The doors of the White House office creaked open. Director Fury walked in, a stack of documents in his hands.
The President of the United States looked up and asked, "The enemy is coming. How is the progress on Project S.W.O.R.D.?"
"Mr. President, the time has been too short. We simply haven't—"
"Enough. Just tell me how far along the project is."
"The personnel have boarded the Kree warship, and their assignments are in place. However, they still need time to familiarize themselves with the ship's operations, so at present, it cannot be considered combat-ready. Additionally, the superheroes we recruited require further training."
"So you're telling me S.W.O.R.D. is effectively useless right now?"
"Yes, Mr. President. I'm afraid our only hope at this point is Azeroth Technologies." The sheer power of Dormammu's recent attack had left many in shock. Right now, their last line of defense was the protective systems of Azeroth Technologies.
The President clenched his jaw. The world's greatest superpower, yet it paled in comparison to a private tech corporation. It was humiliating. He still hadn't forgotten the last time he was forced to back down—when death itself loomed over him. The U.S. government was supposed to be the world's savior, not some corporate entity.
Far away on Vormir, Garus found himself in a difficult predicament. Without a proper sacrifice, the Soul Stone would not reveal itself. But what could he possibly offer? He wasn't willing to sacrifice anything of his own.
The gem embedded in Frostmourne radiated an intense light, but despite his deep perception, Garus could not sense the Soul Stone anywhere.
Noticing his search, the spectral Red Skull spoke, "It's useless. The Soul Stone is supreme. Without a price, no one can claim it."
"A price…" Garus muttered, turning his gaze toward the ethereal form of Red Skull—Schmidt. Without hesitation, he raised his blade.
A powerful suction force erupted from Frostmourne, pulling at Red Skull's form, dragging him toward Garus.
A deep hum resonated through the mountains as a peculiar energy rippled outward. The orange glow in Red Skull's eyes flared brightly as his body resisted the force.
Above them, the sky churned. The clouds twisted into a massive skull, wailing spirits swirling within. The energy invaded Garus' mind, attempting to erode his will.
"Hmph. Parlor tricks."
As a Death Knight, Garus was a master of soul manipulation. He invoked his deathly powers, steadying his consciousness against the assault.
From within Frostmourne, spectral figures emerged—Apocalypse, dark elves, cursed warriors—one by one, powerful souls drifted forth. Countless ordinary spirits joined them, unleashing a soulstorm.
In an instant, the enormous spectral skull shattered into nothingness.
"Wait… the weapon in your hands… what is it?" Red Skull's expression wavered for the first time as he stared at Frostmourne.
The Soul Stone was absolute. Even the other Infinity Stones could not interfere with it. Destroying Red Skull's current form would do nothing to extract the Stone. But Garus had noticed something—the entity before him wasn't merely guarding the Soul Stone; it was the Soul Stone.
Seeing Red Skull's fixation on his weapon, Garus spoke, "This is Frostmourne—my blade. What do you want to say?"
Red Skull—or rather, the Soul Stone—fell silent for a moment before finally speaking. "You may have the Soul Stone… but I require the world within it."
Garus immediately understood. The Soul Stone contained a micro-universe, but it lacked certain governing principles. If it merged with the internal space of Frostmourne, and with the six Infinity Stones together, it could evolve into a universe with limitless potential.
Currently, the Soul Stone's internal universe was incomplete. It could not generate true sentient life, nor could it expand.
Garus had never heard of this before, but he remained skeptical. Could he really trust it?
At that moment, the sword spirit of Frostmourne emerged—a translucent figure with a scowl on its face. "No! That world belongs to me!"
Neither Garus nor the Soul Stone paid attention to the sword spirit's protests. The Soul Stone continued, "Well? My universe lacks essential laws. If we fuse our spaces and complete the integration with the Infinity Stones, we can create a cosmos with infinite possibilities. I only ask for secondary control of the new universe… and a physical form I can inhabit."
Garus considered this. He knew that, once embedded in Frostmourne, the Soul Stone's integration would be inevitable. At times, risks had to be taken.
"Then I agree."
The moment he spoke, Red Skull's energy body dissipated into dust. The eternal fog shrouding Vormir churned violently as a brilliant orange gemstone materialized in the air.
A powerful force attempted to drag Garus into an illusion, but he fought back with all his strength.
Had the Soul Stone used this power earlier, he might not have been able to resist.
As soon as he grasped the Stone, the force vanished. The moment he brought it close to Frostmourne, it dissolved into a mist of orange energy and seeped into the hilt, disappearing completely.
"One more to go."
Inside Frostmourne's internal space, chaos erupted. The fusion distorted time and space, causing many souls to perish.
The sword trembled violently, slipping from Garus' grip and crashing to the ground.
A deep hum reverberated as Frostmourne levitated into the air, forming a vortex around itself.
Garus, caught in the turbulence, felt his very consciousness freeze. However, as the sword's rightful wielder, he remained unharmed.
Time seemed to blur. Eventually, Frostmourne crashed into the ground, creating an abyssal crater.
Garus extended his spiritual awareness into the depths of the pit. A ghostly howl echoed from within before the sword flew back into his grasp.
The Soul Stone's voice resonated in his mind, sounding almost smug. "Smoother than I expected. This weapon will one day surpass the Heart of the Universe. Now, I will begin reshaping the world within. Use my power as you wish—but do not interrupt me."
Garus noticed something odd. He could no longer store Frostmourne within his personal space. Fortunately, the sword still responded to his summons and would return to his hand at will.
"Time to head back. I need to find out where Thanos is." His mission was complete. He could only hope he wasn't too late.
With that, the ship lifted off, setting course for Earth.
-----------------------
TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON