"Boom!"
The recently repaired protective shield was once again shattered in an instant, causing the difference in air pressure to pull the room's atmosphere outward.
"You brat, you—" Uatu began angrily, only to realize that it was Garus who had returned. His rage flared as he cursed, "Why are you back again? And why did you have to break my house—again?"
Seeing the Watcher's furious expression, Garus feigned ignorance. "I realized I still had a few questions for you, so I came back."
Uatu sighed in exasperation. "Fine, ask away. But once you're done, leave."
"You've lived for so long—you should know about the Infinity Stones, right?" Garus reached into the pocket of his coat, pulling out the Orb. He briefly opened it, revealing the Power Stone inside before quickly sealing it again.
"Of course I know about them. I know their origins, their histories, even the identities of their previous wielders," Uatu said, his eyes momentarily flickering with greed as he gazed upon the Power Stone's mesmerizing purple glow. "This should be your third Infinity Stone, right?"
"Wrong. It's my fourth," Garus corrected him without hesitation. "The Aether, the Tesseract, the Orb, and the Scepter. I'm not here for history lessons—I just want to know how to use them." Despite having collected four Infinity Stones, Garus had no idea how to truly harness their power. For now, they were nothing more than rare artifacts in his possession.
Uatu rubbed his oversized head thoughtfully. "Most people only manage to scratch the surface when it comes to utilizing the Infinity Stones. No one has ever fully unleashed their power. If used to their full potential, each one alone is capable of reshaping reality—or destroying entire worlds."
Garus scoffed. "So you don't know either, do you?"
"Not entirely. But I can give you some advice: Go to Asgard and find the Infinity Gauntlet. The one in Odin's vault is a replica, but it could still channel some of the Stones' power. Alternatively, you can embed them into your weapon. Your sword is a legendary artifact—it might just be strong enough to withstand their energy."
Garus' eyes lit up. That was a promising idea. Embedding the Stones into Frostmourne seemed like the perfect choice.
"Good suggestion. I'll give it a try," he said, preparing to take off toward a secluded part of the moon to conduct his experiments. The sheer power of the Infinity Stones meant there was always the risk of catastrophic failure. Once finished, he also needed to head to the Skrull city under construction.
"Wait a moment," Uatu called out just as Garus was about to blast off again.
"What now?"
Uatu scowled.
"Use the door. Stop breaking my defenses."
...
Garus descended rapidly into a crater on the moon. Before him, the Mind Stone, Space Stone, and Power Stone floated in mid-air. The Aether, however, refused to leave his body—it had fully bonded with him, as if it had made his flesh its home.
"Whatever. One step at a time."
He unsealed the Orb, and the radiant purple glow of the Power Stone bathed the landscape, stirring up the lunar dust with its sheer force.
"Boom!" He reached out and seized the Stone, forcefully embedding it into the hilt of Frostmourne. A pulse of violet energy erupted outward, sending a shockwave rippling through the surroundings.
"Not bad." Garus tested his newfound strength, feeling an incredible surge in his physical power. Gripping the sword in his left hand, he clenched his right fist and struck the ground. The impact sent tremors across the moon's surface, fracturing the terrain with a deep, sprawling fissure.
Now, with Frostmourne infused with the Power Stone, his physical strength and durability had increased exponentially. He suspected he could even withstand a direct blow from the Hulk.
Next up: the Space Stone.
At the heart of the Tesseract was a luminous core—the true form of the Space Stone. Though the Tesseract was a "man-made" containment unit, it was nowhere near indestructible. One precise strike from the Power Stone-infused Frostmourne caused a visible crack to form across its surface.
"Crack!" The Tesseract shattered, revealing the Space Stone within.
The thumb-sized gem radiated an eerie blue light, and without its container, the surrounding space itself began to destabilize. The unshielded raw energy of the Space Stone was extremely dangerous. A mere touch could instantly tear apart a lesser being.
Yet Garus had already proven his ability to hold the Power Stone directly. Handling the Space Stone was no different for him. Embedding it into Frostmourne's hilt, he felt the chaotic energies subside as the blade adapted to its new power source.
"Ssssh!" With a single slash, a black rift was torn open in front of him, leading to an unknown destination.
"Interesting." Frostmourne had gained a new ability—spatial severance. He wondered if it could now cut through adamantium.
Finally, there was the Mind Stone. After some thought, Garus decided against embedding it into his weapon. The Mind Stone functioned similarly to the Helm of Domination. Combining the two might amplify its effects even further.
Unlike the violent energies of the Power and Space Stones, the Mind Stone's power was subtle, precise. It did not harm its wielder.
Placing it within the Helm of Domination, Garus felt its power immediately integrate with his own. Now, he could dominate the living just as easily as he commanded the dead.
The combined might of the Infinity Stones had drastically enhanced both Frostmourne and the Helm of Domination. Yet, despite their immense power, the sword remained compact enough to be stored within his spatial storage.
"Alright. Time to head back."
Not long after Garus departed, several figures in space suits emerged at the site. They observed the fractured lunar rock, sensing traces of an unknown energy.
"Even the moon is no longer safe… Have those extraterrestrials discovered us?" one of them murmured in concern.
Another replied, "We should take the initiative. Earth's mutants have declined, and the humans are weak. They won't be able to stop us."
"This decision rests with Black Bolt. We follow his command."
These individuals were Inhumans, dispatched to investigate the anomaly.
Among them was Maximus, the younger brother of Black Bolt, the Inhuman king. Unlike his brother, Maximus had always coveted the throne. He longed to lead their people in an invasion of Earth, seizing its resources for themselves.
With a smirk, Maximus turned to his comrades. "Don't you wish to return to Earth? To claim what is rightfully ours, instead of cowering like rats in the shadows?"
The others exchanged glances. None would openly admit it, but the desire was there. Still, openly defying Black Bolt was a risk few were willing to take—after all, he was the most powerful Inhuman of them all.
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