Marvel: The Psychologist Who Stole Wanda and Gwen's Hearts!

But before that, another legion was scouring the depths of space, scanning, gathering, and intercepting transport ships.

And this legion was even larger than the last one.

Ever since acquiring the Power Stone and Nova Force, the Elders had unanimously agreed to expand Cybertron’s forces—on every front.

What did that mean?

The term "legion" was collective. Within it were subdivisions: resource division, combat division, transport division, and more.

So a full-scale expansion meant every division was to be enlarged.

The result was clear to see: a vast Transformer army now marching through the stars.

Fifty transport ships, each ten kilometers long.

Ten Elders leading the force.

Two hundred warships.

Six hundred Transformer descendants.

One hundred thousand robot troops.

This deployment alone could go head-to-head with Thanos’ Black Order.

Not a skirmish.

A war.

With such overwhelming force, any ordinary interstellar empire without unique powers would be crushed beneath the Transformers’ advance.

At this point, the combined might of the Marvel Universe’s three great empires was already falling behind the Transformers civilization.

Only the entirety of Thanos’ legions combined could stand against them.

...

On the flagship, the Collector was once again accompanying the march.

He addressed the Elders.

"Most of the top empires in the universe have their own core treasures and technologies. Like the Kree Empire, or the Skrull Empire."

"Perhaps we could use Thanos’ legions as pressure, driving them to weaken each other. Then we slip in and seize those things for ourselves."

It had to be said, the Collector’s idea had merit.

In the law of survival across the stars, for the sake of one’s empire, gaining benefits without paying the price was good strategy.

But the Elders shook their heads.

"Conspiracy. Such actions are neither honorable nor without risk."

"And they skirt too close to the Creator’s decrees. Rejected."

The Collector accepted the verdict without protest. He hadn’t expected much; he was merely offering options. At best, he was an advisor.

All major decrees of Transformer development were settled only after Elder council debate.

Still, he thought for a moment, then proposed again.

"Then let us focus on steady growth and expansion."

"I know of many unmined regions deep in space. No stars, barren of life, so most species avoid them."

"But Transformers can endure there."

That proposal met approval. The Elders were already pursuing such plans.

The civilization was still in a phase of explosive growth.

This was not the time for reckless maneuvers, but for resource gathering, technological research, and strengthening themselves.

In simple terms:

Build high walls.

Stockpile grain.

Delay kingship.

...

Just then, a communication came through from a Transformer descendant.

"Elders, we’ve detected consecutive warp signatures in the star sector ahead. Judging from the scale, it’s very likely a legion."

A legion?

The Collector froze for a moment.

In this universe, who else commanded such massive warp operations?

After some thought, he muttered,

"Could it be Thanos’ legion?

He had the Black Dwarf legion before... but he still has four others.

This one is very likely his as well."

At his words, the Elders’ interest flared.

They had scored valuable spoils last time by shadowing Thanos’ forces.

So why not again?

Would it cost them anything? No.

Could they win a fight? Yes.

And their legion this time was even larger than before.

What’s more, Thanos never mobilized without reason.

The source of this content ɪs NovᴇlFɪre.nᴇt

Last time, it was for the Power Stone.

What about this time? Could it be another treasure?

The Elders immediately held a vote.

[Follow the legion’s warp trajectory? 10:0]

Unanimous.

"Transformers, battle mode. Fleet, engage warp engines. Follow the trail."

At their command, fifty warships jumped into pursuit.

The goal was simple—pick up whatever the war left behind.

...

On the other side.

Without firing a single shot, Thanos led a group of his men and Ebony Maw onto the Asgardian transport ship.

You may ask why there was no resistance. Outside, the cannons of Thanos’ massive flagship were locked on the transport. As long as there was even a sliver of hope, Thor and Heimdall had to try. They couldn’t let the last survivors of Asgard be wiped out for nothing.

Before Thanos boarded, Thor hid Hulk away. That temper of his was something Thor couldn’t control.

When Thanos finally set foot on the ship, every Asgardian still capable of fighting gathered in the main hall to confront him. His massive double-edged blade was carried in by others. He stepped into the hall, glanced at the Asgardians, then at the army visible outside the windows.

At last, he spoke to Thor.

"Hand over the Tesseract, and I’ll let half the people on this ship live."

Thor’s anger flared, but he was no longer as reckless as before. He clenched Mjolnir and exchanged a look with Heimdall. Heimdall shook his head.

Whether they surrendered the Tesseract or not, sacrificing half to save the other half was not an option. It was like the train track dilemma—better for everyone to fight than to choose who must die. Asgard still had pride, and its blood had not gone cold.

Loki, dressed in green, stepped forward.

"The choice you offer is no choice at all."

Thanos turned his gaze to him, remembering.

"You wasted one of my armies, and now you betray me."

"No. That wasn’t betrayal—it was a deal," Loki replied, shaking his head. "What you call betrayal, I call a failed investment."

Thanos didn’t get angry, but Ebony Maw did. He had clashed with Loki before and bristled with rage. Thanos waved a hand, silencing him.

He looked back at Thor.

"One last time. Hand over the Tesseract. If you resist, it won’t be half that die—it will be all of you."

The hall fell into a chilling silence. Only two choices remained:

1. Hand over the Tesseract—half die, half live.

2. Resist—maybe some survive, but most likely all perish.

Thor looked at Heimdall again. This time, it wasn’t only Heimdall shaking his head. Even Thor’s own eyes burned with refusal.

He was still Thor, hot-blooded and unyielding. And now they expected him to hand over the Tesseract, only to let half his people be slaughtered? Impossible!

The fact he hadn’t struck already was restraint enough.

When he turned, every Asgardian warrior was shaking their head as well. Rather than gamble on a 50-50 chance, they would fight. Even if Odin’s rule had faltered, Asgard was still the greatest of the Nine Realms. They still had their pride.

And Loki, the Nine Realms’ greatest sorcerer, drew two small blades from his sleeves and smiled at Thor.

"My brother, we can fight side by side again."

Thor forced a small smile.

"Now I can trust you with my back, because I believe in you."

Loki didn’t respond. He only shrugged and turned to Thanos’ warriors.

"Should we find a way to stall for a while?"

"Last time Thanos suffered a setback, it was at the hands of a new civilization called the Transformers."

"That’s why the Nova Empire was spared after handing over the Orb."

"If we stall long enough, maybe we’ll also run into the Transformers civilization."

"Then we can hand over the Tesseract."

"That way we’ll be saved too."

Thor shot him a sidelong glance. Lifting the hammer that hadn’t been crushed by Hela, he said,

"How could you come up with such a terrible plot?"

"Thanos runs into disaster both times he sets out?"

Loki smirked.

"What if it happens?"

"It’s not impossible."

"Just admit it—you’d like to see that kind of story."

Thor thought for a moment. Then he nodded with a laugh.

"I would."

"You would, huh?" Loki mused. "Then I’ll buy us some time."

In an instant, Loki twisted his blade and pressed it against Thor’s neck. Pulling him to the side, he shouted,

"Back off! Or I’ll kill your future king!"

"Loki!?"

Heimdall froze in shock. Why would Loki betray them now? Why turn on them at this moment?

"Move!"

Loki pressed the blade tighter to Thor’s throat, forcing the others back.

Thor’s mind stirred, and he shouted in turn.

"Loki, what are you doing? You would betray us?!"

Loki shook his head, about to explain, but Thanos cut him off.

"Enough, boy. Drop the act. The Tesseract must be handed over."

What Thanos didn’t expect was Loki’s immediate reply.

"Of course."

He answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then pointed at the Asgardians.

"Bring out the Tesseract and offer it to Lord Thanos."

At those words, the Asgardians exchanged confused glances. None of them knew where the Tesseract was.

Or rather—did Asgard even have the Tesseract now?

"Hurry!"

Seeing their hesitation, Loki barked again.

"Go find it!"

Startled, the Asgardians scattered, searching frantically for the Tesseract.

But the truth was, when Asgard was destroyed, Loki had already taken the Tesseract for himself. They knew it had been in Asgard, but had he brought it aboard? If so, where was it hidden? No one knew. And so they searched.

Watching the chaos, Thanos held back. Everyone was looking, so he could afford to wait.

Meanwhile, unseen by others, Loki sent his voice into Thor’s mind.

"We’ve stalled long enough."

Thor didn’t know that trick, so he stayed still. But inwardly he wondered—would this really work? Time would tell.

The Asgardians searched the transport. Thanos’ soldiers waited. But after a long while with no sign of the Tesseract, suspicion began to grow.

Thanos stepped forward, fixing his gaze on Loki.

"You’re toying with me again."

"No, I’m serious," Loki replied, still holding the dagger to Thor’s throat. "They’ll find it soon. It’s just hidden deep."

"I don’t believe you."

Thanos extended his hand, seizing the massive double-edged blade beside him.

"Call everyone here and line them up, or I’ll have the fleet open fire."

At those words, Loki’s heart skipped a beat. He knew the deception couldn’t last any longer.

Quickly, he sent another message to Thor.

"The trick we used on Sakaar—remember?"

"But this time, it’s my turn."

Thor didn’t answer. He only gripped his hammer tighter.

Loki understood. His brother was ready.

So he turned to Thanos and said,

"Wait a little longer."

"I’ll hand him over to you now."

"I’m coming."

Before Thanos could even respond, Loki dragged Thor forward. They knew Thanos was far too cautious to fall for the same trick again, so they had to strike first.

The move they’d used back on Sakaar was simple: confuse the enemy, throw a brother at them, then strike with a surprise attack. Last time, it had been Loki who was thrown. This time, it would be Thor.

Thanos watched as Loki hauled Thor closer, but the nearer they got, the more wrong it felt. His eyes dropped to Thor’s hand. The hammer was clenched in his grip, not dangling like a prisoner’s weapon.

This wasn’t a hostage being dragged along.

This was someone ready for battle.

"Foolish!" Thanos growled, tightening his grip on his double-edged blade, ready to lift it.

"Ahhh!"

A roar from not far off made him turn his head. It was Heimdall—he had seen through the ruse from the start! The moment he noticed Thanos catching on, he bellowed to draw the enemy’s attention.

It worked. Thanos’ warriors turned their eyes to Heimdall as he charged.

"Now!"

Loki seized the moment and hurled Thor with all his strength.

"Ha!!!"

In midair, Thor summoned a storm of lightning and crashed down into the ranks.

"Boom!!!"

A thunderous explosion ripped through the hall, sending more than a dozen of Thanos’ warriors flying.

Thanos roared in rage, raising his great blades as the battle erupted. Loki charged in as well, daggers flashing. He wasn’t reckless—spells flew from his hands even as he pressed into melee, fighting like a sorcerer-warrior.

The clash exploded in an instant.

Hearing the uproar, the surviving Asgardian soldiers rushed in, weapons raised, and threw themselves into the fray.

At last, Hulk arrived. The moment he saw Thanos—massive, towering, a foe worthy of him—he let out a bellowing roar.

"Raaaghhh!!!"

Without hesitation, he barreled straight toward Thanos.

At the sight of Hulk, Thanos kicked Thor aside, leaving him to the others, and moved to meet the green giant head-on.

And so it began: Thanos’ army locked in brutal combat with the last of Asgard’s refugees. The hall of the transport ship shook with the clash of steel, the crackle of energy, the screams of the wounded, and the wet sounds of blades piercing flesh.

No one knew how long it lasted.

When the fighting finally waned, the Asgardian warriors—unblooded for so many years—lay almost completely slaughtered.

"Pfft—!"

"No!"

Thanos himself had run Heimdall through. As life left him, Heimdall’s eyes lingered on Thor, filled with bitter unwillingness. Unwillingness for Asgard’s doomed future.

Thor, bloodied and broken, stood as the last Asgardian warrior. Loki, the last sorcerer. At the very rear of the ship, only a handful of the old, the weak, and the infirm still lived.

Both Thor and Loki were bound in chains, hands wrenched behind their backs. Hulk had been beaten down, lying in the corner, groaning faintly.

"Bang... bang..."

Thanos’ heavy steps carried him forward. He gripped Thor by the head.

"Hand over the Tesseract."

Thor glared at him with hatred but said nothing. Thanos’ fingers tightened, pressing harder, intent on crushing his skull.

Thor’s cries of pain soon broke out.

"I’ll give you the Tesseract!"

Loki couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He spoke up.

"No, Loki..."

Thor weakly shook his head. Loki glanced at him, his look heavy, almost like a final farewell.

"No tricks," Thanos warned, eyes narrowing on him.

"Of course."

From behind his back, Loki drew out the Tesseract he had kept hidden all this time.