"Infinity Gauntlet?"
Lucci's eyes instantly sharpened at those words.
Could it be... Thanos is making his move?
He looked up at Eitri and asked, "What happened? Tell me the details."
"Yes, Prince Lucci. It's a long story."
"When King Odin was young, he was obsessed with seeking ultimate cosmic power. He heard the legends of the six Infinity Stones and commissioned us, the dwarves of Nidavellir, to design a container capable of channeling all the stones' powers."
"After many years, we finally devised the gauntlet. Theoretically, it channels the power of the Infinity Stones without the user instantly exploding from the energy. But later, His Majesty gave up on collecting the stones, and the project was shelved."
"However, the blueprint was too valuable to destroy, so it was stored in the most secret vault of Nidavellir. But..."
"Just a few days ago, our kin in charge of guarding the vault reported traces showing that the blueprint's energy force field had been slightly disturbed. The intruder seemed only interested in looking—didn't actually take the blueprint, and then left."
After hearing Eitri's account, Lucci's suspicion became a certainty.
There's no mistake—this must be Thanos' handiwork.
"I probably know who the intruder is."
Lucci's tone was calm.
"Oh? Who?"
Eitri's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Lucci didn't answer directly.
"Eitri, have you ever thought—the reason the intruder didn't take the blueprint might be because they didn't want the blueprint itself..."
"Not the blueprint?"
Eitri was stunned. "Then what did they want?"
"They want the finished gauntlet," Lucci said. "A set of Infinity Gauntlets, made by Nidavellir's top master craftsmen, custom-made for him."
"What?!"
Eitri and several dwarf masters exclaimed at once.
"How is that possible? The dwarves of Nidavellir have strict principles—we don't make artifacts for just anyone!
Let alone something like the Infinity Gauntlet!"
At this, Lucci's gaze deepened.
"But what if the other party is so powerful they threaten all of Nidavellir?"
"Impossible!"
Eitri and the dwarves blew out their beards and glared.
"We dwarves aren't fighters, but not just anyone can threaten us! Who would dare?"
Lucci looked at the excited dwarves and slowly spoke a name that represented death and terror in the universe:
"Thanos."
Boom—
The name exploded like a bomb in the hearts of Eitri and all the dwarven masters!
"Thanos?"
Eitri's voice changed, fear showing for the first time on his weathered face.
"You mean... the Mad Titan, Thanos?"
"Why him?"
An old dwarf master's tool clattered to the floor.
"I've heard the legends. Wherever he passes, civilizations wither, stars dim... He's a butcher!"
Lucci nodded, his face serious.
"Yes, it's him.
Thanos is obsessed with his so-called theory of universal balance.
He believes cosmic resources are finite, but life multiplies infinitely.
To prevent the universe from running out of resources, he's come up with a mad plan—
To collect all six Infinity Stones scattered throughout the universe and, with the power of the Infinity Gauntlet, snap his fingers..."
Lucci paused, gazing at the terrified faces one by one.
"...to randomly and fairly erase half of all life in the universe."
Dead silence.
Everyone was enveloped in a silence like death.
The apocalyptic vision Lucci described filled all the dwarves with terror.
Erase half of all life in the universe? How mad, how evil, how... utterly incomprehensible!
"How... how could such a lunatic exist?"
Eitri exclaimed, sweat trickling down his brow.
Not from the forge's heat, but from the trembling of his soul.
They were craftsmen, creators.
Their life's pursuit was to give life and soul to cold metal and forge artifacts to protect life.
And now Thanos wanted to use their proudest creation to commit an unprecedented, cosmic genocide!
This was the greatest blasphemy and insult to dwarves, who held creation as faith!
"This is bad!"
Eitri suddenly reacted, his face turning deathly pale.
"If Thanos is after the finished gauntlet... then our home, Nidavellir..."
He didn't finish, but all the dwarves understood.
Now that the blueprint had been leaked, Thanos' next target would be Nidavellir!
Their kin were still there!
And that was the mighty star-forge that could harness the power of a neutron star!
"We have to go back!"
"Warn our kin to prepare to face the enemy!"
"Thanos... That's Thanos! How can we resist?"
For a moment, panic spread among the dwarven rulers like a plague.
As chaos brewed, Lucci's voice rang out again:
"Don't panic. I'll go back to Nidavellir with you."
Hearing this, Eitri looked up suddenly, hope instantly flaring in his eyes.
"Prince Lucci... you..."
"Thanos' plan threatens not just Nidavellir, but all Nine Realms, the entire universe.
As the Crown Prince of Asgard, heir to the protector of the Nine Worlds, it is my duty."
"As long as I'm with you, Nidavellir will be fine.
If Thanos wants the Infinity Gauntlet, he'll have to get past me first."
At this moment, Lucci's figure seemed incomparably tall in the eyes of Eitri and all the dwarves.
His calm and confidence seemed to dispel all darkness.
"Thank you, Prince Lucci! Thank you!"
Eitri, king of the dwarves for thousands of years, dropped to one knee, tears of excitement streaming down his face.
"Following you is the greatest honor for me, Eitri, and for all dwarves!"
…
The Void of Space
In the dead, silent, and death-shrouded void, a giant cross-shaped warship loomed, exuding ominous intent.
It was Thanos' flagship, the Sanctuary.
On the main bridge, the light was dim and the air oppressive. On a high throne sat a mountain-like, muscular figure—Thanos himself.
At that moment, a thin, hunched figure quietly appeared at the throne—Ebony Maw.
"Master,"
Ebony Maw knelt humbly, his hoarse voice full of flattery.
"Good news. The exact whereabouts of the Power Stone have been confirmed."
Thanos, on his throne, opened his eyelids slightly, his deep, magnetic voice echoing in the empty bridge with undeniable majesty.
"Speak."
"It's on the planet Xandar, sealed in the Nova Corps' vault."
A cruel smile appeared on Ebony Maw's face.
"The Xandarians fancy themselves the police of the universe, but before your mighty power, their defenses are mere paper."
"Xandar..."
Thanos uttered the name, a nearly invisible smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. This result didn't surprise him—very good. At last, his plan could formally begin.
Just then, another mental ripple swept across the bridge.
Of the Black Order's five generals, the telepathic and infiltrative Supergiant walked over, her form elusive and insubstantial.
"Master, I've also brought back intelligence on Nidavellir."
Supergiant's voice rang directly in everyone's mind.
"As expected, they possess the Infinity Gauntlet's blueprint, far more refined than any artifact known in the universe."
"But..."
A hint of regret flashed across Supergiant's mind.
"Despite a thorough search, there is no completed Infinity Gauntlet in Nidavellir."
Hearing this, the smile vanished from Thanos' face.
No finished product.
That meant he couldn't use the Infinity Stones he obtained.
"Master, since there's no completed gauntlet, the blueprint means nothing to us,"
Ebony Maw added.
"Let's focus all our power on taking the Power Stone from Xandar first. Once we have the first stone, the rest will be easy."
Thanos pondered for a moment. Ebony Maw had a point—the Power Stone's allure was irresistible: pure, indestructible physical force. Once acquired, his fleet would be unbeatable.
But the Infinity Stones' power was so great that even he dared not wield them directly.
The Infinity Gauntlet was his only means to realize his ultimate dream—it could not be missed.
After weighing the pros and cons, Thanos made his decision.
He looked at the figure standing beside the throne, holding an unparalleled war blade, wearing a cold expression.
"Corvus Glaive."
"Master!"
The figure immediately knelt on one knee.
"Lead half the vanguard and set out for Nidavellir immediately.
Use any means necessary—force, persuasion... or slaughter.
Make the dwarves who live by the forge create the perfect Infinity Gauntlet for me.
Give them a simple choice:
Either forge the gauntlet in exchange for their race's survival,
or become the coldest dust in the universe along with their proud star-forge."
Corvus Glaive looked up, a bloodthirsty, cruel smile appearing on his scarred face. He struck his battle blade to the ground, sending up sparks.
"At your command, great master! The Black Orderwill offer you the gauntlet that contains the universe's power!
And the dwarves' cries shall be the most magnificent accompaniment to its birth!"
With that, he turned and strode off, murderous intent in his eyes.
A moment later, a roar echoed from the Sanctuary's hangar as the Black Order's hideous Outrider soldiers boarded their attack ships in formation.
Thanos watched Corvus Glaive lead his army away, then spoke again:
"Relay my command.
Sanctuary, full speed ahead! Destination—Xandar!
I will personally retrieve the Power Stone."
….
Nidavellir
When Lucci, Eitri, and the dwarven masters returned to their familiar world under Lucci's guidance, all the dwarves breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness our home is still here!"
An elder dwarf master exclaimed.
Eitri let out a long sigh, finally feeling half the weight on his heart lift.
But he didn't forget their true purpose.
He spoke respectfully to Lucci,
"Prince Lucci, please come with me."
Lucci nodded and followed Eitri through the bustling workshop to the heart of the star-ring, the vault hiding the dwarves' deepest secrets.
The vault door was still closed, the runes showing no signs of tampering.
Eitri led Lucci to the spot where the Infinity Gauntlet blueprint was kept.
"Prince Lucci, this is it."
Lucci calmly traced the energy shield, faint ripples of time appearing in his eyes.
Rewind time!
Buzz—
An unfathomable power instantly enveloped the entire vault. Eitri was shocked as the world before him seemed to rewind like a video, dust in the air recondensing along strange trajectories, and their own bodies turning transparent like phantoms.
Time in this confined space flowed rapidly upstream!
Soon, the image fixed on a certain moment a few days ago.
Inside the vault, the blurry, warped figure of a woman, seemingly made of pure spirit, quietly phased through the wall and energy shield, pausing before the blueprint scroll.
She didn't open it, just silently "gazing" at the Infinity Gauntlet design.
The whole process lasted about five seconds.
Then, the figure nodded in satisfaction, turned into a phantom again, and quietly melted away.
The time image ended; the vault was restored to its original state.
But Eitri's face grew grave.
Someone really did sneak in.
That silent, intangible infiltration chilled him to the bone.
"Yes... it was her..."
Eitri's voice trembled.
"Thanos' Supergiant..."
He looked at Lucci, his eyes full of worry.
"Prince Lucci, as you said... now that Supergiant has arrived, Thanos' army can't be far behind."
Despite Eitri's worries, Lucci remained calm.
"So what if they come? Don't worry, Eitri. I will cast a MagicNet over all of Nidavellir."
"MagicNet?"
Eitri was stunned—the term was beyond his understanding.
"Prince Lucci, what is that?"
Lucci explained:
"It's simple—a vast network of magical perception woven across all Nidavellir.
Just as the greatest smiths can sense minute temperature changes in the forge's metal, so too will this web allow me to sense any fluctuations.
Once cast, it will fuse with my will.
From then on, any energy disturbance above a certain threshold or hostile intrusion will not escape my notice.
Moreover, as long as the web exists, I can instantly teleport my power anywhere in Nidavellir to confront the invaders.
Simply put, with this MagicNet, Nidavellir is under my protection."
Upon hearing this, Eitri's heart, frozen with terror, was filled with unspeakable shock and ecstasy!
A protective network covering the whole star-ring world?
Able to sense all intrusions, teleport support instantly?
What a wondrous spell!
It was an all-weather, omnipotent, everlasting guardian saint!
It was ten thousand times more reliable than Odin's protection or Asgard's contracts!
Eitri could no longer contain his excitement and ecstasy. He knelt and gave Lucci the oldest, most noble salute.
"Prince Lucci!
You... you are the true savior of the dwarves!
To follow and serve you is the greatest glory for me, Eitri, and all of Nidavellir!"
At this moment, all fear and anxiety toward Thanos vanished from his heart.
For he knew the sky over Nidavellir was now covered by a sacred web called "Hope."
And the owner of this web was a man who spoke and acted with true strength—a god!