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Arthur walked ahead in a daze, his senses disoriented. A strange compulsion gnawed at him, he wanted to bite the walls. Even the floor. Of course, not every surface tempted him, but something about the bones embedded in the ancient structure around them… it called to him.
The same was true for the ground beneath his feet.
He had no clue what was causing this bizarre hunger, but thankfully, the overwhelming urge began to fade over time.
By the time they reached the threshold of the Collector's domain, he had barely managed to suppress it.
"Please, come in, both of you," the girl said, bowing slightly with a gesture that was part diplomatic, part ceremonial. Her movements suggested training, likely in some form of interstellar etiquette designed for high-value guests.
Arthur shot a glance at Thor, who simply shrugged. They followed her inside.
They entered what appeared to be a waiting area, decorated with a strange blend of regal antiquity and high-tech alien craftsmanship. The girl gestured for them to wait, then turned and disappeared through an inner door to announce their arrival.
Moments later, she returned, visibly shaken, tears in her eyes, though she forced a smile and said, "The Master invites you in."
They stepped through the side door of the sitting room, and the space instantly opened up into a massive gallery.
Rows upon rows of strange and disturbing objects surrounded them, artifacts, stones, skeletal remains of extinct species, suspended lifeforms in containment fields, bizarre relics humming with residual energy.
Arthur took a deep breath, trying to keep his focus forward.
The longer he stared at these items, the more his mind frayed. Every artifact, every preserved specimen… something about them drove him nearly mad with hunger.
The urge to bite, to consume, was overwhelming.
He didn't know what was happening to him.
Despite the cavernous chamber, the space available for walking was narrow and deliberate, almost maze-like.
As they followed the path deeper into the room, a figure emerged to greet them.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" Came a theatrical voice.
With exaggerated enthusiasm, the man threw his arms wide. Then, remembering protocol, he suddenly snapped into a formal Asgardian bow. "Prince of Asgard, I must apologize for such a crude reception! I expressly told my assistant you were to be let in at once. Rest assured, I'll see to it that she becomes a permanent part of my collection."
The girl, her skin the same unique texture and color as Carina, stiffened with fear.
Her legs trembled, nearly giving out beneath her.
She wanted to collapse, but didn't dare.
Arthur's eyes drifted toward a display case off to the side, where a girl with identical features was suspended in a containment tube.
He shook his head slightly. "You already have one of her kind in your collection. Adding a duplicate wouldn't increase the value. If anything, it just makes your taste look lazy."
The Collector's eyes immediately locked onto Arthur.
His pupils dilated sharply, his expression morphing from theatrical cheer to stunned disbelief.
He wiped his nose, and his fingers came away stained crimson.
The tendrils beneath his robes flushed bright red.
"Incredible…"
He stared at the blood, then at Arthur again, his face going pale as if he'd seen a ghost.
"You… you don't exist in the weave of fate."
His voice trembled, a mix of awe and fear. His brow furrowed deeply. "But… why?"
Arthur inhaled slowly and met his eyes. "I'd like to know that too. Maybe you can tell me, do you have the answers I'm looking for?"
The Collector paused, thinking. After a long silence, he shook his head. "Sadly… it appears I don't."
Arthur gave a faint smile. "That's alright. Maybe you can't answer that question, but there's something else. I've heard rumors. You're one of the oldest beings in the universe… so tell me, what do you know about the Soul Stone?"
At the mention of the name, the Collector's demeanor shifted dramatically.
He turned to Thor with a strained smile. "I'm afraid I can't host you two any longer today."
With a dramatic wave of his hand, he gave the order: "Escort them out."
The girl hesitated, clearly shaken, but stepped forward.
Yet as soon as she did, her limbs froze mid-motion.
The entire space began to subtly tremble. A dense, unspoken energy pulsed overhead, like a storm waiting to break, yet never quite erupting.
Arthur's breathing turned heavy. He clenched his eyes shut, forcing his voice through gritted teeth. "Don't make me repeat myself. My patience today is wearing thin."
The Collector turned, staring at Arthur with new wariness. He swallowed hard.
Then, smiling nervously, he said, "It appears we've welcomed an exceptional guest. But if you believe I'm just some eccentric old curator…"
"Whether you can defeat me is irrelevant," Arthur cut in, raising a hand dismissively. "What matters is, can you afford the fallout? I guarantee we can leave whenever we want. But if you force my hand… you'll lose every piece of your precious collection. Decades, centuries, millennia of acquisitions, gone in seconds. So maybe don't try to resolve this with brute force."
This time, he struck directly at the Collector's greatest weakness.
The Collector stared at him, dumbfounded. "You… how can you be this shameless?"
Arthur raised a brow. "Why shouldn't I be?"
"…"
The Collector was at a loss for words. For all his unfathomable age and universal experience, he had never encountered anyone quite like Arthur before.
When he turned serious, his presence was overwhelming, undeniably formidable.
But when he slipped into roguishness, he was more shameless than the lowest criminal in the underworld.
The Collector bit his lip, hesitating for a long moment before letting out a weary sigh.
"If you're asking about the Soul Stone, all I can say is this, don't place your hopes on it."
Arthur's gaze sharpened, clearly dissatisfied with such a vague answer.
"I'm telling the truth," the Collector added quickly, noting the look in Arthur's eyes. "To this day, I haven't laid eyes on any of the Infinity Stones. I thought I was close to obtaining the Power Stone once, but some bastard got to it first. It's not where it was supposed to be. And what's worse, I can't even detect where it is now."
Arthur closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. "Do you know… the future?"
His reason for coming here wasn't just the Soul Stone. He had another matter to confirm.
If it turned out to be true, it would change his next steps entirely.
The Collector looked startled. His expression shifted as he met Arthur's gaze. "What exactly are you trying to find out?"
Arthur's tone dropped lower. "Soon, something is going to happen.
Something beyond imagination, an event powerful enough to threaten the very existence of the universe itself."
"Do you know anything… about that?"
The Collector froze. His face became unreadable.
Arthur exhaled softly and smiled. "It seems a lot of people have underestimated you."
He gave Thor a light pat on the shoulder before sitting down casually in a nearby chair.
He opened his mouth to say more, but instead, his stomach growled audibly.
Everyone in the room, including Thor, turned to look at him with a mix of confusion and mild disbelief.
Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm just hungry."
(End of Chapter)