Jason was confused. What did I say that made him think we're alike? Can I take it back?
He shook his head. "Haha, Thanos, regardless of your ideals, don't you think your methods are too naive? Killing half the population can save the universe? Bullshit! How long would it take for the population to double again? Thirty years? Fifty? A hundred? Would you have to snap your fingers every century?"
Thanos shook his head seriously. "Eliminating half of all life isn't just about the numbers. It's a warning, a reminder!"
Jason scoffed. "Don't think humans or other intelligent creatures will learn any lessons from this! The essence of all living things in this universe is the same—they never learn from history and never understand long-term planning! You may have wiped out half of all life, and yes, this might prolong the existence of life in the universe, but no one will thank you for it!"
He leaned forward. "They'll see you as an enemy! A devil, an evil god! There will be heroes—many self-important, powerful people—who will unite to undo your work! You have no idea what forces they'll unleash. Perhaps time travel, or even rewriting history! You are doomed to fail!"
Thanos sighed heavily. "It seems we cannot reach agreement. This road is indeed lonely."
He stood up, seemingly ready for battle.
Jason held up a finger, stopping him. "You say you're willing to kill half of all life to save the universe. I want to know—how strong is your determination?"
Thanos paused, surprised by the question. "I would dedicate everything I have to it!"
"Including your conscience?"
"Everything!"
"Then I want to know," Jason continued, "why do you limit your vision to our universe? Your method of saving the world by killing half its population is ridiculous. Why not try to leave this universe and nourish it with resources from other universes? Is it because you only dare to raise your butcher's knife against your own people in this universe?"
Thanos stood there, stunned.
After a long moment, he asked, "Are there truly other worlds beyond ours? Other universes outside this universe? I thought that was merely unproven theory!"
Jason smiled and nodded. "Of course there are—countless of them. Some have no need to exist. Others are anxiously waiting for rescue. These universes alone would sustain our world for eons. No matter how you look at it, it's far better than your plan to kill half of all life!"
"But I have no way to access those universes!" Thanos replied.
Jason smiled confidently. "Maybe I do."
"You have this capability?"
"Give me the Infinity Stones, and I promise to give you a way to travel to other universes."
Thanos's eyes flashed with interest. "Show me this ability first!"
Jason shrugged. "I don't have that ability yet."
"Are you lying to me?"
"I said 'yet.' I'll have this capability soon, I promise. And..."
Jason paused and suddenly waved his hand.
An extraordinary scene unfolded throughout Thanos's fleet.
After Thanos had ordered all ships to raise their space barriers, the entire fleet had appeared like small round pearls from a distance. But when Jason waved his hand, all those beautiful pearls shattered simultaneously.
The space barriers around each ship seemed to be crushed by an invisible force. They didn't even last a second before disappearing.
The same happened to Thanos's flagship.
This amazing display shocked everyone present.
Even Thanos realized he could never defeat the man before him! Many cosmic gods might not be capable of such power!
As for Star-Lord, Rocket, and the others, they secretly rejoiced. It turns out we're backed by someone truly powerful—we're definitely on the winning side!
Jason waved his hand again, and both he and Thanos instantly vanished from the bridge.
Seeing this, Thanos's forces panicked. Even with their detection equipment operating at maximum capacity, they couldn't detect any energy signatures or spatial fluctuations.
Their master, Thanos, had been simply... taken.
Realizing this, they immediately turned their attention to Star-Lord and the others who remained on the bridge.
Quill, Rocket, and the rest exchanged glances as they realized they might be in trouble!
...
Mars.
The sky was filled with swirling sand.
The sandstorms on Mars were far more severe than those on Earth. When they appeared, they blotted out the sun and sky. One careless moment could leave you buried alive.
But for Jason, this phenomenon was trivial to control.
With a mere thought, he confined the space around them. The area where the sandstorm raged immediately fractured into countless independent pockets, each no larger than a bottle cap.
These areas, isolated by his spatial powers, were disconnected from one another, and the massive sandstorm was thus sliced into countless fragments.
In such confined spaces, the sandstorm couldn't sustain itself. The wind disappeared instantly.
Then, Jason slowly removed all spatial barriers, and the suspended sand fell from the sky like a golden mist.
Thanos watched the entire process from inside Jason's Martian mansion. He couldn't help but swallow nervously.
Jason lounged casually on a sofa, pouring himself a glass of wine.
"Actually, from the moment you entered this star system, I could have killed you at any time. Do you know why I didn't?"
Thanos remained silent. Jason didn't seem to care. He took a sip of wine and continued, "Because compared to truly unforgivable sinners, you still have room for redemption. I know many people hate you—countless beings who would kill you without hesitation. But to me, your existence still has value."
Thanos met Jason's gaze directly. "What do you want from me?"
Jason smiled. "It's very simple. Just use the method I mentioned to fulfill your dream of saving the universe!"
Thanos said nothing. He sensed a kind of ruthless ambition from the man before him. The method Jason suggested involved plundering other universes to sustain their own.
He sees himself as a conqueror who can subjugate other realities! Thanos thought. We're not the same kind of people at all. He is the true villain!
Seeing Thanos deep in thought, Jason shrugged. "Perhaps you've guessed my intentions. But my plan doesn't conflict with your ideals. So I believe there's potential for us to cooperate. I'm not the type of ruler you imagine—I prefer to work behind the scenes."
He sighed and continued, "I'm a human from Earth. I've long understood the nature of intelligent life on this planet and throughout the universe. Many things cannot be changed—humans and other sentient beings often choose self-destruction for the sake of immediate gain. My purpose is to prevent them from walking this path. In that respect, our goals are similar."
Jason's voice hardened. "But I am far greater than you! Because I've entered this game personally, sacrificing to protect this world's future, while you're just a lost soul chasing false ideals!"