Everyone nodded after hearing this.
The commander’s clear instructions immediately gave them a definite direction.
Everyone got to work at once, with only Natasha and Banner showing a hint of awkwardness whenever their eyes met.
Deep in the distant reaches of space, the stars flowed like a waterfall.
A gigantic mothership hovered among the nebulae, with a dense fleet formation following behind it.
“Congratulations, my lord, on soon obtaining two Infinity Stones.”
Three figures knelt inside the command room.
The thin, skeletal-looking follower at the front spoke with a trembling voice.
Thanos slowly rose from his throne, his knuckles tapping against the armrest.
“How is the investigation into the creator who publishes those videos predicting the future progressing?”
He stared into the starry sky, falling into deep thought.
This mysterious existence, capable of predicting the future and distributing rewards, had left even the overlord who ruled across the universe deeply shaken.
“Unfortunately, we searched the entire Dimensional Platform and still couldn’t find any clues about this creator.
Those who fabricated false information have also been dealt with.”
Ebony Maw spoke in a low voice.
Yet inwardly, he felt no disappointment.
Based on those two videos alone, he was certain that the lord before him would eventually accomplish his goal.
As one of his followers, he felt genuinely proud.
Thanos calmly replied, “Then we’ll wait for tomorrow’s video.
“I’ll personally deal with all of them.”
To eliminate any potential unstable factors, he had already made up his mind to act.
Once the Top Ten Heroes ranking was complete, he would eliminate them one by one.
…
Time quietly passed.
Before long, the next day arrived.
Just as when the first video had ended, countless lives throughout the universe were filled with anxiety.
The information revealed in the previous video had been far too shocking.
The destruction of Asgard was already difficult to believe, yet the purple-skinned Thanos had already obtained two Infinity Stones.
That night, the entire universe was thrown into turmoil.
Multiple videos circulating through the Dimensional Platform had confirmed that the gems in Thanos’s possession contained destructive power, and he had successfully obtained two of them.
The odds of finding those two specific gems were like searching for two particular grains of sand in an endless ocean.
Yet he had done it.
Fear spread throughout countless civilizations.
People clearly realized that once Thanos collected all six gems, nothing but destruction awaited them.
Some survivors whose planets had already been destroyed by Thanos had fallen into deep despair.
For that very reason, even more people hoped to make the hero ranking.
Perhaps making the list meant obtaining enough power to change the course of the future.
They were equally desperate to know whether Thanos’s plan would ultimately succeed.
…
New York.
Inside a seaside mansion, a chaotic clattering suddenly broke the silence.
Pepper had just returned home when she froze in place, thinking her house had been damaged.
Tony was completely focused on assembling an enormous suit of armor.
Parts were scattered across the floor, occupying almost the entire workshop.
When Pepper walked in, she exclaimed, “My God, Tony, are you trying to tear the whole house apart?
You weren’t even this invested when you were synthesizing the new element last time!”
She walked closer and looked up at the gigantic armor, her heart filled with shock.
Without even looking up, Tony said, “Pepper, pass me the wrench.”
His hands never stopped moving as he continued working.
Ever since receiving that special mission, Tony had devoted himself completely to the project.
Without the inspiration from the video, he might never have thought of building armor on such a massive scale.
The footage had also shown him the emergency applications such armor could have.
However, Tony’s original motivation for building it was not merely to complete his mission or help the Hulk control his emotions.
There was a deeper reason: he wanted to protect the people he cared about.
Ever since he had witnessed countless casualties caused by weapons he had created and subsequently become Iron Man, a sense of responsibility had quietly begun to grow within him.
Especially after seeing the young hero in Spider-Man’s video disappear before his eyes, that sense of responsibility had become even heavier.
Although Tony still appeared carefree, stubborn, and unwilling to be controlled, he knew better than anyone what responsibility he carried.
Pepper sighed softly but obediently handed him the tool.
She had always understood that Tony was gradually becoming a better person.
She gently reminded him, “If you’re tired, take a break.
The video is almost ready to be released.
I’ll come and call you when it starts.”
As a thoughtful secretary and partner, she quietly stepped away after speaking, leaving him to continue working.
Tony’s attention remained fixed on the armor.
But when he heard that the video was about to be released, his hands paused slightly and even trembled.
He took a deep breath and asked himself:
“Can I really protect Pepper?
Can I protect that kid?”
Previously, perhaps he had wanted to make the ranking simply to prove himself to Nick Fury.
But after watching the first two videos, he sensed that Earth would face even more crises in the future.
Spider-Man’s sacrifice had made Tony deeply realize that even an ordinary person like Pepper could encounter danger at any moment.
He wanted to make the ranking precisely so he could obtain enough power to protect the people who mattered most to him.
At this moment, Tony truly transformed into the Iron Man he was meant to be.
Time quietly passed.
Throughout the Marvel Universe, countless people had already gathered around the Dimensional Platform.
Although the creator had announced that the release would be delayed by two hours, they had still arrived long in advance, filled with anticipation and anxiety.
“Brother, who do you think the eighth hero will be this time?
I’m getting more and more curious.”
“I really couldn’t say.
But Father said that we Wakandans can only watch videos, not upload them, so there’s no way the hero could be me, right?
Haha.”
Inside the technologically advanced halls of Wakanda, Black Panther T’Challa leisurely wore a pair of flip-flops as he watched the video with his younger sister while snacking.
Because their people had lived in isolation for generations, they had no way to communicate with the outside world.
The Dimensional Platform had therefore become their only window into the outside world.
However, the king, who was also Black Panther’s father, had already ordered them not to film or upload anything related to Wakanda.
Thus, they continued to live safely on this land rich in the rare metal vibranium.
“Exactly, brother.
We’ll probably stay in Wakanda forever.
This is the safest place for us.”
T’Challa’s younger sister was also a scientific genius.
The many technological weapons she had developed provided Wakanda with powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.
She also believed that she and her brother would protect this land forever and would never become superheroes.
At that moment, the two-hour wait finally came to an end.
The creator named Leon Vance released the new video right on schedule.
Countless people throughout the universe immediately rushed to click on it, eager to begin watching.
The video slowly began.
The quiet sound of insects could be heard.
A tree appeared on the screen, with a pale-purple sky behind it that looked as though it had been painted with soft brushstrokes, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
As the camera gradually pulled back, the imposing figure of a large black panther appeared before everyone’s eyes.
The contents of the video shocked every viewer.
Then Leon Vance slowly spoke in a deep, magnetic voice.
“Now, let’s reveal the eighth entry on the Top Ten Heroes list!”
“He has a mysterious identity, like a beast hidden beyond the mortal world.”
“He was born to be a king, using his claws to tear through every obstacle.”
Author’s Note:
Can’t wait to see what happens next?