"This gauntlet is huge."
"Yeah, was it made for a giant?"
"Loki, you said your father commissioned this. Is your father a giant?"
"Insolent mortal! How dare you—wait! Keep that robot away from me! Do not let that monster come near me!"
In the White Void, the four men gathered around the floating Infinity Gauntlet, their voices filled with awe and debate.
The image of Thanos wearing this very glove and slaughtering Asgardians was burned into their minds. The artifact radiated power.
Just as the discussion was heating up, the System's emotionless voice interrupted them.
[NEW QUESTION INITIATED.]
[Question: Why did Loki launch a suicidal attack on Thanos?]
[Option A: Loki had lost the will to live and used Thanos to commit suicide.]
[Option B: Loki overestimated his own strength and believed he could kill Thanos.]
[Option C: Loki wanted to die together with Thanos to save Thor.]
[Option D: Thanos only kills half. Only if Loki died could Thor live.]
[PLEASE ANSWER NOW. Each participant has one attempt.]
[Incorrect answers will trigger an Unknown Penalty.]
Upon hearing the question, the eyes of the other three participants immediately locked onto Loki.
Feeling the weight of Tony and the others' strange gazes, Loki's face flushed, alternating between red and pale. It felt like a public execution.
What the hell is this?
How am I supposed to know what kind of madness possessed my future self? Why would I do something so stupid?
Meanwhile, in the Chat Stream, people couldn't hold back.
[Thor Odinson: Nonsense! Why would my brother commit suicide? That first option is garbage!]
[Stephen Strange: However, you have to admit... that final dagger thrust looked very much like an act of desperation. Like he was throwing his life away.]
[Thor Odinson: What do you know? A true warrior charges forward even when death is certain!]
[Tony Stark: Yeah... that sounds exactly like suicide.]
[Thor Odinson: Damn you! If you were standing in front of me, I would smash you flat! (╬ Ò ‸ Ó)]
[Peter Parker: Guys, stop fighting. But honestly, what does that last option mean? I don't get it.]
[Stephen Strange: 'Thanos only kills half'?]
[Tony Stark: I don't get it either. Can anyone explain?]
...What?
Asgard.
Reading the final option on the screen, Odin's body stiffened. His expression shifted rapidly through a dozen emotions before settling on profound sorrow.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Loki... you foolish child."
As the King of the Nine Realms, Odin's knowledge far surpassed that of mortals. He knew of the Mad Titan. He knew of his twisted philosophy.
Balance.
Odin instantly understood the hidden meaning of Option D. And he understood the tragic choice Loki had made.
Standing in the Great Hall, Thor noticed his father's strange reaction.
"Father? What did you say about Loki?"
Odin smiled bitterly. He spoke softly, his voice thick with emotion.
"Thor... in the future, you must be better to your brother."
"He sacrificed everything... just for you."
Hearing Odin's explanation, Thor's eyes widened. His face went slack with shock. It was as if he had heard the most impossible thing in the universe.
The Chat Stream continued the debate.
[Tony Stark: That Option D is really weird. But... we have too little intel. We don't even know who this Purple Potato is.]
[Stephen Strange: Master Mordo, have you heard of Thanos?]
[Baron Mordo: I know little of this specific warlord.]
[Baron Mordo: If you want cosmic knowledge, you would need to ask Wong, the Librarian.]
[Tony Stark: Seriously? You wizards know about aliens too?]
[Baron Mordo: Why is that strange? The Sorcerer Supreme is the Guardian of Earth. We have repelled alien invasions more than once.]
[Tony Stark: Unbelievable. This world is way more dangerous than I thought.]
[Tony Stark: Looks like my 'Mechanical Legion' project needs to be fast-tracked.]
[Peter Parker: Huh? Mechanical Legion?]
At that moment, Thor burst into the chat.
[Thor Odinson: LOKI! Why are you so foolish?! Why would you sacrifice yourself for me?! (ToT)]
[Loki Odinson: What? What are you babbling about?]
[Thor Odinson: Father just told me! That cursed Thanos is a madman! His goal is to reduce the population of the universe!]
[Thor Odinson: Every time he kills, he only kills half the population, leaving the other half to live!]
[Thor Odinson: That is why you chose to die by his hand! Because if you died... the 'quota' would be filled! Thanos would spare me!]
Thor's words struck the chat room like a thunderbolt.
Everyone staring at the screen was dumbfounded.
Is that even possible?
Does such a twisted logic actually exist?