Chapter 373: The Second Meeting of the Guardians (Patreon)

"Um, you're not hurt, are you?" Layla walked up to Lucian and asked cautiously.

"I am not injured," Lucian replied flatly.

"That's good. Aren't you coming over to eat with us?" Layla continued asking.

"I have no need for sustenance. Divine power is more than enough to maintain my normal bodily functions," Lucian answered.

Layla, however, took the initiative to step forward and gently pulled his arm. "It's fine. Eating isn't always just about replenishing energy; sometimes it's just to put you in a good mood."

Lucian thought about it for a moment and decided to follow her. Otherwise, he could have easily anchored himself in place, and there would be no way Layla could have moved him an inch.

"Thanks, Layla." Lucas had actually been just about to call Lucian over for dinner himself.

"No need to thank me, it's the least I could do," Layla said with a soft smile.

Soon after, Arthur of Atlantis, T'Challa of Wakanda, Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., President Ellis, and the others all arrived at the house. Additionally, Captain America (Steve), the Hulk (Dr. Banner), and Thor arrived promptly.

Upon seeing two Lucases at first glance, they were all stunned for quite a while. However, after listening to the bizarre explanation, they finally understood and nodded in realization.

President Ellis was actually the happiest about this development; it meant that even if one Lucas was preoccupied, the other could step in to help Earth.

At the dining table, everyone was full of praise for Lucas's cooking skills. Even Lucian, who felt he didn't need to eat and had no real appetite, couldn't help but eat a bit more after tasting the food. Although they shared the same soul, some physical experiences and simple pleasures were simply not fully transferable.

Soon, once dinner concluded, Lucas led everyone straight into the conference room.

After everyone took their respective seats, Lucas clapped his hands together, and the entire room dimmed slightly.

Subsequently, in the center of the long table where everyone was seated, beams of light rapidly coalesced into a holographic projection. The footage displayed was the recording of Lucas's encounter with Thanos.

Through the holographic recording, the group quickly grasped the severity of yesterday's situation. Arthur and T'Challa's expressions turned gravely serious upon witnessing Thanos's overwhelming power.

"The guy you see in the projection is named Thanos, also known as the Mad Titan," Lucas began, his voice ringing out clearly across the room. "He belongs to a cosmic race known as the Eternals. They are naturally endowed with highly developed brains and incredibly resilient physical bodies."

"And Thanos is the absolute apex among them. He single-handedly destroyed his own race and his own home planet, which should tell you exactly how ruthless and atrocious he is. Now, Thanos has set his sights on our Earth. That is the sole purpose behind convening this meeting today."

Everyone immediately exchanged nervous glances. Arthur raised his hand and spoke up, "With your level of power, are you also unable to handle him?"

Lucas shook his head. "I am capable of stopping him, but Thanos is not just a lone warrior."

"According to my intelligence, he commands a massive, deeply fanatical army that obeys his every whim—a terrifying force fully equipped for interstellar warfare. Furthermore, intel indicates that he has gathered a cadre of incredibly powerful lieutenants under his direct command."

"From what I know so far, there is Ebony Maw, who excels in magic and sorcery and effectively acts as Thanos's grand vizier."

"Then there is Corvus Glaive, whose terrifying speed makes him an unparalleled master of assassination and stealth."

"Additionally, there is his wife, Proxima Midnight, who specializes in relentless tracking and close-quarters combat, known for her ruthless and vicious nature."

"We also have Cull Obsidian (Black Dwarf), who possesses a hulking physique capable of tanking almost any attack. His physical defense is practically invincible."

"And finally, Supergiant, who excels in devastating mental attacks and psychological domination."

"The above covers the intelligence I have gathered regarding Thanos's inner circle. I need all of you to be mentally prepared to encounter them well in advance. This way, when you inevitably cross paths with them, you won't be dragged into a bitter, losing battle simply out of ignorance of your enemy's capabilities."

After delivering this massive info dump about Thanos in one breath, Lucas surveyed the assembled Guardians. Everyone was either frowning in deep thought or whispering urgently amongst themselves.

President Ellis took the initiative to ask, "Lucas, is this Thanos truly that much stronger than the enemies we've faced previously?"

Lucas answered with absolute seriousness. "Thanos's strength is comprehensive. Not only does he wield overwhelming physical power, but he also possesses a terrifyingly calculating and calm mind. He has immensely rich experience in commanding cosmic-scale wars and is an unparalleled master tactician."

"At the same time, his thirst for knowledge is in no way inferior to his obsession with power. He is not someone who will give up easily. Relying on these traits, he has become a widely feared and renowned powerhouse across the entire universe. Therefore, he is an extraordinarily terrifying adversary. None of the enemies I've faced before can even compare to him."

Hearing Lucas's dead-serious assessment, Ellis sank into deep thought. What could he realistically do? Even though America now possessed highly advanced weaponry, he felt utterly powerless against a cosmic threat of this magnitude.

"Lucas, since you've gathered us here for this meeting, it proves the situation hasn't devolved to a point where fighting back is completely impossible," Nick Fury chimed in slowly. "I assume you already have a plan formulated in your head. So, why don't you just tell us what assignments you want to hand out?"

Lucas silently praised the man.

'As expected of Director Fury. He caught onto my underlying intentions that quickly.'

"It's not exactly a grand master plan, but rather a necessary preventative measure," Lucas explained. "It won't just be me. Moving forward, the entire human race on Earth must work together in total unity. Otherwise, if we face Thanos and his armada in our current fractured state, we will all be slaughtered sooner or later."

Ellis sighed heavily. "How is it even possible to achieve the level of unity you're describing? Besides, what could ordinary people like us possibly do in the face of that kind of god-like power?"

Tony echoed the sentiment. "Lucas, the President is right. We shouldn't drag ordinary civilians into this. That wouldn't be fair to them at all."

Clark agreed as well. "Exactly. We are more than enough for the actual fighting. Sending ordinary people to the front lines is no different from executing them."

Kara also tried to persuade him. "Lucas, ordinary people really won't be of any use in a fight like this. Let's just keep them out of it."

At this moment, Bruce actively spoke up. "Lucas, I think I understand what you're getting at, but are you absolutely sure you want to go through with it? If this fails and results in the deaths of the vast majority of humanity, you will be nailed to the pillar of ultimate disgrace for all of history."

Lucas just chuckled lightly. "The pillar of disgrace? To put it bluntly, if I truly fail, ending up on some pillar of disgrace will be the least of our worries. Therefore, rather than agonizing over these possibilities when it's already too late, it's better to cut the Gordian knot right now!"

"Besides, you've all misunderstood my intentions. I am not planning to use ordinary lives as cannon fodder. Any idiot knows that wouldn't work. What I actually need them to do is something else entirely. However, I can't tell you the details just yet."

Hearing this, everyone cast doubtful, questioning glances at him, completely unsure of what exactly this guy was plotting in secret.