DOTM: Chapter 374/375

Chapter 374: Who Will Be More Miserable?

Having this kind of automatic maintenance robot would make things much more convenient for Ethan once it was built.

First of all, the Prinz Eugen would no longer need frequent trips to the shipyard for maintenance and repairs. These nanobots could ensure the hull's integrity on a microscopic level. Even if the bottom of the ship was infested with various organisms, they could be cleaned away through nanoscopic maintenance.

Combined with the reactor power source used on the Prinz Eugen, and Ethan's ability to travel between multiple dimensions to replenish needed supplies, he could potentially keep the Prinz Eugen sailing the seas indefinitely, without needing to return to Unsinkable Island.

Ever since he learned the "complete picture" of that world, he had countless doubts about the organization known as the Guild and had already mentally labeled it as untrustworthy. Staying away from the island where the Guild's influence was entrenched would help prevent them from discovering his secrets.

After hearing Ethan's explanation, Tony also understood how significant these maintenance robots were to Ethan. He patted his chest and promised he could complete the design quickly, begin manufacturing once they returned to Earth, and ensure that the first batch of maintenance robots would report to the Prinz Eugen as soon as she relaunched.

"I believe you can do it."

The biggest challenge for building these maintenance robots was mature nanotechnology, and now that they had acquired it, the rest was relatively easy. Tony already had several designs in mind. If he had the right tools, he could test and verify the best option on the spot.

"Thor, what are your plans next?"

Thor traveling with Ethan and the others wasn't just to act as a tour guide and part-time ATM. He had his own matters to attend to, but he had postponed them to help Ethan and the others finish their business first.

According to his plan, once he obtained his target item, he still needed to return to Earth, so he could continue traveling with Ethan and the others for the time being.

He didn't hide this and simply told Ethan directly.

"I need to go to Nidavellir. Mjolnir has been destroyed, and I need a new weapon. There, I can forge one that suits me best."

The dwarf kingdom of Nidavellir was a very special place. Some people even thought it was just a mythical realm.

This kingdom was under the protection of Asgard, and many of Asgard's top-tier weapons and equipment came from there. The dwarves were renowned for their exceptional forging skills.

Ethan wasn't surprised that Thor needed to go to Nidavellir. What surprised him was Thor saying he would go to Earth afterward.

"Earth?"

"Yes. There's a matter I must personally deal with."

"On Earth?"

Tony couldn't figure out what kind of issue would require Thor to personally go to Earth. Considering Asgardian civilization had left many traces on Earth long ago, it wasn't completely out of the question.

What was strange was that Thor had stayed on Earth for so long earlier, yet hadn't mentioned this problem before?

When Ethan connected Thor's plan to first go to Nidavellir and then return to Earth, he instantly understood what this so-called "problem" was.

"No wonder you need to go to Nidavellir to forge a new weapon first."

Ethan covered his face, feeling that Hela, the one who had already been completely derailed in this version of the Marvel Universe, was about to have a rough time.

Based on what he knew about Odin's condition, the Allfather likely didn't have much time left. He clearly intended to make final arrangements before his passing.

For example, asking Ethan to help Thor awaken his true power as the God of Thunder.

Sending Thor to Nidavellir to forge a new weapon, which would likely end up being Stormbreaker, and then bringing that weapon back to Earth to deal with Hela.

Hela, who had been banished and sealed in another dimension by Odin's magic, would be freed after his death and return to this universe.

Her reappearance on Earth could happen under two possibilities.

First, she might return at the location where Odin died or where his divine power dissipated.

Second, regardless of where Odin died or undid the seal, she might be forced to return to a fixed location in this universe.

In the original films, both explanations seemed plausible. But in Ethan's current world, the situation appeared to be the second scenario.

Of course, there was also another possibility. In the original plot, Hela said that the longer she stayed in Asgard, the stronger she became. Perhaps Odin deliberately had Thor confront Hela on Earth in order to weaken her power.

However… facing Hela, freshly awakened and not even near Asgard yet, armed with Stormbreaker, a weapon capable of severely injuring Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet in one strike—just waiting for her like a hunter lying in ambush...

That scene must be something else. Just thinking about it made Ethan feel bad for Hela.

"Is this Hela some adopted daughter Odin picked up? Or maybe a bonus from some ancient practice?"

After all, it was someone else's family matter, and Hela's personality wasn't exactly likable. Ethan had no sympathy for her. No matter how badly she got beaten, he'd just enjoy the show.

On the other hand, Nidavellir...

Ethan rubbed his chin. The Cloths he had been planning still hadn't been forged.

He hadn't stopped practicing forging all these years, but he still felt his skills weren't good enough to create equipment at that level.

More importantly, in the ocean world, he didn't have the resources or tools necessary to forge high-end equipment. He could barely manage basic gear, but creating equipment that looked impressive yet offered no actual combat value would just be a waste of materials.

Nidavellir was a different story. Those forging maniacs even used stars as furnaces. The gear they crafted was not only durable and powerful but also often had incredible special abilities.

No matter how he looked at it, if Ethan truly wanted to make Cloths that matched the original versions, asking the dwarves for help was the best option. At least in the Marvel universe, they were the top craftsmen.

Aside from that, he had an even bolder idea.

Ethan wasn't a stingy person. He was thinking—what level would Thor and Loki's combat power reach if he forged a set of Cloths for each of them, paired with Stormbreaker and the Casket of Ancient Winters?

If that still wasn't enough, Ethan even considered giving each of them an Infinity Stone.

Since returning to the Marvel universe this time, he had been pondering this problem.

This world had already gone completely off-track because of him, deviating further and further from the original timeline.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

Earth hadn't experienced the Chitauri invasion or the Dark Elves' sudden assault. Though there were still plenty of problems on Earth, they were internal human conflicts, mostly within controllable limits. Ordinary people still lived their daily lives.

Although Tony Stark had sparked the "superhero" era on Earth, since there was no Chitauri-led Battle of New York, the superhero era hadn't truly peaked.

Captain America's awakening was still only known to a few. This first American superhero was more like a guinea pig, undergoing countless tests and studies, rather than being deployed by S.H.I.E.L.D. as a frontline fighter.

Ethan didn't see anything wrong with this. Even triggering the Hydra situation wouldn't affect ordinary people.

The only individual who could truly endanger Earth and the universe was Thanos.

"Since Earth has remained peaceful, why not keep it that way?"

Once that idea took root, it was hard to ignore.

To deal with Thanos, the Infinity Stones were an unavoidable problem. Since he couldn't avoid them, he'd just face the problem head-on.

Based on Ethan's usual approach, once he decided to tackle the Thanos issue, his next step would naturally be figuring out how to maximize his side's chances of victory while minimizing Thanos's strength.

The solution was simple: don't let Thanos get the Infinity Stones.

A Thanos without the Stones was still powerful, but not unbeatable. That wasn't an exaggeration—the Avengers in the original timeline thought the same and acted accordingly.

Ethan's idea was just a little more extreme.

The Infinity Stones were powerful tools that could significantly boost the strength of a "qualified" user. And Ethan had no shortage of candidates who met that qualification.

Setting others aside, Thor and Loki were already suitable.

Loki had previous experience using the Mind Stone, and after undergoing training, his power had improved greatly. With more practice, using the Mind Stone skillfully would be no problem.

Ethan himself could use the Space Stone. That went without saying.

He was also considering letting Tony use the Reality Stone. When he started teaching Tony magic, part of the reason was to prepare for this.

As for Thor? With his ability to withstand stellar energy with just his physical body, he was more than suited to use the Power Stone.

The Soul Stone was harder to acquire and could be excluded for now. Even so, they already had four Infinity Stones, plus Doctor Strange in the future who would be able to wield the Eye of Agamotto.

Yet Ethan still wasn't satisfied. He preferred to max out the odds of success. He was even considering going to Nidavellir and asking the Dwarf King to forge a full set of Gold Cloths so that everyone could have one.

If Thanos didn't act, that was fine. But if he did, he'd be facing a lineup of golden-armored, gem-wielding warriors, all ready to pummel him. Ethan wanted to see how he'd snap his fingers then.

Just as Ethan was getting carried away with these thoughts, he forced himself to focus on more practical matters. If he really wanted to make that fantasy a reality, the first step was getting his hands on the Power Stone.

And just as he was thinking about how to obtain it, the key person connected to that Stone happened to walk past him.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 375: A Big Deal

Ethan hadn't expected things to be this coincidental. He had just been thinking about getting a Ravager ship.

Unfortunately, neither Star-Lord Peter Quill nor Yondu were easy to run into. It wasn't like searching for someone in a city or even a country—it was the entire universe they were talking about.

Just thinking about it gave him a sense of how difficult it would be.

Yet, just as he was thinking about the Power Stone, Peter Quill appeared right in front of him.

It felt as if the Power Stone had come to find him. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this "kindness."

"Friend, please wait a moment."

Ethan suddenly quickened his pace and called out to Peter Quill, who was not far ahead.

The man who called himself Star-Lord didn't realize Ethan was addressing him and continued walking until Ethan stepped in front of him.

"Are you looking for me?"

Ethan's move had been sudden. He hadn't said anything to Tony or Thor, so they were completely confused as to why he had stopped this random passerby.

Did Ethan have a grudge against this guy?

Thor and Tony weren't sure what was going on, but they stood firmly behind Ethan.

Leaving Tony aside, Thor's physique alone looked extremely intimidating. His exposed arms were as thick as most people's legs.

Peter glanced at him and instinctively reached for his weapon, backing up slightly and keeping his guard up.

"Don't be nervous. We're not here to hurt you."

Ethan spread his hands to show he wasn't armed.

"There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"I don't think we have anything to discuss."

Although Peter acted like a carefree goofball, being raised among Ravagers meant he wasn't lacking in caution.

These people with Ethan didn't look easy to mess with. He had no idea what they were after, suddenly approaching him like this.

Under such circumstances, he really didn't want any contact with them.

"It's a business deal. Don't you want to make some serious money?"

"Make money?"

At this point, Peter Quill didn't have any lofty ambitions. His biggest goal was to leave the Ravagers, earn a fortune, and live freely in the galaxy.

"How big of a deal?"

If there was money to be made, then maybe this wasn't a bad conversation to have.

Peter took his hand off his weapon.

He looked at the group in front of him. None of them seemed to be carrying weapons, which made him relax a bit—unaware that two of them, besides Tony, could easily deal with him even without weapons.

"Before that, I want to confirm something."

"What is it?"

Ethan hadn't expected to run into Star-Lord here, but after quickly going over the MCU timeline in his head, he realized it wasn't strange for Star-Lord to be on Xandar at this point.

According to the timeline, Star-Lord either already knew about the Orb or would find out very soon, since it was a "deal" Yondu had made.

He had taken the job himself and left early, hoping to grab the item before Yondu arrived and then run off with it. That was the start of the Guardians of the Galaxy story.

Star-Lord's plan was simple—grab the item quickly, rush to Xandar, and sell it directly to the underground buyer who had requested the Orb.

What he hadn't expected was that Ronan, the Kree lunatic, was also after the Orb. Because of that, the underground merchant refused to take on such a dangerous item.

That's why, after being persuaded by Gamora, he ended up going to Knowhere to try and sell the Orb to the Collector.

"Did you take on the job to find the Orb?"

Star-Lord's goal was just to make money and escape the Ravagers. He didn't really care who he sold the item to.

But hearing Ethan's question, Peter Quill's hand moved back to his gun.

He had no idea how this guy knew about the job. Maybe these people were also after the same thing?

"I don't know what 'orb' you're talking about."

Star-Lord was really a terrible actor. His expression betrayed him instantly.

Ethan could clearly see it, and even Thor behind him could tell this guy was lying.

"He's lying. He knows what the 'orb' is," Thor commented, then added sarcastically, "Your acting is far worse than Loki's."

Tony rolled his eyes.

What was there to be proud of when you'd been tricked by your own brother for thousands of years?

"You don't need to be nervous. The business I want to talk about is precisely that."

Ethan had originally wanted to speak with Star-Lord in private, but seeing his guarded state, he figured that wouldn't work.

At least here in a public area, Star-Lord would feel more at ease.

"This is Xandar. The Nova Corps won't tolerate any acts of violence. So, it's best not to keep reaching for your weapon. If they misunderstand, I won't be able to help you."

Peter continued to eye the group warily, but he did move his hand away from his gun.

Ethan's words reminded him that none of these people could make a move here—not unless they wanted to provoke the Nova Corps.

That seemed to lay the groundwork for a peaceful negotiation.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Peter decided that maybe this deal wasn't off the table.

"You want to buy the Orb from me?"

"Hah, I knew he was lying earlier."

Tony rolled his eyes again.

Ethan ignored Thor's background commentary, while Star-Lord looked over at the big guy, beginning to think he might not be as dangerous as he first appeared.

"Yes, and I want to go with you to retrieve the Orb. As soon as we get it, I'll pay you on the spot."

Star-Lord wasn't thrilled about this. He preferred to get the Orb first, then come back and negotiate.

"No, we can't make the deal here."

The Orb contained the Power Stone—the most dangerous of all the Infinity Stones.

Not because it was the strongest, but because the power within it was the most unstable.

Even light contact could unleash its terrifying energy.

If the person touching it was too weak, the Stone wouldn't just blast the "trash" into dust. It would continue releasing energy uncontrollably.

Even its residual energy could destroy a large building. The Collector's dwelling was obliterated by it.

"Why not?"

"Because it's very dangerous."

Star-Lord was a contradictory person. He could show bravery and wisdom when it mattered, but most of the time, he acted like a goofball.

Hearing that the item was dangerous, he swallowed nervously and hesitated before asking, "Is it dangerous just to find it?"

Ethan was about to say no. The Orb was a containment unit, and the Power Stone inside was sealed under multiple layers. It didn't leak any energy.

In other words, before opening it, it was just a metal sphere.

But he quickly remembered that Ronan was also after the Orb and had already sent people out to find it.

These people were no joke, and they would kill anyone in their way.

If Star-Lord ran into them, there would definitely be a fight.

From that perspective, just retrieving the Orb carried its own dangers.

"It might not be dangerous, but it will definitely involve some trouble. That's why I need to go with you."

Star-Lord glanced at Ethan's group again and suddenly felt it wasn't such a bad idea.

If something went wrong, having a few more people was better than being alone, right?

And if he ran into Yondu, he could always claim he had been coerced by this group.

Star-Lord's moral compass was flexible—and sometimes completely offline.

Ethan wasn't surprised. Even without mind-reading magic, he could guess what was going on in Peter's head just from his expression.

"What about the price?"

"You name it."

Ethan had no clue about currency exchange in the universe. Letting him set a price would be ridiculous.

Thor, on the other hand, was absurdly rich. Ethan suspected he also had no concept of what things actually cost.

After Star-Lord named a price, Ethan looked at Thor, who nodded casually.

He didn't mean the price was fair. He just meant he could afford it.

And so, a deal involving the Power Stone was casually sealed on a random street on Xandar.

Star-Lord was quite satisfied. He no longer needed to negotiate with that shady underground buyer.

He just needed to retrieve the item, get paid immediately, and leave.

It was much safer than returning to Xandar—Yondu would definitely know where the original buyer was. If he took the Orb and ran, Yondu would come after him for sure.

But if the transaction happened in space, he could disappear to wherever he liked, and Yondu wouldn't easily find him.

"When do we leave?"

"We can go anytime. Or, if you want, come back with us. I'll gather my people and we'll board your ship directly."

Star-Lord didn't find anything wrong with that. But when he followed Ethan back to the residence and saw how many people were there, and how they all wanted to board his Milano, he started to feel overwhelmed.

"Where's your ship?"

Ethan shrugged. "We were planning to buy one, but haven't found anything suitable yet."

Star-Lord didn't think too hard about it. He assumed Ethan's previous ship had broken down and they hadn't had time to replace it.

However, seeing all these people act like curious kids the moment they boarded, poking and inspecting everything, made him feel a bit exasperated.

After the Milano left Xandar and began heading toward the target planet, Star-Lord leaned in close to Ethan and asked in a low voice,

"Where did you find all these companions?"

He glanced at Tony, who was still touching everything, and added, "You didn't kidnap a bunch of people from some backward planet planning to sell—"

(To be continued.)