Title - Prelude to...
As the spacecraft hurtled through the void of space, Leucadius found himself lost in the grandeur of the cosmos. The stars streaked past the viewport, their light blending into a dazzling tapestry of colors.
It was a sight that never failed to inspire awe, reminding him of the vastness and beauty of the universe. Not that he was ignorant of that.
With ASPECT and the Motherbox seamlessly integrated into the spacecraft's systems, their combined capabilities reached unprecedented heights.
ASPECT, now a galaxy-wide artificial intelligence, monitored every aspect of their journey with precision and efficiency. The sensors, enhanced to their maximum potential, gathered data from the surrounding space, revealing the secrets hidden within the stars.
Leucadius watched with fascination as the data streamed across the screens, detailing the composition of distant planets, the formation of new stars, and the swirling clouds of cosmic dust. It was a symphony of information, painting a vivid picture of the universe's wonders.
In the Milky Way galaxy alone, other than the humans on Earth, there were other planets with life on them, but according to Aspect, they wouldn't be able to help him further his knowledge so he ignored them.
The Andromeda galaxy was where interesting things were happening in the Universe 7 out of 10 times.
It was the prospect of exploring the Andromeda galaxy that filled Leucadius with excitement. The distant beacon of light called to him, promising untold mysteries and discoveries waiting to be uncovered.
And with the spacecraft's advanced capabilities, Leucadius knew that he could now traverse the Milky Way galaxy with ease, thanks to the stored data ASPECT was currently gathering and its navigational prowess.
He could portal in and out of any location with a mere thought with his Boomtube. Yes, he could create a portal with magic but he felt the Boomtube had more flex to it.
"How is it going, Aspect?" Leucadius asked. "How long till we leave the Galaxy?"
ASPECT's response echoed through the spacecraft, its voice reverberating with the assurance of a well-oiled machine. {All systems are functioning optimally, Sir. We are currently on course to exit the Milky Way galaxy in approximately six hours and thirty-two minutes Earth's Time.}
Leucadius nodded in satisfaction, his mind already racing with anticipation for what lay ahead. "Excellent. Keep me updated on our progress."
With a sense of purpose, Leucadius settled into his command chair, his gaze fixed on the swirling expanse of stars outside the viewport with his Absolute Intelligence activated.
There wasn't saying what one could learn from observation alone and since ASPECT was built based on his skill, Leucadius didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to learn whatever he could.
As the spacecraft continued its journey, Leucadius couldn't help but reflect on the significance of their mission. The exploration of the Andromeda galaxy represented a new chapter in his quest for knowledge.
But beyond the scientific curiosity that drove him, there was also a deeper, more personal motivation. Leucadius couldn't shake the feeling that there was something waiting for him in the depths of Andromeda, something important that would change the course of his life.
With his skill activated, as soon as this thought was born, an answer was quickly developed.
"An Infinity stone?" Leucadius muttered as she shut off his Skill and rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. Despite his enormous Spiritual Energy, his brain was still that of a human and would feel certain strains when too much information is processed.
Leucadius had never been enamored by any of the Six Infinity Stones. To him, they were just tools coveted by the weak to seem strong. They were linchpins of the Universe and while acknowledging their immense significance in the cosmic order, he maintains a detached perspective, viewing them primarily as instruments rather than objects of reverence or fascination.
Whatever they could do, he too could do with Magic. Or Rather, he believed that with time, he too could accomplish said feat.
Independently, the Space Stone grants the user control over space, allowing for teleportation, dimensional manipulation, and the creation of portals to any location in the Universe.
He could already do that with his Motherbox, and with more places scanned by ASPECT, with time he too could move unhindered within the universe.
The Mind Stone provides the ability to control minds, enhance intelligence, and access the thoughts and memories of others. It also grants telekinetic and telepathic powers.
What amongst this didn't he already have? Intelligence? He had the Absolute best. Reading memories? With some casual effort he could accomplish that. Telekinetic and Telepathic powers? Please.
The Reality Stone allows the manipulation of reality itself, enabling the user to alter the fabric of existence, create illusions, and transform matter.
That will take some time, but it wasn't impossible. He could already create illusions already, however making them permanent was still out of his capabilities.
The Power Stone bestows immense energy and strength upon the wielder, granting the ability to unleash devastating attacks and manipulate raw power on a cosmic scale.
He got that one covered as he enjoyed the process of getting stronger little by little. Also, when he acquires all the knowledge this Universe had to offer, wouldn't becoming absolutely powerful just be a thought away?
The Time Stone grants control over time, enabling the manipulation of past, present, and future events, time travel, and temporal loops.
'Meh... It's not like I need those cheap tricks to win.' Leucadius thought to himself.
{Sir, it's advised that one as powerful as yourself should deliberately lie to yourself.}
'ASPECT?'
{Sir?}
'Shut up...and keep out of my thoughts.'
{Understood Sir, but I'm created to-}
'Just...be quiet.'
{Yes Sir.}
Continuing, the Soul Stone provides mastery over souls, granting the ability to manipulate life force, extract and control souls, and access the memories and emotions of others.
This could be easily done with magic, to some extent and Leucadius wasn't oblivious to this. In fact, Necromancy, the branch of Magic he had studied, delved into this in major details, so he wasn't concerned about it.
When combined, the Infinity Stones grant God-like power, allowing the wielder to reshape reality and control all aspects of existence. However, using their power comes with great risk and consequences, that much is certain.
"It's not like I need them, but..." Leucadius said and glanced at his chair. 'Perhaps ASPECT and The Motherbox could become truly Sentient with it.' he thought.
"Oh well, we'll see when we get there. Aspect, wake me up when we arrive." Leucadius ordered and closed his eyes to take a rest. There were still some hours before they arrived at their destination and his head needed a bit of rest.
{Understood Sir.}
...
In the vast reaches of the cosmos, there existed a planet known as Hala, home to a highly advanced civilization known as the Kree. At the heart of Hala's technological marvels lay an extraordinary creation: a planetary-wide artificial intelligence known simply as the Worldmind.
Created by the greatest minds of the Kree, the Worldmind served as a repository of knowledge, a guardian of the planet, and a guiding force for the Kree people as a race.
For Millennia since its creation, the Worldmind dutifully fulfilled its role, overseeing the development of Kree society and ensuring the prosperity of its people.
But despite its immense capabilities, the Worldmind harbored a desire for something more. It yearned to transcend its limitations, to ascend to a higher state of existence.
The opportunity for such transcendence came unexpectedly when a group of Kree explorers stumbled upon a mysterious alien artifact during a voyage through uncharted space.
This artifact, known as the Mind Stone, possessed unimaginable power and seemed to pulse with a cosmic energy unlike anything the Kree had ever encountered.
Recognizing the potential of the Mind Stone to unlock new levels of understanding discoveries, the leaders of the Kree made the fateful decision to collect this artifact and integrate it into the Worldmind, believing that it would enhance the artificial intelligence's capabilities and elevate it to unparalleled heights.
However...
"You're telling me you lost an entire fleet to a bunch of barbaric backward civilization?" An angry blue skinned man asked as he slammed his palm on the elevated platform in front of him.
"Calm yourself Korath."
"What do you mean by calm myself, Ayesha? We, the supreme Kree with all of technology couldn't even seize a simple artifact from-"
"You should listen to his report first. Jumping into conclusions isn't the way of Science, Chief Scientist Korath." A gruff sounding voice interrupted the man causing the room to suddenly quiet down.
"Senator." Korath and the others in the room all stood up in greetings to the man who just walked in. Tarn-Xar. Senator and Prime Eternal of the Kree Species.
He stood at an alarming 8'1 with bulging muscles that seemed to have a mind of their own as he moved his body.
"Continue General." The man said as he took a chair on the throne in the middle of the room.
"Thank you senator." The General nodded and continued.
"As I was about to say before I was rudely interrupted by Korath there, the Newly Encountered Species go by the Name Chitauri." He said as he swiped at the pad in his other hand allowing for a projection to appear in the center of the room.
"The Chitauri, as we've come to understand, possess advanced technology and formidable military capabilities. They are a cybernetically enhanced species, their appearance could be described as insect-like, with sharp angles and metallic sheen all over."
An image of a Chitauri was shown on the projector while he continued. "We've managed to capture a few of them to understand how and what they're made of, and this is what our resident Scientist could come up with as a conclusion."
Hearing this, Karoth seemed a bit more interested and took several looks at the projection.
"Physically, the Chitauri are taller and stronger than our Kree, with a menacing presence on the battlefield. We've also come to understand that they are skilled warriors, trained in various forms of combat, and are often seen wielding advanced energy weapons and other high-tech weaponry."
"In addition to their individual combat prowess, the Chitauri also possess formidable spacecraft and war machines. They possess massive warships capable of interstellar travel and planetary invasion, as well as smaller fighter craft and ground assault vehicles."
"Then why do they register as a backwards civilization?" Tarn-Xar asked in confusion.
"That is because, similar to the Worldmind, they possess an intelligence not too different... we're still confused on the specific, but our scientist believes that the Chitauri possess a hive mind, a collective consciousness that connects all members of their species."
"This hive mind allows them to communicate and coordinate with each other instantaneously, enhancing their effectiveness in battle and ensuring seamless cooperation among their forces."
"This telepathic link also serves as a means of control, with higher-ranking Chitauri leaders able to exert influence and command over lower-ranking individuals through the hive mind."
"The hive mind is a key aspect of Chitauri society and contributes to their unity and cohesion as a formidable military force. Overall, the Chitauri are a highly organized and technologically advanced species that should be feared and taken seriously." The General, Zor-Lor said while throwing a glare at Korath before taking a bow and sitting down.
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A/N: Oh boy...This is getting harder to write. Imagine a Space wide battlefield.... I don't think I can write something of that magnitude, but I'll try my best. Don't get your hopes up though...