Marvel: Little Genius - Chapter: 398 (Patreon)

The illusion Ebony Maw was in is called "Tsukuyomi," inspired by a famous anime from a previous life, which Mark developed into a magic spell.

The victim's mind is forcibly pulled into the Tsukiyomi space created by Mark's magic. In this space, Mark has control over all factors, including space and time. The enemy will endure immense mental and physical pain in the illusion world, ultimately leading to the enemy's mental breakdown.

Mark's illusion, Tsukiyomi, is optimized and improved compared to the anime, eliminating the prerequisites of having the Sharingan bloodline limit and making eye contact with the enemy.

Even powerful entities like the Ebony Maw cannot escape the capture of Tsukiyomi. The key lies in Mark's use of his soul's strength advantage gained through reincarnation. During the casting, he first targets the enemy's soul, guiding them unnoticed through imperceptible soul fluctuations, ensnaring them in Mark's technique.

Once dragged into the Tsukiyomi space, the victim faces relentless torment and pain. Mark's illusions continuously stab the short sword into Ebony Maw's body, leaving two wounds each time.

When Ebony Maw believes he can no longer endure, all the wounds inflicted by the blades vanish, leaving only the lingering pain in his brain as a reminder of what just occurred. Then, everything starts anew, with the bloodied dagger piercing his body repeatedly in an endless cycle.

In the end, Ebony Maw no longer desires unconsciousness; he only hopes for Mark to make a mistake so he can bleed to death and escape the torment.

However, everything runs flawlessly, like the most perfect lines of code, without any loopholes, systematically carrying out the task of torturing him.

It's unclear how much time has passed—whether it's been a year, ten years, or a hundred years. Ebony Maw only knows that the blood-red moon in the sky remains suspended in the dark red heavens from start to finish, without changing as time passes.

When he sees the azure sky again and Mark's chilling smile, he doesn't know how he managed to escape the horrifying Tsukiyomi space because the next moment, he falls into unconsciousness due to extreme mental exhaustion.

...

"Hmm... How did I get back here?"

Uncertain about how long he was unconscious, the only things Ebony Maw remembers are the recurring nightmares of his painful experiences in the Tsukiyomi space during his unconsciousness and the unforgettable smile on Mark's face just before losing consciousness.

When he opens his eyes again, he realizes he's back in a familiar environment.

This is Titan. It's also the home where Thanos and other Eternal Titans were born and raised.

However, looking at the devastation and desolation that now covers the entire planet's surface, it's clear that this place is no longer suitable for any form of life.

But what really puzzled Ebony Maw was how he had gone from Earth to Titan with just a blink of an eye. Just as he was about to assess the situation, he realized something was amiss.

Lowering his gaze, Ebony Maw saw that his body was tightly bound by a strange artifact. He couldn't even move a finger, and his telekinetic and psychic abilities were sealed, rendering him powerless.

"You've finally awakened, and it's slower than I expected. It seems your mental fortitude isn't as strong as I imagined."

Hearing this voice, even though he was tightly bound, Ebony Maw couldn't help but tremble all over, for the owner of this voice was Mark.

Ebony Maw widened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice. The repeated scenes of being stabbed in the abdomen in the Tsukiyomi space were still vivid in his mind, and he even felt a faint ache in his abdomen.

"Don't be afraid. This thing on you is an artifact called the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. However, the last person it bound didn't fare too well; he was eventually dragged into the realm of darkness and became pure dark energy nourishment. I still remember his pitiful screams."

"What I'm afraid of is not this artifact. What I'm afraid of is you, demon in human skin!" Ebony Maw silently muttered in his heart, but of course, he didn't dare to say such words in front of Mark.

"Hehehe, my lord, since you spared my life, there must be something you wish to command me. Feel free to make any requests, and I, Ebony Maw, will do my utmost to serve you. I only hope you won't use that illusion technique on me again."

"Oh? You're not going to ask about the fate of your subordinates you brought to Earth or how you ended up on Titan?"

Mark could understand why Ebony Maw, who had endured the torment of Tsukiyomi, reacted this way. But understanding didn't mean believing. Mark didn't think that with just a one-second exposure to his illusion, he could surpass Thanos, who had ruled him for most of his life.

However, Mark was truly mistaken this time. While Ebony Maw had only been under the illusion for one second in the real world, in the Tsukiyomi space, he had endured nearly eternal suffering and torment. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been left with such a profound psychological shadow.

"No, no, no. That's not a question I should be asking. My lord, please give me any tasks you have in mind. I'm willing to share all the information you seek about Thanos!"

What Ebony Maw didn't know was that the more obsequious and compliant he appeared in front of Mark, the deeper Mark's suspicions grew.

However, despite the suspicions, in their plan to deal with Thanos, Mark and the other superheroes discussed and believed that Ebony Maw was indeed a valuable pawn. If used wisely, perhaps they could take down Thanos without expending many resources.

"Even if you don't want to know, I have to make it clear to you. Otherwise, if you expose us when facing Thanos, our plan will be revealed, right?

Let me be straightforward. Those foot soldiers you brought to Earth are all lined up reporting to the Yama of Earth's underworld. I believe the Eighteen Hells will have a suitable place for them. We can't have these souls from outer space complaining that our Earth's afterlife hospitality is lacking.

As for why you were brought to Titan, it's thanks to your detailed interstellar travel records. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for us to determine this location."

Mark looked at Ebony Maw with a mischievous grin.

"My lord, what do you mean by this plan?" Ebony Maw asked with a trembling voice.

"Of course, it means that you'll be our undercover agent, following our plan to get close to Thanos and then take him down."

"What?! This... this... My lord, I really can't do that! That's Thanos, the most powerful ruler in the entire universe, and chances are he already has three Infinity Stones. Even if I help you, there's no way we can defeat him."

The distressed expression on Ebony Maw's face at this moment was probably something he never expected to show. Within Thanos's army, where he ranked higher than thousands of others, he now resembled the eunuch steward beside the emperor in a TV drama.

"Oh, so you're saying you're unwilling to work for me! In that case, you can continue to endlessly cycle in the Tsukiyomi space—"

"Wait! My lord, please give me any task you have in mind. Whether it's for Thanos or the god of creation, as long as you command it, I, Ebony, will not hesitate to fulfill it, even if it means going through fire and water."

"That's more like it. Since you're willing, listen carefully. Your mission is..."

Exiting the room where Ebony Maw was held, the members of the Avengers who had been waiting outside immediately surrounded Mark, inquiring about the situation inside. "How did it go? Is everything going smoothly?"

This time, the group that came to Titan included both new and veteran members of the Avengers, as well as Black Panther. They were all high-caliber fighters. Facing someone as powerful as Thanos, sheer numbers wouldn't pose a threat to him; what was needed was quality and a well-thought-out plan.

However, Hawkeye had not rejoined the main team. He had essentially retired to spend more time with his family, and everyone respected their unspoken agreement not to involve him.

"It went smoothly, almost too smoothly," Mark truthfully informed the other members.

"In my opinion, we should just deal with him directly and have Wanda destroy the Time Stone and the Mind Stone. That would completely thwart Thanos's plan. There's no need for all this complicated plotting," Tony suggested straightforwardly. Since the root of all their problems lay in the Infinity Stones, Tony believed that eliminating the source would solve everything.

The issue was that Doctor Strange was unwilling to destroy the Time Stone. As the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj, his duties extended beyond protecting Earth from magical threats. His most important responsibility was safeguarding the Eye of Agamotto, which was the Time Stone.

On this matter, Doctor Strange was unwilling to compromise. So, even if they destroyed the Mind Stone, it would be futile because if Thanos acquired the Time Stone, he could use its power to restore the Mind Stone.

Just as Doctor Strange was about to reject Tony's proposal once more, both he and Mark simultaneously sensed a spacecraft approaching their location.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with the same seriousness and uncertainty. Could it be that Thanos had returned...