CHAPTER 224: CHAPTER 225: MY FATHER’S MIND HAS GONE SENILE

"Father."

Centauri System. Black Quadrant. Base.

Summoned back by a direct order from his adoptive father, Thanos, Lothar knelt on one knee before the throne, bowing in solemn respect to the figure above.

A heavy silence followed.

Thanos, seated high on the throne, said nothing. The silence dragged on, unsettling Lothar despite his normally cold and calculated demeanor.

Silence, the cruelest weapon to unravel one’s resolve.

"Father, I—"

Unable to bear the oppressive stillness, Lothar finally attempted to speak, only for his vision to be abruptly obscured by two sheets of paper fluttering down before him.

"Read."

Thanos’s command was terse and absolute. The subtle nod toward the fallen pages carried an unspoken authority that left no room for defiance. Lothar obediently reached down to retrieve them, already recognizing what they were.

They were his assignments, two 800-word written self-reviews he’d submitted after being released from the Penal Zone.

Flowery language. Elaborate remorse. Every sentence practically wept repentance.

"Father, I—" Lothar blinked, attempting to explain. But Thanos once again cut him off.

"Read."

"Now, Lothar."

"...Understood." Lothar shut his mouth, swallowed his excuses, and stood. Holding the papers reverently in both hands, he began to read aloud, enunciating each word with practiced clarity.

"...Father, after this prolonged period of reflection, I’ve come to fully recognize my mistake. I should not have acted so impulsively, especially without proper investigation, by making such a dangerously reckless decision. You’ve always taught me that no matter how strong you are, there is always someone stronger..."

Within the vast command hall of the base, Lothar’s voice rang out, clear and loud, drowning all other sounds.

Thanos closed his eyes. Resting back against the cold throne, he began tapping a finger on the armrest in steady rhythm, listening silently until Lothar finished.

"That’s enough, Lothar."

Assignment complete.

Gone was the commanding air he bore in battle; Lothar now stood rigid, holding the sheets filled with hypocritical phrases, eyes fixed firmly on the ground, as if flowers might bloom on the cold, sterile floor.

"Raise your head, Lothar."

"Is there something fascinating down there?"

"Tell me, who wrote those reviews?"

"Woz? The Other? Or you?"

Thanos’s voice tightened with suppressed frustration.

He’d spoiled this boy for over two decades. The harshest punishment he ever gave was solitary confinement.

"I did, Father," Lothar answered firmly, lifting his gaze.

He couldn’t let others claim this literary...masterpiece. Even if the majority of its polished wording came from the joint efforts of Woz and The Other.

"Oh? So I should understand this to mean, you’re aware of your mistakes... but have no intention of correcting them?"

Thanos narrowed his eyes, calm but deadly. He pondered how to finally instill the pressure necessary to reshape this son’s willful nature.

"No! Not at all!" Lothar objected, his voice ringing with conviction.

"In truth, the reason I attacked Hala was to test the limits of the new power I’ve acquired."

Even though that was the real reason, he’d rather be vaporized than ever admit it outright. Not with The Other watching.

"Oh? New power?" Thanos, of course, saw through him immediately.

Still seated on the throne, he stared down at his adoptive son with an inscrutable gaze.

"The Other."

"Coming! Coming, Lord Lothar!"

From the far end of the hall, The Other, faithful sycophant and eternal bootlicker, scrambled forward with staff in hand, nearly tripping over himself as he reached Lothar.

Kneeling, he presented the Mind Stone, mounted atop the scepter.

Clink.

Without hesitation, Lothar grasped the Mind Stone.

A blinding gold light flared to life.

From the point of contact, crimson-gold energy surged into the air, forming a radiant pillar of power that pierced the very skies.

It wasn’t just the Black Quadrant, it was the entire Centauri System that witnessed the celestial beam erupting from the base.

"AAAAHHHH!"

A scream, raw and primal, pierced the air.

A muscular arm burst forth from the golden glow, heralding the arrival of a terrifying new form. With unmatched pressure and an imposing aura, Lothar’s evolved state emerged.

Even Thanos’s eyes flickered with momentary surprise.

"Father, this is the new power I’ve found. A path of evolution unlike anything before."

"I’ve already tested it. In this form, I can destroy Hala, the capital of the Kree Empire, with a mere gesture."

Lothar’s expression radiated confidence. His brows lifted with pride.

Not even the so-called Supreme Intelligence of the Kree could stand against him.

If there was one flaw, it was endurance. The form drained power quickly, but its destructive potential was simply intoxicating.

Whether his decision had been a mistake no longer mattered. His priority now was cooling Thanos’s fury. Another stint in confinement? That would be unbearable.

"You’re telling me... Hala is gone?" Thanos asked flatly, picking out the one detail that mattered most.

"Yes, Father. The planetary core exploded. Hala no longer exists."

Excitement sparked in Lothar’s eyes as he recounted the moment, practically glowing.

The Kree high command, even under the guidance of the Supreme Intelligence, had fled like cowards. They’d have to find a new homeworld now.

"That’s the full story."

"So no, we didn’t go to Hala on a whim. We were prepared."

...

Asgard. Hela’s Chamber.

Hela, seated atop the palace steps, finally felt the suffocating rage within her begin to dissipate. She recounted what happened on Hala to her mother, Frigga, in a tone laden with sarcasm and frustration.

"And now my father wants to sign a peace treaty with Jotunheim. Can you believe that?"

"Has he grown senile already?"

"Hela..." Frigga’s voice was soft, but Hela cut her off before she could continue.

"That’s enough, Mother. I want to be alone. Is that alright?"

Frigga hesitated but eventually nodded. "Very well..."

She turned to leave, but paused at the door. With a final glance, she spoke with uncharacteristic firmness.

"Hela... I know you can’t understand why your father seeks peace. But please, trust him. He’s doing it for you, and for Asgard."

"Leave. Now."

Hela’s head snapped up, eyes glowing red with anger. She pointed toward the exit, voice like a whip.

"Hela, you are my executioner, my sharpest blade. I believe in you. I know you’ll one day lead Asgard to glory."

The echoes of Odin’s past praise still rang in her ears.

Her right hand rose.

She opened a secured channel.

"Hela?"

Once again, that familiar punishment ground.

The same review table.

The same curled-up orange cat napping on it.

Lothar, seated across from her, raised a brow in mild surprise.

Ten blank pages sat untouched before him.

Hela’s expression was dark. Grim.

"I need the Mind Stone, Lothar," she said plainly, extending her hand.

"My father’s mind... has gone senile. I need to help him see clearly again."

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