"So hungry… is this the after-effect of devouring the Power Stone?"
The moment Kurogai Blackwood fully absorbed the Infinity Stone, a gnawing emptiness tore through him. It wasn't the hunger of skipping a few meals. It was deeper, rawer, like his very essence had been hollowed out. His body trembled with starvation, as though it had been pushed beyond its limit.
During the long days he had spent locked in the mirror dimension, channeling the Power Stone's energy into himself, he hadn't eaten a single bite. Yet he knew this hunger wasn't just from fasting. It felt more like a side effect of overconsumption, a consequence of binding the stone's essence into his being.
Without hesitation, Kurogai opened his dimensional space and pulled out his stockpile of food. He had prepared it years ago during his travels across the cosmos—provisions from distant worlds, delicacies from alien cultures, and enough supplies to survive the emptiness of space. Now, on Earth, he had little need for them. But today, they were salvation.
He tore into the feast with ravenous urgency. Plates of alien fruits, preserved meats, and even Earth-made meals vanished one after another. For hours, he ate without pause, his body devouring everything as greedily as his soul had devoured the Power Stone.
At last, he leaned back, wiping his mouth, and let out a long breath. Strength surged back through him like a tide returning to shore. His body no longer ached; his spirit was sharper than ever. He felt renewed, his veins alive with surging power.
Kurogai clenched his fists and swung them at the open air.
BOOM!
A deafening blast ripped outward, splitting the ground in a violent quake. The earth cracked in a jagged line beneath his feet, dust and rubble scattering. His strike had carried enough raw energy to level a battlefield.
"So this… is the Power Stone," he murmured, awe flickering in his eyes. He could feel the Infinity Stone's energy coursing through every fiber of his being, immense and untamed. "And I've only just absorbed it. I haven't even scratched the surface of its true potential."
He looked around at the shattered remnants of the mirror dimension. A quarter of the city's reflection lay in ruins, entire blocks leveled unintentionally during his absorption. A sobering thought crossed his mind.
"Good thing I didn't do this in the real world. If I had, New York would be nothing but rubble by now."
Satisfied, Kurogai dissolved the mirror space and returned to the manor. By the time he arrived, Rogue and Susan Storm had already returned.
"Kurogai!" Rogue gasped, eyes wide the moment she saw him. His clothes were tattered, scorched from the energy storm he had endured. To her, it looked as if he had barely escaped a battle with a god. "What happened? Who were you fighting? Is there really someone out there who can push you this far?"
Susan's expression mirrored Rogue's concern, her usual composure breaking.
Kurogai gave them a small smile, brushing off their worries. "Relax. I wasn't fighting anyone. Just… experimenting. It got a little out of hand."
He hadn't even noticed the state of his clothing until now, but it hardly mattered. What he had gained outweighed the embarrassment.
Rogue exhaled in relief, tension draining from her shoulders. "That's good… that's really good."
To them, Kurogai was an unshakable force of nature. The idea that someone might actually defeat him was unthinkable. Still, seeing him battered had rattled them more than either admitted.
"Kurogai," Rogue added, shifting back to business, "about the special metals you asked for—I've sent people to track them down. We should have results within a few days. As for the rarer ones, I managed to secure samples, but they're scattered across the globe. It may take a week or more before they're delivered here."
"No need to rush," Kurogai said with a calm nod. "Take your time. I'll be occupied studying something else for a while."
Both women, visibly exhausted from their own work, accepted his words and withdrew to rest. Kurogai, meanwhile, returned to his private room, his mind already turning back to the Power Stone. He needed to understand the full scope of what he had gained.
Yet far away, across the stars, his actions had not gone unnoticed.
Asgard
Within the gleaming halls of the Immortal Palace, a single figure sat upon the throne—a one-eyed king draped in power and wisdom. Odin, All-Father of Asgard, kept his gaze fixed on the distant void of the cosmos.
Something stirred.
The sealed Aether—the Reality Stone—had trembled violently, its energy surging as if in protest. Though Odin had kept it bound and suppressed, he had never once allowed himself to grow complacent. The Reality Stone was too dangerous to ignore.
And now, it was restless.
"Why?" Odin muttered, his brow furrowed. "The Aether should not stir… unless another stone has awakened."
His voice echoed in the great hall, heavy with concern. The All-Father knew the truth that few dared to acknowledge: the Infinity Stones were not inert relics, but living forces, capable of resonating with one another across the cosmos.
If the Aether had reacted, then somewhere, another stone had been disturbed. Perhaps even claimed.
Odin's one remaining eye darkened with worry. He considered his next step carefully. The Infinity Stones could never be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.
"I must confirm the state of the others," he resolved. The Time Stone in particular weighed heavily on his mind. He knew it resided on Earth, safeguarded by the Ancient One, Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj. If any stone had stirred, she would know.
But such an investigation could not be public. The fewer who knew of this disturbance, the better. It had to be done quietly, by someone loyal, powerful, and trustworthy.
Already, Odin had a name in mind.
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