Leon did not return home immediately.
He had already sensed that the Tesseract embedded within The Ancient One 's Ring had begun emitting restless pulses—as if someone on the other end of its cosmic connection were knocking on a door.
Thud.
Thud!!
THUD!!!
The rhythm was steady, almost like a heartbeat.
Passing through a blue Sling Ring portal, Leon appeared above a remote stretch of open ocean in the Pacific—no land, no ships, nothing within a hundred miles.
"Come out, my unwelcome guest."
Leon raised his right hand, the one bearing The Ancient One 's Ring, half-covering it before him as he called out.
A sharp hum tore through the air.
The Tesseract responded instantly. Its pulses surged to a peak, releasing a torrent of brilliant blue energy that ripped open a spatial gateway before Leon.
Beyond the portal lay the endless starfield.
The gateway flickered only for a moment before collapsing.
From within the dispersing blue transmission mist of the Space Stone, two slender yet well-proportioned humanoid figures emerged.
As the energy haze faded, they came into full view.
One wore dark green leather armor and a signature horned helm. In his hand was the Scepter housing the Mind Stone, and beneath his feet hovered two gleaming silver short swords that allowed him to remain suspended in the air.
The other stood with his hands folded behind his back, floating effortlessly without any visible aid.
He wore an understated yet luxurious gray-black robe. His hair was gray-white, styled upward, and his face—pale, ridged, and noseless—would have been unsettling by human standards.
And yet, he radiated supreme elegance. So refined was his composure that it almost erased the harshness of his features.
The former was, of course, Loki Laufeyson, having received the Scepter from Thanos.
The latter was one of the Black Order—Thanos' master manipulator and sorcerer: Ebony Maw.
"A human?"
Ebony Maw immediately noticed Leon.
Behind him, Loki silently mouthed a warning:
Brother—he can control minds. Don't look into his eyes. Run.
But Leon acted as if he had seen nothing.
He locked eyes with Ebony Maw directly.
A faint smile curled at Maw's lips. His small pupils darkened into complete blackness—and Leon's eyes mirrored the same change.
The mental domination was instantaneous.
Leon dropped to one knee midair and bowed respectfully.
"Lord Ebony Maw."
"Excellent."
Even Maw, ever composed, could not suppress a trace of excitement.
For he had just realized—
This was Leon Stark Odinson, the being Thanos considered the greatest obstacle to conquering Earth.
Recently adopted by Odin and granted the divine title God of Battle, Leon had frozen the entirety of Jotunheim—a feat widely discussed across the Nine Realms.
He had become a new fixture in cosmic power rankings debated by idle interrealm gossips.
"Loki," Ebony Maw said with narrowed eyes, "what are your thoughts on my control over your adoptive brother?"
"It's his honor," Loki replied through gritted teeth. "I've never liked him anyway."
"Oh?"
Maw gestured for him to continue.
"If he hadn't interfered before, I would already be the rightful King of Asgard!"
The emotion in Loki's voice was genuine. He even took the opportunity to kick Leon viciously.
Sorry, Brother, Loki thought. I'll save you later. For now, endure serving this ugly fanatic.
Each kick grew heavier.
If there weren't personal grudges involved, Ebony Maw would have been surprised.
"Enough."
Maw lifted a hand, halting Loki's retaliation. With a flick of telekinesis, he pushed him aside.
"With your strength, you couldn't even scratch him."
"My blades are sharp enough," Loki retorted, conveniently ignoring the fact that those very blades had been forged by Leon.
"The Great Titan entrusted you with the Scepter to prove yourself," Maw said coldly. "Not to boast in my presence."
"You help us claim Earth. We help you become King of Asgard. Understood?"
"I understand."
Though if not for Maw's formidable telekinetic control, Loki would have already knocked him unconscious with the Scepter.
Compared to this self-righteous zealot, Leon suddenly seemed far more agreeable.
"Leon Stark Odinson," Ebony Maw said, turning gracefully. "You should feel honored. You have joined us. The Great Titan will save you—save all of humanity. It is a supreme privilege."
He selected the direction with the densest human population and prepared to depart.
With the Space Stone embedded in The Ancient One 's Ring, he intended to open a bridge of conquest and annihilation.
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
The moment Ebony Maw turned his back—
Leon, who possessed Mental Control Immunity and had never been controlled in the first place, winked mischievously at Loki.
"…?!"
Loki's mind went blank.
You were acting?!
Then—
SPLAT!!!
Before Loki's stunned gaze, Leon reached forward from behind and delivered what could only be described as a brutally literal "heart-to-heart."
"You—"
Leon's hands pierced through Maw's chest as easily as tofu. Maw attempted to speak, but blood erupted from his mouth.
His telekinesis flared—
And was instantly crushed beneath Leon's overwhelming power.
In the next second, Leon tore him vertically in two.
Aionsega, the War God's Shield, flared with crimson divine flame, incinerating the corpse into nothingness—reduced to ash, then to void.
One man and one shield.
Murder and arson.
Seamless cooperation.
Not a trace remained.
[System Prompt: Do you wish to perform today's Daily Check-In?]
'Do it.'
[Ding. Daily Check-In complete.]
[Congratulations. Reward obtained: Telekinesis.]
[Telekinesis: A manifestation of invisible force. Its upper limit scales with your mental strength, physical stamina, raw power, and total energy output. Grants the ability to manipulate all objects within your perceptual range. Offense and defense unified. Within effective range, evasion is impossible.]
[Flavor Text: "Let the storm tear through the parking lot!"]
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