Ch.150 I Give the Space Stone To You

Thanos.

Perhaps in this universe, Thanos is just a name to Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.

Because of Ronan's existence, they may never experience what true pain feels like.

The pain of giving their all to resist, only to fail in the end and lose the people closest to them.

The despair of watching loved ones turn to dust before their eyes, powerless to stop it.

"Thanos?"

Steve Rogers murmured the name, as if he could sense the looming crisis in the air.

Beside him, Tony Stark had also lost his usual playful demeanor. He could tell when someone was joking and when they were serious.

And right now, Ronan was being very serious.

"Are you hoping we prepare early?"

Steve Rogers looked at Ronan.

But Ronan shook his head. He gently extended his left hand, and a visible ripple appeared in the air.

A stone glowing with blue light materialized in Ronan's hand.

"Is this the true form of the Cosmic Cube?"

Steve Rogers stared at the unremarkable stone, recalling what Ronan had said earlier.

This must be the Space Stone.

"Correct. This is the true form of the Cosmic Cube, also known as the Space Stone."

"However, I can tell you that this Space Stone is real."

"To be precise, it was real, but it no longer holds the power of the Space Stone."

Ronan toyed with the stone in his hand, not hiding anything from the two men.

Was real?

Hearing this, both men widened their eyes.

Ronan had just explained how powerful the six Infinity Stones were, unique in the universe.

So why was he now saying it was real?

Ronan's words left Steve Rogers and Tony Stark utterly confused.

"This Space Stone has been sealed by a special power of mine."

"To break the seal, one must find the Soul Stone."

"Only by using the power of the Soul Stone to break the seal can this Space Stone regain its power."

Ronan released his grip, letting the Space Stone float over to Steve Rogers.

Seeing this, Steve Rogers was equally puzzled.

What did this mean?

"Steve, I want you to protect it and inform the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel that you've found the Cosmic Cube."

"You can share this news with high-ranking officials in the U.S. government, or even hand the Space Stone over to them for safekeeping."

Ronan looked at Steve Rogers, revealing his plan.

"You mean..."

"To spread the risk?"

Tony Stark seemed to understand Ronan's intention.

When it came to intelligence, Tony Stark was undoubtedly among the world's elite.

"Exactly. The Infinity Stones we can encounter are only these four."

"This means the enemy still has a chance to obtain the remaining two—the Power Stone and the Soul Stone."

"Thanos' goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones."

"Now, we at Kamar-Taj are responsible for protecting the Time Stone, while you, the Avengers, will protect the Space Stone."

"Thor's Asgard holds the Reality Stone."

"This way, if the enemy wants to obtain these stones, they'll have to search for the person hiding the Space Stone among billions of people on Earth."

Ronan looked at the two men, a flicker of complex emotion in his eyes.

But it quickly disappeared.

He wasn't telling them the whole truth. This so-called Space Stone was actually a fake!

This Space Stone was one of the Infinity Stones Ronan had brought back from the Time Variance Authority.

Ronan's plan, as Tony Stark had guessed, was to mitigate risk.

First, Ronan, unable to leave Earth, would never obtain the Power Stone or the Soul Stone.

Especially the latter—Ronan couldn't sacrifice someone he loved to obtain a stone that held little value to him.

Thus, these two stones were practically guaranteed to fall into Thanos' hands.

The Power Stone might be manageable. They could just send Captain Marvel to fight Thanos in close combat.

But the Soul Stone was a different story.

Although Ronan didn't need the stone, he had to admit its power was formidable.

A stone capable of stealing, manipulating, altering, or even rewriting souls—that was terrifying.

Even more terrifying was that this stone could control not only living souls but also the dead.

In other words, even if someone died or committed suicide, Thanos could still use the Soul Stone to locate the other stones.

When it came to soul-related abilities, Ronan considered himself strong, but he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could surpass the Soul Stone.

Of course, Ronan could use other means to counter Thanos' Soul Stone.

For example, the Aether, also known as the Reality Stone, which he possessed.

With the Reality Stone, Ronan could directly nullify the effects of Thanos' Soul Stone.

But was Ronan willing to risk his life to fight Thanos?

The answer was a definite no.

Comparing their physical abilities, Ronan's human body, even enhanced by dark energy, was no match for Thanos.

So, if Ronan were to use the Reality Stone to clash head-on with Thanos, the most likely outcome would be Ronan's death and Thanos suffering severe injuries.

Or maybe not even severe injuries.

Was Ronan the type of person to sacrifice himself for the greater good of humanity?

He asked himself and concluded that he wasn't.

He wasn't a superhero, and sometimes he wasn't even a good person.

Risk his life?

Ronan wasn't willing, nor was he capable.

To defeat Thanos, Ronan had two paths before him.

The first was to outsmart him.

The second was to train relentlessly during this time to surpass Thanos in power.

The latter was unlikely, but Ronan had already made up his mind.

He would pursue both paths with equal determination.

Children make choices; adults take everything!

So, when Thanos, after great effort, finally obtained the Space Stone...

And when he gathered all six Infinity Stones, ready to snap his fingers... nothing would happen.

Ronan was certain Thanos would be left questioning his existence!

"Also, there's one more thing I must tell you."

"You might die at Thanos' hands because of this Infinity Stone."

"So, Steve, you can choose to accept or refuse."

Ronan looked at Steve Rogers, not intending to deceive him.

Without a doubt, Thanos would kill many people to obtain this "real" Space Stone.

But Ronan couldn't tell them the truth.

Because the best way to hide the Soul Stone was to make them believe it was real, when in fact, it was fake from the start.

Yes, it was cruel, but Ronan had to do it.

"I understand."

Steve Rogers smiled and reached out to take the Space Stone.

But Ronan tossed him a box, interrupting him.

"This box is for holding the Space Stone. Don't touch the stone directly, or you'll die."

"Especially for mortals—the chance of death is very high."

Infinity Stones weren't something ordinary people could touch without consequences. The risk of death was too great.

So, Ronan was being considerate.

Steve Rogers nodded, took the box, opened it, and carefully placed the Space Stone inside.

"Wait, wait, wait."

"Steve, have you thought this through?"

"This is a matter of life and death. Are you sure you really want to do this?"

Tony Stark grabbed Steve Rogers' hand.

But Steve Rogers just smiled and shook his head at Tony.

"Tony, my entire life has been about accepting missions where I could die at any moment."

"Every time I was on the battlefield, I was prepared to lose my life."

"This time is no different."

"Except now, instead of accepting missions for my country, I'm taking on this responsibility myself."

Steve Rogers took a deep breath. He had lost count of how many times he had accepted such missions.

He was used to it.

It was just that he had survived every time.

"Tony, if I die, I'll have no regrets."

"At least I fought for humanity, right?"

With that, Steve Rogers smiled, closed the box, and the glowing Space Stone was sealed inside.

This meant he had accepted Ronan's mission.

"Alright, fine. You're an old relic, so there's no point in arguing with you."

"But I have a family. I can't be as selfless as you, sacrificing my life for others."

Tony Stark shrugged, putting on an indifferent expression.

But Ronan glanced at him, thinking of how Tony had ultimately played the hero and snapped his fingers.

"Do as you please. The mission is now in your hands."

"To prevent future tragedies for humanity, I hope you'll handle it carefully."

Ronan waved his hand. He didn't care what they thought.

As long as his plan proceeded smoothly, that was all that mattered.

Steve Rogers carefully stored the box, clearly placing great importance on the Space Stone.

Even though he didn't know if the "future" Ronan spoke of would come to pass.

Or if this Thanos was truly as powerful as Ronan claimed.

But as Captain America, his duty was to protect humanity on Earth.

That was all.

"With that, our gathering today comes to a pleasant end."

Snap!

Ronan snapped his fingers, and the Mirror Dimension collapsed.

Tony Stark's previously chaotic residence instantly returned to its original state.

The scenes they had witnessed earlier seemed as if they had never happened.

"Thank goodness. If it had really stayed like that, I wouldn't know how to explain it to Pepper."

Seeing the room restored to its original state, Tony Stark let out a sigh of relief.

Ronan rolled his eyes, expressing his disdain for Tony's lack of backbone.

What kind of man is so afraid of his wife?

Tony Stark escorted Steve Rogers downstairs. To avoid suspicion, Ronan returned to his desk.

Standing by the window, he watched Steve Rogers ride off on his motorcycle and sighed softly.

"A gentleman can be deceived by his principles."

This phrase perfectly described Steve Rogers.

Of course, he wasn't entirely a gentleman. At least when it came to close friends, he would abandon his principles.

In any case, Steve Rogers had agreed.

Given his understanding of the situation, he would never guess Ronan's plan.

Even if he could, he would likely follow Ronan's plan anyway.

This was what it meant to deceive a gentleman with his principles.

After work, Ronan still escorted Gwen Stacy home.

He hadn't told her about what he was doing.

Of course, with Gwen's sharp mind, she could probably guess what Ronan was up to.

Ronan had never confirmed his identity, but he hadn't denied it either.

So, at times, Gwen knew her place and never pried into Ronan's activities.

Imagine a girlfriend who doesn't mind you playing games, is beautiful, obedient, and incredibly smart.

Who wouldn't want that?

After saying goodbye at Gwen's doorstep, Ronan once again felt that chilling sensation on his back.

No doubt, his "future father-in-law" was watching him with a shotgun in hand, though he hadn't raised it yet.

It wasn't until Ronan rode his bike out of the neighborhood that the chilling feeling disappeared.

A few minutes later, Ronan returned to his apartment.

Opening the door, he plopped onto the couch and turned on the TV.

As the TV buzzed in the background, Ronan took out his schoolbag and began diligently working on his homework.

He muttered formulas under his breath as he wrote.

If Wong had been there, he would have been shocked.

Ronan was actually doing his homework seriously!

This was a rare sight.

Of course, it wasn't long before Ronan pulled out his phone and started playing a game.

He looked every bit like a typical high school student.

But Ronan wasn't playing games—he was contacting Wong.

He saw Wong online in the game and sent him a private message.

"Don't come to my apartment tonight. I've got something to handle. 69."

After sending the message, Ronan started a new game.

"69" was their code, meaning Ronan had some trouble to deal with, but it wasn't serious.

The reason Ronan did this was simple.

He had noticed someone had broken into his apartment while he was away.

Yes, someone had sneaked into his place when he wasn't home.

Ronan could confirm this because his apartment was protected by magical wards.

As a sorcerer, Ronan didn't need to resort to low-tech tricks like placing a hair in the door crack.

Such methods could easily be spotted by experts, rendering them useless and raising suspicions.

Why would an ordinary high school student place a hair in the door crack to check for intruders?

Moreover, as a sorcerer, Ronan had countless ways to detect if someone had entered his home.

Not just people—even lifeless objects like robots couldn't escape his notice.

So, the moment Ronan stepped into his apartment, he received feedback from the wards.

While he was at school that afternoon, someone had broken in.

The intruder, though alone, had searched every room, even rummaging through Ronan's closet.

Whether they had left any surveillance devices, Ronan didn't know yet.

But now that he knew someone had been inside, Ronan wasn't foolish enough to use a doppelganger to do his homework.

After quickly defeating his opponent and ending the game, Ronan switched to the chat interface, blocking the screen with his body.

"Tony, is there any way to detect if my apartment has been bugged or surveilled?"

Ronan quickly typed the message.

He wasn't worried about Tony not receiving it. Messages from him and Steve Rogers were always prioritized by JARVIS and immediately notified to Tony.

Unless Tony was already in bed, busy with other activities.

But at this hour, the forty-something Tony Stark probably wasn't "paying his dues" yet, right?

"Someone's surveilling you?"

As Ronan expected, Tony replied quickly.

"Not sure yet, but I know someone broke into my place."

"Preferably something that can detect surveillance devices and identify who's behind it."

"Urgent. Urgent."

Ronan sent three kissy-face emojis.

Tony replied with a disgusted emoji, followed by another message.

"On it."

"I'll send someone over with the equipment. Give me ten minutes. Hang in there."

Tony replied.

Ronan sent back an OK emoji, then turned off his phone and continued working on his homework.

Now, not only did he need to find the intruder, but he also had to make them regret their actions.

How dare they make Ronan do his own homework!

If he didn't make them feel true despair, Ronan might as well leave New York!

With this in mind, Ronan painfully spent fifteen minutes writing his homework, until finally, his doorbell rang.

Ronan walked to the door, peeked through the peephole, and opened it just a crack.

He looked every bit like a high school student home alone, wary of strangers.

Such acting! Such attention to detail!

Those opportunities to act alongside famous actresses should have gone to Ronan!

Not only could Ronan act, but he could also charm the ladies!

"Hello, your package is here."

The delivery man outside smiled, wearing a Stark Delivery uniform.

But the sweat on his forehead suggested the package was heavy.

Ronan smirked. He hadn't realized Tony's business empire included a delivery service.

But that wasn't his concern. He slowly opened the door, took the package from the delivery man, and signed for it.

After tipping the man and sending him off, Ronan carried the box to the table.

The box was indeed heavy—Ronan estimated it weighed around fifty or sixty pounds.

What kind of equipment could be this heavy?

With this thought, Ronan opened the package.

He knew Tony wouldn't do anything foolish to expose his identity, so he opened the box without worry.

But when he saw what was inside, Ronan couldn't help but roll his eyes.

F***!

Who sends someone a figurine of themselves?!

Yes, Tony had sent Ronan a figurine of Iron Man.

The classic red-and-gold suit, a scaled-down Iron Man, stood quietly in the box, one arm raised.

Ronan could even see the light glowing in its chest.

"So damn narcissistic!"

Ronan muttered under his breath but still took the figurine out.

The moment he placed it on the table, the figurine's previously dark eyes lit up.

Beep beep beep.

At the same time, Ronan received a text message.

The doorknob has a sensor that collects fingerprints when touched.

The apartment across the street has a camera in the peephole, running 24/7.

The TV's power button activates a hidden camera.

The ceiling light has a high-precision listening device, capturing all sounds in the room.

The kitchen, bedroom, and even the bathroom are all bugged with cameras and listening devices.

Also, under your couch, there's a miniature bomb.

If triggered, not just your apartment, but the entire building could be leveled.

"F*** you!"

"Did you turn my home into a battlefield?!"

Ronan took a deep breath, resisting the urge to flip the bird, and read the next message.

The signal receiver is nearby, in the apartment across the street, fourth floor.

There's also a camera aimed at your window.

They've got you under 360-degree surveillance.

After reading the message, Ronan took another deep breath and gently patted the Iron Man figurine's head.

As narcissistic as Tony was, he was reliable when it came to getting things done.

If those people wanted to surveil him so badly, Ronan would give them a chance...

To surveil him face-to-face!!!