Chapter 528
"I recall… the Darkhold has a spell for locating objects…"
Syd mused.
If one possessed an identical replica, finding the real object was far easier—there were many ways to accomplish this.
"Let's try the most straightforward method first."
Remaining calm, Syd picked up the forged Soul Stone and embedded it into the Infinity Gauntlet.
In an instant, radiant energy surged through the gauntlet, weaving between the embedded stones.
"What… are you doing, White-Clad Hero?"
Red Skull stood frozen, watching in disbelief.
Syd raised his gauntleted right hand—
And then, he clenched his fist.
Five Infinity Stones activated at once:
The Power Stone (purple glow) amplified the abilities of all the other stones.
The Mind Stone (yellow glow) scanned for the true Soul Stone's consciousness, attempting to pinpoint its location.
The Soul Stone (orange glow)—though a replica—worked similarly, reaching out to establish a connection with the real one.
The Reality Stone (red glow) distorted probability, ensuring the Mind Stone's search would succeed.
The Space Stone (blue glow) prepared to teleport the Soul Stone directly to Syd's location.
Reality itself bent under the combined might of these five Infinity Stones.
Even if the real Soul Stone was sentient, there was no way it could resist.
Suddenly—
The forged Soul Stone flashed a brilliant orange—
Then shattered into countless glowing fragments.
The fake stone was gone.
But… it had already served its purpose.
Though the replica disintegrated, for those few critical moments, the five Infinity Stones had acted together.
And against that kind of power…
Not even the Soul Stone's own will could resist.
And then—it appeared.
A spatial distortion rippled through the air—
And the real Soul Stone materialized before Syd's eyes.
"The Soul Stone?!"
Red Skull gasped in pure shock.
There was no doubt—
This was the true Infinity Stone.
But…
It just appeared? Just like that?!
What about the Ritual of Sacrifice?
For centuries, the Soul Stone demanded a soul in exchange for a soul.
Only through sacrifice could one claim its power.
Yet…
Now, it had been forcibly extracted—skipping the sacrifice entirely.
Red Skull felt his entire worldview collapse.
"This… this shouldn't be possible!"
He felt like questioning reality itself.
Syd, however, remained completely unfazed.
One Infinity Stone alone could never resist the combined might of five.
Extending his hand, Syd grasped the Soul Stone.
The moment his fingers touched the glowing gem—
It spoke.
A wave of foreign emotions surged into Syd's mind.
"You…?"
Syd's brow furrowed.
The Soul Stone was sentient.
He had suspected this for a long time.
Red Skull's words, along with hints throughout history, had made it clear.
But now that he could sense its consciousness directly—
It still surprised him.
Infinity Stones, already dangerous artifacts, having actual intelligence?
That was not a good thing.
And Syd had no intention of letting it stay that way.
Under normal circumstances, Infinity Stones could not be destroyed.
Only another Infinity Stone could break them.
But—
Chaos Magic was one of the few exceptions.
Lowering his gaze, Syd's crimson eyes gleamed ominously.
The Soul Stone reacted in terror.
A surge of panic radiated from the gem—
A desperate, pleading consciousness spoke directly into Syd's mind.
"White-Clad Hero, you cannot destroy me! I can help you—control souls, command the dead!"
"I can open the realm of souls—let you see those you've longed to meet!"
"I can manipulate, alter, and create spirits! You need me!"
It was bargaining for its survival.
Had it known earlier that this madman was this powerful…
It would have appeared willingly.
But now—
It was too late.
Syd's decision was already made.
"You're right," he mused.
"I can't allow you to remain sentient."
And with that—
A surge of crimson Chaos Magic enveloped the Soul Stone.
"NO! YOU CAN'T—"
The Soul Stone's voice shrieked—
But Syd didn't hesitate.
Under the horrified gaze of Red Skull—
The Soul Stone's sentience was burned away.
It was purged, its consciousness erased.
Now—
It was nothing more than a lifeless gem.
A silence fell.
The once-terrifying entity—the Soul Stone that had bound Red Skull for decades—
Was now nothing more than an inanimate object.
Red Skull stared in disbelief.
"The Soul Stone's… will is gone?"
The thing that enslaved me… is dead?"
For the first time, Red Skull felt lost.
Without the Soul Stone, what was he supposed to do now?
Return to Earth?
Before he could dwell on it further, Syd raised his gauntlet—
And slotted the Soul Stone into place.
Power surged through his body.
The Infinity Gauntlet was now complete—with five of the six stones.
Then—Syd did something unexpected.
His Chaos Magic surged—
And forcefully pulled the Space Stone from the gauntlet.
Red Skull watched in confusion.
Syd's gaze darkened.
"The way Red Skull was sent here…"
"And the fact that he claims he was exiled…"
"If you believe that's a coincidence…"
He chuckled.
"Then you're underestimating who's really behind this."
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]