse of his completely unrecognizable face in the mirror, Thanos found it entirely impossible to quiet his inner rage.

After pondering for a long moment, Thanos issued a cold directive.

"Ebony Maw, come here."

A brief moment later, Maw stepped gracefully into the grand hall.

"My Lord."

He kept one hand elegantly tucked behind his back while placing the other forward, bowing deeply in respectful greeting to Thanos.

"Have there been any new developments regarding the remaining Infinity Stones?" Thanos asked, his deep voice echoing through the chamber.

"None at present, my Lord."

Understanding that Thanos was currently in an exceptionally bad mood, Maw behaved with even greater caution and reverence than usual.

"Find them. Abandon every other task currently under your command and devote all resources to locating the remaining stones."

"Search through every available record, examine every piece of relevant information, and uncover their locations as quickly as possible. I want results, not delays. I expect favorable news from you soon, so do not return to me empty-handed, is that clear?"

Thanos’s final words carried such immense pressure that Maw felt a chill run through him. Bowing his head deeper, he answered with absolute conviction:

"Understood, My Lord."

"Go." Thanos waved his hand, signaling Maw to dismiss himself.

Maw bowed once more before turning to leave. He had only taken a few steps when Thanos’s voice suddenly echoed through the hall again.

"Wait..."

"Execute the individual responsible for forging my sword.

What sort of absolute garbage did he craft? The edge completely rolled after taking a mere thousand slashes.

I hold nothing but utter contempt for those who betray my trust. He must face the consequences of his failure."

Hearing this command, Maw paused for a fraction of a second, then nodded silently before departing the chamber.

Once more, the entire grand hall was left completely empty, leaving Thanos sitting entirely alone upon his colossal throne.

All that remained was the cold emptiness of the chamber... the silence, the void, and the weight of his solitude.

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