Chapter 144: Steve Chapter 143
"Man, what in the world am I doing here..." Staring at the wreckage of battleships and the piles of dark elf corpses, Fang Mo was left utterly speechless.
He had initially planned to follow the storyline of Thor 2, deliberately releasing the Kurse Warrior and Malekith, then teaming up with Loki and Thor to deceive Malekith and extract the Aether particles from Wanda and Jane Foster.
Once those particles were extracted, Fang Mo could eliminate Malekith and claim them as his own. This way, he would possess the Mind, Space, and Reality Infinity Stones. Along with the Eye of Agamotto that Ancient One possessed, the Power Stone that Star-Lord was in search of, and the Soul Stone protected by the Red Skull on Vormir for centuries, Fang Mo's path to verifying his hypothesis of snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet seemed to be one step closer.
Things were going well according to Fang Mo's plan. However, just moments ago in the side hall, he had suddenly felt a twinge of discontent. Witnessing the deep affection between Goddess Frigga and her son Thor unexpectedly stirred up feelings of homesickness within Fang Mo.
Despite believing that he was adept at controlling his homesickness, Fang Mo was taken aback by this unexpected emotion. He had fun, friends, a pet he treated like a son, nearly invincible power, and endless wealth. He felt like he could live without any worries. So, how could he suddenly be grappling with feelings of depression?
This odd sense of detachment made Fang Mo realize that something was amiss, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was at that moment.
Returning to the palace from the side hall, Fang Mo carried a broad-bladed sword in hand. To his surprise, King Odin had already arrived and was expressing concern about his wife's condition.
"He saved me," Frigga informed Odin upon seeing Fang Mo's return.
Odin nodded solemnly and spoke, "Indeed, Fang Mo is not only Asgard's most valuable ally but also the greatest sorcerer from Midgard."
Fang Mo nodded in agreement and offered a smile to Odin before continuing, "However, I might have been a bit too forceful just now. It could take some time to clean up the wreckage of those spaceships."
"Those things are of little consequence," Frigga responded. Then, she turned to Fang Mo and said, "But your mental state just now... It seemed like something was affecting you. Is there something bothering you?"
Fang Mo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn't anticipated that even Goddess Frigga could perceive his unease.
"Perhaps I can be of assistance," Frigga offered.
Standing up from her chair, she approached Fang Mo and continued, "I hail from the Vanir, raised by witches, and possess a different magic system than Asgard's. I've also delved into the realms of the mind and soul."
Fang Mo's eyebrows furrowed slightly. While he recognized Frigga as a caring mother, he had reservations about concepts like mind-reading.
Fang Mo didn't want to treat Frigga the way Charles would, and he was apprehensive that exposing his inner thoughts to her might lead to madness or some inexplicable frenzy.
Before Fang Mo could ruminate further, Frigga began to explain.
"Rest assured, I won't be using mind-reading or memory magic."
As if sensing Fang Mo's doubts, Frigga assured him, "I simply want to help you identify what's affecting you. You saved my life. While I can't address these issues fundamentally, please allow me to contribute in my own modest way."
"Indeed, Fang Mo," Thor chimed in, standing by with his hammer, "You needn't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders alone. Asgard is your friend; sometimes, you must learn to accept assistance."
"Alright," Fang Mo finally nodded upon hearing that.
The next steps were quite straightforward. Frigga instructed him to lie down and relax, then began casting her magic.
Fang Mo felt something touching his consciousness, but unlike Charles' unsettling telepathy, Frigga's magic was distinct. It didn't delve into his memories and thoughts; instead, it sought to resonate with his emotions.
Closing his eyes, Fang Mo felt a sense of calm washing over his inner self.
After a while, Frigga lifted the magic, and Fang Mo slowly rose from the stone platform.
"Do you... have something that can affect the mind on you?" Freyja looked at Fang Mo, her voice hesitant. "I sensed a peculiar lingering energy, with strong and extremely suggestive mental properties. I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely the strangest thing I've encountered in my entire life..."
"Something affecting the mind?" Fang Mo echoed, his brow slightly furrowing.
"Your soul is incredibly strong," Freyja's expression showed her confusion. "Normally, whether it's a curse or some form of mental attack, they shouldn't work on you."
"But this is different. This pale yellow energy is almost entirely composed of pure mental power. It isn't attacking; rather, it's silently and subtly influencing you. It has melded into a part of your mental world, and you can't guard against it yourself."
"Pale yellow energy?" Fang Mo's understanding crystallized. "Alright, I think I know what you're talking about."
With a slight thought, Fang Mo conjured a piece of pale golden gemstone in his hand.
"What's this..." At the sight of this object, Freyja's expression turned astonished. "An Infinity Stone?"
Yes, Freya seems to possess keen discernment. Given that beings from the Asgards boast extremely long lifespans, it's unsurprising that she might have lost track of her own age and encountered rumors about the Infinity Stone.
"It's quite likely that this object is the source of the issue."
Fang Mo regarded the Mind Stone in his hand, and his words flowed instinctively, "It's highly probable that this object is causing the disturbance."
In fact, even when "Avengers: Infinity War" was first released, Fang Mo had contemplated that the Mind Stone might be the weakest among the Infinity Stone.
However, he later chanced upon a post that gradually illuminated the nature of the Mind Stone.
You see, within the comics, seven Infinity Stones are featured, as opposed to the six within the realm of cinematic storytelling.
Legend has it that after the self-destruction of Nemesis, her essence transformed into seven gems: Power, Time, Space, Reality, Soul, Mind, and Ego.
Yet, the cinematic universe omits the 'Ego' gem from its depiction.
Nevertheless, the hue of the Mind Stone precisely mirrors that of the Ego Stone. Perhaps it even shares certain attributes with the Ego Stone. After all, within the Infinity Gauntlet, the Mind Stone holds a position of dominance. Logically speaking, the Mind Stone, which is depicted with such grandeur in the movies, should assume a similar role, right?
But the outcome is astonishing. Evidently, the Mind Stone occupies the pivotal core of the Infinity Gauntlet.
Speculation has arisen that the Mind Stone encapsulates a malevolent consciousness, which unconsciously distorts the thoughts of its wielder.
Throughout all the Marvel movies, those who have wielded the Mind Stone include Thanos, Loki, Hydra, Stark, Ultron, and Vision.
Initially, Loki was merely discontented with Odin's treatment. However, after obtaining the Mind Scepter, he evolved into a full-fledged antagonist. Of course, he experienced redemption after surrendering the scepter.
As for Hydra, their extremism is self-evident.
Even Stark, after encountering the Mind Scepter, grappled with escalating inner turmoil and fear, to the point that he created Ultron.
Given that Ultron's consciousness matrix originates from the internal structure of the Mind Stone, its impact ran even deeper. This influence resulted in Ultron's transformation into a significant antagonist, driven by the compulsion to obliterate the world.
And then there's Thanos...
He was the first to interact with the Mind Stone and consequently suffered the most pronounced influence.
Originally, he aspired to establish universal equilibrium after witnessing the devastation of Titan and its inhabitants. Yet, under the relentless influence of the Mind Stone, his sanity eroded, rendering him a maniacal force that decimated entire populations.
The most formidable aspect of the Mind Stone lies not in its capacity to control others, but its subtle sway over the wielder.
If the Mind Stone's internal consciousness is genuinely malevolent, it would surely recognize that corrupting its possessor would be more effective for wreaking havoc than corrupting others.
After all, only the mighty can attain the Infinity Stones.
Nonetheless, what astonished Fang Mo was the Mind Stone's ability to affect even someone like himself from beyond its reality.
"It appears that I must devise a means to restrain it."
Fang Mo appraised the Mind Stone in his hand, his gaze narrowing ominously, "For instance, stuffing this inside a Nurgle, subsequently sealing that individual within an Ender Sword, and then nesting that sword within a Shulker Box. Following this, placing the Shulker Box within a receptacle and transferring that container to a distinct dimension using the Geochest. Finally, ensconcing the Geochest inside another Nurgle…"
"..."
Frigga was left utterly flabbergasted by what she had heard, leaving her speechless for an extended moment.
"No, Fang Mo." Even Thor couldn't resist rubbing his forehead, interjecting, "It's just a stone, but what you're proposing seems a tad... excessive, wouldn't you agree?"
Indeed, even the Mind Stone itself appeared to dim slightly in luster on account of this suggestion.
"Hmm? Does this approach strike you as overly repulsive?" Fang Mo shrugged, offering, "It's the first time I've encountered such concealed loss. Nevertheless, I'm currently quite irritated. Were it not for the fact that I'll need this object later on... I'd pulverize it into dust on the spot."
"Pray tell, when will you alter your penchant for bearing grudges?"
Thor couldn't help but feel a touch of exasperation, questioning, "You mention that you'll require its use later, and yet you now contemplate inserting it into...uh, coming into contact with excrement. Don't you find that nauseating?"
"What's being introduced into a pile of excrement is it, not me. If anyone should experience disgust, it should be the stone itself."
Fang Mo retorted directly, "The next time I wish to use it, I might opt to scoop it up with a spoon or utilize it through a layer of toilet paper, or something of that sort."
"Stop, I'm already envisioning it."
Thor pretended to retch, swiftly waving his hand to signal Fang Mo to desist with such descriptions.
~~~
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