[In an unknown cosmic rift, Dark Elf flagship - Ark of Sorrow]
On the cold, deathly silent bridge, Malekith stood before a massive star map, staring at that azure Planet, his eyes devoid of any ripples. If the flagship crashed, it crashed; to him, it was no different from pulling out a fingernail.
The real weapon had always been in his own hands.
Behind him came heavy and steady footsteps. His most loyal lieutenant, Algrim, knelt on one knee.
"My King, give me strength. I will retrieve the Aether for you and trample Midgard into the dust!!"
Malekith slowly turned around, a Cursed Stone flashing with an ominous red light appearing in his hand. But this time, he didn't immediately thrust it into his lieutenant's chest.
He walked to the other end of the bridge, where there was a massive cage made of some unknown black metal.
Inside the cage slept a terrifying creature that defied description. It looked like a giant hound, its body like a small mountain, covered in black fur that resembled solidified shadows. Even while asleep, every breath caused the surrounding space to collapse slightly, emitting an ancient, desolate, and tyrannical aura.
"This Monster was discovered during a space jump; it was reborn from the corpse of a fallen cosmic deity." Malekith's voice carried a hint of fanaticism. "Although I'm not clear on its specific abilities, I know its flesh can significantly strengthen physical power and provide resistance against soul attacks."
He raised a ritual dagger made of bone and, without blinking, stabbed it fiercely into the giant hound's hind leg.
Terrifyingly, when the dagger pierced the flesh, the giant hound didn't react at all, sleeping like a dead dog. Not a single drop of blood flowed; only a dark red piece of meat, wriggling and struggling like a living thing, was carved out by the dagger.
Malekith grabbed this piece of meat, which radiated endless madness and tyranny, and slowly but forcefully pressed it into the Cursed Stone.
"Go, Algrim. It will not only give you invincible strength but also... a special blessing."
There was no trace of fear on Algrim's face, only endless loyalty. He took the corrupted Cursed Stone and pressed it hard into his own chest.
"Ah—!!!"
An indescribable agony struck. Under the dual Erosion of the Cursed Stone and Loki's flesh, Algrim's body began a horrific mutation. His armor fused with his flesh, canine muscle lines grew on his body, and twisted bone spurs even sprouted from his back. The sound he made was no longer an elven roar, but a hound's howl seemingly from the depths of the hellish Abyss.
A never-before-seen, even more powerful Cursed Warrior was born.
---
[Britain, London, Buckingham Palace, Temporary Strategic Meeting Room]
Hours later, the battle over London had mostly subsided, and the remaining Dark Elf aircraft had all been destroyed. But in the meeting room of Buckingham Palace, the atmosphere was more damn tense than the battlefield.
"I'll say it again, this is on United Kingdom territory! The wreckage of that warship must belong to Her Majesty the Queen!!" The British Defense Minister slammed the table, spittle flying everywhere.
"Give it a rest, buddy." Tony Stark leaned back in his chair, picking his ear with his pinky, and said nonchalantly, "If it weren't for us, you'd be discussing which jar Her Majesty's ashes should be kept in. That pile of junk will be our fuel cost for this trip, recovered and researched by Stark Industries."
Steve Rogers rubbed his temples, looking exhausted. He was sick of politics, especially right after fighting a hard battle.
Lin Huai sat quietly to the side, holding a cup of black tea, but his gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, looking into the endless void. He was reviewing—reviewing every previous divination.
What he saw was exactly this scene: the gathering of the Avengers, Thor's fury, and that terrifying hound lurking in the shadows, growling at him... "Woof!"
A low bark, sounding as if it came directly from inside his head, made the teacup in Lin Huai's hand jerk violently.
The composure on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.
Something's wrong!!
"Boom—!!!"
As if to prove him right, the sturdy roof of Buckingham Palace was torn open in the next second by an irresistible force!
A large, black shadow, radiating the scent of sulfur and decay, fell from the sky like a meteor, crashing heavily onto the ornate round table in the middle of the meeting room.
The Cursed Warrior, Algrim!
His current appearance was even more hideous than in the original story; his armor was covered with Beast-like bone spurs, his helmet had transformed into the shape of a hound's open maw, and his eyes burned with nothing but a desire for destruction.
"Roar!!"
He ignored the terrified politicians around him, his target clearly set as he threw a punch at the nearest person, Thor!
"Clang—!!"
Mjolnir collided with the Cursed Warrior's iron fist, producing a deafening boom. Thor grunted and was actually knocked back repeatedly by this single punch.
"A Dark Elf Cursed Warrior? What's going on!" Thor roared.
The answer he received was an even more frenzied attack. The Cursed Warrior's fighting style was bold and sweeping, full of Beast-like wildness and cunning, every punch carrying the power to crush everything.
"Jarvis!! Full power!!" The armor on Tony's body covered him in a flash. The energy cannon on his chest and the miniature missiles on his shoulders fired simultaneously, all blasting into the Cursed Warrior.
However, these attacks, which were enough to take out a military bunker, only kicked up a few sparks when hitting him. That body, reshaped by Loki's flesh and the Cursed Stone, was indestructible.
"Leave it to me."
Lin Huai's voice rang out amidst the chaos. He stepped forward, his eyes cold. Since this was an enemy that the abilities of a Bizzaro Sorcerer couldn't shake, it was time for Sequence 5, Marionettist, to take the stage.
He raised his hand, and invisible Spirit Thread spread from his fingertips, covering the Cursed Warrior, who was currently fighting Thor and Tony, like a spiderweb.
As long as the threads attached, even a demigod would experience a moment of stiffness. And that moment would be enough to decide the outcome.
However, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Those Spirit Thread, which had always been so effective, seemed to encounter a natural enemy the moment they approached the Cursed Warrior's body. Wisps of almost invisible grayish-black aura emerged from Algrim's body, and the Spirit Thread were like spider silk splashed with sulfuric acid, instantly decaying, dissolving, and vanishing without a trace!
At the same time, the Cursed Warrior jerked his head around, those eyes burning with the fire of destruction locking onto Lin Huai!
"Woof—!!"
Another bark from the depths of the soul exploded in Lin Huai's mind. The phantom of the terrifying giant hound from the dream in Chapter 188 emerged once again.
Lin Huai's face turned pale. This was the first time since his promotion that he felt his core ability was completely countered, and even... inversely locked onto!
This Monster is immune to his Marionette transformation!
"Get out of the way!!"
Loki's cry came as he created an illusion, trying to draw the Cursed Warrior's attention.
But the Cursed Warrior's target was only Lin Huai. He abandoned Thor, his massive body turning into a bolt of black lightning, throwing a punch at Lin Huai's head!
This punch was fast to the extreme, ruthless to the extreme, sealing off all paths of retreat.
The air was struck with a piercing sonic boom.
There wasn't even time for a Flame Leap!
Lin Huai's pupils contracted sharply.
At this critical moment, a blue figure, as if traveling through time and space, blocked him in the blink of an eye.
Clang—!!!
Steve Rogers raised his vibranium shield.
A massive impact hit. Steve's feet plowed two deep furrows into the smooth marble floor, and he was sent flying backward, the star on the shield slightly dented by the blow.
But he had finally blocked that lethal strike.
"His target is you!!" Steve crashed into the wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood, yet he still stared fixedly at the Cursed Warrior as he shouted to Lin Huai.
Lin Huai understood even without him saying it.
For some reason, this Monster considered him the greatest threat.
And the control ability he was most proud of was completely useless against it.
This is a big problem.