I Created a Sanctuary in Marvel

Chapter 200 Thanos's Invitation, and the Deal with Loki

The illusion of the cosmos recedes like the tide, revealing a simple yet solemn dwelling within.

The starlight slowly dimmed on the wall, eventually turning into the ordinary stone texture.

Loki slowly opened his eyes, a faint icy blue light swirling deep within his pupils.

"This is the power of the microcosm—"

He murmured to himself, feeling the new energy surging within him.

With the blessing of divinity, he comprehended the sixth sense of the microcosm in a very short time.

This power, originating from the very source of life, not only completely activated his dormant Frost Giant bloodline, but also allowed him to naturally master the Aquarius's inherited combat techniques.

With fingers slightly clenched, a chill emanated from the palm, condensing into tiny ice crystals in the air.

He is now many times stronger than before he comprehended the microcosm.

To his surprise, the long-dormant divine core within him also showed signs of loosening under the stimulation of this power.

"Unfortunately, I am not yet able to fully integrate the power of the Ice Box."

A flash of crimson crossed Loki's eyes, a sign of the awakening of the Frost Giant bloodline, before returning to its usual color.

He stood up, stretched his somewhat stiff body, and his joints made a slight cracking sound.

The gains from this trip to the Kingdom of God far exceeded expectations.

With his current strength, he has already surpassed his older brother who only knows how to steal hammers.

If Thor doesn't make any progress during this time—Loki smirked, "That would be quite interesting."

He did not linger long in the Kingdom of God.

This place was ultimately not his final destination; the pervasive sense of solemnity made him somewhat uneasy.

If you want to truly surpass Thor, or even Odin, you can't stay comfortably in a place like this.

The moment I stepped out of the border of the divine realm, the shift in space brought a slight feeling of weightlessness.

Loki landed steadily in the void of space and was about to cast a spell to leave when he suddenly frowned and sharply turned to a certain direction on his left.

There, he sensed a hidden gaze.

"We've finally waited for you to come out."

A graceful figure slowly emerged from the void, as if stepping out from a curtain of water.

The superstar hovered in the vacuum of space, its dark purple robe fluttering without wind, a perfectly measured smile on its face.

"Were you waiting for me?"

"This feeling of being watched—it's really uncomfortable."

Loki narrowed his eyes, and the power of his inner universe surged quietly, with a chill spreading outwards from him.

Please don't misunderstand.

"We heard about your achievements and came here specifically to seek cooperation. Perhaps—we can help you."

The superstar gracefully raised his hand in greeting, his voice transmitting directly into Loki's mind via mental fluctuations.

She paused deliberately before slowly uttering the second half of her sentence: "For example, reclaiming the throne of Asgard."

His words carried an invisible allure.

Superstars are inherently powerful psychic beings, and every word they utter contains subtle spiritual implications.

This is also why Thanos sent her to negotiate.

"cooperate?"

"If you really want to discuss cooperation, you'd better put away these little tricks first. Otherwise—I can't guarantee you'll leave here alive."

Loki chuckled, his icy blue eyes shining even brighter.

Even so, a hint of surprise did rise in his heart.

Unexpectedly, someone actually came to him to collaborate, and it seems that the other party has been paying attention to the Nine Realms for some time.

He hadn't been away from Asgard for long, and hadn't been delayed much on the road, yet he was still managed to be intercepted with pinpoint accuracy.

This indicates that the other party either has a powerful intelligence network or has been monitoring Asgard's movements.

"It was my oversight."

"My master is the ruler of the Dark Quadrant, the destroyer of the Titan Thanos."

The superstar readily suppressed his emotional fluctuations and appeared even more sincere.

"Thanos?"

"That Mad Titan?"

Loki raised an eyebrow.

Of course he knew Thanos's name.

One of the last remaining Eternals after the destruction of Titan, they rule over thousands of inhabited planets. Every time they conquer a place, they indiscriminately slaughter half of its inhabitants, claiming it is to maintain balance.

In the eyes of most cosmic forces and gods, this guy is an absolute madman.

Loki once thought so too.

But now—he has some different ideas.

"If you are interested in discussing this further, please come to [the relevant page]."

"This isn't the place to talk."

The superstar made an inviting gesture.

Loki did not answer immediately.

His gaze lingered on the supergiant for a moment, then swept across the seemingly empty void in the distance, where faint energy shielding fluctuations could be seen, clearly concealing a spaceship.

"Lead the way."

Finally, he spoke, his tone as casual as if he were deciding what to have for dinner.

A look of satisfaction flashed in the superstar's eyes as he turned and flew towards a certain point in the void.

Loki followed at a leisurely pace, his body naturally forming a protective layer that isolated him from the vacuum of space and the low temperatures of the universe.

The two entered the stealth-enabled spaceship one after the other.

"Perform a spatial jump, coordinates: Dark Quadrant."

The superstar gave orders to the Swiss soldier in the driver's seat.

The spaceship trembled slightly, and then the starlight outside the window stretched into lines, and the space jump began.

The jumps were performed three times, with each jump spaced approximately fifteen minutes apart.

As the final jump ended, the view outside the porthole made Loki sit up slightly.

The massive Dark Temple hovered in the void, like a mountain forged from metal.

Several frigates circled around it like satellites, and a massive dock and military facilities could be seen further away.

The entire Dark Quadrant was filled with a suffocating and chilling atmosphere.

Please come with me.

Superstar led Loki through the connecting passage and into the interior of the Dark Temple.

The corridor was wide and deep, with unfamiliar hieroglyphs carved on the walls on both sides, and occasionally one could see fully armed soldiers patrolling by.

Their gazes lingered briefly on Loki before mechanically shifting away, as if he were merely an emotionless guard puppet.

Finally, they arrived at a magnificent hall.

The dome soars high, flanked by enormous statues, and at the far end stands a heavy metal throne.

And seated on the throne was the infamous, mad Titan, whose name resounded throughout the universe.

Thanos.

With purple skin, golden armor, and a massive body that exuded an astonishing sense of oppression even when seated.

He rested one hand on the armrest of the throne, while the other hung naturally at his side. He calmly looked at Loki as he entered, showing no intention of getting up.

"Thanos?"

Loki stopped ten meters from the throne, showing no intention of bowing, but simply standing quietly, meeting the gaze of the Titan on the throne.

"Nice to meet you, God of Mischief of Asgard."

Thanos's voice was deep and resonant, echoing faintly in the hall.

"Let's skip the formalities."

"Let's get straight to the point. What kind of cooperation? How will we cooperate? What can you offer? I think—you should know Asgard's strength better than I do."

Loki casually leaned against a decorative pillar beside him.

He deliberately emphasized the words "more clearly".

A hint of surprise flashed in Thanos's eyes.

In his mind, a second prince who had failed to seize the throne and was banished from his homeland should be dejected and impatient, eager for any chance to turn things around.

But Loki before me—was too indifferent.

That composure that comes from within is not something that can be faked.

Moreover, Loki's strength far exceeded what the intelligence indicated. Thanos could sense two completely different powerful energies within Loki's body: one was the icy power of the Frost Giants, and the other was more obscure and ancient, which even he could not fully see through.

"My Chitauri army can be of assistance to you."

"In addition, I have an Infinity Stone that I can lend to you temporarily."

Thanos threw out his chips directly, no longer beating around the bush.

He deliberately used the word "borrow" to show his sincerity and to leave room for maneuver.

Loki's eyes flickered slightly when he heard about the Infinity Stones, but his expression remained unchanged.

As expected, it came to us on its own initiative. When Ye Feng mentioned the Infinity Stones before, he thought they were something that was hard to come by, but he didn't expect that clues would come to him so quickly.

Thanos knew a little about the whereabouts of the Time Stone and Space Stone in the Nine Realities, and the Soul Stone had never appeared—if it were the Power Stone, Thanos would never have been so generous in taking it out.

"The Mind Gem?"

Loki immediately pointed it out.

Thanos finally showed a hint of genuine surprise, though it was fleeting.

He nodded slightly: "Not bad."

Loki sneered inwardly.

The Mind Stone was indeed somewhat useless to Thanos.

This Titan revered absolute power and physical conquest, and always looked down on manipulating people's minds as a clever tactic.

Lending out the gems demonstrates sincerity without significantly strengthening the opponent; it's a clever strategy.

"A very tempting offer."

"So, what do you want in return? Don't tell me you gave up the Chitauri army and an Infinity Stone just to make a friend."

Loki straightened up and slowly walked toward the throne.

He stopped five meters in front of the throne, looked up at Thanos, and his eyes held an undisguised scrutiny.

The hall was silent for a few seconds.

Superstar looked at Thanos, who slightly raised his hand, signaling her to explain.

"We do need allies."

"The Dark Order's modus operandi in the universe has offended many forces."

"And you, after ascending the throne of Asgard, will have the authority to rule the nine realms."

"We can help you consolidate your rule, and you can provide support to us when necessary. It's mutually beneficial, nothing more."

The superstar walked to Loki's side, his voice gentle yet persuasive.

"Oh? Is that so?"

"You sacrificed a massive army and Infinity Stones for a potential ally? Or do you really believe that the Chitauri can conquer the Nine Realms with just those weaklings?"

Loki laughed, a laugh full of mockery.

His gaze swept over the few members of the Dark Order standing in the hall, finally returning to Thanos: "Odin may be old, but he's not dead yet."

"Heimdall's eyes can see every corner of the Nine Realms. Asgard's army has been through countless wars—what makes you think you can win?"

Silence descended once more.

This time it lasted longer, and an invisible pressure filled the air.

Superstar's expression was somewhat stiff as she looked at Thanos, awaiting instructions.

Thanos suddenly laughed, a low, hoarse laugh that echoed through the hall.

"You're very perceptive, Loki."

"Then, tell me your conditions."

He finally rose from his throne. His enormous body cast a long shadow that almost completely enveloped Loki.

"These aren't my conditions; they're your true purpose."

"I don't like being used as a pawn. If we're going to cooperate, let's be honest."

Loki did not back down.

Thanos stepped down from the throne, his metal boots striking the ground with a heavy thud.

He stopped in front of Loki, the two less than three meters apart, a distance that would be dangerously close for a god or a Titan.

"There is more than one Infinity Stone."

Thanos finally spoke, his voice so low that only Loki could hear him.

"I know the Space Stone is in the vaults of Asgard. The Time Stone is on Earth, guarded by the Ancient One."

He looked down at Loki: "You help me obtain the Space Stone, and the Mind Stone is yours."

"The Chitauri army is at your command, and the Dark Order will provide support when necessary. In return, once you ascend the throne, Asgard will become an ally of the Dark Quadrant in the southwestern region of the universe."

Loki narrowed his eyes.

That makes sense—trading one gem for another while simultaneously gaining a powerful ally.

It fits Thanos's style perfectly; he seems crazy, but every step he takes is actually calculated.

If it were my past self before meeting Ye Feng, I might have agreed without hesitation.

After all, this deal was a win-win situation: Odin would gain the Mind Stone and a large army, and could also take the opportunity to reclaim the throne. The only price was the Space Stone, which had been sitting in the vault for thousands of years and had never been used by Odin.

Although it is currently lost on Earth, it is not very difficult to retrieve it.

But now—he just wants to get something for free!

After all, he didn't say he was sure he could win, did he?

A more important reason he accepted the deal was that he wanted to defeat Sol fair and square.

"I can agree."

"But there are two conditions."

Loki spoke slowly, noticing a satisfied look flash in Thanos's eyes.

"explain."

"First, I will devise the plan to attack Asgard, and the Chitauri army must obey my command completely."

"Secondly, give me the Mind Stone now. I need time to familiarize myself with its power."

Loki held up one finger.

Thanos remained silent for a moment.

He was weighing the risks of handing over the gems early against the potential benefits of winning over Loki.

"Can."

"But I need to leave a trace on you. This isn't distrust, it's just necessary insurance."

Finally, he spoke, then turned and walked toward a hidden compartment behind the throne.

"Reasonable."

Loki shrugged in agreement.

The hidden compartment opened, and Thanos took out a scepter that emitted a golden light.

An orange-yellow gemstone is set at the top of the staff, radiating a gentle yet powerful energy fluctuation.

The Scepter of the Mind.

Thanos handed the scepter to Loki.

At the moment of handover, Loki felt a barely perceptible energy mark attached to his wrist. It was very subtle, but it did not escape his perception at that moment.

"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you, future ruler of the Nine Realms."

Thanos said.

Loki gripped the scepter, feeling the pulse emanating from the Mind Stone, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"It's a pleasure working with you, Thanos."

He turned and walked out of the hall, and the superstar immediately followed to lead the way.

Behind him, Thanos sat back on his throne, watching Loki's departing figure, an unfathomable light flashing in his single eye.

"Master, do you really believe him?"

After Loki had gone some distance, Superstar asked through their mental connection.

"believe?"

"No. But I believe in his ambition, and I believe he will do anything for the throne. That's enough."

""

Thanos chuckled.

He gazed into the void, as if he could see the distant, golden palaces of Asgard.

"Besides—regardless of the outcome, this chaos will distract Odin. And our true objective—"

Thanos didn't finish speaking, but the superstar already understood.

"Thor—are you ready for the grand gift I'm about to give you?"

He muttered to himself, his smile gradually widening.