Ultimate Marvel System

Chapter 80: Red Skull and Thanos

AN: Sorry for the delay, been busy during the weekend and originally was going to post this yesterday but...I fell asleep midway while writing the latest chapter XD

Also, don't sleep and write. When I woke up, I saw I typed a bunch of things and it somehow turned into a Chinese novel...since I have been reading those lately... :P

Anyway, not much Benjamin in this chapter but is more about...well, as the title suggests, Red Skull and Thanos.

This part naturally deviates from the movies and comics but is something I just added here for a twist later on.

That's all, enjoy!

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Chapter 80: Red Skull and Thanos

Outside Earth’s atmosphere, a large ship appeared from warp and quietly hovered in space.

It hung over Earth like a deadly blade about to slice the whole planet in half. 

And it may just do so…as inside this ship was none other than the Mad Titan himself.

Thanos.

Around him, six figures stood menacingly.

One had a face akin to a bloodied skull. This person is of Earth, the Red Skull of HYDRA.

Years ago, during his encounter with Captain America, he was engulfed with the energy of the Space Stone, the Tesseract.

This energy appeared to have disintegrated him into ashes but in truth, he was sent to a far-off planet called Vormir. Home to the Soul Stone.

Years passed as he was trapped in that planet, unable to do anything but observe as various beings try to take the Soul Stone and fail.

As time passed, he gradually noticed his…rather special abilities.

However, unlike Captain Marvel who had gained the Space Stone’s seemingly boundless light energy, he had gained its opposite. A dark energy capable of manipulating space.

With this ability, he was able to access the various corners of the universe. And with it, knowledge of the universe as well.

He knew that the Soul Stone existed in Vormir, but was unable to get it. For he had nothing to sacrifice.

That’s when he remembered about a daughter he had on Earth.

And so he set out to return to Earth. However, by that time, Earth was being invaded by Loki and Thanos’ Chintauris.

The energy from the Tesseract interfered with his own powers, which led him to unknowingly appear in front of Thanos instead!

That was when he was forced to make a deal with him.

Naturally, he did not plan on going through with that deal, he only accepted it so he could live.

When he was finally let out, some time had already passed and Earth was already peaceful once more.

He did not appear out into the light, instead, he hid in the shadows as he looked for information on his daughter.

He even ignored it when HYDRA was very nearly eradicated by Benjamin and his EPD.

For no matter how many heads fell, two more will take their place!

When he finally found where his daughter was, he sent Baron Zemo to slowly win her over so as to not alert SHIELD.

Yet somehow, that Benjamin and his blasted EPD found out and interfered yet again!

What’s more, sometime after that, they seemed to have known that he was still alive! He was even defeated by the likes of Captain America and his Avengers!

Even with his new abilities, he wasn’t capable of dealing with all of them along with Captain Marvel, and was nearly caught instead.

WIth no choice, he abandoned his plan and fled Earth directly to regroup.

He had been observing Benjamin for a while and knew that he could not match him. Only a monster can kill a monster.

That’s when it occurred to him.

He can use Thanos to go against Benjamin.

And so he started hatching a plan.

It was a good thing that while looking for his daughter, he also found an orphan boy.

He took care of him as he would a real son of his. All so he can nurture ‘love’ with him…and then exchange him with the Soul Stone.

Since he was unable to get his daughter, this child would do.

Soon, he went back to Vormir with the boy.

On that cliff, he still remembered his last conversation with him.

“Father, what are we doing here?”

“...Child, what do you think of me?”

“What do you mean? Father is the best! You took me in when no one else would!”

“...Will you do something for me?”

“I will do anything!”

“Jump off.”

“...”

The child looked up at him to see if he was joking.

Seeing his serious face, the child smiled and nodded.

“Father, don’t cry anymore. I will jump off now.”

Cry?

Only when the child had disappeared from his vision did he notice the tears in his eyes.

How long has it been…since he cried?

He only took the child in as backup…he was just a pawn to be sacrificed so he could win.

That’s all it is.

Then…he blanked out.

When he woke up, the Soul Stone was in his hand.

As he held the stone, he thought for a moment if this was worth all of it.

But that thought only lasted for a second as he clenched the stone and his eyes burned with determination.

This is worth everything!

With this stone, he will conquer not just Earth, but the entire universe!

HYDRA will prevail!

But…

His plans changed as he tried to use the Soul Stone.

He felt his own soul get sucked into a strange empty world.

And in that world, there was only one figure.

A being cloaked with the blackest color there is…embracing it as if light is not permitted to contaminate it.

That being turned to him.

His eyes immediately focused on its face.

What he saw…could only be described as Death!

Suddenly, the whole area was filled with echoes.

He recognized some of these voices.

He knew…these all belong to the people he had killed!

Even…his son…

The next instant, Red Skull’s eyes snapped open.

He tossed the Soul Stone to the ground as sweat poured on his back.

Red Skull was not someone who gets afraid so easily but even he…was not able to keep a calm mind after what he had seen and felt.

It wasn’t just because it looked scary, but the fear seemed to seep into his bones and filled his every thought.

“...This was a mistake…my mind isn’t strong enough…”

He knew that the way he got the Soul Stone was somewhat ‘cheating’. Although he got the stone, the stone itself didn’t approve of him.

However, he didn’t give up.

Without a choice, he revised his plan and instead offered the stone to Thanos in exchange for revenge and Earth.

At first, he thought that even Thanos may not necessarily be able to use it but…he was wrong.

When Thanos attempted to use the stone, he encountered the same thing Red Skull did, only, it was much more intense.

Yet he only frowned at the fear.

“Are you making me doubt my purpose? That won’t work. Everything I have done is necessary for the universe. By eliminating half the population, balance will be restored, and more shall be embraced by Death.”

When Death heard that, she was pissed.

Turns out this guy is one of her admirers…what a sin it is to be so beautiful…

…Death’s been rubbing off on Benjamin’s narcissistic nature since she has been with him for a while…

She was about to obliterate him to nothing but then remembered that Benjamin is about to deal with him anyway so she didn’t bother with him anymore.

Thinking that he had subdued the stone, Thanos grinned arrogantly and ordered to immediately head to Earth.

Back to the present.

Along with him and Red Skull, the other five were his Black Order.

Ebony Maw.

Black Dwarf.

Corvus Glaive.

Proxima Midnight.

Supergiant.

These five figures knelt in front of Thanos with Ebony Maw at the lead.

“My lord, we have arrived. Earth is yours to take.”

Thanos smiled with an arrogant grin.

“Descend.”

“As you command.”

The next moment.

Several parts of the spaceship broke off and began to fall onto Earth like the meteors that once wiped out the dinosaurs.

Buildings collapsed, mountains cracked, and the sea overturned…it was a disaster.

Everyone shouted as they ran around but were still crushed.

Finally, a huge part descended on New York, creating more destruction in the city.

After it landed, a hatch opened and several figures appeared.

It was none other than Thanos and his Black Order plus Red Skull.

Thanos looked around casually and scoffed at the fleeing people.

“Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same.”

“Wow. Did you practice that line in front of a mirror?”

Suddenly, a casual voice was heard amidst the chaos.

Thanos turned and saw a figure sitting on the hood of a car without a care for the world.

That figure was even playing with a piece of stone in his hand, seemingly unbothered by all the destruction around him.

That person looked up and watched Thanos and the others approach him.

“Let’s see, purple nutsack of a chin. You must be Thanos.”

Thanos didn’t look insulted. He only glanced at him coldly and spoke.

“I sense the stones on you. Hand them over or I shall take it off your corpse.”

The person scoffed.

“Do you think you’re amazing with one Soul Stone?”

“It is enough.”

“Oh yeah? How about now?”

The person extended his hand and suddenly, the Soul Stone removed itself from Thanos’ gauntlet and flew into the hands of the figure in the car.

Thanos’ eyes widened and tried to grab the stone but the stone flew fast.

Ebony Maw immediately tried to use his telekinetic powers but it was also not of help.

They weren’t able to do anything but watch as the stone flew out of them and into the hands of that person.

That person held the Soul Stone casually and looked at it a few times before chucking it into his pocket.

He grinned teasingly at Thanos and the others.

“Still confident?”

Thanos glared at him angrily.

Although he didn’t know why the stone flew to him, it didn’t matter. He will still destroy everyone that tries to go against him!

At this moment, Red Skull approached Thanos and whispered.

“Lord Thanos, that man is known as Benjamin Freed. One of Earth’s Heroes.”

Before Thanos could say anything, Benjamin cut in.

“No, no. I’m not one of the heroes. I’m with the police. Now hands up and get on the ground. Surrender now before any of you get hurt.”

Hearing Benjamin’s mocking tone, Thanos narrowed his eyes.

“Surrender? Look around you. You may have the stones but look at your precious planet. You’ve all but lost.”

Thanos waved his hand and the next moment, his army appeared from the ship part that dropped to Earth.

Although this scene appeared to be a standoff, one side had millions of army yet on the other side, there was only Benjamin and his car.

Still, Benjamin didn’t seem to mind.

Instead, he showed a grin.

“How about you take another look around.”

Suddenly, a red mist started to appear on the debris around them.

The destruction disappeared, replaced by a wide grassland instead.

Then, Benjamin waved his hand and hundreds of portals appeared around them.

The next moment, his side of the field was filled with the Heroes of Earth.

The Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sorcerers, Wakandans, Asgardians, and the rest of his EPD members.

“Did you really think I was gonna sit there and do nothing while you lot destroy my planet?”

Benjamin shook his head and stood up.

“Now then, let’s try this again.”

Under the dumbfounded looks of the others on his side, he took out a megaphone from somewhere and put it in max volume.

“THANOS! YOU HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED! SURRENDER NOW OR WE WILL USE LETHAL FORCE! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!”

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